The time has come, the time is now...Henry's on the cusp of turning 6 months old, so now's the time to start him on solid food. Today he dined on the always popular but not very delicious rice cereal. He's definitely interested in getting it into his mouth, but not yet very good at keeping it there. Here's a little
gallery (HTML) of his epicurean antics.
And just for old times sake, here's Finny's foray into solids from August '08.
We've had a ball this Christmas having Margot's folks in town. We're still busy chasing the lads & fighting the flu (as Finn would say, "Byyuck!"), so I'll keep things brief for now. Here's a little gallery (HTML). In it you can see the terrific Thomas the Tank Engine play hut & monkey slippers that Grandma & Grandpa Liggett got for the Finnster; some balls & "Luchador keys" from MrsW; and the righteous "SQRL POD" license plate Mom-O got for the bike trailer!
Look at this little package I found under the tree. :-)
(Click each image for a larger version.)
Our man Finny is fascinated with the National Geographic Desert Pop-up book that Dad-o got him in Death Valley. A particular favorite is a jumping coyote who is pursuing a "fat squirrel". Soon Dad-o and Finny were making up all kinds of coyote attack scenarios using Dad-o's pinched thumb and forefinger as the coyote (or "guy-o-dee" as pronounced by Finn). The "coyote" sneaks through cracks between the mattress and crib bumper, appears below small holes where a young lad's finger might wiggle through, and nibbles on various toddler appendages like earlobes and exposed toes. And since Dad-o likes to greet Finny each morning with a new kooky gimmick, the coyote makes lots of early morning appearances.
So, as I was out Christmas shopping the other night at Target, when I saw a rack of coyote-print flannel PJ pants out of the corner of my eye, I literally did a double-take and shouted "OH MY GOD! COYOTE PANTS! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!". At least several dozen shoppers must've thought I had just escaped from the local nuthatch as I pawed through the pants, looking for the right size. That particular store did *not* have the right size, so I hopped in the car and drove to a different Target, where I successfully found my prey and took it home with me.
John then became the immediate recipient of the "Best Pre-Christmas, Could Not Have Planned Something This Great Gift". Here is a larger version of the photo featuring the pants. Needless to say, John was as excited about them as I was, and could not *wait* to wear them in to greet Finn in the morning. And happily, Finn's response was just what we expected. When Dad-o walked in, the first thing he shouted was "COYOTE PANTS!!!"
As I mentioned the other day, getting our little guys to sit still for a family Christmas photo has been no easy deal! Fortunately, however, Margot's fellow Madre Veronica was able to catch the dudes at a peaceful moment:
(Here's a larger version.) Many thanks, Veronica.
Finn has become intimately familiar with Cookie Monster and the "C is for Cookie" song, thanks to YouTube's vast collection of Sesame Street clips. He is also very adept with the Play-Doh these days, and really digs rolling out the Doh and using the little plastic "cookie cutters" that came in the Play-Doh kit. So imagine his delight when I told him we were going to roll out, cut, and decorate Christmas cookies today!
Here are a few pics (HTML) from our adventure, plus some other recent goings-on. Needless to say, Finn enjoyed the raw dough, the cooked dough, watching me put the food coloring into the icing, and shaking on the sprinkles and colored sugar. Against my better judgement, but in the spirit of not being a Grinch, I let him eat far too many cookies. All evening he was requesting "mo' cookies!".
In other news, Henry's turning a corner on napping and is becoming more alert, smiley, and active each day. We've included a few recent pics of our little big man in action. We got him a little sleep sack, which is like a blanket he can wear. He's moving around a lot in the crib so using a regular blanket is now out of the question, but he sure likes feeling warm and snuggly. John likes to call it the "sleep bag", and I like to call it the nap extender. I have no idea if it actually contributed to his much improved napping over the last few days, but I'm not going to stop using it to find out if there's a difference!
We've been struggling to get a decent family photo that we can send around for Christmas. Our boys lull us into complacency, getting all dolled up & sitting cheerfully until the moment of truth. Then, wham, it's been American Meltdown Theater.
Fortunately our photographer-friend Maria had the inspired idea of wrapping Finny in some Christmas tree lights during her brief visit. "Tree dude!! Binny the tree dude!!" he declared, and magic ensued (HTML) :-).
Maybe now we just need to wrap the G-Man in some strands ("Shrub dude," perhaps?) and snap away.
Well, we all made it through Henry's test, and although it was no fun, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, and it's over now. Henry was remarkably calm. The waiting was the hardest part. He had only 30 minutes of morning nap under his belt, and was not to eat for an hour before the test, which was scheduled at 1:00. So he ate at 11:30, just before we left for the hospital for a 12:30 check-in. Of course they were running late and the stupid test didn't even start until 1:30, so he was getting more tired and more hungry by the second.
We all hung in there, and the test itself took only about 20 minutes total. They had to catheterize him and flood his bladder with x-ray visible dye, then wait to see where the dye went as his bladder filled up. He cried and squirmed but not nearly as much as I would have expected, and he was actually quite calm for a large part of the test. We got to watch the whole thing on a video monitor. John, who had to stand behind a protective screen, took a handful of photos (HTML) with his camera phone.
The radiologist said he did not see what they were looking for, which he took to be a good sign. He was expecting to see the dye go up into the ureter between Henry's kidney and bladder, but it didn't, even when his bladder was full and as it was squeezing. So that might mean he does not have reflux after all. Too early to say for sure, we'll have to wait to hear what the pediatrician says once she reviews the images with the radiologist.
Thanks for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers, we'll keep you posted when we know more.
Yesterday our pal Maria and her friend Alex stopped by for a visit. Alex, being a friendly giant, reached out for a passing Finn & laid a few tickles on his tummy. Finn's going through a rather shy period, so he didn't know what to make of these advances. In the kitchen he remarked, "Dude... dude tickle!" He kind of froze up upon returning to the living room, unwilling to venture past Alex. The problem was solved when Alex and Maria agreed to hold their arms up ("Arms up up!") and grant him safe passage. :-) [Click the image for a larger version showing the circumspect Finn.]
Ah, we've finally had a chance to take a few snapshots of our lads. In this little gallery (HTML), you can see our fellas...
The owl has landed!
Inspired by the great success we've had with Finn's "lovie" Leo, Margot got Henry one of Leo's stablemates, a little owl* we've dubbed Ollie. The friendly strigiforme is already well-slobbered, both by Henry & by Finn's "(s)mooching." Zipping Ollie into Mom-O's jacket, then extracting him and saying, "Hi, owl-buddy!" is a particular hit.
Here's a little gallery (HTML) in which you can see the goings-on, as well as Finn's antics with raccoon-buddy Duke. Duke likes to say (in Finn's words) "'ow'sitgoing!," then crawl down the big guy's shirt. "Tummy full of Duke!!," shouts the delighted boy. :-)
*Aesthetic/unhygienic bonus: Ollie is brown, the better to hide the disgusting impact of living in a lad's mouth. We've learned from Leo!
Believe it or not, Margot and I have been hanging out with Actual Grown-Ups this week, having a pair of couples over for dinner, and thus we've been a bit behind in posting photos. Without further ado, here's a little gallery (HTML) of recent stylings, featuring:
We've had a great time celebrating Halloween with the boys this year. On Friday, we met up with a bunch of the parents and tots in my mom's group for a group photo/costume appreciation party, and then we all headed up to Lincoln Ave. for the yearly costume parade and trick-or-treats at the local shops. Dad-o joined in the fun this year, and escorted San Jose's smallest but most earnest luchador while I carried our little lion Henry around in the sling.
This evening Dad-o took Finny around to the neighbors' houses for some trick-or-treating while Henry and I stayed home and started doling out candy to the early bird ghosts and goblins. Then John and Finny manned the front steps to hand out candy to the hordes of kids coming down our block while I got Henry to sleep. Then we swapped and I doled out candy in my Lucy Ricardo costume while a super-pooped Finny chose to bypass his nightly bath and bottle in favor of just getting quickly into bed. Once both guys were down, we handed out the rest of our candy, ordered a pizza, and collapsed on the couch! We counted over 300 trick-or-treaters, and only have about 3 pieces of candy left in the cauldron.
Here's a little gallery (HTML) of Halloween pics and a few other assorted shots from recent days, including a visit from MrsW ("Hoot's mama!"), provider of quality luchador-wear.
[Super Mega Bonus Edition: It's fun to see pix of Finn at Halloween just a year ago (HTML), as well as to see a clip of his penguin-clad toddling! --J.]
When it rains, it pours... gourds, that is.
Margot learned of another great pumpkin patch in our vicinity, so yesterday we packed up the Ocho & headed south. Finn, who's now officially a huge fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, got a kick out of the "leetle train!!" (particularly the water tower) and the random forklift that kept passing by. Henry was resplendent in pumpkin paraphernalia (check out the stem!), and Finn loved his "Boo shirt." Here's our gallery (HTML).
As I mentioned in a previous post, Auntie Laura was here for a visit last week while John was off to the dusty desert with the guys (Hoot! Matt! as Finn would say.)
Since John, our resident photographer and blog-post illustrator/gallery maker was away, my post did not have any of the photos or video footage from her visit. So I'm pleased to announce that at long last, we have photographic proof of her visit, and here is the gallery (HTML) to prove it :D.
And here's a fun little video of Finny and Auntie Laura singing the "Banana" song. Finn is obviously very pro-banana unification!
During my mom's little visit this past week, we enjoyed introducing Finn to Hershey's Kisses ("Choco-boca dudes!"), playing with Doh, scrubbing down Henry, whipping up cookies (which now dominate Finn's consciousness--"Mo' cookie jar!"), and reading a new book from Grandma. Here's the gallery (HTML).
While Grandma Nack was here this week, we visited a local pumpkin patch with the boys. Henry was asleep for most of it, but at least he was dressed festively in his orange hat :D. Finn, on the other hand, was quite alert, and really enjoyed the small petting zoo that was set up at the patch. He was pretty taken with the turkeys, goats, piglets, and bunny rabbits. Here is a little gallery (HTML) of the afternoon's proceedings. We ended up with four pumpkins, two large and two tiny, to be our family doppel-gourds on the front porch.
[Just for fun, here's the gallery from last year's visit. What a tiny Finnster we had! --J.]
