I've been a Blackberry user for about 4 years. I was embarrassed when I first got one--I felt pretentious and slightly ridiculous. As I became more and more fascinated with the internet, I embraced Blackie more and more.
Secretly, though, I wanted an iPhone. Blackberries were for business men, iPhones are for hip, cool people. I was hoping to fall in the latter category.
I waited and waited. And I got tired of waiting for the marriage of Apple and Verizon. And because I love love google, I got a Droid.
And I love it. A lot.
Here are some things I love about it.
Swype. I was nervous to to type on a touchscreen, but Swype makes it faster than I was on old Blackie (may he rest in peace). I make more typos, but I feel so cool swiping my finger around and producing words. It's magical.
Pandora. I can play it from my phone. It's kind of amazing. It's pretty much a radio, when I stop and think about it. Do they even make radios anymore?
Barcode Scanning. I don't see any real purpose for these, but I think its amazing that I kind find the lowest price on Pirate's Booty just by scanning the bag.
Camera. I love my DSLR but it is BIG. And my phone is in my hand/pocket at all times so I can snap a quick pic of Finn and upload it to twitter like THAT. Get ready for more pointless pictures, more often.
Also you can go here for my friend Sarah's thoughts. She wrote a great post about some of her favorite apps. And she was the technology chair for my sorority so she's legit.
The funny thing is, my new phone is barely a phone. When I check the usage stats, I have used it as a phone about 1% of the time. Isn't that crazy? I remember getting my first cell phone and that's sole purpose was to make phone calls. If I was in danger. What has the world come to? Well, whatever it is, I like it.
Anybody else just get a new, fancy Droid? Or a lame, overrated iPhone? Or two tin cans attached with a string?
Just kidding. We don't feed our kid coffee. He just really likes to pretend to drink from things. (I thought this picture was better than him pretending to drink from a beer bottle.)
And here's our little man trying to watch Jillian Michaels bust a move. He's so tech savvy.
But really, aside from the fact that I am obsessed with these bug pajamas, this post is to let you know that Finley just keeps growing.
Major events this month include:
3.5 new molars and some very disrupted sleep and very grumpy days.
Walking more and more... he's walking more than crawling these days and seems quite pleased with himself.
Occasionally he is able to locate his belly button and nose.
Rubbing his hands together to help us put lotion on him.
Throwing some pretty awesome tantrums. He's got the leg kicking, laying on floor, yelling thing down.
Lots of bumps and bruises on his sweet little head. He got his first band-aid and lots of ouchie kisses. We're still working on balance. Now I know how Lucille Austero feels.
Middle schoolers are funny. I'm sure you already knew that, but I just wanted to remind you. I really love this age group, but I kind of hope that Finley is able to skip this stage. They're awkward. They worry about silly things.
And they wear RIDICULOUS stuff.
Have you seen Silly Bandz? They're the latest fad sweeping the nation--they've made one savvy entrepreneur rich and been banned during several states' testing. A lot of my girls (and some of boys) think they are awesome. Silly Bandz are silicone bracelets that become funky shapes when you take them off--a palm tree, Michael Jackson, a unicorn... the kids trade and collect them. Vic had kids who lined them up during state testing to be their cheering section.
What do you think? Cooler than Beanie Babies? Less cool than slap bracelets?
Today's the first day of summer, and I kind of miss their silicon laden wrists. But only kind of.
It's so good to be with good friends. And there's something extra special about old friends--friends who loved you through awkward wardrobe choices and unfortunate hairstyles. Friends who don't let you forget about the shenanigans you pulled in high school and are quick to remind you that you aren't as cool as you think you are (while you color Pirate Shrinky Dinks on a Friday night). Old friends are the best.
I was so lucky to get to see so many people when I was home! While I obsessively take pictures of Finley, I was horrible at taking pictures of us with all the friends we saw. Sorry friends. Promise I love you. Here are some highlights:
Drinking the world's tiniest Diet Coke with my lovely friend Kristin and her little girl Kate. (Remind me to tell you about how Kristin and I became friends--its one of my favorite stories ever.) Finley got to play with sweet, patient Riley and he and Kate pretty much ignored each other. Kristin and I took a moment to take a our family portrait on the fireplace, with our two favorite things: Diet Coke and Elsa Peretti necklaces. We're meant to be friends forever, clearly.
