Go BIG Or Go Home

I absoultely LOVE that Finn is such a chunk. It truly makes me happy to see the rolls and the cheeks and the "biggness" he has. But I'm a little worried he might be taking things too far now. (I'm not actually worried, so don't you go worrying.) To help illustrate my point a little, here are some pictures.

This is a picture of Deacon, when Deacon was about 9 months old:

This is a picture of Finn, wearing the exact same outfit, when Finn was 4 months old (so, last week):

Now this, is a picture of Zeke, wearing one of my favorite outfits of his (I was so sad Deacon never got to wear it since it was off-season for him), when Zeke was 11 months old:

And then this is a picture of Finn, that I took today:

That outfit is a size 12 month outfit. Finn will be 5 months old on Tuesday. Last night, I put Finn in 12 month sized pajamas. Aaand they fit. Well, they were a little long in the foot, but everywhere else, they fit. Perfectly. At this rate, Finn and Deacon will be sharing clothes by the time Finn turns 1 (and Deacon turns 4?!? can Deacon really be heading towards 4?!?). I can hardly wait to hear what they have to say at the clinic when I take him in next week for his check-up.

What To Write?

I was looking through all the different notes I have on my phone in my notebook section. I love this section by the way. It's perfect for making lists, and if you know me at all, you should know that I love a good list. So I was looking through my lists when I found my list of different blog posts I wanted to write. Ideas that came to me, as they happened, that I just typed into my phone. Looking at this list now, they are all kind of outdated. They're all from the summer, and one of them isn't even how it is anymore (it involves the moving around of furniture and bedrooms and such).

I had thought about using this week to actually write and post these ideas, but now I'm not so sure I feel like it anymore. You see, it got really cold this week. Really cold. Like, it was 25 degrees yesterday morning when Zeke left for school, cold. I had been hoping against hope that the warm weather and sunshine we were having would have lasted part of the way through October, but my hopes were dashed on Sunday when it SNOWED. Not a major snow, mind you, but still, white stuff was falling from the sky for a few hours of the day on Sunday, making me a little bit sad (and a little bit tired) that winter is so rapidly approaching now. At least the boys were excited. Zeke's been waiting for it to snow so that we can start making fires in the fireplace again. Which we did on Sunday, because really, who doesn't love a good fire?

It's a good thing I had Josh get out all of our winter gear from last season (I said "last year" to my friend on the phone today and she reminded me that it was actually the earlier part of "this year" that we still had snow and it's only been a few months that it's been gone...thank you friend). Deacon is all set for when it does actually snow. He still fits in his pants and coat, as well as Zeke's boots. All I need to do is finish his hat and find him some gloves. Zeke still fits in his coat. His pants fit, but are sort of snug. I think this will help keep him warm, if there's no room for air to move around or something. Josh thinks he should get bigger pants. He also needs boots and gloves, assuming I can find them. I did finish his hat late Sunday night so he'd have it for school. It's a pretty sweet hat, and once I get Deacon's finished I'll post something about them.

In the meantime, as I try to decide what to do about those other posts, I'll leave you with a picture of Deacon, all ready for the snow to come:

Because It's Too Cute Not To Share

Last week, I was talking with one of the other moms from Zeke's class, and she was saying how she was getting her new stove installed on Friday, and would probably have to keep her little boy home from school because she wouldn't be able to leave her house to pick him up once the installation guy got there. Being ever so generous, I volunteered to pick him up and bring him home, since I was going to be picking Zeke up that day anyway because of MOPS. She said Logan would probably love to ride in the back seat, facing backwards with Zeke, so we set it all up.

Friday morning she sent me a message saying that the installation guy came the night before so she didn't need me to bring Logan home and how sad Logan would probably be. I told her I would still bring him home if she wanted, since I was there anyway and it was on my way to MOPS and we had originally planned on it. She agreed, but showed up at school anyway in case Logan changed his mind last minute.

When the boys got out of school, Logan saw his mom was there and said, "Mom, you can go home now so I can ride with Zeke." Too cute! Also too cute, was the two of them in the backseat having a good time talking about how cool it is back there, and then going through the different books Zeke keeps back there.

It really makes me happy that Zeke is making friends here, and gets along so well with the other kids in his class.

It Was Time

So, we wound up shaving Finn's head the weekend after I wrote in a post that it would probably happen soon. He woke up Saturday from his one nap with his own hair stuck all over his face, with a bit in his mouth, so I figured that it was time.

