Happy St. Patty's Day!

Finnegan would like to wish all of you a very Happy St. Patrick's Day!This was our little peanut celebrating St. Patrick's Day last year. My how far we've come!

Finn's fourth tooth is FINALLY in! Oh, this one has been a doozy. It bulged the gums and caused lots of pain and problems. Jim said he pushed it through Monday night when he was watching Finn! Ouch! So, now Finn has his four front teeth! I don't really check the other ones, so not sure if they are coming in. I guess once you get the front ones, the others aren't as big of a deal! All four have come in very crooked, so I'm hoping that is just a baby teeth thing and they straighten out the more they come in. Oh, just think...some day in the very distant future, we'll be done with teething. What a wonderful thought! Just don't remind me that loose teeth won't be far behind...yuck!

Memere gave Finn a singing, hopping bunny when she was here this past weekend. At first Finn wasn't too sure about it because it is loud and jumps but now he loves it. He won't touch it except to play with the tag, but he wants to stand and dance when you turn it on. So cute. I really need to get a video, but I'm terrible at remembering to grab the camera! Thanks, Memere!

I rearranged Finn's room yesterday. For a while now, he has been rolling over and playing with the curtain and blinds when we change him on his changing table. I didn't overly mind (kept him busy) as long as I could still change his diaper, but Jim told him no, so I supported that. But it was really hard because Finn would look at you, then slowly reach for it like, "hmm, I wonder if she really means it?" So I had it yesterday and switched the chair and the dresser around (by myself! what was I thinking?!?!). I didn't notice how messy his room looks until I saw this picture. Oops! I like the layout a lot better now because the chair is over by the book shelf which makes sense. However, when I changed him after the rearranging, he just rolled over and played with the wall instead! Little bugger. Oh, well. I guess it is his job to keep us on our toes.

Finn playing in the sink at the doctor's office on Monday: What can you do? It made him happy, he wasn't able to turn the water on and he wasn't hurting anything.

Eleven. Exactly. One louder.

Finn seems to be doing better. His breathing is less labored and only sounds bad when he is breathing deeply, coughing or sneezing. He is happy and cheery, so I'll take it! Jim and I took turns getting up to check on him last night (upon the doctor's recommendation), but he was fine. He did wake up earlier than usual this morning, but nothing too bad. He is laying on the office floor right now reading "Pajama Time" by Sandra Boynton. He must be feeling somewhat okay!

I went out to dinner at Bennihana with Matt, Kelsie and John last night. So yummy, I think I'm still full, though! While I was gone, Jim said that Finn started inching forward! He said Finn went about a foot, which is HUGE! Maybe he is finally buying into the benefits of this whole crawling thing. I'll have to keep an eye on him over the next few days to see for myself.

In all the excitement yesterday, I didn't get to mention that Finn is now 11 months old adjusted! Here are the development milestones for 11 months and how Finn is doing on each point.

Most babies should be able to . . .
Say mama and dada to the right parents yes, but also says mama to other women and dada to other men
Wave goodbye yes, when he is in the mood
Clap hands yes and often claps for himself for no reason!
Understand the word no but doesn’t always obey it yes and often obeys, too (I'm sure that will change!)
Stand alone momentarily I suppose, but not well unsupported
Play ball and patty cake yes and can now even throw the ball!

Some babies will probably be able to . . .
Say one word other than mama or dada yes! Finn can say "Austin" and "up"
Drink from a cup independently yes, although we don't give him one very often
Indicate what he wants with gestures other than crying yes, he loves "directing" me by pointing his arm when I'm walking around and holding him
Imitate others yes, all the time!
Put toys or object into a container we are working on this, he likes to take them out, more than put them in

Some babies could possibly be able to . . .
Stand alone well nope
Babble that sounds like her or she is talking a foreign language yes, constantly
Say two or more words other than mama or dada Austin and up for sure, not sure about other words that it sounds like he is saying, but could just be mimicking us
Understand simple instructions yes, to some degree, but he is really stubborn
Walk well obviously, no

Not RSV! But what?

Just heard back from the doctor and Finn's RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) test thankfully came back negative! Yay! But I'm getting ahead of myself.

We took Finn to the doctor today for his labored breathing. They said that usually if you have troubles breathing in, it is croup and troubles breathing out, it can be RSV. Well, he was doing both on and off at the appointment. The doctor really didn't know what to do with him but could tell something was wrong. He was breathing about twice as fast as he should be and it was pretty shallow breathing. They decided to use the nebulizer to see if that helped. Nope, not at all. So she decided to test him for RSV and give him a dose of steroids. Have you seen a child tested for RSV? Yuck. They poor saline into the nose and suck whatever is in there out! Gross. And of course, Finn hated it. But he was in one of those moods that he hated everything that involved a nurse or doctor. He loved looking outside, playing on daddy's lap and playing in the sink. Yup, kept him busy for a long time (Jim has pictures on his phone!). Well, like I said, the RSV test is negative. They send it in for a culture, but by the time that comes back, if it is RSV, he will be over it. The doctor said to just give him tylenol and/or mortin as needed and be watchful, especially through the night tonight. She is going to call back tomorrow to check up on him and discuss his symptoms. So, for now, I guess we'll just see.

Finn sounds absolutely terrible at times, depends how deeply he is breathing. But he is pretty happy and even played with his toys when we got home. Oh, the best part of the doctor visit (if there can be one, right?)...Finn fell asleep on my chest while we were waiting for the steroids to arrive from the pharmacy and be administered! He NEVER does that and I just soaked it in. It was a great "mom moment" for me.

Finn's photo contest

Thanks to everybody who voted for Finn in the Parent's photo contest. He finished in 88th place, which is a huge improvement from day 1 when he was in 851th place! It was fun, if nothing else!

What a weekend!

On Saturday we had our last swim class of this session. It went well and Finn actually blew some bubbles for the first time. We signed up for the next session, but it sounds like the other three boys will not be in our class. Oh, well. Finn will make some new friends.

Later on Saturday, we headed to Burnsville for a surprise birthday dinner for Jim's aunt DeAnn (aka NeNe) at El Loro. She was completely surprised, which is always fun. Finn was okay, but a little crabby. He got some of daddy's Chori Pollo (chorizo and chicken), which he loved (of course, right?). After dinner we went to DeAnn's for some pie and then John, Kelsie and Jim's cousin Matt came over to our house for drinks and to play games. We all had a lot of fun and a lot to drink. We went to bed at 2am, which was really 3am! Who does that! Made for a tired mommy and daddy on Sunday.

On Sunday Jim smoked some ribs for dinner and Finn "helped" him. I still can't believe how beautiful the weather was. Too bad we couldn't eat outside, too. Memere and Grandpa came in the afternoon and John, Kelsie and Matt came over later. Dinner was amazing. Smoked ribs, smoked baked beans and Famous Dave's cornbread muffins.

Finn was sounding a little congested in his chest yesterday and had a very slight runny nose, but I didn't think much of it. Well, he woke up a few times last night...but he wasn't really awake. I think he was having troubles breathing. By this morning, his breathing was so labored that we could hear it over the monitor. When he got up, he had a slight fever, so I called the nurses line. They want to listen to his chest, so we have a doctor in about an hour. Memere, Finn and I sat in the bathroom with the shower running, but the steam didn't really help (made for daddy to have a cold shower, though...oops!). He has obviously been sick but we haven't really had respiratory issues before, so I (and the nurse!) didn't want to take any chances. Based on what I told her and what she could hear on the phone, she is thinking it might be croup, which I know nothing about. Better go google it!

Come to my Pampered Chef party!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

You're invited!

When: April 6th
Where: My house
15 22nd Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55418
What time: 6:30pm

What's happening?
If you haven't been to a Pampered Chef party in a while, you'll be amazed at all their NEW ITEMS and RECIPES! We will prepare a yummy recipe using the tools as well as sharing fun tips along the way. We are all welcomed to "jump in" and help too!

And feel free to bring a friend...the more the merrier!!

Drop me an email or call me to let me know you are coming! 952-57-6641 or sjwalsh97@yahoo.com

Oh no! You can't join us??
That's too bad... but the good news is, you can still view the catalog and place an order for my party! Just follow these instructions...

