In Recovery... FINALLY!!

All three of us have been sick -thus the lack of posts. I have been a single parent for the last 4 days because Marcel has been sick. I was sick during Thanksgiving and Fin was sick the week before. I think God protects children by not letting symptoms of a sickness affect them the way it would an adult. Of course, Marcel was WAY more sick than I was (or so he thinks). The pictures in the post are out of order... sorry...

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Fin enjoys her sit and spin with Elmo and Moose.

Spaghetti is still a favorite. She refuses to use a spoon.
Look how long her hair is getting!!!
I took this picture because I am fascinated at how fast she grows. I went in to check on her (as I ALWAYS do to make sure she's breathing) and was startled when I expected a baby and saw a TODDLER! My grandparents and us grand kids.

Note to self: ALWAYS wear black in future family pictures.

Owie and D and the great grandbabies. - Sorry Owie - This is the only pic taken that Fin's eyebrows aren't down...

I took Fin to the doctor when she was sick. She didn't like the experience so much. I am so thankful that this was her first "sick" doctor's visit - minus the time I overreacted in Columbus...

It's really cold up here in Charlotte. Too cold for me. I think I'll move back home...

We were invited to a Panther's party at the neighbor's house. Since we aren't that big on NHL football, Fin decided to wear her Auburn cheerleading outfit. She was precious. Especially with her Ked's...

This is actually Fin's swing that I let the neighbors borrow. I think she remembers it...

This is Shannon. Fin met her at the party and loved her. Fin is very particular about who she talks to, so we were surprised when Fin crawled in her lap and watched the football game. Shannon works for Rack Room shoes in the corporate office. She is in charge of "naming" the company's shoes. I got an e-mail from her the week after the party that said she named a beautiful pair of flip-flops (that come out in 2009) after Fin. I will be buying some "Finley's" this summer for sure...

Fin got some new jewelry. It goes great with all the others that she has too...

Since we have decided to move back to Columbus, I have realized how much I love Fin's room. I keep it clean ALL THE TIME. It never gets messy. The whole house will be a disaster, but Fin's room is always straight. Everything in her room has a meaning. I love it. The smell, the colors, the decor... everything. I will miss it so. I plan on replicating it wherever we may be in 6 months...

Above is Fin's beautiful crib with the bedding and pictures that my mom made for her. They are perfect.

Above is my pink dress from when I was little and Fin's "would-have-been" Christening dress had Charlene not offered for Fin to wear the one she made for Livi (or Gigi?). They are beautiful.

Above is the rocking chair my mom refinished, Fin's great,great-grandmother's crystal lamp, her piggy bank from her cousins and flowers from the Brookses when she came home from the hospital. Her Aunt Torie gave her the cross with the bible verse "I am Wonderfully made" (so true) and the lamb blanket on the rocking chair from my good friend Denise.

Her closet is also my favorite. This photo makes it look messy, but it SO organized. I LOVE Fin's clothes! LOVE THEM. I love to wash them AND fold them. I HATE to fold our clothes!

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And finally - the video... Fin crawling backwards and TALKING. Pretty funny!

Just when you think Fin can't get any more fun, she does. She is the sweetest child I have ever been around. I can take her anywhere. I adore her more every day. I thank God for her and my family daily. I am very lucky!

We love Emma!

We had a FABULOUS visit with Grandma, Aunt Julie and Emma. We learned how to "Geocache" (a kind of world wide scavenger hunt), went to Chik-Fil-A (they had never been before) and spent a long time in Target! Fin is in love with Emma! She didn't whine AT ALL with Emma around. I sure wish I could have kept her here!!!

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Aunt Julie saved on shipping costs and bought Fin her Christmas presents while she was here. She loves her sit and spin. She can't spin on it yet, but it plays some fun songs!

Julie also got Fin a little puppy pull toy. Fin loves it too!

Fin ADORES her cousin Emma! Not many people other than Mommy and Daddy get hugs like the one below...

Carolina Place Mall has recently added a little "kiddie" town/money pit. Fin wanted to ride every "vehicle." I thought the ambulance was neat. The teddy bear was in cardiac arrest and Fin got them quickly and safely to Presbyterian hospital.

The picture below sums up Emma and Fin's relationship. Emma was at Fin's beck and call the whole time she was here!

The in-law's left at 4:30 a.m. and we were so sad. I got a little glimpse of what it might feel like to have family near. They are the nicest people and we love them so.

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We had a lazy day yesterday. We grilled hamburgers and Stefanie brought over some yummy chili. Fin said hello to the doggies next door and played in the back yard until she got too cold. Fun times...

Daddy was raking leaves while Fin watched! Ha! In about 5 years it will be the other way around!

