Emma Meets Santa

My dearest darling Girl.....What a joy to witness some of your "firsts". You are growing so quickly and learning so many new skills. Very soon you will be walking and running in every direction except your Diva's arms.

It is really hard for your Poppa and Diva to live so far away from you and your parents. It saddens us to know we will be missing your first birthday soon.

I love watching you crawl. You made my heart smile whenever you smile. You remind me of another little girl.....your sweet momma.

Your Poppa and I miss you so much. Thank you for your recent trip to Virginia. We enjoyed having you for your first American Thanksgiving and for my birthday.


Know that your are dearly loved and cherished.......Me miss you!

Look how you have grown!

Dearest Emma Bug,

What a difference a few months can make. Look at you sitting up all by yourself so independent and so clever. You know that your Diva loves your little overalls too (they remind me of another little grrrl ....you sweet Mommy.)

Of course both your Poppy and I become big piles of goo whenever we see your sweet smiles and your face light up whenever you see us. We are so happy to be able to spend 10 whole days with you and your parents. I promise to spoil you and give you lots of kisses. We'll sing songs, read books, and tickle you too.

We love you so much, and what fun we will have! Hope you are all rested up because we want to squeeze a lot of Emma time in while we are here.....We have lots of memories to create in a short time so don't be surprised if we hug you a little longer and take more pictures of you than necessary. Just indulge us.....we're first time grandparents and don't know any better.

Love you sooooo much,
Diva

Making Monday Memories...with Emma

Making Monday Memories.....

How do create an instant love affair? Here's our recipe.

Take one part baby,
One part longing grandparents

Mix in time, distance and desire.

Add financial difficulties and personal injury.

Slowly let it simmer for 4 months.

Add in passports, international travel, and a" 5 minute meltdown 10,000 feet in the air".

Sprinkle with jet lag, a very tired Mommy and Daddy, lots of luggage and baby items and present it wiggling and cooing to an appreciative audience.

Then stand back and listen for the "ohs and awes" and rave reviews.

Well, at least it happened that way with us.

Miss Emma is everything we every hoped for and then some. Yesterday we got to babysit for about 4 hours and found her to be delightful, entertaining, full of energy and yes....we found out our baby has a temper too!

Girlfriend absolutely adores "Poppy" (but then, so do I). Mr. Wonderful was so funny and delightful. When he held her and walked with her on his shoulder she snuggled really close and both of them were caught up in an invisible dance of adoration.

He would smile over at me and say, "Am I doing this right?" I would smile back and say, " Do you hear any complaints from her?" Emma is very generous with her smiles and girlfriend loves to make sweet baby noises. If she takes after her Momma and Diva she will be talking up a blue streak by the time she's a year old.

We are totally smitten by our first grandchild. Everything she does is delightful. Mr. Wonderful laughs at her smiles and coos and is instantly transported back to the time when we were first time parents. He has all the right moves now and much more confidence in his "baby reading" skills. It seems to me he walks a little taller and is much more observant to her every gesture.

Watching people play with babies is now one of my favorite past times when not actively engaged in the game myself. Life is amazing, looking at this incredible gift from God we can only imagine what she will see and experience in her lifetime. Today I am content just to lavish love and affection on Miss Emma and "steal kisses".

Labels: Monday memories

Diva meets Darling

Dearest Emma.....At last we have you in our arms . We were so excited to see you and your very tired parents at the Richmond Airport at 11p.m. It had been a hard day for all of you and I was so afraid you would take one look at me and start screaming for your Momma.

I wouldn't have blamed you and I had already made up a number of excuses to explain away your behavior but to my great surprise and delight you let me hold you. You seemed to think Diva's wheel chair made a great rolling stroller . You rewarded us with some toothless grins and we were totally captured and captivated by you.

I was surprised at how blond your hair is, your pictures make you look like a redhead. I love your azure blue eyes and your smile that could light up a city block. You are such a big girl. I adore your little chubby cheeks and your giggles could make a statue smile.

You have a definite personality already. We found you to be enchanting as well as equipped with a fine set of lungs and definite likes and dislikes. Watching you jump in your jolly jumper has become one of my greatest joys and holding you in my arms is the best medicine ever.

Watching you sleep, is like a whispered prayer. I've been waiting for you all my life and just didn't know it. Watching you grow and experience new things this next three weeks will be so much fun for us. I know you will not remember this visit but your Poppa and I will never forget the "first time we saw your face!"

All my love my darling Emma girl!
Diva

Countdown to the Divine Miss Em!

Dear Emma Bug,

Every time I think I have found my new favorite picture of you, your mama and daddy take even cuter pictures. Trying to find a favorite is almost impossible "cause you get better looking each day!" How is that possible?

The tickets are purchased and you all will soon be flying to Virginia into our waiting arms. Do you know how hard it is for your Diva to wait? Almost impossible!

Your Auntie Suzy and Uncles are already getting excited to see you too. We have so many new experiences for you and it will be much fun to see you do so many "firsts".

Poppa and I laughed and laughed at your first "music video". Who knew you would be such a good dancer in your jolly jumper. You Go Grrrl! We definitely were delighted at "our bouncing baby grrrl".