Going to see airplanes with my family--and hearing my dad talk about all the different kinds. Go buy a plane already, dad. I was so lucky that my family was willing to drive up from Tulsa to see us for a few hours!
Upon seeing a bump on my face, Jessi excitedly said, "Is that a zit?" in hopes that she could pop it for me. Also, we shared our unhealthy obsession with knowing far too much about acquaintances' lives. It's cool to be creepy internet stalkers. (Jess, why do I consistently take embarrassing pictures with you?)
Eating ice cream at Marble Slab with Hillary, big Allie (who is taking the picture below), Ashley and the BSC 2.0--and then being annoyed with all the high schoolers there. Please tell me we weren't annoying in high school. Please.
Finley finally finding doggies that love him back. Riley and Zeke let Finley crawl all over them and he was delighted with the sweet dogs.
Breaking out awesome dance moves at Allie's wedding... cycle and buffoon, anyone? And drinking margaritas and eating chicken fingers while Rhonda made me swear that I will come back for her wedding. I wouldn't miss it, Rhon. You know I love a good wedding. (I couldn't locate a picture of us WITH the bride... luckily she doesn't read the blog, so she may never know that a picture with her didn't make it. Allie was a lovely bride, of course.)
(Photo courtesy of Rhonda's fancy waterproof camera.)
Blogging certainly makes the world smaller... it was kind of crazy to see old friends and have them tell me that they love reading about Finley! It made me a little nervous to realize how many people read--I guess I best brush up on my grammar and spelling. And stop telling embarrassing stories about myself. It's also wonderful to bump into people that I have reconnected with via the blogosphere (I'm talking to you, Jenae!) and talk strategy about blogging with Kristin.
So good to see you all. There really is nothing like old friends.
I think that was the longest I went with out blogging. I'm almost scared to come back because I have a lot of fun stuff that has happened since last time, and it is overwhelming to think of sharing it all. So in summary...
I went to Wichita for my pal Al's wedding. I got to see friends. I got to see family. Finley played with some babies and dogs. We flew sans Sol and it was only slightly traumatic. Also, I had some Sonic.
We spent a lot of time together. We're totally besties now.
I have three more days of school. I'll catch up soon. After I sleep for like 100 hours.
It's just incredible--how quickly Finley went from needing to hold our hand to being brave enough to careen himself from place to place.
Part of me wants him to hold on to some of that fear of falling and to need me. I'm not ready for him to toddle off on his own yet. I don't want him to be able to walk away from me. I want him to still crawl in my lap and say, "Mamamamama."
Clearly, he is ready to go. This walking thing is fun. Or maybe it's just the new bug pajamas. Or maybe he thinks it's funny to walk like Franken-baby. I don't know what it is, but I know that we are enjoying the delight in our baby's face as he figures out this new skill. What a blessing it is to get to watch someone grow!
And one more video, in case you are blind to still pictures or something.
After months and months of cruising, Finley's finally brave enough to take a few steps on his own. I'd caught him a few times over the past week not holding on for a few steps as he cruised. And occasionally he'd take a step to get him from the couch to the coffee table.
Yesterday, Sol and I sat down and got some video of him walking between us. He'll take up to 10 steps alone! We're beyond impressed. One of the great joys of having children is always having something to celebrate. So we celebrate and cheer for him--because the days where he wrecks our cars and stay out past curfew are just around the corner.
Thank goodness I have a mischievous baby. Finley was getting into stuff on our bookshelves today--while he napped I picked up the mess he made. And look what he found!
The prodigal picture returns! You might recall the search for this picture from my mom's post; I'm so happy it has been found. Or embarrassed. But mostly happy.
