Outdoor Winter

Finn and I have been trying on bright sunny, blue sky days and also on colder, gray, "why are we outside" days to get some fresh air and enjoy the backyard. Out the backdoor we'll typically take the sled and slide our way back into the trees where Finn likes to say hello to the Christmas tree who now lives out back trying to avoid the garbage truck. Soon he is waving goodbye and we are off to find squirrels and other animal tracks. We lay on the ground and look up at the leafless trees and the clouds and blow "smoke" out our mouths into the cold air. After tiring of this we go into the igloo which now has, thanks to a few days above 35 degrees, a prominent hole in its southwest corner. Generally, all of this activity has been broken up by moments of me finding a mitten on the ground. I'll take off my mittens, replace Finn's and bring his sleeve back down tightly around the mitten's cuff then put my mittens back on. Shortly, a mitten will be back on the ground and the cycle repeats itself a few more times until both of our hands are cold and Finn wants to go inside.

So to solve this dilemma I got out the duct tape and for the duration of our time outside the mittens are securely in place. My hands warm. Finn's hands warm.

Finn and his fins

Finn completed his last swimming class two days ago. He enjoyed the first class and participated like a pro, however he spent the subsequent classes wanting to play with the balls sitting in a crate beside the pool and staring at other children participate. At least he didn't cry the entire time! Certainly there will be more classes in his future but we will let him rest his fins for a couple months.

Finn was able to get outdoors with Daddy this weekend and enjoy some of the winter sun. Finn was pulled around in the sled as they explored the timber in the back of our home. Both came back inside cold but smiling.

72 hours of jammies

72 hours of jammies (intermittent clean ones) and Finn is a new man (or boy)! We had about three solid days of fevers and increased work of breathing, one breathing treatment, one chest x-ray and a diagnosis of bronchiolitis. Finn was able to go back to daycare yesterday and finally today is starting to smile again. Still full of "Finn Goo" and coughing but at least playful. During this illness, Finn has become a huge fan of Elmo and enjoys repeating his name endlessly and also a fan of Cookie Monster. Now every time he sees Cookie Monster he babbles in a very low raspy/growly voice. What a ham!

Here is a picture of Finn pre-illness, enjoying his igloo built by his awesome daddy!

Cold cough

Another night of taking turns getting up with Finn. He has had some awful cough and at times a fever. He will cough himself awake and then start to cry. We take turns going to get him some water, rock him a bit in the chair and then lay him back down. His breathing at times raspy and fast. He is fitful and tosses and turns. Other nights I have slept with him in the chair but tonight I can't sleep. I want to listen to him breath. I put him back to bed and go to mine but I can't sleep. I listen to his breathing on the monitor.

Christmas 2009 Photos

Finn on his new bouncy horse

Christmas 2009 family photo



The Santa Incident


Finn's new 2009 ChooChoo ornament

Finn's New Year visitors

Finn and cousin Macy

Cousin Faythe's 6th birthday on New Year's Eve

Tubby Time!!!

Uncle Tom, Gran Patty, Aunt Sophi, Macy, Faythe and Finn

Macy, Finn and Faythe

Year review

Well an entire calendar year has gone by. The first intact year of Finn's life. No partial year. Not the part autumn, part winter of his birth year but rather January to December, mail me a card for all of the holidays kind of a year. Arguably the most dramatic developement within a twelve month period of time a human being undergoes (the 9 months in the womb, the first three out not withstanding). He went from a Happy New Year 2009 baby who still only got Mom's milk and woke often and had infinite numbers of diaper changes and just laid where you put him with an unfocused, kinda cross-eyed stare to a welcome first and second tooth end to January. The sweet valentine gift of sleeping all night long and rolling over. The Memorial Day pull to a stand and crawling on his knees in June 2 weeks later. To, of course, the cruising along the edge of furniture and the first tenative but fearless steps, more a waddle and fall than walking. He is now of course is fast and fearless. Climbing onto anything that gives him a handle. From the early walking period where you had to know where he was every fraction of a second to where you only need to know every second or two and find him on top of the kitchen table. A sort of independence for him. Not a John Hancock taxation without representation sort of independence but close. Not an off to college, thanks for the diploma and math homework help sort of independence. Something similar but different, he still comes running to daddy when I get home. He still tries to climb onto the counter without help, Bunker Hill style, he still needs a fresh diaper every now and then. And I'm just fine with that sort of independence.

New Year

Cold weather and full moon and relatives around for the new year made for a memorable start to 2010. A decade over a new to start. It would appear that Finn rather enjoyed his visit from cousins Faythe and Macy. Age wise it is no longer, "Careful of baby Finn." But rather, "Run or Finn's is going to get you." It has been fun for to watch them enjoy themselves. I am sure we all have fond memories of growing up cousins and to see their memories begin is part of what I enjoy about being a parent. Now if this weather would just warm up. I'd take above zero even.