Finley // 12 Months

Finley, we celebrated you turning ONE! I canNOT believe how fast this year has FLOWN by. Seriously don't blink is the truth. It's absolutely crazy how fast time flies by even more with a little one. This has been one amazing year and we are so blessed by you and the joy you bring.  Your personality is shining full force more and more everyday! One of my favorite things is to hear you belly laugh hysterically! It just brings so much happiness in my soul. 

I have to confess it was pretty challenging to get these pics of you in your chair. You are just over it! 

HEALTH

We go to the doctor for your 12 month checkup tomorrow so I will update after that! I'm NOT looking forward to you getting shots. Always tears me up. Daddy is home right now, so I'm hoping he will be able to go with us before he leaves for his next tournament. Besides the occasional low grade fever at random times (which has only been recently and I think is due to teething) you are such a healthy baby! The only concern I have for the doctor is to ask him about allergies? Me, your Dad, and you all seem to have runny noses and sneezing at the same time.. also the hay was cut behind the house recently and we all got a little messed up around that time.

update: We went to the doctor today and you got another perfect report! God is good! You weigh 21 lbs (50-75%), your height is 28 3/4 (25-50%), and your hc is 18 1/2 (95%).  We seem to be doing everything good as far as your eating and milk. You did get your finger pricked because Dr Setia wanted to test you for lead since our house was built before 1978. You also got 2 shots and we opted to get the 3rd on next Monday. I couldn't really handle it all being done in one day and from now on, we will be splitting your shots up. You came home and took a LONG nap and when you woke up you were grinning and were totally fine!

EATING

It's safe to say that you love food! And you certainly are not a picky eater. Sometimes I wonder if you are a bottomless pit. But then you will slow down or not want as much the next time so I think it's just when you are going thru your growth spurt. I don't think that we have recently ran into anything that you haven't liked.. You do love watermelon these days and you have started eating peaches. One thing that has changed is us feeding you with a spoon. I gave away all of your baby food because you like to feed yourself. So instead of buying prunes in baby food form, now we buy the solid prunes and cut them up. Which I don't know why I didn't do that before when you were already eating other solids??

One night, I realized that you didn't have anymore formula.. so after asking around for info we went ahead and gave you regular milk. I thought that you would notice the difference and really like it but you really didn't seem to care either way. It messed your stomach up pretty bad and you were having runny diapers almost everyday that you drank it. So I bought a small canister of formula because I didn't want your tummy to be so messed up and then did a little more research on regular milk and almond milk, etc. I introduced almond butter in your meals with apples or bananas and you LOVED it! You didn't break out either so when the formula ran out, we switched you to almond milk. Honestly, by the time all that happened, you had already started showing disinterest in your bottles. Sometimes you seem to want it and sometimes you could care less and there have been nights and mornings where you didn't want it at all. Time to nip it in the bud??

SLEEPING

You are a great sleeper and great early morning napper. There have only been a few nights where you have wanted to get up and play. I don't know what it is about the late afternoon nap but sometimes you just don't want any part of it. I'm so thankful for how great you do sleep during the night! There still have been a few nights where you cry out because you can't find your paci but once you do, you are right back to sleep. And then there have been nights where you can't find it, and it's woken me up to where I get up and find it for you. It may be because of teething, but you've really gotten an attatchment for your paci all of a sudden.

One Saturday afternoon, me, you, Gigi, and Mimi took off to Frances Meadows in Gainesville. You had just woken up but you perked up and loved being in the water! It has been a pretty HOT, humid summer!

blowing kisses!

Mimi Kim got you this walker and you have really enjoyed it. You had just started showing interest in walking and it occurred to me at work that we hadn't gotten this out yet for you. So I came home and put it together and you just wore us out going back and forth from your room, thru the foyer, to the living room, to the kitchen and back again.

We had a play date at Whitney's one afternoon. You love love the water and had so much fun splashing around! You got so tired in the afternoon but would NOT take a nap. I even tried taking you up to the house and getting you down for a nap but you weren't having it so we just packed up and left. You were passed out before we could even pull out of the driveway.

When we can wear a new outfit, Mommy just has to get a picture! They are getting more challenging in your chair. You are beginning to be NOT a fan of it.

3 AMIGAS

They love giving you kisses and you are wanting to pet them more. BUT if you are trying to walk and they get in your way, you will let them, and US, know that you want them to move. You've heard us say "no" to them so much that when we say "no no", you shake your hand/finger at them.

You and Kyli have continued to be great buddies. She just loves to lick you in the face and you get tired of it sometimes. There have been times when I couldn't find her and I have found her in your room while you are sleeping.. like she is guarding you. And, when you wake up crying, she will run back and forth from your room to us until we get you. (Which isn't long at all but I guess it's still not fast enough for her.)

One morning or afternoon, I looked in the monitor and she was sitting on this lamb, facing and staring at the door because I hadn't gotten to you yet. She has certainly taken over the protective role.

