Visit to New York

Uncle Mike and Julie told me you and mommy were at his house.  I think you flew back from France for a week to renew your Visa.  I know you asked mommy if "Grandma is dead".  And you were told that I am far far away.  In fact, you were just three houses away from me.  If you had been able to walk out the door you would have seen the house where you lived with Grandma, coming up the stairs to watch "Cars" and "The Invincibles" and "Chicken Little" and play with the dump trucks and frontloaders.  Didn't we have such fun using the frontloaders to move the poker chips into the dump trucks, then dump them out again and start over.

No - my sweet children, Grandma is not dead.  She is always very close to you and thinks of you every single day of her life.  Someday you will know that.  And someday she will see you again.  It won't take long until you know how to find me on the computer and we will talk every day until you know me again.  I love you both and miss you so much.

Grandma Nici

Holidays Over - Winter Begins

It looks like you had such a wonderful Christmas.  Stockings, and a big tree, and lots of toys from Santa.  And a nice big dinner with your friends.  I am so glad things are going so well and you are happy.  It's not as warm here in New Jersey!  We had freezing weather for a week, and now today it is 50 again.

Grandma sprained her ankle and has been limping around something awful.  But it is getting better - hurray - and easier to get up and down the stairs at the subway.

I had a nice dinner with friends Christmas Eve and celebrated New Year's Eve watching the ball drop and the fireworks.  Did you have fireworks too?

I love you both very much, and miss you.  I've been putting all my pictures on the computer and see all the ones from when you were both born and growing.  My goodness how you have gotten bigger.

Grandma Nici

Almost Christmas

I see you both already got some Prezzies from Santa - in your shoe!!  How fun to find something there just for you.  Your gingerbread house looked yummy - I could almost taste a bite of it.

New York is very pretty this time of year.  The skating rink has lots of skaters and the big giant tree at Rockefeller Center has all lots and lots of lights.  Everyone wants to take a picture with the tree in it!  Grandma got some pretty silver snowflake earrings at the shops in Bryant Park.  It is fun walking around the shops and tasting samples of candy and chocolate.

Yesterday my work had a party and I tried to eat all the cupcakes.  I LOVE cupcakes.

I hope you have a tree this year and get to celebrate Christmas properly.

I love you both - you are such beautiful and well-behaved children.  I am so proud of you and miss you very much.

Love
Grandma Nici

Happy Holidays

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone.  I'm sorry you weren't here to celebrate it with me.  I made a lovely little turkey with my special cranberry dressing, along with the famous green beans and sweet potatoes.  Very traditional - just the way we've always done it.  Emmerson, you never ate Grandma's special meal, but Taylor did and he always gobbled them up!

Christmas is coming and Grandma's lights are up outside the house, and inside the house up the staircase.  No Christmas tree this year - the part of the house I live in is just too small for a tree.  But Grandma took her big wreath to work and it is up just beside her desk - and I decorated a lot of the rest of the area too so it looks nice and festive.

A friend came to visit from home this weekend and it was quite nice walking all over New York and showing her your latest pictures.  You are both getting so big!!  Congratulations for potty training to Em - that's a big step and good job Taylor for getting so good in your French.  I am always so proud of both of you.

I love you both very much and miss you as always.

Grandma Nici

It's Turkey Day

Hello my sweet babies.  It's Thanksgiving in the United States - and Grandma is making a small turkey, dressing, and cherry pie!  It's just not Thanksgiving without a turkey - even if it's only really delicious the first day out of the oven.  When Taylor was very little, you would come to Grandma's house and have turkey......and when you were a little older and lived in Grandma's house your mommy and daddy would cook part of the big meal, and Grandma would cook the rest.  We would all eat at one big table, usually with a couple of friends who would come because they didn't have any other family. 

Next year I shall have to adopt some more of those family-less folks - or have them adopt me so there is another big table to sit around.

Taylor - you were an adorable pirate and you did so very well in your school show.  I was proud of you!

I love you both - and miss you very much.

Grandma Nici

Halloween is almost here!!

Halloween is coming in just a few days.  I know it is very warm where you are, and Halloween isn't a very popular holiday, but I'm glad you got to dress up in costumes at school.  Lots of little kiddies will come to Grandma's house for candy and I'm all ready for them.

I found mommy's blog today and was able to catch up on all your adventures since you went away from Grandma.  I'm so glad you are both doing so well, making new friends, and learning the language at school.

My goodness, Taylor!!!  Losing your teeth so early.  Well, at least you will be ready for the new ones when they pop right in.  Most kids have to wait until they fall out.  You got your dollars early and probably already spent them.  Don't fall again....you must be very careful.

I will enjoy reading your adventures and will always keep you close in my heart until we see each other again.  I love you both and miss you very much.

Grandma Nici

Almost Halloween!

There are pumpkins in the stores, and scary masks all lined up in the Target aisles.  I think about Taylor's first Halloween - he was a little doll.  And the ones after that when he would get so excited.  I think I liked the mouse costume the best - but i think HE liked Spiderman.  That was our last Halloween together - Spiderman.  But i still have the pictures.

There's no Halloween in France.  I wonder if Emmerson will have the joy of dressing up and collecting candy and ooohs and aaaahs aren't you cute from strangers.  There is really nothing like it in the world.

I love you both my darlings.  And send my hugs and kisses across the ocean.

Grandma