11 weeks

Griffin got his first cold this week...this is how he feels about it:We spent Sunday at Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Jodi's house watching playoff football. Mommy and baby went to the doctor during halftime (the Seahawks were losing THAT badly) just too make sure it was only a cold. The Dr. told us it wasn't in his lungs so mommy can relax that it isn't pneumonia or pertussis.

At the Doctor. Griffin was a big hit in his Seahawk gear!

Griffin weighed in at 14lbs 3oz butt naked! That's a 10oz gain in 11 days since his 2 month checkup.

He took a good nap when we got back.

Those silly kids!

Our new favorite way to wear the Moby. Griffin LOVES looking out! And he's been so grumpy this week that I've worn him A LOT!

He's even starting to sleep in his pack n play...for hours at a time instead of minutes!! We're making progress towards a whole nights sleep:)

Our sleeping angel (in his pack n play AGAIN)!

First time liking the bumbo seat while mommy cleaned his room and sorted clothes. He's outgrowing them so fast!

DROOL! (We think he might be teething, already!)

This was the only position I could make him happy in...and he finally fell asleep!

An imprint of Griffin's ear.

We've slept a lot this week fighting the cold.

Wearing my John Deere shoes (Christmas present).

January 22, 2011- 11 weeks old. Wearing a sleep sack from Philip Arneson...it's FOURTEEN years old!! Hopefully, Griffin will get a chance to meet his Arneson family soon, they've played such a big role in mommy's life they definitely count as honorary Uncle, Aunt and cousin!

Other things I've noticed this week...but may have happened last week or even earlier: Griffin's receeding hairline is now gone! We have hair on the top of our head!! Griffin has also started looking at himself in the mirror above his swing and batting at and "playing" with the toys on his bouncy seat! We bought him a play yard this week too and he will indulge us and spend a few minutes playing on it. (I'll try to get a pic up next week!)

It's a GIRL (cousin)

Matt and Janae found out they're having a girl at their 20 week appointment today! Griffin was hoping for a boy to climb trees and play baseball with but he's super excited for a girl to pick on (just kidding). We can't wait to meet her sometime in June! (And who knows...maybe she'll be a tomboy?!)

Mommy sentiments

Griffin,

I want to tell you so much but you keep me so busy that I find its hard to take the time to write it down as it happens or as I think about it, so I'm going to try and write you the occasional letter full of my rambling thoughts! This is as much for you as it is for me. It's already been ten weeks since we got to meet you and I know time is just going to go faster and faster and life will get busier and busier and I'm going to forget all these precious little moments we're having.

First, I want to let you know just how much I love you! So much it overwhelms me. And this has caught me off guard. I have loved on babies for as long as I can remember, babysitting, working in the church nursery and any other chance I got- I took it. And when I was younger, I used to picture myself as a mommy all the time. But the older I got and the more I loved teaching...the more I started to think I was happy without kids of my own. Your daddy agreed...for awhile. Then one day last summer he came home and out of the blue told me he was ready for kids. Right now. I think I almost passed out! He wasn't allowed to change his mind so suddenly. But Griffin Miles, I am so, so, so happy he did! I can't imagine my life without you and I have never loved anything as much as I love being your mommy! You are hands down the best gift I have ever received. Everyday, for the rest of my life, I will thank God for the opportunity to know you, love you and be your mommy. I've had to face a lot of fear while pregnant with you and in your first 10 weeks- I don't know how I could survive losing you. But God and I have sort of reached an agreement. I will cherish every day, every moment he chooses to let me spend with you...and he'll take care of me (and you) no matter what happens. I want you to know that too, just in case I have to leave you before I'm ready (which will be never). God is good and he loves you more than I ever could. Trust in Him. It's a lesson I've learned the long and hard way and one I hope you learn easily. But if you don't, if it takes you the long and hard path too- that's okay. There is nothing you could do to make me (or Him) love you less.

It's really all the little things I don't want to ever forget. And I want to be able to remember them when you leave for college, get married, and have kids of your own. The little sweet noises you make while sleeping next to me. That's right...you ended up sleeping in our bed! I wasn't planning on that. We had your crib all set up and a bassinet in our room. I wasn't going to be one of "those" parents. But then you were here. And hungry. And I was so tired (I hadn't slept in 3 days...you little stinker)! So I quickly learned how to feed you laying down in bed (I was so tired I was falling asleep feeding you while sitting up...and I was afraid I would drop you). And then, when we got home from the hospital...I just couldn't put you away from me. Cuddled up next to you I could feel your breath and know you were okay. It certainly made feeding you every 2-3 hours much easier on me too! At 10 weeks, I'm looking forward to sleeping 5-6 hours straight soon...trust me, you'll like it too!

When you wake up for the day, I know you're done for the night because you're not hungry anymore. And you stretch and make the most awesome faces. Your daddy and I almost always start our day with laughter because of you. You arch your back and put your arms above your head and purse your lips. We can tell you're thinking..."but I'm so warm and cozy, I don't want to wake up". I know this because you sleep exactly like me and that's what I think every morning when I wake up!

Breastfeeding is a shockingly strange and yet fabulous experience. I love that I'm still growing you! I love the cuddle time we get. You are quite the voracious eater. You can put on quite the show....both of your grandma's love to get to watch you root and snort and choke and then greedily go back for more. When I feed you in public, I sometimes have to apologize for your noisiness! But don't worry- no one is actually upset, you can make anyone laugh! You've started "kneading" me with your hands while you eat...and I just love it! Although sometimes you tickle me and I actually jerk around or even laugh. You've also started drooling A LOT and chewing on your fingers and I worry that you'll get teeth really early and bite me and I'll have to wean you before I'm ready. Motherhood has been nothing but full of surprises for me. Now that you're here, I hope to feed you as long as possible...and by that I mean I would love to be nursing you to sleep until you're two. But I know you'll have a say in that and I have a feeling you're going to loose interest before then. You have such an observant personality...and you love to move. My guess is you'll wean yourself about the time you are walking, you won't have time for cuddles anymore. I never thought that the thought of weaning would make me sad kiddo. You have quite a hold on my heart little man!

