17 Months

This  one below makes me laugh.  Good MORNING sunshine.

 Dear Finn,

This last one is so YOU right now. You're so tactile and snuggly and addicted to your comforts.  With Sophia, since she was first, that stressed me out a little.  Always thinking of the big break-ups that will have to happen some day.  This time I kind of love it.  Whatever makes you happy, you know?  I mean let's be honest.  You'll need braces some day anyway.  And you certainly won't want to drag a floral blanket around forever.

  In this one above, you have one binky in your mouth, one in your hand for back-up, and you're trying to get your favorite blanket out of the crib.  You'll throw that thing down on the ground anywhere and snuggle up on it, one cheek burrowing into the soft side, arms tucked in at your sides, bum in the air.  I'd better get a good shot of that.  I know it won't last forever.

You're 17 months and you feel like such a real-- little person these days.  So much personality and humor and attitude.  You love your daddy and meet him at the garage door when he gets home, yelling "Dada! Dada!" with so much excitement your whole body shakes.  I think it's his favorite part of the day.  He looks like such a proud papa when he picks up his big, beefy, boy.

You still take two naps a day but I think you might be right on the edge of transitioning to the one.... just in time for summer.  We're gonna need more time to go have fun.  Your sisters have high expectations for this one. :/ I might need some serious help and decent behavior from you.

Speaking of which... sometimes you can be a serious handful.  I think your teeth are sharper or bigger than the girls' were or something, because teething seems to feel like ... well, exactly what it is-- on you.  Like you've got something ripping through your skin.  You get GRUMPY.  Also, you like to throw toys at people right now.  And mostly you aim for the head.  I'm hoping someone can give me some advice on this one because otherwise we're going to lose all of our friends here very soon.

You go through phases when you must be growing or something where you'll take a four hour nap and then another 2 hour nap and still go to bed a couple of hours later at 7:30 and sleep 'till 7.  Then after a week of that you'll switch to extra short naps.  You like to keep me guessing.  But mostly, you sleep great.

You love to have your finger nails clipped and your feet rubbed and small toy cars driven over your shoulders and head.  You get super still and smile and allow only your eyeballs to move left and right.  It's amazing.  You just love affection.  I LOVE that you love affection.  Occasionally you'll sit still on my lap for a minute, when I lean back so that you sink in and realize it's cozy.  I love that minute where I can smother my nose into those mysterious copper-colored curls on the back of your head.  I could live there.

You are so adored-- and we will do all we can to put the best parts of the world at your fingertips and keep the worst parts far far away.

Love you so much sweet boy,
Mom

Finn

I skipped his second nap yesterday, which meant I was left with a couple of hours of him needing constant attention and entertainment. yay! I figured I may as well take advantage of the situation and snap a few.   

(Yes I wear work-out pants every day.  We'll just pretend that I have 7 different pairs :/.) A new past- time of Finn's... climbing through my legs every time I stand still for a moment.. 

 But mostly he's reaching for me and screaming so I'll pick him up.

But sometimes I can't because I'm too busy --

with things like photographing him while he's screaming for me to pick him up.  I'm an awful mom. 

Are you noticing these fun little strawberry curls in the back?  Who knows where they came from, but I'm in love.

On another note, Ross' parents are watching the kids this weekend while we do a little weekend "away" for our anniversary! It's not until the 3rd, but we're celebrating now-- starting with two nights close by, in Palm Springs, and then one at a beach house with our good friends, Brooke and Tyson on Saturday.  Mila's been surprisingly sweet the last couple of days, so I'm not counting down to the SECOND.  Just the minute.  

 I am SO. excited.

Unsuspecting Southwest passengers, here we come.

Had to unload some random photos off of my memory cards before we leave for Florida tomorrow!  And found this one I thought was sweet.  A relatively usual look.... old tears on Finn's face from falling off of something or whacking his head on a corner or having Mila take her toy back or not getting the right food on his tray fast enough or having to have his diaper changed....... the list goes on.  It's hard being 1.

On another note, off to see my sister in Florida! Terrified to take this little guy on the flight tomorrow... but so excited for every moment after that.  Two lay-overs, no seat for Finn, a total of ... I don't know... like seven hours of traveling?  I feel like we're preparing to run a marathon.  Right down to the carb-loading..... if cookies count.... maybe that's called stress eating.

Wish us luck.  And Happy Spring Break!

