Finn at 11 Months
I've found myself being incredibly emotional lately. Thinking back to a year ago, my big belly, my swollen feet. I can't believe it's been a year since we were anxiously awaiting Finn's arrival. I remember wondering what he would look like, stressing over labor, waking up every day wondering if today was going to be the day. Gosh, time really does fly because today Finn is 11 months old.It's funny how parenthood gives you blinders. When I was pregnant, I would envision the future - the days of Finn walking and playing t-ball. But when he arrived, life stood still. I couldn't fathom the little infant boy being able to sit up, or eat food, or have a conversation with us. It's almost like my mind wouldn't let myself go there - like it was telling me to stop and enjoy the moment because they go by too fast. But now we are here, a month away from his first birthday, and this mama is an emotional mess.
Parenting:
I've been wanting the days to pass slower lately, which is a change from the earlier months. I can now look back and truly see how much has changed in a year (or 11 months, let's not get ahead of ourselves!) and really appreciate that. David and I are great partners in this journey, and I'm so grateful for that. Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever experienced, but I love learning more and more every day. I also appreciate other parents so much more, and I love talking with them about how they approach different things.
Physical Growth:
We haven't weighed Finn in about a month, but he is getting heavier and heavier on my hip every day. I need him to start walking because my back can't take much more. He is close to standing on his own, and loves walking with our help, or the help of his walker. He is, to put it simple, a solid kid. He is strong and coordinated and just freaking adorable!
Mental Growth:
Finn is a huge fan of books! Give the kid a book and he is happy for hours. He loves chatting and trying to get his brother's attention - and Juneau is starting to interact, too. He is just a fun kid, I can't really put it into words. He's busy and curious, sweet and gentle. I just really feel lucky to get to be the one to teach him about life!
Sleep:
7pm-7am... still going strong! Finn has started fighting his afternoon nap, but with a longer morning nap, he does just fine.
Eating:
Finn is a champ and will eat just about anything. If not, we will try it again a few days later and he will give it a go. He is eating a lot of finger foods, and we've been able to wean a bottle from his diet. He now eats 6 oz of formula when he wakes up, before he goes to bed, and twice throughout the day. He usually gets an egg or cereal in the morning, some yogurt throughout the day, a veggie for lunch, and some protein and more veggies or fruit for dinner. This has been a learning curve, but I think we are on the right track.
Things I Don't Want to Forget:
- When Finn is finished with his bottle and is ready to go down for bed, he sweetly puts his head on my chest and licks his lips several times. It's the cutest habit that I hope he never breaks.
- Gosh, that toothy grin!
- Finn is now starting to crawl around, hoping that we chase him. He'll do this mid-diaper change as well, which makes for an interesting game! But he knows what he is doing, and the fact that he is giggling the whole time makes it impossible for you to get frustrated!