You still love to nap with your Daddy and he misses us so much when he is on the road.

Love this little cheesin' face!

This has become your little spot in the living room. You love to play here and in this basket. You just seem so content and happy most of the time!

One Sunday after church.. you had just woken up and we were saying hey to Daddy! I love this dress! I really thought we were going to have to go on a big shopping trip to get more clothes for you and the last couple times I've thought that, I've found a huge stash in your dresser that I've seemed to not know was there. God is so good and He is constantly showing he is providing for us.

We went to La La's Mom's house for the 4th of July! It was loads of fun and people were bragging on how good you were. The fireworks didn't even phase you and you were in awe! You actually almost fell asleep in the middle of it.

Daddy was home for the actual 4th and we visited him at the pond.

WHAT FINLEY IS UP TO

We got your fishing pole out one afternoon! I just had to since it went with the outfit.

I got your lamb out of your toy box and you just loved on it. It's SO soft and you will just lay down on it yourself like ahhhhh this is so nice.

Love your sweet cuddles!

We had a wedding at our house exactly where we were married (post coming soon) and you were just not having Daddy's attention anywhere else but with you. He was in the middle of a conversation and you just started kissing on him. Melt my heart.

You love playing in Mommy's jewelry while I'm getting ready..

You look so big here! Mommy had this shirt made for you to wear to the ball field but it's just been way to hot to take you... so we had Daddy's coach's and their wived/girlfriends over for dinner one night, so you wore it then. The last heart on the shirt has baseball stitches on it. So cute!!

This was the morning of your birthday!! You were so happy!

We've also been to Home Depot to pick out paint for a mantle we used at your birthday party.

You've started showing interest when we brush out teeth so we got you your own! This is the first time you used it and you seemed to know exactly what to do with it!

POSTPARTUM

Well, I finished up my personal training sessions last week unless I get the go ahead from Shane to keep going. We measured about a month ago and there was a lot of progress that was made and it was super exciting to see the numbers on paper. I weighed myself this week and I am one pound under my pre pregnancy weight (or the weight I was when I found out I was pregnant) While that's great and I am able to fit into more of my clothes easily there is still several that I'm not back into.. and there is still a little more fluff than I like in my lower back, stomach, and upper thigh area. After talking with Amanda this past week, I didn't realize how much good carbs I was leaving out of my diet. So I'm going to add those back in a little and see if that makes a difference.
The stretch marks I got on my stomach have extremely little to no color in them and I only notice them when I turn a certain way in the light and just see the indentions. And of course, I can feel the difference when I put lotion on. I honestly feel like using the Frankincense oil made a huge difference in them not having any color.
Working out has never made a Mama feel so much better! There is just something about an endorphine release. I'm just going to keep trucking with my nutrition and workout the best that I can. It has certainly been challenging with Shane traveling this summer. I started doing Hiit Max, a program I found thru IG that I could do at home.. I got thru 2 weeks and I woke up one morning and my knees almost buckled underneath me. So needless to say I do not do that everyday anymore. So the gym when I can get there and have a sitter and t25 when I'm home. Gotta love some Shaun T.

Notes from Finley's journal::

7.3 / We do the Itsy Bitsy Spider and you were really trying to do it with me this day. The first time you have tried on your own
7.4 / took a few steps with Mommy and Daddy
7.6 / You took your first official steps across the living room! Mommy got it on video!

// you found a paint brush on the back porch and started 'painting'
// you know how to throw things in the trash and understand and carry out 'lets go throw it in the trash'
// you are pointing at objects in books and when you see yourself in pictures around the house you point to yourself
// you started saying mama and dada again
// you love for us to read books to you and will bring us books, sit in our laps, and you help us read and turn the pages

Finley // 11 Months

Finley, you were 11 months on June 22nd and what an amazing 11 months its been!

I'm pretty sure when you are eating and in your rocker that your right toes are always curled and your left foot is down. Love the little things about you!

So in no particular order for this post.....

We've had some great snuggles.. and this morning must have been so rough.. ha!

You love to hold your paci and have it flipped up in the air or on your face..

We've been able to enjoy some of the outdoor air but now it's just getting too stinkin' hot .. This heat is ROUGH. You enjoy waving at the cars and we sing The Wheels on the Bus while we are swinging. When the chicks were out they would come greet us and you enjoy seeing them too... You've also wanted to explore a little more and even get down on the bottom step. Sometimes we would take a towel out and sit at the bottom of the steps and play with toys and just enjoy the fresh air!

Mommy and Daddy would hold you like this when you were a baby.. you were just a tad smaller then! 

Daddy caught us sleeping this particular morning! He said that you were still asleep when he walked into the living room but Kyli jumped up on the couch and woke you up. This was  GREAT nap!!

You and the Amigas just continue to get more and more used to each other! You are Kyli especially seem to be buddies.. probably more so because she likes to get on the couch with you.

Daddy has been traveling more with work (since June) so we send him pictures whenever we can!

