.gumming.

 Toes, Fingers, Peas...whatever I can get in my hands is going into my mouth.

In other non-related news...I picked up my Harry Potter books again for the first time since I first read them years ago.  I forgot how much I really enjoyed them.  Even knowing what's going to happen doesn't take anything from the magic of those books.  I love reading, especially good reading.  When Finn wakes up from his naps I lay him down with his toys and read out loud from those creative books, and we both enjoy.

We are heading out for a quick camping trip for the weekend, and I'm so stoked to get out for our first real camping trip as a triple set.  I love that I have a little boy that I get to explore the outdoors with...and I'm looking forward to many more family camping trips together!

.swimming, the getto, and all the other misc. things that fit in a weekend.

I didn't always feel like we lived in a ghetto,  I mean we really liked living here for awhile.  But, it seems lately like we are slowly losing the value of our place.  We've had numerous run ins with the police at our complex and it just makes me sad that a few can ruin it for everyone.  Sat. we had another episode with someone snooping around our carport.  Luckily a neighbor confronted them and they were scared off, but come to find out they live in our complex....well rent in our complex.  A bunch of young punks with nothing better to do then go around stealing other peoples things.  Roy caught them in their lies though because he found a cell phone back, and went over and talked to the kids.  They were making up a bunch of lame excuses about what had happened to their phone, but when Roy finally grabbed it and turned it over, the back was missing and the one he had found was a perfect match.  The cops couldn't charge them with anything, but hopefully it scared them a bit, and let them know that we are aware of them now.  I cannot even express how much we want to move, and this just adds to the stack of reasons why.  Enough about the rant....lets move on.
Its really warming up around these parts, which means I try to get most of my errands and exercise done before the sun crests over the mountain tops.  On those days I'm out and about in the heat, I get home and spend a good rest of the day in the basement where the heat of the day is abated.  How glorious are basements in the summer!  Other good ways to combat this heat is swimming.  We haven't really had the chance until this weekend to hit the water, but we finally did.  The Wards had us over for a swim party, and of course it was the same day that Finn decided that napping was for the birds.  So to sum up the first swim experience...mostly sad faced and crying.  He had one go at Mikey's pool float and held on for a trip around the pool, but that was it.  I held him most of the time while I dangled my feet in the water.  We'll just notch that first bad experience to lack of sleep and try again another day when he's not feeling so emotionally compromised. 
Despite Finn's tired meltdown we had a really nice time hanging with the Wards and we are happy that we got to end Saturday on a good note.
Sunday we enjoyed a lounging afternoon at my parents house.  We just got to sit out on the grass, talk with family, and eat peas.  It was a lovely summer evening.  My favorite thing of the night was hearing an original song by my niece Emory for Roy.  The main line being "Roy is so awesome" which was repeated probably 20 times.  JUST LOVELY~

.milestones & other good things.

Finn finally managed his first roll over, and of course it was when Roy was gone (memo:all the action is in the first 20 seconds)  He still doesn't know quite what he did or how he did it, but with a lot more practice he should become proficient at his new skill.  Also while Roy was gone, the little man decided sleeping 10 hours was a fairly decent idea.  I was so excited to show Roy all of our new accomplishments, but of course he wont roll and last night we digressed back to a 2 hour night.  Needless to say, I was a disappointed...even angry that after sleeping good for a whole week, I was drug through a crappy night of sleep.  But I can't stay upset or frustrated for long when I see this happening.

One of my favorite things about being a mom to this little man is watching him with his dad.  Those boys of mine together can melt my sleep deprived heart any day!

.5.

Finnigan,
What a little man you are becoming...already 5 months!  I was talking to a friend today about your amazing birth and how crazy it all was.  I think I was in shock because of how fast everything went.  I hold little newborns and marvel that you were once as little and fragile.  I marvel because you do so much that these new little babes can't.  You have such strong legs, which makes for lots of standing time.  You do this awesome move we call the inch worm, because when we lay you on your back and your legs are being held, you will push off.  You continue pushing as long as we keeping moving your feet.
You sleep really good, but I can't guarantee how long it will be.  I try to plan out things for the day, but sometimes you sleep a lot and sometimes not so much.  I'm going to have to come to terms with that.
You're getting super close to rolling over...in fact every time I put you down to sleep you arch your back, get on your right side, and slurp on at lest 2 of your fingers.  Sometimes you get so lively at night that when I come to get you I've found you turned 90 degrees in the crib.
You still are figuring out cereal and why we're shoving a spoon into your mouth, but hopefully soon it won't see like such a foreign concept.
We have all your swim gear ready to go, we have just been waiting for warmer weather and a chance for dad to join us.  Dad is particularly excited to get you in for your first swim.
Right now you love going on walks with us in the bjorn or the stroller...either one suites your need to get out and see the world.  You also love it when we read stories and you get to turn the pages, not that you know what you're doing, but you love to bat at them anyways.
You're not a loud one, and for that I'm grateful.  I didn't have anything to compare it to until the new babies started showing up to church.  You're whiny, but definitely not loud.
There is just sooo much we love watching you do and learn Finn.  What a wonderful, crazy, whirlwind 5 months it's been. 

