i'm going to be a grandmother!

finally have permission to share the news ... my daughter is going to have a baby. it's been a rough few months but all is well. here she is ... sharing her 4 month selfie. (i think that's how you spell it)

advice from those of you who are grandparents much appreciated!

You will be a wonderful grandmother, I wish you all the best in this journey and health and safety for your daughter and new baby on the way.

No rules!! It comes easy. My specialties are beach picnics, playground visits and pancakes. Story time is fun too.

So happy for the family. You will be great!

Congratulations! Let your heart lead you and love your grandbaby the way he/she needs to be loved.

Congrats GRANNIE!!! You will do just fine like you are

Welcome to the "Club" The best club around!!!

My advice is to love unconditionally, do NOT spoil the crap out of them (they have to go home to rules (you hope) and it is not fair to the kid), and do things with them. We were the "do things" grandparents with the first two. We moved here before #3 came to our daughter in Iowa. Their other grandfather gave them savings bonds for birthdays, Christmas, etc. We took them to their firsts - camping, circus, ice capades, play, train ride, museum, trips to WV.....
We also took them apple picking and they were able to pick their pumpkin from the pumpkin patch - and seeing the eyes of grandson #1 dashed his plans when we said he had to be able to carry it. He was looking at one bigger than himself. Much of what we did with them was not expensive, it was time. Today they are 30 and 27 and I think we have a special bond with them.
I also suggest you having your own "name". When #1 was born he had: 2 great-great grandmothers, 3 great-grandmothers, a step-grandmother, and 2 grandmothers (DH's first wide had died so it was just 2). I did not want to be Grandma____ or any of the names common among the Illinois/Indiana grandparent group of that family so I chose something NONE of them would use - I became Granny so they did not have to figure out who was being referred to. I have my OWN name.
Enjoy your grand, grandchild(ren)! They are wonderful.

awe... congratulations!!!

Congrats!

fingers crossed for a completely uneventful pregnancy and delivery! - we had a bit of a scare with one of our regulars daughters at 5 months they thought her waters had broken - turned out the baby had just managed to kick her bladder internally! so everything is fine!

Congratulations! You've got great instincts, so just follow them and you'll be a wonderful grandparent!

SS - one thing you have and will have as a grandparent that many do not have that is a total advantage. Do not lose it! You are FEY! You have a sense of fun and something I cannot think of a word for. The things you did at that inn to create fun and interest. DO NOT EVER LOSE THAT!!! You will be the favorite Grandmother.

gillumhouse said:

SS - one thing you have and will have as a grandparent that many do not have that is a total advantage. Do not lose it! You are FEY! You have a sense of fun and something I cannot think of a word for. The things you did at that inn to create fun and interest. DO NOT EVER LOSE THAT!!! You will be the favorite Grandmother..

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Along the lines of being favorite grandma... Don't be this grandma... My daughter's step mother gives ridiculous gifts to her kids' children. She wants to be remembered for the things she gave.
When my daughter told me this (she heard it from her sister who fights constantly against the ridiculous gifts) we both thought how awfully sad it is to want to be remembered for things.
Daughter's sister has moved twice to put distance between herself and her mother.

Madeleine said:

gillumhouse said:

SS - one thing you have and will have as a grandparent that many do not have that is a total advantage. Do not lose it! You are FEY! You have a sense of fun and something I cannot think of a word for. The things you did at that inn to create fun and interest. DO NOT EVER LOSE THAT!!! You will be the favorite Grandmother..

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Along the lines of being favorite grandma... Don't be this grandma... My daughter's step mother gives ridiculous gifts to her kids' children. She wants to be remembered for the things she gave.
When my daughter told me this (she heard it from her sister who fights constantly against the ridiculous gifts) we both thought how awfully sad it is to want to be remembered for things.
Daughter's sister has moved twice to put distance between herself and her mother.
.