We are counting the days till we can pick you up from the airport and then "Let the spoiling begin!" Know we love you so very much and consider you a gift from God.

Get plenty of rest girlfriend....you will need it for this wild and crazy side of the family.

All my love,

Diva

My Easter Emma.....

Dearest Emma Bug,

Look at you Girlfriend. You are getting so big and now have the biggest smiles for your Momma and Daddy. Your Poppa and Diva look forward to seeing new pictures of you each week as you are growing and changing so rapidly.

This will be your very first Easter. Easter is such a special time!
It is a time of new life.....everywhere we look in our country home there are new babies. You will like the baby lambs, calvess, baby goats and even new kitties that live under our shed.

The flowers are starting to bloom and the dull, brown scenery is starting to turn green and spots of colorful flowers are starting to pop up every where. Your Poppa and Diva are already starting to dream of our summer garden with lots of fresh vegetables and yes lots of Daisies too!

We are working on an Easter box of you and your parents. Yesterday your Poppa and I were able to go to our favorite place (The Green Valley Book Fair) and bought all kind of wonderful books for you and your momma.

The one I liked best for you is called What I Like About You by Colleen Ludington. It has wonderful pictures and perfectly describes you. I liked these lines from the book.

"You're a gift sent to me from God up above,
Perfectly , delightfully created in love.

When I am with you and when we're apart,
You're always here with me- right here in my heart.

You have a purpose no one else can fulfill;
No one can replace you-no one ever will.

We are so excited about seeing you sweet face soon. Hope you feel better soon. It has been an eventful month for you with your first immunizations and first cold.

Know we pray for you every day and can hardly wait to hold you in our arms.

Your Diva

My Little Red Hair Grrrl....

Dearest Emma Bug,

Oh my goodness, look at you Miss Thing! All dolled up with the bluest of eyes and is that red hair I see? What a precious, dear, sweet face! How I long to hold you, kiss you and pamper you and your parents. I think for now that this is my favorite picture of you.

Your Auntie Suzy and I have an exclusive club for the Blue Eyed Girls in our family. Since we were the only two we were the only members. We are thrilled to see your bonnie blue eyes (inherited from your daddy I'm sure!) We may have to have a special ceremony to welcome you into our club.

I think we are slowly making plans to come see you and bring all of you back with us for a visit. Your Uncle Andy, Uncle Tim and Auntie Suzy will be so excited to see you in person. We may have to draw numbers to see who gets to hold you first!

I'm waiting on my first smile from you. Hope it comes quickly once I have you in my arms. Your poppa is already talking about taking you to all of his favorite places. He is just as eager to show you off too.

Sleep well little one. You are growing and changing day by day. Such a talented girl. We love your videos. You can tell your Diva all the secrets you've been keeping.

We love you Emma Bug.
Diva

Sharing Secrets......

Dearest Emma-Bug,

Your sweet momma just sent me this picture of you and Eh? already sharing secrets! I love it! I'm sure he will never tell any of your secrets no matter how much honey I offer him.

I love your outfit too. Auntie Suzy loves shopping for her little niece and I think she did a really good job.

You are growing up so quickly and changing week by week.

We are so anxious to see you in person.

Miss you more than we ever thought possible. Let your mom get some sleep( she's a lot more fun when she's rested. )


Know you are loved, cherished and prayed for every moment of every day.......Your Diva

Happy Valentine's Day Baby!

Dearest Emma Bug....

Look at you Miss Thing! You are growing way too fast for me. Yesterday was your very first Valentine's Day....the first of many. I went on my very own Valentine hunt to find you the most perfect "First Valentine" Days card and gift. Sure wish we could have been there to watch you explore your gifts.

I saw your video that your mom and dad made of you accidentally turning over! I was so impressed! Now tell me darling, has your Daddy been teaching you Kung Fu already? (It's ok, just whisper it to me, I won't tell!)

Today is your Poppa's birthday and I bet I know what he wished for......to be able to hold you in his arms and to talk to you. For his birthday his big sister sent him his favorite pie and a book he loved as a little boy. It is called "Scuppers the Sailor Dog" and he already has plans to read it to you.

Tell Momma not to eat pizza for a while as it upsets your stomach. Oh, I see you've already told her and your Daddy!

Sleep well, my darling girl.

Hugs and Prayers coming your way.

Your Diva

Happy Birthday Becky and Emma

Thursday Thirteen..About Becky

Thirteen Things about Becky that I hope her daughter inherits!

1.Today is our daughter Becky's birthday. This is her first birthday as a new mom. As a first time Diva and lover of Fairy Tales these are the gifts I would bestow on her that you possess yourself.

2.The first thing I see and is still true about you is that your smile lights up your face and electrifies the whole room. I am reminded of this comment.....Sitting in a cafe this afternoon, a random cute bearded old man walked by and said: "I hope the baby has your smile." I hope so too!

3. I hope Emma inherits your love of book and a hunger and thirst for knowledge. I laugh knowing full well her nursery theme is golden books and she already has wonderful posters on her walls of great children's book. I wouldn't be surprised to see her cutting her first teeth on a cardboard book.

