Hey Diddle Diddle

Hey Diddle Diddle the cat and the fiddle the cow jumped over the moon!

Miss Lidia it seems like it's taking forever for you to get here, I can hardly wait to play with you. Now you need to know that Hey Diddle Diddle is one of my favorite rhymes and I'll tell you why. You're Great Grandma Helen, which is my Mommy, calls me Did and I call her Diddy or it can be Did and Diddle or Diddy and Did, you get the idea. It all started years ago, everytime I would call her on the telephone she would say "hey diddle diddle, how are ya?" So pretty soon it was just "hey Diddle" and then somehow it got to be Did and Diddy and that's just what we call each other. Now it can be Did, Diddy and Liddy! Your cousins Gabby, Kevin and Matthew call her Great Helen so if you want to you can call her that too or you can make up your own name for her. I can tell you that she is very excited about having another Great Grandbaby and we talk about you every single day. She loves all of her Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren but your Daddy will tell everyone that he is her favorite. Great Helen is quite alot of fun and most of the time we have trouble keeping up with her. Her Birthday is coming up soon, it is May 5th and she was born in 1938 so this year she will be 71 years old. There are so many things that I want you to know about her and her family. You and I will spend hours looking at pictures and I'll tell you all of the stories that my Grandma and Grandpa Burkhart told me and I'll try my best to teach you the things that Great Helen has taught me. I hope that I've been a good Mother to your Daddy and Andrea like she has been to me. People always wonder what their purpose in life is and want to leave something behind. I was thinking of that the other day when it occured to me how many people love my Mom and loved my Grandmother. If I'm thought of as dearly as they have been some day than that's good enough for me. And you my little Grandaughter will be a big part of passing along the wonderful stories, songs and recipes that Grandma's are made of!

And the Dish ran away with the Spoon........

Two Months!

Hi Liddy Mae,

Grandma hasn't written for a little while but I thought you wouldn't mind since I've seen you and your Mommy alot. I really love that you and Mommy and Daddy and Kiley are staying at our house this week while the workers are at your house. Soon your room will be all done and the swimming pool will be ready! Last weekend the weather was beautiful, that's why we all decided to have a big garage sale and get rid of old stuff so we could clean and paint and be ready for you. Did you hear me counting to you? When we were counting the money I thought it would be a good idea to start teaching you 1......2.......3.

Have you noticed that the doggies are being a little better about barking when you come in? We're trying really hard to make them understand that you could be sleeping and don't want to be woke up. I have your dresser ready in the spare bedroom which we now call "Lidia's Room" and it has all of your lotions and powders in it and also a nice new bath towel and robe with bunny rabbit slippers for your little feet. You and Mommy have class tonight so I'm not sure if I'll get to see you but when we get time maybe we can sing a song to you.

You're growing and growing little girl, the doctor said you are at least 3 pounds and will gain some ounces almost every day! Hey, you're like the little seeds and flowers that are all starting to sprout and bloom. April Showers bring May flowers. We'll say Baby Showers bring Liddy Mae flowers.

Grow strong little flower, Grandma loves you!

Happy Easter Sweet Baby

We had a very nice Easter day, just the way it should be. Next Easter you will have a beautiful little Easter dress and we'll go to Sunday School together. Grandma went to church this morning and saw lots of little boys and girls excited about Easter. Easter is a very special Sunday because we celebrate that Jesus rose from the grave and that he will live and reign forever. I think that is one of the reasons that Spring is so beautiful. Everything is new again. Lots of baby animals are born and the flowers bloom and the grass turns green and finally we're able to go outside and run and play!

The Easter bunny always comes to Grandma's house and I know for a fact that he will come to your house too! He still brings baskets here for your Mommy and Daddy and today he left a special one for you with a teddy bear that sings nursery rhymes. I had fun talking to you today, your Aunt Annie called me silly again when I talked to your Mommy's belly but I really think that you heard me shaking that bunny rattle because Mommy said that you gave a good kick when we finished.

Just one more holiday without you here dear grandbaby. Grandpa and I usually go camping on Memorial day and if your Mommy feels up to it you and her and Daddy will be there too! I hope that you feel loved today and everyday because you are so important to us all. And I hope that you tasted a little of that cake your Mama made today because it was pretty delicious :)

Happy Easter Lidia, Grandma loves you!

Giggles and Hiccups

How's Grandma's little Liddy today? Your Mommy is really busy these days with work and school and getting ready for you. She has had lots of homework to do. When you get bigger and go to school you won't be able to sleep in class but you can for now. Last night when you and Mommy came over to my house you probably felt her laughing. She was talking about how silly your Daddy is and that when he dreams he laughs in his sleep. She had Grandma laughing so hard that I got the hiccups! Sometimes we all get to giggling so much that we cry. Most of the time it is because of your Daddy, he is one of the funniest people that I know. He's been busy too, going to work every day and working around the house. Your Grandpa Tonner is going to come down and help him for the next few weekends. Grandpa Tonner is really good at building and fixing things. You will really like going to his house because he has animals to play with. The little baby piggies are my favorite. Oh Liddy, I get so excited thinking about the fun that we'll have that I can hardly stand it. Grandpa Tonner lives in Ossian near Berne Indiana where one of the Amish communities are. Amish people are just like us but they don't use as many modern things so they keep their lives simple. They work very hard, have strong religious beliefs and most of them have lots of children. Your Grandpa has some amish friends and so does your Uncle Russell. Once when we were at uncle Russell's house before you were in your Mommy's belly, your Mommy and Daddy put on an amish hat and bonnet and held your cousin Matthew and a doll baby. I put their picture on here, now you can see what I mean when I say they are silly. Spending time together with family is a very important part of life little darling and we have a wonderful family to do it with. Grandma loves you!

Mommy's Doctor Visit and Babcia Elwartowska

Hi Baby Liddy, did you hear me talking to you last night? Your Mommy and Daddy and Kiley came over to our house and I was so happy to see you all. Of course I hugged your Mommy's belly right away and told you I love you. Kirby was being bad and barking alot, I think he was just excited to see Kiley. We're trying to teach them to be quiet when we say Baby so they don't scare you or wake you up.

The doctor's visit yesterday went great, your Mommy had to drink some stuff for a gluclose tolerance test. It's just part of what the doctor's do to make sure that you'll both stay healthy. Your Mommy called and left me a message. She said, "the doctor said your little grandaughter is doing just fine". I love your Mommy more than she can imagine.

Your other Grandma has her plane ticket bought to come and see you! She's coming from Poland on June 17th. We don't want your Mommy trying to drive to Chicago to pick her up from the airport 3 days before you are due so either Grandpa or Aunt Annie will go with me to pick her up. We're all very excited to see her. She talks to your Mommy almost everyday on Skype so she sees that you are growing and she's been making you some fancy little dresses and hats. Your Grandpa will come from Poland to see you in September. He's a very kind, intelligent man that you are going to love very much. The days are going by quickly little darling, I love you!