Henry really knows how to turn on the charm. After a long, tiring day, I was somberly changing him into his PJ's, and when I looked at him, he cracked his biggest, sweetest grin at me. How could I not melt?
He's really perking up these days while he's awake, and we've recently captured a handful of fun pictures of him in action. A little tummy time with Dad-o, some "singing" with Mom-o, and some smiles from his big bro. Here's the gallery (HTML).
Our pal Maria from Kansas City (last seen at Chez Nack making a very young Finn squeal for his supper) just sent us a super fun Tickle Monster book--complete with ticklin' gloves! Check out this little gallery (HTML) of shots I snagged with my phone camera. You can see Finn having a go at Dad-O's "sweet, bony knee" ("BonyNEE!"), elbow, and more.
Henry's been working out a lot these days, mostly doing what Finn calls "Goonie push-ups". (The pediatrician calls it "tummy time". How dull.) He spends some designated time each day on his tummy in order to strengthen his neck muscles and improve his head control and upper body strength. (He hasn't started working on his sexy core yet!) Here's a little gallery (HTML) of his efforts, as well as some candid pics of him enjoying his little swinging chair. Apparently he's working on his facial expressions, too!
P.S. Finny took his mom's old baby doll, put her face-down on the rug, and said "baby, push-ups," then later referred to the baby doll as Goonie. Pretty great.
I received an excited email dispatch from our kitchen yesterday: "We are having a Play-Doh fiesta right now! :-). I bought a little kit with 4 Play-Doh cans & a bunch of cookie cutters and squishers, and Finn is just having a field day! The combo of tools and squishy 'Doh is a winning one for our little guy."
Check out the gallery (HTML) of doughy good times!
PS--Margot says that Finn's expression in the pic above reminds her of Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein.
Recently Mom-O introduced Finny to a flashlight, and boy, you'd think it was Obi-Wan Kenobi giving Luke a new lightsaber: that kid was off to the races! A whole new "KindaDEEP" was born, and soon we were having fun putting the light under our chins and saying "Spooky Dad-O! Spooky Binny!!"
Pretty soon we were doing "Spooky Leo," and then Finn jabbed the flashlight into my throat and said, "(s)pooky neck!" From there it was game on, with Finn marching around and labeling everything the light touched as "'pooky!" ("'pooky ceiling! 'pooky floor! 'pooky baño!") When I asked about "Spooky Goonie," he smiled and said, "Nooo... too tiny!"
Here's a little gallery (HTML) of our luminous antics. Oh, and by the way, a little "PigCup" makes an awesome saber-enhancer!
Apropos of nothing, happy Tuesday. :-)
(Click the image for a slightly larger version.)
Our neighbor Richard is kind of a folk hero to Finn--big, barrel-chested, and always operating some kind of cool vehicle (Corvette, vintage Beetle, old truck, Lexus, etc.) or implement (weed whacker, hose, pickaxe, etc.). His gato-poop-blasting technique is a particular hit & explains why Finn would look at the sprayer in the tub and exclaim "Poop!"
Lately Finn has been taken with watching Richard push leaves with his leaf blower, and he now loves to grab tubes of all sort and go "WHEEoooWHEEoooWHEEooo... leaf blowa!" As it happens, despite our having lived here for nearly three years, it's only in the last couple of weeks that Richard has learned my name. Prior to that he'd guess things like "Mike." Therefore Finn's imitation sounds like, "WHEEoooWHEEooo... Hey Mike, Hey Mike!" ;-D
Here's a tiny gallery (HTML) of our tube-wielding amigo.
During my parents' visit, "GrammaNACK" brought Finn & Henry two great matching outfits apiece--blue & yellow onesies featuring little lions. The last time we tried to photograph them together, however, we unfortunately experienced Operation Nuclear Trainwreck (thanks to some bad napping).
This time, however, things went much better, as you can see in this little gallery (HTML). Margot was also able to catch Henry eyeing (and starting to swat at) some little felt birds, as well as Finn modeling some crazy-big sunglasses.
I snapped a few shots of the lads looking cute this weekend, including:
Here are the photos (HTML)!
Okay, I know it's a totally invented milestone, but our littlest guy has officially done a "half century" in terms of days on earth. In recognition, here's a little gallery (HTML) of the two boys this past weekend. The bats are gifts from our baseball-loving pal Ginna. (Thanks again, Ginna!) The Cheerios holding them in place are functioning as chocks. :-)
Recently Finn got a ringside seat to Henry's bath, and another day his little friend Esther Williams--er, Anja!--popped into the tub with him for some spontaneous bathing fun. Here's a micro gallery (HTML) of the aqueous stylings.
Our self-proclaimed Big Guy doesn't have time to screw around using just one sippy cup at a time. :-) (Here's a larger version.)
Henry is starting to develop in earnest, offering up some new non-cry squeaks & even favoring us with a few proto-smiles! Just as Finny had his "invisible shows," the G-Man is starting to stare with rapt attention. In this tiny gallery (HTML) you can see him contemplating (and spazzing out to!) one of those simple black-and-white picture books. Margot reports that he got mad today when she turned the page. Hey, don't mess with a man's literature!
It's an exciting day for Dad-o and Finny today. We finally got the bike trailer (a super nice gift from John's folks!) that we ordered from the bike shop! It's a Burley D'Lite ST, which will fit two kids and also converts to a stroller. So now we can pop both boys in for a stroll, or Finny for a ride to the park. Henry is too small for trailering: he has to be old enough for a helmet and unassisted sitting-up. Finn and Dad-o took it for a test ride to the park this morning, so here are some pics (HTML) as they set out from the casa. There are some really great parks in our neighborhood that are just far enough away that walking takes too long, and driving seems wasteful, but biking over is just the ticket.
In addition to converting to stroll-mode, the other nice thing about the trailer is that it has a pretty roomy cargo area behind the seat, so we can haul a picnic lunch, or sand toys/towels, or even a couple sacks of groceries. We're looking forward to logging lots of miles with the guys! Oh, and soon, in addition to the orange safety flag, the trailer will be flying a small jolly roger on top :D.
[Just for my dad's benefit, I think I'll add a bumper sticker that says "GOON IS MY CO-PILOT." ;-) --J.]
The gazebo has been getting a good workout, hosting my folks and their books plus various visits from Finn. Grandma Nack blew Finn's mind with her "Surprise Lap" routine, humming a jaunty little Irish lullaby, then "dropping" him at the end (as he yells "Dump!!"). Now we hear him waking up in his crib, singing & saying "GrammaNACK!" Here's a little gallery (HTML).
Off to grab a waking-up Finnster,
J.
We're having a ball with my folks being in town--cruising in a wagon, swinging, riding the slide ("Kindasteep!") backwards & forwards, reading Mother Goose ("GeogiePogie!"), and more--and of course the Papa-razzo is snapping away. I haven't had much time to select photos to share, though, so in the meantime here's just a fun little sequence of Finny hamming it up:
(Here's a larger version.)
Tonight Margot and I gave Henry (aka Goonie, aka the G-Man) a bath, and while it wasn't his first, this time I was able to grab my camera. Check out the photos (HTML) of our littlest guy doing the backstroke.
For a fun comparison, here's Finny's first bath (and, what the heck, a later one, too). Seeing those pics & realizing they were taken less than 18 months ago (!) really drives home the truth in all those cliches about "they grow up so fast."
We're having a great time introducing Henry to his Liggett grandparents (GP's--hence "Jeeps"), so we've been a bit lighter on the blogging. Finn delights in showing grandpa around our usual haunts--e.g. dragging him to the "antenna truck," jumping to him from our neighbor's porch, and playing around in the pool. While I've got a moment before he gets up, here's a gallery (HTML) of the proceedings.
It's week two with Henry on the scene, and we're all settling in to our groove as a foursome. Henry and I spend a lot of time on the couch, or in the rocking chair while he nurses or naps. We've set up the playpen/bassinet in the living room so we have a drop-off spot for him that is both Finn-proof and centrally located so we can hear him from the kitchen or other rooms.
John and Finn have a really good routine going these days. They spend a lot of time outdoors exploring, going for Cozy Coupe rides, or Bob-ing their way up the street to the park. Finn has really taken a shine to the various slides, as well as the swings. There is a public pool at the park, too, which is open every afternoon, so the boys have been swimming a few times in the past week. Finn loves it, and John mentioned something about how great it is to be a dad when it comes to playtime and pool time with Finno. We also found out that the big carousel at the Guadalupe River Park is free one Tuesday a month, so John and Finn took a spin on the various animals last week--I think a wolf, zebra, and giraffe were involved--see for yourself (HTML)*!
John and I get some quiet time together in the evenings after Finn goes to bed, and Henry settles into his nighttime sleeping pattern. He conks out after a couple of closely-spaced evening feedings, enabling us to enjoy the quiet and the descending darkness.
*The image quality of the last shot here is, as Finn would say of milk being microwaved, "Nottoohot." :-) Still it captures the feel of the scene, and it's not too bad for a $3 souvenir. Finny was kind of freaked out by the ride at first ("Down down down!"), but he became an addict almost immediately. In the end it was woozy Dad who had to call a break to all the riding!
Hoot! Tom! Milos!--not to mention Alex! Sarah! and Harper!--gathered at our house last Saturday for an impromptu homecoming celebration just after we arrived from the hospital. It was so nice to introduce Henry to our pals, and to have them help us raise a toast to the newest Nack. (Even Finn got in on that action via some sparkling apple juice. Note, however, that carbonated juice + sippy cup = Molotov kiddie cocktail. We learned the hard way!)
Here are some photos (HTML) from the little shindig. Thanks to Tom & Hughes for contributing some great camerawork.
Finno gets a real kick out of saying "BUCKet!" with regard to little-kid car seats. He's often talking about our little neighbor Maddie and her seat ("Money! Bucket!"), and now he gets to see Henry occupy his old bucket.
We're told that older kids sometimes regress developmentally when a new baby arrives. Finn has done nothing of the sort (in fact, just this week he decided to shift gears & move to one nap per day), but we got a kick out of him trying to stuff himself into Henry's seat ("Goonie! BUCKet!"). As you can see (HTML), he likes to rock out. Maybe he's pining for his lost youth... If this is the worst regression we have to deal with, we'll count ourselves very luck. :-)
I'm typing on the run while the lads nap, so I'll be brief, but here's a gallery (HTML) of the latest happenings at 983 Delmas. You can see...
