Daddy's #1 fan!

This morning Griffin was in our closet while I was getting dressed. He saw Kenton's Phillies baseball cap and it brought the sweetest smile to Griffin's face. As soon as he saw the hat he said, "Da-dee." How sweet that Griffin sees little reminders of his Daddy all throughout the house. He put the baseball cap on "Over the top" style and played around with it on all morning. I'm so in love with a boy...

Christmas Day 2009~ from the suburbs to the city...

Thanks Santa for the firetruck!



Griffin cheering for Tio's present.
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Watching the train~ choo-choo!

Escalator ride with Daddy.

Full size gingerbread house at the Ritz Carlton



Schaff's at the Ritz.

Very cool~ gingerbread street car @ Harrah's hotel

Enjoying the snow on Fulton Street!


Merry Christmas to all! Griffin must have been a good boy this past year because Santa was very good to him. Santa left Griffin an old time firetruck riding toy. Griffin was overwhelmed with presents so we spread them out over the day for him to open and enjoy. Once he opened a gift and liked it he was not interested in anything else. His favorite gifts of the year would have to be his shopping cart filled with food and his Elmo airplane. He loves his shopping cart so much he tries to bring it along everywhere we go.

After a morning full of gift giving we enjoyed a delicious Christmas lunch with MiMi, Poppa, and Tio Juan. We all had a pretty lazy afternoon filled with TV and napping. Once Griffin woke up from his 4 hour nap we all went downdown to enjoy the lights downtown. We walked through the Rooservelt hotel, the Ritz Carlton, and Fulton Street. Griffin was a wild man running around and pointing to all of the bright and pretty lights. He really enjoyed his escalator ride like a big boy with his Daddy. We finished off the evening with a snowfall on Fulton Street. Griffin thought the snow was very cool. He opened his mouth to try to catch a few flakes.

Thank you Jesus for the many blessings that you bestow upon my family. Thank you for health, family, and happiness. We are all looking forward to next year and all of our new blessings. Imagine..... at this time next year we will be celebrating Christmas with TWO babies. Griffin will be able to show new baby Schaff how to celebrate in style. Life is good...

Nothing like Christmas through a child's eyes...

Merry Christmas y'all!

I love my little boysie...

The family

Let the fun begin!


Griffin and Big Pop

Nona, I just love it!


Everyone, including Griffin, supports Nanny Lissie in her fight against breast cancer.

Nona~ I love you. Thank you for my Elmo airplane!

Can you say ham?



I love my little family.


Love...

Kenton and Al having a moment.

Flying to bed in his new Elmo airplane.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...

I have heard it so many times, but was blessed enough to witness it tonight for myself. The heart of a child enjoying the spirit of Christmas. We started off the evening perfectly with a church service that made everyone stop and think. The pastor spoke of simply taking the time to experience life and just live in the moment. Taking a second just to say "WOW!"

After Church we headed down the bayou to enjoy our annual Christmas Eve celebration with Big Poppa's family. The food was delish and it is always fun catching up with everyone after our daily lives take us in so many different directions. Griffin was in HEAVEN! The boy just loves a party and had a ball. He was so friendly and good spirited. He truly loved being around his family. He quickly got into the present opening thing~ he was a pretty fast study. Thanks to Ari-Anna Griff is now the proud owner of his own Elf on a shelf!" Once he opened his present from his Nona it was all over. She gave him an Elmo airplane. You could tell on his face how much he loved the gift. We had to take it out of the box so he could take off on his maiden voyage. He was adorable. After he would open a gift he would walk around and show people his new treasures. He had so much love, hugs, and kisses for everyone tonight. He is now sleeping sounding in his bed dreaming sweet dreams. Santa I promise he has been a good boy treat him right!

In my absence...

Building blocks with Big Poppa.


Wiggly Time!


Griff and MiMi on the Christmas train. Griffin liked the train about as much as he liked Santa~ not so much!




I just started a new job and had to go away for training to Montgomery, Alabama for 10 days. Yes, 10 days without my boys! The longest that I have been away from Griffin has only been 3 so this was quite a big deal for me. It made it a little easier to leave because I knew that he would be in the best care. He was able to stay home with his Daddy and MiMi Kat and Big Poppa came over to man the ship. I was told that daily he would go into our bedroom to look for me. He also walked around the house with the remote control to his ear calling for his "Ma-ma." Reports like this were enough to break my heart. I am so happy that Griffin was able to stay at his house in his comfortable surroundings with some of his favorite people to keep up with his routine. Griffin had a ball while I was gone. He was able to hang out with his MiMi and Poppa and get his fill of The Wiggles. I was updated daily of all of the fun things that they were doing. He learned sign language from his Baby Einstein DVD and added several new words to his vocabulary. Funny story~ he had his Christmas party at school. MiMi and Poppa tried to take him, but due to the massive amount of rain school was closed for the day. The children were instructed to wear their jammies to the party. MiMi followed the directions and dressed him in his Christmas jammies for the shin-dig. Griffin was very unhappy about this. She told me that he kept trying to take them off to put on his clothes. He just didn't think that it was right to wear his jammies out of the house. PJs are to sleep silly goose!?!

Being away for 10 days was ALMOST worth it just for the homecoming. Griffin was so excited to see me. I honestly do not know who was happier. He saw me through the door before I saw him. He had the biggest smile on his face when I opened the door. He hugged my neck so tight and could not get enough! He pulled away about 3 times to look at me to make sure that it was REALLY ME!

A huge thank you to Kenton, MiMi Kat and Big Poppa for taking such great care of Griffin and the house. I am so incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful family. I would not ask for more...

PS~ Yes, I have a couple of habits to break this week like the PACI that I noticed in every single picture and the TV. Isn't it funny how grandparents operate. They come over and shower the grand child with love and bad habbits and sneak away for Mommy to handle it. I guess that is their job~ right?!?

Happy birthday Da-dee!

Yesterday morning Kenton took his boys outside to enjoy the cold weather. Kenton was raised in PA so this brought back many childhood memories that he wanted to share with his sons. He bundled up Griffin and they took it outside! This southern girl watched them from the window in the nice and warm house.

Happy Birthday Satch!

Satch,

I just want to wish you a happy birthday. It gets me every time seeing you with Griffin. Watching you around the house. Feeling your kiss on my cheek. I've got a heart full of these little everyday moments that remind me of why I am so proud to be your wife. Happy birthday to the best husband and father in the world!

All my love,
Ayia

Baby to boy in a matter of minutes...

Here is a before pic. Because the past few haircuts have been such a challenge I didn't bring in my camera today.

After pictures of the scalping, oops, I mean haircut!

Griff's new smile for the camera "cheese" face!


Griffin got another haircut yesterday so he automatically went from baby to boy in minutes! I am happy to report that the haircut was painless for all. The past 2 haircuts have been pretty brutal and resulted in Griffin and Mommy walking out a snotty, sticky, hairy and frazzled mess, but this time proved different. He was such a little angel. He just sat there and let the hairdresser do her thing. Oh the little blessings in life!