Hungry for Hunger Games

It's Monday.  And I just don't feel ready for it.  In fact it's almost 4 pm on Monday, and I still don't feel ready for it.  We couldn't get a sitter this weekend, which is a regularly scheduled and essential part of our weekend (apparently, since I'm going batty).  And now I feel like I'm suffering from lack of rejuvenation and total and utter depression that I'm like the only person on the planet who hasn't seen The Hunger Games.

I usually don't worry about seeing a movie when it's new. I read and loved the Twilight books but lost interest in those movies the second I saw Kristen Stewart and her overly shifty, downcast eyes and irritated expression in a preview.  We still haven't seen the last one... or two... I don't know.

But The Hunger Games.. I think it's the only book I've finished in just a couple of days. I'm not that kind of reader.  There are too many other things that steal my "free" time, sadly, and I don't make reading as much of a priority as I wish I did.  I'm so sad when I finish a really great book, but it takes me a long time to get into another one and sometimes a long time to get through the first half of whatever I finally choose before it really pulls me in.

The Hunger Games was a serious exception though, like it is for most.  And was such a fascinating, fast story.  From what I can tell so far, I LOVE who they've cast in most of the roles... and I especially love the face of Katniss... I'm a little nervous that Peeta might look too little-teenage-heart throb- and less .... like he does in my bread-scented dreams..... just kidding.  But I haven't heard anyone complain, so maybe I won't feel like that once I've seen it.  I'm dying.  I think we'll have to do a week-night date.

The photo? Just because.

Boys

 Everybody says boys are different.  In to everything.  A girl will look at the book shelf and a boy will tear it apart.  I'm not sure yet if this is the case for us-- since I feel like my girls, at this age, did their share of destruction.  But now that he's up on two feet, and faster every day, he's definitely into EVERYTHING.  I woke up the other night thinking my missing flip flop was definitely at the bottom of a trash bag already taken out, or floating in the girl's toilet.  It wasn't.  But it will be-- some day.  I'm sure.

I just hope it's not my wedding ring or passport, or something more important.

It's crazy how quickly you forget and stop protecting your house from these tiny, bald misfits.  The older ones hit 3 or 4 and you think you can leave bathroom doors open, trash cans exposed, cuisinart blades in the lower cabinet. (!!oops!)  It's like I'm starting from scratch each time.

But when he sticks his tongue out like that--- like he's working so hard, with such fervor and focus--- he can get away with murder. (Let's hope not literally with all the scissors and staplers up above.)  This boy has my heart.

FINN

I'm just chillin. One sock on, one sock off. Chillin.

Dear Finn,

I know the first one's blurry... but I love that little-man-grimace you give me while you breath so deliberately through your teeth, and that hole in your knee, and your herniated belly button.  That's a first for us.

YOU are 13 months old.  Or you were at the end of January.  Where does the time go? I can not keep up these days.  Let's blame you.  You're a busy guy right now.

You still nurse a little bit.  It's just here and there.  Maybe just once a day. And I'm mourning that coming to an end.  Those will always be some of my most precious moments with you.  First thing in the morning is my favorite, when I plop you next to me in bed and you roll on your side and I pull my knees up to cradle your warm little body.  I get to wrap my arms around you so you're almost all enclosed-- I feel like a mama-kanga.  When else would you lie still with me in bed for minutes at a time?  Hundreds of seconds? Heaven. You use your free hand to try and play with my hair.  You can't buy moments like that.

However, you definitely like food too.  Like food food.  We didn't do mush for long.  It's too hard to find the time to sit down and spoon feed you.  Sorry.  I think you like to control your shove-it-in-your-face pace anyway.  Your favorite foods are pasta, pancakes, turkey sausage, scrambled eggs, melted ham and cheese sandwiches, cuties (little oranges-- you eat these faster than I can put them on your tray) and blueberries.  You're awfully impatient when you've decided you want to eat and I usually end up trying to prepare something with one arm while you're on my hip rather than listen to you scream with that grimace (see top photos) from your high chair.

I think if I kept track, you've had more midnight wake-ups than your sisters ever did.  And there's been weeks here and there where you consistently get me out of bed.  And we're usually not in bed 'till after midnight, so I'm tired.  But for some reason, it hasn't really bothered me like it used to.  More than a little part of me was happy to steal those quiet, tender sleepy moments with you.  Is it because you're my third and I'm less terrified that I'm creating a monster and more like --- "eh- he's a baby?"

