Dear Griffin: Five

Dear Griffin,

Five. You are five.

So far, five is awesome. You, at five, are awesome.

It's like you've found a new sense of responsibility. You're a "big guy" now, and you will fully rise to the challenge I think. (Except, no, you are not "almost ready to drink boozy juice" now that you're five.)

I think this shift is coming from a little bit of well deserved confidence...but 50% of it comes from confidence in yourself, and the rest of it comes from US having confidence in you.

It's time for us to let you fly a little bit, my young Jedi. I think you're rock the Senior Kindergarten house this year, you've changed so much from the dude we put on the school bus for JK last year. You're so ready to soak it all in, and my wish for you is to find the joys in friends, and learning, and the responsibility of being a "big guy." You've got the big brother gig down pat (provided no one is touching your stuff) so this should be a piece of cake.

Five, and Senior Kindergarten.

May the force be with you, little man.

xoxox
Mama
(P.S. Lightsabre birthday cupcakes? That's right, you can send in that Mother of the Year Nomination now.)

Today's Update

Last night, after hauling ass up to Griffin's bedroom for the umpteenth time, I headed back down the stairs only to miss (or something) and went butt first down about 1/2 a dozen stairs. After Steve's heart rate returned to normal, the dog settled back down again, and I determined that I was OK, I got a little bit excited thinking that maybe this would kick start baby's arrival.

No such luck.

In fact, we just returned from the midwife who said that things are still "closed for business" down there.

Great.

However, the episode did result in a very adorable little chat with Griffin this morning:

G: Mommy, what happened with you and the stairs last night?

M: Mommy fell down a few of the stairs.

G: Where did you get hurt?

M: It hurt a little bit all over, but Mommy didn't hurt anything specific.

G: (Slightly confused) But I need to give you a kiss...where can I kiss you better??

My kid is too damn cute!

And since I've been slightly slack on picture sharing, here's a few shots from our toboggan and torch adventure!

Griffin and I get our paws on the Olympic Spliff Torch!

Happy Birthday Griffin!

Dear Griffin,

Today, you are three.

Holy. Shit.

Where does the time go? I can remember it like it was yesterday, bringing you home in a teeny tiny bundle, hardly bigger than my arm. A helpless, squirming bundle. You've come a long way, little dude!

You're still pretty squirmy...in fact, now you never STOP moving. You're like a little bundle of energy on two legs, some days I don't know how you do it. Even something like a cracked elbow and a cast only managed to slow you down for a day or two, and then you were back at it, at full speed, hardly missing a beat.

You are, as we always knew you'd be (because you are your father's son,) full of adventure. You have no fear. You like to climb up and jump off of everything you can. You never walk, always choosing to run instead. It's probably a good thing we're moving, we're all very afraid that one of these days you're going to figure out how to climb up the stairs on the wrong side of the railing, and attempt a flight off the upper balcony. (Your Daddy said that's EXACTLY what he would have done when he was a kid!)

You have a heck of a memory, for things that were mentioned EONS ago, and we're learning to watch what we say around here, because there's a good chance we'll hear again coming across your lips. Dude, you gotta stop being so clever...it's going to get us in trouble when you're older!

Oh, and another thing - stop listening so closely to what I say and then throwing it back in my face. "Don't you give me that look" is not an appropriate thing to say to your mother when she's glaring at you for not being in bed!

Next week, you start preschool. Methinks you're going to LOVE it. Not only is there a big place full of new toys and new kids, but there is a ton of learning to be done, which we both think you're very much ready for. And speaking of ready for? Potty training. Dude, get on the bus. I refuse to have TWO children in diapers, so the clock is ticking.

Speaking of two children, I hate to break it to you little guy, but we're about to turn your entire world upside down. Not only are we going to be moving into a new house, but we're going to be throwing another one of those teeny tiny helpless bundles into the mix....and boy are you in for a helluva shock! You're going to go from being the centre of the universe, to hanging out somewhere on the bench for a little while. However, I think you're going to make a most excellent big brother. Your concern for the ones you love is always very touching, and I think you're going to love having another little person to share your love with.

