Signs of Summer...

Well, the 90 degree temperatures and raging humidity are certainly subtle indicators that summer is right around the corner. Temperatures can be flukey, though, so you can't just rely solely on them to tell you what time of year it is. Pollen helps me to differentiate the spring from other seasons. As the worst of the tree pollen starts to slowly (OMG SO SLOWLY!) fade, I can tell that school is just about out and that lazy hazy days are soon to be upon us. Well, minus the lazy, anyway.

Other signs? Well, they exist, too.

They come in the form of the Radnor Hunt steeplechase races in Pennsylvania, which generally occur at the tail end of spring. Blue skies. Sunshine. Long grass. Muscular fancy racing horses. A husband assuming his coveted role of bookie for the day. A toddler without a nap due to the excitement and balloons. (Who can really nap when balloons are around, right?) Money lost. Laughs gained. Good times.



They also come in the form of hayrides and strawberry picking. Seriously, it is sometimes hard to tell that we live 15 minutes from center city Philadelphia. Head in just about any other direction, though, and you are bound to find solid evidence that we truly do live in the Garden State. With summer so near, the first batches of early varietal strawberries are at their peak. We took advantage of that fact, and we went a-picking out in the fields. And a-taste-testing out in those same fields.

(I did offer to pay for whatever Finnley might have consumed illegally, but they said since they didn't weigh her before heading out it was really hard to weigh her after to tell what was taken. Phew!).



And, there is no other stronger sign that warmer "life is a party" days are near than a kiddie pool in your backyard. We have one. We are official. I broke it out yesterday, and Finnley (and Batman) broke it in. They are both in awe and in love. Oh, what small amounts of bright blue molded PVC filled with air and water can do for the soul.



I have now seen a glimpse into what the next few months will entail. The good. The bad (well, Finnley is still heavily practicing "2", afterall...but we won't get into that right now). The amazing. The semi-permananent suntan lotion and citronella bug spray smells. The earlier mornings and later nights. Dirty feet.  Messy hair.  Grilled meals.  Ahhh.....it all looks pretty good to me.

Bring on the sunshine, I say. Bring. It. On.

She asks. I indulge.

Finnley is really starting to come into her own. She has opinions. She has preferences. And, she isn't afraid to voice them. I do not hesitate indulging her, either. (Well, as long as what she wants doesn't harm herself or others, that is.) So, on a rainy day, if my daughter wants to wear bright orange flower-adorned sandals over her white and pink short-cuffed socks, well...all righty then. If she chooses to use her fork to eat her milk-soaked cereal, so be it. If she wants to pose and say "cheese" with milk running down her chin and with a mouthful of breakfast, why not? If she later decides to dump her sandals and cautiously shuffle-parade around the house in her polka-dotted rain boots, who am I to stop her? Rainy days are meant for creativity, and little kids are designed to grow into bigger kids who think, choose, demand, and desire. On this rainy day, my daughter is doing all of that and more. On this rainy day, her mommy is indulgent. Happily. So be it.

What I see...

When I look at her, I no longer see a baby.  I now see a little girl standing where her baby self once crawled.  For some moms or parents, this might be bittersweet.  Not for me.  Not really.  Don't get me wrong...I do love how a baby looks, feels, and smells, and coos.  I do not love, however, how a baby might cry inconsolably and is mostly ineffectively communicative.  I would rather take a toddler tantrum over a colicky baby any day!  And that is saying something....a whole lot of something!  For this, and for a million and a half other reasons (if you read this blog, you know most of them already given our path to parenthood), Finnley will be an only child.  Maybe under those particular circumstances I should be more sad to see each stage pass...but I can't help it.  I'm not.

I enjoy each new day and each new opportunity for growth.  I am happy knowing that we will always outnumber her, and that when I am anywhere with her she gets all of me.  It makes me thrilled beyond words to know that my daughter is finding her own.  She communicates.  She thinks.  She makes so many connections.  She has a memory.  She has coordination.  She uses her imagination.  She independently plays.  She is engaging.  She sleeps.  She undoes and re-does a buckle on her booster seat ten times a day.  She picks out her own shoes.  She puts on her own sunglasses.  She has a favorite movie.  She has opinions about foods.  She is charming.  She says "please" cuter than anyone else on the planet.  Seriously...what is not to love?

