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finn’s 1st birthday.

There are so many adorable themes you can pick for little kids birthday parties, especially for the 1st one (and really it’s more for Mom and Dad, since baby could obviously care less) I decided on a little farm theme.

I started by making these banners a few weeks before the big event. They were very time consuming, but of course always worth the effort in the end.

The bigger banner along the back wall had little tiny cowboy hats and golden cowbells strung along with it.

I just punched two little holes into the side of the hat to string it on.

Maybe you noticed, or maybe you didn’t, but since I’m going to point it out to you, it’s probably all you’re going to see from now on, it was like the elephant in the room for me, but whatever.

In some of the pictures above you might have noticed that my frame was empty. Well that’s because some people’s idea of 1 hour developing is approximately 2 days. So the frame sat empty for his birthday. But through the power of Photoshop I added in the picture I wanted. (Trust me, all you’re going to see in every picture is that darn, blank frame)

A red frame that I took out the glass and added a burlap background and a little metal 1.

We kept the food really simple and had hotdogs, corn on the cob, watermelon and macaroni cheese.

And of course, milk to drink. (and apple juice!)

(to make this milk bottle, I just bought a plain white bottle and added black letter stickers to the side)

I made him a little chocolate cow cake. (which was a nightmare… it always is. Words of advice, don’t buy the sheets of colored fondant, they are garbage)

Finn was very excited about his cake and of course the attention and singing was holding him captive…

Until he tried to reach out and touch the candle. (I’m actually looking forward to watching the video of this, because we all screamed at the same time as he reached for it)

He didn’t make as much as a mess as I thought he would, but that doesn’t really surprise me either, his personality isn’t really wild and crazy either.

I only got him one present (the farm to match his birthday theme) but then I felt kind of bad, so last minute I bought him a little phone and I am glad I did, because he loved it.

Ava made Finn all sorts of farm themed cards with red barns and door that swing open and closed to reveal a hidden Happy Birthday. She is very creative and takes birthday cards very seriously.

One very tired and very happy little birthday boy.

finn {9 months}

Our cute little guy is 9 months old! He’s officially been out as long as he was in. Why doesn’t pregnancy go as fast as they grow?

Finn @ 9 months

• wears size 5 diapers, 18-24 month clothes and weighs 33 pounds!
• he has 5 teeth now, 3 on the bottom and 2 little vampire teeth.
• he isn’t crawling yet, but is getting really close. He’s starting to rock back and forth on all 4’s.
• he met Grandpa Coates for the first time this month.
• he can clap his hands and shake his head no.
• his favorite foods are sweet potatoes and blueberries.
• nicknames for Finn: Finnie-Winnie, Finneous, Finner, Tiny Baby

Aren’t these little vampire teeth to die for cute!! ♥

finn {8 months}

(This picture seriously makes me squeal! I just want to squish him so hard and kiss him until he cries. Sigh. I love this little boy)

Finn at 8 months

• wears size 5 diapers (him and Grey are almost in the same size)
• wears 18-24 month clothes
• he has 4 teeth now, including one very cute vampire tooth
• he can sit on his own, but still refuses to roll over
• he scoots around somehow, not sure how he’s doing it, but is a little bit mobile
• he eats 3 jars of food a day, one for lunch and two for supper
• he loves crackers and cookies (baby ones of course… are Oreos baby cookies?)
• he’s starting to babble a lot, and scream with delight
• his hair gets all curly and sticks out on the sides when you are sweaty or just out of the bath
• he loves to laugh when Grey is doing something silly. I can tell those two are going to have a great bond (when Grey isn’t trying to kill him)
• he doesn’t cry very often, so when he does, we know he is really sad or hurt
• he has a really sweet nature and disposition about him. He is very sensitive and tender hearted. I love that we are starting to see his little personality.

Finn’s little vampire tooth. I’ve only known of one other baby to cut a side tooth before the front two. I think it’s positively adorable!

newborn - 8 months

finn {7 months}

Finn @ 7 months

• weighs (weighed on Thursday)
• wearing size 4 diapers and 12-18 month clothes.
• he loves to eat food and can polish off a whole jar in one sitting.
• he still can’t roll over, and really doesn’t try to.
• he has 2 teeth on the bottom, and loves to bite Mommy. I’m not so in love with his new chompers.

• he can sit on his own for a short period of time.
• he drools all the time. I’m constantly changing his soaking wet clothes.
• he loves to do this thing with his toys where he opens his mouth up really wide and rubs the toy across his lips over and over again. It is so adorable!

And if we’re still wondering who Finn looks like the most…

Grey on the left, Finn on the right.

finn {6 months}

6 months- or half a year old… eeek!!

• you weigh a whopping 23 pounds.
• wearing 12-18 month clothes and size 4 diapers.

• you cut your first tooth (bottom left) and you were miserable about it. So was Mommy.
• you tried baby food for the first time on your 6 month birthday. It was pears and you gobbled it up no problem. You LOVE your food.
• you rolled over, once from tummy to back. We have yet to see a repeat performance of this.
• you are a very smiley baby. You always have a big grin and are happiest when you are being held. You don’t cry very often.
• you started to make strange this month, which secretly I kinda like, it means you really do love and prefer our crazy family.

finn {5 months}

5 months

You weigh (being weighed on Monday)

You are wearing size 4 diapers and 12 month clothes.

