Mother’s Day, 2024

Every meeting at my school starts with an “inclusion activity”. Because I help lead the content and team leads monthly meeting, I have been having fun creating the opening meeting activity for this group. The purpose is to get all voices included and it also serves as an ice-breaker or a get-to-know-you exercise which helps us to build trust with our co-workers.

So why have I titled this blog post “Mother’s Day, 2024”?
Here’s the slide I made for my upcoming May meeting:

Yep! My little Aden sure has grown since Mother’s Days, 2023 when she was just 3 months old. Now, at 15th months, she would have LOTS to share with her table group, after reflecting, as the slide suggests. I suspect it could sound like this:

“I still fit on mom’s lap but now, I take up much more room. “

“I used to sit still for quite some time on mom’s lap. Not now! I’d rather crawl, climb and pull up to explore things at my standing height. And my newest trick is that I pull up and take steps all by myself!”

“Back then, not much came out of my mouth, except when I wanted food or a diaper change. Now, my mouth is always open. And, boy, do I have things to say! I can say ‘uh oh’, ‘da’, ‘ma’, and sure, I still cry out when I want stuff, like more blueberries.”

So much growth in a year! How about YOU? How have YOU grown this year?!

Here’s how Aden helped include all voices at our February and April meetings:

Thank you, Aden, for helping Grandma prepare quality teaching resources!

Passion Projects

Today in Reading 7 class, I presented my Passion Project after K shared his passion for photography, S shared her passion for Hikoya!, R shared his passion for the state of Massachuesetts, and before A shared about his passion for the footballer, R7, A shared about another footballer, Joao, and before L shared his passion for chips, which included a taste test!

I chose Aden as my Passion Project topic.The requirements were to include three subtopics, share 10-15 facts, include specific vocabulary and include images to support the facts. Click HERE to see my presentation.

Passion Projects are one of my favorite formats to use as a project because it gets kids reading and writing and creating and sharing on a topic of their choice! I had extra fun making one about Aden!!

NOTE: I’ve written about Passion Projects before HERE and HERE.

Playtime w/ Music

For my first six years as a teacher, I taught Kindergarten. Sing-alongs, like the A-B-C Song, movement songs, like The Wheels on the Bus, and fingers-songs, like 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, were a go-to part of my day. Music magically kept the attention five-year olds. This week, thanks to Spotify, I relived songs from my kinder days, while playing with Aden.

I first searched “Raffi” on the song app and was reminded of that great song, Baby Beluga. Next, both Aden and I moved to the cues of Shake Your Sillies Out but it was Apple and Bananas that got her singing along. Her monosyllable sounds of oh and ah tried to mimic the lines of the song and once it ended, she gave it claps of approval!

In typical Spotify fashion, more and more children’s songs started playing on my iPhone without further prompting. As we played with our toys, I was reminded of old favorites, like Row, Row, Row Your Boat and If You’re Happy and You Know It. I listened to the lovely, deep voice of Elle Jenkins. And best of all, heard so many fun Seseme Street songs. We counted along with the Count. We munched cookies with Cookie Monster. We sang about rubber duckie with Ernie. But our favorite became Elmo’s Song. Of course, we added our own verse to be La-La-La-La La-La-La-La, Aden’s Song.

As you view these photos, what song are YOU singing-along with??!!

First Shoes

As I was saying goodbye to my “writing club” (Fran McCrackin and Barb*) last week, after we had spent time writing, then reading and offering feedback, I mentioned if they, being experienced grandmothers, could recommend a place to buy a child’s first shoes. Both immediately said, “Ramer’s”.

“It’s where I took my own kids and they are still opened,” said Fran.

“Me, too. And it is where I take my grandkids now. It is an imteresting store. They measure. They climb the ladder and bring shoes to try on. They keep an index card on each child. But it is near here, so it is a drive from Arlington.”

When I got home from my outing to DC to write, I looked Ramer’s up and loved learning that since 1982, they have been in the business of “expertly fitting children’s shoes”. My daughter had suggested to her grandmother, who she calls Nana, that a birthday present from her to Aden could be her first pair of shoes. So, on Monday, after Aden’s nap, we drove first to Falls Church, VA and picked up Nana. They we drove across the Potomac River via Chain Bridige into DC, straddled the DC / Maryland border for a few miles and found Ramer’s Shoes on a street off of Connecticutt Avenue. At one point, Nana said, “Aden, we are driving you through 3 states to get you these shoes!” As the website states, the staff member who helped us was very knoweledgeable and patient. He also was so kind, like a adoring uncle or grandpa.

He first used the silver shoe measure and proclamed she was a 3-1/2 and disappeared behind the shoe display and returned with a box.

They were pink and he first asked, “Do you like these or would you prefer a gender neutral color?”

“I would prefer gender neutral” and he disappeared again behind the display and returned with a blue pair. As soon as he eased one onto her right foot and then her left, Aden’s calm, angelic face turned. The tears started and a holding-your-breath-and-then-a-loud-release kind of sobbing followed. She did not like this new fashion accessory. At. All.

