Updates

We've been busy busy, usual time of year, Americorp grant and everything. Finn still refuses to crawl, though he has been sprawling forwards from sitting more often to reach toys, and has army crawled a bit (though I haven't seen it). But he is charging around all the time, really fast. He loves the walking game where Francesca and I sit facing each other and he walks from one of us to the other, he usually gets 2 1/2 steps in and the third step would be a face plant, but we catch him. He's extended this game to cruising on the couch, walk next to it a few steps, then dive for whoever's spotting him. He could probably balance and walk more on his own but he hasn't realized it yet and is still depending on us for his balance. He's still being adorable. Sometimes he puts his head all the way on his side. He thinks peek aboo is super fun. Oliver often tries to entertain him if he's sad "it's okay Finn, Oliver's here" or telling him "kaplouiee". Finn is entranced with Oliver, and often walks up to him the same way he walks up to Francesca. Finn loves the bathroom, and marches over to visit whoever's in the shower, and if Oliver is taking a bath Finn always wants to play in the sink. Finn loves baths, he always wants to get in the tub, which is funny because when he's in it he doesn't act like it's a big deal. Been teething lately, lots of that funny snarl face. Been talking up a storm lately, all night long the other night, just random babbling. Francesca says he just picked up the "d" sound, so maybe he'll get my name soon. Getting more personality, gets angry when something is taken away from him ("hey, I was looking at that choking hazard"). Still likes musical instruments, he has taken over Oliver's music class (which Oliver wasn't liking as much as preschool, and Francesca realized all the other kids in it are much younger then Oliver) and likes it. Loves going outside, usually calms him instantly. He likes walking up and down the steps on the porch. Lately he has been wanting to play with Oliver's Basketball hoop. He's given up falling asleep nursing, so Francesca has been having to strap him on in the ergo to put him down for the night.

Grrrr

Finn is growling a lot. He's really getting the hang of walking holding onto fingers, and really not liking the idea of crawling. In defiance of being put on his belly to crawl he's gotten good at flipping right onto his back. His balance is getting better when he's on his feet, he just wants to follow Oliver wherever he goes. When we're inside it's often a circuit to go and check the bathtub and climb up onto the red stool, then to the front door. He likes bath's, and always wants to get in when Oliver is in. Still really into food and try's to steal it from you if you're eating. He's been growling a lot lately. Still loves music and the guitar when it comes out. Finn has a great throwing arm, with a big wind up from behind his head, and he does a pretty similar movement to play Oliver's drum with the drumstick.

Quick update

Finn's getting big into walking, with our help. Teething again, he makes the funniest faces when he is. He's been impatient with the car, we've had a few crying fits. Prefers the toys that Oliver is playing with, he wants to be part of the action. Still loves to dance and music, claps whenever I get out the guitar. Still lovin food and trying to pull anything you're eating into his mouth.

Big Month

Huge month to San Diego, Oliver's birthday while camping, Francesca working a ton, wow. Finn is doing great, spinning circles on his bottom looking all around. He likes to unload boxes full of blocks, and loves to try food, often grabbing your hand when you're taking a bite to try and redirect it to his own mouth. The only thing I haven't seen him like is egg, but everything else, all fruit and grains goes right in. He's figured out the hold onto fingers and walk thing, it's only been about a week and already he's pretty good at it, often having us walk him over to a toy or an apple on the ground. And he's more insistent on his almost a hop mobility. But he's getting a lot more frustrated with not being able to get to where he wants to be. He's pretty interested in Oliver's toys and we are starting to work with that idea, if the toys are out and you're not playing with them, then Finn can. There were extended times of Finn with people other then Mama while she trained and he did well, though he held pretty tight to her when he got her back. He's starting to like to be read to, and smacks his lips when the book starts. Starting to make more sounds, ba's and ma's and growls. Growing fast.

Progress

Finn has the pincer grip down, even managing it pretty well vs avacado. Also today he just started clapping, Oliver was working on jumping and trying to clap in the air in front of him this morning, then Francesca called and said that Finn just learned to clap and won't stop :) A week or two ago he started waving, and now waves all the time, especially when entering or leaving the house and every time he's in the bathroom and see's himself in the mirror. A lot of the time he shakes his head side to side when he waves, in fact the shaking the head is a signature move of his. For some reason when I hold him he tends to curl up and kind of walk up me, not sure why, he doesn't seem to do it with Francesca. We went to the state fair yesterday and Finn thought it was great, just so much action and people and noise, so much to see, he didn't even see me right in front of him for the first 5 minutes. Apparently he has the stealth scoot now, but I haven't seen it yet. And he's pretty quick at biting big chunks of things off, like paper. He is especially fond of rustly plastic. Just started taking steps when he's standing, and he always wants to be standing. Up to 6 teeth. Still unbelievably addorable and full of smiles.

Pteradactyl Kaplouiee

Finn has suddenly entered the pteradactyl phase, growling and roaring and squawking all the time. It's surprising because he's been so quiet up to now, just carefully watching everything, especially his big brother. We were actually beginning to wonder about his sparse vocalization, but he's here now and making up for it. He also appears to be cutting teeth again and he's slipping towards whines as well, poor guy. I didn't mention last time but he has a game, which I think Granpa Howard created with him, where he bangs on his high chair and then waits for you to bang on it back and then it's his turn again, he thinks its lots of fun. Also he always laughs or at least smiles for the word "Kaplouiee!".

7 1/2 months

Been busy busy. Finn is doing great. He's had his top teeth for a while now. He had a great time camping, loved watching Oliver and Amanda play all over a big rock beside our tents, while Julia ate bucketfull's of black dirt by the shovel full. He's really solid sitting, and is starting to get frustrated enough to be motivated to learn some means of moving himself, he reaches way forwards from sitting until he's practically bowing, Francesca said he has rocked forwards into the crawl position a few times. I think he's starting to figure out some kind of miniscule levitation by bouncing while he sits, so soon I expect him to be able to do that baby ninja trick of moving across a room without being able to crawl. He loves gadgets, any time I reach for my cell phone, or electic toothbrush he starts jumping in excitement. He really loves music, he gets really excited when we reach up to turn on the radio. He did really great going to San Diego, was a little worried about the bumps during take off and landing. But did great being in a strange place with lots of people he didn't know so well. He did have a huge melt down on the way to Abuelo's but that was just because of the disturbed sleep schedule and because it was a long drive when he wanted to be picked up. Didn't really have any stranger anxiety, which was great for meeting Abuelo & Tio Anthony for the first time. Fun to introduce him to Granny, watch them staring into each other's eyes across the lifetime gap. The kids sure brightened a lot of faces at Granny's place. He still thinks lots of things are funny, like when toy's roll away from him. He's been really getting into food, Francesca strips him down before he eats, which is good because it goes everywhere (back of his head?) His favorite right now is watermelon rind, which he keeps holding aloft triumphantly like an olympic torch, he gets really upset when it slips out of his grip and reach, just like when a toy is taken away from him. He also likes avocado and banana a lot, and really prefers to feed himself, not interested in puree's. He likes bath's now, they are no longer scary, he went into the pool for the first time, but I missed it since I was trying to keep Oliver alive as he fearlessly leapt in to above his head over and over. Time's just flying by.