Getting Over It

As some of you know, I hate germs. I am a serial hand washer. I change clothes numerous times a day. I take two showers a day. I carry germ-x with me everywhere...To say the least, I can be a little "Monk-ish". 

I have found - happily! - that my fear of germs has lightened a bit since having Griffin! I simply wipe off toys that have fallen on the ground (before Griffin, I would've boiled them!), I make Griffin's bottles with tap water (before would've been bottled), and I have become impervious to #1's, #2's, and spit up. 

What I haven't been able to bring myself to do is to let Griffin crawl around on the floors. (Well, that's not entirely true...He gets to crawl around when I've put yards and yards of bedsheets down first!) In an attempt to overcome my fear of what lies between the fibers of our icky, builder's grade carpets that the cats puke on, I put down only one bedsheet in Griffin's room yesterday and let himmmmm.....crawl off of it....aaaannnnd into the bathroom! He had so much fun and I was surprisingly at ease! (Probably because I knew that I was going to give him a bath last night!) But, it's something. Baby steps, as they say. 

The "Money Shot"

The headshot is going to be doctored to get our hands out.

With a name like Rockstar, this kid HAS to have an agent, right? :) We just got back from getting Griffin's headshots taken and the experience was awesome. Stacy, the photographer, was so warm and inviting (and blond, which helped because Griffin can't resist blondes for some reason!). Not at all the "industry" that I was anticipating! (No offense, Katie! I just didn't know what to expect!) I was hesitant to say anything to anyone about this because I didn't want people to judge me...But when I did start to get the "word out" that Griffin joined an agency the response has been really positive! I can't wait for him to meet new people & experience new things. Heck, I'm not turning down any new clothes for him either! :) 

So, what do you think of the picture that was chosen for his official headshot? 

A Good Day

It was so chilly, but we had fun!

He loves his stroller! When I put him in it, he wildly kicks his feet...he knows what's coming! 

 Excited scream!

I just wanted to post some photos of yesterday. It was cold but Mama and Griffin felt a bit trapped in the house, so we braved the wind and went for a short walk! When Griffin was a newborn, we would walk for hours around New Town in the late afternoons because it really calmed him down. Now, our walks consist of learning all about new things like crunching leaves, petting little doggies that pass by, and gazing at the fountains. I just love our walks and will always cherish each one. 

Snuggle-less

Griffin used to fall asleep every night on Matt. He couldn't fall asleep any other way. When I would pick him up out of his crib, he would snuggle into my neck and suck his thumb. "I just love our snuggly baby", I would say. Matt and I used to turn on soft music at night and dance with him and he would just melt into us. 

Then one day, about a month or so ago, I went to his crib and he reached up for me! I was so excited to see that he was telling me that he wants me to hold him and love him and squeeze him! Sadly, I was mistaken. The minute I picked him up, he started pushing me away with his hands AND feet! I was a bathtub full of water to his cat. I was crushed. This went on and on and I wondered where our "Mayor of Snuggle Town" went!

Now, I couldn't be happier. Do I wish that my son would just sit still for ONE second sometimes? YES! Am I sad that I've become merely the vehicle to get him out of the confines of his crib and into all the fun stuff? You bet! But I am blessed to have a little boy that wants to be a part of LIFE! Of everything! He is constantly smiling and laughing when he sees a new toy or tries a new food. He loves meeting new people. He wakes up every morning with a huge smile, ready to take on the day.

This little man daily tests my physical strength and my emotional limits. He is exhausting and there ARE those days that I practiacally throw him at Matt the minute he walks through the door! But, more than anything, he daily brings me to a state of joy. An "Attitude of Gratitude". He has made the quality of our lives better. 

I am grateful.

Snot Face!!

Griffin makes this face we call "Snot Face" and it makes me laugh SO hard!! It is elusive, however...But I was able to capture it! Enjoy!! HAHA! :)

Treasures

Sara and Grandpa Dick. I couldn't get the image rotated! Frustrating...

Sara

My mother and her brother

Grandpa Dick

This past weekend, my mother unearthed a treasure in her garage that she's never seen before...A photo album that belonged to her father. Growing up, the only family I ever saw was the Heusler's. We never went to visit my mother's side of the family for any holiday that I can recall. I will never get a chance to know them and that makes me very sad. But I do love to hear my mother talk about my Grandpa Dick...such reverence. Grandpa Dick was the town doctor, known and respected by all. I also learned today that not only was he also a pilot but had his own plane just because he loved to fly! I love looking at pictures of Sara. She has a very Joan Crawford-esque quality to her, although I've heard stories of wild parties! These are some of my favorite pictures from the album. I am grateful to have these pictures. Thank you for letting me scan them, Mom. (Don't worry, Sissy! I'll be putting all of them on a disc for you!)

Time Sure Does Fly!!

My little Rockstar is 7 months old today...And what a ride it's been! When Griffin came into our lives, we knew it would never be the same but I truly didn't count on the absolute joy and happiness that I would feel! I watched him crawl for the first time yesterday and I just started laughing! Pride just bubbled out of me! I keep getting comments from people like "uh oh! now your fun really begins!" or "better watch out!", as though now comes the hard part. Well, of course it gets harder and harder each day, month, year...That's all a part of being a parent...But I'll take it. I'll take it all because I've never felt so much happiness or freedom or pride as I do when I look into Griffin's eyes and he looks back at me and smiles and says "mmm mmm mama" or when he sat across the room from me yesterday and when I put my arms out and said "come to Mama" he got this huge grin on his face and squealed and crawled (looking like a baby deer on ice) right towards me, then crawled up into my arms and sucked his thumb...What a day. What a time. What a life...