Summer Begins

Hello my beautiful children.  This post is difficult to write.  I spend a lot of time thinking of you both, and following your life through your mother's blog. It was very hard for a very long time, but now I can smile at your funny pictures.  I always want the best for you as you enjoy the adventures but I still worry because no matter what your father may think, the US is still a better place to grow up.  At least you have time to enjoy the best of everything when you are little and you will be well traveled and have a great knowledge of the world.

Grandma broke her arm and wrist a few weeks ago and had two surgeries in seven days.  I wear a metal Wristjack fixator which is screwed into my hand and arm and there is a plate and screws in the bones.  I even got some skeleton bones to help mine heal better.  Cool, huh!!.  It has been very painful and there are times I feel very alone when I can't do even the simplest task like tying my tennis shoes.  And when the hospital asks who to contact in case of emergency and I have to say "no one".

I know someday you will find me - and I just keep hoping for it.  Meanwhile, I will keep looking at the pictures and say to you again - I did not leave you, you were taken from my arms by force.  I will never, ever stop loving you both.

Grandma Nici

Almost Spring!!

It is very warm on some days, and very cold on others.  I am happy you are where the weather is nice all the time.  The pretty flowers are all blooming and Grandma just put new grass in the back yard.  No more weeds!!  Hurrah!!!

I wish you could play on it with me.  I love you both and miss you.

Grandma Nici

Happy Birthday Emmerson

Happy Third sweet girl.  Grandma will be thinking of you all day today and hoping your special day is especially wonderful.  Blow out your candles with one big blow and make a wish!

Dearest Taylor - are you having fun at school?  You are getting to be such a big boy.  You will like to know that Grandma shared your books with another little boy who turned four on Sunday.  He will enjoy reading them as much as you did.

Have a wonderful time my dear children.  Grandma misses you as always.

Love, Grandma Nici

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