As you can tell I used to be a snobby child. I clearly was NOT happy that my communion dress was not a mini-wedding dress like my little friends. (I did love those flowers in my hair. Thank you mama.) This picture is a constant reminder for me to stop thinking my life sucks--it's been all uphill since the blue dress debacle.
And I did get to wear a white dress eventually. Thanks for marrying me, Sol, even though I tend be snobby and whiny.
It's happened a couple times. I'll be sitting in a different room, and I'll realize its quiet. Too quiet. I'll run to wherever Finley is, and the last few times, this what I'll walk into.
Finley discovered several things. He can turn his milk upside down and shake it out. And then he can fingerpaint all over our floor with the milk. And then he gets real mad when I make him stop.
This week's topic at I Heart Faces is "Play." I love watching Finn learn to play--even if it makes a mess. It's darling that a sippy cup can be an entertaining toy.
I guess I need to buy some fingerpaint--any suggestions?
Friends keep asking me about cloth diapers. And they are hard to explain. I was going to take a bunch of pictures because I thought that would be easier than explaining. And then I decided to take a video because that is easier than editing many pictures. It would be even easier if you would just come over and I could show you, but for now, this video will have to work.
So for those of you who are interested or just bored, here is my short rundown of what we do. (Also, we had just got back from swimming--my new haircut normally looks slightly cuter. And I don't normally wear neon yellow shirts. And I'm not as crazy in real life as I seem on video. That's all the disclaimers I have. I am preemptively embarrassed about showing this.)
Do you think less of me than you used to? I hope not. Please love me.
Why we use cloth diapers. I decided to use cloth diapers for several reasons. 1) I thought they were cool. 2) They are cheaper. 3) They are better for the environment. 4) They are better for Finley's skin. 5) Sometimes I like to do crazy things just to see if I can do it (run a marathon, drink a gallon of milk, teach in an inner-city middle school). There is TONS of stuff you can read on exactly how much cheaper and better for the earth cloth diapers are and I'm not going to spout all that off. The bottom line is that it isn't best for everyone, but it is best for us. The Diapers We Use. We use BumGenius diapers. There are LOTS of different brands and styles, but this is what I have settled on. We have mostly All-in-One diapers--they fit babies from 7-35 lbs. They consist of two pieces, a microfiber insert and the pocket diaper part. Both pieces go in the diaper pail. They go on exactly like a regular paper diaper. I have a few Flip diapers, which is BumGenius' more economical line. They are also two pieces, but you reuse the outer lining a few times and just dump the insert in your diaper pail. And I have a few fancy Organic ones--they are like the All-in-One diapers but they are one piece so you don't have to pull out the insert after it is used. They are pricey.
Cloth Wipes. I wasn't planning on using cloth wipes until I realized what a pain it would be to find somewhere to put used wipes. What has been easiest is keeping BumGenius cloth wipes rolled up in a diaper wipes warmer. They are in a solution that keeps them fresh and wet. I've tried couple different solutions--this one is some little soap things (purchased on etsy) that dissolve in water. I keep the solution in a gallon jug that I pour in whenever they start to dry out.
Washing the diapers. This part is not quite as fun... all that scrubbing of the poop and sticking your arms into turdy water. JUST KIDDING! The washer does 99% of the work. When the diaper pail is full, I dump them into our washer and run it once on the delicate cycle. This washes away most of the yucky stuff. (Now that Finley has solid poop, I flip that into the toilet and flush it before I put the diaper in the pail.) Then I run it on a normal cycle, then a hot cycle with an extra rinse with half the amount of soap. We use Allen's Naturally laundry detergent and it works well. The diapers should come out nice and clean. I toss them in the dryer or lay them out in the sun if they are a little stained. After they are dry, I stuff the inserts back in the diapers and we are ready to go!
Our washer and dryer is in Finley's room so it's extremely convenient for me. If I had to go up and down stairs to wash them, I very well may not have decided to do them. The other part that makes it SUPER easy is that we don't have Finley in a day care where they won't use the diapers. Amy helps (more than her fair share) at washing and stuffing the diapers when she is here watching Finley because Calvin is wearing them too.
