Weekend.

We had two birthday parties.

Four inches of snow.

A dozen green cheesecake filled strawberries.

One Spidey, scaling our coffee table.

And less hours of sleep than I would have liked.

How was your weekend?

Finnisms

Finn: I just saw Dave and you on your computer.
Me: Dave???
Finn: Yeah, Dave and you, when you were in someone's wedding.

{I'm not quite sure when Daddy became Dave, but it cracked me up.  He thinks that he’s very clever now that he knows people’s real names.  He very importantly told me that his Gigi’s real name was Janet.}

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Finn: Do monkeys breathe air?
Me: Yes, Monty breathes air.
Finn: Not Monty!  Monkeys!
Me: Yes, monkeys breathe air.
Finn: Like humans?

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Finn: CAT in OHIO!  *hysterical exaggerated laughter* 
Me: Not cat in Ohio… Canton, Ohio!  It’s a town honey.
Finn: Oooooh!  *still giggling*  I thought he said Cat in OHIO and that is silly.

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While watching an animal segment on the Today Show and seeing the snapping turtle… 
Finn: Those are really cool.  Hey, those are ‘rec-tiles’ but Milosh said they’re not ‘rec-tiles’ but they are. {Then the animal guy was talking about them biting and there was a long pause from Finn.} We should NOT get one of those. 

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Finn: Oh, sorry about the testicles Daddy. 
After accidentally hitting Dave in the junk while wrestling.  OK, I know I shouldn’t laugh about this, but it seriously cracked me up.

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Finn: Phew!  Monty! 
Dave: Jeez Monty.
Finn: Poodle, you smell like butt and bananas!
Finn after taking another sniff: Daddy you need to wash him a lot.  Like a LOT.

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Favorite Baby Items

Four years ago, when I was pregnant with Finnegan, I could not wait to register.  I took my mom with me, surely she would be a help!  There were cute baby sized towels!  Look at the clothes!  Bedding options!  Swaddling things and tiny little socks!  And then, right there in the middle of the store I began to have a panic attack.  PANIC ATTACK.  Why are there so many choices of bottles?  I don’t know ANYTHING about safety items, WHY do you need a clip for your toilet?  Do babies crawl in there or something?  Which baby wash do I use??  I don’t even know!  There are twenty different crib mattresses.  Is one better than the other?  Mom, do you know anything about crib mattresses?  Do I need to buy special baby water???  Why does Dreft cost $238.93 for approximately 4 loads of baby laundry?

And on and on until we left the store with approximately 12 items on my registry and a crying panic stricken mom to be.

It was awful.  Terrible even. 

I had gone there with a plan, I had written down the big things.  I knew which car seat and stroller we would get, I made a little notation not to buy into the need for wipe warmers or other unnecessary items, I knew that the Baby Einstein gym and that Papasan swing would make our list.  I never thought of the 8 million little items that we would need and I grossly underestimated the sheer amount of baby shit that is out there just waiting to prey on new moms.

I re-grouped after that fiasco.  Dave did research on all of the techy or safety items, things like baby monitors and safety gates.  I did research on things like bottles and diapers and nipple cream.  We divided and conquered that baby store like two champs.

And after all of that, when Finnegan actually arrived, I really discovered my favorites.  Those must have, can’t live without, items.

So, here we are four years later.  Baby numero dos.  While I {thankfully!} do not need to register again, we will need to pick up some new things for this little bug.  There might be new stuff, there may be better options, and I love hearing from real moms about what really works.

This is where I ask you for some help.  I’ll take any and all recommendations for your “must have” baby stuff.  So, spill it…

what are your favorite baby items?  what worked for you and what didn’t?

The Boys

In just a few short months, there will be two more cousins running around.  Another rough and tumble {red headed I hope} boy.  And  the youngest, but only just by two or three weeks, our little girl.  I am guessing that she will be just another part of the gang.

Finn is the oldest, then ten months later came Myles, then Colin who may be the littlest, but also just might be the toughest of the bunch.    They are the three musketeers when they are together.  There is plenty of wrestling and thanks to the awesome Aunt Punka there is fort building and running and jumping off couches and jokes that they laugh at, but no one else understands, and just being boys.  They are fierce and their club is tight. 

Baby Girl, I already feel bad for the boys who will come calling.