I love having my 4 month old granddaughter with me. But, I don't want her to stay the night unless dh is home! LOL He just loves sitting and playing with her, I do too, but after raising 3 kids, I am tired!

My dh is a truck driver so he missed out on a lot with our kids. We are only in our early 40's, so it isn't too that we are too old to watch her, but, for me, it is work!

My son works full time, my dil is a stay at home mom. We started watching the baby over night when she was 2 weeks old. The kids said "they needed a break". Ok, but then it was turning into every week-end! That is the only time I get to see dh.

I have had to put my foot down a bit. I will take here when I want to, not when they say. I raised 3 kids witn NO breaks! I was feeling used.

So, I still have time to do what I want and I watch her when I want and not when they say. I like it better this way.

Mine all lived too far away, so I missed out on most of that. We moved closer to DS and kept his 2 a few times, but they were 8 and 11 by then.
I most enjoyed my grandcats, Sam and Lena. They visited quite often and I loved it and them! They are gone now and I still miss them. I have new ones, but they have not been to visit yet. I have my own cat now.

I am doing the bonding time with my first grandchild now. My daughter went back to work after six weeks and now her MIL and I split the week up with the Dad taking a day in the week. I stay at their house (1 1/2 hrs away) from Sun to Tues evening. I am newly retired and consider it a good time to bond. He is 4 mos old now and really trying to do new things. Reminds me of how much I forgot now that his mom is fully grown! Loving every minute of it.

I've had my grandaughter for sleepovers every Wednesday and Saturday since the time she was born. I also had her full time for a few weeks while her mom tried holding down a job and being a single mom at the same time...didn't last long...and that's okay...I want my grandaughter to be raised by mom most of the time! I do LOVE to have her the two to three days a week that I do!

Isn't it wonderful how we all love our grandchildren so much? Sounds like you are all so loving and so happy to have grandchildren in your lives! I'm just grateful that we live nearby and not in another state. I'd hate missing out on all this.

I watch my grands and I love it.The first year is the hardest.All of mine have learned thier colors from fabric. :-D

Its a hard decision ~ With our first I watched her while mom was at work but they also lived with us. I have to say even though she was only 17 she really grew up and when she wasnt working or totally exhausted she took full responsibility of her care. Still didnt get much done though lol Just loved to watch her grow (she was a preemie and only weighed 3lbs!! I didnt care for her until she was off the feeding tube though - too much for me ~~ Dont regret a minute of it. She is 14 now and we have a special bond even though there are 5 others lol..
my other daughter is living with us with her two and she hires a sitter~~of course my health isnt as good as it was 14 years ago. We only watch DGK if no one else is available Things will change a little soon - they will be moving out but she will be going to school to better heself so we will help watch the kids as most of her classes will be in the evenings

I agree - wouldnt have missed bonding time not only with DGD but with DD (we wrent really close until DGD was born!! Maybe a part time basis would be better. You have to do the things you enjoy so you can be refreshed and happy. Since quilting is that happiness for you you need to indulge in that too!!! You deserve it!!!

We live too far away from my DGB's (6 all together) to be watched by this "grammy". When we visit I always take advantage of the babysitting thou. I have one new granddaughter, that was born October 2010, have only seen a couple pictures of her. So really in need of new baby smells and such. Had hope to go visit over the new year, but we had storms between WA and MN, so alot of interstate closings to get there, so stayed home and continued the unpackin'.

and Yes, I hate missing out on so much too.

I kept my children busy with activities, so I could sew throughout the day, and they were in bed by 7pm until they were in school. They were up at 6am, because that was the schedule that their dad had for before time with them before work. And I couldn't get them to go back to bed after work. So they had 2 naps a day, morning and afternoon. Otherwise I would of gotten nothing done.

So now with my grand childre the two boys enjoy their cars, DS's and the outdoors and going with grammy to the "fabric shop", the little 2 year old DGD loves to be right in the middle of things with you, so she is around the sewing machine all the time playin'. A "quilter" in the making I say. She does the same with her mommy.

I have had 3 of my DGSs a lot before they started school, and I LOVED it!! I miss that time now that they are all in school and visits with me have to be fit in around that and other events. I think those times are what has made us so close :D:D:D

My DDs know that I will babysit whenever they need me to, but it is always my option to say no :wink:

My first DGS will be born in March and my husband and I have told our DD that we would baby sit for them - they live about 20 miles from us but we are so looking forward to taking care of this baby - neither one of us have great health but we figure that between the two of us (along with my 90 year old mother who neither looks nor acts like 90) shold be able to take care of him - of course, if he is anything like his mother we may need to call in reinforcements :)