THE HOUSE IS QUIET

 I try really hard to have the nieces and nephews over for

 the summer to make memories and quality time with them.

They keep growing and I know it is only a matter of time

before I will take the backseat to their teenage plans.

Like my dear Tedi-girl.

Wants to spend time with her Nannie but is so busy with her little life.

The summer began with two of the boys,

Hugh first then Owen.

Over the last three weeks I have filled my home with girls, girls, girls.

Sometimes I have to double them up with another girl but

this summer they wanted time alone with me.

Yes, I know, a lucky old lady.

(I am 50. can call me old)

Malaina started the marathon. 

Mee loves to scrap and craft, like she would spend every waking

up moment with me in my scrap room.

The fact that this year, as she learned how to sew,

she made us matching shirts for our days together.

We have officially made them our craft shirts,

to be worn when we are together scrapping.

 I am always sad when one of my little visitors leave so this

summer, having them back to back helped the lonliness.

 The object of Auntie Lil visits?

Lots of laughs... lots of laughs.....

no matter what it takes, they will last, it is the priority of the time.

Second visitor? My dear, sweet, always to be my friend, Bailey.

B was one of my first school nurse assignments.

She was three when we became a part of each others  lives.

At that time, she was a very sickly little girl.

Had continuous tube feedings in a little back pack

a colostomy bag and was just needing lots of nursing care.

(written with she and her mommy's permission)

This summer I am in awe of just how self sufficient she is.

She now can attend the private school her twin brother attends

because she can now take care of all her medical needs without the

assistance of a nurse. I am so proud of her.

Our time spent together meant a little time in the scrap room

but we also did movies and lots of playing with Bean.

She just could not get enough of Bean.

When she was not with us, her constant question was when

were we going to see her again.

When it is time to bring her back to her mommy I wanted to cry.

She is growing up so fast, has outlived every doctors prediction,

just like I have. She and I talk about this often, how our childhoods

have been so similar because we were both sick kiddies 

while trying to learn.

I can't be sad for very long as on the same day I go to pick up my

dear, sweet Nee Nee.

She is my youngest god child and that makes me realize that 

all my godchildren are growing up.

She is in double digits and reminded me more than once

that she is almost a teenager.

I explain to her she is a "tween"

those years between being a child and a teenager.

She likes this title and uses it often now.

What is time spent with Nee like?

Fun. she demands nothing from me and is thankful for anything

I can give her. It has been a hard year for her yet she seems

happier than any other summer. She is proud that she has passed

her Leap test and moving on to the middle school.

However, she is also very worried about this.

I pamper this one. Nothing makes me  happier than spending

my money on all these kiddies who visit but especially on Nee.

What she wants is what many children take for granted.

She wants to be "girl pampered" which is exactly what we do.

She loves quiet time, watching movies, and is not demanding at all.

I treat her to a professional haircut at JC Penny.

There the beautician is so helpful, takes time to give her a free

deep conditioning, a lesson on how to fix her hair,

gives us pointers on a few things that we did not know.

I bring her to the Lush store and we allow the sales girl to 

explain all the wonderful smelling bath bombs, lotions, 

body scrubs. OOOhhhh I think we spent about hour there

and came home with a few wonderful things.

You see, I promise Nee a spa night.

No better place to buy spa things than lush.

Again, her appreciativeness of anything bought for her

just makes you happy. No amount of money spent on this child

goes unoticed by her.

I fill my big bath tub with water and Lush bath bombs,

I turn on the jets, show her how to use all the things I bought for her.

I am so impressed with just how beautiful her finger nails are.

She used to be a biter, like me bu tnow they are gorgeous!

I cannot wait to give her a mani/pedicure when she gets out.

She smells so darn good!

I do foot massages and pedicure.

I do hand massages and manicures and she is soooo proud of

just how beautiful she looks and feels.

Yep, money well spent.

I spend lots of time showing her how to style her hair

and I fix her a pretty little box filled with all her new things.

A mini straighten iron she can use on her own,

her nail polishes, scrubs, etc.

So proud to have all her own things and she is just a "Tween"

 Summer is ending, I know this when all the girls speak of the

beginning of school. It is nee I worry the most about.

I return her home via her granny and I hear that she had a great first day

of school. I pray nothing but good days are ahead of her as she

deserves to be treated with love and respect for where she is in her life.

If someone takes the time to get to know this child,

they will realize she has such wonderful qualities.

Then there is this, this, this, THIS....

I just cannot get enough of this sweet Bean.

Because her Daddy works away 14 days at a time and

her Mommy just took on a full time position on night shift,

myself and her MawMaw take turns caring for this sweet baby

at night. I love night times as well as waking up to her.

I try to explain to a friend this week, who does not have grandchildren yet

what it is to be a Mumsie.

It is hard to explain. As when I was a Mommy, many of the times

I sat and played with them, although I did it, I was bored many times.

They didn't know it, but I was.

My mind was always on what i should be doing,

the clothes that needed to be washed, meals to be cooked...

With Bean I can put all of this aside and really love playing with her.

I will get all the little bitty toys we love to play with and play for hours

without once thinking what I should be doing or how long

we have been playing. 

Summer is done, kiddies back in school,

hoping good memories live in all these sweet girls hearts as

I know it does in mine.