Growing pains

Last week I had Griffin's Occupational Therapist and our ECI Developmental Specialist address the issue of Griffin transitioning from his bottle to a sippy cup.  What I had been trying thus far is just having his sippy cup with him at meal times and attempting to get him to drink from it then.  The therapists thought's are he never really has to get thirsty because I still give him his bottle all through out the day.  They recommend that I not give him his bottle when I know he is thirsty and wants it and instead offer the sippy cup then.  Well I tried that today and it was a disaster.  I only lasted about 3 hours before I cave and gave him his bottle.  He was just soo sad and didn't understand.  He was crying and would try and bring the cup up to his mouth but then would start crying, because he was not comfortable with it and in my mind just not ready.  I know their are so many different schools of thought when it comes to parenting styles and mine is to let the child lead the way on a lot of things.  I know a lot of professionals probably look at me and think that I am holding him back, but my mama instincts just tell me he is not ready yet.  And I am not on any time agenda.  I think if he drinks from a sippy cup at age 2 or at age 3 makes no difference in his overall development and quality of life.  I do not want to push a child to do something when they are not ready.  And I really do a lot of gentle pushing with Griffin, because I know he needs it, this just seemed so not right.  What does any one else think? Any ideas for us?  I am praying that God show me how I can help him make this transition.  Help!?

Here is a little sick time palate I made for me and Griffin the week before last.  He had bronchitis again and then the antibiotic they gave him made him vomit so we ended up canceling all of our activities that week and stayed home every single day.  We laid right here for most of our days and watched plenty of Yo Gabba Gabba.  

  

Books are one of Griffin's absolute favorite things ever.  He likes to "read" them all on his own, otherwise known as flipping the pages and talking plenty of babbles to each and every page :)  So cute!

Here is a little sneak peek at a room I have been working on.  It is not completely finished yet but very very close.  I suppose that the exact uses of this room and the way it is arranged will change as we grow and change, but right now I plan to use it as a sewing room for me, a craft room for Griffin, and a therapy room for Griffin.  I find that when I try to work on certain therapy things with him out in the living room, he just crawls away, and does not want to focus on what I am wanting him to focus on, probably because he just loves to be on the go and discovering things on his own.  But in this room there will not be a lot of room to crawl around in because it is a pretty small room and two, it will be clear of any toys on the ground for him to discover other than the toy I have out and am wanting him to work with.  Hopefully we have a lot of success from doing it this way!  

This will be my sewing table and I still need to do a few things to it, before I feel like I can really dive into some of my sewing projects that I have planned.  I'll share a few!  Maybe yall have some sewing tips for me?!  First I want to make a banner like this to hang in Griffin's room.  Second I want to make him a special pillow case with some organic cotton.  And then third I really want to make him a few cute summer outfits.  And last I want to make curtains for our living room!  

Love you all!  XOXO

Lets talk about Christmas....

Sharing about our Christmas 2 weeks after it has occured?  Definitely!  It is how things seem to go around here, and I am totally Ok with it :)  because you have to be :)  

Christmas this year was so incredible!  We got to spend great time with family.  Griffin totally understood unwrapping his presents, which was so much fun to watch.  He is at the beautiful stage where when he unwraps his present he just wants to spend the next 30 minutes playing with his new toy, rather than unwrapping one toy after another.  I was the one wanting him to hurry up and open them, and found myself taking the lesson Griffin was giving me, slow down and enjoy.  I also loved giving the gifts we gave this year, and loved the ones I received.  And the food was delicous, what more could we ask for?!  

Here is little Griffin on his new bike/car from Grammi and Oscar!  

Me and Griffin with all his presents from us and Santa on Christmas morning!  

Me and my hunny watching Griffin play with his new toys!  

Still my sweet little Christmas elf!  

Elves together!  

Great Grandma made him some very special animals!  

And she made me and Matt this beautiful Christmas blanket!  

And my dad bought me this awesome Japanese cast iron tea pot, for me to brew tea in!  I have been wanting one for years now!  

