The Saturday Post: Tap Pups wannabe edition

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In my next life, I want to be a tap dancer.

Actually, forget the next life—I want to learn to tap dance in the second half of this life! And I want to be part of something just like this in order to do that:

Not gonna happen though, as Tap Pups classes take place in a land far, far away. Meaning, Pennsylvania. But, that high-energy, toe-tapping woman does sell videos. So I'm seriously considering buying one...and maybe the portable tap floor, too. (Or I may just ask for both—and tap shoes!—for my next birthday. Take note, Jim...daughters...grandsons.)

Today's question:

Do you tap dance? And whether you do or not, what kind of dancing do you enjoy most?

Grandma told ya so...

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Remember this picture of Baby Mac I posted on February 12?

At that time, I said I thought Mac would be running marathons by the time I saw him again in April.

Well, he's clearly one step closer. Get a load of this cell-phone video Megan texted to proud PawDad and Gramma on Tuesday:

Today, March 1, Baby Mac is 9 months old. And he's walking. In addition, he has both front teeth on the bottom, and he's working on his first front tooth on the top.

What is up with this kid?

I'm a little scared to mention it for fear this prediction might come true, too, but I think Baby Mac just might be caught up and ready to enter kindergarten at the very same time as big brother Bubby.

The voting continues: If you liked this post—or Grandma's Briefs in general—please vote for Grandma's Briefs in the About.com Favorite Grandparent Blog poll. Vote once per day through March 21. Thank you!

Today's question:

When and where did you last go for a walk, for pleasure or exercise?

The Saturday Post: Poem for my grandsons edition

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As a grandmother, I'd like to think I have abundant wisdom to share with my grandsons. No need for me to try putting into poetic form advice on being kind and good and true in a world that is often the very opposite of such things, though. Rudyard Kipling already did that—far better than I ever could—when he wrote If.

Kipling wrote If in 1895 in a very different time and place, yet his advice and inspiration still stand true today—for my grandsons, for all of us.

I love Kipling's poem and plan to share it with Bubby and Baby Mac and all my grandchildren to come when they're old enough to understand. Today, though, I'll share it with you.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Shameless self-promotion: If you liked this post—or Grandma's Briefs in general—please vote for Grandma's Briefs in the About.com Favorite Grandparent Blog poll. Vote once per day per email address through March 21. Thank you!

Give Grandma a sign

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My 8-month-old grandson is a genius. Sort of.

With Bubby ahead of him by almost exactly three years, Baby Mac does his darnedest to keep up with his brother, to reach major baby milestones in record time. And he's succeeding, for the most part.

I showed you not long ago that Baby Mac already nearly walks, sort of, and will surely soon be in full-fledged, fully upright, forward motion soon.

Baby Mac already talks, too. Sort of. With baby sign language, at least.

I always thought the baby sign language trend was a heap o' hooey. Until, that is, I saw it in action with Baby Mac.

To bring you up to speed on what I'm babbling about, here are a few basic baby sign language signs:

Megan taught Baby Mac how to sign all done, and he now signs it often—and adamantly. He lets one and all know when he's all done with his food, all done with being held, all done with his nap, all done with staying where he's supposed to be staying in the bathtub, playroom, any room.

Baby Mac has all done down so well, he actually has started saying it. Verbally. Literally. When he feels his sign method isn't getting the desired action, Baby Mac babbles "ah dah, ah dah, AH DAH!" Baby Mac leaves no doubt when he's all done—with anything. Chalk it up to signing.

Megan's working on more with him, too. Not just more phrases, but the actual word "more", mostly in reference to more food of some sort, so Baby Mac can make it clear that his lack of attention to what's on the spoon held in front of his face has nothing to do with satiety and everything to do with wanting to watch anything and everything that's going on around him at all times. He understands "more" but has yet to actually sign it. Considering his level of genius, though, I'm sure that reflects purely on Baby Mac's lack of fine motor skills, not his mental acuity.

There are plenty of other words and phrases, too, that would benefit Baby Mac—and his family—such as hungry, brother, mommy, daddy, change diaper, and I-seriously-need-attention-paid-to-me-and-only-me-right-now-at-this-very-moment. Oh, wait. He has that last one down already and holds back not one bit in expressing it loud and clear, sans hand signals of any sort.

I personally am pushing for Baby Mac to start using the grandma sign. I get to visit my grandsons again in April. When I do, if I'm greeted by Baby Mac with smiles and the sign for "grandma," that is when I'll know for sure that little butterball of a baby boy is a true genius. Or, at the very least, that he adores his grandma.

Which, of course, is more than enough to qualify him as a genius in this grandma's book.

Today's question:

What is your experience with sign language, baby or otherwise?

The Saturday Post: Grandma-roots-for-Adele edition

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The Grammy Awards are tomorrow. Though I don't typically watch them, I just might this time. Because of Adele. I want to see her first major performance since having surgery on her vocal chords in November, and I want to see her win. The breathtakingly talented and beautiful 23-year-old (23!) is nominated for six Grammys.

Adele garnered three nominations—Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Short Form Music Video—for this song and video:

And she's nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance for this song:

Rounding out the six are Adele's nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for 21.

I hope she makes a sweep of it, walking away with the Grammy in every category she's been nominated.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'll be watching—and definitely rooting for awesome Adele.

Today's question:

Who and what are some of your current favorite artists and songs?