Just Playing Around...

A First

Our first Christmas Eve as a family!Griff's first Christmas morning...

Jose's first pea coat!

The men in the family.

The Fog...

When I think back over the last two weeks, things are a little bit foggy. I can't even really begin to find words to describe all that I've learned and felt. Utter joy and exhaustion...yes. But, there's so much more. What I do know for sure is that this time has been made easier with the support and kindness of our friends and family. I want to sincerely thank everyone who made and delivered meals for us and stopped by to share in our excitement.

My parents graciously spent nearly a week here in Denver taking care of just about everything, so Jose and I could just take care of Griff. They made our meals, cleaned our house, went grocery shopping, and showered our little guy with so much love.

I know that there are many challenges and joys ahead of us. And, I know that you will continue to be our true support system. Right now I feel that I cannot fully express my gratitude or the warmth in my heart as I think about the community in which our sweet son will grow up.

It's been one week

Happy Birth Day!

12.03.09

12:07 pm

We are so thrilled to welcome to the world Griffin Isaac Guzman!

A strong and healthy 8 lbs, 6 oz and 20 in.

What a Beauty

Not too bad for my first turkey ever! And, my first holiday hosting! A nice, relaxing Thanksgiving...

For Court

37 weeks!

It's raining onesies and wipes!

Preparing for the birth of a baby is a truly unique experience--the clothes, the books, the diapers, the classes! Not long ago we were celebrating our wedding...attending bridal showers and writing seemingly endless thank you notes. Bridal showers are unavoidably self-centered, but still full of celebration and love. Baby showers don't have the same feeling.

As I sat at the couch at the Guzman's house in Pueblo, I became aware of the eager anticipation for a new member of the family. I was awash in the entire family's love and tenderness toward Jose, which was overflowing in my direction because of this little one I'm carrying. It was a joy to hear about what a wonderful father my husband would be, how curious (or certain) everyone is about the gender of our baby, and how genuinely excited each family member and friend is to meet our child. While I appreciated everyone's generosity with all of the adorable baby gifts and my mother-in-law's incredible hospitality in hosting, I was more thankful for the lightness in my heart at the end of the shower. Our child will be born into a world where he or she will be welcomed by numerous helping hands, loving arms, and joyful voices. There is little more that I could hope for.
(Most photos are courtesy of Jose!)

Dracula strikes again!

After receiving a homemade cape from his mom, Jose decided that Dracula is meant to be his regular Halloween costume. This year, the gloves and bow tie were added to the look. Scary, huh?
Not only did Jose go all out for the costume, but also became a bit of a jack-o-lantern expert. After getting a few carving tips from a professional carver at our church, he bought a pumpkin carving kit and was ready to go. By the end of our little training session at church, Jose even had a few tips for the expert, of course.

A Few Flurries

Furious Snow...

I rarely get truly angry. Today I was mad. M.A.D. As I turned channel 7 on this morning, I was hoping for the news that we would be having a snow day. As the list of schools scrolled across the screen, I was certain that my district would be next...Douglas County--cancelled...Jefferson County--cancelled...Littleton Public Schools--30 minute delay. What?! I did yell at the television.

Of course, we all enjoy a day off from time to time. But, the reason that I was truly upset was that it was dangerous for us to drive to school. And, an hour after school began, they decided to send all of our middle schoolers and high schoolers home for the day because the roads were continuing to get worse and worse. Why didn't they send the elementary school students home? It all comes down to day care. While I understand the conundrum that an early release presents to working parents, the partial early release truly turned our classrooms into day care. All of the students in my classroom with siblings in middle school or high school were picked up early from school. So, as half of my class rode safely home with their parents, the rest of my class had to be occupied...clearly I couldn't move on to new material. I would need to reteach it all the next day. So, we basically hung out, silently read and did fun (non-academic) activities. I kept a smile on my face, but my blood did boil. Isn't the safety of all of the school's staff and students more important than a half-day inconvenience?

Boo!

Baby Moon

Knowing I was dying to get away, my sweet husband planned us a night at the Alps in beautiful Boulder Canyon. With all of the baby clothes to wash, carpets to deep clean, and rooms to organize, we needed a night to just relax. So, we sent Ike to the kennel, packed an overnight bag, and headed up to Boulder. It was delightful to tuck in to a cozy room with a new book and escape. I can't help but think of little Lucy Pevensie escaping into the wardrobe within the house where they were staying, traveling into an entirely new world just steps away. I felt a bit like Lucy as we took the short drive to Boulder, feeling that we were truly on vacation. A shift in state of mind is sometimes all it takes to travel more than a step away.

Skippy and Muffy

One of my mom's favorite activities of all time is "cute-ifying" a new space. I knew that when my parents came to Denver to help us set up our nursery, we would end up with an absolutely adorable room. It was exactly what I had hoped for...a fun weekend of quality time with my parents and husband with a lot of jobs completed. So, thanks, Skippy and Muffy, for the time, the back-ache inducing work, and above-all the company. Our little one will have many nights filled with sweet dreams in a room that was a labor of love.