Our final grandchild!

Our final grandchild!

He’s here! He’s here!

Our final grandchild has arrived!

Introducing Robert Allen, son of our oldest daughter Brianna and her husband Patrick, baby brother to Benjamin and James.

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Brayden, T1D, and a warning for grandmas

Brayden, T1D, and a warning for grandmas

It’s taken me more than a month to figure out how to share this news. It’s serious and breaks my heart, yet I don’t want to come across as despaired. I hope to warn others but wish to not seem alarmist. And I want to share the challenge confronting my oldest grandson and his parents every single day forever going forward without suggesting I have any doubt they’re up to it.

My daughter, Megan, is so up to it, in fact, that she provided me the perfect tool by which I can share the news without racking my brain for the right words, right sentiment. That tool being the video below.

See, my grandson Brayden, the active and healthy 12 year old who first made me a grandma, who …

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Three for two: Celebrating Benjamin's birthday

Three for two: Celebrating Benjamin's birthday

My youngest grandson (not counting the one due in November) turned two years old on Saturday. Benjamin celebrated his big day in the most fall-like way with a visit to the Pumpkin Farm.

Being a fall baby comes with the benefit of fabulous weather for marking the occasion, and Benjamin got full advantage of that, with his official birthday outing to the pumpkin farm bookended by a couple other outdoor festivities.

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Boy grandma!

Boy grandma!

Boy grandma!

So, with everything that’s been going on lately (including my sister unexpectedly passing away), I just realized yesterday that I had not shared here the gender of Brianna’s baby.

Well …

Plus GRAND Social No. 401 link party for grandparents…

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Weekly pic: Morning Joe

Weekly pic: Morning Joe

I’ve been spending several hours with Benjamin on Wednesdays to give Brianna a bit of a break from her boy and me a bit of playtime with him. When Brianna dropped him off at my house last week, she brought him in his pajamas so I could see his adorable Christmas jammies, robe and all.

I naturally took several photos of the …

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Firsts for Benjamin: A haircut and a happy birthday

Firsts for Benjamin: A haircut and a happy birthday

My youngest grandson, Benjamin, is bound and determined to mature and move on at lightning speed, seemingly so much sooner than the grandsons that came before him.

To wit: The kid marked two major milestones in the past week or so. Those being his first haircut and his first birthday. How can that be? Seems he was just born.

Alas, as I’m in no position to press pause on the growing boy’s progress, I merrily go along with his maturing. And take photos, of course. Lots of photos.

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Live boldly!

Live boldly!

Live boldly!

A special quote o’ the day featuring my favorite Declan o’ the day!

Plus…

GRAND Social No. 344 link party for grandparents

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. Err, social that never ends. Thanks to you.

Link up, share, be social!

Cheers!

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Welcome, Benjamin!

Welcome, Benjamin!

Welcome, Benjamin!

My long-awaited (local) grandson has arrived! Last Wednesday, in fact. As his entry into the world—and Mama Brianna’s arms—didn’t go quite as planned, I’ve followed Brianna’s and Patrick’s lead in delaying celebratory announcements online and otherwise.

Jim and I did get to meet the amazing bundle of joy while word was still under wraps, though. (A true perk of being local grandparents for the first time!)

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