"I Want You To Hit Me As Hard As You Can."

Alright Griffin, I know you have probably heard Tyler Durden say this one or two times while you have been hanging out inside my tummy, but you didn't need to take him literally. Starting a fight club in the womb is not okay with Mommy. Yet here we are, me with a sore rib cage and you with fists of steel and the beginnings of Project Mayhem on your mind.

All kidding aside, this boy is getting big. I feel like I say that all the time, but I marvel at how even a few days can change how you feel this baby. All of a sudden, you can tell things you couldn't tell before. You feel him when you wouldn't before. And now I am getting punched and kicked at the same time on different sides of my belly.

Griffin, your Auntie Steffie is moving out this weekend and making space for your new nursery! Just wait, this room is going to be so cool you won't know what to do with yourself. I'll post pictures as we go. All I can say is that the next month is going to be VERY FUN for me. Our nursery theme is "World Adventures". Not just Safari....ADVENTURES OF THE WORLD. GET EXCITED.

Just over three months to go. I can't even believe it. And that time is going to go by so fast. I can't wait to meet this little monster; I want to hold him and squeeze him so badly. And so many people are eager to meet him. He is going to be one popular family member for awhile. For those of you that don't know, this is the first grandchild on both sides of the family, also making it the first great-grandchild. First niece/nephew. Which is very exciting for everyone involved.

Enjoy the new playlist. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot is one of my favorites :). Stef hates it.

24 Weeks Along

Well it turns out that I do not regret announcing the name early. This week has been so wonderful with people sharing their love for the name or asking how Griffin is doing. Hearing people refer to him by his name makes me smile so much. I really appreciate all of the love and support I have felt this whole time.

24 weeks was another milestone for me...if anything were to happen and Griffin needed to be born early, he could still survive with intensive care. I have no reason to believe such a thing would happen, but it's one of those things you think about and are grateful to keep in mind.

Griffin and Indy have started interacting with each other, strangely enough. When Indy is not crazy, I'll lay him on my tummy and rub his ears. Indy's heartbeat is so strong through his chest that when he lays on my tummy, Griffin can totally hear/feel it. He'll start kicking and squirming in response. Indy doesn't notice yet, but I think he'll probably hate it when Griffin finally lands a kick square in Indy's tummy :).

113 days to go!

Let the trumpets sound, he has a name!!

This name couldn't be any better.

Wanna know our reasons for loving this name? I feel the need to tell you because when I pick a name, I have to research it like a crazy person. I can't just pick one because it sounds good. And this name is FULL of meaning.

Reason #1) Because it is utterly cool. And adorable. We just love the way it sounds. Possible nicknames: Griff, Finn, or as Stef is already calling him, Griffle Monster and Griffle Bottoms.

The following reasons have to do with Griffins as a symbol in history, not in the origin of the name:

Reason #2) Griffins have so much history in mythology and medieval legend (this may sound weird, but just wait, I think it's so adventurous). They are a fierce creature with the foreparts of an eagle and the hindquarters of a lion. It is a legendary creature that was once thought to be the king of all creatures. It was thought to be especially powerful and a majestic creature. (I really liked having a strong name because it was such a struggle to get this little boy here)

Reason #3) When people thought Griffins really existed, the lore was that Griffins mated for life. If their mate died,then the other would continue throughout the rest of its life alone, never to search for a new mate. (I love this)

Reason #4) They are the historical protectors of treasure!! Many museums around the world have griffins carved on top of the building because of this very reason. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! could this be any COOLER!!??)

Reason #5) In antiquity they were considered a guardian of the divine and the protector of life.

Reason #6) In heraldry, the griffin's amalgamation of lion and eagle gains in courage and boldness, and it is always drawn to powerful fierce monsters (cool!). It is used to denote strength and military courage and leadership. Griffins are portrayed with a lion's body, an eagle's head, long ears, and an eagle's claws, to indicate that one must combine intelligence and strength. Also a virtuous creature.

So there you go....a great name for our special little boy. We'll wait to announce the full name when he is born (for those who need us to preserve some sort of surprise :). )

Little Baby J, this one's just for you....

We named you tonight. And it's so perfectly you. After choosing it, you kicked and moved more than Caleb and I have ever felt, so I am going to assume you like it as much as we do.

Love you.

23 Weeks

Doctor appointment today....my blood pressure is very good, weight is still good, and most importantly, my little boy's heartbeat was very strong. The nurse was looking for it for a little bit because our heartbeat's were overlapping, and then she got his and it came through the speaker so loud she jumped a little. THA-THUMP, THA-THUMP, THA-THUMP!! Baby, you are one loud boy already. So this checkup went well, Mom and Baby given a clean bill of health, hurray!

Also a recent development, I have become a Craigslist maniac. Scouring any new posting for the cutest items at the lowest prices, I have acquired some very adorable baby gear. Caleb is getting a little tired of my texts..."Hey, can you stop in Waunakee on the way home for a mobile? And then maybe on the west side of Madison for a high chair?" He has been very good about it, though. Now that I have everything I was planning on getting used, I have to turn off this craziness. For those of you Craigslisters out there, you know how hard this can be....."Can't I just check....maybe there's an even BETTER deal than the one I already found! Just let me see!!". But I quit cold turkey two days ago and am doing much better now. :)

We are getting closer and closer to deciding on a name and will probably be announcing it before the little guy is here. We desperately want this little one to have a name because he means so much to us. It's amazing how many people have strong opinions on this...I just want to name my little boy and share that personal joy with everyone!! This has nothing to do with impatience, and everything to do with developing our relationship with this little boy, and also with the community around him that already loves him so much.

And as for this little boy, he is kicking my insides. I love it. I've been feeling it for over a month now, and this last week, Caleb finally felt his first kicks. We just sat there and Caleb would go "Was that it?" and I'd smile and nod, and then we'd just laugh and laugh as this little one kept karate chopping Caleb's hand.

Gosh this kid is going to make a great Treasure Hunter. :)