4. I pray that Emma will always feel loved, cherished and protected. I love this picture of you kissing your sweet Emma's head while she is sleeping peacefully. I pray that she will always feel safe and secure in your loving arms.

5. I pray that Emma inherits your sense of adventure. I never hear the Dixie Chicks song "Wide Open Spaces" that I don't think of you. I hope she is as fearless as you my darling "Warrior Princess"


6. I hope she inherits your beautiful head of hair.....it took you a long time to grow hair and were pretty much a cue ball as a baby.. She already has a pretty good start in that department.

7. I hope she has your sense of humor (that you inherited from your dad). I hope she can look at a "Far Side" Cartoon and laugh hilariously.

8. I pray that she will react as strongly as you do at injustice, and cruelty and will be an agent for change in her generation.

9. I hope she has an active imagination and always has some creative outlet for it, whether it's making up stories, drawing, or building with Legos.

10. I pray that she will be a leader and an independent thinker just like you.

11. I pray that she will be physically active and enjoy participating in sports. Can you see Emma as a young soccer referee?


12. I pray that she will always keep the lines of communication open with you even if you don't agree with what she is doing. I always loved that you didn't shut us out of your life.

13. I pray that you can give her Wings and Roots. Happy Birthday Becky.

A little pillow talk?

Dearest Emma Bug,

I saw this picture of you and your darling daddy and my heart just melted. Here you are less than two weeks old and you've already captured your Daddy's heart.

What secrets are you sharing? Are you telling him all about your marvelous Mommy? It looks like you are getting your point across by the goofy grin on his adoring face.

You go girlfriend! Did you know that babies are God's way of growing parents? I'm seeing them change and mellow every day too. What a good influence you are having on both of them. Babies tend to smooth off the rough edges on us.

Know you are a blessing and are blessed. Poppa and Diva pray for you everyday and long to see you and hold you close.

Your Diva

Who is Cuter? You or your Daddy?

Look at you Miss Thing! My darling little Bug!

All decked out in your soft red blanket sleeper that your Diva picked out for you. I love your hat too. I so fell in love with this little sleeper when your mommy and I were shopping for your arrival.

Your Diva adores snowmen and this little sleeper is definitely got winter scenes and snowmen. Your Poppa says I have a thing for fat white men and he is so glad, cause he is one!

Your Momma and Daddy got you all dolled up for your first "public" outing. I'm sure you were the queen of the mall already. Hope the Paparazzi weren't overwhelming.


My arms ache to hold you.

Your Diva

Waving Emma!

Look at you waving to your Diva!

Hello Gorgeous! How's my Emma Bug this morning.

Your poppa and I are having so much fun looking at your pictures and watching you grow and change so rapidly.

Your momma tells us all kinds of stories about you and I've heard you hiccup on the phone. Even that sounded cute.

Can you tell I'm helplessly in love with you?

Woo Hoo....Look at you!

Look at you Miss Thing,

This is the first picture I've seen of your hands, arms, legs and feet. Woo Hoo, what a good looking baby you are!

Love the hat and booties too.

It's amazing how wide awake you are and how sleepy your parents look. I hope you are breaking them in gently they are old you know.

I heard you got to meet your grandma and grandpa Peters tonight. I'm sure they fell in love with you instantly too.

You seem to have that effect on everyone.

Sleep well little one......your momma needs some rest too.

First pictures.....

Dearest Emma,

Did you know that your Diva believes in love at first sight? No, silly girl, I'm not talking about your Poppa (even though he is very cute!)

The first time I experienced love at first sight was when I first saw your momma. All new and perfect straight from God. I fell head over heels in love with her.

I was so worried when I was pregnant with your Auntie Suzy. How would I ever love another child as much as I loved your mommy? But you know I fell in love at first sight with her too, and with your Uncle Andy. It's amazing how such a tiny person can expand your heart instantly.

I was in love with you when we first heard you were on the way. Your mommy was on the phone with us when we first saw your pictures and guess what? Diva and Poppa are instantly in love with our little Emma. I love this particular picture as it looks like you and your mom are sharing secrets already.

You are so fresh and new that you probably haven't discovered what an amazing mom you have. I suspect you already have many of her characteristics and it will be so much fun to watch you change and grow.

Do you like your house and your room?

Know you are loved, cherished and so welcomed into our hearts and our lives.

Your Diva

Hello my Baby, Hello my Sweety.....

Hello, my precious baby girl! My Emma Bug!

Your Poppa and Diva keep checking our email every hour looking for your first photos. We are so thrilled that you are finally here and we can see you, hold you, and whisper sweet nothings in your little tiny ear. If I were there in person you would have such chapped cheeks from all your Diva kisses.

Knowing your momma, I'm sure she already has kissed every inch of your sweet face and even your tiny toes ( which your mom says you like to kick out from under the blankets). I'm sure your daddy has held you in his strong arms and marveled at his part in helping God create such a perfect little person.

Your Poppa found this little baby bee at "the mission mall" yesterday for you. Diva is being selfish and keeping it for herself to remind me of my Emma Bug.