The cloth diapers have never grossed me out more than a regular diaper. One thing that is good/bad about them is they do a GREAT job of holding in the stink. Sometimes Finley sits a little too long in some poop because we never smell it. But those explosive poops that newborns have? NEVER happens in a cloth diaper.
I have lots of other things I keep thinking of but this is getting kind of long. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. I'm not even close to being an expert, but I know a little bit.
Also, you can't use dryer sheets or diaper cream. Ok that's all.
Whew, I can barely keep up with this kid. I'm not sure how long I can keep remembering to write something every month. But I really love looking back and remembering how exciting it was when Finley first learned to pick up food, or roll over, or giggle for the first time. So for my own sake, I'm going to keep trying to update how he is doing developmentally every month. Even if I am consistently several weeks late.
And also for my own sake, I made a button in the sidebar that will take you (or me) to a post with each monthly update listed there. It was taking me forever to go back and find old posts. It would really help me out if everybody else with a blog about a baby would do that too--that way I can be reassured or frightened at my baby's development. Thanks. (PS: RV Designs can help you make a button if you want one. We're awesome and cheap.)
Eating: Finley's eating less and less mushed up stuff and more and more finger foods. He has a new love of using a fork and will happily eat just about anything on the end of a fork (including tofu!) He's still nursing in the morning and before bed and sometimes when I get home from school.
Sleeping: He goes to bed around 8 and gets up between 8 and 9 and I am PRAYING he keeps sleeping that late through the summer. He's just about decided one nap will do it for him--so we're trying to adjust his sleep schedule accordingly. It's been a little rough around here. Once this week he woke up at 3:30. In the morning. Early morning=Dunkin Iced Coffee.
New Talents:
He really likes to give big open-mouthed kisses. Most of the time he kisses our legs or shoulders; the kisses make me extremely nervous because sometimes his baby shark teeth get involved.
He throws really cute semi-tantrums--he'll put his head on the floor and then pivot on to his back. Sometimes he cries and kicks, and sometimes he giggles because its so fun to lay down (I agree). I've tried to record the little tantrums, but the sound of the video camera turning on is enough to end the tantrum. I have lots of videos of him crawling towards me, pulling up on my pants and trying to get the camera. I'm submitting my work to the Oscar committee any day now.
He's still not too motivated to walk or stand alone. I caught him standing by himself for a few seconds when he was eating some Pirate's Booty and needed both hands to shove it in his mouth. He's serious about snacking. He'll figure walking out soon, I'm sure.
I love his little face when he cries. Is that bad? I also love it when he is happy. Pretty much all the time I love it.
I watched the Grey's Anatomy finale. The first person killed was (SPOILER ALERT) Dr. Reed and I immediately realized I wanted to pay tribute to her through copying her haircut.
I googled a million images of Nora Zehetner and decided that was the look I wanted to emulate. That, or Justin Bieber.
And then, Courtney suggested that I photoshop the haircut onto my face so I would know what it looks like. I failed at that. Apparently, I'm not the photoshop wonder I thought I was.
After a long inner-debate and a discussion with my hair stylist, Dominique, we decided that if she thinned the heck out of it, the style would work. So off it went.
Responses from the eighth graders have been generally positive. One student told me it was "gorgeous", some walked by me and giggled in their 13 year-old awkwardness. One said, "I like it. It's puffy." Another asked me if I had any dance moves (I'm not sure if this is related to the hair.) And one sweet 7th grader told me he liked the old haircut better, and I think he thought that was a compliment.
My verdict? I really like it. It takes even less time to do than the old hair--which was a LOT less than the really old hair. And it's kind of funky.
So there you have it. I'm just living my life, every day trying to make sure that I don't look like an Asian teenage boy or a 50 year-old woman. (No offense, Other Asian or Mom.)
Oh, and if you have any headbands you don't wear anymore, send them my way. Dominique told me that I have to wear makeup and accessories. So I'm working on that.
Newsflash: I got a Droid.
