GJ

Over the past three weeks we have been extremely fortunate to have Jane stay with us. She has been a tremendous help to us with the boys, the house, the dog, the pregnant mom, the stressed-out dad, you name it. The fact that Jane packed up her things and departed her life in Glasgow was a sacrifice on her part (and Pappy's part) that we truly appreciate.

The boys have really bonded with their GJ -- each morning the first question out of Gus's mouth is "Where Joo-Jay go?" When Mom spends time with the boys, the teacher in her comes out. She knows from years in experience with kids how to interact with them. Amy & I watch with keen interest and try to pick up some tips.

Owen and Gus -- especially our dear sweet roaring lion Gus -- are definitely two years old right now. I don't want to call it the "terrible twos" because there are times when this stage is really enjoyable. The boys are gaining their independence, learning how to articulate what they want, and piecing their thoughts together with longer sentences. They love to read, play with their trucks, and want to be more and more a part of what we are doing. With that development though comes more challenges obviously. There have been a lot of tantrums lately -- getting out of the car, going upstairs for baths & bedtime, just in general when they don't want to do what we want them to do. So having GJ here to both help deflect some of the stress and to help Amy and me to deal with it has been a tremendous help.

When Mom tells her son and daughter-in-law that we need to get control of our two year-olds now before it is too late because the kids are starting to run the house, we listen. And she is absolutely right. As Amy & I have been trying to take as much off of Amy's plate as possible with these early contractions, it was becoming a challenge to maintain order in our house. We were letting some tantrums go that we should have been addressing and nipping in the bud. That parental wisdom that can only be gained from experience is very helpful at times like this.

Finally, even Tucker has been a happier dog with GJ here. No longer does Tucker snuggle up in Mom & Dad's bed -- oh no. A habitual early morning walker, GJ now has the dog's loyalty as she takes him on neighborhood laps and fills his bowl. Tucker will have to go back to being walked once a day -- heaven forbid -- when GJ goes back to Kentucky on Sunday.

So a tip of the glass to Grandmother Jane. We thank you for all your help, advice, and shared wisdom. Cheers!