1.) Go to My Consultant Cherie’s website: www.pamperedchef.biz/cheriemitchell
2.) Click on "Shop Online" in the top right
3.) Type in “Stacy Thomas” in the two boxes and click "Search for Host"
4.) When you see my name, click on it
5.) Click "Shop Catalog" to page through the virtual catalog OR Click by category.
6.) You can place your order and pay by credit/check card right there!

Any questions, please feel free to contact my consultant, Cherie, directly. She is more than happy to help! 763-670-7390 or mitc0439@metnet.edu

Hope you can come!!

Busy bees

Who has time for a job? We've been so busy, I haven't had time to blog. Shame on me, I know!

Wednesday afternoon we had our first ECFE class of the spring. There were 8 babies there, which is more than I'm used to. Jim joined us since he was heading out for a business trip right after. I kind of feel bad because the two main issues that the other moms brought up were sleeping and eating...two things we do NOT have problems with! We were supposed to go around, introduces ourselves and tell some recent challenges we've had. When it got to our turn, I said, " This is Finn and, um, we don't have any challenges right now!" Honestly, he is so good. I guess I could have said he isn't crawling...that is definitely a challenge. Oh, well. Looking forward to next week.

Then after class, Stacey and Dillon came over to drop off some fun toys that Dillon had outgrown. Score! Finn got a "Flintstones" type Fischer Price car where you use your legs to go forward, an art desk and a puppet show stand! I can't wait until he is old enough to use them. They stayed for a little while and, as always, it was great to catch up.

Thursday we had a play date with our favorite twins. As usual we had a great time. I love these pictures because they are like a flip book:

Finn with his bottle. Juliette grabbing it. Finn grabbing it back. And Juliette finally getting her turn! And they weren't even mad with each other. They just took turns taking it from each other! You gotta love that. This is one of the many reasons why I love going over there so Finn gets interactions with kids his own age. Hey, he needs to learn how to stick up for himself!

Then we got home, got ready and headed out again over to Auntie Becca's house for dinner! Like, I said, we've been super busy. Becky made a yummy dinner and Austin and Finn got lots of play time. It was very relaxing and both Finn and I had a great time. We didn't get home until around 8:30, well after Finn's bed time, but he was fine and I just changed him and put him to bed.

Today we went over to Jaleah's house. I met her mom, Rebecca, online because both Jaleah and Finn were preemies and born very close to each other (Project Mommyhood blog on our blog list). Jaleah has the bubbliest smile ever and just loved me the second I walked it (who could resist?!?!). Rebecca also watches a little boy, Blake, who is two weeks younger than Finn's adjusted age. Finn looks like he is being attacked in this picture. I love it. Finn was a little crabby, but other than that the play date was a huge success. It is nice to talk to other mom's of preemies. You have a common bond that others don't fully understand. Hope we can do it again soon!

Let it begin

Grilling season at the Thomas household, that is! Yes, Jim finally got his new grill. Finn and I picked him up at work yesterday and we headed over to Home Depot. He found exactly what he was looking for and we brought it home (good thing I have the new car so it fit!). Uncle John came over last night to help put it together and when I got home around 10:30, it was assembled with a three foot flame shooting out of it! So of course Jim had to grill a steak last night for dinner. I do have to admit, food cooked on a charcoal grill is just SO much better than on the stove! Maybe I'll pick up some brats today. Yum!

While Jim and John were assembling the grill, I got to go to the Wild game with Ryan and Leah! I had so much fun, although I have to admit not THAT much hockey was watched by me! The tickets were on the club level, which means it isn't crowded, no long lines and yummy food. Oh and of course...beers! The Wild lost in OT, but since I didn't have too much vested in the outcome, I wasn't heart broken (although don't you always want to see your home team win?). Thanks for inviting me, Ryan! I'll take your gimpy seat ticket any time, although Jim said its his turn next time ;)

Daddy made an executive decision last night and moved Finn from 9 months sleepers to 12 month ones! That's what I get for leaving them alone! Ha, ha. I know his 9 months ones were getting too small, but the 12 month ones just look so freaking huge. But it wasn't that big. I sadly switched out all the 9 month ones this morning for the 12 months ones. He is just on the cusp of needing to move into 12 month clothes (shirts and onsies for sure) soon. Probably a good thing since spring is on the way!

Big steps for a little guy

Yesterday the EI PT came for her every other week visit. Finn was a superstar! First, since my mom has hard wood floors, he figured out he can get down from sitting by leaning really far forward and just doing the splits until his legs are behind him. While I'm very happy he has figured out a way to get down (his problem solving skills are not delayed for sure!), this is NOT the way he is supposed to do it. So Jane worked with Finn on getting down sideways and he can do it (he did it independently a few times this weekend).

But he was a rockstar with crawling! Don't get me wrong, he is not crawling yet, but when she propped his knees beneath him, he stayed in the position and rocked back and forth! Before this, he would push his legs straight out and go down onto his tummy. He also impressed her with his ability to get to sitting from the crawling position...another thing that he hasn't shown us before. So, our munchkin is definitely progessing.

It was a good visit and it was good for mommy to see all that he is doing. I just feel like he hits plateaus some times and so when he takes off again, I get so happy. We talked about that and Jane said that where other babies just "get" these gross motor skills, we have to teach them to Finn, so of course it is going to take a little longer. On the other hand, he demonstrated a congitive skill for her today (without prompting) that is usually in the 16 to 18 month range! Not bad for a little 10 monther!! I'll take what I can get.

On a fun note, Finn's photo is currently in the running to become a weekly winner on Parents.com Photo Faves. You do not have to sign up for ads with this contest...just vote! No pressure, don't feel like you have to. The photo with the most votes will take home the honors. Click on the link to vote DAILY! Voting ends 03/14/2010.

http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/159516

I know this is silly and with all the entries he probably won't win, but it is fun! Let's see how many votes he can get.

The best laid plans...

...go awry. Our weekend extravaganza didn't happen exactly as planned, much to my frustration. But things happen, plans change and you make adjustments. Lynn ended up being sick on Friday. So after spending all day Friday packing Finn and the car up, I had to decide if we were going to scratch the whole weekend or just the Ortonville leg. I called my mom and we decided that if the weather was good on Saturday (there was supposed to be some wintry mix out by them), we would still head to Murdock when we got up on Saturday.

It was probably a "good" thing that Jim didn't leave work early on Friday to head to Ortonville...since he was there until 9pm! Once he got home we watched a few episodes of Friday Night Lights (LOVE LOVE LOVE this show!) and called it a night. I got up Saturday morning to make Jim buttermilk waffles. We both love waffles and I had some extra buttermilk from another recipe, so I thought, "why not?" The texture was a little too soft, but the taste was good. We ended up heading out around 11am, which if you know Jim at all, is quite the feat to have him up, breakfast eaten and ready to go before Noon!

We had a great time at my mom's. It was kind of nice that it was just us because normally things can get a little crazy when everybody is there. My grandma and grandpa Smith came over Saturday afternoon, which was wonderful. Again, when we see them, there is usually 30 other people around (not that I don't love those 30 people!).

They each got tons of Finn time and of course, Finn loved the extra attention. I don't think they minded the attention from Finn, either! Then on Sunday, the four of us headed to church...and Finn was super tired. He was ready for a nap when we left, so church was a little difficult. But we managed by constantly shoving snacks in his mouth to keep him quiet (you do what you gotta do!). Afterwards, Renae and Nick joined us for brunch back at mom's until we left to head home.

We stopped at Emma's birthday party for a bit on our way home (I can't believe my little princess is SIX!!) and then crashed once we got home. It was a great weekend, but it seems when you are away from home, you need another weekend to relax when you get back!

So, even though the weekend wasn't how I planned it would be, it was a great weekend.

Grizzly Adams Pee boy

On an almost equally happy note as being done with his helmet, Finn hasn't wet through his night time diaper in several days! It has been a constant and consistent problem since forever, it seems. We stopped giving him the evening num nums (juice, vitamins, etc) a few weeks ago, which was about 2 ounces. Then it just hit me the other night, I could give him less water volume but not take his bedtime bottle away completely. So I put the same amount of formula in, but reduced the water (I had been watering it down a little anyway) by about three ounces. So far, it has worked! I really hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying anything, but as any of you who have cleaned up the insides of a diaper (you know, the sticky, jelly ball things that just won't come off), you'll understand my joy. Not to mention, I'll have to wash his sheets less often and you all know how much I HATE changing crib sheets!