Do you like your name? I think it's beautiful and just perfect you.
Emma
The healer of the universe.

What a strong name. I can already imagine you bringing people together.

Missing you soooooo much!

Your Diva

Is it Today?

Dearest Baby Bug......Is today your birthday? It just might be! Your momma has been feeling contractions all day yesterday and her doctor thinks that today my be the day that you arrive.

We are so excited at the "Big Unveiling".

Just wanted you to know that you are all "prayed up" and that we already love and adore you.

Be good to your mom......it would be nice if you decided if you decided to pop in and say hello!

Rest up my angel....exciting times are coming! Diva

Got ya covered......my baby bug!

13 ways to be a Fantastic a Granny Diva

1. Always carry lots of pictures. Don't wait until the baby is born, start with the ultra sound images and go all the way through graduation.
2. Listen intently to other people talk about their grandchild. This is not as easy as it sounds.
3. Select a proper grandma name that 1) you like, 2) the child can pronounce and 3) will not be embarrassing when it is shouted loudly in the grocery store.
4. Ask God to bless your grandchildren and pray for them every day.
5. When your grandchild is fussy or behaves poorly, always have a good excuse.
6. My favorite excuse is "The poor little doll is just so tired. And you would be too if you had been hauled around all day. Another good excuse is" "The poor little angel is cutting teeth!" These two are good but you need a good spare or two for really tough times.
7. You will want to have special nicknames for them as they grow, but continue to call them by their name. We all like to hear the sound of our own names.
8. When something gets broken at your house, remind yourself and your grandchild that people are more important than things.
9. Get a bigger purse-a small suitcase will do also-so that you can always pull out a new toy, candy or distraction of some kind at just the right moment.
10. Think back on your own grandmothers and try now to realize just how much they loved you. At the time you had no idea of their deep love because it is unexplainable. You must experience it for yourself.
11. Have Grandma Camp one week every summer. Plan cookouts, crafts, sports, and all the things kids love. For the following week schedule a massage, plenty of bed rest, and post a sign that the kitchen is closed until further notice.
12. Never miss a chance to tell them you love them. The days are short and years pass quickly. What a better way for them to remember you than, "She always told me how much she loved me."
13. Give a "Grandmother Shower" for your friends who are new to the club. Bring baby things for the the new grandmother to keep at her house.

Close up and personal!

Dear Baby Bug.....Yep, it's your grandparents. I included the picture as you probably remember us talking to you while you were still in your mommy's tummy.

Just wanted you to know we are thinking about you and are so excited that your arrival is soon. I know you are warm and snug and are growing stronger and longer every day.

Always know that you are a much loved child and prayed for every day. Be blessed. Diva and Papa

Farewell for now.....

Derest Baby Bug,

It was so hard to leave you and your parents. Diva and Poppa are back in the Daisy Patch now with tickets to come see you or bring you and your parents to come see us.

On our way home we had the opportunity to delay our flight for 2 free round trip tickets anywhere that Northwest flies. You should have seen your Poppa jump at the opportunity to see you for free. We truly believe that it was a provision from the Lord as we certainly had no idea how we would be able to save up the money for another trip any time soon. Not only did we get free tickets but we also got free dinner, breakfast and they put us up for the night at a very nice hotel.

It was truly a wonderful gift and we are very excited about seeing you soon.

We are tired from our travels and missing you and your sweet momma and dashing daddy.

We were happy to help set up your room. What a lucky baby to have such a wonderful place to grow and play. You already have a library of exciting books that will take you as far as your imagination can carry you. Your Poppa is already eying the Big Book of Trucks to read to you. He likes to make truck noises that will make you giggle.

Sleep well, and let your Momma get some rest too.

Missing you muchly,

Your Diva

Meet a new friend and secret keeper.

Dearest Little One,

Today is Christmas Day 2006. We opened gifts last night and your mommy and daddy opened many books for you and a big ole bear your Diva calls ( Eh? or as I call him A). I saw this bear months ago and had to have him for you.

I bought the sweater for him yesterday....it gets cold in Canada. He is very soft and has a sweet funny face. I like his soft fat tummy and big black nose. At first he may be bigger than you are but that will quickly change. As you can see he is guarding a box of blocks.....he's already working for you. He may be trying to sneak a sip of gingerale from your dad so you may need to watch him when he's by himself.

Your momma has already let me feel your kicks. You are getting bigger and stronger and soon we will be able to hold you and see your sweet face. I'm sure your Poppa already has plans about taking your picture sitting under the Christmas tree like he did with your sweet momma on her first Christmas. Rest well my darling angel and know that my dreams are sweet because of you.

Soon yes very soon.....

Dearest Babykins,

Yes, I'm actually here in Canada and I've been talking to your momma's tummy so you will know that your Diva loves you and know my voice. Your poppa is here too and has been making repairs around the house.

Today we took you shopping for your nursery. It was so much fun to see all the baby clothes, and baby items. It won't be long till I can hold you and have a face to face conversation. Your momma bought a basket holder for you. It will hold your bed and will also rock you to sleep . Your daddy and poppa put it together tonight and after much convincing we finally got a picture of your parents by your new bed.