You just had your 2 month check up and you got two vaccines (Hib and DTaP). I have agonized over books and the decision to vaccinate or not. I want you to know that I made the best decisions I could based on the information we have now. Who knows what the research will show in 10 or 20 years. You are my most precious "possession" and I want to protect you from all harm...who really knows if the vaccines are doing more harm than good? You cried, no it was screaming, for so long after your shots. I've decided not to continue the Pertussis part of the DTaP vaccine because crying for more than 3 hours can be an indicator that you're allergic to that vaccine...and the reactions tend to get worse with each round. It wasn't until the next morning that I could even feed you on my left side, your leg hurt you that bad. I cried too seeing you in so much pain.

Griffin Miles, in 10 short weeks you have completely changed who I am. I no longer care about myself first. Getting married to your daddy sure showed me how selfish I can be at times. But with you (right now) its just so easy for me to put myself second. And I want to be a better person because of you! I want to eat healthy and exercise and pursue God because of you! I've lost interest in all my TV shows, my computer games, and even the edge of my type-A personality has softened. Now I just sit with you. For hours at a time. I feed you, talk to you, play with you...and I don't miss the other stuff! And that is not normal for me!

I have such big hopes and dreams for you. I hope and dream that you discover what you're passionate about at an early age and leave a positive impact on the world around you. Like a pebble thrown into a lake, I dream that the ripples you send out into the world lead to great things! I will do everything in my power to help you along the way and I will always be on your side. And I pray that you will come to know Christ and that he will lead you throughout whatever is laid out for you. I can not fathom the kind of love that sacrifices an only son for you and me, strangers and sinners. As much as I love you...God loved us MORE. He loved us enough, to sacrifice his only son...someday, you'll have children and this will boggle your mind as well!

I LOVE YOU GRIFFIN!

(Thanks for sleeping while I wrote this...but you're waking now! I'll write you again soon)

~Mommy

PS. Your cry and sad face are the sweetest things! When you were first born your little cry sounded like a bird to me. You've already outgrown that! But now you stick your lower lip out and just sound so sad. Sometimes I even let you cry just so I can hear it and watch you. But then I scoop you up and do what I can to make you happy again!

10 weeks

This week has been pretty uneventful. Not a lot of pictures to share. I've been doing a bad job of keeping track of milestones and in the last couple weeks a lot of skills have formed. We can now roll from tummy to back like a champ, not just accidentally:)! We've started noticing that baby in the mirror on our swing...and smiling at him. And we "talk" now! The sweet little noises Griffin makes are so much fun! He is such an easy happy baby. We are even starting to transition to our pack n play instead of sleeping in bed with me! I've started noticing that we're actually waking each other up more frequently than just when he's hungry. The secret seems to be using The Sleep Sheep for white noise. It's kind of bittersweet that he's sleeping better without me right next to him. I can already tell I'm going to miss those cuddles! Hopefully though this will lead to longer sleeping periods and eventually full nights sleep for both Griffin and mommy!

Sleeping in our pack n play! The Sleep Sheep keeping us happy:)

Getting ready for bath time!

January 15, 2011- 10 weeks old

He looks SO much like daddy in this picture!

9 weeks (2 months)

I'm TWO months old today (1/6/11)! Here's some pictures and stories from my 9th week of life.

Happy...sitting with my daddy!

Snoozing...like my momma!

Happy 31st Birthday Daddy! (1/4/11)

My 2 month check-up (1/5/11).

I weigh 13lbs 9oz now! That's 4.5lbs gained in 2 months.

I got two shots today...and I was VERY unhappy ALL day. My mommy was worn out from comforting me so daddy took over when he got home from work. My reaction was severe enough to make us think I might be sensitive to the Pertussis vaccine...so we're calling that one quits. We'll just trust Jesus to take care of me!

I went to my first concert tonight. The music was loud and good! (1/7/11)

Brad Loomis opend up for...

Levi Ware. This was a benefit show for Kaydee Curbow, one of my daddy's 6th grade students. She's battling leukemia right now and we're all rooting for her!

The place was packed...standing room only!

Jeremy and Jodi
Grandma, Mom and me (I took a nap!)

Post nap and snack...enjoying some tunes!

Chilling with my dad.

Brandy (one of the 6th grade teachers dad works with).

Matt and Amy Staudenraus. Dad teaches with Amy and I'm going to marry their daughter...due in about 8 weeks:)

Aunt Jodi loving on me!

One of my favorite things to do is swing! I make lots of faces for mommy when I'm moving! AND I'm 9 weeks old today! (1/8/11)

The Seahawks played the Saints today for the NFC wildcard spot...and the Seahawks WON! It was a GREAT game...I watched it at Grandpa and Grandma Imholt's house...but Daddy got to be there! Him and Uncle Jeremy even got sideline passes to watch warmups as a thank you for all the work daddy is doing to help raise money for Kaydee!
The game was close at the end...scary! But the Hawks held on:)

I even got new football shoes...mostly because we were outside on Friday and it was SO cold I needed another layer, so mom bought me these!

After the football game I got to meet Nicole Claussen. She was born October 6, 2010 so we're exactly a month apart. Her mom is Rebecca (Tilman) who my dad went to high school with. We weren't the happiest babies and we did NOT like having our pictures taken!
I took a nap and ate a little bit...it helped a lot until they tried to put us together again...then my sad face came back!

We were both done for the night! It's a baby meltdown!