Morning Rituals

Now that we are allowed to sleep in until after the sun comes up, and now that you've realized you can pull yourself up to stand (with a little help), you and I have a new favorite morning activity.  While I am curling up on the couch with my baby and a cup of coffee, you are busy gazing over the back of the couch at the sunshine through the living room window.  You see, behind our sofa is a large bay window.  And you love the sunlight.  In fact, one of your favorite things is when I carry you to both bedroom windows and open the blinds every morning.  You get so giddy about that light pouring in.

Sometimes you just stand on the sofa, rest your chin on the cushion, and take in the morning.  

Sometimes you sit in the bay window and gaze outside at every neighbor and bird that passes our house.

And sometimes I just plop you down on top of the cushions and let you take in the view.

And have I mentioned how beautiful you look in that morning light?

Like, crazy-adorable.

Is it any wonder that I love waking up to this face?

The Wave: the evolution

Your wave is something that must be documented.  It is the subject of much discussion around here.  I used to think of it as elusive, kind of like a bigfoot sighting.  I'd grab my camera and snap away just trying to capture a glimpse of it as proof that it existed.  Because of this, many of the photos of you waving are dark, grainy or blurry.  Again, like bigfoot.  See the correlation?  This precious little wave of yours has evolved since its early days.  Now it's more of a wrist-roll than anything else.  But it still usually begins with something like this:

Or this:

Yep, that's right.  Pretty much a salute.  And one we aren't entirely comfortable with, to be honest.


In the early days it was all about the fingers.  You would cross them and curl them around themselves until they were just right.

Now, you've got a little movement to the wrist.  But those fingers...still crazy.

Early wave sighting:

Grainy, bigfoot-like footage:

More recent coverage:

And it's still all about the wacky finger positions.  Gotta love it.

Yes, I spent an unreasonable amount of time tracking down pictures of you waving.  And then putting them into collages.  But, think of it as scrapbooking and it doesn't seem so obsessive, right?  Besides, I never want to forget that look of intense concentration you get when you're trying to wrap those pudgy fingers around one another.  Or the shy smile on your face when you decide to wave to someone and hope they notice.  Hi, baby girl.  I see you waving, and I'm waving back.  Crazy fingers and all.

So Big: Eight Months

8 Month Old Finnlee

Happy eight months, Baby Girl!  I don't know what it is about this age that sounds so old to me.  Somehow I am getting the feeling that your first birthday is practically tomorrow, and, well, I might as well be teaching you how to drive or something.  I don't know what happened to my sweet and tiny newborn, but somehow she's been replaced by an independent, opinionated, cuddly baby.

It seems like every time I turn around lately you've learned something new or are changing in some way.  Your crazy hair has grown long enough that you now wake up with bed-head.  

Good morning, Sunshine!  Why, no, your hair is not a mess.  Why do you ask?

Maybe someday people will stop asking if you're a girl or boy.  Silly people.

Until then, you'll be wearing ridiculously large flowers on your head quite frequently.

Somebody found your volume button and cranked it up, full-blast.  You've been yelling at the top of your lungs when things aren't going your way.  Like a screechy, drawn-out, cat-like yell.  Not my favorite sound of yours.  Now if only this person could find your pause button and slow down this growing process for me, all might be forgiven.  You've also most definitely been saying "ma-ma".  I'm not 100% convinced that you are aware that the word you are saying and my "name" are one and the same.  But we can work on the comprehension.  The sound is so sweet.


You've started dancing to music (a rhythmic rocking back and forth/bouncing...hey, at least you have rhythm).  And you've been busted more than once for trying to pull yourself up on tables already.  You're usually going after a no-no, like a phone charging cable.  


Sleep has been a battle lately.  Your night schedule is out of whack, waking me up hours before we need to be up.  And naps are few and far between or frightfully short.  I will be really happy when you finally sort out these sleep issues you are having.  


We've been going for swims in the pool and you are a big fan.  You naturally kick and even put your face under (not always with great results).   And your skin is bronzing in the sun, despite repeated applications of baby strength sunscreen.  You even have tan lines in the creases of the baby chub on your arms.  It's a little embarrassing to think that people might think I'm purposely tanning my baby.  I have a feeling you'll just be a brown-skinned child during the summer months, just like Kylee always was.  Your baths are now taking place in the "big kid tub", and you really like splashing in all of that extra water.


