Finn's First Birthday!

Finn turned 1 on December 7th! It's hard to believe how big he has gotten and how much he has changed since he was born. We had a small birthday party with his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He had so much fun opening his gifts and, most of all, smashing cake all over his face. He's starting to get a little braver with trying to stand up on his own, but usually gets too excited and knocks himself over! He's making some new sounds like "raaaar!" for a lion and consistently tells us when he is "all done" with his meals. Here are some pictures from his birthday.

The Tree Farm!

Finn got to make his first trip to the Christmas tree farm this weekend! He loved looking around at all of the trees (and he had to do this for a really long time because his mom couldn't make up her mind). We stopped for lunch first and Finn had his first veggie sushi. He wasn't sure what to think of the taste, but LOVED playing with the chopsticks. Finn is spending a lot more time on his feet lately, pulling up to stand every other second (and falling every other second too). He started cruising around on the furniture by himself on Thanksgiving Day and then the next day learned to crawl up a couple of stairs! We can't believe he'll be a year next week!

Getting caught going up the stairs for the first time!

This was Finn's choice of trees, just his size.

Learning new tricks with chopsticks.

A Trip To Texas

We took a trip to Lubbock, Texas the second weekend in November to visit our good friends Megan, Eric, and Kristin (Claire's friends from OT school in North Carolina). It was such a fun time catching up with friends we hadn't seen in a long time and Finn got to meet Eric and Megan's kids, Analise and Emery. It was also Finn's first time on a plane and he did great! He got lots of compliments for being so good. We were very proud of him!

In our new wrap we borrowed (thanks Megan!) at the airport in Lubbock

Taking off on Finn's first flight

A happy traveler

Dad built this cool slide at the science center

Row, row, row your boat. Playing in the boat with Analise at the science center.

Loving the Belasco's swing set!

Not quite sure what was going on here...either a yawn or a yell

Making friends with Azul...what a patient dog he is! He got lots of "loving" from Finn

At UNC, we used to dress up our dogs. Now we have kids (particularly boy kids that look really cute dressed up in girl clothes). Here, Finn is sporting Analise's tutu.

At the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock

Pictures I Missed

Here are a bunch of pictures from this fall that I never got around to posting, and I didn't want to forget about them!

I learned to pull up to stand!

And, I learned to blow my nose!

At Clague Park with mom

Mom! I seem to have spilled a couple of Cheerios

Here dad, taste this.

Cracking myself up at dinner

They put up this gate so I couldn't get up the stairs. I learned how to take it apart on the first day it was up. Suckers.

Dad left his ties out, so we had some fun with those..

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At the park with Dylan and Dad

Hiking at the Nature Center

Halloween 2009

Finn had a lot of opportunities to celebrate his first Halloween! First with his cousin Annie's first birthday party (a costume party), then at the Halloween party at our house, and then at Mitch and Megan's with his cousins and some other friends on Halloween night! He was a real trooper about keeping his costume on even though it was nerdy and homemade (every kid's worst nightmare...the mom who insists on making Halloween costumes herself). He was a fish, by the way...in case you can't tell. Poor guy.

Playing with Buzz Lightyear (Dylan) on Halloween

Playing in a pile of leaves with his cousins at our Halloween Party

Hanging out with Hannah

One happy little fish

Sporting a construction worker costume at Annie's birthday party (the fish wasn't ready yet)

Annie the clown and Finn

Annie, Finn and Mallie (the cowgirl)

Finn and Mallie

More Fall Fun!

Finn has been working on a few new tricks lately.  He had been imitating dogs barking, but now, if you ask "what does a doggy say?" he responds with a series of several barks.    And if you ask him "how big is Finn?" he laughs and puts both arms up in the air.  He also blows his nose if you give him a tissue, but we're not sure where he picked this one up.  Today, he learned how to comb his hair and then how to comb the hair on his stuffed animals.  We're pretty sure we heard his first real word tonight too.  Drew walked in the house after work and, clear as day, Finn said, "Dad!".  We looked at each other in disbelief, and then he said it again.  Drew went upstairs to change and Finn crawled to the bottom of the stairs, looking up and calling, "Dad!  Dada!"  It was so adorable and obviously so purposeful!  

He is into everything now,  pulling dishes out of dishwasher, pulling the cords out of the back of the computer, pulling leaves off of plants, etc.  Not quite close to walking yet though.  He's still working on pulling himself up to stand (he's done it once or twice now, but not consistently).  He eats almost all finger food and loves pizza and mac and cheese.  He's been a little more resistant to veggies lately and we're hoping this is just a phase.  Here are some pictures from pumpkin picking and a hike with grandma's dog, Kaya. Finn and Drew meet Grandma Heffron and Kaya for a walk at the park every Sunday afternoon.  Halloween pictures are coming soon!