Home with Lela: grandma

Showing posts with label grandma. Show all posts

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Half a Century

Today, I am fifty years old. Today is my birthday! During my 40's I didn't love myself very much. I was constantly editing my photos to take out most of my imperfections, well if I am being honest I did that in my 20s and 30s as well. I can't tell you why, insecure is my guess. I don't know what I was ever insecure about, I am a normal and natural-looking person with no major disgusting parts. The older I got, the more I thought I didn't care what people thought about me, and allowed myself to be photographed more and allowed them to be shown off on social media. But the facts are I do care, I do care what people think - but mostly I care about what I think. I think I shouldn't care so much about how my face and body are aging and really embrace them all. So I decided to stop over-editing my self-portraits, and though this was edited for artistic purposes (wanted a more muted tone) it is not edited in Facetune or anything to alter the way my face looks and smooth out the skin. I wanted to look at myself and leave behind photos that really reflect who I am at this moment in time because I am so incredibly grateful for this time on earth, so grateful for these first fifty years honestly. This 50-year-old body has done so much for me. It has allowed me to give birth by c-section to three amazing humans. It has allowed me to retire after 30 years of working for the University of Florida. It has allowed me to hug, to love, to make love, to read, to write, to eat, to walk and talk. I have been blessed with three gorgeous grandchildren. Today, instead of being sad that I am getting older and being sad that I am 1/2 a century old I am so fucking happy about it, and so graciously excited to see what the future holds for me.

Baby Sitting

We got to babysit for the first time at our home.....and this is how it went:

The boys had a great time, not photographed here-because I was very active in their play!

xoxo, Lela

Florida Grandma

I don't want to get carried away or anything, but my daughter and her family are possibly moving to Florida to live! This is not 100% definite yet-as I don't feel anything is every 100% - but it's highly probable! I am just trying not to get my hopes up honestly, but my imagination really has gotten the best of me. All I do is think about what this means for me as a grandparent. There is a high chance that I get to be around my grandsons as much as I would like! That they would know me. That I get to watch them grow up, and not only that but I get to see my daughter raising them. Be part of all of that. I can assist them, the kids and the parents with anything like baby sitting or just BE. Okay I am getting carried away.

That is all, xoxo-Lela

Oscar-The Boy!

I cannot get over how much this sweet boy looks like his mama (dad's side of the family). I miss them both so much, why does Oregon have to be so far away from Florida?

Doesn't he look like a little boy!?

I cannot wait until we are able to see him again!

(photo credit: mommy)

Oscar | One Year

Yesterday, I got some great news from my daughter. Her husband has been offered (and accepted) an amazing opportunity at work where he will a. make more money and b. travel about 10% for his job. One of the places he'll be traveling first, for training is ATLANTA GEORGIA! Which is all of 4.5 to 5 hours away from our house. WOOHOO! That is sooo much closer then Portland.....I could make a day trip or a weekend trip out of that for lots of baby snuggles and daughter talks/coffee! To say I am excited is an understatement.

Not only did I get this wonderful news, but Teresa also took some amazing photos of her baby boy who is just one year old, my handsome, smart, playful and gentle Grandson OSCAR!

Check them out.....

On a different note, I edited these photos using my phone of course and the Lightroom app, which you can download for FREE! I used a preset that I purchased from Pretty Presets, it 's from their Bohemian Collection (Dune). I re-edited these for Teresa, she liked a more rich edit. I used a preset from the same collection called Wildflower. Check THEM out:

Happy One Oscar!

Today is Oscar's very first birthday [HAPPY BIRTHDAY OSCAR] & this weekend (tomorrow) his mama and daddy will be celebrating this day with friends and family in Portland. Grandma Lela (that's me) will be missing out on the festivities. Living so far away can be hard, especially at these joyous little moments in your grandchild's life. I sure wish I could be there to listen to his sounds of happiness as he opens gifts, and see if he'll be shy around everyone. I sure wish I could stand near my daughter & watch her as she experiences this for the first time with her and her husband.

I hope that, well I know that, he'll have the very best day! I know that is exactly what his mama and daddy will strive to give him as they do every single day. I sure have enjoyed watching him grow up from afar over the course of his very first year on this gorgeous planet. I have enjoyed every single photo, every single video, every single facetime, phone call or update. I cannot wait to see what you do as a one year old!

PHOTO CREDIT GOES TO HIS SWEET MAMA <3

Sir Oscar

I must be the worst luckiest Grandma to have such a sweet beautiful grandson! I have got to be the worlds unluckiest Grandma because this little handsome fella lives all the way across the country from me. I miss out on just about every aspect of his life, as he grows up into a young man. I will miss it all. There is Skye and there are phones but it's just not the same as being about to touch him, hold him, smell his sweet new skin & to kiss his plump little cheeks. His mama gives me daily updates, but it's not the same as seeing these things with my own two eyes. I hope to visit him soon! I could spend a small fortune visiting him.

Tech Support

Baby Oscar is growing like a weed-look at that sweet sweet smile! I cannot wait to visit him and his mama again soon!

xoxo, Lela

Meeting Oscar

Well, I was finally able to fly out to Portland and visit my daughter, my son-in-law & my brand new grandson Oscar. This was my first trip to Portland Oregon, so lots of news for me with this trip. I'll let the photos tell the story :) (taken with my iphone)