GRAND Magazine - September/October 2008 - (Page 36)

grandbloggers It takes a village… How “wired” grands help each other Grandma Honey http://adventures ofgrandmahoney. blogspot.com implanted four, but they were frozen ones and the odds are not as good with frozen. This time they will implant four fresh ones. August 6: Quite the exciting morning. The doctor talked Amy out of implanting four embryos. He wanted to just place two, so they compromised with three. He said some couples put all they have in and then reduce them later. Since Logan and Amy do not believe in selective reduction, their doctor felt that three is as high a number as they should go. Of course the more they place, the higher the odds that one will take. —Jill Shelley Blogger Jill Shelley, who says she feels “a little odd about writing this all down in my blog, but this is our life right now,” provides a comfortable, kitchen-table discussion on the experiences of her son and daughter-in-law with in-vitro fertilization. August 4: Amy got a call from the doctor this morning saying that 11 of the 13 eggs from yesterday have made it to embryos. So they have only lost two so far, which is good. The implantation is set for Wednesday morning at 9:30. The first in-vitro they did last year, they implanted two. The second time they The first thing a grandma has to know about playdates is the moms come over, too. And they bring the sisters and brothers of the child that is coming to play. It’s easy to be involved in GrandBlogger discussions! Just go to www.GRANDmagazine. com and click on the “digital magazine” icon in the upper righthand corner. This story is “live” on the digital edition—one click on the blogger’s address and you’ve got an active voice! Play Wit’ Me Nana falling on them in closets, and my room Five-year-old Kenz started saying, “Nana, my is…well, it’s my room. I had to smile when Kenz friends and I want to set up a playdate.” Okay. Not totally sure what this said, “Nana, why don’t you put up a sign that http:// entailed, I left it up to her mother, says off-limits?” I didn’t want to go that far, so playwitmenana. who is my daughter. I told her to pretend there’s an invisible sign. blogspot.com/ But, with the busy work schedConsider starting with one or two friends. ule my daughter has (and our bigI was worried that if Kenz invited one, none ger yard) she bounced the ball back to would show up, so we invited three. Two my court and delegated the initial playdate to me. showed up and the big sister of one. They all played The first thing a grandma has to know about well together, it went fine, it went great. But, for playdates is the moms come over, too. And they some children one-on-one might be more fun. And bring the sisters and brothers of the they could get to know each other a child that is coming to play. little better. For this reason, it’s important to On the list of playdating basics is… have your house child-proofed for decide on a time span. Ours was younger children. You might also 1–4 p.m. If you have a three-hour want to have something to give the playdate, or an even a shorter one, moms, like a cookie or a cup of tea. it’s a good idea to have a craft table. When I offered a mom something It can be a place for the kids to come to drink, she replied, “No, thank you, back to—for snacks and for centering I brought my own water.” (Bringing Now that I’ve broken the playdate your own fluids might be an unspoice, I’m looking forward to future Connie Marconi—Nana— ken rule of playdates; I don’t know.) ones. It’s fun to get to know the and her granddaughter, I made our rules clear to Kenz moms, and you don’t have to feel like 5-year-old Kenz. before her friends got here. you are the only one directing traffic. “I don’t want anyone playing in my room or hiding There is something very cool about this playdate in the closets.” I worry about spiders and things concept after all. —Connie Marconi 36 GRAND SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2008 http://adventuresofgrandmahoney.blogspot.com http://playwitmenana.blogspot.com http://www.GRANDmagazine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - September/October 2008

Grand Magazine- September/October 2008
Grand View:�Priceless
Contents
Isn't it Grand?: Picture Perfect
Winners!: GRANDparent of the Year
Grand Central
Toddler Town:�Grand-proofing
Ask Grand:�Two Tired
Tips on Teens: The Bar Mitzvah Trips
Just So We Know:�BPA Not Our BFF
Full House-Full Heart-Full Time:�Confessions of a Backyard Grand
Grandbloggers: It Takes a Village
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
Family + Food = Fun
On the Cover: Nora Roberts A Fine Romance
Everything Was Fine Until You Showed Up
Happy Big Sister Day
Looking Grand:�Elementary, My Dear
All in the Family:�Pasta, Present and Future
Reunions:�Doubleheader
Inspirations:�Grandpa's Violin
Grand Bazaar
More to the Story
Grand Finale:�Long Ago Under the Sun

GRAND Magazine - September/October 2008