Walk this way: Jak's getting there

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Baby Jak will be one year old June 16. (Crazy, right!?) As PawDad was instrumental in getting Bubby walking steady—this, mere days before his first birthday—Jim was determined to have Jak walking steady before he left the desert, before Jak's upcoming birthday.

learning to walk

Jak's biggest obstacle to walking is paying too close attention to what he's doing, which...

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Gobsmacked, plus GRAND Social No. 139 link party for grandparents

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Gobsmacked

On Saturday, I was smacked in the face unexpectedly with the realization that in exactly six months, my baby, my youngest daughter, my little Andie who makes me laugh so hard will be thirty years old.

mom and adult daughter

Well, not exactly six months, as Andrea will celebrate the milestone birthday...

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Christmas and how the empty nest gets harder after college

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Christmas and how the empty nest gets harder after college

I used to be one of those moms whose child — or children, plural — recently left for college. You know... the moms walking around with a dazed, how-the-heck-did-this-happen-so-fast look in their eyes, virtually visible cracks in their hearts as they miss the once little ones who have flown their nest. They're the moms who live for holiday breaks, spring breaks, summer breaks, for that's when their loved ones return home, back to the safety of the nest where mom can hold each one in her arms and savor the sweet scents and sounds of her babies all around.

family christmas stockings

I was one of those moms. That first year my daughters were scattered afar for schooling and such was rough. It got easier, though, as it does for all moms (and dads) whose kiddos have gone off for enrichment and enlightenment on the road to becoming full-fledged adults. I found new...

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FaceTime milestone, plus GRAND Social No. 123 link party

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FaceTime milestone

I was telling my husband just the other day that one of the things about living in an empty nest is that time often seems to just go on and on as it's no longer marked by milestones delineating the months and years. The parenthood calendar revolves around things such as kids reaching those all-important ages, such as 16, 18, and 21. Or learning to drive, attending homecomings, celebrating graduations, and so much more.

baby FaceTime 

As a grandparent of young...

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