I don't really remember how I announced to my family that I was going to have a baby. As I recall, in those days, you just told them. I do remember one time I went out to my parents' house. My mother took one look at me and said, "Are you pregnant again?" She just had that mother's intuition, or she could tell because I turned green at the smell of bacon!

Today lots of parents-to-be find clever ways to announce that they are expecting. They slip a picture of the first ultrasound into a greeting card; they hide baby booties in Easter baskets; they tuck brag books into Grandma's purse. Since I'm a bibliophile, I think giving an appropriate book is a great way to announce the news. Some of the ones I have seen that would fill the bill are You Can Call Me Hoppa!, about choosing a grandparent name, and The Little Big Book for Grandmothers and The Little Big Book for Grandfathers.

How did you get the news that you were going to be a grandparent? Go to our forum and share!

It may sound like something that should happen in a winery, but active aging is instead something that should be happening in our lives. As grandparents we want our lives to be as long and as healthy as possible, so we'll be around for our grands and our greats. The way to do this, it appears from lots of different sources, is to stay physically active. Don't we all want to be "Fit, Not Frail"? The federal government thinks so. In October it will issue activity guidelines for older adults, developed by the United States Health and Human Services Department.

Miriam E. Nelson, one of those involved in the new guidelines, said that "with every increasing decade, exercise becomes more important in terms of quality of life, independence and having a full life." I am copying that statement and putting it where I can see it every day. She adds that at this time, "Americans are not on the right path.” The right path doesn't have to be a jogging path. I'm a huge fan of water aerobics, yoga and Leslie Sansone's walk-in-your-home DVDs, while I have more of a love-hate relationship with Pilates, weight machines and the elliptical.

I know that some grandparents have physical conditions that keep them from being as active as they would like, but there is a physical activity program for everyone. Have you seen the TV program Sit and Be Fit ?

Aging--we don't like the sound of that word. But active aging? That's a whole lot better!

Related links:

• MyStart Online by the American Heart Association
• Best Exercise for Seniors
• Elder Exercise blog

I don't really want to write on this topic, but I feel I must. In the past two days in Texas two children have died after being forgotten in cars, one left by a parent and one by a grandmother. In both cases, the children were left in the car at work, instead of being dropped off at day care. Every year we have these incidents, which usually occur when someone has to take a child to day care who doesn't usually have that duty.

Habit can be deadly, but it is possible to make habit work for you. When you put a child in a car seat, put your purse, wallet, briefcase, lunchbox or cell phone next to the child. Then put the child's backpack or diaper bag in the front seat where it will be seen. Another suggestion from Child Protective Services is to keep a stuffed animal in the car and put it on the front seat whenever there is a child in the car.

Have you been watching the Olympics with your grandchildren? Researchers say that parents and grandparents are big fans of the Olympics, but younger people aren’t tuning in. The International Olympics Committee (IOC) is concerned enough about the youth audience that they have arranged for the first-ever Youth Olympics to be held in 2010.

If you would hate to see the great tradition of the Olympics die, encourage the grandchildren to watch and share with them your memories of great Olympic moments. You have more than a week to fit in some quality watching time before the closing ceremony on August 24.

By the way, one grandparent is doing more than watching the Olympics: 58-year-old John Dane is competing in sailing. His story is an inspiration. Maybe before we sit down to watch the Olympics, we should go for a swim or a walk. We could include the grandkids in that, as well!