HH Vacation: Day 1 & 2

DAY ONE:
So, G is on his 1st vacation! Chad and I were anxious for the car ride - getting it all packed up and ready to go was one thing (never seen a car so full) and then wondering how Griffin would actually on the 4 hour ride was another. Well....I'd say he did pretty good! We had two ear piercing crying spells that lasted about 15-20 minutes each, but the rest of the time he was either sleeping or tolerating the ride. Go Griff!

The first order of business once we arrived in HH was to go over to Chad's grandparent's house...They had not met Griffin yet and were chomping at the bit to get their hands on him!

It was such a fun meeting....G loved them immediately (as anyone would)! The first thing Gray said when we got there was "Gimme that boy!"


I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...

They got a new toy for Griffin...It's a little guitar that plays music and makes sounds. We thought it was going to be a little to "old" for him, but HE LOVES IT! He can actually mash the buttons and just loves when it plays and lights up.

Chad and I were amazed by how relaxed Griffin Gray was with big Gray...it was like an instant bond! Griffin usually isn't content to just SIT with someone (he likes to be up and about), but he just sat with Gray in his chair happy as could be. At one point Gray rocked both of them to sleep...I couldn't get the camera in time to snap the picture of them both sleeping, but this is when G had just woken up from his little cat nap...obviously Gray is still sleeping. haha...

DAY TWO:
On day 2 of our vacation, Chad decided he would get up early and meet his grandpa for a bike ride. Grandpa Gray usually rides between 20 and 25 miles PER DAY on his bike....Chad was in for quite a ride. (I think it helped that Grandma Jenny made waffles for them before they left.) Chad enjoyed himself on their 23 mile bike ride, but he was pooped! He was asleep on the couch by 9....I had to wake him up for the American Idol finale!

Once Chad got home we decided to try Griffin in the pool for the first time!!! Daddy got him changed....just look at that BELLY!!!

He seemed to like the pool! He was content to just sit in his frog float and relax. We had a few smiles and laughs out of him, but I think he was mostly just trying to figure it all out.

We just let him float around while we went inside for lunch.

(JUST KIDDING! This was the only time we had our hands off the float. Just wanted to get a rise out of the grandparents. I sent this picture to my mom and her response was "So Cute! I would feel better if someone was beside him in the pool.")

We need to come up with some sort of game plan for getting out of the pool...I think he was freezing and uncomfortable in his wet clothes and diaper.

It has been a great vacation so far! Our friends Cliff and Erica and Jack will be here this afternoon...stay tuned for more pictures!

Nice Little Saturday

We had a nice little Saturday. Chad and I each got to run a few errands we needed to take care of and the spent time with the little man. We got out some of his summer stuff/swimwear to see what fit him. We're heading to Hilton Head on Tuesday, so we're really excited for Griffin's first vacation and his first pool/beach experience!!

Here are just a few pictures from today...





This video is really cute. You get to hear some good laughs out of Griffin. I apologize for the darkness, especially towards the end. The sun went behind a cloud and ruined my light!



Oh! .....I almost forgot the MOST exiting part of the day (and of the year for Chad). We went out to eat at Jim and Nick's for dinner tonight and saw PAUL JOHNSON - Georgia Tech's head football coach!! I spotted him. I said, "that guys looks just like Tech's football coach." Chad got a look at him and confirmed...then he immediately got nervous about what he was going to say to him. I've never seen Chad so giddy! hahah.... So, as we were walking out Chad went up to his table and quickly said, "Coach Johnson, I'm a big fan! I've got your future quarter back here (he was holding Griffin in the infant carrier). Good luck next season!" It was a very quick interaction because Paul was eating and Chad didn't want to disturb him, but he seemed really nice, as did his family...his wife and his daughter were all smiles and they even turned to smile at me too!

Needless to say...it made Chad's night!

Here's another quick video of the little man....

City Champs & Slumber Parties

We had a great weekend and a really busy Saturday! Chad's tennis team made it to the ALTA City Finals...and they won! Yay! Chad and his partner Navin were the ones to clench the championship, and it's a good thing since Chad definitely had the most spectators there to watch him!

Cliff, Erica and Jack came to watch....

Look at that sweet boy!

.....and Gingi, mom and dad came to watch too (now, whether they came to watch Chad or Griffin, I'm still not sure).

Griffin is Chad and Navin's good luck charm. Good thing he just has to BE there and doesn't have to watch. I think he slept the entire time. It was HOT out there, thus the sweaty, red face. So sweet.

THE CITY CHAMPS!

Chad and his partner Navin. They are great together.

From the tennis match we went over to my grandparents to shower (they live really close to the courts) and then off to Jana's wedding! Jana is a good friend from work, or should I say my FORMER place of employment. :)

It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding and so fun to catch up with work friends. Look at those pretty Phi Mu ladies!

While we were at the wedding, Griffin was hanging out with his grandparents and getting ready for his first slumber party!! My parents were so excited to keep G over night!

