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Let’s go back a few weeks and pretend that my little Griffin is only one month old. Because really, one month is old enough. What is up with my baby already being six weeks old today?? I love how Griffin already seems like such a part of the family. I love that I can hardly remember what life was like without him. I love watching Levi’s love for his baby brother grow. But seriously…this little guy needs to stop growing up so fast!
My mom is making Griffin a baby quilt. I was a little slow at ordering the fabric…it is so hard to choose! But the fabric is here and my mom has the quilt all cut out now. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
I also had a really hard time deciding how I wanted to take Griffin’s monthly pictures. There are so many creative ideas out there! Can you tell that decision making is not one of my strengths?? Anyway, I pinned a few of my favorites on my Pinterest board…you can check them out here. I finally decided that it would be fun to take Griffin’s pictures on the quilt my mom is making. I was inspired by these monthly pictures:
She is taking each monthly picture of her baby boy on a different quilt. So cute…I love that idea. Unfortunately I don’t have that many quilts…wouldn’t that be awesome to have twelve beautiful quilts?? Griffin’s pictures will all be taken on the quilt Grammy is making…which will be awesome too. There is just one problem…the quilt isn’t done and Griffin is already one month old. So, I had to be a little creative and lay all the fabric out to look “quilt-ish” for this first picture. Hopefully by month two the quilt will be done!
What do you think? Should Griffin’s monthly pictures be taken in a onsie or just in his diaper? Guess what…I couldn’t decide, so I just took them both ways. I can decide next month, right? 🙂
Here is baby brother at one month:
Sweet Griffin,
I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t so sure about having a house full of boys. But now that you are here I can’t imagine life any other way. You are such a sweet, laid back baby. I thought your big sister and brother were pretty easy babies, but you definitely win the prize. You eat well, sleep well, and hardly ever cry (that is changing a little at six weeks!). And just like your sister and brother you are gaining weight like a champ. I guess Mac babies have to be chunky! At one month you you weigh 11 pounds, 8 ounces. You are wearing 0-3 month clothes and size 1 diapers. Your big brother can hardly wait until you can wrestle with him…I am sure that will happen all too soon!
You have cracked one little smile at me and your daddy. We were laying in bed late one night and you were wide awake. I asked you if you were going to stay awake all night and you gave us a little smile. I can’t wait to see you smile for the first time at your brother. He loves you and always wants to know where you are the minute he wakes up in the morning. I hope you guys will grow up to be best friends.
I can’t believe how much you look like your big sissy at times. It catches me off guard. Of course you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God and completely unique. You are the only one like you. But, what a gift to see glimpses of your sister in you. She continues to be such a big part of our family…even in her little brother’s life.
We love you so much Griffin! Now that you are here, my hands are always full and I am always busy and tired. I love it that way. What a privilege it is to be your mama. I can’t imagine life without you…and I can’t wait to see what you are doing next month!
Love, Mama
A few of my favorite newborn pictures.
Griffin James…nine days old.
Baby Mac #3.
How can he be almost six weeks old already??
Happy Monday!
Two boys on an airplane…yikes!
Last weekend my cousin got married in Arizona. Before Griffin was born I booked our tickets. Joel couldn’t come because this is his busiest time of year on the farm. But my sister agreed to travel with me so I thought I could handle it. By the time we got the two little boys along with two car seats, two strollers, and our bags on the plane I was wondering if it had been a good idea to go. The boys did awesome though…such good little travelers. And of course I couldn’t have done it without my sister along.
We stayed with my cousins on the other side of the family who happen to live in Phoenix too. They were fabulous hostesses. Thanks Andrew and Sarah!
Here we are before the wedding all dressed up and ready to go. It was hot in Phoenix…in the 90’s. It didn’t feel like fall at all!
My cousin Amy looked gorgeous and the wedding was beautiful. I wish I would have taken more pictures. Here she is walking down the isle with her daddy.
