Tyler

I can barely believe you are Five years old. You will be going to school soon and that just does not seem at all possible. I remember so clearly the day you were born. I remember when your Daddy called and said that it was time to go to the Hospital.....it was way early! That scared me because bad things can go wrong when that happens. I wandered around for a while because I think I was in some sort of Shock, not believing that you were going to come out 3 weeks early. It was kind of like when Grandpa Larry took a box of empty beer cans to the Garage on his way to get the car when we were going to the hospital to have your Mommy. Some day I will explain, but for now that is all. I will just say it was certainly funny after the fact. My Mommy was here visiting us that week. She was supposed to go home the day before, but something told her to stay. I was glad she did. I will write more to you later. This is fun. Love you, Grandma Kate

Tyler and Hunter

I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by! It seems yesterday when you were both tiny babies. Now you are both Big Brothers! Hunter is Big Brother to little Ava who soon will be one year old herself! How the time flies! That means time goes way too fast. Tyler, you are waiting patiently for your new sister Sydney to arrive. New exciting times are ahead for both you and your Mom and Dad. Things are changing and that can be scary, but with all of us to help you, things will turn out fine. You will be the best Big Brother in the whole wide world! You have the Bluest Eyes I have ever seen. People just about fall into those eyes. They can say I Love You and often do. You will be able to help Mommy and Daddy out so much. When your mommy was little, I had Jesse. your Mom was 4.5 when Aunt Jesse came. So, your mommy had to help out Grandma a LOT. She would go get diapers when I wanted to change Jesse's wet ones. She would go get toys when Jesse needed them. She would go play and behave when I needed her to. (okay, sometimes that was a stretch, but you know that she did help me so very much). When Jesse was about 2, your MommyJodee talked to me about something else new happening. She saw my Tummy was growing yet again. Yes, another baby was going to come along and Aunt Jesse would only be 21 months old when the new baby arrived. That meant that your mommyjodee would need to help me even more. When I had the new baby, MommyJodee would play and play and began to go to School. She helped Grandma Kate and helped and helped, then helped some more. That new Baby was your Aunt Lacey. Grandma knew when your mommyjodee grew up, she would be the best Mommy ever because she had to help with 2 other babies when she was growing up. It was like taking care of twin babies having the two so close together in age. MommyJodee loved animals, people and reading. She was always reading something. Now you are learning that reading is lots of fun too! Hunter, I knew your Mommy would be the best mommylacey ever too. From the time she was a baby, she was friends with everyone. She had big beautiful eyes and the longest eyelashes I have ever seen on a baby. (until you) She helped as Jesse grew up. She became her friend, ally, confidant, and protector. Your mommylacey took over where Aunt Jodee left off when she got busy doing other things. I will always have a special place in my Heart for your mommylacey because she is the same as I was, the caretaker to all. She loves old, young, human, non-human all the same. There is never enough time in the day to love like your mommy does. Even when she yells at you, it is for your safety and because she cares. Now you and Tyler will have a chance to be protectors, friends, confidants and allies which just means good friends. You will have plenty of kisses and hugs to give and to get. Tyler please keep on being that loving, caring, sweet boy I know you can be. Sometimes it is not always easy to be nice. We all learn that as we get bigger. Other people have feelings too. They see things from the other side of where you are. Learning to understand how they feel can make you a better boy too. Hunter keep on being that great big brother you are. Keep giving those smiles to others. When you smile, the world is better. Some day when you both get a chance to read this, I hope it will make you smile just a little, and let you know that you are loved so much by this Grandma Kate. I hope you will never stop giving me hugs n kisses. Hugs till I can give them to you in person. (big smooch here)

Tyler D.

You my Dear Boy are Grandma's pride and joy! I was very lucky and got to be in the room when you were born. It does not get any better than that! I was at your house in Iowa City to take care of the doggies while your Mommy and Daddy went to the Hospital to get you. Mommy worked so very hard and Daddy did too. It was early in October. I was so glad I got to drive to the Hospital that day and got there just in time to help tell your Mommy she COULD do it, because she was so very worn out trying to get you that she was giving up. Your Daddy did everything in his power to help, but there was only so much he could do and he was getting real tired too. They had been working all night to have you. Finally when I told your Mommy she could do it, she got super strength and went back to work. Your Daddy helped her with a strong voice and finally you were born. You looked like you had been in a fight, but the nurses took you out and cleaned you up and when they brought you back in, you looked so good! You were so special and I stayed a few days before I had to come home to see Grandpa Larry again. We were not able to visit you as much as I would have liked until you all moved closer to us. We helped to care for you when you all moved. You and Alvin came home with me and stayed for a couple of days while Mommy and Daddy got things moved in and then we all went back to see your new home in Omaha. Now Mommy is almost done with Law School and soon you will be moving again. It will be a good move because you will get to have a lawn again. I will add more to this later. Love you

Grandma Kate

Hunter

I apologize for not keeping up my writing to you and also to Tyler D. Time rushes by and I get busy with other things. I have never been real good about consistency. Big word means getting done what I want to every day.

You dear boy are so precious to this Grandma. I never thought far enough into the future to think about having Grandchildren. Ever since I found out you were coming, Life changed for the better. Your Mommy and Daddy gave Grandpa and me a present gift wrapped one day when they were here visiting. I wondered what was going on, but opened it anyway. I barely got the unwrapping started when I saw the baby bottle peeking out at me. I did not even finish opening the present, I just gave it to Grandpa Larry to finish opening. He did not get what was going on until he had the wrapper off and looked at me, then at Lacey, then at me again. Wha? was the look. I shouted, They are going to have a baby~!!!!!!" They then told us that you were going to be here around the end of November. We figured you might make it for Thanksgiving. You decided to wait until December however, and that was alright. No sense getting in too big a hurry. You were born in the afternoon, but Mommy and Daddy did not call us until later in the day. They said, "You have a Grandson, would you like to come and meet him?" We were there in less than 30 minutes and that was quick for us. I did not even take time to bathe before we headed to Lake City. When we got there your other Grandma Ann was holding you. She came over and put you into my arms soon after we arrived. Grandpa Larry was not going to hold you, but we did not give him any choice. You were put in his arms and it was serious Love right away. You were his boy from that day. It has been that way since and you are 2 years old now. I just wanted to catch up with you a bit and tell you how much we all Love you. You are a wonderful Grandson and bring us such joy every day, even on the days when we do not see you in person. You are always in our thoughts. I will end this for now and will continue it later.

Hugs n Kisses from Grandma Kate and Grandpa Larry