Savannah – The Dackel Princess

Happy 10th Birthday, Savannah!

Today my sweet Savannah Rose joins the group of kids who have two numbers to their age! Savi is now 10! I can’t believe how quickly the last 10 years have gone, and in many ways, I feel like I have always known Savi. As if she has always been a part of my world.

Me holding Savi the day she was born!

As she has grown and changed, I have marveled that she is kind and gentle, and a caring person. Mandy and Matt have done an excellent job as parents.

And when Quinn arrived, she showed us what a great big sister she could be.

So, Happy Birthday, my darling girl. Oma loves you to the moon and back!

Happy 9th Birthday ~ Savannah!!!

Today is my granddaughter, Savannah Rose’s 9th Birthday! It seems like just yesterday that I stepped into my daughter’s hospital room and saw this tiny, perfect baby girl lying in her cot.

I remember staring and then asking if I could pick her up? Mandy laughed and said, “Of course”!

I picked her up and held her close and stared into her beautiful face. I felt nothing but pure sweet love wash over me!

I remember feeling immediately, that she’d always been with me. As if my soul knew hers.

As the years have gone by, we have shared so much. Stories at bedtime, sleepovers, making tea and cookies together, and all the secret dreams she has shared with me.

The best thing is that now, at 8 years old, Savannah can tell me exactly what she is thinking and feeling and we share even more in life.

Every time I enjoy something with Savi, it’s like I have enjoyed it for the very first time.

You are my sunshine and my smiles and you have made me the happiest Oma in the entire world!

Happy Birthday to my darling Savannah Rose!
I love you to the Moon and back!

My Loves

In the last few days, I have been driving all around New Hampshire. I got to spend time with Quinn and Savi and we played games and shared special times together.

I’ve been very careful about going out. I have kept myself very clean, worn gloves, masks, and used hand sanitizer. Likewise, the kids have been very isolated. So spending time together was a fairly safe thing to do.

The loneliness we have all shared has made us crave being together, and it was wonderful to hug them, hold them, and fall asleep with them cuddled up next to me.

Happiness and smiles!

Imagine how much of a blessing our grandchildren are to us. Their love, their laughter, and their smiles are all so very real.

Being silly is a very good thing!

Savi and I found a new word app game that gives you letters and you need to make words out of them. It’s pretty fun and we had a very good time playing it.

Quinn was fascinated with my Galaxy Tablet and the pictures above were when we were playing with the camera.

My visits are always too short with them, and then it was time to drive back home. The tricky part is that tomorrow I need to drive almost back to Mandy’s neck of the woods for a doctor’s appointment. Life is never dull.

Life Goes On…

Monday found me back in my normal Covid-19 routine. I did laundry, cooked meals, and planned my week. Not exciting stuff, but all positive!

It was unbelievably cold today and I actually needed long sleeves and a jacket when going outside.

I tried something new today. Butternut squash fries! They tasted pretty good. However, I am thinking I may need to get an “Air-Fryer” to give me crisp vegetables.

It was so nice to see Savannah Sunday for her Birthday Parade! She is so sweet and kind and gentle. She was thrilled with her Parade and never once complained about not having a birthday party like she is used to.

Savi’s parents are doing a really great job raising her and her little brother, Quinn. They are really nice kids.

Well, that’s all for today. Short and sweet. I hope you all have a good day, wherever you are!

Happy Birthday, Savannah Rose!

Today is my granddaughter, Savannah Rose’s 8th Birthday! It seems like just yesterday that I stepped into my daughter’s hospital room and saw this tiny, perfect baby girl lying in her cot.

I remember staring and then asking if I could pick her up? Mandy laughed and said, “Of course”!

I picked her up and held her close and stared into her beautiful face. I felt nothing but pure sweet love wash over me!

I remember feeling immediately, that she’d always been with me. As if my soul knew hers.

As the years have gone by, we have shared so much. Stories at bedtime, sleepovers, making tea and cookies together, and all the secret dreams she has shared with me.

The best thing is that now, at 8 years old, Savannah can tell me exactly what she is thinking and feeling and we share even more in life.

Every time I enjoy something with Savi, it’s like I have enjoyed it for the very first time.

You are my sunshine and my smiles and you have made me the happiest Oma in the entire world!

Happy Birthday to my darling Savannah Rose!
I love you to the Moon and back!

Savannah’s Point of View

The other day I was video chatting with my granddaughter, Savannah. In our conversation, the subject of my Harry Potter Scar came up. I told Savannah, who was just a baby when that all happened, that she was the only one who looked at me and didn’t see my terrible scars.

Before the plastic repairs and now.

“Wow,” she said. “You looked cool!”

It’s funny. children do not see the limitations that we see during times like that. I felt so hideous and disfigured, but Savi could only see in her wonderful imagination the sort of make-up one uses at Halloween or dressing up.

This is from 2013. She didn’t even notice my face. Just my heart.

I remember back then after my surgeries feeling so terribly ugly. But the sight of my smiling granddaughter helped me through that time.

Savi asked me, “What was wrong with your face?”