My chunky monkey went from this:

To this:

Isn't he great? At 4 months old, he is the youngest of our 3 boys to get their heads shaved. Just for fun, I found the pictures from the other two.

Zeke was 7 months old when we shaved his head:




and Deacon was 6 months old when he got buzzed:

Not really the greatest pictures of Deacon, but a fun little trip down memory lane. Maybe I'll have to post more stuff like this. Of course, when I do, I wind up spending WAY too much time looking through the pictures from when Zeke and Deacon were little, feeling nostalgic and what's it.

But anyway, Finn now has a shaved head (which all the ladies in the nursery love to rub for some reason), just in time for winter I guess. At least we have some really cute hats for him.

I'm Not Sure "LOVES" is Strong Enough

Zeke is absolutely "SUPER-PUMPED-BECAUSE-IT'S-SO-AWESOME-IN-LOVE" with riding the bus. If you ask him about his day, the first thing he'll usually tell you is how he rode the bus to school. One of the other moms from his class told me last week that he still announces it every day to his class that he rode the bus to school. And I'm glad because it makes it so much easier for me to know that he's truly enjoying it.

Getting on the bus for

the first time:

All strapped in.

Safety first!

I am also enjoying it. It's amazing the difference it makes in the mornings around here. Not having to rush Deacon through everything, not having to figure out the logistics of Finn anymore, is wonderful. I'm so glad I listened to Josh and set this up for Zeke. And like a friend of mine pointed out, it's good that he's getting used to it now (you know, the .03 seconds it took him to get used to it, that is) before it starts staying dark longer and he has to ride the bus to school in the dark. And the snow. Because soon enough it will be dark and snowy in the mornings.

Putting Zeke on the bus also let me know that he knows where we live. On his way home the first morning, he kept telling the bus driver that we were getting closer, and home was "this way". Then, when she drove past our house, Zeke told her she did so, but that it was okay because she could turn around.

As of last week, one of the other boys in Zeke's class is on the bus too. The other boy's mom told me that he was thrilled to get to sit across the aisle from Zeke. Apparently this boy is a big fan of Zeke's. She said that after we left McDonald's last week, this boy cried the whole way home because he wanted Zeke to be with him. Awww! I know. It really makes me feel good to know that my sweet boy is doing so well with the bus and in school, and is making some friends there.

Oh and, I don't even cry when the bus picks him up anymore. That was apparently a one time thing. I think being proud of my courageous and easy-going boy wins over being sad that my baby is growing up too fast. Because, let's face it, he is growing up too fast.

What I Asked/What He Did

Sometimes I really wonder what goes through Deacon's head.

One day I asked Deacon to put my keys away, down the stairs, by the door. You know, where I always keep them:

Awhile later, when I went looking for my keys, I think you can imagine my surprise when I found them here (all the way down the stairs, on top of my sewing machine):

I started wondering (and documenting) this when I asked him one day to put the picture frame Zeke made at school on the fridge (it's a magnet, that's why). I really wasn't prepared for finding the magnetic picture frame in the fridge:

I mean, why wouldn't you want a picture frame in the fridge? Right?

I think my favorite might have been when I handed Deacon some clothes that Finn had outgrown, and asked him to put them in the purple box by the fireplace that has some of Finn's other clothes in it already.

Why he put them in the tissue box (that was full of tissues) is beyond me, and I've given up wasting brain power trying to figure it out. I just take my pictures, put the stuff where I wanted it to go originally and laugh as I think about how I'm totally going to blog about it. Because really, what else can you do?

Edit:I wrote this on Tuesday since I was in a blogging mood after getting the one I wrote on Tuesday finished, but I accidentally hit "publish" before I dated it for Thursday, when I wanted it to post. So, to those who had it show up on their blogs or google readers and then found there wasn't anything here to see, I apologize. I also hope you did see the previous post I wrote about the funny things Deacon has said lately. It's a good'un.

This Kid Cracks Me Up

Even though Zeke takes the bus now, I still pick him up Wednesdays after school so we can go to McDonald's for lunch with some of the other kids in his class.

Last week, while we were sitting outside of the school waiting for him to get out, Deacon said, "Mom, I need sunglasses."

I reached behind my seat and handed him his Lightning McQueen shades. He handed them back and said, "No, Mom. I need white sunglasses." Meaning, he wanted my sunglasses.

So I handed him my white sunglasses. He put them on, looked around, then said, "Mom. I need window down." And so there he sat, in the 50 degree weather, with his window down and his sunglasses on.