She is still the sweetest little girl EVER!

The video below is Fin being Fin...

Aunt Julie loves the "head bob" dance. Fin demonstrates it below...

I got the chance to video the excitement that takes place when Fin says hello to the dogs next door. She RUNS over the fence and slams on the brakes about a foot away from the fence. Again, she's all talk when it comes to animals. She says she loves them, but when it comes down to petting them, she won't! She is so excited in the video below that she is BITING her fingers in her mouth!

My little Sumo Wrestler!

We are getting ready for Grandma Richard, Aunt Julie and Emma to come today! We are so excited! As I type, Marcel and Fin are gone to "story time" at the library. Should make for an interesting story when they come back. Fin does not behave at those things. She isn't used to having to sit still.

I love putting "sprouts" on Fin. I see lots of babies out with them. Fin doesn't enjoy the process of putting them in though...

Fin had just woken up in this picture. She sleeps until about 8:30 a.m. everyday. We are very lucky!

The picture below is Fin laughing at Dora. She's really starting to pick things up. She now lets me read ALL of a book to her. Even long ones. She doesn't just want to flip the page anymore.

Fin still won't talk yet (she doesn't have to), but she kept doing this funny gibberish last night. She would do it on cue too. She does all types of noises that Marcel and I can't come close to. The video below is Fin dancing to Moose A. Moose on Noggin. She loves this song and did a "sumo" type dance to it. She looks pretty ripped in the video too. I'd be worried if I hadn't seen pictures of me when I was little looking the same way. Poor thing can't have any dairy!! She needs some fat on those bones!

The Battery in the Camera is Dead AGAIN!!!

We had a really fun week up here in Charlotte, but I don't have the pictures to prove it. During the rush of getting Fin ready to go somewhere, I seem to always either forget the camera or the extra battery.

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We went to the neatest Corn Maze/petting zoo on Thursday. Fin loves animals, but is still all talk when it comes to touching them. She gets so excited when she sees them, but won't pull the trigger when she gets the chance to pet them. She saw bunnies, pigs (that REALLY oinked), goats, sheep and roosters. Then we went on a hayride around the corn field and Fin "surfed" the whole time. She didn't want us to hold her, she just wanted to stand on the trailer and try not to fall down. It was pretty funny. Fin still doesn't know what "Come this way" means and runs wide open in the direction that SHE wants to go.

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I bought Fin her first gownie (as my mom says). I'm not one to buy clothes with cartoon characters on them, but every little girl needs her Disney gown. Fin's has Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White and Belle on it. Does it get better than that?

She still plays with her tea set daily. I am OCD about it too. I REALLY don't want her to lose any pieces to it!!

The picture below is right before my battery went dead on the way to see Daddy at his Open House. She looked really cute in her "Fergie" hat (as Daddy calls it) and her jeans. Trouble is, though, that everyone thinks shes a boy when she wears it. While we were at Daddy's work, Fin got to run through all the HUGE houses and play in the leaves. She climbed rock hills and even tried to eat some of them!

Fin likes playing with her doctor's kit. I got out her robe and tied a ribbon around her head to help her look the part. It only lasted a few minutes...

Fin is pooped after a long day.

You can never have too many stickers on your face...

Fin didn't know that I was behind her taking this picture. She knows she's not allowed to play with the computer... Sneaky little thing....

Video explanation: "Yep, you caught me, Mom. I was playing with the computer. Look, here's what I was doing...."

Things I don't want to forget...

Marcel and I were talking about the neat (and strange) things that Fin has done and still does. I hope that I never forget them, so I am going to write them down here...

1. Fin dances to EVERYTHING. She will tap her head to commercials that are on TV. She even does a little dance when she gets close to the laundry room and can hear the washing machine or dryer going. It makes me laugh EVERY time too. It never gets old.

2. Fin stays in the bathtub FOREVER, every night. She loves being in the tub. She has a million bath toys and plays with every one of them before she HAS to get out (which she doesn't do pleasantly even if you have let her stay in for an hour).

3. Fin loves "tubes" of everything. She chews on the tops of her diaper cream, her toothpaste (and ours) and her lotions. This probably isn't a good thing, but she seeks them out!

4. Fin also loves to chew on her Tylenol bottles (the tops are soft). This probably isn't a good thing either. Now, though, she asks me to give her some. She enjoys the taste of the medicine also. I don't give her any and try to divert her attention, but she does ask me...

5. Fin LOVES Keebler's "Sweet Peas." Seriously, she loves them. Eats them one by one. Its funny because Marcel DETESTS them. He doesn't even like the site of them...

6. I have never seen a child consume a hot dog as fast as Fin does. She inhales them. They are her all time favorite food. Thank goodness for them too, because they are high in fat and my lactose, egg and peanut intolerant kid needs all the fat she can get...