But for the most part, you've been a good sleeper since you were a couple of months old.  And your naps have seemed so easy and consistent.  You often still take three in a day, -- sometimes two.  Depending on when you wake up.  If you're up at 6, you go right back down for an early one.  If you're up at 7, we'll wait 'till after gym and maybe just fit two.  You don't like to be awake for much more than 3 hours at at time.  And (unless your sick or teething) you're happy and easy and then the moment you're not, I put you down.  And you don't fight it one bit.  You look up at me when I lay you in your bed as if to say "ahhhhh..... it's about time." you love your bed.  Is this boring to the future you? Somehow it seems significant to me.  And it's my blog, look at the title.

You're not walking yet, but this last week, you made some serious progress in that arena.  You love to walk with me and then push my hands away.  You stand there, with Kelly Slater -like balance, and then get so excited that you start breathing all hard through your teeth again, flapping your wings, and clapping for yourself, until you sit or bend over and fall.  You SORT OF maybe kinda took a couple of your first steps two days ago, a little shuffle left.  We all cheered. It's coming.  You're going to be a professional athlete.

Words? For sure.  You say "mama" and "dada"-- I'm certain you know what they mean.  I remember when your sisters were babies, I didn't feel convinced that their first words had meaning.  But I'm sure you know who's mama and who's dada.  I think you tried to parrot me saying "i love you' the other day too.  Oh and you do "uh oh" -- and when you're calling for the girls.... it's consistent, but just "uhhhh?!! uhh???!!!" all over the house.  sophia? mila?! where are you?! 


You don't watch anything on screens yet.  Your sisters did.  Sorry... the lot of the third child, there is plenty of entertainment around here.  So you have to miss out on watching bunnies jump and caterpillars creep to classical music.  You watch the GIRLS watch movies on our phones, but all you want to do is stick that phone in your mouth.

Here's a normal day for you at 13 months: 

7:00 am -  wake, nurse, get dressed, play on the floor in our room, back and forth to the girls room and ours, or crawl downstairs alone like a big boy to play in the toyroom.

7:45 am- we join you downstairs and you have real breakfast

9:00 am- you play at the gym while I workout for an hour or so.

10:20 am - we race you home and into your bed--- where you sleep like a ......baby.

12:30 you wake up and have lunch, then play in the backyard usually, with Sawyer and Mila.

2:45 We go pick up Sophia and you drink lots of water and Mila feeds you snacks if you get cranky.  Big sisters are the best.

3:30 back down for anther nap. "ahhhh..... it's about time zzzzzz"

5:30 up and ready the last few minutes of light outside with your sisters, then dinner, bath, DAD, play...

7:00 and back to bed.

I dream of making a video that shows a day in our life.  So that I won't miss a thing.  I can feel it right now--- that we're in a sweet sweet phase of life.  Not like a, 'I bet I'll look back on this and wish I enjoyed it' phase, but like 'I wish I could freeze time RIGHT NOW and enjoy it longer.'  It's a good one.  And I think it has a lot to do with the fact that you still let me hold you as long as I'm willing and squish my face in your cheeks to my heart's content.  That's powerful stuff.  

Please don't grow up.  Ok but do.  At least 13 months is recorded.  And if you're horrendous next month, I'll always have this post.  Check.  

Finn

Because I didn't have time to post but hate when I open my blog to no photo. And because--

look at him.

The Littles

While Sophia was at school... and we were airing out Finn's awful diaper rash-- I thought-- naked babies sure are cute-- and so, actually pulled out the big camera to document it. The out-of-control cuteness.

My Mr. Clean

From a recent baby shoot. This sweet little guy's just four months old. Look at his hair.

And here is my sweet Finn. Poor guy. He's been doing a bit of this lately. He's a year--- and still working on a teeny, tiny, subtle mullet in back. On a good day.

Upon finding out we were having a boy, I may have said prayers expressing how grateful I was for no more girl-hair to have to "do" every morning. If you see my girls' hair most days, you probably said those same prayers of gratitude. Sometimes we hide knots under pony-tails. Maybe this is what I get? Sorry Finn. At least you have a deliciously round head.

My poor diseased babe

We'd had at least a few days after we rid our home of strep-throat. For the second time in a row. So it's not like I'm complaining. And before that, the vomiting had only been off and on for that week stretch over Christmas. It could be so much worse. And that part I say with no sarcasm. It really could be. I keep reminding myself of that.

Finn got that icky hand-foot-mouth virus- ahem--- hand-foot-mouth-disease. Why they have to put "disease" in the name, I have no idea. Just to make it seem SO much freakier than it already is. And to scare all of your friends extra far away so your kids will not only be sick but sick and bored out of their mind. That's why.

