11 months

Learning to read takes intense concentration

It would be cliche for me to say the time has flown by, especially since every single mom from the beginning of time has had the same exact sentiments, but realizing that in one short month...4 quick weeks...28...okay you get it, Finnegan will be one year old really blows my mind. If I look back on the time it really doesn't seem like the time flew by. Matt, Finn and I packed so much into these past 11 months that Finn's birth seems eons ago. Even so, it is pretty surreal to be planning a birthday party for my son.

Month 11 of all the months seems the most uneventful. I think Matt and I are starting to get into our own parental rhythm. Morning snuggle with Finn followed by a hurried dash to get out of the house on time (normally because I am snuggling too long with Finn), work day, Matt picking up Finn from daycare or his Grandparents house, I arrive home around 6ish to help play with Finn and get dinner ready, a messy sit-down family meal that ends with Finn being air-lifted straight into the tub to wash off most of his dinner, and finally down for his night time bottle, a story or two and sleep. Then it all starts up again in the morning.

Although our routine rarely changes day to day there are always new revelations, stories, laughter and lessons that Matt and I, as new parents, are attempting to learn from and grow by.

Likes: opening every cabinet, drawer, toilet seat and box to see what is inside, pushing cars around the house, chewing the noses off all his stuffed animals, feeding the dogs from the table during dinner & turning on and off the lights in all the rooms but especially the rooms with fans.

Dislikes: laying still to have his diaper put on, putting on pants or shorts, tomatoes, being removed from excitingly dangerous situations such as trying to open the oven, not being able to reach items that are above his head & being strapped into a car seat.

The boy in the box

A box never gets old

Wagon Train

Welcome to the wild wild west people...okay maybe not the wild west, just Placerville. Although some would argue that Placerville is pretty wild.

This year the whole fam jam made it down to main street to see some horses pull some wagons and to vote for the best ribs, and if you were wondering, the best ribs were made by my cousin Ricky.

Putting out the fire

Deputy in training Finnegan

Deputy Matty

Papa and Cici checking out the ribs...serious business

wagons

and more wagons

The Bestest Best Friends



Jill-bean

Matt catching some ZZZ's in the kid tent

Yeee Hawwww Cousin's are fun

This year Placerville held a rib cook-off in conjunction with the Wagon Train and if you haven't caught on yet my cousin Ricky was in the competition.

Here are the ribs in question:

Isn't your mouth watering?

Jilly approved

And here is the man himself, with his winning metal! So it wasn't first place, but he got first place with all of us.

old photos

I finally found some time to get some of my older photos taken off my camera and edited, so here are some old photos

First taste of yogurt. I believe he approved

4th of July parade

Pit stop on the side of the road on our way up to Placerville

Softball practice

Such a true statement