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But SS will be the favorite Grandma because of actions - not things. I never recommend things. She will be the fun, games, activities - I doubt if she would hae enough funds to be the things Grandma. I really feel sorry for the things people because they do not know how to give of themselves.
We gave two things that were outrageously expensive to #1 & #2 jointly - one was a set of books about famous people through the ages and the other was a massive wood playground. I have no clue what happened to the set of books, but the playground that daughter and then husband added funds to to expand with an extra element, was passed down to our son when he had 3 children who could enjoy and use it (originals were now too old to be using it). That was really what we had in mind when we bought it.

This is a great place to share FAVORITE grandma stories and PITFALLS. What makes a favorite. I believe SS has it naturally. Her smile will put the child at ease as will her warm hugs.
From one of my favorite Appalachian Bloggers:
TATER SALAD, DON’T SKIMP ON THE LOVE

Joey Bloggs said:

This is a great place to share FAVORITE grandma stories and PITFALLS. What makes a favorite. I believe SS has it naturally. Her smile will put the child at ease as will her warm hugs.
From one of my favorite Appalachian Bloggers:
TATER SALAD, DON’T SKIMP ON THE LOVE.

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My Grandma was a LADY and I do not remember much of her when we all lived in the same building - probably because she was still working as she did until in her 70s. The "Old Man" as 6 of his 7 kids referred to him left her at the beginning of the Depression, showing up from time to time enough to make them more certain of their opinion of him. She never left the house without make-up, hat, gloves, and straight seams.
My Granny was a large woman, tall and stocky, who had only one dish that she made that was "to die for" - Wilted Lettuce. Oh how I have wished over the years that I had that recipe. My Granny did not know how to show love and affection, she only had it from her Mother but got nothing but gibes from the rest of her family and Pappy's family ignored us. Granny's Mother never told but she kept Granny. BUT my Granny kept an old ice box chock full of cookies, crackers, and cereals we never had at our house (Granny's were store-bought!). And she was always "just over the hill" to get crackers or cookies when we went down to get milk or eggs or help Pappy bring in the cows (later to do the milking), pick berries and apples or other fruit, and to help her with the canning. Thanks for the trip back soen memory lane. My Granny was not sweet - she was a tough old bird - but she was special and I miss her.

Congrats! Is she due in August? I'm expecting my first (baby not grandbaby) in July. It's been our high season for the past few months, and it's a lot while being pregnant. I can definitely commiserate with a rough last couple months. Sigh. I liked Gillum's ideas of taking the kids places. For my nieces and nephews birthdays, my parents, instead of giving a gift, have done some activity (going to a restaurant, boat ride, movie, bowling) with them- alone, no parents, no friends, no siblings. Since they live a few hours away, they don't actually go on their birthday, but may take time during a family gathering to fit in an activity or two.

CafeMae said:

Congrats! Is she due in August? I'm expecting my first (baby not grandbaby) in July. It's been our high season for the past few months, and it's a lot while being pregnant. I can definitely commiserate with a rough last couple months. Sigh. I liked Gillum's ideas of taking the kids places. For my nieces and nephews birthdays, my parents, instead of giving a gift, have done some activity (going to a restaurant, boat ride, movie, bowling) with them- alone, no parents, no friends, no siblings. Since they live a few hours away, they don't actually go on their birthday, but may take time during a family gathering to fit in an activity or two..

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CafeMae said:

Congrats! Is she due in August? I'm expecting my first (baby not grandbaby) in July. It's been our high season for the past few months, and it's a lot while being pregnant. I can definitely commiserate with a rough last couple months. Sigh. I liked Gillum's ideas of taking the kids places. For my nieces and nephews birthdays, my parents, instead of giving a gift, have done some activity (going to a restaurant, boat ride, movie, bowling) with them- alone, no parents, no friends, no siblings. Since they live a few hours away, they don't actually go on their birthday, but may take time during a family gathering to fit in an activity or two.

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BIG CONGRATS CAFEMAE!
I had a dentist who always gave her neices and nephews 1 stock per bday age, typically Disney or something. She taught them to watch them, and I can only imagine over the years what has come from it! I thought it was a cool idea, wish I had done it years ago. Just a suggestion if you are looking when you live far away from rel's.

Here's a great idea I saw on FB the other day. And it costs nothing!