On Thursday we received a very good surprise in the mail... the DIAPER CHAMP! I think the UPS man laughed out loud at me when I realized what was inside the box and said, "YAY!" I am sure he was thinking wow woman you get excited easily haha!
But we are that excited for our very first practical gift! From one new mom to another... Jessie you guys hit the nail on the head. I know we will use ours every day too :)
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Here are the growth charts for Griffin and my nephew Tristan. I got this idea from the craft sale in the fall and it was super easy! It fits perfectly in Griffin's room and I cant wait to watch him grow :)
I finally got the chance to do some burp clothes for Griffin. If you have followed my blog at all you know that I have always enjoyed doing these for other people and so of course I had to do some for my own son. Sadly I am just now getting around to it.. but nonetheless its a start. I plan to do many more between now and April!
I also finished an order for Ashley. Thanks for your order.. I love doing girl's things still too :)
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.
My mom, Mimi and Rachel came in this weekend and we had such a great time getting more done in Griffin's nursery! And remember last week when I was a bit worried b/c I wasnt quite sure how it would all come together in these next 90 days? Well I am worried no more :)
the whole time I had been saying that I wanted a colorful rug to help tie in all of the colors we had going on everywhere esle. well thanks to target and Cici looking nice and hard.. we found this one and I LOVE it!
see how it makes all the colors from the bedding pop?
Here is his new bookshelf where we can now store all of his books and videos as well as toys AND have a special display of our favorite team too :)
and here is the map finally on the wall, as well as the new shelves that add to it so much!
We also made some more updates on his bathroom. Cici found the perfect shower curtain with all the colors we wanted and it just pops in there now! We also created our own cute display on the shelf- with the special "Rub a Dub"
also added was the G for Griffin as well as other colorful things on the sink...
how cute are the duckie and turtle???
and last but not least, I made a shadow box to go above his towel rack so that we can put in oh so cute pictures of him at bath time! Oh I cant wait :)
Sunday was JR's 27th Birthday! We had a great weekend celebrating which started off with a little date night with just he and I on Thursday night. I figured since this year was going to be a big one for him, becoming a daddy and all, that he made need a few things to get him ready for that word :) He is also obsessed with dominos, mexican train style, and I must say that I love it too... so now we can play that anytime!
On Saturday night we got together with a bunch of our friends at Red Robin to celebrate again. JR was such a trooper bc he had just had his wisdom teeth taken out Friday morning! He didnt let that stop him from eating and enjoying time with friends though :)
Daddy Lewis and look alike Lily Lewis
Isaac man- 
the Messersmiths and Lily ignoring me :)
Amy, Jordan and I
Mom and Rachel getting ready for Griffin by practicing with Mr. Jackson
Mimi and Maisy
and the Isham family!
In anticipation of the many thanks I will be giving out to friends and family soon at showers and such, I decided to go ahead and get a head start on creating some personalized thank yous for Griffin. I am very pleased at how they came out and as you can tell I like polka dots just a little ha!
Week 27 update says that Griffin is getting really big! I will have to say that I am glad to know its him inside of me getting bigger because I am feeling a bit big myself ha! I am feeling some back pains in my lower back, more so at night, and can tell that my sense of balance is a bit off too. The other day I was able to feel him have the hiccups which was really cool. It was a constant movement in my left side and had the rhythm just like when I have my own hiccups. His eyes are open now too, which is crazy. All I can think about is what in the world is he thinking in there :) He is also learning how to get under my ribs as well and let me tell ya that feels great haha!
My girl's weekend started Friday afternoon when I was so happy to get the chance to meet with JR and I's Aunt Stacy! We have not seen each other in a very long time and I was so glad she would get the chance to see me pregnant in person. We had a wonderful time catching up! Love you Auntie Stace :)
After everyone arrived in town we all went to dinner and met up with our bachelorette Monica and her crew. Here are Adrienne and I.
and the twinks- Katie and Crystal
on Saturday afternoon, Katie, Crystal and Adrienne threw Griffin his very first shower! I was so thankful that they were so sweet to take the time out of our weekend to celebrate him. We all do not get together too often so it was a great chance to shower the new addition. We had some great food, played 2 very fun games and of course Griffin was spoiled with some great gifts too. He got his new monkey bathroom stuff, PB picture frame, photo album, clothes, a snuggly bear, UT piggy bank and so much more :)
I do have to brag on Aunt Katie as she came up with this wonderful gift for him. Check out this frame she had made and the pictures she took to put in it! I LOVE things that are made and personalized and this was just perfect!
After the shower we went out to dinner before the bachelorette party night. Here are the beautiful Doss and Mel Wallace
the lovely Cradrienne
and me and Katie- aka Katsey
then it was time to celebrate with Monica! look how cute this bachelorette is :)
Bride to be and Mom to be
the whole crew
Week 26 marks less than 100 days left! I am starting to be able to see Griffin move across my stomach now, which is cool and very different than just the kicking all the time. Dont get me wrong he still does a lot of kicking too ha! I can now tell where he is laying in my stomach which tells me that he is getting a lot bigger. Almost 2 pounds they guess which means my stomach will only at least triple in the next 3 months.. wow! JR can also now feel his strong kick when Griffin decides to kick him in the back when we are sleeping :)
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days. 
Today we had a baby shower for Beth and her baby girl Ella Claire. She is due the first of February and we cant wait for her to get here! Beth and Jared are from Tennessee so we have loved having that connection together, not to mention going through pregnancy together since she is 10 weeks ahead of me. Beth you look great girl!
my wonderful friends Amy and Abbey
Beth had requested a nursing cover, aka "Hooter Hider" so I made her one!
And of course Ella Claire had to have some big orange things too :) 
We finally got a bed skirt and sheet for his bed so now it is all made!
And look how many little friends he already has too!
JR and I had fallen in love with this map from Pottery Barn when we very first started talking about our child's nursery but kindof put it off once we saw the $100 pricetag. After thinking about it more and more we realized, hey lets just make the thing! 
So here is our version of :)
Any idea what this is? Yea well me neither until these past few weeks. JR started his Hebrew class on Monday and can I just say blahhhhhhh! I have absolutely no desire at all to learn a new language, and ESPECIALLY Hebrew, however JR is way more motivated than you could ever imagine. He has been doing excellent so far and is a great student that does whatever it takes. He is not worried about the grade, but yet to be able to actually use what he is learning later. These next 2 weeks it will be ALL Hebrew for us... so pray for him especially!
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.
Remember back in October I was able to shower my sweet college friends Natalie and Jessie??? Well they BOTH had their baby girls yesterday!
Billy and Natalie welcomed Addie at 7:33pm. She was 9lbs and 3ounces!! Natalie was right at the shower that Addie was definitely bigger than little Addie :)
Our travel system.. which has been called by Mimi and Granny Reba :)
since we have such a small kitchen we have decided not to get a big high chair but instead let him use a booster seat
we also are redoing our guest bathroom to now be Griffin's bathroom and we have picked out this monkey set :)
video monitor
We brought in the New Year by first eating at one of our favorites.. Mellow Mushroom. Notice my sweetie's new addition. After 26 years, he now has to have glasses! Because of all the reading he has done the last 2 years, his eyes have worn down and now his vision has gone bad. I think he looks like a stud :)
Rachel has been visiting all week, as I have been sister sitting while my mom and James are in Las Vegas celebraing the New Year. I sure do love my sister :)
Standing in front of the lucky acorn
So happy to welcome Griffin this year!!!
Happy Birthday Frank! Hope Texas is treating you and Mamaw well! We love you :)
