Guilty Displeasures

I knew since that day that I fell in love with my wonderful and perfectly goofy husband that I wanted to have a child or children with him. I wanted to expand our love. I deeply desired to procreate and shower our baby-us with our lifetime wealth of knowledge and our chests of explosive love. That wish and desire only grew as our inability to effectively reproduce did, too. And, on it went for years. And years. And, well...you get the idea.

And, now that I am blessed to be a mother mom (I don't think I will ever be a "mother"), I finally get to experience all that I knew I was and thought I was missing out on. I joined the secret mommy club. We did it! We have a baby-us...and she is wonderful and beautiful...and all things entirely awesome.

But, there is another side to all of this. One that isn't as apparent to the world outside a parent's doors because who wants to share what isn't so appealing all of the time?

However, who am I to ever keep my mouth shut? Or my words sealed inside of my head? So, I share. And, that being, in all of that time of our desperately wanting and heartbreakingly not realizing, I never thought to delve into the true and sometimes un-pretty reality that is parenthood. Like the fact that I might never go to the bathroom alone again. Or that sometimes my baby-us has to go to the dentist with me. Or that reading a book is now for other people. Or that if I choose to shower at a time other than when Peanut is sleeping, that it might be an excruciating exercise in the most brutal kind of patience. One where an infant clings to your naked and wet legs and then repeats a similar sort of behavior and then also cries the ENTIRE time you try to get ready.

It is moments like this when I get frustrated with mommydom. It is also moments like this that I feel guilty because THIS is exactly what I wanted for 5 plus years....and now that I have it, and so many others still don't...it makes me feel like a bad person for even thinking of complaining. But, I have to allow myself the guilty displeasures along with all the greatness that being a mommy is...because that is what real life is all about. The good. The bad. The ugly.

And, the being able to express yourself no matter the current good, bad, or ugly circumstance.

And, so I shall. And does it mean that I am a bad mom? Or that I love my Peanut any less? Not a bit. Thank you very much! It just means that I am still me. And life is still life. Messy. Beautiful. Not perfect, but wonderful.

Now time to go get the Nut...nap time (read: me time) is now over!

In the Kitchen

At this young age, Finnley does what she can to help mommy out in the kitchen. As you can see, though...that isn't a whole lot. I know one thing that she did add to the cookies for daddy...lots of LOVE! What else can you really ask for???

Driving Mr. Price

Mr. Fisher Price, to be exact. Finnley does love him and loves to drive him around the house. Watch out, world...it won't be long before she is able to get around all on her own. And not by crawling. True upward mobility!

H2Whoa

Finnley's first baby pool experience took place on the last day of May, Memorial Day 2010. She loved it!



Well, she seemed to mostly like it. The dog hated it, though...he was tortured by her floaty toys brazenly teasing him from the surface of the chilly water. Nasty squirty toys! The nerve! He stole a couple of them on a few occasions (you know, to teach them a lesson), but daddy always made him give them back. Poor Batman!



Not a bad way to send out the month. Now, on to see what newness and milestones June will send our way!

Mobility is Cool!

I was putting away laundry upstairs this morning. And, the true reason I decided to do this is because Finnley wanted to climb the stairs. A.G.A.I.N. So, if I had to follow her up there, I might as well make myself useful once I got there. Laundry it was.

And, when I was halfway done putting away said laundry, Finnley decided to climb the laundry basket. Being that the basket was still half full, it didn't tip over when she went to stand up. And, once she was standing, Finnley quickly discovered that the basket moved pretty fluidly on the hardwood floors. And, because the basket was half full...it moved pretty much in a circle. Over. and. Over. again.

Finnley didn't mind one bit. She just loved being able to walk behind something. She is ready to walk. Soo, soooo, soooooo READY! Scary, isn't it???

Just Because I'm Cute

A photo for that reason and that reason alone!

While Mom's Away...

"Away" meaning in the kitchen prepping tomorrow's bottles for Finnley. But, while mom is just that much "away"...Finn will certainly play. She had been entertaining herself in the bathroom after bath time by playing with the magazine rack. I guess that got old quickly, because by the time I came back to check on her...this is what I found:






















And, what has mommy learned from all of this? Finnley can find / make trouble VERY quickly. And, Finnley loves herself some toilet paper! Who can blame her. It is sort of fun!

Peanut, The Supercrazy!

A little video offering a view into the day in the life of Ms. Finnley Piper, aka...Peanut, The Supercrazy! This is full day broken down into 3+ minutes of video, but you get the idea of what our little super"hero" is like. A silly silly girl who certainly entertains herself...and her mommy!

Video...how creative a title is that???

Here is the video that I noncommittally promised during yesterday's post. Wow...look at me being productive and delivering the goods that I only sort of said that I might deliver! I am so proud of me!

Enjoy!

Hodge-Podge

That is what you get when we had a busy weekend and my husband then leaves me for the better part of a week. And, given those circumstances I now really don't have many free minutes, and when I do...those free minutes are spent exercising a needy dog, washing bottles, doing laundry, reading the paper, prepping bottles, going to the bathroom by myself, prepping meals, and several other necessary things.

So, the blog suffers. Just as it should. Better than ignoring the needy dog or not tending to the baby, right? See what a good mommy I am??

In the interim, you will see the following pictures from our weekend at the Radnor Hunt steeplechase races in PA on Saturday / pictures of Finnley being Finnley / and possibly a video or two to follow in the next couple of days. Enjoy what there is to enjoy.

Hey, the pictures of Finnley are the real reason you all come here anyway...I know the truth...

Ms. Fancy-Schmancy Pants

Still fancy...just taken to a new level. You see, it seems daily we are adding new skills around here. I have repeated clapping and waving games with Finnley for a couple of months now. I guess "my" hard work is finally paying off. Finn can now wave, albeit mostly randomly. And, once started, she always stops to turn her hand to her face and wave so she can stare at her awesome ability. She can also clap. CLAP, CLAP, CLAP! This happens at appropriate times (like when we are saying "yay, Finnley" or when she is listening to music), but it also happens sort of out of the blue. For example, she loves to clap while sitting in her high chair. For, I don't know...whatever reason. She just likes to, ok? What do I care...at least she can now do these fun things. Way to go, baby!

Ms. Fancy Pants

Finnley learned awhile ago how to crawl. And then she learned how to pull herself up into a stand using just about anything around her. And then she learned how to climb the few stairs to the landing of our dual staircase. And then....she learned to climb the FULL SET OF STAIRS. The ones that are narrow and go all the way up. To the upstairs! G-U-L-P!

That is why God (or Babies 'R Us people) made baby safety gates. Thank heavens for that!

Mother's Day

All moms should have cake for dinner on Mother's Day. Seriously. And they should share said cake with their child. Cake for dinner is delicious. Not necessarily nutritious, per se...but calories don't count on "holidays". Or, something like that.

For Megan

As Megan's husband, I get to be a guest writer on the blog every now and then. So today for Mother's Day I thought I would write a post for my wife.
I am proud of my wife. From the day I met her I could tell she had a sense of adventure, a positive spirit, and the will to never give up. What I didn't realize is that this all would be put to the test early as we discovered that the only path to motherhood for Megan would be trying various types of fertility treatments. Five years worth. Five years of poking, prodding, shots, injections, pills, tests, and me becoming intimate with a cup. Yep, fertility treatments have about as much romance as a Rocky movie. Or that TV show Ice Road Truckers.
Through all of this we had some initial positive tests, that sadly resulted in loss. We even got a couple of heartbeats along the way. Followed soon after by silence. Bone-crushing, heart-shattering silence. And disappointment. And emptiness. Megan? Well, she never gave up. Even when we were asked how long we would keep trying, we responded with an "I don't know" because we didn't know. We only knew we would keep trying, just one more time. Megan never gives up. Even when she should. Like when I am beating her in Monopoly.
And then we had success! Little Finnley arrived (early) last August 1st after Megan endured another test. Yep, Megan spent the 4th of July weekend in the hospital. She was released only to return days later where she spent 4 weeks until Finnley arrived. Talk about a test of strength. But through it all Megan did her best to keep a smile on her face. And that's just one reason I love her. Through continuous challenges she keeps a smile on her face and maintains a positive spirit.
We are blessed to have Finnley and we are thankful for the support of friends and family! I am blessed to have a wife that is willing to be at home to raise our daughter, giving her time and attention unselfishly to Finnley. And our dog Batman. I love my wife for all that she is and all that she does. I love Finnley for simply being. And I love my dog.
It's fun to reflect on our journey during this first Mother's Day for Megan. But we also raise a cheerful glass in honor of our friends who know the struggle of fertility treatments, but have yet to realize the joy. We admire your strength and courage. We think of you daily. And we share Finnley with all of you.

