Our Perth baby.

My Toy shopping expedition went well and I was happy with the savings I made. Myers did a great job, they had employed youngsters, dressed as fairies, who could direct one to the exact place to recover the desired gift. My shopping was done and paid for in less than 45 minutes.
Rosebud did not have an easy time the first five months of her pregnancy. It was, therefore, lucky that we were close at hand. September saw Buster christened and celebrate his first birthday. A very happy day with all the friends and their children tucking into cake and other little treats.
Buster enjoyed Christmas, 2009, the only little one in the family, who ran around helping us all open our gifts. He was dressed up in a white little suit with a Christmas motif on it and a cute Santa hat . He was spoilt by us all.
 Miss Muffet arrived on the 4th January 2010, a small but healthy baby girl. So soft and sweet,0.5cm longer than her brother and also a few grams heavier. Fortunately Rosebud had wonderful Midwives in attendance who supported her and offered help and advice on the much debated Breast Feeding matter. Well the darling girl tried her best but she didn't make it this time either. A much better experience though, because she wasn't made to feel a failure and a bad mother like her first experience in Melbourne. The West sure is the best and I am so glad that she had such a pleasant experience the second time around.
Upon discharge she was calm and confident that she'd manage the new baby and bottle feeding again and with the help of her husband they settled into life with as good as two babies.
Was lovely to watch them as a family and one is amazed at how different each babies' progress can be.
We feel most fortunate to have been able to bond closely with both Buster and Miss Muffet and it would be my wish that all grandparents are afforded the same privilege. Lynnie

Back to the West.

We continued to visit Melbourne as often as was possible, amazing how quickly babies grow. By the second visit Buster was already on solids. We were delighted when Rosebud told us that they were planning to come and live in Perth. It was a very brave and generous decision by our son-in-law as he was an Eastern States boy and hadn't been to Perth before he met our daughter. They arrived in the April of 2009 and settled within 12 km of our suburb.Rosebud was in her element re-connecting with all her school/ballet/sailing friends, all of whom had a child or two or at least expecting their first . It was lovely to see all the girls we knew and watched grow up together again. They are a wonderful group of caring young ladies who support each other.

We started to enjoy happy times together again without the need to jump on an aeroplane, family dinners and the likes. They hadn't been here more than a month when one night at dinner Rosebud refused a glass of wine and told us that they were to be parents again! They were shocked and their world thrown into a it of a spin for a while but eventually they settled and saw it as a blessing and something that was just meant to be. Our first "Mother's" day together and Mum and GG (Gran) was very memorable, spent by the river in East Fremantle on a beautiful sunny Sunday.
I'm off toy shopping now as the specials are on, I'm sure many of us look out for the mid year clearances and keep the items hidden away till Birthdays/Christmas arrive. So till next time when I remember the arrival of our Miss Muffet, take care and have fun every day. Lynnie

Going back to the beginning

I became a Gran for the first time during the Hype of AFL (Australian Rules Football ) Finals, in Melbourne, between Geelong and Hawthorn in September 2008.  Buster arrived by Caesarian Section on 23rd, a normal baby who ticked all the boxes, fingers, toes and reflexes etc. I must say it wasn't that easy to watch my child walk down the corridor to the theatres knowing exactly what lay ahead. See, most of my career has been spent working in the Operating Theatres so I imagined everything that could possibly go wrong! Both sets of grandparents were there and it was very special to be part of such a joyous occasion, to look at that tiny, new little person who, unknowingly, was the cause of such happiness. When I held him for the first time and looked into his eyes I felt that, now, I would live forever! The new little family stayed in the Hospital and us grandparents stayed in their home which allowed me to be able to enjoy the sites of Melbourne. Both Mothers cooked food that could be frozen so that the kids could settle down and not worry about food for the first week or so and we visited as often as Rosebud wanted us to and was permissible by the Hospital.
In consultation with Rosebud, I had arranged to stay with them for two days after her discharge. I felt it was important that they settle in without any interference to their new way of life with their little one. I was also determined not to be in the home when they arrived from the Hospital and had arranged to cook the lunch and head out to Prahan Markets, a favourite place of mine, for a few hours. Breast feeding was not going well at all and Rosebud didn't get much help or advice from the Hospital staff  I am afraid to have to say, neither did she from the Breast feeding help line that didn't even bother to call back in answer to messages left. As I was heading out the door my son-in-law called to ask me, please, not to go out as they'd need my help. Happy to oblige of course so I waited for them and was able to take the first photos of their homecoming with their son for the first time, more memorable than going to Prahan! We went out and brought Formula and feeding bottles and the obligatory mechanical breast pump. I think that it was a comfort for my daughter to have me close at hand and by the time I had to return to Perth, leaving a somewhat apprehensive new Mum, she had mastered the Formula feeding routine. She is a great Mother, now battling the tantrum phase of Buster's life!
I am sure there are many proud grand parents who have lovely memories as well. Dream and enjoy, Lynnie       

A few Pictures from babyboomergran

Just to add to my first posting I have learnt to put photos on now. Above photo I am with my Miss Muffet at one of the Vine Yards down the South West at the end of May.

Picture to the left is buster and myself out at The Avondale farm weekend in Beverley. Nice to let the kids see and play on the old farm Machinery.

Babyboomergran's first Installment

Hi, I'm  fairly new to being a grand parent and am finding it both challenging and fun. I keep in touch with several of my friends from days gone by. It is because of comments from them that I decided to write a blogg and so save my experiences with and thoughts about my grandchildren as the years go by. As I start to forget things I think it will be nice to have some memories somewhere!
I find such a difference in the modern way of raising children to the way us babyboomers raised ours. We just seemed to "get on with it" whilst the general buzz around our children seems to be, " what does the book say?" Buster is two years and nine months old now and Miss Muffet is 17 months old. Only 15 months apart and these past 17 months have been a very hard slog for my daughter and son-in-law. As a result my husband and I have been very involved helping out when needed. It is a blessing to have grandchildren, sort of a reward for not killing our own kids!! They have got to know us and are happy to come and stay the night so their parents can have a night off and enjoy the long forgotten  "sleep in " the next morning. We seem to be able to tire the little ones out easier than their parents taking them to the park for a play or a ride on the bus/train. The big back garden is all one really needs to entertain such young children as they can run around on the lawns, touch flowers and get messy in the harden beds. Miss Muffet is nearly always asleep again when her parents arrive late morning to fetch them.
So till next time, when I shall endeavour to comment on various other experiences, I some one may enjoy my first attempt. Any comments will be welcomed and i am sure helpful too.