Watching you learn and grow has been one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives. Keep up the good work little guy. You have the heart and the soul of a really, really GOOD person, and that's enough to be anything you want to be in this life. And whether that's an elephant or a very rich doctor that can support your parents in their old age, we're behind you one hundred percent.

Happy Birthday little guy!

xoxox
Love Mama

Happiness: Day 3

This kid? This kid makes me happy.

Griffin has been the biggest trooper through all this nasty cracked elbow mess. He is strong, he is brave, and he is fiercely independent even with one bum arm! And when he's done for the day, tired of being all those things, he melts into my arms with a trust that both honours and staggers me, to let me be the strong brave one.

And that trust? Makes me want to be the best person I can possibly be for him.

Making him happy makes me happy.

Happy Half-Birthday!

Dear Griffin,

Today, it’s official. You are 2. And a half!

In honour of your half birthday, I decided to compile a little list of my favourite things about you. You are SO MUCH FUN right now, and I want us all to remember the adorable little things you do!

So here's my list:

You know the FBI warnings that come at the beginning of movies? Don’t copy this, piracy is a crime, all that yadda yadda? You refer to that as the “Blah Blah.” “Hey Mommy, dats da blah blah!” I love it!

I love that you have a little bit of OCD in you. Your hands must be clean, and having food on them is unacceptable. Your pant legs may not ride up your legs. Your socks may not be falling half off. It’s adorable!

I love that you know north, east, south and west, and I think it’s hilarious that every time you get in the car you say “I want to go eat Mommy.” Eat as in east. What’s so great about east, I’m not sure, but you ALWAYS want to go that way!

I love that you and Dudley are such good buddies.

I love that your dad is turning you into a little film buff. You’ve seen more movies than most adults I know, and I kind of think that’s pretty cool.

I love that your dad has taught you the word gorgeous, and I love that your favourite sentence to use it in is “Mommy, you GORGEOUS!” That little sentence will work for a long time to get you just about anything you want!

I love how caring you are, and how concerned for all of us you are. If ever someone bumps themselves (or even sneezes!) you’re the first one to inquire if we’re ok.

I love that you’ve taken a keen interest in each of Mommy and Daddy’s favourite things – you love to cook, and you love getting up at my sewing machine and pretending to sew. (You always seem to want to make snowmen…I have no idea where that comes from, but it’s totally cute!)

I love how much you love your Oma, your Grandpa and Grandpa, and your Uncle Paul.

I love that you can put a few green lego blocks together with a few more yellow ones and see butterflies.

I love love LOVE that you are such a snuggle-bug. You love to curl up in bed with either of us, and you throw your arms around us like you might never let go. It’s awesome!

I love that your 2 favourite musical groups are Louis Prima and the Beatles.

I love that you are so carefree, and without fear. When we play, you throw yourself around like a kid who knows he’s safe and that someone will always be there to catch him. Sometimes you scare the pants off of us, but I love that you trust us so much.

I love how chill you generally are. You are one of the most easy-going kids I know. You accept what you are told, and rarely push back with a fight. Unless you’re tired….then all bets are off!

And lastly but not leastly, I ADORE the fact that after 30 months on this planet, you have FINALLY decided that it is OK to actually sleep through the ENTIRE NIGHT. (OK, not evey night, but most of them.) Dude, it’s awesome! (And dude, what took you so long???)

(I had a few more of these in my head, but due to last nights Attack of the Rednecks (more later) some of them seem to have dissapeared out of my brain. Look for additions after I get a decent night's sleep!)

I love you to pieces, little man! Happy half birthday, we look forward to the next few months and getting out to explore the OUTSIDE world with you again!

xoxo
Mama

One and 3/4

Dear Griffin,

Today, you are 21 months old. For those that don't count in months like those of us with kids under 2 seem to do, this means a big ol' 1 and 3/4. Every day brings us a few more hours closer to 2...although I think you've completed your "Prep for Two" course and passed with flying colours. Remember this? You won't remember it of course, but this is you, in action in the midst of your best temper tantrum to date (that maybe wasn't made any better by your Mama taking pictures of you!) And all because I wanted to take a sip of my own water (the AUDACITY!), the water in the bottle that you were so busy alternating guzzling and backwashing with. Just be thankful I kept the picture of you with the snot dribbling all over your face in the "not fit for internet" file.

