Organization!

Here are the pics of Griffin's organized play space. Organized, that is, for the time being! Given the number and size of the packages under the tree with his name on them....and our suspicion that Santa will be leaving some fun (large) items, as well, I doubt it will stay organized (or neat, or anything along those lines) for long!

We will post some video....because Ben let me open a gift early (let me? maybe more like told me...) and it is a tiny, awesome, HD video camera. Now I can record more of Griffin's first Christmas!!!! I am more than elated (nice work, Pooch)! Here's hoping I get my voice back so I can communicate with him and others over the holiday (fingers crossed).

Parties, Santa and.....Silence

This weekend was quite busy for the Pucci household. On Friday night Ben and I headed to the CLCC Christmas Party. We had a great time hanging out with people we knew, and we met quite a few new, fun people and had some GREAT food. We spent Saturday running errands, organizing, and eventually resting. I finally found the perfect storage furniture that I had been holding out for to use in Griffin's "play room" (1/2 of our dining room and 1/2 of our living/front room). I wanted something just the right size and color to hold all of the baskets of toys that he's acquired, and I finally found it. So I bought TWO and they work very, very well. I'll post some pics later.

And today we headed to CLCC's Santa Bruch where Griffin met the big guy for the first time! Not surprisingly, he took to Santa as he takes to everyone: very well. Griff took a rock star nap all morning (3.5 hours) and we actually had to wake him (at 1 in the afternoon!) to head over to CLCC where he met Santa, who had a very cool truck for him as an advance on the presents we're sure he will be leaving Griff on Christmas Eve. We had some bruch (even Griffin, who had pancakes and eggs) and then headed over to our friends the Ullricks for some more holiday fun (and more food, drinks, and even a white-elephant gift exchange...Ben and I scored big with a flashing STOP sign for the garage so you know how far to pull your car in and a fantastic Christmas ball tie). And Griff came home with a great new book and another truck -- this time a dump truck! Overall we had a great, albeit busy, day!

And remember when Griff's doctor diagnosed him with croup? Well, when he did, he explained that croup wasn't really a disease/virus in itself, but it was a different result of a severe cold or flu that settled in the vocal cords, which was making Griff very hoarse and causing his "silent" cry. He also explained that the adult version of the croup was laryngitis, which we're all more familiar with. Let's just say Mommy didn't have much to say this morning...even less to say at brunch...and practically NOTHING (unfortunately) to say at the Ullricks, as every time I try to speak I get shooting pain in my throat. I have been fighting this for a while, and I thought it was going to get better today, but it has taken a turn for silence instead. Gonna be an interesting day at work tomorrow! When opposing attorneys call and my receptionist or paralegal tells them I can't talk because...well, I CAN'T TALK...I'm not so sure they'll buy it! :) I now know that if Griffin felt this way last week -- he had every right to be cranky and upset.

Meeting Santa...who had a present for Griff!

Mommy and Griffin at brunch

Practicing his new trick -- pulling up and standing -- on Dave the jungle gym

Meeting Santa, eating, playing...all took it's toll on the Griff man and he zonked out on dad early

So irresistible.

He's so cute I can hardly stand it! I can't belive how lucky I am to be his mom.

CHEESE!!!

Griff definitely is getting the idea: when mommy's camera comes out, bring on the cheese!!! Here are some 8-month onesie shots...he's becoming such a ham. By the way, I don't know what's with the arm thing -- I think he read our US Weekly on "how to pose for holiday shots" or something...always keep your arm away from your body...red-carpet ready! We also took some good shots of him at school this morning with a Santa hat and his buddy Ty, and his teacher is going to email them to me, so look for those soon.

I hope everyone has a great weekend...it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas outside...snow and all!

Are we done yet, Mom? It's snowing outside!!!!

Snuggly

The good news is that Griff is feeling much better today. He's still hanging on to his stuffiness and cough, and he's still very hoarse...but he's finally back to himself mood-wise, so I know he's feeling better! His teachers at school said he was back to his silly self, he's eating again, and he's pulling up on everything. The bad news is that he's passed his "croup" (what the dr. diagnosed him with) to mama...and I hope I don't give it back! He was a little hard to get down tonight...I had to do quite a bit of cozing and cuddling, but he finally fell asleep. And I thought he looked soooo adorable I decided to risk the flash disturbing him (it didn't).

The ironic part about this picture? He can't have one single stuffed animal in his crib at school, only a blankie. At home, it appears to be a different story. One of his teachers is coming over tomorrow night to watch Griffin, and boy is she going to be surprised! :) He does love to snuggle, with his blankies, his stuffed animals, his doggies, and his family...and I don't think any of us are going to complain!

Griffin is 8 months old as of this week -- 8 month onesie pictures to come!

Under the Weather

Why is it that whenever we have to spend a night away from Griffin he doesn't feel well? It really seems to hold true almost every time we've done it so far (including time he stayed all night with Auntie Lisa when Ben and I had a wedding in the City...and he toppled over, konked his head, and started wailing as I was telling him goodbye and walking out the door, so that kind of counts). Ben and I headed downtown on Saturday afternoon for his office holiday party -- held at the Stadium Club at Wrigley...and, as we do each year, we stayed in a hotel. And Griffin was very lucky that Ms. Nikki was free to come over and spend the night with him. Ben and I had a great time in the city...but, Griff had a rough Saturday night...constant coughing and a rough early Sunday morning...fussy and definitely not feeling well. Ms. Nikki loved him up, which I know helped. He's very hoarse today, and is still stuffed and coughing. So, we spent quite a bit of the day cuddling our little man...and we'll probably head to the doc tomorrow just to get everything checked out and hopefully soon we'll have our happy Griff back.

Before the party on Saturday

Griffin and Mama cuddling and watching some Mickey

MAMA...

In addition to moving around lightning-fast, Griff is currently mastering the art of pulling up and standing while holding on. He started at school (where they have a soft play-pit with sides that he uses to dig in and pull himself up, but is also doing it at home on the ottomans). He's also graduated to eating more "solid" solids...like pasta and various finger-foods. He really enjoys his pasta with squash and cinnamon (and I tried it after I made it...it was actually really yummy). And each day at school, depending on the menu, he usually tries some of the big-kid food from bagels to chicken soup to crackers. I'm also going to start making him "baby" beef stew and "baby" omelets.

I can officially report that he now says "hi" and waves to himself in the mirror (one of his teachers said this is a favorite game of his at school while getting his diaper changed -- they have a mirror on one of the sides of the changing table to help keep the kiddos entertained while changing) AND......he said MAMA last week (non-babble style). Yes, I know, many of you will likely think I am biased...and yes, he also says baba and dada and byebye and has for a while (babble-style). We've also noticed he directs "dada" a lot of the time toaward Ben, as well. But, for the first time last week, he crawled to me and pulled on my leg, looked up at me and said "MAMA". And then he got whatever his heart desired. :)

Pasta!

Mommy's Helpers

A couple of helpful products that I really like: Tooth Tissues and Boogie Wipes . The tooth tissues are great to use each night after-bottle and before-bedtime (as Griff still has only the two front lower teeth)...and the Boogie Wipes REALLY work on Griff's nose. They do not irritate the skin that is already sensitive from overwiping and they help to get the yuckies that are stuck on.