Your sleep has been great this month! 

Mommy works on her squats too Fin Fin! Ha! You are still cruising everywhere and are just enjoying exploring all over the house. 

Mommy Daughter snuggles!!

Your faces just crack us up!

Sox has been hanging around you more and you are also going up to her more.. we just have to really be careful since her nails get the longest and are so thick. 

When you do fight sleep, I've caught you standing up like this in your crib. There have been times when I just knew you were going to fly backwards because you could hardly stand up you were so tired. It doesn't take you long tho to lay down and pass out for a couple of hours.

Since school is out, Gigi has been such a big help with you and has even spent the night with us a couple of nights. She said that you cracked up when she took this picture.

These are just precious moments when you hold our hand or fingers when you are going to sleep.

Such a sweet precious sleeping face.. 

You are still into giving LOTS of kisses... you kiss the puppies, your toys, me and your Daddy, family... you will even kiss the dishwasher when you are cruising around the kitchen!

You were such a big girl sitting in this chair! We had gone on a walk and you picked a pear off the pear tree. We had to throw it away tho because me and your Daddy were a little worried you were going to poke your eye out with the stem.

Having fun with Gigi!

We went to Brynn's birthday party and you had a blast on this water table, playing with the pebbles, and walking in the shallow end of the pool.

Your hair finds its way up sometimes.

I love you in your dresses but it's hard for you to crawl in them because your knees get caught up in them and you get so frustrated. We had gotten ready for church on Father's Day but you ended up falling asleep right before we left and you slept for 3 hours! 

You enjoy "organizing" this basket and it's so fun to watch you 'work'. I'd love to know what you are thinking when you get in the zone like this...

This is your new face you started making. Your Daddy left his phone on the ottoman and you found it and were just having a ball with it. You were taking care of all his calls that day.

"Hello? Yeah, this is Fin. I'll be handling all my Dad's calls today."

We've watched Sesame Street a couple times now and the singing has caught your attention quite a bit. You've shown a lot of interest in this and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Your Daddy LOVES to take naps and snuggle with you when he's home from working. And let me tell ya, y'all continue to take them serious around here. You've even gotten up, had your bottle and passed out again pretty quickly. You haven't done that in quite some time either!

Good morning Beautiful Blue eyes!! In the sun, you can see little flakes of green.

Sleepy baby! Your Daddy thought this was the cutest thing seeing you fall asleep like this..

We went 'junking' early one morning before it got TOO hot...

Loving that paci flipped up!

Finally got your shoes on you again and we walked outside for a little distraction. You still dislike them and you are starting to walk really good with us holding one hand.. we are just going to keep trying shoes for when you do walk on your own and want to be outside.

Mrs. Sherry let us borrow her pool one evening and you loved it! This was your first time in the pool and if you hadn't been so sleepy (you fell asleep just going 5 mins down the road) I think we could've stayed longer than we did and you really enjoy being in the water.

And, you celebrated your first Father's Day with your Daddy! He was so glad to be home and be with you!

Notes from Finley's journal::

// understands the concept of 'no' .. you have even started saying nonononono

// starting leaning more towards the couch from the ottoman trying to walk and standing more by yourself

// found loud voice especially when 'reading' your books.. your Gamma brought you a book "The Little Red Hen" and there are pages in there that fold down. You LOVE flipping the pages and 'reading' along with us. You will even bring us your book and get in our lap to read

// Mickey Mouse clubhouse catches your attention and when the hot dog dance comes on at the end, you alternate your feet picking them up quickly off the floor dancing

// you try to help take your clothes off and getting clothes on is a challenge. You have started stiffening your arms so its hard to get them thru the sleeves of your clothes

//when you are eating I can say "where's Kyli?".. and you look down at the floor (because this is where she is waiting for you to drop food or for you to feed her)

//You clap for if you're happy and you know it and one time you even did 'amen' and stuck your arm up in the air

//you are over us feeding you puree foods with the spoon and will turn your head and slap the spoon in protest. I've noticed when we hand you a solid food, you put it back on the tray and then pick it up again so you can 'do it yourself'. Miss independent

//you took a couple of steps towards Gigi on 6.25 and on 7.1 towards your Daddy. You had a hat in your hand and Coach said that you took two teeny tiny baby steps

//you started doing your scrunchy smiley face and you also 'blow kisses' .. although you just stick your arm straight out with an open hand and you want us to kiss your hand too

//you know where your toofies, nose, and hair are

//you know where to hold the phone

//when we are in the bath tub and you want to stand up, I will tell you to "sit on your bottom please" and you give that scrunchy grin, and just plop down in the water. Even when we have told you 'no' you have started giving us that grin and even at times giving me a kiss ... like you are trying to get away with not getting in trouble

//you also throw things in the floor and go "EH!!" .. you've been doing this for a couple of months but you REALLY have learned what you are doing and it has become a game for whoever to pick up what you threw down in the floor