It is so much fun seeing you. I bought you your first Christmas ornament and one for your mom. We will be washing your clothes and setting up you bedroom soon.

You are definitely making your presence known. We love you and are so anxious to see your sweet face. Rest well my darling and let your momma get some rest too.

It's Just Me.....

Dearest Baby Dumpling,

Today is a Thursday and I'm sitting in front of my computer with my bunny slippers on thinking and praying for you.

I've been looking at pictures of your momma's ever increasing belly and marveling at how much you are growing and developing. Your mom tells me that you are late night kicker (possibly practicing your kong fu moves with your daddy or maybe you are more the soccer type.)

Your mom was quite the kicker too. I thought she would either be a ballerina or a soccer player. She did turn out to be an awesome soccer player and the first female teenage soccer ref (but that's another story for another day!)

Your are quite remarkable already. Your momma and daddy think about you, plan for your arrival and dream dreams about your future. Even your Papa brought home a toy for you today that I'm sure we will be storing for many years till you are old enough to enjoy it. Your Diva has picked out clothes, sleepers, books and toys for you too.

I'm sure you know your momma's soothing voice by now and she has exposed you to the Dixie Chicks in concert. I bet you'll know all of their songs before you are 5. (Uncle Andy swears he was the only 17 year old boy to know all the lyrics to "Dancing Queen".)

My days are full of thoughts of you. We are marking off the days till we can hold you in our arms. (I might have to wrestle your momma though....You'll like her, she's a bit over protective, very socially conscious, passionate personality and totally in love with you.)

Hugs and prayers today and always.......Your Diva

No It's Not the Great Pumpkin!

Good Grief Charlie Brown....it's your Poppa!

Dear Baby Bear....Here is your Poppa in the Pumpkin Patch by our home. This particular pumpkin is called a "Cheese Pumpkin" because it looks light orange like a wheel of cheese.

Poppa is wearing a flannel shirt and I think he looks like "The Brawny Man" from the commercials.

This is your Diva's favorite time of year.

I talked with you momma today and you are definitely making your presence knows. Be nice to your momma....she really works hard and she loves you so very much.

Hmmmm.....I'm getting hungry for pumpkin bread, muffins, pies, or for that matter pumpkin everything.

Diva's Flashback

Dearest Wee One,

Every Monday I post a "Monday Memory" on my other blog. Usually they are family stories or stories of your diva as a child. This week I posted a story about your momma. Your Momma was the most wonderful baby ever born (or at least we thought so ). We were instantly captivated by her. She was our greatest accomplishment and we watched her with breathless anticipation. Your Poppa and I had been a small part of helping God create a living breathing miracle.

Like most nervous new parents we let her sleep in a bassinet right next to our bed for fear we might not hear her in the middle of the night! At first she would only squeak a little as she would wake for a feeding. As she grew bigger and stronger so did her cries. Soon we were able to distinguish the hungry "feed me cries" from the the "I need to be changed cries".

As our confidence grew, so did she. Soon she had a lusty mad cry that signaled " You'd better take care of me NOW or else!" She was very good at training us to meet her needs. For the most part she was an easy baby to raise and we complimented each other for our extraordinary "parenting" ability.

So, we were not prepared for our child's noiseless cry. We were in a large district church conference and our 8 month old creeper was in the nursery with lots of other preachers kids. The nursery was small and there were lots of babies. The main assembly had just gotten out and mother's were on their way to pick up their offspring.

As I entered the nursery I noticed that your momma was playing on the floor. I also noticed that her mouth was wide open in terror, tears were pouring out of her eyes and yet there was no noise coming out of her mouth. Her face was beet red, and her eyes were bulging.

I also noticed that there was another mom gathering her child's diaper bag and standing on my baby's hand.
My maternal instinct took over and faster than a charging NFL linesmen I pushed the offending mother off your momma's hand ( and nearly through the opposite wall.). I grabbed my noiselessly screaming baby and blew in her face. It caused her to catch her breath and then the loudest, most ear-splitting noise erupted from her that caused everyone (even the very angry offending mom) to stop dead in their tracks and pay attention to what had just occurred.

Your Momma began wailing and so did I. (Both of us were inconsolable.) Fortunately another mother had also viewed the incident and was explaining the situation to the astonished nursery attendant , the offending mother and to your Poppa who was wondering why his mild mannered wife had become a raving charging lunatic.

Needless to say that was the last time your momma was in that nursery. Nothing was broken or bruised (including the other mother) but I felt like the world's worst mom.

Moms and Divas hate to see their children hurt, or scared. It was a horrible experience for both of us that day.

Seal of Approval

 Dear Doodle Bug,


Look at your Diva's attempt to be creative.  I hope you will always know that you are my darling and I am so blessed to have you in my life.  You are our very first grandchild.

You are the one that made me a Diva.  We will have many adventures and lots of fun together.  

Know that you have been loved and prayed for every day of your life.  I can hardly wait to hold you in my arms and get a proper introduction.  Love you to the Moon and back again.

Your Diva

Thanksgiving is coming.....