Chad and I had a fun evening and enjoyed being able to stay as late as we wanted with out having to get back home to relieve the "babysitters." Our first night away from Griffin since he was born.....lots of people asked if it was hard.....is it bad that is wasn't at all?! haha....Just knowing that we could sleep in was fantastic! (Though we were both up and at 'em around 7:30...creatures of habit.)

................and the report from the babysitters: Griffin did GREAT! They took him around to a few neighbors house to show him off, then gave him a bath, then put him to bed. He went down with out a problem and slept until after 7! Go Griffin! Then, Sunday morning they took him to church where they continued to show him off to their friends. He went to the nursery (another 1st) where Mrs. Moody looked after him. Mrs. Moody was MY preschool teacher! After church we met my parents and G at Happy Garden (our favorite Chinese place) where G got to meet Tina! (our favorite Happy Garden waitress.)

GREAT WEEKEND!

Ella Ella bo Bella

Last week Griffin and I went on a little road trip to Griffin...that's right, Griffin was in Griffin (laugh it up!). We went to visit Miss Ella Doughtie, my friend Shannon's sweet baby girl. Shannon is a good friend from high school...you can read about her in my previous post called "Shout Outs."

Here's Miss Ella. Look at all of that hair and that sweet little bow!

Griffin looked so huge next to Ella and also seemed so "boyish." Maybe it was because Ella was so tiny next to him, but her little features just seemed so girly and dainty. PRECIOUS!

haha...G's tummy is about as big as E's entire body here. (He had just finished 6oz. so I'll cut him some slack.) Look how long Ella is...not a big suprise since her parents are TALLLLL people.

I think this picture is just so sweet! We stuffed them in a Boppy together for a few pictures. haha...they are adorable.

"Hey you....wanna play?"

Soon they will be big enough to play with each other! I was suprised at how Griffin was actually looking at her and noticing that there was another person there on his blanket. A step up from our last play date with some other cuties!

Can you believe Shannon had a baby 2.5 weeks ago and already looks this good? You make me sick woman. (Note to self: a shower is a good idea when you know there are photo opportunities in your future.)

We had a great time visiting our friends and REALLY wished we lived closer so we could do it more often!!! Shannon, your babe is absolutely precious and I lover her already. Can't wait for E and G to hang out again!

My 1st Mother's Day!

Wow...am I really a MOM? And am I really lucky enough to be THIS KID'S mom?! It's a cool/strange realization that I'll be celebrating Mother's Days for years to come!

I had a GREAT 1st Mother's Day. It was stretched out over 2 weekends. We celebrated early with Ramsey and Jenna since they were going to be out of town with Jenna's family over the actual holiday. They had us over to their house for a cook out.

Here's G on the way to Uncle Ramsey and Aunt Jenna's house...he had a new outfit on.

I really see a lot of resemblance between these two...

Griffin thinks Ramsey is pretty funny!!

Hmmmm...look like naturals to me. I think they should think about taking a ride on the baby train! woo, wooo (Oh my goodness...being a mom is making me totally dorky)! I'm going to be so good at embarrassing my child.

With the great grands....Griffin thinks GinGi's arm tastes great! He'll suck on anything he can get his mouth on these days.

We had grilled salmon for supper...it was great!

Ramz and I with GaGa....

Now here are pictures from actual Mother's Day. My day started by sleeping in until 8:00, thanks to Chad who took care of G when he woke up. I hardly ever get to sleep that late anymore! (And who would have ever thought that sleeping in until 8am would be such a luxury?!) Then the boys came in to wake me up...my two favorite people in the world...such a great way to start the day!

After throwing on some clothes we headed down stairs and there was a card and a present with my name on it..."MOM." Griffin got me a 90 minute massage! How did he know?! His dad must have told him that I complain on a daily basis about the soreness through out my entire body (who knew that lugging a baby around all day could be such a work out?).

Then, we headed out to a Mother's Day breakfast at WAFFLE HOUSE! (My request....) It was G's first WH experience! He told us he can't wait to actually eat a waffle.

.....and since it was Mother's Day, Griffin picked up the tab. Sweet heart!

Later that afternoon we headed over to GaGa and GinGi's house for lunch. Three generations of "mothers"....how neat!

............Ummm? Is it Father's Day?

Then we headed home and relaxed for the rest of the day. This included a nice nap on the couch for everyone, and my nap included snuggling with this little cuddle bug. That never gets old.

Then it ended with a bath for G before bedtime. I made Chad take a few pictures of me with my boy because I really don't have that many (now I know what it feels like to always be the one behind the camera...I never fully appreciated my mom for taking on the "duty" of the photographer, but some one's gotta do it, right?!)

Such a fantastic day! It was great to be included in the celebration of mothers everywhere! I now have a new appreciation for moms....It's cool to know that the way I feel about Griffin is the same way my mom feels about me and Ramsey; the same way Shirley feels about Chad and Natalie; the same way our grandmothers feel about their kids and grandkids and GREAT grandkids. It's just such an awesome "thing" that you can't experience until you're there....and it's a "thing" that you can't really put into words.....it's just....AWESOME.

So, thanks to all who made this Mother's Day special. I'm truly honored to be a "mom" and to join the ranks of so many other great mothers!