And this was the best picture I got of the happy bride and groom….
because I spent the rest of the wedding way back here trying to keep my two boys quiet. It seemed like my hands were always full…either feeding my baby or chasing my other baby. But I was so glad we got to be there to help my cousin and her new husband celebrate their special day. Congratulations Amy and John!
Even though I didn’t take many pictures at the wedding, I did manage to snap a few other important ones on my phone. Like eating at Chick-fil-a…yum. And my first trip to H&M. I found out their clothes weren’t really made for mama’s who just had a baby. They looked super cute on my tall, skinny sister though. And I did manage to find a cute coat that fit, so I didn’t walk away empty handed.
On the trip home the stewardess was so nice and told us to take an extra seat for each of the boys so that they wouldn’t have to sit on our laps. It was awesome…especially for my sister because a certain very active little boy was the one sitting on her lap. So Griffin had his own seat to snooze away on and Levi had his own seat to play away on. Perfect. I was so tired by the time we got home. These boys wear a mama out!
The rest of the week… The rest of the week we have just been trying to catch up and recover from the trip. Levi has been making messes and Griffin has been super baby. These boys keep me busy…and I love it.
To answer a few questions…
I am so, so behind on responding to emails. Sorry. Someday maybe I will catch up. In the meantime, I thought I might answer a few questions that keep coming up lately…
Will you be posting any pictures of Griffin’s nursery?
Of course! Decorating Griffin’s nursery has kind of come to a standstill since he was born. Joel has been so busy with work, but that should be slowing down in the next week or two. And we will have to get that crib done before Griffin grows out of the bassinet…at the rate he is growing that will be soon. I promise he won’t be 15 months old before I post pictures!!
How did you come up with Griffin’s name?
I will be posting on that soon.
Where did you get the bedding from the Green Eggs and Ham post?
Is this a preview of Griffin’s nursery?
The red striped duvet cover is from IKEA.
The blue/white polka dot sheets are from TJMaxx several years ago. They are made by Ralph Lauren.
And yes, this bed will be in Griffin’s nursery.
Did you make the pillow on the bench in the Seriously Spoiled post?
No. It’s from Target.
What camera/lenses to you use?
How do you edit your photos?
Canon 50d
Canon 50mm f/1.4 (this lens is my favorite)
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
I do a little bit of editing in iPhoto, but that’s it. I don’t have any great photography tips…I am still learning a lot. I just enjoy taking pictures of my kiddos! I highly recommend Ashley Ann’s online SnapShop course if you are wanting to learn more about photography. It is awesome!
How do I find you on Pinterest?
Instagram?
My username on Pinterest is Jess McClenahan.
On Instagram you can find me under jessmcclenahan.
Where do you buy your fabric online?
Most of my fabric I buy online from these two sites:
If I am looking for something specific sometimes I look on Etsy too.
The Plum District deal…
If you were wanting an Erin Condren planner (or something else from her site) and didn’t purchase your Plum deal yet…your procrastinating paid off! I got an email today that said you can get an extra 30% off through Monday. Just enter the code spooky30 at checkout. That means you can get a $50 gift card to Erin Condren for $17.50. I think the Erin Condren deal ends tonight?? So, hurry! Go here to sign up for your Erin Condren Plum Deal.
Hope you have a great weekend! I have lots of posts lined up for next week and some giveaways coming soon too.
I’m linking up with Life Rearranged (for the Instagram part of this post).
Levi loves to read. Lucky for him, his mama loves to read children’s books too…except when I have to read the same book ten times in a row. I don’t so much love that. Thankfully, Levi sometimes likes to “read” to himself sometimes too.
Lately he has started coming up with his own titles for all of his favorite books. He likes to read the “dog book” and “tractor book” and “farm book” and “baby brother book”…there are so many more. He named Green Eggs and Ham the “Sam book”. Cute. It is definitely one of his favorites and definitely not one of his dad’s favorites. Don’t worry Levi, I like it too.
Levi was super excited the day we got out Griffin’s new “Sam” clothes. He had the biggest smile on his face when I told him Griffin’s shirt was just like his Sam book.