7. Fin poops EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. When I used to change my niece and nephews diapers, I gagged EVERY time. Well, when we first brought Fin home, she didn't poop for the first 3 days. I really do think that this was God's way of making me THANKFUL for Fin pooping (and not gagging). Since then, she has pooped every day. Really...every single day...

8. Fin would rather be outside than at Cinderella's Palace (probably - that's just the neatest INDOOR place I could think of really quick). She LOVES being outside and RUNNING!!!

9. Lately, Fin can't wear enough jewelry at one time (or mittens for that matter).

10. Fin has always HATED having her diaper changed. Not because is hurt, but because it was terribly boring for her.

11. Fin was born with a little red birthmark on her shoulder. Every time there was a nursing rotation change in the nursery, the "new" nurse would point it out to me. It is now completely gone.

12. Fin "used" to say uh-oh and no-no, but she stopped. Now all she says is "Mama" and "Dada."

13. Fin has been scared of her Papa since she was about 6 months old. Breaks my heart...

14. Since Fin never enjoyed "tummy time" (in fact, she loathed it), she "scooted" instead of crawled. It was pretty funny to watch and boy did she get fast at it!

15. If there is a button close to Fin, she'll push it (especially the car alarm button on my keychain)!

16. Daddy lets Fin help drive and she LOVES it!

17. Fin sleeps with her blanket on her head.

18. Fin started sleeping all night when she was 1-year-old. The pediatrician said as nicely as she could that it was ME and not Fin. Oops....

19. Fin is a Baby Wise baby. I'm not always sure if Fin was such a pleasant baby because I had her on this schedule or if she was just born that way, but I think Baby Wise is the best thing EVER!

20. Fin still drinks at least 2 bottles every day. She is still my baby!!!

My Crazy Kid!

Obviously, we have too much time on our hands here in Charlotte (see below).

Fin decided today that she wanted to remove ALL the pots and pans from under the butcher block and sit under it. Again, again and again. I finally just put the pots somewhere else... (you can really see the SpongeBob teeth in this photo too)

Daddy raked leaves again today and Fin still wasn't sure about playing in them. She had a disgusted look on her face the whole time while she debated on whether or not she wanted anything to do with them.

If I've said "No! Don't go in the street!" once, I've said it a million times! So, Fin stands at the very edge of the yard just to test me.

Mr. T came to visit and left Fin some of his necklaces. She wears them most of the day along with her McDonald's bracelets and "bling-bling" necklace.

I just thought this shot was funny. Marcel has agreed to give Fin at least ONE bath a week since she gets irate if you don't let her sit in there for AT LEAST 30 minutes. It gets real old, fast.

We have had an ant problem in the living room for the past couple of days. I figured that it was probably my fault because I do let Fin have her snacks and juice in there. Marcel has spent lots of time trying to figure out where they are coming from and/or where they are going. I found several ants on Fin's books today and was DETERMINED to figure them out. Well... come to find out, it wasn't me! Someone (I'm not naming names) decided to put some "fruities" in her toybox! The ants were having a field day! I decided not to give her a spanking though... kidding... I'm all talk. She'll probably never get a spanking because she's WONDERFUL!

Candy Corn is My FAVORITE!

Daddy brought us home a pumpkin to carve on Thursday! Fin loves to be outside and we had the best day. Mommy carved one side with "Fin" teeth (just two on the top) and Daddy carved the other side. Guess which side won?

Fin raking the yard...

Then... she jumped in it! She acted like she was shocked that it was okay for her to roll around in it!

Mommy and Fin

My sweet little piece of Candy Corn! It was the best costume ever!!

My sweet neighbor (and friend) Stefanie with Baby Chase (the puppy)!

Fin walked right by the lady holding the candy (see the foot?) at this house and headed toward the pumpkin!

This is an action shot....

She's so tiny!!! All the neighbors just went on and on about Fin's costume. All the husbands and kids were called to see her at each house.

Poor Fin had no idea what was going on all night and did whatever Mommy told her to do!

Another action shot!

Here's what Fin was thinking - "Wait? What are we doing? You mean I get to walk up to their door today? Why wouldn't Mommy let me all of the other 100 times I've tried to do that?"

The video below needs a major explanation. Marcel, being the musician that he is, taps on EVERYTHING!! ALL THE TIME!!! EVERY TIME he taps a rhythm, Fin stops what she is doing to "dance." She does a variation of moves all depending on what position she is in. While we were playing outside with the pumpkin, Marcel started tapping the knife on the pumpkin to a song from "Jack's Big Music Show." Here's what Fin did (and does)...