Jim wants to get Finn's hair cut! I am not ready yet and really want to wait at least until after his adjusted one year birthday (6 weeks away!), but I really want to wait until after his next set of pictures. Well, now that the helmet is gone, his long hair is much more noticeable and I have a feeling that Jim won't be nearly as patient as he had been. Darn! It is just super long in front. The sides and back are a normal length still. I'm going to hold out as long as I can! Once you cut it, they never look like a baby again and I'm not ready for him to look like a toddler yet. My baby is growing up.

Something's missing!

Something is missing from this picture. Can you guess what it is? Yup, Finn's helmet! He is done wearing it FOREVER! I know, I'm just as surprised as you are (he was on his 9th week wearing it). We went to PT yesterday, which is when they do the helmet adjustments, and the guy examined him and said his head is well within "normal limits" and if I was okay with it, Finn didn't need it any more! Um, yeah! I wasn't prepare for it, but am so happy this whole experience went so smoothly and was so easy. If I had known it was going to be like this when we were agonizing over the decision, I wouldn't have worried so much. The next few days will be interesting when it comes to bonking his head. I'm sure we'll see a few extra tears as he gets used to not having the extra protection. Now I just have to remember he doesn't have it on when I'm carrying him ;)

We stopped at the car dealer yesterday after PT to get some dents and scratches removed from my car. It was our first outing without the helmet and a few of the ladies stopped by to talk/look at him while we waited. I felt NORMAL! Other than still having to say his adjusted age instead of his actual age, I felt like a normal mom with a normal baby. And from a germ point of view, I even let him sit on the floor and dig through the diaper bag (the carpet wasn't nasty and he wasn't really touching it anyway). That was a first for him AND me! I just had to stop for a second and take a big sigh. It was a nice feeling. Dare I say that the thick bubble surrounding him is getting thinner?

I watched Grace yesterday and today and she even stayed over night last night. It is nice to have her around because there is always something to do! Oh and Jim came home last night around 1am a day early. We are planning on making a "grandparents' voyage" this weekend starting tonight. Agenda: driving to Ortonville Fri PM, spending time with grandparents Thomas Saturday, driving to Murdock Sat PM, spending time with grandma Kathy Sunday, driving back to the Cities in time for Emma's birthday party at 4pm on Sunday. Crazy busy, I know. But we don't make it back very often and it just seemed to work this weekend. I know Finn will be on attention overload by Sunday night, but that is what grandparents are for, right?

More more more

Finn can sign "more!" He has been doing it for a few days, but he doesn't do it every time yet. But when he does, he is so proud of himself and it is adorable. Like, "I just told Mom what I wanted!" (and now I better get more food!) I should get it on video before it becomes "old hat" to him. He can also wave hello and bye bye. He can give me kisses somewhat on demand, but I think he likes to pretend he doesn't know how sometimes because then he gets a reaction out of me ("You're so naughty, momma wants a kiss!"). We are just starting to work on having him blow kisses, which would be super cute. I think I've mentioned this before, but he understands but doesn't do the signs for milk (which is really for his bottle), all done (but he doesn't like that one for obvious reasons!), bath, ni-night (which is really the sign for sleep, I think or vise versa) and eat. Those are really the only ones we do regularly with him. We do "thank you" some times. I'd like to start doing that one more and also "please." We don't sign "momma" and "dadda" any more because he can say them, so we didn't really see the point.

We had a great afternoon and evening yesterday. Austin and auntie Becca came over...well need I say more? Finn loved it. I took the boys to Target for a while, and since Finn was refusing to take a nap (me thinks he wanted to play instead?!?), it was a good distraction and both boys were fantastic. Apparently the funniest thing in the world is when Austin "bangs" his head on something. Finn laughs hysterically and if you know how stingy Finn is with giggles, that is saying something. Austin also LOVES our basement because it is kind of a big play space perfect for a little boy. So we played "bomb each other with the nerf football over the couch and love seat." Man, he tired me out. Then Becky made a great chicken dinner and finally it was time for Finn's bed time and for them to go home. I'm so glad Austin (and Becky when she isn't cleaning!) comes over every Wednesday!

Who needs a wallet?

Finn's doctor appointment went well. She said his ears looked good, or as good as she could tell. He started crying as soon as she put the instrument in his ear. I don't know what that was about. And once you are crying, your ear drum turns red. Did you know that? I didn't. You learn something new every day. She wants to keep an eye on his ears, so he needs to be seen every 4 to 6 weeks to make sure all is well. Finn's 15-month well child check is in 5 weeks, so that works perfectly (how can we already be near 15 months?!?!). She said the ENT was a bit premature at this point (which is why I hadn't made an appointment yet) and she would recommend that after 5 ear infections.

I also took the opportunity to discuss Finn's weight and feeding schedule with her. I've been receiving feedback that he is too heavy and that he eats too much. I honestly don't think he is TOO heavy, just chunky, which is normal for pre-crawling/walking babies. And I feed him healthy things and I feel like if I fed him less, he would be starving all the time, which I'm not willing to do. She sat down and we went through everything, what he eats, his hungry/full cues, how often he eats, his weight/heigh ratio, etc. She said she is honestly not concerned AT ALL about his weight or what he is eating and that I shouldn't change a thing. I needed to hear that. I'm glad I asked. She said that we do need to keep an eye on his height because he is so short, but that would start being a concern closer to two than right now. He has stayed on the same height curve, but it is still around the 3rd percentile, I think.

And I decided it was such a nice day when we left for the appointment that I didn't grab my coat. Um, well, I keep my wallet in my coat! I realized it as I was waiting to check him in for his appointment. You have to have ID and your insurance cards every time. I explained what happened and she thankfully said that was fine (and asked me other questions to make sure I was me). Well, I didn't think about it again...until we got in the car to leave the parking ramp. Yes, parking ramp...that costs MONEY, that I didn't have! I was freaking out because I had NOTHING. I found some change in Finn's diaper bag and then decided to go back to the welcome desk to ask what I was supposed to do (Jim is out of town so it wasn't like he could just drop some money off for me). As we were walking back in, a doctor walked in behind us and I asked her if she had $2. She THANKFULLY did and we had just enough to pay to get out. I hope that never happens again. One of the worse feelings in the world. I think I will put $10 into Finn's diaper bag so I always have something for "just in case!" Lesson learned the hard way, I guess.

Then aunt Kelsie came and spent the afternoon and evening with us. Finn loved the extra attention and she even got to give him a bath. I appreciated the help and the companionship. Hopefully we can do it again soon!

Shaw's...yum!

With Jim being gone, I was a little worried that Finn and I wouldn't have much to do this week and I would get cabin fever and feel "stuck." Well...not to worry! Last night Finn and I met my aunt Angie and cousins Erica and Gavin at Shaws for Shaw Burgers! OMG. You have not had a burger until you've had THIS burger. So good and goopy (I think we made that word up!) and messy. They are so big the four of us shared two! It is a shame that I live less than a mile from Shaw's and it has probably been a year since I've been there for a Shaw Burger. The company and the food made my night!

Today we have Finn's follow up doctor appointment for his ears. I haven't made the appointment with the ENT yet. I'm just wondering if the fluid has cleared up, if it is really necessary. So, we'll see what the doctor says. Then Aunt Kelsie is coming over to play after the appointment! I know Finn will love that and I'll appreciate the company.

And the rest of the week is full, too! I like having things to do when Jim is gone. It just gets a little difficult for me when I'm home with Finn all day AND all night for SIX days in a row. Not that Finn is hard to take care of. I just need some kind of break from the monotony and routine. Speaking of, ECFE starts next week! Can't wait.

Who is it?

I was semi-woken up this morning by pounding on the front door at 7:55am. I usually wake up around 7:30, but lay around in bed and be lazy until 8 or so. I reluctantly got up. Surprise! They were here to deliver the couch! And, yes, I was in my pj's and robe. I said we were told it would be delivered tomorrow and I would receive a call before they came...but they were here, so other than that fact that I hadn't gotten anything ready, why not just let them bring it in. So I quickly threw on some clothes and started picking up and moving things and vacuuming (which of course woke Finn up who was then hysterical). You do NOT want to see what is under and behind a couch that hasn't been moved in over two years. Yuck. I did find the phone for one of Finn's favorite toys, though!

For a small "fee" they guys even brought the old couch and love seat downstairs for me. The last thing I wanted was for it to be sitting in my dining room until Jim gets home on Friday!

It looks great and fits perfectly in the space with plenty of seating. The left picture is the view from the kitchen and the right is the view from the front entryway. It is a little higher than I'm used to and the seats are a little deeper which means my feet don't really touch the floor when I'm sitting back...but that isn't a big deal for me. I like to curl up anyway. So glad we didn't get the dark brown! Jim was right, this is much lighter. Now I just have to figure out a way to move the rug over about 8 inches. Hmmm...

Finn's EI teacher came by today. He was crabby from being so rudely woken up by the vacuum, but eventually got over that. The next "skill" we are working on is having him drop toys into a container. He can do it but it usually seems more like an accident than intentional. So I brought a mixing bowl into the living room and we put some soft blocks in it. He thought it is a new toy and just swiped at the blocks until they were all out! We also "play" handing toys back and forth. He hands it to me. I say thank you and hand it back. The other "game" he loves is, "Mommy builds a "tower" and I knock it over." I usually only get two or three stacked before he grabs for it so "tower" might be an overstatement. Keeps him entertained for a long time.

Better watch your fingers

Finn got tooth #3 yesterday (top right if you are looking at him). It has been near the surface for a really long time...longer than #2 was, I think. I felt it yesterday and could actually feel the little sharp tooth! He is getting to be such a big boy. Now you have to be really careful when feeding him treats...or your fingers will be shark bait!

NeNe and Uncle Les graciously watched Finn last night so Jim and I could go to a friend's birthday party. We are so lucky to have such wonderful family that is so willing to watch Finn. He had a blast, I'm sure, chasing puppies and rolling all over the house. DeAnn said he even got up on his knees once and she thought he was going to crawl! Of course he would do that when we aren't there, right? Ha, ha.

Jim left this morning for California. It is going to be a long week. He gets back on Friday and may have to go back the following week. We were planning on going to both of parent's this weekend, but may have to postpone if Jim is going to be traveling back to back. We'll have to wait and see. Boo.

Finn's Birthday Wish List

Finn's Birthday Wish List:

Umbrella stroller (with hood/cover)
Baby gate for stairs
Wooden table/chairs set
wooden Xylophone
developmental/learning toys for 1-2 year old
small jungle gym (for climing and sliding)
plastic picnic table
work bench with hammer
footed sleepers size 12 month or 18 month
Robeez size 12-18 month
Duplo blocks
size 4 diapers
huggies wipes
Size 12 month or bigger clothes (he is ALMOST ready to switch into 12 month)
A donation to March of Dimes (or our walk) in Finn's name

Honestly, he has a ton of stuff already, so do not feel you need to get him much, or anything for that matter. Money for his savings account is always appreciate, too (but I know that isn't "fun" to give!).

Big comfy couch

So much for a quiet Friday! Okay, during the day, it was quiet and relaxing. When Jim got home, I mentioned that Hom Furniture was having a 29% off sale on everything in the store, but it was just for Friday. If you have been to our house in the last year or so and sat on our couch, you will know and understand why we NEED a new couch. You pretty much sink to the floor on the one side of the couch. So, we packed Finn up, even though he really needed a nap, and headed over to Hom Furniture.

I had put some thought into what shape of couch would fit best in the room, but we weren't sure exactly what we wanted and we certainly hadn't looked at anything yet. We found three options that we really liked. Based on features, functionality and style, we narrowed it down to one that worked for us and the space. Jim gave up a recliner (they didn't have it in the one we liked best) and I gave in on the fabric, but we got the chaise we've been wanting forever. Yay for snuggling together while watching movies!

Finn lost it around 6:30 since he'd only had ONE nap all day and was hungry for dinner (apparently apple juice and crackers don't constitute dinner...hmmm). Not sure why I didn't bring a bottle and food along. Bad mommy. I had measured the room for the dimensions before we left, but not where the current furniture sits in the room, so we headed home to measure that, give Finn dinner and put him to bed. Jim headed back and now we have a new couch for our living room!
This is the only picture I could find online. The layout is backwards (the chaise is on the other end) and we have a little different seating layout. You can custom order it to fit exactly what you need, which is what we had to do given our long, narrow room. I don't love the fabric, but it only came in one fabric option but in three colors (this, dark brown and green). I think it is going to be really big, but my #1 concern was to have enough seating around the TV...I don't think that will be a problem any more! It is supposed to be delievered on Tuesday (when Jim is gone...of course!). We will move our current living room furniture into the basement (a broken couch is better than none down there, right?) and then we can set up the bedroom downstairs as a guest room with the futon. Yay! Things are coming together. Thank God for 0% financing and tax refunds :)

Selfish indulgence

A few weeks ago, Jess asked me which photo of Finn and me from all the photo sessions was my favorite. So, I forced myself (it was REALLY hard to do I'm sure!) to look through all of Finn's wonderful photos again and ended up finding one of the two of us from each session that I just loved. I thought I'd share them with you. Plus, it is fun to see the progression in our relationship - from him needing me for everything to him just needing a kiss!

It is probably obvious, but from left to right; 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year. We still haven't decided when we will do our next photo session. If Finn had been full term, we would do 18 months, but I'd like pictures of when he LOOKS like he is one...you know that wobbly "I can barely stand by myself" kind of picture. I'm thinking by the time he is 18 months, we won't be able to keep up with him!

Finn and I actually have a quiet day "planned" for today, which means nothing is planned! Doesn't happen too often. Kind of nice, though. I'm hoping to get outside and work on the ice on the sidewalk. We have one spot where the melting water doesn't have anywhere to go, so it just melts and freezes into an icy lake...makes it hard to walk to the car while carrying a baby in a car seat!

Jim is gone from Sunday to Friday next week. If anybody wants to do something (with Finn and me obviously) any of the week nights, let me know!

Oh and can I just say, the McDonald's Filet 'O Fish commercial is back and you either love it or hate it. I LOVE it AND the actual Filet 'O Fish sandwiches! I just had one for lunch today. "Give me back that Filet-O-Fish. Give me that fish." So catchy. I think it borders on the edge of complete annoyance, but doesn't quite cross it. You gotta love marketing people!

Too much fun

Is there such a thing as having too much fun? I don't think so. Finn and I have been busy and having lots of fun. Yesterday, Austin came over and the three of us went over to the twins' house to play and have dinner. I picked up Thai on the way over...yummy! Lorry and Emma met us there, so the kids had a blast. Austin didn't know what to do with two of his friends at one place. "Auntie, I'm going to freak out," Austin said on the way over. Too cute.

Finn had troubles sleeping last night. Nothing major, but he kept waking up and just crying like he was in pain. Not sure what was going on...maybe teeth? Maybe ears? He seems better today, but I've kept him on a low dose of Motrin just to make sure.

Then today, Finn and I met Holly, my friend from high school, and her son Odin in St. Cloud for lunch! It was way over due and we had such a nice time. Odin is one month "younger" than Finn's actual age. He is walking and eating like a big boy. Oh and did I mention, way too cute? (this picture was taken at Target during our bathroom break!) The day went way too fast and it was time to go before we knew it. Hopefully we can do it again soon! I'd like Finn to have some "guy" friends, even if we have to drive to St. Cloud to see them ;)

Mary Mary

I forgot to mention yesterday that we FINALLY got to visit with Finn's primary NICU nurse Mary! We have tried several times to see her when we've been there, but she told us that she switched to Friday, Saturday and Sundays...which explains why she was never there when we were. She just happened to be working yesterday. She loved seeing Finn and had a million questions about his progress and how he is doing. Finn was tired and hungry and just wanted to eat some crackers. Oh, well. I wish I'd brought the camera! I kind of was hoping to see the new NICU, too. Maybe we'll have to schedule a visit/tour or something (who knows, maybe we won't need it a second time!). Hopefully we'll get to visit with nurse Lisa when she is in town and we'll have both primaries covered! Next time we are at Children's maybe we can try to see Finn's ICC nurses. It is so weird to think a year has gone by.

I've also slowly been transitioning Finn out of needing his evening nap. That being said, he needed one last night. It gets difficult when it is so close to bed, but it is too early for him to sleep through the night (or he doesn't nap and is a BEAR!). So, I'm trying to keep him up a little later for his morning nap (11-ish instead of 10-ish) so I can lay him down later in the afternoon. If he wakes up from his afternoon nap around 4:30, we are usually fine without another cat nap. It isn't anything I'm really actively doing, just trying to make a mental note of it. Plus, I think he is old enough not to NEED a third nap, so I feel that it is probably time. Our baby is growing up.

The good and not good news

We had Finn's follow up audiology appointment today. The good news is that it looks like his ear infection has cleared up. The not so good news (please notice I did not say "bad") is that he has mild hearing loss. But let me explain...

The three of us went to Children's today for Finn's audiology appointment. This was a follow up to his appointment in June. I mentioned to the audiologist my concerns that Finn may still have an ear infection in case it affected his results. She first tested his ear drum vibration and found moderate fluid in his right ear and full fluid in his left. Then we went in a special room and she tested his hearing. She would play a noise or say something on a speaker to either his left or right side. If he looked in that direction, she would light up a toy that moved (to motivate him to keep looking). This is the test that determined Finn has mild hearing loss. BUT she said it very well could be due to the fluid in his ears and not necessarily permanent loss.

SO, she is sending us to an ENT specialist to make sure Finn's ears heal properly. And she sent us over to the clinic to check whether he has an infection, too. We headed over there and were able to get in (not sure how, but I'm very thankful!). The nurse practitioner said that the infection was gone, but yes, he has fluid in both ears. We have a follow up appointment next week with Finn's regular doctor (she is out of the office this week...of course, right?), so we will be able to ask more questions and get a better exam. In the meantime, I am going to make the appointment with the ENT. The audiologist thought they were scheduling about two weeks out, so the timing should work out well. After Finn's ears heal and the fluid is gone, we will have another audiology appointment to see how he tests with healthy ears. So, we'll see (or hear as the case may be!).

#2

Okay, it isn't what you're thinking. I'm not talking about poop for once. I'm referring to the fact that Finn FINALLY got tooth #2 yesterday! It is on the bottom next to his other one. He has been working on that tooth forever and it finally popped through. He is still really sucking on his fingers and biting things, so either that tooth is still causing him discomfort for those top ones are coming in, too. We'll have to wait and see. For now, bring on the Orajel!

Saturday was great. Finn loved swim class and he was so comfortable in the water, he would put his legs in the air and grab his feet while floating on his back! After swimming, we dropped Finn off at Becky's where Mom was watching Austin and headed to When in Rome, a romantic comedy. It was a little weird, but overall a good, cute movie. More importantly, it just felt good to go out and do something "normal." After the movie, we headed home and then to dinner at El Loro for Nick's birthday (two "normal" things in one day?!?!). Yumm-o! We brought Finn with us and he was really good. He loves all the sounds and people and lights to look at. Then we came home, had cake (homemade chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and chocolate ice-cream...Nick likes chocolate!), hung out and played The Game of Things. OMG, so much fun. You HAVE to get this game! It is for 4 or more players and we were crying we were laughing so hard.

And, I finally bought a dressy winter coat. I've been wanting/needing one for maybe three years and just haven't done anything about it. Probably because I hate shopping and when you buy a coat, you need somebody else's opinion and I don't have a shopping partner too often (and Finn doesn't really express his opinion about coats very well!). But after the movie and before we picked Finn up, we stopped at Macy's (Becky lives about three blocks from Maplewood Mall). I found one I liked, but wanted a bigger size (I have strangely long arms and broad shoulders!). We reserved the correct size at Ridgedale and headed over there on Sunday to pick it up. It is a wool blend, knee length and cream! It is funny because I swore I wanted a chargoal gray one, but this one was so pretty and flattering...and I got the deal of the century! Now maybe Jim and I should go somewhere so I can wear it.

Busy bees

We have a busy day today. We are going to swim class this morning. I'm sure Finn will be excited since he was just there. It will be nice to be in our regular class because there are only three other kids in it (much smaller than on Thursday night). Grace has a basketball tournament this morning which we have to miss. Boo. That is the hard part about swimming class on Saturdays...we are busy EVERY Saturday morning.

After swimming my mom offered to watch Finn for us (she is at Becky's watching Austin) so we could go to a movie! I'm really excited. Jim and I haven't been to a movie in...well...I don't know how long. We are going to head over there right after swimming and hopefully catch a 2pm movie. I don't even care that it is a matinee.

After the movie we'll pick Finn up, head home, I have to frost a cake and then get ready for dinner. We are going to El Loro for Nick's (Renae's boyfriend) birthday dinner. Yum, can't wait for that either (and to see them of course!). Then after that everybody is coming over to our house to hang out and have a fun evening.

Whew, I'm tired just writing all that! We don't have plans for tomorrow, so hopefully it will be relaxed.

Oh and Finn put something in his mouth! He never puts anything in his mouth except his fingers and very rarely a toy (like his rattle or something). So, I let him play with things that you normally wouldn't let a baby play with (like cardboard, paper and plastic...if I'm watching him closely). Well, those days are numbers or over (not sure which yet). I looked over yesterday and he was sucking on my return address labels! I tried to get a picture, but he dropped it before I could snap it. He looked at me (with the labels in his mouth) like, "What?"

Show me the money

I just got Finn's bill for last month's Synagis (his RSV prevention medication). The MONTHLY charge for Finn's dose of this medication is...$3,308.46! Yet another reason I am so glad we have insurance and that it covers this medication 100%. You have to show you are at "high risk" for RSV for your insurance to cover it and I guess I can't really blame them. If you'll remember, we had a huge fiasco last spring when Finn came home because the discharge nurse "forgot" to order the Synagis and when we realized it a few days later, it was April and insurance companies only cover them through March! Which is why we couldn't just do it anyway and pay for it out of pocket. Crazy.

Jim, Finn and I went to swim class last night. Since the pool was closed on Saturday, we were allowed to go to a make-up class. It was a different teacher and she loved Finn and was very impressed with his comfort level in the water. We worked on blowing bubbles, which he can't really do, but did put his mouth in the water to try (although he really just wanted to "get" the bubbles we were blowing!). We also worked on going under...and Finn does really well! He sputters and sometimes coughs a bit, but doesn't cry. His teacher liked that, too. The class was at 6:30pm, which is pretty late for Finn. He pretty much drank a bottle and conked out when we got home.

Run baby run

Finn's Synagis was delivered on Tuesday and he got his shots. Poor guy. Big crocodile tears...for about 20 seconds! He recovers pretty quickly. I gave him Mortin but he probably didn't even need it. One more Synagis dose and he's done for this season! Yay.

Tuesday night, mommy got to get out of the house! I went to Kelsie's Pampered Chef party - I love their stuff. The cake stand that I really wanted doesn't come out until the March catalog, so...I was convinced to have my own party (in March!). The date is yet-to-be-determined, but probably the end of the month. So, if you'd like to be invited or want more information about ordering some stuff, let me know! I'll be sending invitations out once the date is set.

We got to see Austin two nights in a row! As always, Finn was super excited to see him. Jim watched both boys on Tuesday night because I was at the Pampered Chef party and Becky had a cleaning appointment. Then I have Austin every Wednesday afternoon until Becky is done cleaning either Kristine's house or mine! We switch every other Wednesday. I really miss having him during the week! He has so much darn energy.

We just got back from Finn's PT. He did really well this week, probably making up for last time when we had to quit during the appointment. We are working on developing his leg and butt muscles to support pulling himself up to standing and also getting him on his hands and knees and working on rocking. He is improving, which is great to see. One thing new we did this week was put Finn on the tread mill! Therapists use tread mill therapy to work with spinal injury patients to get their involuntary reflexes to move their legs forward. New research is suggesting it works with developmentally delayed infants, too! So Katie wanted to try it. Finn didn't really "get" it and we did it at the end so he was pretty tired. But it was good to see and Katie wants to keep trying it a little bit at each session. Hey, I'm all for it! I should video tape it, though, because it is so funny to see a little baby on a tread mill!

