Precious Finn, you turned 8 months old yesterday!

Finn developments: We thank the Lord for the way you continue to grow so beautifully. Here are some current stats:

Weight: 19 lbs (52%)
Height: 28″ (64%)
Head size: 17.5″ (50% — Yes, it’s true! For some reason it just looks huge!)
Clothes: 9 months
Diapers: Size 3
Tooth Count: 2 bottom middle teeth came in the week of March 20 and the top middles feel like they’re trying to push through!
Hair: Still trying to figure this one out but it is growing a little… 😉
Eyes: Keeping those baby blues for sure!
Skin: You still get dry patches and dry cheeks but Gold Bond with Aloe lotion has been a life-saver for you. It’s the only thing that works on your skin but clears it up in no time.
Word count: 1 – “Dada” – of course. Just like Colt. 🙂

Precious soul, my little Finn, I have fallen so hard in love for you, baby. You have completely won my heart with your sweet smiles and infectious laugh. You have such a genuine warmth to you. I love getting to spend my days with you and honestly go to bed each night wishing for more time with you.

Somehow you have managed to stay the sweetest, easiest baby on Earth. You have the calmest demeanor and have been so resilient through all of the craziness in our lives. (To add some color to this, this Friday you will take your 20^th flight! And that’s to say nothing of the many road trips all over the place.) But no matter the circumstance, you always adjust so seamlessly. What grace from the Lord!

These days you enjoy sitting up to play or playing on your tummy. You will roll and scoot all around, moving yourself far away from wherever we initially place you, however you have yet to start crawling. I think we still have a month or so before you get to that one. But I’m certainly NOT in a rush for you to be super mobile!

You love toys, music, mirrors, and anything that you can grab or munch on. You like music and love watching people dance – you think I’m such a cool pop star and an awesome singer/dancer. Kind of nice that someone thinks this. 🙂

You just started playing peek-a-boo! I had you on the changing table and you grabbed a cloth and covered your face. When you pulled it off I said, “peek-a-boo” and you giggled and covered yourself up again, then repeated it. We sat there playing it for 10 or 15 minutes – I just couldn’t handle how precious you were and you were absolutely loving it!

One of your very favorite people in the world is your sweet brother Colt who is AWESOME with you. He is SO good at playing with you, “reading” to you, and generally entertaining you. When you wake up from a nap he loves to be the first one to run into your room and greet you by patting you on the head. If I sit you down on the floor he will run to bring you “a couple toys” and often wants me to put you on a mat or something soft. It’s SO sweet.

Colt also loves talking with you and “helping” you talk. You babble a lot but the only “word” you’re saying is “Dada.” Of course we don’t assume you know what it means but it’s sweet to hear and funny since it was Colt’s first word as well. Still waiting on one to say “Mama” first… 😉

Schedule: What an easy baby you are little one. I think that soon you will push your morning nap a little later and merge naps 2 and 3 but for now this is a typical schedule for you.

8:00 Wake up & nurse #1 with mom then play with Colt.
9:00 Breakfast for you (and Colt).
9:45-11:30 Nap #1
11:45 Wake up & nurse #2 with mom, then play with Colt.
12:30 Lunch for you and your bro.
2:00-3:30 Nap #2. (This is also when Colt does his “quiet time” so this is key for me!)
3:30 Wake up & nurse #3 with mom then play with Colt.
5:45-6:15 Nap #3.
6:15 Dinner time!
7:45 Nurse #4 with mom then get ready for bed.
8:00 Lights out!

Eating: You are an awesome eater! You nurse great with me (although I’m getting a little nervous as you’re teething…) and you take a bottle easily as well. Still all mom – we’ve never tested formula on you yet.

You LOVE eating solids. In the beginning we gave you almost all pre-made purees but over the past month we’ve really shifted towards giving you whatever we’re eating. So far you are MUCH easier than Colt when it comes to eating. You are excited to try anything and have basically liked everything we’ve given you including apple slices, bananas, sliced strawberries & other berries, orange pieces, roasted or boiled broccoli, cauliflower, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, cooked tomatoes, avocado, black beans, white beans, shredded chicken, hamburger, lunch meats & cheeses, pancakes, eggs all ways, pretzels, etc. etc. The only foods you have expressed a dislike for were sour grapes and greek yogurt – both gave you the shivers!

I think that with Colt I pureed things for so long because I found it to be a more efficient means of getting good nutrient into his system but I THINK this contributed to him being more sensitive to different textures and unique flavors and just trying new foods in general. Therefore I am trying to be more consistent about just giving you whatever we are eating, however we are eating it and so far you are into it.

Sleep: Angel baby. You are an incredible sleeper. Ever since you dropped your night feed (back at 7 weeks!) I have never had to wake up and feed you in the night. You have had times where you woke up in search of your paci but as soon as it was returned to you, you were happy and asleep. And by this point you’ve totally let that habit go as well.

After your last feed of the night we change your diaper, zip you up in your sleep sack (with a WubbaNub paci tucked in with you) and lay you down. You silently put yourself to sleep within minutes. You normally sleep on your side but will also sleep on your back and most recently your tummy as well.

You first two naps are easy & clockwork but lately your third nap has been the least predictable which is how I can tell you’re almost ready to give it up. Sometimes you are just asking for it and fall right asleep but other times you aren’t quite tired enough so get upset about being left alone. Normally you do end up falling asleep but sometimes I can tell it’s just not going to happen so I go ahead and grab you.

I am thankful that you’re so flexible as you often have 1 or 2 naps on the go somewhere as well, but since your second nap lines up with Colt’s quiet time, we’re usually able to get that one in the crib which is nice.

Mom: Finn, what a BLESSING it is to be your mom. I truly thank God for you every day. I know it might sound silly since you’re only 8 months old, but I feel like I know you. I feel like I can see aspects of who you are and who you will be as a person. And I see great things. God defines greatness very differently than our culture and this world does so I don’t know if “great things” means President of the United States (or Brazil!?) or if it means working a simple job and loving your family well or if it means serving others in a difficult and low way… I have no idea. Of course. You’re 8 months old! But God has given me faith to have a vision for your life and for your life’s greatness. I can’t wait to see it unfold.