So you might be wondering: What exactly is Finnlee really enjoying right now?  Well, let's find out.


What Finnlee is Digging: 8 Months

• Touch & Feel Books: We checked one out at the library and you have been crazy about the thing.  You grope it and scratch it and rub it.  It has many soft and shiny textures, but your favorite is the "scratchy" page.  So much so that I think you are very disappointed when I read you a regular book and there's nothing for you to claw at with those chubby fingers.
• Your Wave.  And maybe more specifically, your hands: You didn't really go through the "hand discovery" phase that your sisters did.  I mean, you recognized them and started to use them obviously, but you didn't stare at them for hours on end like I told your sisters you someday would.  But for about two months now you've been waving to people in the funniest ways.  It keeps changing, but what stays constant is your fascination with wrapping your fingers around themselves in the process.  You study your hands intently to get them just right.  This "wave" of yours truly deserves its own post. Hmmm...
• The Bird on Sprout's Sunny-Side-Up Show: I don't know this little guy's name, but if Sprout is on in our house, and you hear the squeaks of this bird co-host, you squeal and talk back to him like he's speaking your language.  Funny stuff.
• Cantaloupe and Bananas: You cannot get enough of these foods.  Peas, not so much.  But we're working on it.

Summer vacation is upon us.  Your sisters have successfully graduated from high school (yay!), 6th grade & kindergarten.  Sydney's teacher threw the kids the cutest luau party as a farewell.  I am going to miss her so much.  You've had your first library visit and first movie, thanks to the $1 summer movies.  

Last Day of School

Sydney's dance recital was last week, and it was a huge success!  It's hard to believe that her third year of dance class is over.  She is a little veteran now.  I wonder if you will dance, too.  Or if you will do something completely different.  Sydney's a natural dancer.  She's been invited to be on the performance team for her age group for the past two years (although we haven't actually taken them up on it since it means a huge commitment and she's still so young).  I get so nervous before she performs.  My palms get sweaty and I feel anxious for her.  And then she hits the stage and is so confident and poised.  I don't know where she gets that from.  My kids amaze me every day!

Sydney, after dress rehearsal.

And on recital night.  I wish I had paid more attention...it was so dark!

I've skipped so much.  Blogger and I have been butting heads.  I should've realized that there was a limit to the amount of pictures it would host for free.  But I had no clue until it refused to upload more photos.  Not posting your pictures is not an option, so I have fixed it for now.  Maybe I'll catch up someday.

Memorial Day Weekend

While I've never needed an excuse to barbeque, I welcome long weekends like Memorial Day as an opportunity to whip up some potato salad and throw some burgers on the grill.  But what I really want to pass on to you is that Memorial Day is about much more than the smell of charcoal and sandy flip flops.  It's an opportunity to show gratitude and respect to those who have served our country.  We don't necessarily come from a military family, but you should know that your great-grandfather is a Navy, and WW2, veteran.  Also, your great uncle was a Marine and served in Vietnam.  I am hopeful that you will grow up during peaceful times, but never forget the sacrifices that these men, and many men and women like them, have made.

Red, White & Blue Baby

But, I do love the smell of charcoal, and I'm always down for a beach day.  So of course that's what we did.  Because that's what we do.

I got two turntables and a microphone.

We kicked off our three-day weekend at the softball field where Daddy was playing in a tournament.  It was a steamy morning and it wasn't long before we retreated to the children's museum, which just so happens to be at the same park.  How convenient.  Daddy even treated us to lunch at a favorite local hangout.  The kind of place that has a wall of tv's, sticky menus and wings sold for pennies-a-piece.  In other words, a happy place.

Sydney is more entertained by the bleachers than the game.

We discovered that your sister has some seriously mad hula hooping skills.

At Pelican Larry's

The rest of the weekend was spent outside, too.  Sunday we hit up a playground with a splash park and had a picnic dinner at the beach.  We intended on catching the sunset, but things rarely go as planned.  The waves were as high as I've ever seen them and the wind was whipping.  We were there for several hours, but mostly spent that time trying to keep our stuff from blowing away.  We did manage to inhale some sandwiches at a picnic table, using our drinks to weigh down our plates.  And Daddy and Sydney braved the waves that were sometimes as high as Dad's head.  And after all of that, the sun dipped behind some clouds, never to emerge again.  So once again...no actual sunset.  But that doesn't mean it wasn't beautiful.

Hurdling the water fountains.