* * * * *

The other night I had the boys in the tub and it was about time for them to get out (as in the water was draining and the toys were cleaned up). As they were finishing up putting all their bathtoys back in the bucket, Zeke let loose a little fart. Deacon, one to not let anything slip past him, looked down at Zeke's bum, then up at a Zeke's face and said, "Zeke! You have toots?!"

* * * * *

Our garbage gets collected on Thursday mornings. This past Thursday, Deacon decided that he wants to start watching the school bus drive up our street to the cul-de-sac, turn around, and then come back down the street, waving as it drives past on its way to school. As the garbage truck started going around the cul-de-sac last week, Deacon noticed that it was getting close to someone's garbage cans. His eyes got all big and he said, "Whoa bus! Look out garbage cans!" As the bus cleared the cans with ease, he heaved a big sigh of relief and said, "Whew!" I guess he was really concerned about the cans.

* * * * *

The other day we were out in the backyard playing since the sun's been shining (ahh!). Josh started doing something that looked interesting so Deacon went over to Josh and said, "What are you doing?"

I'm guessing Josh didn't quite hear him because he looked and Deacon and said, "What?"

So Deacon looked right at Josh and said slowly and loudly, "I said, 'What. are. you. do.ing?"

* * * * *

Oh that Deacon. He is so goofy, yet so sweet. I just can't wait to see what he'll come out with next.

Life Is Constantly A Party...

...when everything is a hat.

And I do mean everything.

Scooter

Finn has figured out how to scoot about while he's on his back. He's been "turning" in his "crib" (pack and play) for awhile now. And now that he's got it down, he scoots all about on his playmat as well. As such, he's making quite the bald spot on the back of his head. This spot, is remarkably devoid of hair. It's almost tacky to the touch. And it's kind of funny because there is a ton of hair below the bald spot. The hair on the top half of his head flips back into this cute curl (not really pictured nicely here). So, it's a big curl, then a bald area, then lots of hair just hanging out. We might be closing in on the time in his babyhood where we shave his head. It happened to both of his older brothers, so it's just a matter of time before it happens for him too.

You can also make out the "stork bite" birthmark he has on his head, right above the bald patch. I think it's sweet. I also think he might have a second one in that bunch of hair below the bald patch, but it's hard to tell right now. I guess if we do shave his head sometime soon, we'll know for sure then.

Finn is also fascinated, at times, by the TV now. He mostly gets into whatever his brothers are watching ("Sesame Street", "Handy Manny", and the like), I think he likes the bright colors and the music. He also seemed to enjoy "Memphis Beat" when I would watch it at night. Maybe, like me, he likes the music they play on that show. And Jason Lee. Because really, who doesn't like Jason Lee?

So, I think I've covered just about everything there is to cover about Finn now. He's huge, he's super sweet, he's eating cereal (along with a million ounces of formula a day), he enjoys a little tv now and then, he's "balding", and he just charms the pants off of everyone he meets. I can hardly wait to see what he does next.

Rice Cereal...Mmm

Now that Finn is 4 months old, we've started feeding him rice cereal twice a day. It's been fun. It did take him a feeding or two to get the hang of it, but now he seems to enjoy it. He likes to "help" by holding on to the fingers of the hand that's holding the spoon, and direct the spoon into his mouth. He also likes to stick his other hand into his mouth with the food, so things get a little messy sometimes. I can hardly wait to start fruits and veggies...when he's bigger and has a better handle on this of course.

Finn also started rolling over from back to front last week. On Thursday I spent the morning in Zeke's class, you know, to see how things go there and what's it, and when we got home I asked Josh how his morning with Finn and Deacon was. He said it was fine and that he had a good time watching Finn roll all over the place. When I asked for clarification as to what he meant by "all over the place", Josh informed me that Finn rolled from his back to his belly, would hang out a bit, then roll back over. WHAT?! The little bugger rolled from back to belly when I wasn't around. I almost didn't believe Josh, but he's done it again since, so I guess Josh wasn't lying.

Finn also started blowing little raspberries yesterday, and I must say, it's quite adorable. Again, I'll have to work on getting a video of it. I just get so wrapped up in him sometimes that I don't think of getting video footage until the moment has passed (plus I want to get a new camcorder since the program from my old one is...well...old).