So, as others move forward and add to their families while getting back those "baby days" that they miss...I will continue to drown in the everyday happiness of my burgeoning toddler without missing a beat.  I will take in those new baby looks, feels, smells, and coos in short random bursts while socializing with my friends and their growing families.  It works for me.  It works for our family.

More than anything, I like that Finnley will always be special.  I like that she will always be our favorite, and that we can mean it whenever we say it.  I like where we are right now, and I love imagining each new year and what Finnley will deliver to our doorstep during that time.  All as it should be for me.  All as it should be.

Speaking of special and all as it should be:

Because Cards are Void of Just the Right Words

Happy Mother's Day to my wife, Megan!  Seeing her as a mom for these past 21 months has given me more joy than anything else.  At her core I knew she always wanted to be a mom.  And what a mom she is!

I like watching Megan being a mom because when it comes to raising our daughter, Megan ensures that every day begins with a hug, is filled with joy, laughter, and fun in the middle, and ends with a hug and an "I love you."  Oh, and there are kisses sprinkled in there, too.  Because unlike dad, mommy isn't "icky" at this stage.

There is no sweeter sound then when our daughter says "MOMMY" at the top of her lungs with such excitement that you can just tell mommy is the best person in the world.  I never tire of hearing that.  I also never tire of seeing our daughter grab a book and plop herself on her mommies lap....or seeing her cuddle in with mommy to watch Tangled for the thousandth time.  A mom and her daughter.  Doing what Megan as always hoped for.

Megan is providing an environment for our daughter that I am so very grateful for.  Thankful for.  An environment of safety, learning, laughter, opportunity, fun, exploration, hugs, and love.  With just enough boundaries to make sure Finnley knows what's right and wrong, but not so many boundaries that Finnley can't be her own person...and sometimes learn the hard way.

Perhaps what I enjoy the most are the daily updates I receive when I am at the office.  Sure, it's nice to hear what new word Finnley is saying, or how well she did at swim or music class, or whatever fun activity Megan had for her that day.  But I like hearing this stuff mainly because I can sum it up in a few simple words.....Megan is being a mom today.  Her dream fulfilled.

I love you Megan.  Happy Mother's Day!  Thanks for being a great mommy to our daughter.

p.s.  On this day, my heart goes out to those women who have struggled with fertility and have yet to have their own wishes come true.  We never forget the struggles, the heartache, the hope.  We keep you in our thoughts and prayers each day, and we support you in every way.

This House

This house is filled with love. Here is proof positive.

Abuse or Love????

You be the judge:

Imaginative Play

It started with pretend diapering her baby Amanda. Then it moved on to "talking" on the phone. A lot. Most always to her "da-da". Now it extends to walking around with her baby...rocking her, swinging her, kissing and hugging her...and feeding her. Of course, every time she feeds her baby, Finnley will then turn to me and say "icky", as she points to the food stuck on baby's arm, face, or head. Who knows what will be next, but it will come. Our little girl is blossoming and imagining. Ahh...what a world she will dream up and live in from time to time, for fun...for play. I can't wait to see it...through her wide eyes.

Easter Funday!

This week was as crazy as they usually are for us.  The weather was all over the place.  We have a new jogging stroller.  Finnley was practicing being two now and again.  Storybook land welcomed us, and Finn told Storybook Land that it could keep its stupid tea cup ride.  As always, life is silly-wicked and good!

Every week begins or ends with a Sunday, depending on how you view it, I guess.  This week ended with Easter Funday, though.  He is Risen.  And the creepy bunny brought a wagon, bubbles, craisins, raisins, "icky" (just ask our kiddo) iridescent grass, and jelly beans.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.

Here is a glimpse at our day: