Dear Finn.

 

Dear Finn,

Did you know at the beginning of 2010, you were just a tiny little cell? And now you are the sweetest little baby in the world. Talk about amazing, I feel like we were just dreaming about you. I am so grateful that you are a happy and healthy baby. Your smiles light up my life. I can’t wait to watch you grow into a little dude and experience the world through your eyes. You will be running around in no time and I will run around right beside you on your many adventures. I am so excited to begin this next year with you in my life. We will laugh, cry, snuggle, dream and play our way through 2011 together. I couldn’t think anything more amazing. Happy New Year Finnian!

All the love in the world,
Mama

Welcome to Wonderland.

Papa, Mama and I started reading Alice and Wonderland by Lewis Carroll this week. This is one of Mama's favorite stories. We watched Tim Burton's version earlier this week and then Phoebe in Wonderland this morning. She was telling me she loves stories like this because she loves to play and wants me to always remember how to do this.

So far we are in the middle of chapter two. I can't wait to see what happens next. I tend to fall asleep after a short while because Mama and Papa have soothing voices that calm me down. So, down the rabbit hole we go... off to nap time.

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,
Finn

What is the use of a book without pictures or conversations. Lewis Carroll

12 weeks.

On Saturday (Christmas) I turned 12 weeks old, making me almost 3 months old which is exciting! Mama keeps telling me that I am growing so quickly and that before she knows it I will be running around. Sometimes she says that she wishes she could pause time because it is flying before her eyes as I grow and develop with each day that passes. Her way of holding on to these moments is with her camera. One day she will look back on these photos and stories like they were yesterday. Keep taking those pictures mama! Just please don't take nakeee ones and show them to my friends when I am older. 

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

Aunt Jammies.

The jammie tradition started with four silly cousins at Old Navy... then at Christmas "Aunt Jammie" was born!

2005

Christmas 2006

Christmas 2007

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2010

For my first Christmas "Aunt Jammie" also brought me PJs. Did you check out my reindeer butt? 

He heee. Mama still wears her "Aunt Jammie" jammies. My favorite are the zebra print ones. I like to stare at the stripes when I am snuggling with Mama. I don't think my reindeer ones will fit next year but, I know "Aunt Jammie" will bring me some new ones.

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

Finn's first Christmas.

Christmas Day was a lot of fun. We started by opening gifts at home. I received a lot of awesome toys and clothes from some sweet friends and family. I still think I must have been a really good baby because Santa really likes me.

Auntie Christine and Uncle AJ sent me a really cute ornament. I am excited to put it on our tree next year. They are coming to visit us in a few weeks... Mama, Papa and I are really really really excited.

Auntie Darden came over to Great Gimma, Aunt Bev and Uncle Jeff's house for Christmas brunch. It was a lot of fun having her with us. She is really awesome and one of Mama's dearest friends. Aunt Jammie also brought Darden matching PJs so she put them on. After brunch, I took a nap while Mama, Papa and Darden played a game they invented called "Battle Jacks." I am not sure about the rules, because they seemed to evolve as they went along and by the time I woke up it was a completely different game. They had a lot of fun laughing as they played. Maybe next year I can play too... or at least the baby version. :)

Have you met Zoe? She is the "baby" at the Hartzlers. She likes to snuggle with me and loves to follow me around. Mama says that she is watching out for me because whenever I cry, she runs around to tell us that something is wrong.

By the end of the night, I was really tired from our two day Christmas celebration. I slept through a lot of it, but what I was awake for was absolutely amazing. I have a fun family full of love, wiggles and giggles, just like me. 

As always...

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

cookies. presents. aunt jammies. oh my!

Mama, Papa and I made cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. Mama found a cool recipe for melting snowman cookies on a fun blog. (Did you see how Mama made my little beanie look like a chef hat?) We started by baking yummy sugar cookies. Papa sampled the cookie dough to make sure it tasted okay... and then to check if the consistency was right... and then well, because it was tasty. He let me hold the spoon for a little bit because I am having fun grabbing things and putting them in my mouth. After the cookies were done cooling, Mama melted the marshmallows in the microwave for the snowman heads. Then Papa frosted the cookies as Mama drew the faces and stick arms on the snowmen. I think they are funny looking, don't you?

After we baked the cookies, we went over to Great Grandma Vicki, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Bev's house for Christmas Eve. We had a yummy English Feast of leek soup, prime rib, white wine broccoli and yorkshire pudding. Mama told me that everything was delicious. Aunt Bev made sure that I had my own special spot at the table next to Mama and Papa. I sat in Papa's arms while they ate and he gave me my bottle when I started to get hungry looking at the food.