...And so the late-night blogging returns. :-)
Here we are at H+110--a hundred and ten hours into the life of our new little guy (not that I'm counting!). I just had the honor of holding Henry on my lap for the past four hours as he slept, and now he's enjoying a midnight snack courtesy of Mom-O. We've decided to try having me sleep downstairs, the better to get some rest & thus preserve energy for Finn-management.
We're having a wonderful time so far with the H-man (or G-man, as we & especially Finn alternate with the "Goonie" nomenclature). I have to say, Margot is being a total rock star, holding up marvelously with the return to sleep deprivation. I feel somewhat guilty, not being able to do as much directly with the new guy. For my part I try to provide her with worry-free Squirrel-wrangling, and he and I plan to check out lots of little kid gatherings while I'm on leave.
Finny, meanwhile, regards Henry with passing interest, getting keyed up only when I spend time with the little guy. He's perfectly content to regard mother & brother as one entity ("Mom-O-Goonie").
I find I'm (predictably) running out of steam at the moment, so without further ado here are a few photos (HTML) of the family at home--including our first family dinner where Henry doubles as both guest & table setting. ;-) Lots more is in the queue, including images showing a visit from our pals Tom, Sarah, Bryan, Alex, and their tots.
Our boys are wasting no time in exploring their fashionable side. First Henry donned some big earphones for a hearing test (passed with flying colors!), after which the Finnster tried on our neighbor Suzanne's big sunglasses. Here's a larger version of the photos.
He's here, he's here!! :-D
We could have no sweeter fourth-anniversary news to share: announcing the arrival of the wonderful Mr. Henry Seamus Nack, born yesterday afternoon at 2:47pm! Dad-o is typing quickly as he's on Finn-patrol, but we wanted to share a little gallery (HTML) showing our great little fella. What a marvel, what a blessing! :-D
More to come (like you doubted that ;-))...
Well, we've had no real news from our little amigo-to-be, but Margot went in for acupuncture today, hoping to get the show on the road. Apparently this approach worked for our friend Alex, and Margot reports getting a few good kicks during the goings on. Largely, though, the wait continues.
Meanwhile, Finny and I found some "baby fruit" during a walk through the neighbors' yard. We took home one "little guy" plus one "little bitty guy," both of which you can see us holding (HTML). We look forward to introducing our little guy to our little bitty guy soon enough!
Well, our nation's birthday came and went without becoming El Segundo's birthday, so we can't report any fireworks on that front. We did have a lovely day with the Finnster, however, including:
Here's our little gallery (HTML) from the day.
July 2, 2009: Finn turns 16 months old! Hard to believe, and even harder to believe that El Segundo's arrival could be any day now. We keep waiting for "Gundo" and he keeps teasing me with phony contractions, but has made no definitive moves towards his big entrance.
Meanwhile, Finny keeps picking up new words every day. New ones include "handle", "eagle", "hanger", "ice", "antenna", and "Beetle" (re: our neighbor's vintage VW bug). He's decided he likes watermelon, and he tried a dill pickle today and surprisingly, liked it a great deal. He really hammed it up when he made his "pickle face," but kept on asking for more!
Yesterday, Finn went on a bender about "BrokenHam!", careening around saying it over and over, and cracking up in the process. He and Dad would take turns shouting "BrokenHam!" and giggling. Turns out, he was referring to Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham, which he's been enjoying. How it became broken, I do not know, but it's hilarious nonetheless.
The sprinkler and garden hose antics continue. Finn has gone through a couple outfits per day due to his interest in the garden hose and the new spray nozzle we got for it. He basically points it at his face and tries to get a drink from it, so you can imagine how quickly he gets soaked from head to toe. He's also taken to hosing down the Cozy Coupe--gotta keep your ride clean, man!
Here's a little compendium of photos (HTML) from the past week or two--including piggy-back rides, attempts at jumping, visits from friends, and neighborhood expeditions.
Man, those swim lessons may have deeply affected young Finny, turning him into a true water lover. This morning he started crowing about "Hose, hose!," so I obligingly turned on the tap--with predictable results. I didn't anticipate the sheer volume of water he ingested, but at play group a couple of hours later, it all came back to me, so to speak. ;-)
In any case, here's the aqua-man in action (HTML), including a few weekend sprinkler photos. As you can see, Dad-o wasn't shy about getting in on the action, and Mom-o was a quick pro with the camera.
It is outrageously hot here this weekend--97 degrees yesterday afternoon, and we are expected to hit 101 today. Making it bearable is our shady backyard plus the fun fishy sprinkler mat that Finn's Liggett grandparents bought for him. We set it up yesterday, got Finn into his swimtrunks, and let the splashing commence! As you can see (HTML), a good time was had by all, and the cool water had us all feeling a little less oppressed in the hot afternoon.
Lately the Squirrelmaster has gotten quite mobile in the tub (kind of a nervewracking development). His latest trick is to flop onto his belly & then to face-plant into the suds ("Bubbo!"). He pops up gasping and grinning like a madman. :-) Here are some shots I captured (HTML) of the proceedings.
Lately the Finn-man has gotten waaay into playing hide and seek with us. Well, it's a very simple form of the game: he takes one of us firmly by the hand, leads us to a spot, and then deposits us there, sometimes commanding "Down!" From there he's off to the races, disappearing around a corner or the end of the car, only to come back moment later and shout "Boo!"
I find his commitment to the craft hilarious. He's very clear about walking me to the end of the car in particular, then dropping me off--and getting a little miffed if I stray from my post! I mean, does Dad think this is child's play or what??
Naturally photos are hard to come by during the goings-on, but I managed to snap a handful with my phone during a weekend garage session. Here they are (HTML).
Yesterday we returned to the farm park for our Sunday adventure. Finn wore his chicken shirt in order to more fully bond with the wandering fowl. We even packed a picnic lunch with chicken in it (a little weird if you think too long about it), so between lunch, the shirt, and the actual chickens, there was lots of "bok bok bok"ing and "dok-a-dah!" (cock-a-doodle-doo!) from the Squirrel.
Here's a little gallery (HTML) of our afternoon. We visited the billy goats and cows, too, so they didn't feel left out.
[PS--During the livestock feeding, Finnster loved talking about the cow's "beak!" Apparently goats also feature beaks. (I was really glad Barbra Streisand didn't walk by just then.) --J.]
"Ga-TO!" :-)
Our neighbors' cat d'Artagnan (aka Tuxstein, Tuxy, or just "you fat dumpling") has been a good sport lately as Finny becomes more comfortable petting creatures, ascending the neighbors' steps, and generally exploring the world. More pix to follow.
We've fallen a bit behind in sharing some photos of the fam in action, so I've rounded up a gallery (HTML) of miscellaneous Finndustry. The gallery includes:
Our little fighter had his 15-month check-up today with Dr. S. Once again, he blows away the competition and has gone through quite a growth spurt, to boot! He is 33 inches tall, weighs 28 lbs 12 oz, and his head is 48cm around. He clocks in at the 90-95th percentile on all counts.
Dr. S was astounded when I told her how many words Finn can say (we've counted about 75) and that he can even understand abstract concepts (for instance, he says "Leo!" when we're trying to be sneaky and say "his buddy" or "Finn's little pal"). She says that for boys, the average at 15 months is more like 15 words! Unfortunately he was dozey and not too talkative during our appointment, so she didn't get a sampling of his skills. She did, however, get to meet Leo :-).
While we were waiting for the nurse to come in with the vaccination shots, I started whistling little tunes to keep Finny entertained, which he really enjoyed. As soon as I would stop he'd look up at me, pucker up, and start blowing through his lips to get me to start going again! (A mom can only sing the short lyrics to "Pony Boy" so many times...so whistling is a good alternative, and fascinating for Finn.)
Last night we had a little impromptu taco night with our pals Tom & Sarah, their daughter Harper (11 weeks), Huez* & Alex, and their son Miles (3.5 mos). Here is a little gallery (HTML) of shots from the evening, starting with the touchdown of the cute tots in our backyard. Finn was mad for guacamole and chips, so many thanks to Alex for letting us keep the leftovers!
* Pronounced by Finn as "Oot!"
The squirrel-man and his buddy Leo are a pretty inseparable pair. Lately we've had a little fun tossing Leo onto Finn's (and everyone else's) head as a hat. Here's a little gallery (HTML) from the goings-on. :-)
Who needs a fancy new Elmo Phone when you've got a sippy cup? "Hehwo?" :-) (Click the image for a larger view.)
I'll tell ya, I'm a lucky guy to get to come home & romp around with Finny. Here are a couple of shots I snagged with my phone as he celebrated the resurrection of our neighbor's bee-attracting fountain ("BEE!"). (Click the image for a larger view.)
Margot and I have a weird soft spot for "Lucha Libre," aka masked Mexican wrestling. Knowing this, our friend Hughes's mom Eileen got Finn both a tiny "luchador" mask and a whole calendar of luchador portraits. We have lots of fun putting the little mask onto a ceramic penguin, as well as going through the calendar to see "Los Matematicos" and more. (Well, it's fun until the 700th or so time, at which point one of us has to hide the calendar under the couch.) Here's a little gallery (HTML) of the goings-on.
On a related note, I think Finn may grow up with a warped sense of what the term "doctor" means. A few months ago he started checking out our little portrait of the wrestler "Dr. Wagner," saying "DAK-dah!" I wonder whether he'll think that "doctor" = masked wrestler, and if so, what he'll think when we say we're going to the doctor's office. :-)
A couple of weeks ago, the three of us cruised up to see our friends Bryan, Alex, and little Miles Hughes at their home in the nearby Santa Cruz mountains. We've uploaded some photos (HTML) showing a little (metal) goat-riding, corn-launching, mooning over Miles, and more.
During the course of our great little cook-out, Finn--who normally sticks to Dad like glue--was rather taken with Hughes. He'd protest whenever Hughes would walk inside, and he'd track this other daddy's every move.
Finally it started to dawn on me: I wonder whether he thinks that's his daddy. We put the idea to the test. Finding a picture of himself with me in the desert, Hughes pointed at me and said, "Who's that, Finn?" No response. And then the moment of truth: I pointed at the picture of Hughes and said, "Who's that, Finn?" "Da-Da!" was the immediate response. :-P
Since then, I've discovered that Finn now uses the term "Da-Da" fairly generically to refer to dad-like men, including our friend Tom & various characters in books. I feel a bit better now. :-)
PS--Thanks to Hughes & Alex for the hospitality, and to Hughes for the great photos. The Papa-razzi strike again!
Now that we're past our blog's technical difficulties, we have some catching up to do!
Last week, Finn's Uncle James was in town for his long-awaited first meeting with our little squirrel. James was traveling for business, and was spending a day in Menlo Park, a town nearby. It was a perfect opportunity to pit stop at Casa de Nack for some Cinco de Mayo tacos, beer, and goofing around with a cute 1-year old. The guys got along great, and we snapped a couple photos (HTML) to commemorate the occasion. We were so excited he came by and got to meet his nephew.
And speaking of nephews, today is our nephew Charlie's 4th birthday! Happy Birthday Chooch! (James' visit also enabled us to send Charlie's present home with his dad.)
The Finnster (our little Mexican wrestling enthusiast--more on that later) had a great time meeting his Southern Hemispherical counterpart, little Bruno "El Pompín" Rozenfeld. Our pal/Brunito's dad Adolfo snapped this little gallery (HTML) plus a short video of the boys playing together. (Okay, at this age "playing together" mainly consists of Finn trying to sweep Bruno's head with a paintbrush while Bruno works to master sitting... but hey, it's a start!)
We got another good look at El Segundo this week via ultrasound. The doc wanted to see exactly how big he is (since I'm the size of a barn already!). After the ultrasound tech took the requisite measurements, we got to take a tour and see our little guy in action. The tech remarked on how big his cheeks look--just like his brother's!
Seems as if our little guy is playing tricks with the time-space contiuum...although I am supposedly 30 weeks along, he measures up closer to 32 weeks! Maybe this means he'll come a little early (please!), or maybe it just means he's going to be *huuuuuuuuge* by the time he gets here. Either way we're really looking forward to meeting him! Until then, here is a little gallery (HTML) of ultrasonic glamour shots.
Margot has recently joined Las Madres, a group that sets up little activities for the small fry & their folks. She & Finn have been going to various functions, and on Saturday the three of us headed to a backyard kiddie-pool swim session. Finn & a new lady-friend enjoyed administering doses of fresh citrus to the water (nope, oranges don't float), and like the other parents we took some photos
(HTML) to share.
Every day--literally every single day--Finn gets more and more interactive, and of course that means more and more fun. (Geez, sorry if I start laying it on too thick. We just find this little dude so amazing.) Tonight we enjoyed some (literally) laid-back clowning with Mom, captured in this little gallery (HTML).
Apropos of nothing, here's a shot of our water-loving lad at swim class a few weeks ago--the moment captured by a pro photographer under the surface:
We're really looking forward to the opening of the neighborhood pool. Until then, we're doing our best to encourage much bathtub kicking & splashing, and Dad & the Squirty Fish team up to hose down Finn's little mug (much to his delight).
Hey, everyone--happy Easter!
Margot, the Finn-man, and & I journeyed south to Carmel on Sunday and had a ball with our friends the Whitsons (parents of Bryan Hughes), Bryan and his wife Alex & their wee son Miles, plus Bryan's grandmother & Alex's mom. Being so far away from most of our own families, it's really special for us to feel so welcomed, and we couldn't have had a nicer time.
Finno was an excellent traveller, and with the exception of a 1-hour screech-a-thon (i.e. what should have been his afternoon nap), he was his usual charming self throughout the proceedings (including Monday morning, as we stayed overnight). Highlights included:
The "Papa-razzi" (aka Dads with Cams) were out in force, so here's a gallery (HTML) of the goings-on. Young Miles is well represented, making me think back to just how tiny Finn was at Easter last year. Bryan has been busy constructing a deck with his dad, but I look forward to seeing and sharing his photos from the day soon.
As Margot is in Seattle right now, maybe Finn and I can christen the bubble-blowing kit from his Easter basket this afternoon.
Finn has been *really* interested in ducks lately. Pretty much any kind of bird that appears in his picture books gets called "duck." Even things that have nothing to do with birds get the duck treatment! We thought it would be fun to take Finn to a park where he could see real live ducks, and make the connection with what we see in his books.
We were sort of successful, in that we did see at least 3 actual ducks. Mostly we saw Canadian geese, though. Since Finn's not old enough to split hairs on ducks vs. geese, we just called them all ducks. (I even had to explain to John that the little black duck-like birds we saw were terns, not ducks.) Anyway, here are some pictures (HTML) from our onshore adventures at the park.
During the Liggetts' recent visit, Grandpa L. put his height to great use and helped paint the new baby's room--a huge help to us. Now Margot has spent some time getting the room tuned up with some zooty space imagery, and Finn really digs playing in there (especially asking for "buh-buh" (bubbles)). Here's a little gallery (HTML).
We had quite the full weekend with the Finn-man. Activities included everything from picnicking & burying feet in sand at Our New Favorite Park, to having pals Anja, Mira, and Bruce over for dinner, to going for a long & challenging walk around the Stanford radio telescopes (complete with second picnic!).
During dinner yesterday this little guy decided that he really, really likes ice cream, and he decided that our "sharing" approach should go like this: "One bite for me, and then one bite for Dad me, followed by one bite for me, and then one bite for me..." And you know, I've gotta say that kid is surprisingly strong when he wants something!
Here are a few photos (HTML) from the goings-on.
This morning we bid adieu to the GPs L as they headed back to Oklahoma. Before doing so, though, we squeezed in plenty of good times. Finno rampaged around and got himself willingly ensnared, flipped, and tossed by Grandpa, much to everyone's delight.
We also found time for some quieter book-reading, walks, and more. Margot's folks even brought out "Karen," the baby doll from her childhood. (Finn is fascinated with trying to make the eyes shut--something he then tries on the rest of us!) Check out the latest gallery (HTML) to see the goings-on.
Finny's Liggett Grandparents arrived on Wednesday to spend a week with their youngest grandchild. Finn instantly warmed up to both Grandma and Grandpa, and has been having some high times (literally!) the past few days. Since John was in Boston for a Photoshop show this week, it was good timing for me--extra hands and extra entertainment for the little guy.
Finn has become Grandpa's little shadow, always making sure that he knows exactly where Grandpa is, so he can be sure to get in lots of good lap time, cuddles, and horseplay. In fact, Grandma and Mom have taken a bit of a back seat to the dudes! Happily, Grandma has gotten in some good storybook reading and lap time, too. Here is a tiny gallery (HTML) of recent adventures.
And here is a little clip of the aforementioned "high times" with Grandpa:
Finn was lucky enough to score a VIP invite to an older woman's birthday party this weekend...We thought perhaps a May-December romance was in the offing, but everything ended up purely platonic. That's good, considering Anja, the birthday girl, is only two, and Finny is only half her age! (Anja attended Finny's b'day party earlier in the month, and her dad Bruce offered the following commentary: "Two year-old at a one year-old's party! Cougar's on the prowl!")
Here are some pics (HTML) from the party.
A couple of weeks ago (wow, time is starting to fly), our friends Bryan, Alex, and new little guy Miles joined Margot, me, and our Cheekmaster General at Alice's Restaurant up in the nearby Santa Cruz mountains. Both dads had fun piloting the families up the endlessly twisting roads, and surprisingly the car seats remained refreshingly puke-free! :-) Finny enjoyed some high-speed "drive bys" from a couple of fetching doggies, after which he got down and did his best pawing dog impression. Here's a little gallery (HTML) of the goings-on.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! I'm late in getting a blog post up for the occasion, but I wanted to get a chance to document Finny wearin' a bit of the green. Margot and I talked about finding him a little derby to wear, or at least grabbing a good stick outside to make into a small guy's shillelagh, but the stars didn't quite align on that front.
No matter, though: we snapped a few pix (HTML) of Finn sporting his new Irish-themed bib from Grandma Nack, accompanied by green-eyed Dad. He's sure come a long way since last St. Pat's, eh?
The weather around these parts has been really fantastic lately, so we've been getting outside with Finn a lot this week. He's really been enjoying his new wheels, watching airplanes fly overhead, barking and waving at passing dogs, and exploring all kinds of plants within reach. [He even put a little flower on the back of a friendly old kitty yesterday. --J.]
Today's adventure was going to the big park about a mile from our house. We Bobbed our way over, and then set Finny loose in the various tunnels, climbing equipment, and bouncy rides. He had a great time, and John got some cute phone-pix of our man in action. Here's the day's gallery (HTML).
After two days of partying and coming to grips with the fact that our boy is indeed 12 months old, I took Finn to the pediatrician today for his 1-year check-up and vaccinations.
The stats: 26 lbs. 7 oz., almost triple his birth weight! 31.5 inches tall, a gain of 10.5 over his length at birth. Head circumference of 40 cm., which doesn't mean a lot to me other than that his head is growing right on track with the rest of him.
The fun stuff: Our doc is amazed at how early Finn started walking, and she was also quite shocked and pleased at his cognitive milestones. We were in the jungle-themed exam room, and Finny was "roooar"ing at the lion and "ooh ooh ooh"ing at the monkey decals on the walls. When I told the doc that he could follow simple instructions (Can Finny put Penguin in the wagon?), recognized a lot of words, and could even say a few, she was really excited. She thinks he's ahead of the curve on the verbal stuff (I can't say we're too surprised, given the constant chatter and vocabulary showmanship between John and me). We sure are proud of our super-tot. I keep hoping that I'll hear "Mama!" someday soon!
Margot and I are so happy to say that one Finnegan Liggett Nack, a.k.a. the Finnster, the Finnfather, Birdman General, Lord of the Delmas Manor & all around terrific kid, is officially one year old! Thanks to everyone who joined us for his b-day shindig yesterday. Without further ado, here are some photos (HTML).
We think that an important part of hitting the 1-year mark is getting your own set of wheels. To that end, Finny's Nack Grandparents bought him the all-time classic Cozy Coupe for his birthday. While Finn and Dad romped around in the yard, yours truly put the Coupe together...you'd be amazed at how many individual parts had to be snapped, screwed, and shoved together!