Dearest Dumpling,

Thanksgiving (Canadian) is less than a week away. It won't be long till your mom is breaking out the pine cone turkeys and when you are older you Diva is expecting to see one of these from you.

It's a turkey made from your handprint and footprints. Ask your momma dearest (she's very crafty at these kind of things!)

Guess what Diva and Papa are thankful for this year? That's right Beloved.....You! Diva has been waiting for you for a very long time (and not very patiently I should add!)

You are the glue that makes two very different hearts a family. Your arrival will turn a head-strong grrrl and a hermit boy into a Mommy and a Daddy. Your arrival will turn this silver hair old lady into a dazzling Diva and a hard working missionary into a proud Papa.

Yes you.....even now you are making an impact on your world. We are all in breathless anticipation of your arrival.

Keep strong, keep growing, be blessed,

Diva

Diva' s Kitties.....

Dear Sweetie Pie....Allow me to introduce Diva's Kitties.

We live in a small house (The Nest) in the country. Because it is an older house we occasionally have field mice that like to come into the house and take up residency in the fall and winter time.

The first year I saw one of the little critters your Diva let out a blood curdling scream that even your Papa could hear. I demanded that he get me a cat for Christmas. So we began to look for kittens.

We finally found a litter of kittens that had been born in September and were looking for a good home. Poppa picked out the orange marmalade one as he had already caught a mouse at 3 months old. "That's my boy", said Poppa and we took home "Buster". There are times that we still call him Buster (especially if he has been naughty....Papa will say, "Look here Buster, we don't do that in this house!").

Diva named him JJ. We used to have an orange marmalade cat named "Joey" so JJ is short for "Joey Jr." JJ was just a little ball of fluff when we brought him home.

Diva's Dog Spot.....did not like JJ and was always growling and acting mad. Your Aunt Suzy and I decided that it would be nice for JJ to have a playmate (since Spot was old and grumpy) and Diva really liked the small grey tabby cat (JJ's sister).

Papa wasn't convinced that we needed two kitties. He finally consented and we were able to bring home Lucy Grey. It was a good decision as they have known each other all their life. They play together, box each other, trap together, jump on each other, cuddle up together to sleep, and are the best of friends.

As babies, the kitties would climb into the Christmas tree and sleep on the branches. They both like to cuddle....(especially JJ) . Your momma enjoyed playing with them the first Christmas we got them.

Both are inside Kitties and don't have front claws. JJ will like you instantly. Lucy will like you especially if your Poppa is holding you. Lucy Grey adores Poppa!

I'm sure you will love Diva's kitties as much as they will love you.

What Day of the Week will you be born?

Dearest Babykins.....What day of the week will you be born? There is a old rhyme that talks about the day of the week . I've included the verse so you can look at it.

Can you tell from the picture which day your Momma was born? If you said, Wednesday then you are right. According to the rhyme "Wednesday's Child is full of woe." Your momma is no quitter though. She may have cried some times but she quickly found a way to solve the problem. ( Your Mom is one clever lady!)

Monday's child is fair of face,Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child must work for a living,But the child that's born on the Sabbath dayIs fair and wise and good and gay.

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that your Diva was born on a Saturday...."Saturday's child works hard for a living."....sigh, I've got my fingers crossed for you babykins...hope your mom hold out for a Friday!

Grape Grandma?

Dear pumpkin,

It's fall here in Virginia and the weather is cooler. Your Diva adores fall as much as she adores you. My front porch is covered with bronze, yellow,and maroon mums and today I bought a pot of my favorite daisy mums. I also bought a small pumpkin.

It's small and cute, just like you!

The leaves are just starting to change color and its time to bring down the quilts from the attic as the nights are cooler.

Your Poppa and I have been canning produce from our garden. It has been a very long time since I last did any canning. We had a bummer crop of tomatoes and peppers so Diva made some home made Salsa. It's hotter than I normally like so I bet your momma will like it.

We also made grape jelly from the grapes on the grape arbor. Papa worked really hard to get rid of the Japanese Beetles that invaded it last year. I was delightfully surprised at what good jelly they make. It is hard work however and seems to be a two person job.

Poppa brought home a juicer which made it much easier. For a while Diva was afraid that we were going to have to paint the kitchen purple. (Did you know that Grape juice stains? Trust me it does, so do your mommy a favor and be very careful with your sippy cup when you get one ok?)

We made two batches of jelly last night and will probably make one more batch from our grapes this year. Silly Uncle Andy told me he wants Strawberry Jelly. Diva told him that was fine but we didn't grow any strawberries in our garden. (Hmmm.....I noticed that the strawberry fields down the road have already put in their plants for next spring. Maybe I'll talk to Poppa about putting in strawberries?)

It's a good thing that I'm your Diva or else your Poppa would be calling me your "Grape Grandma!" When you are old enough to have peanut butter and jelly I will make sure you get some of Diva's Divine Grape Jelly for your sandwich.

Love you more than all the good things about fall.

Your Diva


Grandchildren don't make a man feel old; it's the knowledge
that he's married to a grandmother. ~G. Norman Collie

A Look at the future?

Dearest Wee One,

This is one of your Diva's favorite picture. It was taken at your momma and daddy's wedding reception and the little girl is your cousin Jenna.

