Widdle Cooper Batey

We adopted Cooper four years ago. He was living with a family that had two young children that didn't understand that you couldn't torment a small dog and not expect some backlash. When he started nipping, the owner advertised she was looking for a new home for him. It happened to be at a time in my life that I was struggling with depression and loneliness, so I talked it over with Jim and Cooper came home with us. He was very timid at first; we didn't know he knew how to bark until we'd had him for three weeks!

Cooper was so good for me; I have fibromyalgia and I need to get out and about but it feels so good to just stay in my jammies all day. Cooper needed a walk twice a day so I walked twice a day too. Even though it was winter, it felt good. Cooper immediately know whose hand fed him and he was my little velcro puppy. He is a Shihtzu/Maltese mix and his hair was all matted when we got him. I patiently brushed him and cut out the mats that I couldn't brush out.

Cooper had very few accidents in the house and he didn't chew things that didn't belong to him. He became our evening entertainment with his stuffed animals. I quickly taught him to shake a paw, sit, and if he wanted to, he would come on command. Eventually he learned more tricky things like "go look out the window" or "Hurry up, door is closing!" He plays dead so well he could work in Hollywood.

Jim and I are going to Cape Breton Island for a couple of weeks, but Cooper is going to stay behind at a local kennel. It breaks my heart not to take him, but he will be wintering in Florida with us this winter. He gets such balls of snow on his paws that I think he'll enjoy a snow-less winter. I know I will.

He is such a joy to us. Jim, who wasn't convinced that we shouldn't be getting a bird dog instead, loves him dearly. I do know that Cooper will most likely be our last dog. Jim just retired and we are looking forward to traveling, kayaking, golfing--all of which are difficult or impossible to do with a dog. In the meantime, I wouldn't trade my "widdle" Cooper Batey for all the tea in China.

How Little Boys Steal Your Heart

I love little girls.  My favorite age for little girls as four.  By age four they have developed a real personality and can carry on conversations that absolutely slay me. I think of my granddaughter Becky, who once told me she has a really bad science infection. She  was just as serious as could be and her great big blue-grey eyes so solemn and serious. How does one keep from bursting out laughing?

Our last four grandchildren have been all boys. At one time we were convinced that we were never going to have grandchildren, then five girls came along. We were then convinced we'd never have any grandsons and we have been blessed with four in a row. Kat is pregnant and is sure she is having another girl (she already has three). As difficult as her pregnancy is going, I just hope for a healthy baby.

I wasn't prepared for the first boy that came along. I was used to cuddly little girls who liked to color in my Barbie Coloring books, and play dressup, and do makeovers. The first boy, Brandon, was a premie and was in the hospital for several weeks. The first time I got to hold him he was 2 weeks old with tubes coming out of him like quills. Although he was early, he was seven pounds, but it took his lungs a while to catch up. Now he's a lover and never shies away from hugs and kisses or being read to.

Our daughter from Miami was up the last two weeks and I fell in love with her boys. For obvious reason I don't see them as often as the others, but what little heart-stealers they are. Steve is so smart and amazes me with his understanding of things. He plays rummy with a ruthlessness rarely seen in an eight year old and can keep up with an adult playing ping pong.

Miles will be three next December and all women present fell in love with Miles. He's a very happy boy and he's absolutely okay with hugs and kisses. He has a smile on his face most of the time and is happy to take your hand when walking him down to the lake.

Owen is the newest and will be a year old next month. I was there for his birth and I will never forget it. He was born at home, in their bed with me and a midwife present. Of the 9 current grandchildren, I have been at all but four births, but this one was so special. I have to admit, I was nervous with the idea of a 39 year old woman giving birth at home, but she had delivered the others with no problem. I'll be honest, I did my share of praying for them.

Owen is a sweet boy, and he barely ever cries. You can see his wheels turning as he watches his surroundings, and he is very close to walking. He smiles a lot, proudly showing off his new teeth. I've never been around too many baby boys, so I'm enjoying my time with them.

I'm excited at having one more grandchild coming. Another boy evens the score, but she thinks she's having another girl. Either way, I'm thrilled. Unfortunately, I won't be in Maine when she's due--Jim and are I headed to Florida for the winter. I might have a take a quick trip up to check him or her out, because that's what Nana's do.

Grandsons. God's Gift.

We live in a very small town in Maine; population is probably around a thousand residents. I have lived here most of my adult life, and this is where we raised our four kids. When my husband and I met, he had a son and a daughter and I had two daughters. His son and my youngest were 3 months apart, the two other girls were six months apart; it was almost like raising twins. Hectic most of the time, but we got through it.

          The two older girls are now 40, the two younger 36. They have given us the best possible gift—grandchildren!  Number 10 is still in the oven. For a while there were five girls and no boys, but four boys came along to even up the score. They range in age from 16 to one year and I am just so in love with all of them. Probably every Grammy says their grandkids are the most beautiful and smartest, but mine really are. No sense in you arguing the point, because God loves me best!

          It is very rare to get them all together at the same time, since four of them live in Miami, but the past two weeks I have been in absolute heaven. There was a wedding involved, a 40^th birthday party and cousins reconnecting daily. Erika, hubby’s daughter turned 40 on July 5, and got hitched on the 11^th in a perfect setting. Her daughter was bridesmaid and wore a beautiful turquoise dress and his son carried the rings. The groom and the boys wore white shirts, orange suspenders and grey jeans—and were barefoot—it was so perfect! Erika looked stunning in her gown of white. Balloons of white, turquoise and orange had been tied to tree branches and they looked magical.

 She had rented a huge home on the shore of Moosehead Lake and had perfect weather for the entire two weeks. They are flying back to Miami today, and it’s raining for the first time since they arrived. They can come back and bring us perfect weather any time they want!

          One thing that was awesome about the home they rented was the lack of TV and internet.  If the kids were bored, they’d go find something to do, and it usually involved being in the lake or on it in a kayak. I sat and watched two of the granddaughters (born 4 days apart) playing in the water yesterday and just listened and laughed at their antics. Two of the boys, a year apart in age ran around with toy guns playing FBI agents; they were protecting the house against hostile takeovers. Glad to have them keeping me safe since I had left my handgun at home.

          The point of this whole ramble? Love your kids because they will someday give you grandkids that steal your heart. Being a grandparent totally rocks and I can’t wait for #10 to come!