we hope they let us in.

hi guys.  we've been all sorts of busy around here this week.  Chad took his big graduate school test- GRE yesterday.  It was pretty brutal for him taking this 4 hour test after working all day-but we think he did pretty well.  Now, on to the applications.  As it stands (and we've debated for months on every possible school; these are based on cost, acceptance rate, and final exam pass rates) our top 4 schools are:

UTAH

IDAHO STATE

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

can you guess which ones are mama's top choices?  I'm of course pulling for UNC or MUSC.  however, the U and ISU would give us in state tuition and just seem a bit easier right now.  and then there is the thought that we may not get in to any of those, which would just be dreadful- so i won't even continue to speak of such nonsense.  the right school will make itself known, we hope :)  I'm so proud of my hard working husband!  

the deadlines.

* You can find Griff's cute bear hat here, by Emmamade.

five months old is way too big.

in three days, my little baby will be five months old and my goodness, it's bittersweet.  i wish i could push pause, stop time and keep my little one exactly the way he is.  he's perfect.  these five months have been perfect.  i have loved learning about being a mom and have loved watching chad learn about being a dad.  it's strange how it seems to come so naturally- and just when i think i could not love this little guy more, my heart expands again.  tonight we had a bawl, laughing and laughing and giggling and playing.  oh but he has the cutest giggle on the planet!  at five months, griffin loves peek-a-boo, paddy-cake and singing all about the monkeys jumping on the bed.  he loves taking a tubby with dad (you know, in the big boy tub), watching gretschen- our german shepherd, and talking- more like squawking, all day long.  he loves reading books and tries grabbing at the pages.  he's starting to like his toys, particularly his sock monkey and chain links that we've attached to his car seat.  he DOES NOT love his car seat.  he hates being strapped in and not being able to see everything and everyone during our car rides.  he does better when i reach back and hold his little hand.  we have recently discovered how attentive he is to music.  almost like magic, every time we play David Gray, he turns silent and goes wide eyed.  he can be screaming at the top of his lungs while in his seat and as soon as we put on DG, I'm not even kidding you- silence...all the way home.  it's hysterical and for whatever reason, he is enchanted by music.  of course, we love it.  griffy loves his mom and dad and smiles bigger than you can imagine every time we go to get him out of his crib.  he hasn't been sleeping as well because of the teething- but we're hoping this is just a phase.  he loves snuggling in the morning in our bed and i think it's dad's favorite part of the day too.  basically, we can't imagine life without our little dude.  and- i still can't believe how lucky i am, really- to have my husband and sweet baby.  life is amazing.

i had to buy the hat.

you would have too if this was your baby.  your first baby boy, who was in love with his sock monkey.  goodness knows we didn't have the extra money this month, with husband applying to grad schools and all.  but, it's turned cold here this week.  like really cold.  so cold that just yesterday i was told we needed to do a better job of keeping griffy warm.  and by we, I'm sure the husband meant me.  since we all know, husbands are like human heaters.  i'm always freezing.  so really, i had no other option than to buy the hat.  i mean, my baby is practically bald for gosh sakes.

yes, this is the discussion we will have when daddy comes home from work.  i am sure of it.