You my son, are captain independent. You LOVE to explore, and will do so with no regard as to where any of the rest of us are hanging out. When something captures your attention, you MUST see, touch, taste, smell, climb, whatever you can, before you could possibly do anything else. Your new favourite discovery this month is the "taktor," and you'll spend an hour climbing off and on. Ever since I took you for your first taktor ride, you've been hooked, and I've taken to just parking the darn thing within sight of wherever I want to work in the yard, and you're happy as a clam. As soon as you can reach the pedal kid, she's all yours. (OK, mostly yours. Maybe not ALL.)

You are also a problem solver. You like to sit, figure out how things work. Things with buttons, latches, openy-closey bits - they captivate you for days. You love to relocate things - you'll spend significant amounts of time moving the sand from the sandbox into the back of the ride along car, one shovel-full at a time. You're also a water-baby to the core, and I can't WAIT to show you the wonders of the sprinkler!Today marks a big day for our little family. Not only are you 1 and 3/4, but your Mama has rejoined the world of the working, and I'm sad to say that you'll be seeing a lot more of daycare, and a lot less of your loving Mama for the next little while. I got a little teary when I put you to bed last night, thinking about our last carefree middle-of-the-week-day for a long time. Heck, I'm getting a little teary eyed now.

Our 1/2 hour jumping on the bed mornings will be relegated to the weekends. No more lounging on the couch in our PJ's in the middle of the week, you with your milk and me with my coffee, watching hours of "Street." No more Tuesday morning swims, or Friday morning libraries. It makes me sad, but there's hardly a day of the past 21 months that I would take back for all the beer in Creemore. I feel blessed that we got to have such an extended little Mama-Griffin-Fest for the past almost 2 years.

But now, it's time for me to head back to work, to be a responsible adult (boring!), and to think about building our future. And work I will, every day, as hard as I can, until the clock strikes 4:30 and I can get in the car and drive quickly (but safely!) home to my boys. I'll treasure our few moments in the mornings, you with your sleepy eyed smile that wakes me up, and your non stop energy that gets me out of bed (usually because you're into something you shouldn't be!) I'll look forward to opening the door at daycare, and have your eyes light up as you yell "Mama!" and run into my arms. I'll try not to feel guilty for leaving you so long each day, and remind myself that this job is going to make our own little world, as well as the bigger world around us, a better place to live in.

Dude - Saturday, 7:30am. Bed jumping, you and me. It's a date!

I love you.

xoxox

Mama

Eighteen Months

Dear Griffin,

Last week, you turned 18 months old. Happy half-a-birthday!!

Words can't even begin to tell you how much we love you these days. You are a sponge, a little taker-in of information, and a little spitter-out of information. Information we taught you, information that Linda (the daycare mom) taught you, or information that you just picked up on your own. You, my son, are fountain of words, of knowledge, and of beauty these days. You are a joy to be around, to learn with and to learn from!

You also still can't sleep through the night for shit! Dude, 18 months is too long to go without 2 consecutive decent sleeps. Work out your issues, get over it, how can we help? Seriously....we're tired!

When you are tired (or hungry for that matter) you are contrary. You are punchy. You are a pull-on-your-hair and throw-lego-at-you kind of guy, and though you try to be really tough about it you can usually be cured with a kiss and a cuddle and a long night's sleep. Humph...I wonder where you get that from??

Your vocabulary has exploded in the past few week, even the past few days. Where your sign language vocabulary used to far exceed your verbal vocab, there's hardly even a point in teaching you a new sign, because you usually just repeat the word back to us right away, sometimes words we didn't even know you already knew! Tonight you said "cheese," in reference to the parmesan cheese your dad was grating over his pasta. Since you rarely even EAT cheese, and the only cheese you ever know is the one that makes you smile for the camera, we wonder how in goodness name did you know that the little white contraption that your dad was twirling around in his hand held anything at all, let alone CHEESE, which you suddenly know the word for, which we didn't even know you knew EXISTED!! Good Lawd, we can hardly keep up!!