And ta da!  My grandmother bought me my first sewing machine!  I have got our sewing/play room almost complete and will put pictures up as soon as it is done!  I cannot wait to get started on projects with this bad baby!  I hope to follow in her footsteps and become as talented as her :)  

And am I just all show and tell or what?!  I can't help it, I just love my gifts!  Terri gave this to me.  It was her parents.  It is called a dry sink, and I have always admired it at her house, and I feel so touched that she would pass it on to me.  

I think it sits very nicely next to our other antique!  

And the gift I was most excited to give this year, was a present to Grammi from Griffin.  We made her a special book that has the story of Griffin and Grammi in it.  Griffin has a copy of the same one too, and it just represents their very special relationship.  Grandparents just really are so special.  I know mine were.  

I hope I never forget this moment.  From the music playing, Patty Griffin Children Running Through and more specifically Oh Heavenly Day.  To Griffin helping her unwrap, he would tear a tiny piece and then turn and scoot over to me and hand me the piece and then repeat.  To Terri's face when she saw what it was.  To Rick behind Terri, reading over her shoulder, rubbing her back.  To Katie and Jaimie being a part of it, sitting on the couch with tears, and Jaimie capturing some awesome photos, because they too are very much a part of Griffin's story.  To Matt crying in the chair where he watched.  I hope that I remember that it didn't get opened when I planned for it to, but that the time at which it was opened was soo much better than what I was planning, and that is just so true in life.  It was just so special to give and I am so thankful that I was able to.  

We love us that Terri, and so many do, the mama, Grammi, friend, and spouse that she is!  

I love me them boys, so much.  I am about to be 24 tomorrow and Griffin will be 2 on the 29th, and I just keep thinking that there will never be a time as this...24 with a 2 year old....just the sound of it sounds incredible to me.  

Well Happy 2010 to everyone!  For me in this new year I hope that I continue to progress, to have personal growth, and discovery.  And for me that would be, to be able to stay more balanced in life,  and would result in me continuing to be a better mama and wife everyday.  

Love to you!  

His first movie in the Theater!

A couple weeks ago me, Matt, Terri, and Megan took Griffin to see The Princess and the Frog. The new Disney movie that came out this month and was showing in theaters. I had been wanting to take him to a movie for a while, because yes at this young age he already loves movies and TV.  I had to wait for just the right movie to come out.  And Griffin absolutely loved it.  His eyes were wide for pretty much the whole time.  He watched the entire movie :)   

Hopefully tomorrow I get to writing about our Christmas!  

Pajama Christmas Party!

About a week before Christmas Griffin had a Pajama School Christmas Party!  I went with him to it, in my pajamas of course.  All the kids brought a wrapped book to exchange, and me and Griffin brought his two wonderful teachers a small present as well!  I was so excited!  Me and Terri made Oreo Chocolate Truffles that are so delicious!  And me and Griffin had a grand ol time!  See for yourself...

Us ready to walk out the door!  

Griffin crawling!  "Get it, get it, get it"

Cutest little boy ever!

Sitting all proud in his classroom!

We had to say goodbye to our favorite teacher of his, because she went back to school in Idaho.  She will be missed, but hopefully we grow to love his new teacher just as much!  

Let the pictures do the talking...

I really am no good at this blogging thing, but it is important for me to do it because of the family living far from us that enjoy seeing pictures and reading about us.  So my blog will just have to be done a little bit differently than all the other blogs I read :)  

For this entry I just went through our recent pictures and will post them and let them help guide me through this one....

Grammi bought Griffin 100 balls for his Heart Birthday ( see below).  You can bet he LOVES them!  He is a ball loving boy lately!  

Griffin's one year anniversary from his open heart surgery was on November 10 and we had a small gathering of family to celebrate this boys Heart Birthday.  Like his Grammie said, " He has been through so much he can just have two birthdays."  

I have found one food that Griffin actually really like to eat that is not pureed and that is Cheetos!  

Here he is playing in one of his favorite spots, his corner in our living room.  It actually contains a lot less toys than this.  I don't know what was going on this day.  

It actually looks like this, once I have cleaned it up at the end of the night:)  

And the above is our Christmas decorations this year that I most definitely am enjoying!