i love you too!

Thanks to my friend Annie for taking this photo of Finn and I last Friday. And in case you're wondering, no, we don't always wear color-coordinated outfits. Only sometimes.

scrunchy face

Just this week, Finn started making this hilarious face where he scrunches up his eyes and nose and smiles. I'll get it on video. Completely cracks me up every time.

Kim is here visiting and we are so happy!!

... and, roll

As much as I dislike the sound of my own voice, I've watched this video approximately 15 times today. It cracks me up the way he just plops over and then looks so proud of himself.

sous chef

And now I shall perform my signature dough-making trick.

Voila!

I had a feeling last night that Finn was tiring of his usual toys, so I gave him some bowls and spatulas to play with while I made pizza ... it kept him busy and he kept me entertained as well. As you may be able to tell, he's really into his tongue right now. I've given up guessing if it's a teething thing or not.

Finn went to sleep around 7:30 and for the second morning in a row since we've been back in New Haven, slept til almost 7. I cautiously optimistic that we may be onto something!

playtime

Finn grabbing Quinn's ear

Finn showing off his rolling-over skills

Finn and Emelia

Yesterday a few of our friends came over for some play time and it was pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen. Finn was the only boy among three beautiful little girls (unfortunately, I don't have any photos of Jillian yet, but am sure that next time she'll be up for it!) It was fun watching them interact and chat and grab each others ears and cheeks ... as the case may be. Andrew said that Finn has to take advantage of his time at the center of female attention as things may change by the time he's 18. In any case, we're looking forward to seeing them all again very soon!

another milestone!

Good news, for those of you who have been wondering when this might happen: Finn rolled over! This afternoon, twice, right in a row. He's already acting all nonchalant about it, as if he's been doing this for weeks or even months and it's totally no big deal and he's embarrassed that I'm so excited. I'll try and get some video tomorrow because he's in no mood to be filmed this evening.

I'm just glad that we can check that box and start to work on sitting upright without the bumbo...

a few of my favorite things

let's see ... there's my monkey and my photo book (note photo) and my dino
and my cradle and my comfy outfit with feet ...

... and my mesh feeder.

We went to Trader Joe's yesterday and I decided to spend a small fortune on dried fruit thinking that since Finn loves the mango so much, that perhaps he would also enjoy some dried bing cherries or apricots. Not so much. I put a fruity-combo in his mesh feeder and he just threw it on the ground. So I put in some apricot and mango ... still no luck. This morning I gave up and put only the mango back in, and he devoured it. Perhaps we will try peaches or prunes tomorrow - I'll keep you posted.

ps. Finn wore his little Irish onesie and sweater to TJ's yesterday and he was very popular.

kiss me, i'm irish

As if it's not obvious!

photo album

Finn already likes books a lot - not that he has a choice, considering how much we read around here - but his new favorite book, moving into first place past "Curious George and the Bunny" happens to be a photo album full of pictures of ... Finn! He seriously hasn't put it down since I stuck some photos in it this morning.

out for a walk

We took a walk on Saturday and it was a little chillier than was predicted (of course!) It was nice to get outside though, and imagine how next year Finn will be running ahead of us poking at things with sticks.

MANGO

This is for-sure Finn's favorite new food -- pieces of dried mango inside a mesh feeder.

The video is a little bit long but the soft-crunching noises he makes are pretty amusing...

new stats

Finn had another checkup yesterday, during which we had to get caught up on a few shots. I realized that it's good to take him to the pediatrician when he's a little on the tired and cranky side, as it's a lot easier to see him get shots when he's already crying. Still not fun, but it's getting easier...

After all of the unsolicited comments from just about everyone about how big Finn is (doesn't bother me, just made me wonder if I was feeding him too much oatmeal and dried mango?), I was pleasantly surprised to see that he only weighs 18 pounds, 2 oz, putting him solidly in the 50th percentile. His length at 27" is also 50th. His HEAD on the other hand is closer to the 80th percentile! So he's a very healthy - and solid - little guy.

my name is finn

...this is my tongue!

