happy, happy, 1st birthday!

monkey,

it is hard to believe that one year ago today, during a crazy snowstorm, with seconds to spare, you entered the world. i remember this day vividly, and while i thought i was prepared, i certainly was not prepared for your grand entrance! you came so quickly i don't even remember the last kick i felt, which is so bittersweet because it meant that i now had to share you with the rest of the world...

admittedly, i had no idea just how much things would change. it took a while to adjust, the first few months were a daze, but what was the most unexpected was the unfaltering love from your siblings. i knew they were excited to meet you, i just never expected them to put your needs in front of their own so graciously. i joked, but now realize just how amazing it was that they love you to death!

you entered the world in a mere ten minutes, and you haven't stopped growing and changing since. maybe it is the two older ones that you're constantly trying to keep up with or maybe you're just determined to stake your claim, and be heard-a hard thing to do when you're the smallest of the smalls. either way, you've reminded me to embrace and savor every little moment, whether it be fleeting or mainstay, because of you i have learned to live a little bit more in the moment. sure there are many more days where a shower doesn't happen until the end of the day, breakfast happens when it should be lunch, and toys are strewn throughout the room, but we have all survived.

we are so lucky you are in our lives. despite some bumps (read: an er visit at 6 weeks, multiple ear infections, an introduction to the nebulizer), you are the happiest, most easy going, loving boy. you love to snuggle, give hugs and kisses to everything and everyone(psst...we'll talk about being more selective later;) and can hold your own with your crazy older brother and sister. i have cherished this first year and cannot wait for this next one, and all the years to come...

i love you with all of my heart, to the moon and back...

love,
mama

ps-i know you'll sleep through the night some day, right?!

hard to believe he was once this little...

pictures:)

 

where is finny...

where is finny, here he is! this is a current favorite song. it calms him down almost immediately. that said, finn rarely needs to be calmed down. he is quite possibly the happiest, easy going, lovable baby. i guess it comes with the territory of being the third child because i think his motto should be "i'm just along for the ride!" he spends a good part of his day in the car picking up his siblings, going to the store, at gym day care or hockey practice. keeping his routine has been a challenge and there are some days where a cat nap must suffice, but all in all his is as well-rounded as it gets!

where to being in regards to his milestones. it's true what they say about the third child or subsequent children, they really "do" things so much quicker! he refused table foods at 7 months, mastered the sippy by then as well, crawled at about 7.5 months, pulled up about a week after learning to crawl, signed "more" at 8 months, clapped at 8 months, can walk with a push walked since christmas, his newest feat is pointing when asked where the light is or his head or his favorite the fan(taking after his brother;). in between months 9 & 10 he got his 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th tooth! he really needs to slow down, doesn't he know that his mama has the hardest time with her little ones getting bigger!

on another note, let's circle back to food...he loves it! he does really well with a lot of different textures. banana is a breakfast staple, hummus is a must for lunch and dinner is usually some variation of what the rest of us are eating. i couldn't believe it when he ate beets at dinner the other night!

of course there are some negatives, he has had 5 or 6 ear infections since october(i lost count, oops). we've already seen an ENT in regards to tubes. every part of me wants him to miraculously stop getting the infections so we don't have to go this route, but i'm a realist and understand that it may be for the greater good. it is so horrible seeing him in pain, and to think of all the antibiotics he has had over the course of his ten months, i just pray that he is getting it all out now. that being said it makes bringing up the fact that he does not sleep through the night seem trivial. he has not had the chance to get into a good rhythm and i'm really tired because of it!