And I decided to give up chocolate for lent. I contemplated alcohol, but thought that chocolate is a more "every day" kind of thing where alcohol is less often (plus, I wanted to be able to do it and I probably couldn't do alcohol...I'm terrible, I know). I'm not a chocolate freak, but I love sweets and a lot of my favs have chocolate IN them. Example, I don't like Hershey kisses, but I love Snickers. I already "cheated" this morning, though! I wasn't thinking about it and grabbed a breakfast bar. I'd better put them away until after lent!

Shiny and new

Mommy got a "new" car yesterday! We've been looking for a car for about 2 months now and we finally found one that I LOVE and it fit into our price range and budget! First, I HATE car shopping, as you know since I've mentioned that a few times already! Second, bringing a baby along to a car dealer makes it a little more difficult, especially when it takes THREE HOURS to buy a darn car! I do have to say, Finn was really good until the very end when all he wanted to do was sleep but it was too bright, too loud and too much activity.

I/we got a 2007 Chrysler Pacifica Touring (this isn't my exact car, but it is the same):This is the first used car I've bought but it doesn't even feel "used." It is metallic green, but looks very silvery (not a word, but I don't care). I'm just glad it isn't silver. It is all wheel drive (yay!), leather heated seats, third row seating, second row captain chairs, power everything and just under 25,000 miles. My car was at 36,000 miles, so I for sure wanted something lower than that. The only thing it doesn't have is a remote start, so I'll see what I can do to get that! Ha, ha. Honestly, it has far more bells and whistles than I was looking for or needed, but like I said, it fit into our budget so why not get the one you love, right? It was the only car I test drove yesterday. Don't worry, I've probably test drove 15 other ones in the course of our search. I will miss the Galant. I loved that car and it was the first car I got because I loved it and not just because I could afford it, but it just wasn't right for our needs any more. I hope they find somebody to love it and treat it well.

I'm sure Finn and I need to run some "errands" today! His Synagis is supposed to be delivered today by 10:30am...yes it is already after that time. Argh. I hope they didn't forget to send it again. I'm supposed to call his home health nurse when it arrives and she is hopefully going to be able to squeeze us in around her other scheduled appointments today. Only two more doses and then RSV season will be over! Yay! As we near Finn's adjusted one year date, I'm starting to breathe just a little easier; or at least THINKING about breathing a little easier!

What can he do?

Finn is 10 months old (adjusted) today! Time really does fly by and it is so fun to see what Finn is able to each month and look forward to what he'll be doing next month. Again, I've put the list on what a typical 10 month old can do and commented on where Finn falls.

What to expect from a 10 Month Old:

Most babies should be able to . . .
Stand holding on to someone or something yes, a little bit
Walk holding onto furniture no
Pull up to standing position from sitting no, not even close
Wave goodbye yes, when prompted
Crawl well not at all
Use thumb and finger pincer grasp to pick things up yes

Some babies will probably be able to . . .
Say mama and dada to the right parents yes
Understand the word no but doesn’t always obey it yes and obeys often (so far anyway!)
Respond to own name yes
Indicate what he or she wants with gestures other than crying somewhat
Stand alone momentarily no

Some babies could possibly be able to . . .
Drink from a cup independently sippy cup, yes
Stand alone well no
Play ball and patty cake is learning, but loves both!
Walk for a step or two no
Say one word other than mama or dada hard to tell, but I believe so
Put toys or object into a container yes

He's baaaack

Daddy got home last night a little before 8pm. Considering Finn didn't think he needed his usually evening snooze, I was not optimistic about being able to keep him up until daddy got home, but I did! Still not sure how. They got to play together for a few minutes and then off to bed. Finn started clapping his hands and was super excited when he saw Jim. So cute. I should have video taped it, but I didn't know it would be that cute.

Swim class was canceled yesterday! Apparently somebody puked in the pool. Gross! I'm just glad it didn't happen while we were IN the pool. Hopefully we can make the class up some time this week.

Today has been pretty low key, which is nice. Jim made me chocolate covered strawberries, one of my favorites, which is funny seeing how I don't really love strawberries or chocolate! I don't know, something about them together! Now if only we'd thought ahead and got some champagne to go with them. Can you believe we don't have champagne in our house on Valentine's Day?!?! We are slackers for sure. We decided no presents because there are so many things we NEED to spend our money on instead of cute sentimental things that we don't need. Jim is making walleye, crab legs, shrimp cocktail, cheesy potatoes and bread with compound butter for dinner (Yumm-O!). I made one of his favorites for dessert - Boston Cream Pie (ala Gram). Things were going well until I went to add the vanilla to the custard and it was empty! Who puts an empty vanilla bottle in the cupboard?!?! I was mad, but Jim said the custard still tasted good (he is probably lying, but I appreciate the lie nonetheless!). Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you are with the one(s) you love.

Jim set up real live internet today! No more stealing from our neighbors and getting spotty coverage. I didn't think it was necessary, but I do have to admit, it is nice!

Where's daddy?

Well, after his flight being canceled, re-booking and THAT flight being canceled (after 2.5 hours on the tarmac!), Jim did NOT make it home last night. Boo! You know, you have to shut down the airport when they suggest the possibility of snow. The frustrating thing is he wasn't even supposed to be the one to go on this trip, but a coworker got stuck in the snow storm on the east coast earlier in the week and couldn't get out. Well, now Jim is stuck in SC and can't get home! Well, that isn't true. He is supposed to get back around 6pm tonight (not holding my breath!). Argh. I hate when Saturdays feel like any other day. Maybe Finn and I will drive around and drop off Valentine's for all of Finn's girlfriends! He's such a stud. We have swimming in two hours...my first time alone with Finn. I'm not concerned about the time in the water, but the extra help getting him ready before and after will be missed.

Finn is supposed to be sleeping for his pre-swim nap, but instead the little bugger is talking to his toys. I guess that's what we get for having toys in his crib, right? Hopefully he will at least get a little snooze before we have to leave!

Daddy on 'puter?

The web cam with Finn last night went well (we tried Skype upon Becky A's suggestion). I still don't know if he "got" it or not, but even though it was bed time and he was tired, he was entertained for at least 20 minutes and kept looking at the screen on the 'puter. It will be nice that Finn can "see" daddy when he is gone because I think he really does know he is gone and misses him. This morning we walked into my bedroom and he just stared at the bed and couldn't figure out why it was empty. Daddy is usually in it in the mornings and Finn usually gets a little snuggle!

Yesterday was a FUN day! We went over to Arks during the day. I seriously think they are super-twins or something. They are crawling all over, pulling themselves up and Lily let go of my hand for a second or two and was standing by herself! Hopefully Finn took it all in and learned a few tricks.

In the left pic, yes, Juliette is sucking on Finn's helmet. In the right pic, Juliette has Finn pinned. I guess we know who is boss. They played "together" really well and Finn just let them "walk" all over him...which I think is hilarious. If he doesn't like it, he needs to learn to express himself, right? These are skills he'd learn in daycare, so I like having him around other kids like this. It is so great to see all three developing and growing considering the long road they've had so far. I think Maia was excited to have visitors, too, even if Austin didn't come with us (I wasn't sure she'd let us in the door without him!).

Then in the evening, Lorry and Emma came over for a visit and dinner. We hadn't seen then in a while, so it was great to catch up. I think Finn was a little tuckered out from all his playing earlier in the day because he was a little crabby. Oh, well...that is how it goes with babies, right?

Daddy comes home today...well, actually late tonight. And the Olympics start tonight! I LOVE the Olympics. Oh, and the infamous car seat shipped yesterday so it should be here soon. Can't wait to check it out.