(he has recently discovered that sticking out his tongue is the best thing EVER. between this and his baby-pterodactyl noises we have a great deal of fun every day.)

7 months!

Finn turned 7 months old on the 7th! We celebrated by feeding him delicious carrots and sweet potatotes in his brand new high chair, which he loves as if it was a proper baby throne. (and perhaps it is...?) I'm breaking my no-food-on-face-photos rule to post this one because his expression is so funny -- skeptical? Not sure. Anyway, he's eating like a champ and hasn't refused anything, yet. We'll see how creative he allows me to be when farmers market season arrives in a few weeks!

first day back (and photos)

Here's the link to Finn's 6-month (almost 7, actually) photos. Thanks, Brie! I love them!

I took Finn to the doctor today to make sure that he didn't have an ear infection and thankfully, he doesn't. There's actually nothing wrong with him but a cold, which unfortunately features a cough that wakes him several times a night. We arrived back in New Haven last night and he was a little disoriented -- he seemed to be thinking something along the lines of "OH MY GOSH, my room still EXISTS and further, WHY have I been sleeping in a pack and play for the past MONTH instead of HERE?" So being home is great and a little bit of an adjustment, but a happy one.

six-month photos

We had some photos of Finn taken on Saturday and this is a sneak peek. I'll post the link to some other photos when they are ready...

Could you melt?

our travel story (briefly)

First off, I apologize that there's no picture of Finn to accompany this post. Finn and I flew into Binghamton on Friday and planned to stay with Grandma Barber til today, when we were going to drive to New Haven. Andrew and his dad left Miami yesterday morning and mostly because of the weather, have decided to come here (to Waverly) instead of New Haven. So our new plan is to hang out here for a couple more days until this snowstorm passes through the northeast. Hopefully by then we'll also be cured of the plague. Poor Finn seems better one day and then for example, this morning, wakes up very congested and coughing a lot. So sad :(

Tomorrow I'll be back online with the fun stuff - pictures! I left my camera cable in the car, which god willing will arrive here by 9 pm tonight.

Happy 1st day of March!

delayed post from the weekend

It was so much fun seeing Chip, Jessica and Sadie last weekend. She is a TERRIFIC two-year old!!! And her parents make awesome breakfast burritos (plus they're just pretty fun to hang out with in general).

still smiling!

It's hard to believe that our month in Miami is drawing to a close! We have had a lot of fun, despite the fact that last week Finn came down with a cold, and now Andrew and I are totally and completely suffering as well (and not in silence, I might add). So the flight home on Friday should be fun, haha. Andrew's dad is flying down here the day Finn and I fly north, and he's driving home with Andrew over the weekend barring any hideous snowstorms. It's amazing how quickly one can forget that snowstorms exist, and I'm sure the converse is true as well. I'm afraid that we'll find out next week.

Anyway, here we are -- the bottom photo was taken this morning. The difference between Finn and his mother is that he is still smiling and upbeat when sick, whereas I walk around moaning and blowing my nose and sneezing -- yes, it's really pleasant. As you can see he has been adapting quite well to the addition of solid foods to his diet ;)

just another sunny day

I know, I know. Another stroller photo ... it's just that Finn loves his stroller so much that he always looks this cute and happy when he's in it. Or at least he does 95% of the time. This weekend, our friends Chip, Jessica and Sadie are visiting from Atlanta and this morning we went to the Eden Roc for breakfast before Jessica and I attempted to go to the SoBe food and wine festival. By the time arrived, tickets were still pretty expensive and I was worried that by the time we went in and tasted all of the delicious food and wine, Finn would be unhappy long before I got back home to him, so instead we went and had a couple of glasses of wine at the Ritz-Carlton. It was lovely and so nice out.

We sort of hurried home as to fend off any potential baby meltdowns, so needless to day I was not prepared to see this.

Finn napping! During the day! (He has an excellent role model).

The moral of the story is that he will nap for Andrew and therefore, I should not rush home when having quality time with my girlfriends on 75 degree Saturday afternoons.

ps. thank you to Diane B. aka Grandmacuda for the cute big boy outfit!