The car even came with some really nice decals for the dashboard, rearview mirror, and license plate. As I pulled out the sheet of decals, John chimed in "Do you want to do the stickers? I'm really good at stickers." (Imagine this being delivered with the innocence and glee of a 6-year old boy.) He graciously allowed me to apply the stickers--by far the easiest part of the assembly!
Here are some photos (HTML) of our 4-wheeled adventures around the yard and driveway. We think Finn's really going to enjoy his new ride!
Our friends Matthew & Lori (themselves parents of a cute little guy named Cooper) gave Finn some terrific gifts just before Christmas. Alongside a Fisher Price bus (which Finn terrorizes Godzilla-style, leading to our calling it the "Disaster Bus") and a neat Charlie Parker board book, they gave Finn his own kid-sized stroller. Now that he's more sure on his feet, he loves to load the stroller with stuffed pals, then cruise around the living room. In this little gallery (HTML) you can see him in action, also enjoying his big Radio Flyer. I instinctively withdraw my ankles to a more secure location. :-)
Finn is getting to the age where A) lying down through a whole diaper change seems like a real imposition on his go-go social calendar, and B) tearing around in various states of nakedness seems like a *great idea*! (Wait til he can start undressing himself...) We therefore find ourselves taking a somewhat more, ah, flexible approach to his attire.
In any case, we continue to have a ball with the little guy, and you can see some more examples of our "horeseando" in this gallery (HTML).
We had quite a fun little weekend with the Finnfatha. Prior to his haircut he had another great day in the pool, this time going underwater with Mom. Throughout the weekend he took a whole new interest in feet, with Margot discovering him under the kitchen island, waving at her painted toes. (He also loves trying to literally knock your socks off, then put them back on you.)
Oh, and upon reading a little book showing babies doing various things, he responded to the "Reaching" page by shooting his arms straight over his head! Tonight when I said "reaching," he again shot up his arms, then went looking for the book. I know everyone thinks their kid is a genius, and of course we're no exception. :-)
The big new adventure was a trip to the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad in nearby Los Gatos. Even though the day was a little chilly, we bundled Finn up and went for a little ride. He seemed to have fun, oohing and aahing while waving at doggies, trees, and little girls. His too-small engineer hat made him look like a little old man, we thought (Margot says her grandpa, I say Henry Fonda). Our outdoor picnic plans got scrubbed by the weather, so we ended up enjoying a little car picnic instead. Here's a gallery (HTML), plus a little video:
The music, incidentally, was featured in the train-riding sequence in Slumdog Millionaire. Finnster is our Squirreldog Engineer. :-)
Dad and Finn have been trying to get to the barber for a haircut for two Saturdays now, but between swim lessons, meals, and nap time, it's hard to get to the shop before closing time at 4 p.m. Both Finn and Dad were getting pretty weedy so we were really hoping to get it taken care of today! We thought we'd missed the boat again this afternoon, since Finn didn't finish his post-nap bottle until 4:10, but we decided to go ahead and go out for a walk, a cup of frozen yogurt our goal instead of haircuts.
The great thing about having a neighborhood barber is that if you're lucky, they just might be hanging out by the front door chatting with some passers-by after closing time. So by the time we rolled by at about 4:30, Tom the Barber was still there, and we asked him if we could get Finny's haircut (oh, and Dad's too). He was super nice about it, and so both my guys got trimmed up.
Finn sat on my lap, and was very calm during his haircut--he was interested in the snipping sounds and someone tugging at his locks, but he didn't freak out at all. He even got a little "First Haircut" certificate to take home. He got a little freaked watching Tom go after Dad with the clippers and scissors, but soon figured out that Dad wasn't in peril! Here are a few pics (HTML) from our trip to the tonsorial parlor. Our thanks to Tom for staying open late to take on a couple of scrappy-looking guys!
Our friends Tom and Sarah are expecting a little girl in March, and Tom has made it very clear that Finn (and the forthcoming little Miles Hughes) better watch his step around the little lady. No funny business or gettin' fresh, if you catch my drift!
The three of us attended Tom and Sarah's baby shower last weekend, and we just happened to find the perfect little T-shirt for Finny to sport to the party. It was only available in Spanish, so we had to translate...it says "Lock up Your Daughters." (Here's a bigger version.) With Finn's big blue eyes and killer dimple, we think Tom's the one who should mind his daughter...Finn's going to have to fend off her inevitable advances :-).
Q. What's more fun than bath time?
A. Not too much! :-)
We recently snapped a few frames of our little trio partying in the tub (HTML). The only problem is that Finno is a little too fond of gulping down the suds. (You can see him planting his face into a pile on Mom's hand.)
On a related note, Finn has really been enjoying the tub toys his Nack GrandP's brought out at Christmas, and during their visit we captured him taking them for a swim:
Yesterday was swim class #2 (actually #3, but we missed last week's due to illness) with our Finno the Minnow. This time I got to get in the pool with the Squirrel and splash around. Man, that pool is nothing if not warm and relaxing. Finn was kind of getting tired before we even got there, and all that warm water got him super relaxed. He was totally mellow and kind of limp in the pool, so I did most of the work! I think swim class is more strenuous for the parent than for the kid, but totally fun nonetheless. By the time we dried off and got home, Finn was a major space cadet, and ended up sleeping for more than 2 hours.
Well, maybe not a minnow...Today was Finn's first swim lesson, and he's in the youngest age group, the Polliwogs. I had a feeling Finn would enjoy being in the pool since he likes the bath so much, and he sure did. John was on pool-buddy duty since I need to scare up a maternity suit, and both my guys had a lot of fun. Finn got to try out floating, kicking, paddling with arms, and getting swooped around in different directions in the water. Here's a little gallery (HTML) of pics from our afternoon.
There were about 5 other kid/parent combos in the class and all the tots really seemed to be enjoying themselves. Of course, there were at least 5 parents (and maybe some grandparents) with me on the sidelines, taking videos and pictures. We were all bowled over by the high degree of cuteness emanating from the pool :D
Happy New Year, everyone! We took a little hiatus from blogging while my folks were in town from New Year's Eve 'til today. They'd originally planned to come out on Dec. 26th, but their flight from Chicago was grounded by bad weather. Undeterred, they trekked out a couple of days later with a big bag of loot for the Finnmaster.
We all had a ball together, and as you can see in the photo gallery* (HTML), we played some hide-and-seek, showed Finn himself (and the Dalai Lama!), partied in the tub, went back to the farm, and more. It was terrific to have a couple seasoned pairs of eyes helping look after the little guy & giving Margot & me the chance to have a few nights out to ourselves. Sometimes it's nice to say, "Oh, wait, we're not just parents!" :-)
We recorded a few video clips, too, so I hope to post a short highlight reel soon.
* Because the gallery is a bit bigger than usual, I had to use numerals instead of thumbnail images at the bottom. As usual you can move to the next image by hitting the "+" icon at right, and/or press the little triangular button to start the slideshow.
Needing some fresh air today, Margot and I decided to help Finn get a tiny bit closer to his Illinois roots, visiting a little farm and getting (but not eating) some dirt under his fingernails. (We can't have him thinking that there's no more to farms than Fisher Price!)
Unfortunately the farm was closed on Mondays, but we had fun bombing around the grounds and looking at the animals through/over the fence. Weather has delayed my folks' visit, so maybe we can return with them for some more hands-on time with the sheep, cows, and other creatures. In the meantime, here's a little gallery (HTML) from today's adventure.
A couple of months ago, Finn got waaay into checking out light fixtures around the house. Each morning we'd reach for him in the crib, and his first move would be to look up, up, up at the bulbs in his room. After maybe a week of this, he lost interest.
Now, however, he's rekindled the crazy passion, in a huge sort of way. Not only does he start the day by looking and pointing at the lights; that's how he finishes, too. He's constantly begging to be lifted to check out the lights at closer range, and his little circuits of downstairs seem like luminary tours.
I've discovered that tapping the various fixtures produces all kinds of different tones, much like playing half-full wine glasses (who knew??), so Finn and I now like to tap them together. I was impressed that after I used a camera lens cap to do some tapping, he later reached for the same cap and gestured upwards.
Boy, as I write all this, I keep thinking, "Man have we turned into navel-gazing parents or what?? This must be the most boring topic ever!" Yet the whole thing really is kind of bizarrely fascinating. :-) Check out this mini gallery (HTML) that Margot snapped today.
Merry Christmas, everybody! We had a really fun first Christmas with Finny today. He was the epitome of jolly--smiles and laughter all day long. I'm sure the avalanche of fun new toys had a little something to do with it, too :D. Finn's friends and relatives showered him with all kinds of great stuff--stacking toys, a new barnyard, books, blocks, and my personal favorite, a walk-along popper toy. If you were a toddler or a parent of one in the '70's, you know what I'm talking about--the little transparent bubble filled with plastic balls that hop and pop around as you push the toy around--what's more fun than that?
John will post Xmas day pics soon--he's been on his best "I'm on holiday" computer-free behavior today, and I'm not about to ask him to screw it up :D.
[Update: Okay, break time over! Here's the gallery (HTML)! --J.]
And to all a good night!
Grandma Nack let us open Finn's Christmas present early, and boy, is he enjoying it! Said gift is a "Thomas the Tank Engine" tunnel for him to crawl through. It's about five feet long, and he makes his way from end to end in no time! Here are a few pics (HTML) of our man "choo-choo"ing his way towards his dad.
Super mega ultra bonus: The tube navigator has been caught on video:
We finally got our act together and bought a new (used) car--one that will far more easily fit Finn, his car seat, all of our gear, and the new baby + car seat come summertime. Getting in and out of the VWs had turned into an exercise in contortion.
Finn got a new ride as well, since he is getting waaaaay too big for his "baby bucket". We got him a new, bigger-guy car seat which we have now dubbed Finn's Flying Houndstooth Throne (the new car goes very fast and is a very smooth ride!).
Check out Finn in his new throne (HTML), and the two of us enjoying *our* new wheels (to follow).
[The big appeal of the new ride is the cavernous back seat. It's not quite as big as this old Audi (!), but at least you don't have to fold up like a Picasso figure as we did getting into the back of the Jetta. --J.]