.backpacking.

Roy is ready to head out on his camping trip for the week.
This is a backpacking trip right? 

He might as well have packed himself a luxury hotel suite.  But no amount of mocking could persuade Roy to pack a smaller mat...it had to be the "holy" mats my mom made for us.  Well no matter how silly he looks, he will be sleeping good...and to Roy, that is all that matters.
Seriously though, I'm going to miss that kid.  Last night as Roy was twitching off to sleep, I thought about how empty the bed is going to feel.  And then I thought about how much I love watching Finn light up when dad suddenly comes into view everyday after work and how much I'm going to miss seeing that.  4 days without you Roy...I'm a wuss, but I'm going to be very lonely for these next few days.

.you're late.

Sent Roy off to the dr. tonight because he had some ear issues after the young men's swimming activity last night.  And wouldn't you know...only a few weeks into summer and Roy already has a hole in his ear drum.  To top off the whole experience he will be going in for an X-Ray and possible MRI on his right knee that he also happened to hyper extend on his run last night.  Oh and in the process of checking out his knee the dr.noticed his other knee was tweaked and has water on it.  I have no idea what that really means or what he will have to do to fix it, but I do know one thing...Roy needs to stop playing like he is 12 years old anymore because he's going to break the bank.  He's not getting any younger and either is his body.  I love that the dr. commented that Roy was late...meaning she has seen Roy every May for one thing or another since we started seeing her 3 years ago.  It looks like he missed his annual appointment by 2 weeks, but made up for it with his broken body.  What am I going to do with that husband of mine?

.growing small.

 Does anyone love those hands as much as I do?

We never expected to have a huge baby...I mean look at us.   And true to our expectations, our little potato Finn is a wee little one.  At his 4 month check up he weighed in at 13.6 lbs and 24in tall.  His weight is in the 5th percentile and his height is in the 12th.   All of this of course is in the normal range for his little frame...the dr. just says he's not going to be a big guy, and we are ok with that.  He had his first trial of rice cereal this morning.  As expected he did nothing but regurgitate most of it, but it was good for him to test out the spoon and mouth it a little.  He has finally figured out sleeping too.  I finally dug in and sleep trained him, and after many long days of crying Finn is a better sleeper.  I don't swaddle him anymore, he usually rolls to his right side and promptly sticks all four fingers in his mouth and starts slurping away.  He can still have his times when he refuses to sleep, but he is getting sooo much better.  Other things Finn loves right now is riding in the stroller.  Roy will take him out for a run when he gets home from work, and he goes with me in the morning.  Sometimes he talks to himself, but most of all he just sits quietly taking in all the sights of the wold. I love that little man of mine...I don't even remember my life without him anymore.

Just before bath time Finn was exploring dad's face...I think he liked the texture of Roy's scruff.  I especially love how his legs are curled up and pressed against Roy's chest!

.dirty weekend.

We had a really good weekend. We didn't do anything particularly grand, it just felt like a good weekend. My brother Casey turned 40...it's still seems strange to me that I have a brother who is 40. I remember when my mom turned 40 and she seemed so old, but now that I have a sibling that old it doesn't seem all that ancient.

Saturday Finn and I made an impromtu trip up to Soldier Hollow to watch Roy get dirty running the dirty dash with his young men. It seems that any disruption of routine brings on this...

Finn and his crocodile tears...he slept really good when we got home though. As you can see Roy had a great time running with his boys and getting dirty in the process. That's what boys do best!

I'll spare you a leg shot of Roy, even if he does have nice legs. (his basketball shorts became too weighted with mud to stay up, so he ran most of the race in his skimpy running shorts.)

Sunday Roy didn't have any meetings to get to see we actually got to be with him all day. That always makes Sundays that much better. The Lamberts also fed us good food and loved on Finn, so like I said...really good weekend.

.handprints.

In my parent's bedroom there are tiny handprints on the walls. My mother captured our sweet little infant hands in clay. I know she treasures those keepsakes as much as I do. My sister had also done this for her children, and I knew I wanted to do this with my own. Today I finally went to the craft store and gathered the items needed and now have my sweet little man's 4 month handprint hanging above my bed. I LOVE it!