I took care of my two little grandsons for six years. I did have to give up a lot of my free time but it was well worth it knowing they were safe and I got so much joy out of seeing their darling faces every morning. The fabric waited for me, but the grandsons wouldn't have. It also made it a lot easier on my daughter not to have to worry about them catching every cold, etc. and knowing someone who loved them was caring for them.

I think it's great that you are willing and able to watch this baby. I never lived close enough to my parents for this to be an option and my mother was working full time when my children were babies anyway. Just remember, the quilting will still be there when the baby is grown. I don't think you will regret the "things" you didn't get done at all. Enjoy the baby!

We are blessed to be able to watch our 4 grandson everyday. It relieve our son and daughter from a great financial burden as well. Our son drops off his 6 yr old and twins 2 yr old boys at 7AM...our Daughter who is soon to be a DR. drops her 1 yr old son off by 8AM. We take the 6 yr old to school and pick him up at 3. So our days are full. We love being able to be so close to them and be a part of thier tiny lives. After they leave at 6PM everyday we do our quilting and relax.

I have been watching my daughter's three children starting 5 years ago when the first one was 2 year old. Now she has three with two of them in school. I now watch the three year old "princess" from 8 - 4:30 with the other two here for rwo hours after school. I love it, but then I'm only watching them three days a week. We decided that full time might mess up my "real" grandma time. Probably not, but that does give me some quilting time. I make 6-8 quilts each year for foster kids and then of course, some for my family.

I must say with the three year old being the youngest and last grandchild, I do miss having a baby around. But life goes on and my little one already shows interest in quilting. I let her "build" small quilts with scraps on my wall and she is designing some great little quilts! (Fortunately, she is okay with me not sewing them together yet, although the last one she did was so good that I did sew it for her).

Whatever you do, enjoy and remember that the years go by faster than you can imagine, and they are only small once.

Unfortunately, I don't have ant grands yet, but hopefully I will.

I remember how much work they were, but so worth it, it's like labor, you forget it.

I have 8 grandchildren. The oldest two, now almost 15 and 13, have been in my custody for 12 years. (my daughter was very young and rebellious) The next one, who is 11, I watched for almost two years, 4 days a week while she worked. Now I am watching my 2nd youngest GD, who is 2. I watch her every weekday, 8-5:30, and sometimes overnight or when they go on vacation. She is a joy, and luckily a good napper, so I can sew during naps, or when she goes home. Of course, I have my 2 youngest children and the two grandsons here too, and homeschool them, so sometimes sewing takes a backseat.

My grandson was born 5.5 weeks ago and he and daughter are living at home for now. I take him early early weekend mornings so she can sleep and love every minute. I work full time but am there for her when she needs to shower, do laundry, or run to the store. She goes back to work in 3 weeks and is already missing him. DS (18) enjoys him as well.

I get up around 4:30 in the morning so I can have about 45 minutes to sew before I leave for work at 6:00. In this time I have made him a little fleece jacket and hat and am now making him a pair of jammies. Sometimes it annoys me that I have to sew in snaps of time but when I go to get him I just melt. He won't be little for long and they won't live here forever and I feel so blessed to be able to share this.

You are one of God's angels. Bless you!

I planned for years what I would do with my grandchildren when I retired--even threatening to move near the parents of the first grand. Alas, the best laid plans and all that, I have no grandchildren. My eldest (43) is not able to have children and the youngest (41) is unmarried. Enjoy them all you can while you can. I would give anything to be able to do what you are doing.

I wish I could, but none live close enough :cry: