Does he have the best smile or what? Debbie snapped this picture this week and I thought it was awesome!  This was a really busy week filled with several activities beginning with celebrating Kevin’s 47th birthday on Tuesday. Griffin had his last soccer class of this session and we rushed home to host friends and family for Kevin’s birthday, on his actual birthday this year! I went the super-easy-no-stress route of buying some of the pre-made meal items from Costco which made for a tasty and easy dinner! We had pasta with sausage in a lemon wine sauce, chicken alfredo, spinach salad, quinoa salad and a ginormous and delicious chocolate cake! The Bethunes, Vertuccis, Ackermans and part of the Howard clan joined us this year. Reid was awake for the arrival of the first few guests and then he was off to bed for the night by 7 pm, which is actually pretty late for him.

Griffin had a fun week at home and school making a lot of art projects. He’s enjoying feeding Reid and being a big brother, in general. I love to see how he loves on his brother and wants to teach him things. This week he was teaching him about music.  Each year on a really cold and snowy day Debbie brings snow inside and Griffin and Sam play on the blue rug.  I love seeing the traditions continue.  Griffin is really loving hot cocoa this year. And since it is really difficult to get him to drink much milk, I’ve resorted to treating him to hot cocoa both to get some milk in him and also just because it’s a fun thing we do together. Here he is after a mug 🙂  Oh, and of course it’s almost as much about the marshmallows as it is the hot cocoa.  On Thursday we went to a Columbus Blue Jackets game with Mom, Dad, Amy, Andy, Graham, Rowan, and Greta.  Graham’s hockey team got to play out on the ice between the first and second period – and Graham scored his first ever goal. They announced his name with the goal – what a treat! Reid was a trooper and slept through most of it other than a short stint of being awake (and fortunately we snapped a few picks) and then at the end of the game he got kind of cranky! On Friday I was at work and Debbie called me about 3:30 to say that Reid was throwing up and he just didn’t seem himself. I freaked out and quickly called the doctor and got an appointment within 30 minutes. During that time I talked to Debbie at least once more and Reid continued to get sick. I had her pack Reid, Griffin and Sam into the van and meet me at the doctors office. I flew out of work so fast! I was really nervous moreso by him not acting like himself.  Just before Debbie called me Reid woke up from a nap and was screaming/crying and seemed upset so she went right in and discovered that he’d vomited in his bed and was all over his sheet. She picked him up and took him into the bathroom and called me and while we were talking he puked all over the floor. I felt so helpless! When I met them at the doctors office she had him out of his carseat and was holding him, so she handed him to me and shortly after he started heaving and puking more.  He had puked on the way their more also. Poor guy he just looked terrible with a pale face and pink skin around his eyes. The puke at this point was just slobber/saliva as he had nothing left. The doctor checked him out: took all of his vitals (he was down 5 ounces from his well check but had a normal temp), looked at his ears and eyes, in his mouth, felt his belly and so on. He didn’t vomit the entire time she was in checking him out. We talked about all kinds of things and she thinks it is most likely a virus. Debbie asked about the breastmilk (it left an uncommon film on the bottle and had a grainy-ness to it) and we also mentioned that he had oatmeal cereal for the first time at lunch that day. She didn’t think that it would be from the oatmeal.  We talked about giving him some pedialyte and keeping an eye on his wet diapers to know that he is staying hydrated. Really, there isn’t much else to do. After she left the room I was getting ready to put him in to his car seat and he puked again all over the floor. That, however, was the last time he threw up. When we got home Jim and Pat were waiting as Kevin and I had long planned to go on a date night to the Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith Christmas concert at Nationwide Arena. Reid seemed ok and had a good appetite as he nursed well. I put him to bed and Kevin got the video monitor setup on our tablet. We decided to head out to the concert even though the circumstances weren’t great and we would barely make it on time. I’m glad we went as I really enjoyed hearing so many of my favorite songs that to me just represent Christmas. I’ve posted some videos at the end – be sure you check them out, especially Jordan Smith. His voice is a true gift!  The weird part about Reid’s vomiting is the last time he puked was before we left the doctor office. He slept well that night and woke up like this the next morning! A happy guy and just like nothing had even happened! I, however, had slept on the floor of his room that night just to be able to easily check on him. Though the floor wasn’t super comfy I felt better being able to hear him during the night!Our sweet Lily girl isn’t allowed up on our new couch so she frequently lays here on the floor. I feel kinda bad, but at least there is now a carpet on the floor and a comfy dog bed nearby.  I love that I can watch Griffin from upstairs in our bathroom. He just really likes to explore and play outside independently. Sometimes with Brutus and sometimes without as Brutus sometimes ends up taking his toys and running away with them. Or he picks them up and won’t let them go! This moment though was so cute when I found them walking alongside each other from the deep backyard to the back door.  Griffin and I occasionally stop for a sweet treat together at Starbucks. He was pretty happy with his choice on this day. Those cheeks. This view always takes me back to the ultrasound pictures of Reid. I would always see his profile and think “who’s baby is this?!”.  So blessed that he is ours.  In other fun news, Griffin and Reid received letters from Santa this week! What fun it was to read through them and learn about the happenings at the north pole.  On Sunday we took Griffin on a date to see the Nutcracker. We began with a scrumptious dinner at Cap City, followed by a ginormous piece of chocolate cake and a milkshake.  Yummers! We met up with the Bethune’s at the Nutcracker but I failed to take a single group photo! The picture of Griffin on the steps makes him look so grown up!