You have boundless energy, that almost makes me feel young again too. Keeping up with you certainly has become a sport, and I look forward to the disappearance of the snow, and to showing you all the wonders that our magic little slice of the country has to offer. I think you just may be thrilled about it! And if not, well, there's a shitload of grass to run around on to tire you the hell out!

My little G, you never walk -you run. You never do anything half assed. You must see everything, touch everything. You love to smile, you love to MAKE people smile. And although you're happy just about anywhere someone is paying attention to your cute little dimple, you are fiercely loyal to your Mama, your Daddy, and the Dudler. Home is where your heart is, and there are few things you love more than curling up with a cuddly blanket and a good book. You embrace nature. You love the smell, the feel (and especially the taste) of life. Even though I may be biased, I truly believe you are a special little person with a special little purpose, and what ever the hell that may be, we're having a fun time in the mean time just hanging out reading books and loving the heck out of each other.

Your Dad and I love you little guy, more than we ever knew was possible. You bring out the best in us (and sometimes, maybe, even the worst...) but we're better for you. We hope you'll feel the same too some day. Or, you'll at least take care of us when we get old, even if you don't like very much.

Happy half-a-birthday little man. You rock my world!

xoxox

Mama

One Year Old!

Dear Griffin,

It's official - after a monster party, cake smashing, beer swilling, and one very minor (but somewhat obligatory) "I've-had-enough-of-this-birthday-party-and-all-these-people-makethemgohomesoIcansleepnowplease" breakdown, you've done it - you're ONE!!

It's taken me a while to figure out what to write here, there is HUGE pressure to make this a good one, a touching, yet funny and smart in all the right places, something to look back upon in years to come, sort of post. I still have no idea what to say. But figured I better get it down, because it's also SOMEONE Else's birthday today too, and I should likely write something for him too. The pressures of Motherhood are ENORMOUS!!

It's flabbergasting to sit down and think back to a year ago, and just how far you've come in one year. If I had to cram everything into my brain that you have in the past year, I'd have a MASSIVE headache! One year ago you were a helpless puking pooping scream machine, and now, NOW, you're an independent, intelligent, WALKING, still pooping, smile machine, with the occasional scream thrown in to make us all nostalgic. It's incredible that you've handled it all with such ease!

Watching you grow and learn has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life thus far. But not every second of the past year has been roses and butterflies. One of your Mother's greatest talents is the smile and nod. Everything is great! We love this! Uh huh. It always felt to me like admitting that being a parent is sometimes difficult, sometimes NOT fun at all, made me a failure as a mother. But I've come to the realization that I am a Mother, not a superhero, and that's OK. It would be kind of cool to have a superhero for a mother, but look at how much stress the Incredibles had...seriously, I think you're better off with a regular Mom, and besides, that's what you've got, so you'll just have to deal!

And now, for a little mushy goodness...the things I love about you, my one and only baby boy:

I love your smile, and the way it lights up a room. Although I hate being away from you, when I come pick you up from day care, or come home after a few hours away, the smile on your face, the sparkle in your eye, the giggles, and the crawling asfastashumanlypossible to get to me make it all worth while.

I love that you get snuggly when you're tired, because I do too and there's nothing better than snuggling up with you at the end of a long day.

I love that you love to eat! We have never had to trick you, coax you, or convince you to eat by doing anything other than put the food in front of you - you eat with gusto, and it's wonderful to watch!

I love your loyalty, and that you recognise those in your life who love you and who mean a lot to you. You've never made strange with anybody, but it seems to me that you reserve your best smiles for the people that love you the most (and the people that buy you the most presents...ie: your grandparents! 'Atta boy!)

I LOVE that you've finally got the hang of sleep! When you sleep now, you sleep like I do - like the dead! I think that one needs to be pretty relaxed and peaceful to sleep that deeply and soundly, and I'm glad that you are at peace enough to do that.

And lastly, but not leastly (that's right, leastly) I love that you have increased my capacity for Love itself. I never knew it was possible to have this much love for another wee person. You are everything I love about your Dad, and a few things I like about me, and your very own original person all rolled up into one, and in my eyes, that makes you the best thing going. You are my sunshine. Congratulations little guy, we've all made it to ONE! Here's to you, and that voodoo that you do so well...

I love you with all my heart and soul,

xoxox

Mama

Eleven Months

Dear Griffin,

Last week you turned 11 months old. The most shocking thing about that is that it means that next month you'll be ONE YEAR old!

Some days it seems easy, being a parent to the cutest baby on the planet. And some days, like a few days this week specifically, we considered placing you out by the road with a big ol' "FREE" sign on your belly, hopeful that someone else would take you away, and figure out what it was that was turning you into the devil incarnate. You seem to be a bit happier today with the arrival of tooth number 6, and all I can say is that it arrived just in time, since dump day is tomorrow. (Just kidding baby, we'd never take you to the dump...we'd at least try to get a few bucks for you!)

Other than your devil days, you've been a ton of fun this month. Your intense curiosity for everything that isn't yours has turned this place into nothing short of Fort Knox, there are more gates in this place than there are at the airport! You love to explore every corner of every room, behind every chair, look out all the windows, and recently you've really taken command of the stairs too, which scares me just a wee little bit. It's OK, we had an extra gate kicking around, and it's at the bottom of the stairs now! You are intent on being where the action is, and if there is stuff happening in a place that you can't get to, it's often cause for End Of The World Tears. They're impressive, those tears! We often (OK, I often) forget to close the bedroom door behind us, and if I do, before you can say "Where'd the baby go?" you're through the bedroom, connecting powder room, shower room and pooper (Like practically the ENTIRE length of the house!) and on your way to either flush the toilet, or have a tasty snack out of Dudley's bowl, or into the ever growing pile of empty beer bottles at the back door, desperately searching for a swig of beer that someone may have left in a bottle. You're fast, not to mention determined.
Speaking of Dudley, you two have gotten quite close this past month. You enjoy the sensation of having your fingers licked, and Dudley enjoys the sensation of taking food from your grubby little fingers! It's really quite sweet actually - you'll go out of your way to tear something in half, and proceed to gobble the first half, and then drop the second half on the floor for Dudley, who is, as always, waiting patiently underneath your chair for the spoils. Since we've moved onto people food and ditched the baby food, Dudley's fussiness seems to have disappeared! (Go figure!) All this feeding seems to make Dudley feel as if he's obligated to endure the inevitable pokes and pulls that Griffin offers up later in the day. Hey, one good turn deserves another.

You're getting VERY steady on your feet, cruising the furniture with ease. I still stand by the prediction that you'll be walking by your birthday (don't make a liar out of me please!) Your reach is also getting longer, and as things move higher and higher in the house, we yearn for the day when we can trust a book or a piece of paper in your hands. Until then, up and away they go, otherwise they get torn to shreds!

You are a very vocal little boy, and have all kinds of crazy sounds in your repertoire. One of the best definitions of "Griffin" that we've found so far is "an eagle in the fore, a lion in the hinder." Two of your favourite sounds are squawking like a bird, and roaring like a lion! You were aptly named! You've also picked up a bit of the sign language that we've been drilling into your head since you were about 3 seconds old. With a little bit of creative imagination, we can see the signs we've been teaching you.



You've also become quite the social butterfly. You're a joy in a crowd of people, you'll make the rounds to say hello to everyone, while always keeping an eye on where Mom or Dad are. But you've no qualms about being picked up or held by anyone at all, and will show off your best smiles on cue. As long as you're not tired, then all bets are off!

We love you little dude, and every day as your personality emerges, we love you even more. I love that you love to laugh, and I love that you love to snuggle at the end of the day. You've recently also started "giving kisses" which consists of half opening your mouth and leaning in, ever so slightly to the bearer of the kiss. You did it for me for the first time today, and I swear I fell in love with you all over again. You rock, my man, and we love you to pieces!

xoxox
Mama

Ten Months

Dear Griffin,

You turned Ten months old this week, right about the same time that Grandma had her birthday.

