Daddy's Days Off

May 23, 2011

Well, now that I have finally quit my second job at Ocean Island I am getting a chance to spend a lot more time at home.  Finlay has taken to the habit of getting up earlier than he used to and, although this is not our ideal situation, it has led to a great opportunity for Finlay and I to sneak out of bed so Mom can have a sleep in and get a little quality one on one time.

I am truly blown away every day by the new things that Finlay learns.  More and more he is becoming adept at using his hands to get the things he wants.  He has taken to his Jolly Jumper and really begun to give it hell and at times has even begun to mimic us.

For example, Finlay has always been a big fan of the "raspberry" noise. We are not sure if it is just a natural human trait to find this noise funny but for as long as I can remember it has made me laugh and is something that has always made Finlay laugh.  Well, the other day I was making that noise and then Finlay stopped and looked really intently at me and his face began to get tight and you could tell he was concentrating really hard.  And then out of his mouth popped the cutest little noise and it was Finlay mimicking me. We went back and forth making the noise and each time he looked like he was trying so hard that it was making Lyndze and I just laugh out loud.  Too Cute!

Below are some more pics of Finlay and I on one of our relaxed mornings.  There is also a very cute video at the bottom that makes me laugh every time I watch it.

We are off to London soon.  We have been telling Finlay all about his family and our friends back East and he is getting very excited to go!

See you soon!

Here we see Finaly's latest trick. Sitting up on his own. As a new parent, I was really unsure how to know when a baby is ready to sit or roll or whatever and, although the obvious answer is to read a book on the subject matter, it quickly becomes apparent (no pun intended) that every author has their own opinion as to what is normal and/or appropriate.  But, as it turns out, babies are pretty good at letting you know when they are ready for something and Fin just wanted to be sitting up.  

Over the past week Finlay has gone from a teetering tower that required a constant hand on his back to catch him to a fairly stable baby when he is sitting.  He gets tired quickly and we still sit behind him but his falls are less frequent and he is even getting better at engaging his muscles when he does fall so he falls much slower than when he started.

The specter of teething is upon us here in Victoria.  It has made for some more fussy nights and a baby that all of the sudden is a huge drooler!  Here is Fin and I working one of his favorite teething toys.  However, the cold carrot from our fridge may be surpassing it as Fin's favorite.

Fin and I reading "Hands, Hands, Fingers, Thumb."  Finlay really enjoys this book and we think it is because of the beat.  We are teaching Fin to sign and he understands the sign for 'book' and 'milk.'  Apparently that book was also one of Uncle Jason's favorites when he was little!

Here is a great example of Finlay moving along in his sitting skills.  After just a couple days practice he is a lot more confident and is grabbing his toys from all around him without falling or loosing his balance too badly.

This is just cute.

Even cuter. I love the little smile that peeks out from behind the soother!

And finally we have the above mentioned laughing video.  Lyndze was pretending to sneeze and it was making Finlay laugh and laugh and laugh.  So I grabbed the camera and tried to get some footage. I apologize for it being a little blurry.  But I think you still get the idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4BG5FX5xNY

TYLER