Thanks to the generosity of our pals Adolfo & Romina from Buenos Aires + a recent cold snap here, Finnegan is one guapo gaucho these days, cutting a rakish little figure in the handsome poncho Romina's mom knit for him. Tonight he posed for a few shots with Mom (HTML) before going on another walking spree. In some of the later shots I think he looks pretty serious, like some kind of Jedi knight (see side-by-side comparison) trying to use the Force on ol' Dad. ("Those *are* the Cheerios you're looking for...".)
If you click through to the end you'll get a preview of another hand-knit marvel--but that deserves an entry and gallery of its own. :-)
We sure had a lot of fun this Thanksgiving weekend! My folks (the Jeeps L) were in town to pay a visit to our man Finny. As you can see in the accompanying photos (HTML), good times were had by all. Finn gave a hearty thumbs up to all the Thanksgiving fare--he's a big fan of the stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, and especially the pumpkin pie. He actually got a bit huffy when Grandpa or I was a little slow on delivering the spoonfuls of delicious pie to his mouth.
In addition to tons of smiles, laughs, and general good times, the Jeeps were lucky enough to witness Finny's first unassisted steps! On Saturday and Sunday he had a few short sprints of three to six steps all on his own. Very impressive, and he met our bet that he'd be walking by 9 months.
Finn's quite a charmer when it comes to his grandparents, and we can't wait for him to see his other set of Jeeps (the Nacks) when they come after Christmas.
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in this house...
The Finnfatha is officially on the move! Our little guy didn't settle for taking just a "first step." (Nah, that weak sauce is for *babies*! ;-)) On Wednesday he let rip with a full five steps in a row, right in front of his newly arrived "Jeeps" (the G(rand)P(arent)s Liggett). While I wouldn't say he's walking, exactly, he's flying around the house at high speed, one-handing it with whatever parent/grandparent happens to be in tow. Finnegan Nack is officially a Squirrel Rampant!
So far his movements have been too fleeting to be caught on flim, so in the meantime I've uploaded evidence of his other new passion: mass consumption of Cheerios. Here's a small gallery (HTML) Margot snapped the other day as Finno helped me power through a bowl.
Last Sunday our pal Clare accompanied the three of us to the neighborhood park. In addition to helping squire Finno around, she put her pro photography skills to use, snapping some great shots. When we got home, she captured the Finnfatha enjoying a story with Mom (and wielding his hair brush like a mic). Here's our gallery (HTML).
I am
too darling for for my bib
too darling for for my bib
so darling in my crib...
Fashion icon Finn has been sporting all kinds of great duds lately. In our latest gallery (HTML), he starts out wearing a pair of shirts (one dinos, one lightning) given to Dad by a Web/clothing designer in San Francisco. He finishes up clad in the beautiful hand-knit sweater created by Great Aunt Judy.
Coming soon: Finn in an Argentine poncho. :-)
We refer to our friend Maria as "Maria-upon-Hallmark" due to her employer (and to distinguish her from my boss Maria). As you might imagine, Maria (-upon-Hallmark) is a master card-sender, and she recently sent Finn a Candy Corn-infused greeting. I snapped a few frames of him opening it (HTML), while Margot captured him trying to feed it to me (one of his new tricks). A careful observer can see how much gnawing he'd done by that point. :-)
Meanwhile Mom captured our flightless-but-cute buddy going on his very own March of the Penguin on Halloween:
Today marks Finn's first Halloween! Though he's too young for candy, he's definitely up for sporting a cute penguin costume and being strolled around town by his parents. All the shops along our neighborhood's main street take part in a big Halloween trick-or-treat event, so we got Finn suited up and ready to show off. Margot strolled him down to Lincoln Ave., where they were met by at least a few thousand parents and their costumed children.
The orange Bob made a perfect penguinmobile, and they wove their way through sidewalks choked with pirates, Elmos, ladybugs, princesses, monkeys, lions, tigers, and bears--oh my! (There were even a couple of Dorothys and Scarecrows.) Our Finny was the only penguin on parade and got many compliments on his soft, fuzzy outfit. Margot and Finn ran into our friends Mira & Anja (dressed as a strawberry), and Heidi & Liam (a sock monkey). Here are some pics (HTML) from the day.
Soon we'll be facing the onslaught of trick-or-treaters that descend on our neighborhood every year. We're stocked with 400 pieces of candy, so hopefully no one will go home empty-handed!
This weekend, Finn made some new friends. John's friend Abbas, from Adobe in Toronto, is in town with his wife Kaniz and their super-adorable daughter Samarah. Samarah was born 20 days after the Finnfatha, and Abbas is an avid blogger, so while Finn and I have seen Samarah and her parents in many pictures online, we hadn't met them in the flesh! It was so fun for both families to meet--it was like a mutual admiration society of cute kids and their obsessive parental photo bloggers.
As you'll see in the accompanying gallery (HTML), everyone was feeling a little feisty after lunch! Samarah makes the same "baby monster" growls that Finn does; they just come out a little cuter and pinker :). She also enjoys chomping on Abbas's nose when it's nearby. Abbas and Finn were also cracking each other up. Between the two of them it was a dimple jamboree!
We took Finn out to a local pumpkin patch this weekend, to see what he'd think of all the enormous orange gourds amidst the hay bales. Since he'd just awoken from a nap (to coordinate our outing with our neighbors Long, Suzanne, and their 8-week old daughter Madison), he was pretty spaced out most of the time.
Check out the photo gallery (HTML) and you'll see that he certainly gave Fat Albert a run for his money. If he could speak, he would definitely have said "Hay hay hay!," while he tried to poke handfuls of the stuff into his mouth. And having experimented unsuccessfully with eating a lone Cheerio the other day, Finn decided to cut out the middleman, eating whole grains right off the sheaf. John says our little hayseed is really going against the grain (ba-dum, tssch!).
This weekend, our friend Maria Brenny, a.k.a. "Maria-Upon-Hallmark", flew in from Kansas City . We may need to change her moniker to Maria F.O.S. (Friend of Squirrel), based on her recent antics with Finny.
Maria's in California to do some freelance photography, and she pitstopped in S.J. to spend some time with us and meet Finn. We had a great time, and worked in as many laughs and as much jargon-slinging as possible. She snapped some really nice shots of our little threesome, and we got a few cute ones with her and Finn. Here's the gallery (HTML).
We didn't have a chance to play Scrabble or fill her in on all of our current slang, so she'll just have to come back for another visit!
Wagons, Ho!
Finn is very interested in practicing his walking, and he even has a little Radio Flyer wagon to balance against while he pushes it. He's getting so good he almost doesn't need one of us to steady him! When he got kind of pooped out the other day, I popped him in there with his little bear (who was also sporting a blue stripy shirt much like Finn's) and gave them a ride.
Of course the little guy works up a sweat (or at least gets his paws pretty dirty), so baths are essential. Now that Finn has migrated to the "big boy bathtub", we have our very own "Ballintubber Abbey," complete with stained glass window. (This of course makes a bathtime Finn our Ballintubber Abbot!).
Here are some pics from his recent adventures (HTML), both in and out of the tub.
We've had a fun weekend with Mr. Finn, a.k.a. Little Green Riding Hood. He has this little outfit that's called a "sleep'n'play", complete with hood. I guess it's the hood that turns it into "'n'play" instead of just pj's. As we were cavorting with him on Saturday (all of us in pj's) we snapped these pics (HTML).
Finn had his first bath in the real "big boy" bathtub this weekend, too. We thought he might be freaked by the vastness of the tub, but he absolutely loved it. There was lots of splashing, squealing, and even some pseudo-backstroking.
Today I went to the spa today with my friend Mira for a few hours of soaking, scrubbing, saunaing, and relaxing. It was great, and while we were away, Finn and John went to a place called Rancho San Antonio with Mira's husband Bruce and daughter Anja. It's popular for parents and kiddies (we call it a stroller derby) because you can stroll in the great outdoors at a working farm and see lots of different farm animals. John says there were lots of "big turkeys" wandering around the farm, and I'm pretty sure he means actual birds, not just middle-management Silicon Valley types. Sounds like the boys had a fun time. I came back from the spa with skin almost as soft as Finny's!
Seven months, seven teeth! The Finnster has been with us 215 days (!) and just keeps getting better and better. :-)
Today he took me on a little walking tour of the back yard, taking his first steps on grass. Finn is way into all things stringy/fringy/frilly these days, and the grass really threw him for a loop. First he stood on his left foot, pawing the grass inquisitively with his right, after which he switched sides and pawed with the left. Once he found his footing (literally), Finn took me on a culinary tour of all the backyard plants, attempting to snack on each one we passed.
Here's a little gallery (HTML) of the guy taken over the last few days. Seeing him nicely lit as he sat on the "Dipetorium," I exclaimed, "Finn, dude, you've gotta warn me if you're gonna be radiating that much cuteness. I've gotta have time to prepare!"
Q. What's the best thing about a trillion-dollar national financial meltdown that destroyed Mom's employer somewhere in the middle of the night? (Okay, what's the only good thing about it?)
A. Mom gets to come home early from Seattle!
Sorry for the mixed news. Finno and I had our first night flying Mom-free last night (Margot's first overnight trip away from her boys), and although he was a perfect gent who gave Dad no trouble, we're happy that Mom was able to book an early flight home.
To celebrate, here's a wee gallery (HTML) of great shots of the two of them together.
It's a day in the life of Old Man Finnegan: "Y'know," says Margot, "some strollin', some splashin'..." The little guy looks sharp as he trades his birthday suit for some Polo duds from our cousins the Nadiles. Here's the gallery (HTML).
"You know what I'd make the blog entry? 'Three words: Cuter Every Day.'" -- Margot
Heh--yeah, that pretty much sums it up. In the latest gallery (HTML) you can see the wee man cavorting with M&D, decked out for revolutionary fun in a rad "Power to the Babies" tee from our pal Whitney.
Happy Friday. :-)
(Click for a larger version.)
Back in the '80s there was a crazy sci-fi movie called They Live in which aliens have quietly taken over the world & filled it with subliminal, mind-controlling messages. When the heros put on special sunglasses, they can see through the disguise and read what's really going on (left, below).
I thought it would be fun to get a special modified pair of those glasses that would let us observe the world as it looks through Finn's eyes (right):
 |  |
;-P (Click either image for a larger view)
Trying to steer clear of that boca,
J.