Your Mama (that'd be me) is feeling a little less than sane this week. I'm blaming it once again on shifting hormones, as you've decided that you're no longer interested in breastfeeding anymore. So the combination of feeling a lotta bit out of my skin, and the heat (which just seems to be creeping in subtly right now, but I think it's going to be a major issue very shortly!) and the after effects of a late night, leaves me less than ripe for a long drawn out note.

So I'm just going to say this: in these days of feeling a little bit less than myself, there are a few things that keep me grounded, and keep me from going off somewhere to hide. You are an inspiration - a constant reminder that there isn't much out there that can't be melted away when you smiles that big beautiful smile of yours. Your Daddy too - you come by that big beautiful problem melting smile quite honestly.

Our wee trio (sans Dudler) is off for a camping vacation in the next few days. We'll be incommunicado, unreachable, unblogable and email-free for 5 whole days. I'm thinking it might just be the best thing we could do right now. Not to mention cheaper than therapy!

I leave you with these...my inspiration! I love you little dude, and am so glad to have you in my life!

xoxox

Mama

Nine Months

Dear Griffin,

This week you turned nine months old. I know, I'm 3 days late with this post, but you were 4 days late 9 months ago, so I figure we're even! You've now spent just as much time on the outside as you did on the inside. By the time you had spent 9 months on the inside, you had poked and prodded and explored every single inch of your home. You are currently working on doing the same thing out here! This months big adventure for you has been crawling. For us it has been an exercise in anticipation (as in where the heck will he go next so I can grab everything I can out of his reach!) One day you took 3 tentative crawling steps, and a few days later you were motoring across the living room with the speed and agility of an Olympian Crawler. You've gone from wobbly to sturdy, tentative to determined. And slow to SUPER-FLY FAST!!
So far your favourite things worth crawling for are Dudley, beer, and anything paper. Dudley, the poor guy, is having a hard time finding a sanctuary where he can just lay down and have a fracking nap already, without you pouncing on top of him to pet him pull on his fur. He lies on the couch or the floor, and then looks at us with disdain when we let you loose, like as if to say "Now what the hell did you go and do that for??" Getting you to crawl for beer...well that's just plain comedy and proves, once again, that you are indeed the fruit of our loins. And then there's the paper. If you could leaf through the catalogues with the calmness and leisure of someone casually looking for a new spring coat, it would be one thing. But you attack the catalogues and magazines as if they have somehow affronted you personally, ripping page after page into tiny shreds. And then eating them. And then choking on them, and puking them up. Take that, damn catalogue!

Your crawling abilities have quickly taught us that nothing is safe. It is not safe to turn your back on the baby when he is near the dog's bowls. Or even when he is no where near the dog's bowls. It is ALSO not safe to leave the baby sleeping in the big bed anymore. Because sleeping in the big bed is SOOO comfortable. And when you wake up, there's no crying - you're not cranky at all! You're so happy, in fact, that you just want to get back out into the world and seize some more of the day. So instead of crying to alert your parents to your awakened state, you just get up and go....and crawl right off the end of the bed! I don't know if you'll ever get to hear the sickening sound of baby head hitting hardwood, followed by blood curdling screams, and I pray you don't, but so far the general consensus is that it happens to all parents once. Which makes me feel just a little bit better. That and the fact that you chose to crawl off the foot of the bed, where luckily Dudley's bed lives, so your landing was slightly softened. Thank god the dog bed is good for something, because lord knows the dog finds our bed about as comfy as you do!

We have had the good fortune to finally enjoy some more outside time in the past month, and you LOVE it out there! Right now the porch is your oyster, and you are an expert at finding all the stuff that I didn't sweep up and putting it towards your mouth. We also busted out the fifteen dollar pool that Mama bought and if that wasn't the best thing EVER!! Now no more driving to Orangeville to go swimming, we can do it right here in the comfort and privacy of our own backyard!