But apparently it's "very common"-- though I've only known one other kid to get it (nephew, Joseph as a baby). He had finally seemed over the throat and ear stuff... had a couple of great days and then awoke from a luscious (and abnormal) 4.5 hour nap with two little pimples (?) by his mouth. He must have had a mild fever I hadn't really noticed. Since it starts with that. But over the next two days his face got a few more pimply things that turned into sores... and his hands became spotted with these blisters. Surprisingly, his hands didn't really seem to bother him that much (though they looked AWFUL). So once we were past the first day when the sores must have started in his mouth and throat (so he wouldn't eat) it wasn't actually that bad. But it looked awful.

Did I mention it looked awful?

And so I took a picture. (doesn't do it justice)

And so I'm blogging about it.

Now Mila has it. Booh. And the worst part might be that her sweet little face has the same sores by her mouth. And I'll catch her picking which worries me they could scar!? And do you know one of my worst aversions is to people picking at scabs and cuticles and things that would hurt--- (not pimples-- love picking pimples-- totally different)--- so even as I typed the word "picking" I lose some feeling in my legs and feel a little light headed.

Also, she said her feet hurt too bad to walk most of yesterday. That was a bummer too.

So sick of being in isolation. I think I've missed church three of the last five sundays or so... due to some rotten sickness or another.

I'm beginning to think I'm doing something wrong. Am I not supposed to be serving their dinners off the bottom of their shoes?

Here's hoping we're on the mend. Crossing fingers...

It's amazing what he can do with those four teeth

I feel like he went from mostly nursing to eating almost anything like overnight. This boy is growing so fast!

About A Boy

You're getting big. You're getting busy.

You've learned to pull every book off of the shelf and brace yourself for the blow if it knocks you on the way down. You don't even cry. And these are my hardback. The ones just for show that we don't read. (We're like that.)

You try and climb the stairs and once so far, you've fallen back and bonked your head on the tile. I was scared. You forgot about it once you had your binky. Still, we're being more careful.(Yes, that was for anyone who's worried I'm negligent.)

I've found you playing with the plunger (eeeewwww) , and sifting through garbage, and trying to dip your hands in the toilet. I've found you eating hair-balls (I know I should clean my floors more often), toilet paper (clean), polly-pockets (and all other toys under the sun), rubber bands, and that nice gray fur that builds up on the bottom of the broom. (or is that just my gross broom because of my gross floors?)

Oh and dead crickets. I've found TWO dead crickets INSIDE your mouth on a routine mouth-sweep. Your mouth. (I know, I know.... floors... but these things are everwhere!)

I swear I'm a good mom. But this time around I've got two miniature people running around leaving bathroom doors open, and toilet lids up, and small toys on the floor. They tempt you with their sounds of joy and laughter so that you're dying to follow their lead and get upstairs, outside... wherever they are. And they.... keep me too busy to clean my floors. ?? (it was worth a try.)

Or maybe it's just what they say. You are ALL boy. Let's chalk it up to that.

Oh, and you love bath time...

Finn-man,

In a few days, you'll be nine months old. NINE months. That's about as long as you spent growing in my tummy. You've got two older sisters (as you can tell by the cinderella you're holding in the first photo) who have been through this stage and yet every day, I'm still amazed. Amazed that a year ago, you were still forming finger nails and such, floating around with your eyes shut, busy giving me all sorts of heart burn and doing dances on my sciatic nerve. And now? well now you've got all kinds of tricks.

-You're developing quite the sense of humor and love to lean back and bonk your head on your highchair while you eat, and laugh about it.

- You talk when you cry... and I can only imagine what you're trying to say. We all know you've heard plenty of whining and crying and complaining in our house to learn a thing or two about it. Heaven help us. You are already learning to chatter through your woes.

-You still love to nurse and I'm SOOO relieved after being apart from you for Hawaii, AND a weekend for the Ragnar. I've had more than enough of being away from you for a while.

- You just got your two bottom teeth and you didn't appreciate it. I think you're working on your two top now, and it's meant that you're waking up around 4:30, which is unusual in our house, but I almost don't mind. Just you and me snuggled up when the house is so quiet and still.

-OH I almost forgot... you started crawling!! A few weeks ago, at about 8 and a half months. And now you're all over the place. And I've never seen a cuter bum wiggling through the air.

- You KNOW me, and miss me. And I MISS you.

-You've learned to hate diaper changes and I have to pull out all the stops to keep you happy and on your back.... it usually involves a random item hanging from my teeth for you to try and grab WHILE I'm laying you down.

- Although, most of the time, you are a happy, sweet, even-tempered baby. You are relaxed and giggly and full of joy. You are one of the good ones.