Great Grandma Vicki showed me her Christmas Village. The little houses and people make me feel like Godzilla. I think next year I will try to play with those little figurines, so Mama better watch out.

After dinner, I snuggled with my cousins Janette and Dayley. They were very comfy and I dozed off a few times while they were holding me. I was really excited to meet my cousins especially since Dayley goes to school in Boston and Janette has her husband Alex's family to spend time with as well, so we weren't sure if we would get to see them this year. It was my lucky day.

After some snuggle time we opened presents. I helped pass out some presents and then I listened to the laughter and joy as I fell asleep in my sweet crib that Great Gimma and Aunt Bev bought me. When I woke up, Mama told me about the wonderful gifts my family and Santa brought me. I must have been a really good baby because I received some really amazing and thoughtful gifts. 

Check out the awesome hats Janette made for everyone, including me. The penguin is modeling mine since I was busy dreaming in my little crib. 

Aunt Jammie (Bev) bought everyone matching jammies, so we put them on, danced around and played after we opened presents. Did you see my cute little red outfit and Santa hat? I have the best family!

Mama took a lot of pictures for my first Christmas Eve. Can you see her in the Christmas ornament? She told me that she is so excited to share this holiday with me and to show me the photos when I am older.

Christmas Eve was amazing, stay tuned for my Christmas Day post. 

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

Frosty the Snowman Cocoa.

Mama made these little hot cocoa kits for our amazing neighbors.  She got the idea from this fun blog and then she designed some fun packaging to make it her own. Mama told me that she is looking forward to making presents with me when I am a little older. She likes to make gifts because she enjoys being creative and it is more personal. I have a feeling we are going to have a lot of fun together.

I can't wait to visit our neighbors, give them their Frosty the Snowman Cocoa kits and wish them a Merry Christmas. This is a fun holiday.

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

It's Friday, I'm in love

One lovely photo for a lovely Friday. Have a great weekend!

(Finn at 10 weeks)

Baby's 1st Christmas.

Today Mama took some photos of our favorite Christmas ornaments. This top one is my favorite because it is from my Grandma and Grandpa. They sent me this from California. Mama had a feeling it was an ornament so we opened it early and she was right. They even put my picture in the frame. We found a special place for it on our Christmas tree.

This vintage looking Santa ornament is one of Mama's favorites.

I like this snowman one because they are snuggling and I think snuggling is the best.

We have a collection of bird ornaments that Papa carefully placed around the tree. He likes them.

When I am bigger, Mama said that we will make some ornaments together. She also told me that next Christmas when I am a 14 months old, we will have to place the ornaments a little higher since I will want to grab and play with them. Maybe we could put some of my stuffed animals on the lower branches?

Merry Christmas Eve!

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn


© 2010 Heather Gray, all rights reserved

Cookies and Milk for Santa

Crazy Domestic

Mama and I are going to make these cookies today. How fun! I am too little to enjoy them but she says that Papa and her will enjoy a few extra ones for me. :)

We are off to the store for marshmallows, colorful icing and some extra milk because warm homemade cookies need plenty of ice cold milk and papa will most likely want a couple of glasses with these special cookies. The recipe calls for Better Crocker sugar cookie mix and icing, but we are going to make these from scratch because Mama says they will taste much better. 

So far the holidays are very exciting. My first Christmas is already amazing and it isn't even the 25th yet. I hope Santa likes these cookies.

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

Recently, I figured out that I can get my hands in my mouth. I think I can get my whole hand in there, it hasn't happened yet but that isn't stopping me from trying. Sometimes I wake myself up to find myself chewing on my little fingers. Mama keeps looking in my mouth to check out the teething situation and so far I am all gums, but there are a few spots that are starting to feel more jagged. I have been quite fussy lately unless I am chewing on my fingers, so Mama stopped swaddling me for day time naps so I can chew away which makes me much happier.

Can you believe how quickly I am growing? Mama can't... she says I kept surprising her, something I will continue to do for the rest of my life I am sure.

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

Eyes that sparkle.

Everyone keeps telling me that I look like my Papa or my Mama but they both agree that I have a little bit of both of them. Mama says that my eyes are just like Papa's and he says that my lips are like my Mama's. She also tells me I have soulful eyes that sparkle when I smile. And my nose, well I think that is just mine.

 One thing is for certain I have a big big smile, just like them both.

Lots of love, wiggles and giggles,

Finn

© 2010 Heather Gray, all rights reserved