I explained about the skin cancer and how they had to remove it. But how lucky I am, because I am completely well now.

How blessed I am to have this sweet girl in my life. She sure helps keep everything in perspective for me.

TBT: Savannah & Me!

Whenever Savannah has the chance, she asks me to tell her the story about when we first met each other. She loves to hear about how happy I was, and how I couldn’t believe I was her Oma!

Savi actually knows the story so well, she could tell it herself, but she always will sit there listening to me, and if I miss something she will jump right in and correct me!

“I saw you lying in a little hospital cot. You were all wrapped up in a blanket and little hat! I went over and looked into your face and asked Mommy if I could pick you up? She said yes, and I held you in my arms and my heart filled up with so much love. You see, Savi, I immediately fell in love with you!”

This is one of the pictures taken when I got to hold her for the first time! Me and my darling grand-girl!

The next day, I was back snuggling with her! Look at those beautiful long fingers and that perfect little face! It just doesn’t get any better than this. Or that was until Quinn came along!

This week Savi wanted to hear all about Quinn. That was a fun story too! But that is for another day!

Savannah Rose and her Oma, Me!

The Wonders of Grandchildren

I had the pleasure of having my grandchildren for a few days. What a wonderful adventure. I learned so much more about each of them and was able to thoroughly enjoy the wonderful ages that they are. One is fully conversational now and the other tells wonderful stories with words that far surpass the actual age that he is.

Savannah was incredibly interested in me. She asked me about my previous marriage, what her mother was like as a little girl, and did I love dogs as much as she did? I could see the wheels turning in her head about what to ask me next.

I gave her simple answers for now. The only thing I corrected her about was when she asked if I was sick when I divorced her other grandfather. I told her no, but I was very sad. She asked then if I had loved him and I said yes.

She wanted to know how many years I was married to my former husband and then wanted to know how long I’ve been married to Papa Jack? 11 years the first time and 31 years to Papa Jack! She was amazed that Papa Jack and I had been married that long. I guess 31 years seems like a very long time to a seven-year-old!

Quinn is at the age where his imagination is running wild. He told me stories where he was the Super Hero with big strong muscles! He is extremely well-spoken for a three-year-old and his vocabulary is amazing! He wants to tell jokes, although he hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it. Still, I must say Quinn’s laugh is infectious! And I found myself really laughing with him!

It was nice to see that the kids felt at home with us here so that spending a couple of nights was easy for them. Both slept well and ate well, and played well. So the entire experience was a real success!

I hope we can do it again really soon!

Happy 7th Birthday Savannah

Today is my granddaughter, Savannah’s 7th Birthday! Last year her Mommy and Daddy took her and Quinn to Disney World, and I made a video of their trip photos.

This year all she wanted was to spend some time with her Mommy. Well, my daughter planned a nice trip just for the two of them!

Mandy did not tell Savannah about their trip until she had to. Here is Savannah when she learned they were off on a Grand Adventure!

Their flight took them straight to Orlando and they taxi’s over to Disney and their adventure began at the Bipity Bopity Boo Boutique!

Here is Princess Savannah after her magical make-over.

And here she is meeting The Beast from Beauty and the Beast!

Below is the montage from last year. She has grown and changed and has so many new teeth!

I want my darling to know, that she is amazing and that I love her with all of my heart! Happy Birthday, Savannah!

Savi’s Pool Party & Cookout!

Yesterday the Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents all met up at Mandy and Matt’s place to celebrate Savannah’s 7th Birthday! How did this happen? One day I remember going to the hospital and meeting this little bit of sweetness, and now she is a grown girl of 7!

I have watched her grow and change and I am in awe of the sweet young girl she has become. She is kind to other children, and I know, her heart is big and she is full of caring for others. She is an amazing big sister to her little brother and puts up with a lot from him. He is her baby and she acts motherly toward him.

The pool was warm (it’s heated) so I went swimming with Savi, Quinn and darling little Lily. Three children under the age of 7! It was so much fun. I kind of floated around and the kids were doing cannon-balls around me to splash me, and each time I laughed and giggled and encouraged them to do it again! Oh, the joy of playing games with the little ones!

Soon we had our barbecue of hotdogs, hamburgers, popcorn, chips, salads and then birthday cake! A perfect kids meal!

Savannah opened her gifts and she worked at reading every card, for each gift. She did pretty well. But my suggestion to Hallmark is to make early reader cards for young ones!

She also made sure that the gift giver was nearby to watch her open the gift!

And then, she opened my gift. Oh my goodness I’ve been planning this since we went to Disney in January and I saw the way she enjoyed Moana!

I found an American Girl Wellie Wisher Doll, who looks like she is Hawaiian, and I also found the Moana outfit for the doll! Instead of giving her this separately, I took the doll out of the box and dressed her up in the outfit and put her back in.

When she opened the box and saw what it was she called out “Moana”!

Seeing the happiness and the delight, just made my entire day!

All too soon the day ended and we headed home. Lucky for us there was no traffic and we made the trip home in record time. With three happy doggies waiting for us!