- We think you're the best one.

- Your sisters say you're the cutest, and then take it back and say, "but every baby in the whole world is the cutest" (because they're nice like that), and then I tell them it's ok to say you're the very cutest. Because you're ours. And you are.

just because

Seven months and eating solids

It's official. These pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago when it wasn't quite as official. He was spitting more out than he was taking down. Maybe that's why he still looks a bit skeptical above. But today he ate a whole jar and a half, which seemed like a feast. His little spirit fingers went wild and his wrists and ankles did a thousand circles... which is what happens when he's excited. And I didn't have to trick him by waiting for him to open his mouth for something more appetizing like his fists, before I snuck it in.

He's really eating people food. Whipped into an inedible consistency of course, but people food still. And for the third time, I feel kind of scared, then amazed, then relieved... when I remember that the goal IS to raise them-- which means they evolve, and that eventually they have to eat like the rest of us. And not only smell like sweet (ok-- or sour) breast milk. And even though his nose might turn orange from too many carrots, and his wildly colorful spit-up will be so much more dangerous for my upholstery, and all bets are off on just how nasty his poop will smell... I somehow feel a little safer knowing that I'm not the only one that can keep him alive.

Today was a good day

If you happened to read this post about Finn's little back-up. You can rest easy-- as are we. I really appreciated some of the comments I got there. Someone mentioned that solids might help, so I started feeding him some food-- although I think most of it came back out and down his chin repeatedly. Still working on that. And I really thought that total-absorption thing made sense to me... (that it's possible his body is just absorbing and using all of his nutrients so there wouldn't be any waste -- made sense to me with nursing) especially since I seriously feel like he doesn't eat much--- he nurses 4 times a day, SOMETIMES five-- like 2 or 3 minutes per side. And he looks like this:

But I still got nervous and called my doctor yesterday and his PA was there (and she is much younger and much more eager and involved and so... maybe more dramatic?-- or just doing her job?) I don't know but she freaked me out. "The colon can only stretch so far before it bursts, you need to give him 4-6 ounces (!!!) of prune juice and if he doesn't go in the next two days, bring him here, or go straight to the ER."

WHAT?

I was kind of anxious and sad if he had a tummy ache but I didn't think we had ourselves a real situation!

Maybe we did--- maybe we didn't- but after the 4th night in a row of waking up with him (which he hadn't done since his seventh week), I fed him last night, and then gave him two ounces of prune juice (which he downed-- shocked me. I thought for sure he'd cringe and wiggle.)

And today-- AHEM--- he pooped.

*Applause*

Tummies, teeth, and poop

I don't know when Sophia got SO much taller than Mila. Have they always been so different in height? I can't remember now. I think she just had a growth spurt--- it feels like people are constantly commenting on her height.

And how can I not mention those tummies? Oh, if only it looked so cute on a grown-up.

And this guy-- oh goodness, I hope this is a very temporary phase-- these last few days have been.... different.

I think he's teething, and I think that it's the teething that's causing him to poop only once every 9 or 10 days. My pediatrician has said in the past that "that can be perfectly normal for breast-fed babies." I wonder how HE'D feel if he went 10 days. Finn is not a happy camper. The last two nights have been rocky--- and I'm wanting my sleepy, content, little beefcake back.

Having said all of that, he woke up from this last nap happy and rested, then passed a bunch of *gas and at this moment, is a little giggly dream. Maybe the worst is behind me? No- I know better. But I'm enjoying the present.

Last thing pouring out of my streaming thoughts--- we saw Larry Crowne last weekend.

Um- what?

I guess I should have watched a preview. I had way too much faith in the cast--- I really like Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts so it seemed like a sure winner on that alone. Had I known it was a long episode of Community withOUT it's ONLY redeeming quality, I would have thought twice.

I did however get to see some really good previews before the movie including the one for The Help-- And I cannot WAIT to see that story come to life. If you haven't already read it, hurry up and read it. It won't disappoint.

Just in case you needed an opinion or two.

*excuse me, if poop or gas is an inappropriate topic in your home--- obviously it's very common in ours. :)

6 Months Today

Oh my gosh- when did it happen? I blinked and you are SIX months old. Half a year. I feel like I just had you and saw your face for the first time, that magical day in the hospital. And yet, I feel like I've known you forever. You look up at me knowingly. You smile and pet my face and wrap your arms around my neck and even though you pull those little hairs at the base and it hurts like crazy, and even though by "pet my face" I mean sometimes you squeeze and swat at my face, you KNOW me. And you fill my heart so full I think it'll burst every single day.