You had a turn in the water also.  It did not go well.

Is it wrong that I just want to squeeze those cheeks?

And then to the beach...

Did I mention it was windy?

Very windy.

And that the waves were crazy?

That didn't slow down your sister.

The beginning of one of your crazy waves.

Yes, Finn...live long and prosper.

Pure happiness: toothless baby smiles and beachy sunsets.

And dolphin sightings.

And watching your family play in waves so big you wish you'd brought a surfboard.  Or at least a boogie board.

And an ice cream cone on the way home.

So forgive us if your actual first Memorial Day was a little anti-climatic.  It was an exhausting weekend.  We had company over, cooked on the grill and mostly relaxed.  But you're gonna have to trust me on this one.  Other than making you wear some vintage red, white and blue, I mostly gave the camera a rest.

  

Li'l Buckaroo

Ta-Ta for now!

Show-Off

Holy baby tricks, Batman!  Did 7 months automatically flip "off" the infant switch and "on" the baby switch?  You are a variety show of brand new accomplishments these days.  We are putting some serious mileage on the video options of my phone and camera!  Just last week, you learned to play peek-a-boo (you are the one lifting blankets/pillows/dresses in front of your face and peeking out from behind them!), clap your hands (silently, but still), give high-fives, and you made a serious attempt at crawling!  You've even been doing this lip-smacking noise that I am going to assume is either a kiss or the beginnings of the word "ma-ma" until you prove me wrong.  

Around here, the school year is winding down.  Soon we can sleep in and wear our pj's until the sunshine convinces us to venture outdoors.  In many ways I love those lazy summer days.  I like having my girls at home.  I like making lunches that don't have to easily be packed into a lunchbox.  I like mid-week sleepovers and dinnertime swims.  And by the end of it, I am ready for the routine of school again.  The end of the school year brings its own brand of craziness to our house.  Finals, graduations, parties, teacher gifts, returning school books, concerts and plays, and the days of backpacks coming home overflowing with schoolwork and art projects that hadn't made it home before now.  It has my head spinning sometimes.  I'm looking forward to some down-time.  


In the meantime: 

Sydney's prize for winning a school fundraiser: Junior Media Specialist for a Day.  She was so excited!

You have been venturing into the world of finger foods.  Cantaloupe is pretty popular.

Sydney's school had their annual Spring Blast.  It was okay.  I wouldn't call it a "blast."  You weren't crazy about all of the screaming kids.  That's for sure.

Sydney got to ride a horse.  That's always a good day.

I think she liked it.

Horse lover, in theory.  She was a little spooked by the ponies in the petting area.

You spent a lot of time in our arms instead of the stroller.

Fingers make everything better.

We've also been spending a lot of time at the children's museum.

Buying "healthy" food.

Giving vegan jerky a try.

Then heading to the beach in time for sunset.

Despite the calendar, our family has declared that it is summer by resuming regular trips to our beloved beach.  The month of May was a soggy one and most of our beach runs turned into "us-against-nature" battles.  We were constantly dodging and out-running rainstorms.  The odds were in our favor though as we have Mother Nature beat, 2-1, so far.  

Rapidly approaching rain...again.

There's not much I enjoy more than the warm light of a sunset on my baby's skin.

Hammin' it up for the camera.

I think you love sunsets.

You love your daddy, too.

The storm started moving in.

Goodnight, sun.  See you tomorrow.

Then we wake up in the morning and migrate back to the beach.  Ahhh...summer.  

Our people: This is our camp-out for the day.

Pretty sister with messy hair.  She convinced me that she didn't need to brush it since we were going to the beach.

Debuting the bikini.

Favorite beach activity: wave jumping.

Love the reflection in your eyes.

Howdy, Miss.

We also discovered that, just like Kylee when she was a baby, you are hyper-sensitive to mosquito bites.  They swell up into blisters.  Luckily you are too young to scratch them.  But it has me concerned because supposedly it's a protein that's released when you are bitten that causes the reaction.  Your sister also had a milk protein allergy when she was little.  I have no reason to suspect they are related other than the "odd coincidence factor", but it's just one more hint that you may have this condition also.  I'm in no hurry to accelerate the introduction of dairy products.  Now what am I supposed to do about keeping away mosquitoes when we live in mosquito-heaven?

Blisters.  Ouch.

Poor baby.

I promise to try to catch up on this whole blogging thing.  Things should slow down around here eventually.  Right?