I love this picture because your parents positively glow in their love for one another and your cousin Jenna reminded me of you.....(boy or girl....just my future grandchild.) The fuzzy effect makes me think of future events.

I picture you as having laughing brown eyes like your mom and brown hair like your dad. I can see you as being bright eyed and clever. (Of course you're clever, look who picked out to be your parents!) I can picture you so vividly in my mind's eye and can hardly wait to hold you, kiss your little head, and breath a prayer of thanksgiving over you.

Keep growing, keep safe, be blessed.

Diva

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild.
~Welsh Proverb

Two Left, Two Right!

Dearest Babykins,

Did you know that your Diva has gone into training just to be part of your life?This old bird is exercising, walking two and three miles a day and even eating healthy.

I'm losing weight and working at getting some extra energy so I can keep up with you. What a good influence you are and you haven't even made your appearance known yet!

Poppa is in the best physical shape of his life from lifting boxes. He is very strong too!

Take it easy on your mom.....she needs her rest.

Love ya loads.....Diva

Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you're just
a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric. ~Pam Brown

Seat Covers!

Dear Baby Dumpling,

Your momma just received a "care package" of items that pregnant mommies crave and can't seem to find. Some of the items were food items, (granola bars, wintergreen tic tacs, fried apples) and several were "pretty panties" from Victoria Secrets. ( I'll tell you her secrets later, I promise!)

Not only did your momma receive pretty panties....she was also able to find "Seat covers" for you too. She was so excited to find cloth diapers for your cute little baby bottom. When your mommy was a baby the cloth diapers we had were long rectangles that you folded different ways and pinned together. ( No one told me that there were different ways to fold them depending if you had a boy or girl...believe me it makes a difference!)

When your mom was old enough to "potty train" we told her that Big Girls got to wear "pretty panties". She was so proud to wear pretty ruffles on her panties.

We lived in a small town in Montana and there was no nursery. There was no bathroom at the church either so everyone would use the bathroom in our house. One Sunday your momma had "to go potty" and an older lady in the church( Aredale Cisco) took her for me. She commented on how pretty her big girl panties were.....your mom was very confused as I had told her that was one of the advantages of using the potty. Without batting an eye she looked at her and said, "Don't you wear pretty panties?

"Well, yes, I do" she replied, "But not as pretty as yours!"

What was the first thing your momma announced to the whole church after coming from the bathroom?....."Momma, Mrs. Cisco doesn't wear big girl panties!"

Mrs. Cisco never volunteered to help again!

Back Rubs and Chocolate Chip Cookies....

Dear Cookie.....(That's because you're the sweetest thing around!)

By now you are probably thinking poor Diva. She doesn't know my name. Your darling Diva has "pet names " for everyone and you will have so many.

Don't be surprised if you get the name of "Cookie Monster" as we are a cookie loving family. When we were dating your Poppa told me, "If you can bake a decent chocolate chip cookie and give a good back rub, I'll marry you!" Silly man had no idea that I was the world's best back rubber and cookie maker! He soon learned and asked me to marry him about a month after we first met. (You see, your Poppa knows a good thing when he sees it!)

Your Uncle Andy loves to have his back rubbed and will pull up his shirt and say, "Woman, start rubbing" when he sees me. Uncle Andy loves Oatmeal Scotchies.....(he doesn't share cookies or pizza well, so don't be offended.)

I make a mean oatmeal cookie with cinnamon chips too! You and I will have to experiment and come up with some new cookies. How bout sugar gummy worm cookies? Hmmm....I'll have to do some more thinking on that.

Why you have a Diva instead of a Grandma

Dearest Pookie,

It did occur to me that some where along the line you will be asking...."How come I've got a Diva instead of a grandma?"

Simple answer: You were very lucky sweetie!

Maybe you will have friends that call their grandmother by a different name. Some of my friends call themselves "Granny," "Nana", "Meme", "Nanny", "Oma", "Nan", "Gram", "Grandma", and one even calls herself "Honey Gram."

According to the dicitionary a Diva is a female opera singer. ( No, that's not me unless you happen to hear me singing in the shower.)

A Diva is a person who controls what is going on in her environment and most especially her inner circle. Your Diva is bigger than life and the stories I can tell you kiddo! I'm hoping to be someone really special in your life. I want an active part in your life. I want to sweep you away on excursions, bake cookies with you, make up stories and corny jokes, have play dough in my hair, play with trucks, climb trees and kiss away your boo-boos.

A Diva is a Star and I'm prepared to be the "twinkle factor in your life".

Know that I'm your biggest fan and best defender, and no one will ever love you more (maybe as much but definitely never more) .   Your Diva

Meet your Uncle Andy.

Dearest future soccer player, (your mom says you kick her frequently!)

You will have many uncles in your life...(since your dad has 3 brothers!) None of them will be more fun than your uncle Andy.

Uncle Andy is your momma's baby brother. She was almost 4 years old when he was born. When your mom was about 10 she got very angry at me because I didn't have any babies for her to take care of. Your mom has always been a "baby" kind of grrrl.

