Griffin Thomas Fitzhugh

As most of you know by now, little Griffin has finally arrived! Our little man was born on March 31st at 4:56 p.m. weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs. 1 oz and measuring 20.25 inches. He was certainly bigger than any of us imagined...including the doctor!

I have to say, the whole labor and birth experience went better than I could have imagined. I don't think I was really worried about the delivery, but I have certainly heard my share of war stories from other moms, so my expectations weren't too high to begin with. Of course, I have to admit, I think I had the easiest delivery you could ask for. For those who are interested, here is a brief recap of our birth story:

First of all, labor had apparently started a few weeks before delivery without my knowledge. I was already dilated to 4 cm and 80% effaced before I ever felt a contraction. Our official due date was April 3rd (Easter weekend) and my sister Amy had booked a flight home from Colorado for that weekend, so we were really hoping Griffin would make an appearance by the time she got home. I was never too uncomfortable during the pregnancy, so I was originally willing to wait for labor to begin naturally. But considering how quickly I was progressing and our limited timeline with Aunt Amy's visit, when I went in for my weekly checkup on Tuesday March 30th, I went ahead and asked my doctor if we could be induced that Friday, April 2nd. However, he had several other deliveries scheduled for that day, so we were left with the options of Wednesday March 31st or Monday April 5th (the last day of Amy's visit)....I guess April 1st was also an option, but we weren't too keen on saddling our kid with an April Fool's Day birthday :)

So, we settled on the 31st and the next morning, we were headed to the hospital. We checked in at 8 am and got the ball rolling. Since I was so far along already, I was able to get the epidural right after the doctor came to break my water. And I had this handy little button I could use to increase the medication as needed. Awesome invention! Although I respect other people's opinions on the subject, I really don't know why anyone would actually choose natural childbirth when we have the wonderful option of an epidural. To each his own, I guess. From that point on, things progressed pretty easily. We slowed things down for a while when my doctor had to deliver another patient, but before long we were ready to push.

This is where our little bit of drama cropped up. I was feeling great and pushing strong for about an hour and a half when my doctor decided that we just weren't going to be able to get our little guy here the old fashioned way. Apparently the shape of my pelvic bones is not ideal for the speedy exit of a newborn, so we decided on a C-section. After letting our families know what was going on (they had all been anxiously waiting down the hall for some news), we were wheeled into the operating room, and Griff arrived a few minutes later. Considering how big he ended up being, I'm actually thankful that we went the C-section route after all. Not what I was planning on, but definitely the best decision for me and my little man.

Finally...I can stretch out!!

First family photos

Ryan was an ideal husband through everything. He was helpful and patient and never let on if he was shocked (or totally grossed out) by the process. He even took some great pictures DURING the C-section (I'm not sure I could have stomached the sight of all that).

This is Ryan in position to "catch" the baby just in case the doctor wasn't around :)

My recovery was quick, but we did have one trip back to the hospital the day after we were discharged. Griffin's jaundice levels were escalating and he wasn't eating well, so he needed another night in the hospital under the special billy lights. He seemed to really enjoy the warm incubator, and before long we were able to go back home.

Now we're home and doing our best to get the hang of being parents....and trying to enjoy all the precious moments with our son! I can't believe how easily Griffin has fit into our lives. It feels like he was always meant to be here and it's hard to imagine life without him now.

Words can't describe how much I love BOTH the men in my life!

Baby Fitz

Here's a little update on Griffin....we're officially at 39 weeks and 1 day, so we're expecting his arrival any day now! At my last doctor's visit (last Tuesday), I was already 3.5 cm dilated and 80% effaced. I'm hoping that means labor will go fairly quickly if this little guy ever decides to come out....we'll see :)

Here are a couple of belly pics from this week:

This is the first baby for both our families, so I feel like everyone's on pins and needles, just waiting for his arrival. Come on Griff....we're ready to meet you :)

Baby Showers

Last month we were showered and showered and showered with blessings, gifts, encouragement and love for our little boy. Here are a few highlights from our amazing baby showers.

Shower #1: The first one was a blessings shower hosted by our sweet friends from church, the Safrans and the Smiths. This was a very special shower, with only the immediate family and our hosting friends. Everyone had the opportunity to offer their blessing, Scripture, prayer, or encouraging word for us and Baby Griffin. It was truly an unforgettable experience.....I'm amazed at how God has blessed us with such loving friends and family members.

Ryan's sister wrote a touching letter to her first nephew....not many dry eyes in the place after that :)

My dad gave Griffin the same children's Bible that his parents gave him many years ago.

Yummy food....complete with blue punch and Chick-Fil-A nuggets!

The Fitzhugh clan

Most of the Parkers (minus Amy, who's in Colorado this semester)

The mommas

Ryan and his sister Blair...talking smack about their upcoming 10k race.

Our amazing hosts - Jason & Jamie Smith and Jason & Lindsay Safran - we LOVE these guys!

Shower #2: A few weeks later I had a great lunch shower hosted by some friends and coworkers at the law firm. I'm sure going to miss these ladies since I've decided to stay home with little Griffin for a while....they have been sources of such encouragement and love.

My very good friend Mary

My assistant Staci made this beautiful diaper cake - isn't it adorable?!!

Shower #3: Then we had a beautiful shower hosted by sweet friends and family in Longview, where Ryan grew up and his parents still live. These ladies went above and beyond in decorating, preparing yummy food, and just being generous, thoughtful hostesses. Nothing they didn't think of....

Cute little personalized jelly bean favors

Adorable (and yummy) cupcakes

Sweet Griffin napkins

Isn't this a beautiful wreath?? Ryan's uncle carved the little "g" himself!

No doubt who's being showered by all this love and attention!

A close up of the blanket I knitted for Griffin's nursery....matching the shower's color scheme :)

Most of my sweet hostesses...these are truly talented ladies!

Our delicious beverage selections

So many gifts!!

Ryan came at the end of the shower....he's chatting with Lindy, a dear family friend, in this pic.

Lindy has always been Ryan's baseball buddy....she got this adorable baseball outfit for Griffin.

Beautiful photo album from the hostesses

A close up of the belly....about 34 weeks here!

Shower #4: The very next day, my sisters and close friends threw another shower in Dallas. They did such a wonderful job and made it such a special day for me (and baby Griffin)....he's one loved and spoiled little boy already!

Hostess with the mostest....my awesome sister Heather

Isn't that the cutest onesie you've ever seen??

My sweet friend, and former roomie, Katie made this adorable diaper cake!

My sweet grandmother...who gave us this awesome high chair!

The Parker/Jackson girls...Amy even flew in from Colorado to celebrate with us!

All my old Baylor roomies were able to make it...Paige (who flew in all the way from Florida), Mandy (who is due just 2 weeks after me drove in from San Antonio), and Katie K (one of the amazing hostesses)....love these girls!!!

Shower #5: Then some of our sweet friends from Baylor, Chris and Meredith Yount, hosted a Green & Gold themed shower for us. We had a great time celebrating with some of Ryan's old Chamber buddies....and we can't wait to add our little bear cub to the mix!

The Chamber lives on.....

Our hosts...the Younts

Shower #6: Finally, Ryan's office threw us a diaper shower....wow! What an outpouring of generosity.....I'm thinking we're set for diapers/wipes for quite a while.

Whew......needless to say, February was a whirlwind month for us. I'm so thankful that Griffin is already loved and supported by so many. I'd say we definitely have the whole village helping us raise this little guy :)

Let the baby countdown begin

I went to the doctor today for my 36 week checkup, which means our first check on little Griffin's ETA....drumroll please....so far I'm 1.5 cm. dilated and 30% effaced. We still have a long way to go, but things are definitely happening.

I thought this news might make me nervous...since our house is still a jumble of baby items, and, oh yeah...that whole labor thing I keep hearing about :) Surprisingly, the update just made me excited. This little guy is officially on his way. I don't think he would mind a messy house (especially since most of the mess is composed of things to make him happy, comfortable, safe, and generally pampered in every way...no pun intended). Plus, the labor issue still seems like a distant problem, so I don't really have to focus on it just yet :)

That's it for now...I still have tons to post about all our wonderful baby showers....maybe tomorrow?? Yes, definitely tomorrow...maybe...hey, it's a possibility.....

Long Overdue Post

Wow....does it seem like it's been ages since I've added a new post? That's probably because it has been. I'm starting to realize I'm a crappy excuse for a blogger. I mean some of you are updating weekly, if not daily. And I can't seem to manage more than one post per month (and sometimes not even that). Oh well...as Ryan would tell you, our family motto seems to be "better late than never". So even if most of you stopped checking this blog weeks ago, after being disappointed time after time, I'm going to attempt a fresh start. A little to late to be a New Year's resolution, but hey, this is where that family motto comes in handy...

First, a quick update on Baby Griffin. He's doing great...growing and moving all the time! Judging by the time he spends kicking and squirming in my ever-expanding belly, I think we may have quite an active child on our hands in a few months. Which may be a little unsettling for two of the most laid-back parents-to-be the world has ever seen. I mean, our idea of a crazy night out is dinner and a late movie (that's right, the 9pm showing folks), followed by some cuddle time on the couch, before falling asleep to the sound of 11 o'clock reruns of Seinfeld. What on earth will we do with a hyperactive little toddler?? Pray for us people....pray hard :)

This week, we had our 3D/4D sonogram session, which was even more fun because Ryan's parents, my parents and my sister Jen were able to join us. We are so blessed to have such loving families, and I have no doubt this little guy will be the most spoiled child ever known. We'll do our best to keep him "grounded" but with grandparents and aunts/uncles like these, I make no promises. Here are a few sonogram pics and a couple more of my belly (at 30 weeks):

As you might be able to tell, Griffin's already got some chubby little cheeks, and we even saw a double-chin in a few shots - I love chubby babies!

So there's your update....we're gearing up for baby showers (I told you this kid was loved) and I've almost got the nursery completed. Plus, some dear friends of ours gave us a "blessings" shower, which was so special, so I've got plenty of material left for future updates. Check back soon...I'll do my best to post again in the next few days.

December Celebrations

Is it just me, or does the entire month of December seem to fly by quicker each year? This month we celebrated my 29th birthday (the first of many 29th birthdays, I'm sure) by taking a quick "staycation" to the Plano/Frisco area. Each year Ryan's birthday, my birthday and our anniversary come around in the same 4-week period. To adequately celebrate all those momentous occasions, we started planning mini getaways each year....it's been a fun tradition that I hope we'll always continue.

Year 1, we stayed at Southlake Towne Square in the new Hilton and managed to get all our Christmas shopping done in one weekend.

Year 2, we tried out our posh Dallas personas, staying at the ZaZa Hotel in Uptown, riding the old-fashioned street cars, visiting the King Tut exhibit, and eating at a few of the many hoity-toity restaurants in the area.

This year was a little more low-key....we stayed at the Marriott in the Shoppes at Legacy (where the whole wedding party also stayed the weekend of our wedding), ate yummy Campisi's pizza and Original Pancake House goodies, and shopped our feet off at Willow Bend Mall. All in all, a great weekend with the hubby! Who knows how this tradition might evolve as we add Baby Griffin to the mix next year :)

That reminds me, I don't think we've announced it to the cyberworld yet, but we decided to name our little boy GRIFFIN THOMAS (Ryan's Poppa, who passed away this summer, and my dad are both named Tommy, so we loved Thomas for a middle name). We announced the name to our families at Thanksgiving, getting my family to play a game of hangman to guess the name, and having Ryan's family do a little word unscramble with puzzle pieces. It was a lot of fun for everyone, and I think we may have started a new naming tradition for the fams.

Little Griffin is doing great...moving around all the time and getting bigger every day. I'll post another belly pic soon, so everyone can see just how much we've grown :)

We've also been gearing up for Christmas at our house...and thinking about how different things will be this time next year. I can't wait to add our little guy to the festivities! I've always loved Christmas, and I can only imagine the new wonders I will see as I experience this blessed season through a child's eyes.

One more major celebration to add to the mix....my sisters, Jennifer and Amy, BOTH graduated from Baylor last weekend!!! What a huge accomplishment! We all headed to Waco to celebrate with them (before Ryan and I continued south to Houston for a friend's wedding), and cheered our hearts out as they walked across that stage. I hope they both know how proud of them we are....Ryan's been a part of the girls' lives since they were in middle school, so I think he's been looking forward to this occasion as much as I have. We loved our time at Baylor and I'm so glad all my sisters got to experience the same thing. Jen & Amy, we love you and can't wait to see what God has in store for you.