And going back to the topic of feeding Finn, I am a little sad to say that I am finished breastfeeding him. My body just can't keep up with the demands of my ravenous little man, so it's pretty much given up. I made it 5 months with Zeke and Deacon, but only 4 with Finn. I guess it's a good thing he takes his bottles so well, and really likes them. It also makes me a little sad that I won't get to use the sweet nursing cover that my wonderful friend, Nicole, made for me. Finn would get so excited when he would see me take it out whenever we had company, or when we were out to eat or at church. But, as long as he's healthy and doing well, that's really all that matters, no matter where the nutrition is coming from. Looking at Zeke and Deacon, I think Finn will be just fine. Hehe...looking at Finn I think he'll be just fine. Chunky monkey.

Guess Who's 4 Months Old

This guy!

That's right, Finn is 4 months old already. Some days I feel like, "Has it been 4 months already? It seems like only yesterday he was born" and some days I feel like, "Has it only been 4 months? This kid is huge and looks like he will start walking any day now." Seriously though, this boy is pretty chunky (check his new picture on my sidebar). We measured him at 17 pounds and 25 inches. He's wearing 6-9 month sized clothing. But he is just too sweet. I mean, just look at that smile.

I'm really enjoying Finn. Which is probaby a good thing, since I am his mother and all. But he's so happy and laid back...most of the time...that's it's hard not to enjoy him. He will get fussy when he gets really hungry (he likes to eat which is probably why he's such a chunk), and when he's tired. He'll also cry when he's in bed and doesn't want to be. Wow, can he get angry then. But if he's being held, or played with, or even just left alone under his playmat, he's perfectly content. He loves that playmat. He also loves it when I lay down on my back and lift him up over my head. Oh the laughs this brings about. It's wonderful. I'll have to work on getting a video of it for you.

And now I must away because the little man is fussing, so I should check on that...make sure he's not poopy or anything. You know.

Who Knew Reading Was A Contact Sport?

The other day Zeke woke up WAY too early from his nap, and started getting loud in his playing. Not really being ready to let him get up, I gave him some books to read in bed. When I got him up later, his face looked like this:

Somewhat surprised that his face had been scratched, I asked him how he did it. He simply replied that it happened while he was reading. Because everyone scratches up their faces when read, right?

* * * * *

Zeke has really been doing it up at lunch lately. Most days he'll eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a banana, an apple, and if I'll let him, a waffle or two. So the other day he finished his sandwich and his banana, and asked for an apple. Since I was in the middle of feeding Finn I told him to get an apple from the fridge, figuring it would take him a little while to get one out of the bag, hopefully long enough that Finn would be done eating by then. Zeke, however, was much quicker about it than I expected him to be. So I told him to wash the apple in the bathroom sink (since he can reach that one pretty well), he did, and then asked if he could bite the apple instead of having me cut it that time. Since I was still feeding Finn I said it would be fine.

A few minutes later I had finished feeding Finn. I looked at the table and Zeke had eaten half of the apple aready. Figuring he'd be full soon I left him to it while I got an apple out for Deacon. By the time I got the apple out of the fridge, washed, and into Deacon's hands, Zeke had finished his apple - seeds, core, stem and all! He ate the entire apple. All of it. THE STEM EVEN. Yeah. He was pretty pleased with himself too. And that's why there's no picture to go with this story, there was nothing left to take a picture of. Silly boy.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

He's Such a Sweet Boy

You know, when he wants to be.

Zeke has always been pretty sweet. Zeke has also always been pretty helpful. But I feel like, since having Finn, Zeke has ratcheted up the helpfulness quite a bit. Most times when I ask him to do something for me (throw something away in the garbage can, throw a diaper out in the pail outside, pick up something to hand to me, answer the door, answer the phone, clear the table, set the table, empty the dishwasher, etc) he's more than willing to do it. Zeke also likes to help Josh. He'll help Josh pick up sticks in the backyard, hammer whatever needs hammering, screwdriver whatever needs screwdivering (yes, I know those aren't "real" words), carry Josh's lunch tupperware, wallet and keys up when Josh gets home from work, then put them all away in their respective places. He's really a handy little kid to have around.

And just this week he got even handier. As I was folding laundry the other day, he happily took his pile of clean clothes and put them all away. Score! Even better, was what happened later. i brought up a basket of clean sheets. Zeke watched me fold one then asked if he could help. Of course he can! So I told him to pick up the one end at the corners, and then showed him how to fold sheets. It was great. Now I'm wondering what else I can get him to help me with. Do you think he's too young to change the baby's diapers?