You took your first bottle this month, it made Mommy so happy.

You love your toys. Chewing, sucking and drooling on everything. Some mornings I wake up and your lying there happily chewing on your blanket.

You’re really getting good at supporting your head. If we recline you back you desperately try to sit up.

You take 2-3 naps in your swing a day. You like it dark to sleep.

Our new favorite nickname for you is Pin. Since Grey can’t say your name yet, he calls you Pin, and we’ve all picked up on it. I ♥ it!

Still a pretty mellow guy, but definitely prefer Mommy over everybody else. The tears usually start when I go out somewhere. Poor Daddy!

Big Brother crashing our photoshoot.

This face made me actually laugh out loud. ♥

4 months {finn}

Finn at 4 months.

• weighs 19 pounds 4 ounces. Wears size 3 diaper, but should probably be in a size 4.
• wearing 9 month clothes.
• he loves to suck his hands. He won’t take a soother, but will happily slobber away on his fingers.
• he’s starting to grasp and grab for things.
• when he’s nursing, he has to keep his hands busy. So he rubs his face, or grabs at my clothes, or pinches and scratches me.
• he smiles all the time now. I love to take him to the mirror and watch him smile at his own reflection.

• he loves to be held, and big sister Lily is always more than happy to oblige. She desperately wants to play with him, but we have to keep reminding her that he’s still too little.
• nicknames, Finny-Winny, fluff and stuff. ;)

My grandmother knitted this little blue sweater for Hunter, and all 3 of my boys have worn it at some point.

I believe there are more rolls hidden under those rolls. Maybe even some dinner rolls?

I could have posted 100 pictures of him this month, he’s just so delicious. But I’m sure you would have been bored to tears looking at the same-ish picture over and over again. Maybe because I’m his mom, so I can see all the different faces and expressions in each one. ;)

weight check.

At only 4 months old, my baby hippopotamus is tipping the scales at a healthy, 19 pounds 4 ounces.

Slight difference from his 1 month weight check…

And 3 pounds heavier than big brother Grey at 4 months…

I’m doing Finn’s 4 month photoshoot tomorrow. I can’t wait, I love these picture milestones. ♥

finn- 3 months.

I’m always calling Finn my tiny little baby, mostly because he is tiny…  well, compared to a baby elephant he is. LOL! At a whopping 18+ pounds at 3 months, he’s anything but tiny. So I think it’s funny to call him that.

Finn at 3 months

• weighs 18 pounds and is wearing size 3 diapers
• wearing 6-9 month clothes and even those are getting tight
• loves to be held, while you’re standing of course… the second you sit down he cries
• he refuses to take a soother, but LOVES to suck his hands. Often at night I’ll wake up to him slurping away on his fists.
• he doesn’t smile very often, but if you work hard enough at it, he will for a brief second

• he’s not as gassy anymore (thank goodness!!) and we’ve become pro’s at knowing his different cries.
• he wakes up around 8 or 9 in the morning and then is back down for a nap about 1/2 hour later. You sleep ALL morning long. It’s wonderful.
• he’s a really easy going baby. But if he gets startled or scared, he gets really upset and takes awhile to calm back down.

Our nicknames for you: Finnigan and Phineas.

And basically anything that has to do with being lumpy, chunky, chubby and fat, and anything that rhymes with those words. ;)

 

Love his little baby wedgie in this one! ♥

And in case you’re remembering, yes Grey wore this same red naughty outfit when he was 9 months old.

And if you can’t figure out who he looks like…

Finn on left, Grey on right. 3 months old.

finn {2 months}

 

Finn @ 2 months

♥ He weighs 15 pounds even.

For comparison, Grey weighed 16 pounds at 4 months.

♥ He wears size 2 diapers and 3-6 month clothes.

♥ He sleeps a lot during the morning and afternoon. He’s awake most of the evening and breastfeeds a lot until bedtime. He only wakes up at 2 and 6 am to eat.

♥ He’s starting to fuss a lot more now. The experts call this the Purple Period of Crying and can last until they are 5 months old. (I certainly hope not)

♥ He doesn’t smile very often. Even with my sweetest voice and gooiest kisses he keeps a straight face. He’s so un-impressed by me.

♥ His hair is finally starting to grow back in on top, the rest is still there; soft and sweet as ever.

♥ Lily is his little buddy. She can calm him down better than Daddy sometimes. She loves to hold him and carries him around like her little doll. It makes me nervous, but he seems really content when he’s with her.

♥ He’s still really gassy, which makes him super fussy. We’ve got all sorts of techniques for helping the poor little guy, ahem, toot it out.

♥ He loves to sleep on your chest curled up on his tummy. (I know, I know, back to sleep…) But whatever makes him happy, makes us happy.

 

 

And just for fun… here’s a picture of Lily with Grey at the same age.

What a difference almost 2 years makes. She’s so grown up now.