The Dogwood tree has blossomed....
And it's Taylor's Birthday!!!!
My Sweet Taylor,
It seems like it was only yesterday I flew to Utah to see you right after you were born. I couldn't wait to get to the hospital to hold you and to look at you. You were absolutely perfect! I spent a week with you before I had to go back home to California, and I cried when I had to leave. That was such a special time!
Soon you moved to California where I got to see you a lot more. I was pretty excited about that, and knew I'd better take advantage of the time we had because somehow I knew it wouldn't last forever. I never grew tired of that beautiful drive from Placentia to San Diego.
You even lived close enough that I got to babysit you. Your parents were pretty new at this parenting thing, and it was pretty funny watching them fuss over you. One time when I got to babysit you, your mom left me with detailed instructions for your meal times:
Meal Time
Morning (7:30 a.m.)
Bottle with rice cereal when she wakes up.
1 hour to 2 hours later give snack (i.e., fruit, muffin bar, yogurt)
Afternoon (1-2:30 p.m., after nap)
for lunch she likes hot dogs, mac & cheese, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, string cheese, fruit, yogurt.
Dinner (4:30-5p.m.)
She will eat any of the same as above.
7:30: Breakfast
9:00-10:00 Snack
11:00 nap with bottle
1:00-2:00 lunch (if grouchy, give bottle for snack)
5:00 dinner
8:00-8:30 bedtime (unless tired earlier)
This was just part of the instructions I was given. The best ones were what your Dad wrote:
Getting Taylor to Bed (8:30-9:00)
- Get a bath drawn.
- Get house a little darker
- No loud TV, softer voices, no romper room play!!
- Take Taylor into dark bedroom
- Sit down in rocking chair (put rocking chair in bedroom beforehand).
- Rock Taylor while you feed her bottle (she likes being sung to).
- When she finishes bottle, lay her down in her bed.
- Say "Go night night Taylor, close your eyes".
- Cover her with her blanket.
- Then leave and close the door.
- Listen for 5 to 8 minutes to see if she cries out loud.
- If she cries out loud, go back in, don't say a word, rock her until she goes back to sleep.
- Once asleep put her back in crib.
- If she wakes up, repeat the rocking....DON'T TALK TO HER!
If she doesn't go to bed!!!
- Take her for a drive
- Go on the 57 Freeway to Pathfinder Road and back. That will probably work.
- You WANT to get on the Freeway!!! (Evidently it was best to be on the freeway where I wouldn't hit any stop lights.)
- Put her straight into bed...close door.
- If that doesn't work, you have a LONG night ahead of you!!
Amazingly enough we survived!!!! I think they were surprised to come home and find out that you did great. We didn't even have to make that drive on the 57 freeway.
You are such a beautiful little girl and have brought so much love into our family! We love you so much! Have a happy happy birthday!!!
Love,
Grandma Nannu
9 comments:
Devon said, "I thought those were really good instructions!"
Obviously, he was the one who had to drive her around when she wouldn't fall asleep. Do you remember what a terrible sleeper she was? Even to this day she hates going to bed...she still gets out of bed 4-10 times before staying in bed to go to sleep.
I laughed so hard that I cried reading those instructions. We were so worried that she wouldn't survive without us...silly, I know. We were new parents. Nowadays we just sneak out and leave and all we leave is a phone number. Too bad you aren't close enough to babysit anymore. Those were the days!
Anyway, that was such a cute post! Thanks for the laugh too. There is no one like our Taylor..."she's just like her mom, she's really the bomb...she's Taylor."
What a good post! Loved the instructions. I remember being that fussy with Connor. Why are we like that with our first? What a fun grandma you are! Happy Birthday to Taylor!
Oh Diane, how well I remember the day that Taylor was borne and how cute - NO BEAUTIFUL- she was and how when you arrived how much I enjoyed being part of seeing her and even holding her. I want to go back to those days again when life was not scattered across the country THAT WAS A GREAT POST AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A BEAUTIFUL GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER!
I can't believe Taylor is 7! She is getting so old. Happy Birthday, Taylor.
That list cracks me up. Sadly, I think I've left similar lists for my parents about my kids.
Live and learn, eh? Now when I leave them, I'm running out the door. "Bye! Have fun! Feed them whatever! Don't care if they sleep!"
I can't believe she's 7. Where does the time go?
That's hilarious! I'm glad you kept those instructions. Ha ha!!!! I'm getting ready to leave on a trip, and I'm concocting similar instructions in my head. Maybe I'll just do what Christie said...feed them whatever. Put them to bed whenever. Good luck! Wish you were here to watch MY kids! Love you! Happy Bday Taylor!
What a sweet post, she is so beautiful, what a precious little girl! Isn't it amazing how the grandkids survive being tended by the grandparents?
Diane,
I just found your blog! I'm still getting used to this blogging stuff. Shirley always has to remind me to read hers and to post on mine. :) I'm practicing though!
I was just thinking about you a couple days ago - how fun it was to see you at Grandpa's birthday party last year. I really enjoyed catching up with you and Bob. I wish you could live closer so we could see you more than once every seven years! Well, at least now I can be caught up reading your posts.
So happy to see you on here! You're just the cutest.
Nancy
Dine,
How fast time goes!! I can't believe Tayler is already 7. It is so fun to have time for our kids to be together. What a great Mom Kimberly is and how fun a Grandma you are. Love ya Lots Pat
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