Car seat madness

Stop the madness! First of all, thank you for everyone's wonderful feedback regarding car seats! I knew we had supportive friends and family, but that just proved it! Pretty much for the last two days, I've been in "car seat world." And finally last night, with my husband urging me on from the phone, I bought one! Yay. First, the long road to get to that point. Warning: to avoid boredom, skip to last paragraph ;)

Once I started getting feedback from people, a lot were saying the Britax Marathon. I had never heard of this brand before two days ago, but since so many people were mentioning it, I started looking around. I found a great deal on one online and just kept it up in a window. I looked into the other suggestions from people but kept going back to the Marathon. It is rated as one of the safest and is a really good quality car seat. A friend of a friend is a car seat expert and I was able to get a lot of information from her (thanks, Rebecca!). Her most helpful advice was to stay away from the 3-in-1 models, which a lot of car seats are! We'll just buy a booster when Finn is big enough (I won't stress as much about a booster purchase, I promise!). Then a few people suggested the Britax Boulevard, which - from what I could tell - is one step up from the Marathon. So, I started doing research on that model. The difference that I could tell is the Boulevard is side-impact tested, has better head rests and is slightly lighter, which will come in handy if switching between cars. And I found a good deal online. When I buy something online, I always do a search for coupons and I was able to get the Boulevard for $2 cheaper than the Marathon!

I got it at Baby Car Seats. And here it is:I know it is silly to get so excited about a car seat, but I can't help it. It IS a fairly big purchase afterall. It will arrive within two weeks (we won't need it for at least a month or two, though). I really went back and forth because we could have bought two car seats for the price of this one. But I KNOW it is super safe and should (God forbid!) something happen, Finn is as safe as he can be and I won't have to question myself (which we all know I probably will anyway, but you get my point!). So we decided to get just one for now and see how it goes. If we feel that our lives would be easier with two, we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Plus, this will let us try out the Boulevard and see how much we like it before committing to another. We'd probably have to go with a smaller model for Jim's car anyway since he has a smaller backseat...speaking of, I hope this one fits in his car! I guess that would make the decision to get another one easy.

Enough about car seats, I promise (I did warn you, though)! Becky and Austin stopped by last night for a visit and dinner (I made Thai peanut chicken...yum!). Finn, of course, couldn't have been happier to have his two favs over. Later in the evening Jim and I set up our web cam. He is hoping to be able to talk to Finn and me tonight on the computer. It seemed to work okay, but it wasn't very high res (I thought it was okay, but of course Jim needs it bigger and better...boys!!). He is going to see if he can find a better program to view through. Not sure how Finn will react or if he will "get" that it is daddy on the computer. Should be fun!

Uh oh, organic

I got some Stoneyfield plain whole milk yogurt today at Target and gave Finn some before his nap. He liked it. He didn't love it like he loved the flavored stuff, but he ate two big scoops, so that is something. It smelled really good when I opened it. You have to understand, I am not a fan of yogurt, as my mom can attest to. I just never really ate it growing up and never developed a taste for it. As an adult, I will eat it occasionally but only because I know it is so good for you. I'm glad Finn likes it. Oh, the stuff I got is organic. Shhhh, don't tell Jim! It was actually cheaper than the Old Home brand and the Old Home didn't specifically say "whole milk" and this did. So there.

Update on Finn. He is doing so much better. This is day 8 of the new antibiotic and he still pulls at his right ear on and off. Hopefully it is healing. We have a follow up with his doctor on March 2 to make sure it is healed this time. A slight runny nose is still there intermittently and man, does he hate it when I wipe his nose. I think he hates that more than when I suction it with the sucker! Both the dirrhea and diaper rash seem to have gone away! YAY! I don't know if that means it wasn't the antibiotic causing it or if his body adjusted to it. Regardless, both Finn and I are very happy about that!

Jim had to leave for an emergency work trip to South Carolina yesterday afternoon. He called me at 2pm on him way home to pick up some things and he was out the door and on his way to the airport before 3:30pm! He will be gone until Friday. Last night was the first time I've been alone in the house over night since Becky moved out. Kind of weird. I'm really good at freaking myself out, but luckily I was really tired and slept really well. I hate to say it, but I sleep so much better when there isn't a log being sawed next to me. Weird, huh?!?! But I do miss having the hubby next to me, though.

Car seat SOS!

A call for help and input! We are at the point where we know we need to switch Finn over from his infant car seat to a child car seat in the near future. We will still face it backward but we feel it is time for a "big boy" car seat. That being said, I honestly know nothing about car seats and what to look for! We've looked casually when we've been at Babies-R-Us and Target but there is such a large range in price. You could spend $60 or $350! If it is a matter of quality and safety, I would obviously go for the more expensive, but aren't they all regulated and have to be safe? What features and details should we look for? What things don't matter? It is very overwhelming, I just don't know where to start and it is very important to us because it is a matter of Finn's safety. For other baby items, I would just look at reviews and ratings and go with that based on what price point I wanted to pay. I feel I need a little more guidance with this. If you've recently bought a car seat or have any thoughts, suggestions or advice, please share it with us!

Finn loves to look outside and watch two things the most: 1. the snow falling and 2. cars driving by! Don't pets usually do that? At least he doesn't lay in the sunshine...yet! Ha, ha. He just loves it. The guy across the street was shoveling today, so there was even more activity to see (minus the huge aloe plant in his way!). This is the first time I put him in his Bumbo chair so he could see, but he is constantly trying to look out the window when he is eating. I just turned it to face the window when he was done and while I was cleaning up and doing dishes. Worked great.

Good for the tummy

Finn LOVES yogurt. Jim gave him some for the first time on Saturday and now it seems like Finn doesn't want to eat anything else! I got him the peach baby Gerber yogurt and he gobbles it down. I haven't given him prune juice or probiotics since he got dirrhea, so I feel better that he is eating the yogurt. I did a little research on yogurt today and I think I'm going to buy the plain whole milk yogurt for him (if I can find it at Cub!). The baby stuff usually has more sugar and this way, I can add fresh fruit if he needs extra sweetness. I spent five minutes in front of the yogurt case at Cub last week and couldn't find what I wanted (I got the Gerber stuff in the baby section). They must not carry the Yobaby kind. I considered making homemade yogurt, but even though "they" say it is easy, it intimidates me. Store bought is fine at least for now.

Jim has fallen in love with our basement! I guess basements usually are "man's domain" anyway, but he has grand plans for it and loves spending time down there. When he gets a work call now, he goes down there, which I think is funny. He set up a projector, his computer, cable and the speakers from MY computer so we could watch the super bowl down there last night. It was a pretty cool set up...other than that fact that the projector was placed precariously on three stacked kitchen stools! He is inventive, if nothing else. Once everybody left after the game (boo, Saints!), we watched our fav movie, Moulin Rouge, down there. It is pretty cool. And NO we are not setting it up like a theater now, contrary to Jim's wishes. We have too many bills and too many other things that we actually need! Poor Jim.

Liar liar

Pants on fire. I was just telling my aunt Lisa yesterday at the bridal shower that I haven't found anything Finn won't eat. Well, as these things go, Finn had to make me a liar. I don't think he likes bananas! I'm so sad because I LOVE bananas. He hadn't had them before but when the diarrhea hit, I told Jim to load him up (help "stop" Finn up a bit). Jim pureed some and we tried the oatmeal with bananas that Nicki gave us and Finn won't really eat either! He would take a couple bites and be done. Now I know how Finn acts when he doesn't want to eat something and/or is full. He purses his lips together and just looks at you like, "You can make all the noises in the world and do crazy things with that spoon, but I am NOT opening my mouth." This is the banana oatmeal beard Jim put on him trying to get Finn to eat. Oh, well. I guess it is fine that he doesn't like one thing, but you better believe I'm going to keep trying since bananas are one of my favorites and I don't know if I can tolerate a child who doesn't like bananas! Ha, ha.

We finally got to see Austin (and auntie and Pete) yesterday! Becky came over to clean up the basement after moving out. I felt like it had been forever since I saw Austin. When he woke up from his nap, he cuddled with me and said he missed me. LOVED IT! Austin and Finn just played and played together. It was so great. We all even played football downstairs in the now empty basement. Every boy should have a huge open space to play in that you can't break anything!

Finn's new game

Finn's new game:
Me: "ma, ma, ma"
Finn looks me straight in the eye and says: "da, da, da"
Repeat.

And of course he has a funny grin on his face while he is saying it. Little stinker...but I just love it (and him!).