So we got out Levi’s Sam book and he read it to Griffin in his Sam outfit.
He read it over and over and over. And then he wanted me to read it over and over and over.
I may need to get Levi his own Sam shirt someday. Thanks B family for Griffin’s cute outfit. We all love it…especially Levi!
Green Eggs and Ham onesie and pants from a local baby boutique – The Healthy Baby Boutique
I have always loved planners. Back when I was in school I loved school supply shopping and starting the year off with a brand new planner…that and a new box of crayons. It was the best. A few weeks ago Julie posted a picture of her new planner on Instagram. It was from Erin Condren. I had never heard of her but was instantly in love with the fun, bright designs. I clicked over to check it out and knew I had to have one. But the $50 price was a little much for me…even for an awesome planner. So today when I was checking my email I almost jumped up and down in excitement when I saw the Plum Deal: $25 for $50 worth of personalized Erin Condren Holiday Photo Cards, Calendars, Custom Labels, and More… Woo-hoo!! Half off. Can you believe it? I started looking around the website a little more and there are so many other awesome products. Here are a few of my favorites… ![]() ![]() {This is what I will be buying!}
![]() ![]() {Perfect for making lists}
![]() ![]() {A little note…great for gift giving}
![]() ![]() {I would have loved this when I was teaching}
So, I will be adding that pretty planner into my cart for half off. Awesome. I may even pick up a few Christmas gifts…but that would be very unlike me to be Christmas shopping before December! Who knows, maybe my new planner will turn me into an organized and prepared kind of girl. One can only hope. And even if it doesn’t…at least my planner will be pretty. 🙂
Go sign up for your Erin Condren Plum Deal here. Don’t forget if you are signing up for Plum District for the first time you get $5 off…just for signing up. That would make it an even better deal!
And one more thing…I saw on Julie’s blog today that you can get another 15% off your Erin Condren purchase by using the code FABULOUS at checkout. Thanks for sharing about your pretty planner Julie! I can’t wait to get mine.
Okay, go quick! This deal only lasts one day.
Disclosure: referral link used
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Aimee - What an adorable photo idea, and a beautiful tribute the first month of a beautiful boy!
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LauraD - How precious! I just know that quilt is going to be beautiful. I like both the pictures of him in a onesie and him in only a diaper. The only thing I would point out is that you can tell he has on a wet diaper because of the Pampers strip that turns green when there is pee. I think it’s actually cute, but you might not want it in all the monthly pictures. Just a thought. I think your two boys are as handsome as they can be and I love reading your posts!
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AllTheKingsBlessings - All your babies are absolutely beautiful. I love that God added a little “dash” of Cora in your boy! I love the quilt idea. I love him in a onesie and just in a diaper too. We get to see his darling rolls of baby chubbiness that way!
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Mindy M. Harris - eeeeeeeeeee! i really can’t handle how beautiful your babies are! such pretty coloring…take them in diapee only. so we can see all the little rolls. hehe!
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Lori Mercer - LOVE what you are doing monthly with Griffin! I’ve been doing a very similar photo project with my niece this year (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150418061250657.623238.394906925656&type=3). Be sure to plan ahead when he starts wanting to sit instead of lie down for you! That’s when it really becomes a challenge. I was hoping to get a year of laying down shots but after 6 months she said “No way!” Now we are to the 10th month and even sitting is becoming a challenge. My girl is on the go and wants to stand! Just something to think about as you plan ahead! 🙂
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This Farm Family's Life - What a gorgeous post!!! Love the quilt idea! I love your decorating style so I am following you on Pinterest now!!!
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Stef - Jess, he is SO cute!
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Sarah - He’s so adorable!!
Can’t believe it’s been 6 weeks. Wow.
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Julie - Gorgeous baby Griffin! Love your pictures how ever you take them.
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Natalie S - I like the pictures with just the diaper on…so cute to see his little chunky monkey body!