She has always taken care of her brother and sister (even when they didn't want her to!). I remember your mom putting baby Andy in the baby swing to keep him from crying when he was only a few weeks old. Since he could not sit up by himself we would put pillows around him to prop him up and to keep him from falling through the leg holes of the swing. It was hard for me to do, much less a 4 year old child. I was downstairs at the time and did not see her do this. When she told me, "Brother was crying so I put him in the swing." I went running upstairs thinking he would be upside down or would be sliding out of the swing any moment. Imagine how delighted I was to see him sitting perfectly content swinging in the baby swing with pillows around him in just the right places.

Uncle Andy loves sports and likes coaching soccer. He adores video games (but don't beat him as he hates to lose) he loves pizza and every Sunday night is pizza night. He loves Reese's peanut butter cups (but doesn't like chocolate, so go figure?). He loves the Disney character "Goofy" and has always loved "Superman" and the superheroes. He has a crazy sense of humor (very much like mine) has a developed a love for "Tea" with Tipolo Honey . He is a charmer and a head turner. I don't think he knows any strangers! He is good looking and a good dresser. He can create great games and will give you "Mets" clothing and hats. He can be very sentimental and he will be your uncle "fun".

Don't be surprised if he already has a Mets hat for you as well as sports equipment.

Meet your Papa!

Dearest Baby Cakes.....(Yes, it's another nick name for you.) Let me introduce you to your Poppa. (Isn't he cute?) Your Diva thinks so....and has thought so for the last 33 years.

Like most grandfathers he may appear to be gruff and grumpy. Actually he is pure marshmallow and an ole softie! Your momma figured that out right away.

He is a really smart man and loves to tinker in his basement with tools and electronics. He does not like to be defeated by a problem so will keep working on a solution for a long time.

Poppa has a "droll" sense of humor. You have to be pretty smart to understand why he thinks the situation is funny. Fortunately your momma will explain why Poppa is laughing as they share that same trait.

Poppa loves to teach and explain. (Warning: Poppa talks in letters and numbers that have meaning only to him. Diva has found that the best way to handle this situation is to smile and nod like you understand. It makes him happy, he will rub your head and tell you how smart you are! Trust me on this!)

Poppa loves to read. He knows a little about a lot. (Note: take all your "Why?" questions to Poppa.) However you need to know that if for some reason he does not know the answer he will make one up. ( no, not really lying, just an interesting story to see if you will believe him.....it's a game he likes to play.)

Your Poppa is strong and you will be always be safe and protected in his arms. He will cry when you are born and the first time he sees your little face he will be instantly in love with you. Don't be surprised if he tells you the story about how your momma slept under his handkerchief when she was a baby. It's one of his favorite stories.

No one will love you like your Poppa Charlie. He has been praying for you ever since we knew you were on the way. He has lots of wisdom and can make anything go. He already has plans in his head about building you a fort or a playhouse. You will be blessed to have him in your life, loving you and cheering you on.

Meet you Auntie Suzy!

Dearest Little One,

I thought I would tell you something about your Auntie Suzy. She's your momma's younger sister and as different from your mom as any two sisters can be. You'll really like her. She knows the best songs and books because she is a children's librarian. She'll have to teach you the "popcorn" song ( it stays in your head forever!).

Your Auntie Suzy loves to travel and knows the very best places to investigate. When she came to visit your momma and daddy the very first time, she had a list of things she wanted to see.....One was a Mountie! As you can see, Auntie Suzy always gets her man (just ask Uncle Tim!)

Auntie Suzy loves Halloween and makes costumes for herself, Uncle Tim, and her big rolly poly cats Pan and Juno. You'll meet the kitties, especially if you like to crawl under the bed (Juno likes to hide under their bed, especially when Diva comes to visit.)

Juno has a little pink nose......but when her nose is red WATCH OUT! That means she is one mad cat! I think Auntie Suzy should write a children's book about her funny cats. What do you think?

Oh my darling baby....the world is full of delightful surprises and so many people that are anxious to be part of your life. Do know you will be loved and cherished.

Player yet to be announced!

Dearest Little One,

Your Diva and your Poppa waited all day to hear about your first picture. What a good looking baby you are! You are growing and maturing. Your parents were very glad to see your face and know everything is developing normally.

You are a very modest baby, however, so we still do not know if you are a boy or a girl. Your parents think you are a girl. If so, you can pretty well bet that you will be your Daddy's Little Princess and the delight of your momma heart.    ( Here's some hints on how to handle your parents.....look pleading and adoringly at your daddy, and give you mom a logical argument.)

If you are a big bad boy then the same advice hold true only in reverse. You will definitely be "your Momma's Boy" and the delight of your Daddy. ( Hints on handling the folks still apply.....look pleading and adoringly at your momma and give your dad a logical argument.)

Know that you are loved and prayed for on a daily basis. We are anxiously awaiting your arrival and we are already truly, madly, deeply in love with you. Diva loves "surprise packages" , Auntie Suzy knows lots of stories and songs, Uncle Andy will keep you laughing and your Poppa (though he may look gruff ) will melt like a marshmallow at one of your smiles.