Nana proudly paid for the shoes. I walked Aden around a bit to calm her. Her mother gave her a snack to cheer her up. The saleman made Aden a card to add to on future shopping trips. But if it is Aden’s choice, she will not return and instead, remain barefoot forever.

However, I predict, that once Aden is walking without holding onto the furniture (her present stage), she will gladly wear these sporty, blue shoes to run around the park in the Netherlands. She just has to get used to them!

Her Aunt Anne saw the photos and commented, “He looks like the shoe equivalent of Mr. Ollivander.” I had to agree. This whole experience was a little bit like getting Aden sized for her wand!

Cousin Crew

CIRCA 1990s
Cousin K and Cousin B visiting Grandma’s house at Christmas time.
Older by a year, K gives B a reassuring pat on her head.
Both engrossed in watching The Sound of Music on Grandma’s VCR.

CIRCA 2024
Cousin K and Cousin B gather at Aunt Sally’s (AKA Aden’s Grandma)
It’s Aden’s USA birthday celebration, as she turned one on 2/21 in Amsterdam.
Cousin K, now mother to two girls, trains to DC from PA with her youngest, D, 8 months old.
Cousin B, now mother to one girl, flies to DC for a work trip with Aden.
Thanks to grandma’s friend’s magical sewing machine, D and Aden show they are
THE PERFECT COUSIN CREW!!

Lucky me who got to host this crew for a fun-filled Sunday party! #ProudGrandma

Bathtime

Over the Christmas holiday, my granddaughter visited for a week. Sometime during that visit, her parents wanted to give her a bath and asked for a wash cloth. Simple request. However, I looked and looked. And sadly, I could only find one. One really old wash cloth. A pitiful wash cloth. A wash cloth that was not worthy to clean the soft, precious skin of an 11-month old. But it was all that I could find so my daughter used it.

Flash forward to today. My granddaughter is returning for a visit on Friday, due to my daughter’s business trip. They are staying with us for a week!! Over the weekend, I got an email with a shopping list: diapers #4, Water Wipes, Plain full-fat yogurt, Cottage cheese (full-fat), Bananas, Berries (any kind) or really any fruit, Cucumber, Avocado, Dave’s Killer Bread (the red one — Powerseed), Peanut butter and Jelly.

Reading that list made me realized I also had my own list: wash clothes and bath toys, all worthy of Aden’s now one-year precious body.

I barely had lunch today. Then I had/got to attend a county meeting miles south from my school. As I headed back home, I kept thinking about my shopping list. I was sure Target would have all I needed. But as my stomach grumbled and my decsire to get home and eat, I got another idea. Blocks from my house (and a block from the school where I voted at yesterday and wrote about HERE), is Ayers Hardware. It is this old-time, magical store, that in my mind, has one of everything.

So, on this Wednesday, I drove just a few blocks past my house and not a few miles to Target. And after just 10-minutes, I walked out with: two thick, plush wash cloths, a toy boat, a rubber duckie, a toy watering can, a dozen plastic Easter eggs (they just looked fun!) and a number 1 candle (for the cupcakes I plan to make for our belated Sunday “Lucky One” birthday party.) I am happily getting ready for Aden’s visit. Ayers is the best!

NOTE: I also wrote about Ayers here in 2020. (And I ended that post with the same last line!)

Playtime With Aden

During the winter break, Aden, my now 10-month granddaughter visited. For a whole week, my favorite time was “Playtime with Aden”. Due to being diagnosed with mild hip displacia, she was sporting a cool white harness but this did not stop her from playing.

Sitting up tall, she would hand me a ball, as we both sat on our TV room rug. I’d hand it back. She’d drop it into the wooden box with a ramp. Cluck. It rolled back toward Aden’s hand. She’s grab it. Repeat.

Sitting next to the coffee table, the bottom shelf was just her sitting up height. She grabbed one plastic toy yellow rimmed cup and handed it to me. I stacked it into the green rimmed cup. She grabbed them both. After pulling the green rimmed cup apart, she handed it to me. Then she grabbed the red rimmed cup and handed it to me. Then she grabbed the orange rimmed cup and handed it to me. I put in into the red cup and placed them on the shelf. Aden’s eyes looked to my hands and to the shelf. She reached for the red-orange combo, nabbed them and handed them to me. Repeat.

My favorite playtime game was with books. Friends gave me books for Aden. Aden brought many books with her from her Advent Book Calendar collection. A few favorites included: Indestructible Baby Faces, The Very Hungry Catepillar with build-in teething ring, and my favorite, Urban Babies Wear Black (thanks, John!). Aden sat, held the book, turned the page, brought it to her mouth to take a bite as times and turned the page again. Repeat.

