A Letter to Griffin

On the eve of your FIRST birthday....

My Griffers, tomorrow will be your very first birthday and I sit here relishing the snuggles we just shared before I put you to bed. You like to get nestled in my arms and look up at me with those baby blues, OH those baby blues. We rock until you get drowsy or are too playful to sit still, either way we share in a connection each time I get to put you to bed at night.

Griffin, I fall in love with you deeper and deeper each and every day. I remember so clearly meeting you for the first time, which was one year ago tomorrow. The doctor pulled you out and held you up, and when I saw you for the first time, you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! You cried and it made mommy cry because I had waited so long to meet you and hear that sound. I held you in my arms and said, "Look at that face!" and you looked right into my eyes as if we had known each other forever. In that moment, I knew I was your mother and you were my son and you would change my life forever…

And now a year has passed since that amazing day. In this incredible year, I saw your very first smile, heard your first giggles, and I cheered you on when you began to roll for the first time. I cheered as you struggled to crawl because I was so proud and amazed at how far you’d come. You came into this world, 7 lbs and 7 oz…a tiny little baby, so pink and soft, so innocent and dependent and absolutely perfect in every way. And now, you are a little boy.... 21 lbs, laughing, talking, waving…charming every person who is lucky enough to meet you. You are walking everywhere, you are one today, but beginning a journey—

You have developed into such an amazing little person already. You are the sweetest, most loving child I’ve ever met. You are kind and gentle-hearted. You are so smart and strong. You melt my heart every time you smile, and when you lay your head on my shoulder after a long day…it helps make the world right again.

Words cannot express how much I love you, my love, my precious son. You are my sunshine, my heart, my everything. I’m so very proud of you and honored to be your mommy. This last year has been filled with priceless memories and I look forward to so many more to come.

Love,Mommy

Mother's Day 2011

I'm one lucky mama.

First Haircut!

Ack! I can't believe we'll have a one year old next week. And in true big boy fashion, it was time to trim the scragglies a bit. Ya know, since we were getting a party in the back, up front, however......pure business.

Before:


During:





After:


And what a big boy! He didn't even wince, whine, or worm around. We were afraid he would freak since the little boy ahead of us was screaming bloody murder!!! For 10 minutes!!! Griff wasn't even fazed. He even gave the hair dresser some smiles. It made her day after her previous client.

Love his new big boy hair!

Bathtub Bubbles

4 Year Well Visit

It was a little delayed, but we went recently and Ava did great. She had the hearing and vision screen, which she passed. Funny, she was so specific on the name of the objects she was looking at, "American flag" instead of "flag" and "sailboat" instead of "boat", gave the nurse a little giggle.

Stats:
34 lbs. 6 oz.

40.5 inches

Polio vaccine

Items to start or continue discussing:
-Stranger Danger
-Fire Safety
-Gun Safety- especially what to do when you are at a friends house and if guns are there.
-Match/Lighter Safety
-Address/phone number recollection

Eating is very hit or miss right now. Some days she eats a ton and others, not so much. It all seems to even out. Some days, Ava can be picky while other days she eats asparagus and cod. It just depends, mostly on her mood...oh to be FOUR!

Sleeping. Ava has become an amazing sleeper. It took a good three years, lol, but she averages 11-12 hours a night. Bedtime is around 7:30 and she'll fall asleep around 8:00, after playing for awhile. She wakes up around 7:30 the next morning. Of course with the weather being nicer and the sun being out when she goes down, she has neen fighting bedtime recently.

Overall, a healthy, bright, active, happy 4 year old!

Spring Soccer Wrap-up

Ava's 2nd season of soccer has concluded and what a difference in this season from the last. She was much more interested and participated this spring. She scored goals and played defense and overall, just kept up with the game. Griffin and I were sad to miss the last game of the season because he was sick, but Daddy said that Ava did awesome! She took the ball from an opposing player, turned it, dribbled it down the field and scored! It might sound simple enough, but for those of you who have never witnessed 4-year-olds playing soccer, this is a big deal.

Way to go, Ava! We shall see if she wants to play again in the fall. She insisted that she take karate, and so she has been in Martial Arts for the past month and is loving that. {Pics to come}

First Steps

Griffin's First Easter

We woke up Easter morning to go on an indoor scavenger hunt for Easter Baskets. By following the clues, we ended up finding the Easter Baskets in the oven, hahaha. Then Ava and Griffin went on an Easter egg hunt inside and found all sorts of goodies inside the eggs, as well as in their Easter baskets. From a singing bunny for Griff to a tutu bathing suit for Aves, all the goodies and treats were very well received.

After we settled down and got dressed, we headed over to Gigi and Poppy's house to eat lunch with them and Uncle Aaron. More hunting ensued and a delicious dinner was eaten. Oh, and a funny story. While hunting for eggs, obviously we were helping Griff out and finding eggs he was near. Well, it came down to the last egg that was nowhere to be found. We were all looking low, high, everywhere when all of a sudden we look over and Griffin is playing with an egg. He had found the last one up under a chair. All by himself, big boy!

Preliminary Easter Egg Hunt

Friday before Easter, Ava and I spent our afternoon boiling eggs, dying and decorating, and finally hunting! Griffin slept through the hunt, but we knew there would be more to come on Easter.

Ava really enjoyed the dying part, as well as the hunting. She did a hunt for Daddy as well.

And afterward, we had a hard boiled egg snack.

Happy 11 months BIG boy!!

I've been delaying this post b/c it's my last before you turn ONE. I just absolutely cannot believe you will be ONE YEAR OLD next month. Oh Griff, I just eat you up. You are so sweet, so funny, so snugly, so silly and so smart!

Stats:
21 lbs. 1 oz

Vax:
none this month since we've been dealing with wheezing/breathing issues

Illness Update:
So we had another bout of a cold which turned into wheezing and difficulty breathing. After a week on an Albuterol breathing treatment we added an inhaled steroid, Pulmocort to your treatments. But, BOY you were a totally different baby. Much more aggressive, couldn't sit still, just not my Griff. So we stopped that and changed your prescription to Xopenex. I couldn't help but wonder if this was a gunk in the throat issue also. So your dr. said to try some mucinex. And within a day you were already better. I think Mucinex is my new best friend.

Milestones:
-taking 3-4-5 steps unassisted

-you love to give kisses to stuffed animals, Ava, and sometimes to us

Diapers and Clothing:
You seem to have a poop with EVERYtime you are in your crib, whether it's nap or night night. You like your privacy already. Still wearing 12-18 months clothing and looking QUITE handsome I must say.


Overall, you are just everywhere and into everything! Your sissy plays pretty rough with you and you would never know it, you're all smiles and fun.

Love me baby boy!

Beauty Shop with Daddy