For the first time in...well...forever it seems, Finn pooped out his diaper yesterday (and twice at that!). I think it has been since we switched to formula, so I haven't had to deal with a blow out since the beginning of October! I was a little rusty, but handled it with only two wipes and a burp cloth. I think it was a combination of his diarrhea and he was sitting in the Bumbo chair which kind of forces it up because there is nowhere else for it to go. Anyway, my new yet dusty BABY Oxi-clean finally got to be used. Oh, how I remember when this was a daily occurrence and thank my lucky stars that it no longer is! And now he has diaper rash, we think, from the antibiotic. Every time he poops he just screams and he screams when you wipe him, too (although today is a little better than yesterday). Luckily we are using the "magic" butt cream from Stacey, so hopefully that helps since he isn't scheduled to be done with this antibiotic until next Saturday! Poor guy.

It is a Daddy and Finn day today. They are skipping swim class since the idea of putting a baby with diaper rash in a chlorine pool seems just cruel. I am heading to my cousin's bride's wedding shower in Willmar with Kristine. Should be a fun day, just lots of driving. Hope Finn treats Jim well ;)

Go team Finn!

Finn had a tough day yesterday. He had a fever of 101.9, which for him is high (just like his momma, his normal body temperature is lower than normal). He slept all but 5 or 6 hours, had to be held when not sleeping (I didn't mind...cuddle time!) and had diarrhea. We watched him over night and he seems better today (still has a fever and a little diarrhea - TMI, I know). He played independently a little bit this morning before needing some cuddle time and now has been sleeping for 2.5 hours. He is on an antibiotic for his ears, so whatever it is must be viral or hopefully will get kicked by the medicine.

I haven't uploaded pictures in a few days, so I added some on our picture website (link on the left). Here are a couple extra cute ones...

The left is Finn playing with the mirror. He just loves that baby in the mirror...but I think the mirror baby got him this time! The middle one is of him standing! Yes, standing. He is still very wobbly and only does it for a couple seconds, but he can do it! The right is Finn and daddy playing catch. Finn loves it and it is good for him developmentally. He even "caught" it a couple times.

We have reached 50% of our donation goal for our March of Dimes walk! Thank you to everybody who has donated. I know times are tough right now and it really means a lot. People's generosity is astounding. We still have 50% to go! If you aren't able to donate, we completely understand and just ask to keep us (and all preemie babies) in your prayers the day of the walk. One day all babies will be born healthy and we need to walk to get there (from the March of Dimes). Leah said it best on the walk website, "Go team Finn!"

Go back to bed

Some days, you just don't want to get out of bed, let alone be a parent and a stay-at-home one at that. Today was definitely one of those days. I woke up with a migraine, dizzy, nauseous, stuffy, mucuosy and just plain tired. BUT we had PT this morning, so I dragged myself out of bed and got ready. Then I woke Finn up (yes, apparently he was having the same kind of day I was!) and off to PT we went. Only to have Mr. Finnegan cry hysterically when Katie tried to work with him. So we just quit trying after a few minutes. Then we came home and both went back to bed. I really wish I would have just canceled. Oh, well. At least they were able to adjust his helmet or today would have been a complete bust.

So, when Finn is upset and crying, he doesn't calm down easily even when I or Jim pick him up. It is kind of frustrating and I was wondering if there was something wrong with me because I see other parents able to sooth their child just by picking them up or touching them...but not mine! Well today at PT, it worked. It would have made me feel good on another day in another setting. He was crying for Katie with huge crocodile tears and finally I just picked him up and he stopped almost immediately. So I thought, "okay he is comforted and fine." I put him down and he started crying again. Then we decided to stop PT for today, she left and he sat on my lap and started talking and playing with his rattle. Was he playing us? I'm thinking he just wasn't in the mood for PT today, which I understand since he was tired, has a cold and an ear infection. At least for today, I had the touch and he calmed down. Oh, and he was snoring by the time we hit the freeway, which is about a half mile from the office!

Hello, doctor!

We had an unexpected doctor visit today. Ever since Finn was done with his medication for an ear infection (two and a half weeks ago), he has continued to pull on that same ear. He had/has no other symptoms, though...like fever, troubles sleeping, loss of appetite, etc. Well, I've gone back and forth and back and forth and back again and finally just decided to call the nurses line this morning. She said it was probably nothing because he didn't have any other symptoms. But when I pushed back a little and said he didn't have any other symptoms in January when he did have an ear infection, she checked the doctor's schedule and they squeezed us in. My intuition was telling me we'd rather be safe than sorry.

Well...yet again, I need to trust my intuition (which I too often don't!). Finn has an ear infection in his right ear; the same ear as before. Because the drum is only partially infected (probably why he didn't have any other more severe symptoms) the doctor wasn't sure if it is the same infection that didn't go away or if it is a new infection (it COULD even be the same infection as NOVEMBER because we didn't have him checked after the meds!). So we switched medications and have a follow up appointment in four weeks to make sure it is healed.

Hopefully the new meds will kick it and we'll be done. If not, Finn will have to go to an ear specialist for two reasons. #1. ear problems are VERY common in preemies as their ear canal (or something like that) is/can be smaller than normal and it would need to be fixed. #2. Jim had MAJOR ear problems as a child and these things can be hereditary. Regardless, if it is a problem, I want to get it fixed now and not after a million doctor visits and infections. So, we'll see in four weeks!

One step closer

Finn is officially done with Neosure, his special preemie formula! We discussed it with his doctor at his one year well-child. Since his weight is on target (well, all things considered!), she said to move to regular formula. Yay! It is cheaper but you can also buy it in bigger containers. One Neosure didn't even last us a full week. We have been slowly transitioning away from Neosure, going to a 2-1 ratio with other formula, then 1-2 and now 0-2! We had several samples we've received, so we are using that now (I checked the expiration date on all of them before using!). Not sure what we will get when we buy his first one...there are tons to pick from. I vote for the cheapest and so far, he doesn't seem to mind what forumla he is eating (he has tried three or four different kinds...mixed with Neosure). He has to wait for milk until his adjusted one year birthday, so formula for a few more months. I happily see this as yet another step away from the label of him being a preemie (I know he will always be a "preemie," but I think you get what I mean). Our baby is growing up!

We have a "hick" house. When Austin was sick, he would always say he was "hick" so now that is what we call it. Weird how some things just stick. Anyway, both Austin and Finn had a cold late last week, I got it over the weekend and Jim got it yesterday. So, we are hick. Yuck. Of course, I still took care of Finn most of the day (Lynn and DeAnn's visits certainly helped!) and Jim stayed in bed or on the couch. Oh, well. He said that colds just affect him worse than they affect me. Hmmm...

It is still really weird having our house back to ourselves. I never realized how aware I was of their coming and going.

Oh, yeah, it is Groundhog's Day today. I haven't heard if Phil saw his shadow or not. Based on the amount of snow we've gotten in the last 24 hours, I'm thinking it is 6 more weeks of winter. Doesn't really matter either way, but it is still fun.

Empty nest

Well, we are roommate-less. The move went very smoothly on Saturday, other than Finn deciding he wanted to wake up at 5:30...which he NEVER does (four hours of sleep made for a very tired mommy). Becky had everything organized and ready to go. It kind of turned into an assembly line: 1. carry things upstairs 2. carry things out to the truck 3. organize and pack the truck. Since #1 required the least amount of outside time, I opped for that one! Then I was nominated to stay at our house so the boys could nap while they unloaded the truck at the apartment (oh, darn...I had the toughest job for sure!). We went over after the boys woke up so we could help and so I could see the new digs. I love it. Kind of makes me miss apartment living...there are a lot of things to be said for it. I just wish Maplewood were a little closer, but it really isn't THAT far. It is so weird that they are gone. It hasn't sunk in yet. When I think about it, I get sad.

Yesterday we spent some time with my mom in the morning. We took Finn to church with us, which is something I do not do. But Jim was tired and I figured we could handle it. As it turned out, church was not full, so we didn't have to worry about germs (other than mommy's because she has a cold!). Finn was a really good boy in church, even though he was super tired and of course, pooped! But it was toward the end, so I just left it. When we saw him later, Austin said, "Finn, Jesus doesn't want you to poop in church!" Then Memere and Grandpa came in the evening. Wow, Finn got to see three of four grandparents in one day! Lucky him...hope he isn't too spoiled.

Today we have EI and some more play time with Memere and Grandpa...and NeNe! No chance he won't be spoiled after today. Oh, well.