We spent this afternoon visiting with a group of friends down in Carmel. It was a gorgeous day for a drive, and we always love spending time with the Whitsons, our hosts for the afternoon. Finn got a little weary (ok, incredibly weary) of the carseat, but after we pitstopped at "Safeway-by-the-sea" for a breather, everything was jake.
And speaking of Jake, we got to see Tilden and Zak, family friends of the Whitsons, and their 3 month-old baby boy, Jake. It was fun for Finn and Jake to meet and subsequently regard each other, while our pals Huez and Alex, expecting their own baby next February, looked on. We were amazed at how different babies really are--Jake is so long and lean, and Finn is our little chunky monkey! Both guys seemed very happy and at ease with all the strange big people looking at them and holding them. Check out the gallery (HTML) here.
During our trip to Galena, my folks sprung for one of the most memorable birthday gifts ever: a hot air balloon ride over the Galena Territory & surrounding farmland. (Nothing says "birthday" like terrorizing livestock from above. :-)) Margot and I were joined by Ted and his girlfriend Stephanie on an absolutely picture-perfect evening--speaking of which, here's a photo gallery (HTML).
The next night we celebrated my birthday & Finn's arrival at home with the Nack clan and our friends the Roths. When Aunt Dolores and Uncle Louie met Finn in SF a month after his birth, I managed to forget our camera; now I had a chance to make up for lost time. So, Aunt Dolores, if you're reading, hello. :-) Here's the gallery (HTML).
As Margot mentioned earlier, we've just started offering Finn some solid chow. Man, he takes to that stuff like it's his job! I captured a gallery of his first bites (HTML), as well as a little video from a follow-up feeding, below. My mom says that when she first offered me some solids, I lunged at the spoon. Now I know what she meant!
Developments are coming fast and furious for our little squirrel-man. He's now reaching very deliberately for things (to pop into his mouth, naturally)--things that somehow often happen to include pieces of M&D's faces. We think he's trying to disprove the saying that "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose..."
He's also developed a real taste for his Domendites, popping his little hind paws right into his maw. During bathtime Dad tried to get in on that action. :-) I've been running around with the camera, capturing what I can; here's a little gallery (HTML) of the latest.
Among the highlights of our trip was introducing Finn to his Uncle (!) Ted in person. Big T. in turn intro'd Finn to "Aunt Rose" and to the whole concept of "doggie." In this little gallery (HTML) you can see all three interacting. I love Finn's reactions and especially the last shot, where the small guy is looking up with some wonder at his ginormous uncle. I kind of think the three of them should go into business as CDS Partners -- Colossus, Dachshund, and Squirrel, LLP. ;-)
On Thursday we introduced Finn to a whole new tribe in Galena. Margot's Uncle Lyman and Aunt Brenda drove up from Rock Falls and rendezvoused with their kids Brad and Kristan, along with Brad's kids Nick, Kaitlin, and Mary. By sheer coincidence my cousin Alicia, her husband Fito, and their little rambler Alejandro were en route from Austin to Iowa and were able to stop by. Not to be outdone, Galena cousins Joe, Tom and Sarah Nack dropped by with Tom & Sarah's little dude Gus (who got called for "roughing the Finnster--illegal use of hands to the face" ;-)). Here are the photos (HTML).
On Tuesday we took the Finn-man on a whirlwind tour of our Chicago-based relatives (the four other "Carlin girls" and their families). We got to see a ton of happy, familiar faces, and despite having traveled for 12 hours the previous day and not having gotten to bed until after midnight, Finn was his usual charming self.
First up was Hackney's restaurant (kind of a family institution), where we met up with Aunt Jane & Uncle John, Aunt Anne & Uncle Bill, Aunt Judy and Uncle Bruce, as well as my cousins Andrew, Amy, and Liz with their kids, and Andrew's wife Katie. It was such a treat to see everyone, especially as Amy lives in North Carolina and just happened to be visiting. The small fry amused themselves eating fries, drinking kiddie cocktails, and bombing around the little clubhouse out back (much as their parents'/my generation did before them). Aunt Anne made Finn a wonderful Red Kitty, just like the one that was inseparable from his dad; Aunt Judy knitted beautiful hooded sweater (complete with puppy buttons!); and Aunt Jane gave Finn a sharp-lookin' toddler outfit that he can grow into. Here's a photo gallery (also available in smaller HTML form).
After we pitstopped at the hotel for a pretty harrowing, unsuccessful attempt at napping, we headed over to see the Nadile clan--my Aunt Mary Kay, Uncle Tedy, their kids Christine, Kelly, and Patrick, Christine's four kids & husband Chris. We were treated to an impromptu performance from young Christopher's band, and Finn scored a nifty, fuzzy little pirate ship (perfect for chomping). Here are the photos (HTML).
Tummy time is a lot more fun when *everyone* is on their respective tummy! Chitchatting is easier and more engaging, and Finn's drool hits the blankie instead of mom's shirt or Finn's onesie. Here's a little gallery (HTML) of photos from this weekend. Finn was perfecting his rolling and yodeling techniques simultaneously. When he tired of that, we opted for a little standing and sitting up on mom's knees.
We've been enjoying the nice weather in the backyard with a little help from blankets made by Grandma Nack & Aunt Laura--the latter of which, shown here, features the Fighting Irish on one side and the Colorado Buffs on the other. Today Finn shows off his voracious chomping tendencies; hangs out with Dad; and goes "flying" on Mom's knees in this gallery of more backyard fun (HTML).
One perk of having tagged Finnegan as our "Squirrel" is the availability of tons of great squirrel-themed gear. This week the small guy donned a great new onesie featuring a little tree-dwelling dude playing the skins. Check it out! (I take it as a good omen that he managed to get through the day without a single change of clothes. Many days he's despoiled his duds even before his morning nap.)
We've also scored some super-jazzy Rock Squirrel memo pads, soon to be pressed into service as the Captain's Log in which we record Finn's eating/sleeping schedule.
A: Being cute! Here are a few photos from this week.
I've been trying to come up with a specific topic for this week's entry, but nothing has come to me. So the update for this week is that Finn continues to enjoy more tummy time of his own choosing, has a nice soft head of hair coming in, and loves to stand (assisted, of course) looking very proud of himself when doing so. He's also continuing to experiment with sounds. This week he's been working on his "mmmmm's" and "bbbbbb's" while rolling around chewing on things.
His daily schedule has really firmed up now, too, with a couple of 90-minute to two-hour naps (one in the morning, one after lunch), at least one stroller ride per day, and a bedtime around 7 or 7:30 P.M. He's becoming much more aware of everything around him, and is fascinated by all sights and sounds--so much so that he tends to forget he's nursing, so I have to turn the radio off so he'll stay focused! [I can't imagine where he gets it. ;-) --J.]
With all the nice weather we've been having, we thought it was high time to introduce the Finnster to grass & What Lies Beyond the Gazebo. With the help of a nice blanket made by his Grandma Nack, the three of us cooled out in the backyard. Here you can check out the gallery (HTML)--featuring a little squirrel-fishing!
Young Mr. Finn had a great time in Leadville with his grandparents (a.k.a. "GPs," a.k.a. "Jeeps"). My mom brought In Grandma's Arms, a book the two of them read together several times & that Margot's mom read to Charlie. Here you can see a gallery (HTML) of some of the good times.
Margot, Finnegan, and I had a terrific time this week in Leadville and Boulder, CO, and Finn proved himself a wonderful traveler. We're glad to be back at sea level, breathing the thicker (albeit smoky) air and getting the small guy back into his familiar crib.
Among the highlights of the trip, we got to introduce Finn to his cousins Patrick ("The big guy") and Charlie ("The 'getting bigger/no longer the baby' guy"). Here you can check out a gallery (HTML) of the three of them in action--but be warned, you may want to don protective eyewear before glimpsing such cuteness ;-).
Given the (relatively) giant melon little kids have to cart around on top of their necks, they need plenty of exercise, and baby docs all seem to recommend plenty of "tummy time." This weekend we got the squirrel going with some extra TT--all while perched on his dad's tummy. Good time (and happily, no spit-ups!) ensued. :-) Here are some pix.
New Dad John is having a fine Father's day weekend with our little man. I surprised him yesterday with a new, more rugged stroller, since he really enjoys taking Finn on long stroller rides through our neighborhood. With all the uneven sidewalks, curbs, and tree roots, our little green stroller was not able to manage too well. Now with our bright orange "BOB", complete with real tires and shock absorbers, both Dad and Finn should have a smoother, more enjoyable time.
We also gave Dad a little brag book, with the help of Aunt Laura's scrapbooking skills. So now Dad can carry little photos of Finn with him when he travels, and show all his colleagues how cute our boy is.
After a night with John and I alternating duty on Finn's sporadic wake-up calls, Dad was a little groggy this morning, but happy to see our little guy when it was truly time to wake up. Here are a few shots (HTML).
It's been too long since I've posted pix of our young friend! He's been a busy boy...
Upon learning of the passing of rock pioneer Bo Diddley, Finn started playing the harmonica (seen here, at left). He also wrote a little song for the occasion, using Bo's signature riff:
"Bo Diddley's dead,
Bah DAH duh dah dunh...
Goin' down in a hole.
Bah DAH duh dah dunh...
Nobody ever gonna see him;
Bah DAH duh dah dunh...
Might get eaten by a mole.
Bah DAH duh dah dunh..."
From there Finnster donned his old-timey prison stripes, with mom set to match in hers, and had some good times on the bed. Naturally all the downward-facing excitement resulted in a huge... well, let's just say you can see the aftermath in this set, but thankfully not the event itself. You can also see our little guy starting to become aware of these fleshy little "feet" things hanging out somewhere south of his tummy. Without further ado, here are the shots. (HTML)
The three of us had a ball on Saturday visiting with our hilarious friend Reen (aunt to our friend Hughes). She brought a great little sampling of books (including some by Sandra Boynton, known for her greeting card illustrations) and confessed to having spent a couple of hours in the kids' section at Borders, enjoying all the great stuff that's out there. Regarding the ever-popular (and gnawing-resistant) "board books, " she says, "I'm looking forward to being a major contributor to the Finn Library (hardcopy branch)." Here are some photos. (HTML)
Two weeks ago now (man, time is flying!), Finn, Margot, and I were treated to an early Friday evening dinner with our friends Bruce, Mira, and their little daughter Anja. Looking for cute blog-fodder as always, I hovered around the proceedings with my camera. No word yet on whether Finn will be requesting a second serving of Mira's bicep. ;-) Here are the pix. (HTML)
Our friend Peter Krogh and his wife Allison recently sent Finn a terrific sheepskin rug that our boy's been enjoying. The Kroghs say their kids loved having such soft pads of their own, and it's easy to see why. Peter is a pro photographer, so I tried not to stink up the picture-taking too much on this one. ;-) Here's the gallery. (HTML)
Finn has been diligently practicing his "tummy time" in order to strengthen his neck muscles and improve his head control. Of course, we think he is the Incredible Hulk in this category and demonstrates superhuman strength--and we have the photographic evidence to prove it!
