How can it be that our sweet boy is already a month old? We feel like it was just yesterday we were leaving the hospital with you yet we already can't imagine a life without you in it. So much has happened already in the short time you have been with us!
Here are some of the highlights of your first month:
- You met so many people who love you so! From your grandparents to your aunts and uncles to your cousins. We had all been waiting so long for you.
Dad & Griffy
-You met your sister Ali. I'm sure you will love her when you get older but as of now you are still a little unsure of her - probably because she has tried to lick you multiple times and almost sat on you once. However, your daddy and I think as soon as you're more mobile you'll be best friends.
Ali & Griffy - 1 month
-You had your newborn photos done. Sarah Mayo Photography did a wonderful job - these photos will be forever cherished by us. Here's a few of our favorite snapshots.
Leaving the studio after
- You had your first doctor's appointment. You checked out perfect! However, we did have to work a bit to get back to birth weight and we had to come in for a couple weight checks before we got there.
Weight check
- You had your first (and a few more) baths! You love bath time. At first you get a little fussy when we are getting set up but as soon as you get some warm water covering you, you are immediately content.
Hospital (1st) Bath
Home bath
- You participated (or ate/slept through) in your first cookie baking day. This is an annual tradition for the women in my family just before Christmas to get together and make a bunch of different types of cookies. You were either eating during it or slept in your rock n' play (like a champ!).
-First trip to grandma and grandpa's houses - on both sides! Mom and dad are hesitant to take you too many places right now given flu restrictions..but you love visiting family!
-You celebrated your first Christmas. A highlight of our Christmas was you getting to meet your cousins Kinsie and Brax and Aunt Kara and Uncle Ryan! Kinsie and Kara loved holding you every chance they got! Here are a few of our favorite Christmas pictures.
Meeting your cousins and Aunt Kara and Uncle Ryan
Christmas Eve Cousins
Matthews Family Christmas Eve
Papa Tim, Grandma Bev, & the grand babies
Christmas Morning 2018
-First car ride and outing - Your first car ride was home from the hospital of course. Your first
real outing was just recently - mom and dad did a "date night" and went to Target and to eat at Noodles and Company. You contentedly slept in your seat through the whole thing (which was mom's preference anyway as she doesn't really want you "out" with germs this time of year :) Before this we did get out on a neighborhood walk as well!
Dressed & ready to leave the hospital
Car ride home from the hospital
First family walk
First Target trip
Noodles & Company Date
- You celebrated your first New Years. You didn't seem too excited about it though..you slept right through midnight!
Sweetest NYE Kiss around
Here is Griffy at a glance at one month old:
-You LOVE to eat! This boy is hungry all the time and sometimes even looks like he's dreaming about eating (he'll be "sucking" in his sleep). Mommy thinks its funny how you raise your eyebrows in contentment as you start to take in milk and daddy thinks it's funny how you'll even snort like a pig or "huff" repeatedly when you want food really bad. We've had some breastfeeding difficulties (breastfeeding is challenging!) but we've been working through them and with a lot of work on both of us you're gaining like a champ! At last check up just before the month mark you were 9 lbs 3 oz. People often talk about nipple confusion...you are very aware what provides milk and what doesn't and will fight the paci if you are hungry.
- You are not a fan of tummy time - but your OT mama is working on this with you! A mirror and some of our favorite toys have made it better.
- Your visual attention and tracking as well as your head control are getting so good! You are constantly watching what is going on around you and can follow people or objects horizontally really well. You can hold your head up really well when you're on our chests for quite awhile (we're still working on doing this when on the floor!) and you can even turn your head to follow objects really well when at our shoulder, laying on our lap, and when laying on the ground. Your OT mama is pretty proud!
- You can be a pretty champion sleeper - once you are asleep...even sleeping through your sister barking. However, getting to sleep is not your favorite thing. You fight it pretty hard, instead staying awake to watch the action. Mama thinks this may have something to do with our feeding difficulties. You also generally love to snuggle - you sleep best when laying on your mama's chest and will usually quickly wake up if she tries to put you down during the day. While this definitely makes it hard to get things done around the house...I am reminding myself that one day you may not want the snuggles so I want to cherish them for now.
- Your favorite place to be (other than in our arms) is in your swings - you love the motion and watching the mobiles above them! You also love the rock n' play when we turn it on vibrate - I think it helps your tummy settle. You even love being "swung" in your car seat - this will usually calm you right down if upset. However, you don't tolerate these for very long before you want to be held again.
- You are starting to sleep longer stretches at night! Mama is so thankful for this. You usually have one longer 4-5 hour stretch right now at the beginning of the night (from when we last lay you down before bed to the middle of the night).
- You are starting to love wiggling your fingers (hands together or on us) and we've noticed you holding onto our shirts more when you're laying with us.
- You are definitely a fan of the paci - you are for sure probably gonna be a binky boy.
- You generally don't spit up a lot...which means you always take us by surprise when you do.
- You can be pretty fussy - probably due to some of the feeding struggles we've gone through. It is a struggle and really breaks your mama's heart.
- You generally love the car and fall asleep a few minutes in...but can be fussy when by yourself in the back seat or when you are hungry.
-You have very strong arms and legs - and can really use them to your advantage when we're doing something you don't like (like when we're changing your diaper or when you're hungry and want to let us know it). Maybe we have another soccer player in the making!
-You are starting to social smile more - not just smile in your sleep. Your sweet smiles make up for your fussy moments and are mom's favorite part of the day. You are in general very expressive - giving us mean mugs at times, or pouting when hungry, etc.
Sweet sleepy smiles
Sweet little smirk
- You are already a crazy sleeper! From when your mama lays you down to when you wake up you always manage to turn yourself 90 degrees...and I think you'd do a full 180 degrees if you could (your bassinet is not quite wide enough). You also love to sleep with your arms up and get pretty fussy if we try to swaddle them in. You're also a noisy sleeper...you snore like your daddy.
His usual position once he breaks out of the swaddle
How I usually find him...after putting him down vertically
We love watching you grow and gain new skills sweet Griffy Bear. We are cherishing every moment as you are changing so fast! It seems like we blinked as we left the hospital and you turned a month old...so we know the next month will go just as fast. We're doing our best not to waste a second of it.
6 Days
6 days
1 week
2 weeks
3 weeks
4 weeks
4 weeks
1 month
1 month
1 month
Here is a snapshot of our first month with Griffy!
