Baby Lila---23 Weeks

I'm 23 weeks!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 23 Weeks

Size of baby: Lila is the size of a mango.

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants but everything else is regular.

Gender: It's a girl!!! Lila Elizabeth Stepter

Movement: I've been feeling the baby a lot more lately especially when I slow down at night!

Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty good!

What I miss: Nothing really - maybe sleeping flat on my back 

Cravings: Taco Bueno party burritos and Watermelon Slurpees

Best Moment this week: Looking at clothes for Lila. Too many choices!

Griffen---12 Months

I'm way behind on our blog so my goal is to catch up the next few days.

Griffen turned a year on December 14th. Can't believe my little man is a year and changing everyday right before our eyes. God has blessed us with such a great year with our little man. I've been so blessed to be able to stay home this year and see all the big milestones that Griffen has reached, from crawling to walking, I've been able to see it all. Even through the challenging days when I want to pull my hair out, Griffen always seems to have a smile or a kiss to share.

12 Month Stats:

20 pounds 15 oz.---30th percentile

30 inches tall---60th percentile

-6 teeth (4 on top, 2 on bottom)
-taking 4 bottles a day and 3 meals a day

-will eat pretty much anything now. We even found out he likes ranch dressing, just like his mom!

-sleeping 12 hours at night

-two naps a day, usually around 1 1/2 -2 hours each

-started walking 3 days after he turned 1

-loves to throw his arms out when you say "uh-oh"

-loves to chase Gucci around

-getting faster at walking everyday!

-still not to sure about the sippy cup

-LOVES puppets

-enjoys pushing his lion walker around even though he can walk

-loves being read to

-still gives slobbery open-mouth kisses

-enjoys snuggling more now

-into everything!

-is the happiest, most vocal little man I know!

This is his new swing from his birthday....we haven't had a chance to hang it yet but he doesn't seem to mind. He likes Daddy to pull him around in it like a sled.

 Our little walker!

 Loves his "little people" sets.

 His version of "uh-oh"

 Enamored by any and every Christmas tree that he saw this year.

 Can throw a good fit. So dramatic!

 Our little Santa!



Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Stepter Family. Pray that God blesses you with joy and happiness in thenew year!

--Scott, Rebecca, Griffen & Baby Lila (April 2011)

It's all in the details!

Just for my record and memory.....here are pics of all the little details of Griffen's party that I made. Most evreything was made from scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, or tissue paper. I tried to keep the party as cost effective but CUTE as possible, which is always a goal on one income.

Here's the cupcake table....I made the tissue paper pom poms. So fun and easy to make! Definitely something that I will do again. I also hung his monthly pics with his teddy bear above the table. Instead of a cupcake stand, I covered boxes with wrapping paper.

His birthday pic from JcPenney---his first experience with a cake. He hated it! I ordered the "1st birthday" plates after combing through tons of sites for the best deals.

The cupcake toppers were from scrapbook paper and the use of my friends cricut machine. So easy! Thanks Brandy!

The guest tables.

The little kids snacks. Of course, everything had to start with G! The big "kids" had 6 foot long sub. sandwiches and chips.

For favors, I made m&m cookies for everyone and then added gumballs to the bags too.

My dad made me pose by my handiwork. :-)

I asked the guests to sign a scrapbook page that I will add to Griffen's scrapbook to remember the day.

The birthday banner, once again made by my friend's cricut. Didn't really show up well in pics.

The throne for the little man! Mom and I made the bib and shirt. His shirt had a "G" on it and the bib had a "1" on it.

Such a fun day! The inner "self-proclaimed" party planner came out throughout the planning process. Love it!

Party Time!

Griffen's birthday party was so much fun. From the start to finish of planning, I enjoyed every minute. Let me rephrase that before Scott knocks me upside the head, I enjoyed every part of planning other than the piles everywhere of the things I'd made! :-)

The theme for the party was "G is for Griffen." The teacher in me definitely came out in so many of the details. Scott came up with a poem for the invitations that created the scene for the party.

Griffen, gumballs and gummy bears too,

Are part of the party waiting for you.

The letter "G" is the theme for our scene,

With friends and family all wearing green.

So don't miss out on the fun...

Come help us celebrate

Griffen turning one!

We had the party at Scott's parents' neighborhood clubhouse. So nice to have a blank slate to decorate and run around in and know the kids wouldn't break anything! :-)

I hung his monthly pics with his teddy bear above the cupcake table...It was so amazing to see how he grew. You could really tell a difference starting around 6 months.---Mom made the cupcakes! They were so yummy.

All smiles before I try to feed him his cupcake!

Sweet birthday boy about to eat his cupcake....After 2 tries with sugary cakes, I've realized that this sweet child doesn't like sweet stuff yet. Oh well. Can't really complain! He just spits it right out. :-)

These are all of Griffen's little friends. They range from 16 months to 9 months. So fun to have such sweet friends with such sweet little ones surrounding us all at the same stage of life.

Precious and Papa with the Birthday Boy.

Grammy and Grampie with the Birthday Boy.

Griffen's Great Grandmother-Grannie- So fun to have her living close now.

Happy birthday little man!