The past few weeks have been a new form of chaos, as I've SUDDENLY gone back to work part time. Now that Mama and Dad are both working from home, we've quickly made some changes to facilitate this. There's now a SELF CLOSING gate at the top of the stairs, firstly so that we don't have to swear at each other about not closing the door, and secondly, so that we can swear at each other (should we want to!) without having to yell THROUGH the door. We've worked quickly on finding a daycare provider for emergencies, bought a fax machine, and all kinds of other fun stuff. So far it's working marvelously and we're hopeful it can continue this way. It's lovely that you get to spend more time with your Dad, but I sure do miss my boys when I'm out of the house - you're certainly a nice clan to come home to!This week your 4th tooth has come in, you're starting to wake up only once at night on a consistent basis, you're still eating like a horse (but that's to be expected) and I think we all feel like we've really gotten into a bit of the rhythm of things. You have quite the personality - happy, go lucky, and curious about EV-ER-Ything. The doctor said something great last month - that most babies we're very concerned about what was going on around them, but you we're just curious, taking it all in stride. You love to smile, and more than that I think you love to make other people smile. I love that you can come to us under your own steam now, when you want to be picked up and cuddled, or you just want to be close. We love you to pieces, more and more each day, and are thrilled watching you grow into a little man!

xoxoxo

Love Mama

Eight Months

Dear Griffin,
So here we are at the end of my very first Mother's Day and I can honestly say that I've never loved being your Mama as much as I did today. We've had just a delightful day, breakfast, strawberries and tea and toys on the porch, a few loads of laundry on the line to dry, country drivin', company, sunshine, dinner, and the season finale of Season 3 of BSG (sniff...) Oh, and only the most LOVABLE KID in the world. (Not to mention the most lovable Daddy!) You have been a joy today, and for the past, oh...8 months or so! I know I complain about the sleeping issues, and other little things, but at the end of the day I have never met a more smiley, charming, personable, and HAPPY kid than you. I secretly hope that we have something to do with it because then we can help you keep it up!As the world around you gets bigger and bigger, and you reach out and discover more every day, it has been SO MUCH FUN to watch the wonder in your big blue eyes get brighter every day. You have so much curiosity about the world around you, mostly you want to know what it all TASTES like. Gotta start somewhere! You take transitions with the greatest ease (except for in the sleep department), you are either sleeping or being adorable when we're in the car, you LOVE to meet new people, as well as hang out with familiar ones. Seeing you branch out, get mobile, pull up on things is just as exciting as it is terrifying. I try to give you space to discover, without being too smother-y. I draw the line at chewing metal though. That's bad for your health, and Mama's nerves.

You are on the brink of something HUGE...and it's called crawling. I think it just may rock your little world! This week with the (ugly) carpeted floor has been such a bonus in that you can actually get a grip on the floor, instead of just sliding around on the hardwood. Back at home now you're still sliding on the hardwood, but you're also sitting and rolling, and generally ending up 15 feet or so from where you started...and that's 15 feet in ALL directions. Child proofing has gone into high gear here on the roof, as NOTHING IS SAFE!

We've been enjoying carting you around to all the theatres in the country, and you've successfully charmed the kind folk in just about every building we've been in. Smiling at all the right people. Farting on all the other ones. While I don't particularly want you to become a little Theatre Baby (astronaut baby, or space cowboy, ok?) I do enjoy the hell out of showing you off all over the country. And you travel so well, that we're just going to keep on doing it.! You don't make strange and freak out at strangers, or the wind, which is why the dog stays home.

I love you little man, and I'm so proud to be your Mama. Watching you grow, and quite obviously thrive has been the most rewarding experience of my life so far. I expect it just may keep on getting better from here on in.

xoxox

Mama

Seven Months

Dear Griffin,

7 months. I have no idea what to say about that – it just doesn’t seem possible that one little person can change as much as you have in the past seven months. Your little head must be overflowing with all the new stuff that you have to shove inside it every day. Talk about a learning curve!

Another month filled with Firsts – your first Easter, (which technically falls into next month, but whatever, I’m in charge here and can put Easter wherever I want), first (and second) airplane trip, first foray to another country, first look at the ocean, the first of many new foods in your ever increasing diet, and your first taste of a little something we like to call “spring.” As much as we love the winter around here (or at least have a good sense of humor about it,) Spring is really the shit. Things come alive under the sunshine, including your Mama, and life gets just a little bit better around here.
In this month’s skill report, your sitting has gone from average to unsurpassed. I can plunk you down on your play mat, and a half an hour later you’re still in the very same place I left you, eating your toys, and blithely fighting off gravity like it’s no big deal at all. The only time you tend to go over is when you’re straining to reach something in front of you, which lands you on your belly, which is all the more better for eating things because you can just shove your face right into the toys then, without bothering with those pesky hands. Kid, you eat EVERYTHING. There is nothing that crosses your path that hasn’t been licked, tasted, or gnawed on by you. Metal chairs, antique couches, aluminum high chair bars, Kleenex boxes, all is fair game. If I hear from one more stranger in the grocery store “Ohhh!! He must be teething!” I’m going to smack them! Sure, he has teeth in head and some day (maybe even some day soon) they may come out, but in the mean time he’s going to EAT EVERYTHING, because he’s a baby, and that’s what BABIES DO!
In other skills, I can see the idea of pulling yourself up to standing forming in your little head, but I’m in no hurry to lower the crib mattress just yet so that can wait. Your rolling has improved, and now not only have you figured out how to roll back and forth from tummy to back at will, you occasionally can even do it in your sleep, and if not, you have been known to fall asleep on your tummy without the world coming to an end. But only occasionally – usually it’s still cause for major middle of the night panic. You’ve started to pull those little knees up under your butt, and I can see motor skills in your near future. The days of plunking you down on the mat and finding you in the same place half an hour later will soon be over!
We have also, sadly, seen the last of the bucket car seat. Gone are the days when you can fall asleep in the seat before we even left the house, all snug as a bug in your hand made car seat cozy. You’d wake up still in the seat in the grocery store, doze off again in the car, stay sleeping while we carry you and the groceries into the house, and then nap for another half hour in the front hallway, still warm and cozy and snuggled in the car seat. Oh no. That’s over. Now, just when you fall into a contented car seat sleep, starting to dream of boobs and teddy bears and whatever else it is that babies dream of, you get ripped out of the seat, forced into the cold, only to be plunked down in a hard grocery cart that offers zero lumbar support, cooed at by strangers for ½ an hour in the grocery store, and then out into the cold again, strapped back into the seat…nodding off into dreamy land…and then 5 minutes later, ripped out of the seat again, back into the cold, into the house, and plunked in your playpen while we unload the car, you dazed and very confused, and still VERY sleepy because it’s DAMN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE to get in a DECENT NAP AROUND THIS PLACE! Dude, I totally feel for you. Welcome to the real world!

It’s been a crazy busy month around here, but you have been particularly enjoyable this month. You’re more fun to play with, more fun to laugh with, and you’re a riot to just sit and watch. You've been a serious trooper though all the insanity that's been going on around here, even coming to "work " with Mama one day. Mama called a lighting focus, you sat around in your stroller being cute and entertaining yourself like the angel that you are. This behavior bodes very well for the future!

Every where we go, you charm the pants off of everyone you meet (not literally, although I'm sure that time will come too.) The ladies particularly dig you, and you seriously dig the ladies! You'll smile for just about anyone you come across, but a pretty lady gets extra special smiles from you. Everyone comments on how happy a baby you are. We usually invite them for a sleepover so they can see the darker side of you, but they politely decline, preferring to stay in a state of Griffin Bliss. And who can blame them.

We totally dig you buddy! You're smart, you're funny, you love to laugh, and it's a hoot watching your personality emerge. And gosh darn are you cute!! And looking more and more like your Daddy every day (which isn't a bad thing.) You seem to have escaped his childhood ears. Lucky guy! You've certainly made our little Life on the Roof here a brighter place!

xoxox
Mama