My Best Friend!

My crew at Innovations got this cute frog for Griffin as part of a presant for his birth and he can't get enough of it!! I decided that it would be his "Changing Friend" so he could focus on something while getting a diaper change (he doesn't like getting changed or wiped down - typical little boy!) and during changings he would chew on Mr. Frog's feet! Now we put it in the crib with him (except when he's asleep) and he just stares and stares at it! He chews on his nose and holds his hand and can now follow it with his eyes when I move it around (Nana taught him how to focus and follow objects!)! Mr. Frog is now part of the family, as he is Griffin's best friend!

Bath time

We love bath time! Although he kind of just sits in his tub with his hands in fists at his ears and his "froggy legs" up on his chest, he doesn't cry and he looks at Matt and me with wide eyes...I love putting him in his bath froggy bath robe afterwards - he looks so cute!! His eyes just melt my heart!

Growing up so fast!!

Griffin has already grown 1/2 an inch and is well above his birth weight!! He still sleeps a lot but has found his lungs! He loves being held tight and is the "Mayor of Snuggle Town" as Matt calls him! He can hold his head up and pushes almost to a standing position with his feet. He turns his head when you talk to him and loves to dance with Mommy and Daddy and loves it when Kara raps to him!! Sir-Mix-A-Lot is his favorite! :)

My Little Rockstar!

Honestly, I've been putting off posting this blog for some time now...How do you sum up the most amazing experience of your life in a few paragraphs? That's right! You can't!! :) But I'll try...

On July 11th Matt was driving me to work and I started crying. He asked how I felt and I told him that I felt in my gut how I used to feel in the wings right before I went on stage. I felt like IT was going to happen that day...Now, I felt silly saying that because what if it didn't? What if Ms. "I'm so in tune with my body" was WAY off the mark? Well, I wasn't...At 12:30am on July 12th, I started having my first true labor contractions...All the books told me to get rest during that first stage of labor because it could last hours...Yeah right! CONTRACTIONS HURT!! Rest schmest! Matt & I spent hours watching the one thing that makes me super calm...Food Network!! Mainly, old Rachael Ray's that I recorded...At 6:30am we went to the hospital. At 9:30am I got an epidural...Wow! Was that great or what!! Matt & I watched some DVDs that we brought & relaxed. With Matt at my side (and everywhere else because the nurses were short staffed that day) at 6:32pm, after pushing for 2 1/2 hours, Griffin Rockstar Allen was born to Bach's Bradenburg Concertos! He's the perfect blend of Matt & me. Words can't say what I felt inside of me when they handed him to me for the first time...I couldn't hardly see him because I was crying so hard!!!!

That was the best day of my life. I'm so happy that the man God chose for me is Matt. He's an amazing husband and father and friend. The look that he gave me the moment Griffin entered this world I will never forget...It was a look of pride and respect and love and awe. Thank you, Babe, for continuing to choose me everyday...

I'd also like to thank my sister. I was there for the birth of her three sons and at her third, I told her that she better be there for the birth of mine!! True to her word, she was, and not only that but she stayed in St. Charles for an entire month!! She is an endless wealth of knowledge! I could not have made it through that 9th month and the birth of my son without her...She was able to calm me down and talk me through some pretty rough times while I was at the hospital and I will never forget it! I treasured all the times that you visited me, not only in the hospital, but at home afterward. Thank you, Sissy, for being my confidante and sister and friend. (And thanks for cleaning my house!!) You are a true blessing to me and my family! 

So, here it is! The time that I've been waiting for my whole life!! And it's better than I could have ever imagined!! I feel truly blessed...