Once, as I sat on the rug with my legs stretched out in front of me, Aden did her best crawl while wearing her harness. She reached and pushed on my thigh. She scooted herself up up and over my human jungle gym. As I moved my legs to be criss-cross applesauce, she grabbed a book and sat right in my lap. Together we held the book and read. “The cow says moo. The cat says meow.” Her head turned to see my face and then turned back to the book, helping to turn the page. Repeat!

Advent Book Calendar

A look at my texts between my oldest and me from 12/1 – 12/4…….

December 1st: “Big pigeon fan”
My reply: Enjoy!!!! Happy December!!!

December 2nd: “Tonight’s book was fun! We tried it out in the bath.”
My reply: Important to read everywhere

December 3rd: “She’s catching on to opening wrapping paper! Love the variety.”
My reply: Got to have Richard Scarry in your home library.

December 4th: “Tonight was Feight Train! Charlie took a cute video of her opening it.”
My reply: Can wait to view it!

Today, during Period 7, I started giving the directions for the Quick Write and complimented S on adding the date at the top of her paper. “Can you remind us all of the date?”

S: “It is December 4th.” I smiled and proceeded to share with these students my current gift to my granddaughter, Aden. back in 2018, I saw a tweet sharing the the idea of an Advent Book Calendar and wrote about it here. I imagined the books I’d share, once I had a grandchild. Then a few months ago, I started gathering books, because I finally have a grandchild! Some from my oldest daughter’s childhood book collect. Some from my book collection. Some I purchased new at the book store. (Of course, I had to buy Mo Willem’s latest pigeon book!)

If you follow my blog, you know my granddaughter lives in Amsterdam and I spent Halloween with her. At that time I left her with a bag of seven wrapped books, each with a tag indictating when to open, under the heading “Advent Book Calendar”.

Why seven? Because this Thursday, she flies with her mom and dad to the United States. First, she lands in Newark, NJ and will spend her first night in Stanford, CT at my husband’s sister’s home. So back in September, I gave this sister-in-law a bag of books with tags labeled #8-17. (Not that you need to know but Aden will first spend time visiting her other grandpa and my daughter’s college friends, before coming to stay with me over the Christmas holiday).

Aden arrives at my home on December 18th!! And I have her Advent Book Calendar #18-24 presents all wrapped and ready.

I love how this gift is a perfect gift from me, someone who knows and loves children’s books. Knowing she is having fun opening and reading a book a day feels perfect!

What books would you include, if making an Advent Book Calendar?

#proudgrandma Part 2

Back in February when my first granddaughter arrived, I wrote this.

Before that, in October as a birthday gift, my daughter, now amazing new-mother, gave me a subscription to Storyworth. So far I have added 42 stories/chapters, many started here over the past 10 years as slices. Seven of the chapters, I crafted as letters to Aden, my granddaughter. One tells her how her parents told my husband and I that she would be arriving in Feb. Another was all about the baby shower we hosted for her. Another about her bedroom in Amsterdam.

This Friday, I started to craft another letter to Aden. I wanted to capture the day she was born from my perspective. Here’s my beginning draft:

Dear Aden,
I awoke in Arlington, VA on February 22nd (2-22-23) reached for my iPhone resting on the nightstand and saw a red #1 beside the text message app. When I opened it, it was a shared text addressed to me, Brian and Anne that read:

“Meet Aden Sophia Donnelly-Gunyon, born 10pm Amsterdam time on 02.21.23 and this photo was attached.

Your Aunt Anne, living in the same time zone as you, replied first and your Grandma and Grandpa followed with these messages;

Soon, more photos arrived to our phone. I had the best Weddnesday at school as I carried my iPhone and quickly shared your photo. “Look, my daughter had a baby girl last night. Her name is Aden Sophia!” I showed everyone I passed in the hallway your photo! 

I anticipate it being fun to read this chapter to Aden in a few years.
Another amazing benefit of writing our stories – so the next generations can enjoy them!

Special thanks to my writing partner, Barb, who modeled well for me how to write about the first day of a grandchild’s life from a grandmother’s point of view.

#StrongWomen

Ruth – Aden – Nic – Dhonielle – Ashley

Yesterday these five strong women inspired me!

#Marchiswomensmonth

Questions these five have me thinking about:

• What am I doing to keep RBG’s spirit alive? Somehow seeing my grandbaby wearing this onsie I purchaced at The Outrage gives me great hope!
• Attending the evening book event that brought Nic Stone to town (and then is able to visit MY SCHOO this morning) gave me great hope! She was interviewed by two authors, Dhonielle Clayton, the founder of #Weneeddiverse books, and Ashley Woodfolk, wearing a t-shirt, We Need More Thinkiers, to promote an organization that I’ll be donating to. I recommend reading ALL books by these three authenic, honest, amazing black authors.

Which women inspire you today, this month, always?!!

PS – More about Nic Stone tomorrow
PSS – I’m co-hosting a Slicer Workshop with Fran McCrackin on Friday
(St. Patrick’s Day at 5pm – Wear green and come join us to chat about writing)