We also got a few cute shots of Finn and his Aunt Laura during her visit this weekend. She and Finn had some good times on the playmat, reading "Pat the Bunny" together, and chitchatting while mom and dad went to the movies one afternoon. Check it out! (HTML)
Finn's Aunt Laura is in town for a visit, and we took some time out from domestic administration to go out for frozen yogurt. In Liggett family tradition, this is known as "coning", which stems from our frequent childhood visits with Mom and Dad to Braum's, the local dairy in our hometown, where we'd get ice cream cones and sit in the car and people-watch as we licked our cones. Here in San Jose, we don't have Braum's, but we have what we fondly refer to as "The Yogurt Hut" just down the street in our neighborhood. It's a tiny freestanding frozen yogurt shop with plenty of outdoor seating for good people-watching.
Here are some pics from our outing. It was a particularly good day for observation! Aside from Finn being happy and cute as he chatted with his Aunt, we saw dancing boys with their aunts and grandmas, little girls playing a plastic saxophone, and even a southern California plastic surgery victim. (We selected only the cutest subject matter, ourselves :-)).
Er, well, the small guy decided he wasn't gonna play ball, at least when the camera was around, and now the flowers have departed. Even so, the resulting pair of images are kinda fun, I think. <:-P
Margot and I watch way too much "Iron Chef America"--or rather, we did pre-Finn, when watching TV was actually an option. We get a particular kick out of the ridiculous character of "The Chairman's Nephew," played by a totally overwrought martial artist, screaming "Battle... {food item}!!" at the start of every show. It's all accompanied by frenetic camera zooms, dry ice smoke, and him giving kind of a karate chop towards the ingredient du jour ("Battle... GOAT LIVER!!").
For some reason (long-term sleep deprivation, or maybe the 100-degree heat here in San Jose), I'm reminded of all this when I look at some recent Finnpix. Therefore I present... "Battle... DOMENDITE!*" (HTML)
* Translation for everyone who isn't a weirdo who grew up in Galena, IL: big toe. ;-)
Happy Mom's Day to all the mothers out there, and most especially to newly minted mom Margot!
We're having a pretty quiet day, with Finn alternately fussing, sleeping, eating, and staring at things ("regarding faces," as the baby books say); in other words, I suppose it's been like pretty much every day, ever. ;-)
While Margot gives our friend a snack, I've uploaded a gallery of images from the day (also in HTML). You can see the little tree I bought for the occasion. Its little bushes of leaves remind me of Margot's "mop," and the whole thing makes me think of a Margot-and-Finn arboreal peanut. :-) See also Finn's newfound love of exploring his tongue.
When you listen to as much jazz as we do throughout the day, well, a little soft-shoe will inevitably break out. :-) Here are the pix. (Also in HTML.)
Hey Chicago, whaddya say?
The Finnster's gonna win to-day...
Finn's Grandma Liggett is a diehard Chicago Cubs fan, which is a fondness also shared by the Nack side of his family (all Illinois natives!). Just this week, Grandma L sent Finn a little Cubs jersey/onesie so he can start rooting for the family's team. It is, of course, absolutely adorable on him, which you can see for yourself. He seems pretty excited to be wearing it, and we hope it still fits by the time he makes it to Chicago in August to visit his extended family!
Here's a gallery of Finn sporting the new duds (also in HTML).
On a lighter note (than vaccinations and squalling)...
:-D
Our beamish boy was beaming indeed this Wednesday as his mom & I took him out for his first night away from home. We stayed at Le Meridien in San Francisco as I was working late at an Adobe event next door. M&D munched on room service (take that, expense account!) while the wee man partied on the "Big Boy Bed." Amazingly, no one died in the night due to collisions with unfamiliar furniture. Finn's sleep pattern was more whacked out than it's been lately, but we figured this would be a good dry run for this summer's planned trips to Colorado and Illinois.
To see more pix of our adventure, click the link above or click here (also available in smaller HTML form).
PS--Finn looks duly suspicious of his dad's new Finn-enabled exercise regime.
Today we celebrated Finn's 8-week B-day by taking him to the park in nearby Los Gatos. We spied what Margot dubbed "the tiny train filled with tiny people" and eagerly imagined taking him for a ride on it. A family we encountered had just rescued two abandoned kittens from the bushes, but somehow I failed to get a picture of los gatos in Los Gatos (d'oh!). In any case, here are a few snaps I did take along the way (also available in smaller HTML form).
Finn has a message for you; click the photo at left to see it. :-)
On Sunday our friend Eileen Whitson (hence "E-Dub") dropped by for a first visit with the Finn-man. She's a real pro when it comes to finding groovy, offbeat gifts (previously scoring a tiny Lucha Libre mask for Finn!), and on this trip she brought flowers and some great little baby sunglasses. Unfortunately our small friend was too fussy to wear the specs, but I'm sure they'll pop up soon in pictures.
Here's the gallery (also available in smaller, simpler HTML form in case you have problems viewing the Flash version).
PS--Extra credit if you can spot Finn tossing up a gang sign ("Wes' siiiide!"). ;-)
Yesterday and Friday we had the treat of having our friends Adolfo and Romina visiting from Buenos Aires. They taught us all kinds of fun Spanish words for Finn-related things ("chupete" for pacifier; "cachetes" for cheeks), and we showed them around the area, including a trip to Santa Cruz (nowhere better to inspect North American Paleo-Hippies in the patchouli-scented flesh). I've combined those photos with some Margot and I snapped of the young Captain around the house. Here's the gallery (also in HTML).
Look!
It's a bird in a bath!
In a sling!
On a mat!
How 'bout that?
Here's the latest round of photos of our young amigo, including some where he's "wearing his purple Speedo"--aka sitting in his new little rocking chair.
I've always read about how babies' eyes don't focus beyond 8" or so for a while, about how they're fascinated with faces, about how they love mobiles and other dangly bits, and so on. I'd never heard, however, of a kid being captivated--I mean straight-up FASCINATED--by something as simple as the color of a wall. Every time we put the Finnmaster onto his changing pad, however, his eyes immediate go to & stick on the wall. Seriously, check it out! He's so persistently taken with this experience that we've come to call it "Finn watching his shows." Soooo trippy. ;-)
You know, when it gets to be 6:30am and you haven't managed to sleep all night, it just might be time to write off the idea and get ready for work. :-) (The Finn-man played a role in the current state of affairs, but so did my being wired with all kind of exciting work stuff unfolding now.)
The Liggetts headed home on Monday, but before they left we were able to grab a few shots with them, and to capture Finn and Margot in some nice light. In a couple of images he's decked out in his little "Peanut" shirt from cousins Alicia, Fito, and Alejandro.
Happy Easter, everyone. Here's hoping that this message finds you well. We all had a wonderful day with both sets of grandparents on hand, putting up with the in-house paparazzo (me, of course). Here are the festivities.
The Nacks are winging their way home early tomorrow morning, while the Liggetts will be here for another week, helping to ease the transition as I return to work.
Today Mr. & Mrs. Liggett flew into town & were promptly introduced to our young amigo (Grandson III for them). We've rapidly shortened their handle from "Grandparents Liggett" to "GP's L" to just "Jeeps L." :-)
Finn's been a bit fussy today & especially this evening, but I do believe I caught him giving his grandpa a little smile...!
It's great having everybody on hand, and we're looking forward to a great Easter feast tomorrow.
People often ask whether I miss my cat (sent to live with my folks due to Margot's allergies). Nah: now we have another warm little companion who sleeps 20 hours a day, popping up just occasionally to eat & flip out. :-) Here he is with his dad & Grandpa Nack. (Watch for his little bicep-kiss!)
Finn's Grandma Nack (!) arrived on Tuesday, and his Grandpa Nack (!) joined us yesterday. So far it's been great to introduce them to the little dude & to talk a walk, though he's been somewhat fussy. (Right now Margot is dancing with him, singing a little Nada Surf song (something about Finn having "a party in his diaper"), and that seems to be working.) Here are some photos of the visit so far.
Hey everyone--Happy St. Paddy's Day! The wee man has of course gotten into the spirit of the day, thanks especially to a very cute out from our neighbors Kristin and Steve. He actually got a little too into the spirit, pounding drinks last night and then coating himself in puke (too much info, I know, but I couldn't resist ;-P)).
Update: See also the very funny "Stuff White People Like" post about the holiday.
We're having fun hanging with our pal Alethea, introducing her to Finn and letting her take on some of the "honeydo" tasks that I've been shouldering. (3am shushing remains my gig, however. ;-P) Yesterday we all went for a walk while I put the "papa" back in paparazzo.
Quote o' the Day: "Is it possible to have a 'Trophy Baby'?" -- proud Mama M. :-)
I'm honestly trying not to overload the world with shots of this little character but, well, who am I kidding? Here are some recent snaps:
More to come!
You be the judge:
:-)
Hello, everyone! Margot and I are just beyond elated that our little Finnmaster General has arrived. :-) We thought we'd start this little blog to chronicle some of the goings-on of the little guy and our thoughts about the whole experience. (Hey, dad's got to have *something* to do while up at 3am, and maybe this way we'll bore fewer of our friends with in-person stories of BMs, spit-ups, and the like. :-))
To get things started, let me point you to a few photo galleries we've posted:
We'll no doubt be burning up the camera in the days, weeks, and months ahead, so we've set up a Photos category on this blog. You'll be able to find the latest and greatest sets of pix by pointing your browser to http://www.jnack.com/finnegan/photos/.
Love,
Team JMF