Transitions

Every time you figure out a "routine" of sorts, you are then instructed to change it. You finally get comfortable feeding your Peanut pureed everything, and now you have to make up how to transition to finger foods and table foods. It makes you feel like a new mom all over again...not knowing exactly what you are doing or how you should be doing it.


But, doing it you do.

And, doing it we are.

We are transitioning to finger foods. Experimenting with them, really.


Experimenting appears cute in pictures. In real life it is tedious and MESSY! But, still awfully cute. I mean, just look at Peanut...how could you not love the move to finger foods when you see a face like that looking back???

SICK

Sick. Sick. Sick.

Stinking sore throat. Monster in throat trying to kill me. Swear it to be true. Seriously.

Why is it that every time I take Finnley for a "well-child visit" I come home a sick-adult? Must stop this trend.

MUST!

Finnley Seeks Out More Fun!

This baby knows how to find fun. For cheap. Or for free. Mostly for free. Gotta love her!

Here are her latest high jinks. Enjoy!

READ!!!

To your baby. To your kids. To the little ones who just want to turn the pages. To the fussy ones who just want to eat the boards. It really doesn't matter. All that matters is that you READ!

My pediatrician even reiterated this very point to me yesterday. He said that the children who are simply EXPOSED to books and reading tend to be much earlier and better readers overall!

So, all it takes is a little exposure. A little time. A little reading.

We can all do that much, can't we???

**Click here to leave a comment and have a book donated to a child in need!**

9 Month Update - Pediatrician's Appointment

Today was Finnley's big nine month well-child visit at the pediatrician's office. All went extremely well. Finnley now weighs in at a whopping 16 lbs. and 10 oz. That puts her in the 10th percentile for weight, still. She measured in at 28 inches long. That puts her in the 50th to 75th percentile for length, still. Her Peanut head measures in the 50th to 75th percentile, too. The pediatrician said that she looks great and is tracking well for her development overall.

Food wise we are to continue with the solid baby food and with mushed up big people food. However, we are now to give food before drink. No more bottle first thing in the morning...the food comes first now. We will see how that goes! I am also to keep trying to introduce the sippy cup, which she should be fully transitioned to by 15 months...no more bottles after that! We also get to introduce milk between 10 and 12 months. My little baby is becoming a big girl. Oh no! Hopefully all of that goes well...wish us luck!

To end the appointment Finnley had to get a shot and then have her finger pricked. She was crying before she even got her shot! Poor Peanut! She hated all of that, but luckily she survived with a big hug from mommy. Now she is napping because the well-child visit wore her out completely.

Next up...12 month appointment in August!

Nine Months Old!

Well, she turned nine months old yesterday, but I never got around to posting it! At nine months Peanut is crawling everywhere!!! She also pulls herself into a stand on everything. She has had her first bump and bruise from her experiences in this department. She still doesn't leave the dog alone. And the dog is still the only thing that will make her spontaneously break out into fits of giggles. Lasting, huge fits of giggles.


She says "ba, la, da, and thhhh". She also squeals and screams in delight simply to hear herself make noise. She has five teeth, and number 6 is working on making its appearance in the not so distant future. She is eating her solids still, including some "real people food" like mushed up cauliflower. She also still hates eating anything green that comes squished up out of a jar. Can't say that I blame her! Finn is still long and lean and has pudgy feet...the only pudgy thing on her body! She is a joy and every day brings something new to delight us or her. Love that girl!