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Meggie - So sweet! He is precious and I love the idea of his monthly pictures. We’ve decided to do monthly pictures of Austin by a stuffed animal lion. =)
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Maria - I don’t know you in real life:) but have seen pictures on your blog of you and your husband. Little Griffin looks just like his daddy!!! Will you call him Fin for a nickname?
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Toni :O) - Yay! Happy 1 month Birthday to your precious wee one! Love all the pictures, especially in a diaper-adorable!! The quilt will look beautiful I’m sure! God bless!
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Laura - Jess,
I love the colors of fabric for Griffins quilt. I wish I would have thought of those colors. I love them!! I like Griffins pictures with the onesis, because your eye is drawn to his face as well as the quilt.
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L ~ S - Stinkin adorable!!! I do my photos in onsie and diaper…I like to see his rolls :p
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Barb - Oh my goodness…you have the most beautiful babies!! With or without his onesie…you can’t go wrong either way. Griffin and Levi have such sturdy, little boy bodies…so fearfully and wonderfully made by God!!
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Barb - All of your babies are absolutely beautiful!! With or without the onesie..you can’t possibly go wrong either way. Levi and Griffin have such sturdy, little boy bodies…so fearfully and wonderfully made by God. By the way, I like the idea of ONE quilt..I think it shows how much they have grown to see them on the same one each time. And Griffin’s quilt is going to be stunning!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful family with us.
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Brittny - What a sweet idea! I didn’t do anything like this with my kiddos and wish I had. Your children are so beautiful! I love following your blog. I just started working on my first quilt and had the hardest time picking out fabrics. Where did you find those and how did you pick them?
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Carly Winborne - with each post, this baby becomes more and more delicious! you have absolutely gorgeous children. love the improvised quilt, that’s a fantastic idea!
PS: interesting, but not coincidental, i’m sure, the word verification on leaving this comment is “bless”. i pray your day is certainly blessed.
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Aja - I love the quilt idea! And the fabrics you chose- it’s going to be gorgeous! I vote diaper only so we can see his chubby rolls! I love those baby rolls 🙂
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American Mamma - I love the idea of the photos on the quilt. I should have another baby so I can do that. I saw a great idea on Martha Stewart of dressing the baby in a size 12 mo onesie every month to see him grow into it.
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Becky - My son is almost 23 months old, and every month on the 3rd, I’ve taken his picture (with a sign!). I love it, even though some months are harder than others to get a few good shots! It’s worth it, and so much better than having the professional ones taken every 3 months as babies (did that, too, but they can’t compare!). Life gets harder with 2 kids (so I’ve heard) so stick with it!
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Lane - He is precious!!! And I can’t wait to see the quilt. Those are awesome fabrics!
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julia - These pictures make me want another baby!
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Maria - I took my first daughter’s monthly pics on her quilt every month. I always put her feet at the very bottom so
We could see by looking at the squares how much she’d grown. It was nice to see her on the blanket she loved so much. She’s 9 now and uses her blanket for her dolls now…
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Aubre and Gary - I love the monthly pictures in the diaper…..you can’t beat that beautiful baby skin! Love the quilt colors, I wish I was that crafty! Your letter to Griffin made me cry, beautiful. He is precious!
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The Rodriguez Crew - I want to copy your whole quilt! Love it so much! (maybe you’ll share the fabrics??) I’m up to (almost) month 6 in the white onesies, and I’m wishing i didn’t have to buy more onesies now! I say diaper! 🙂
Such a fun post!
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Lexie Loo, Little Lily, and Dylan Too! - Happy 1 month!!!
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Happiness Is... - I love that. I kind of like that the quilt isn’t finished – after all, he is a beautiful work in progress! Kind of neat really 🙂 It’s a cool parallel to see the quilt develop with him.
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Analisa - I found your monthly photos of your son on Pinterest and I LOVE them!! Do you happen to have a link for a printable for the monthly signs that you used for your technologically illiterate fans? 🙂
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