Bringing Home Baby

Katelin and Finley (June, 2009)

Finley recently turned 5 months old, and yep, she’s still a butterball. Jen and I love her rolls though, you just want to eat them up. Finley is also one of the happiest babies. She’s smiliing nearly all the time and responds to our smiles with an even bigger grin. It’s priceless. We recently went to 3 Brewer/White Sox games at Miller Park in Milwaukee with Finley. Jen still doesn’t feel comfortable leaving her for an extended period of time so we took her to the games. She actually did really well at the first two, the third game was a bit more of a challenge.

Now that she’s starting to grow into herself, we’ve been getting all sorts of opinions on who she looks like. Some say, “oh, she’s the spitting image of Jen” or “she looks exactly like Katelin.” Some even say she looks like me! (not what Jen wants to hear). I’m curious, who do you think she looks like? Give us your thoughts and enjoy the new pictures.

Finley Mae, 5-months-old

Have you ever heard the term “balder than a babies butt?”  Well at first glance at my nearly 5-month-old little butterball, you might think her head is actually balder than her butt.

But you would be wrong.

Look closer…

closer…

even closer…

See it?!?!?

Finley Mae has one alfalfa sprout of hair towering above the other fuzz that is starting to come in.  She was born with this one long hair and I thought for sure it would fall out immediately.  When it was still there after a month - I took a picture of it thinking it would be a matter of days before her scalp let go of the grip it had hold on it.  But it seems this hair is here to stay.  (actually, my brother-in-law Pat almost plucked it off her the other day and I nearly tackled him!!!)

It’s funny, I’ve grown quite attached to this little lock of love.  It’s the one thing that hasn’t changed (at least not that much) since she was born.  It’s my hold on her infancy.  My baby is growing bigger right before my eyes and it makes me both happy and sad.  I can’t wait at all the fun times that are ahead of us…but at the same time I am so sad that my baby is getting so big.

My advice to all of you first time parents…take nothing for granted.  Everyone tells you that it goes by so quickly…but I am here to say - it really does.  Before you know it they’ll be grown and gone.  Just like I know that one day I will wake up and that two-inch hair will have fallen out.  *sniffle sniffle*

How many times have you said that in your household?  I knew having two children would be different than one, but boy did I underestimate.  I still don’t know how single parents or parents with multiple children do it!

There’s not a dull moment in the Thompson household these days, and by dull, I mean there’s really no down time.  It’s been quite an adjustment with me and Jen back at work full-time.  Jen obviously leaves for work early in the morning, then it’s time for me to take over with Finley. Sometimes that means 5:30am or sometimes later, it just depends on what kind of night she’s having. Then, at about 7:00am, it’s time to get our other daughter Katelin up and going.  I have to help her get breakfast and get Finley fed a bottle. Then, it’s on to helping Katelin get dressed and ready for the day (although she’s become a pretty self-sufficient 7 year old), load up the two girls (and sometimes the dog too) and head off to school.  After dropping Katelin off at school, it’s back home to keep Finley happy and entertained.

Oh, she’s finally down for a nap, yeah, I’ll have a little bit of time to take a nap myself.  Nope. The pile of dishes in the sink is staring at me, there’s cleaning that needs to be done all over the house and the grass looks like it hasn’t been mowed in two weeks.  Jen arrives home between 12:30 and 1:00pm.  We get to spend a little bit of time together, maybe have lunch, but then I have to start getting ready for work.  I head off to work at 2:30pm, while Jen is spending time with Finley (the piles of laundry and the growing weeds in the garden are staring at Jen).  At 3:00pm, Jen has to load up Finley and go pick up Katelin from school.  At 4:30, it’s time for Jen and the girls to get ready for Katelin’s swim lesson or some other after school function. They all head off to the “Y”, sometimes Finley is a doll, sometimes not. They arrive home a little after 6 o’clock and Jen realizes, oh no, I haven’t thought about dinner. She tries to be super mom and is grilling burgers outside while cooking mushrooms on the stove inside, Finley is over on her playmat fussing because she’s hungry and Katelin is yelling “I don’t want a burger for dinner.”  At about 7:00pm, I arrive home for my dinner break.  I try and relieve Jen for a little bit with Finley, but then it’s time for us all to eat. I spend a little bit of time with the girls before it’s time to start getting Katelin ready for bed, while Jen is feeding Finley again.  I get Katelin down to bed and have to head back into work, while Jen tries to get Finley and herself down for the night.  And then it starts all over…

This is a typical day in the Thompson household, but add in haircut and doctor appointments, work obligations outside of your normal hours and sleep deprivation and there’s definitely not enough time in the day!  I can’t complain though, I have three wonderful girls in my life and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Sing it with me now… “rollin’ rollin’ rollin’…”

It’s been a big week in the Thompson household.  Just before Finley Mae turned 4-months-old…she rolled over for the first time!!!  It’s so funny to watch the build up before they can actually roll over.

First she starts to raise her legs in the air…

Then a few days later…she begins to angle to the side…

After that, she presses her head into the ground…

…and before you know it - voila…she’s on her belly.

Unfortunately for Finley…she hates actually being on her belly and hasn’t yet figured out how to roll back.

So it has become a little game of rolling over, crying in frustration and flipping her back.

Rolling, frustration and flipping her back.  Again and again and again…

It seems a little early for her to be rolling over already although I’m sure it’s probably about average.  I can’t remember when Katelin first did it.  How about your kids…when did they first roll over??

As for the 4 month check up…enough with the shots!  I know it’s for their own good and it would be much worse if they actually got the illnesses that the shots are protecting her against - but man is it horrible.  And for all of you that thinks she looks enormous in the pictures…she is.  She came in at 90% for height and 75% for weight.  Can girls play in the NFL?  I love it though.  Katelin was always pretty skinny with little chicken legs.  Finley’s calves look like tree trunks and I lost count at the number of rolls on her thighs.  I just want to eat her up she is so cute.

My first week back full time went pretty well.  I only had to call three times a day to see how she and daddy were doing.  Apparently she was fine without me.  *sniffle sniffle*

I cried a little on Sunday at the realization that I was the mother of two on Mother’s Day.  It’s still strange and wonderful to say that.  I have two precious girls.

Life is good.

Well that’s the latest.  Keep checking back, we’ll make sure to keep you posted on any other major milestones!

Jen

It’s been awhile since I’ve written on the blog (Jen said it’s my turn!) so I thought I’d give you an update. Finley is about to turn 4 months old!  Wow, how time has flown.  As you saw from the pictures in Jen’s previous post, she’s our chunky monkey.  I just love it when babies get chubby.  They’re so cute.  However, with all that she’s been eating, she’s also become our little spit ‘r upper.  After one or two times of Finley puking all over my suit and tie or Jen’s work clothes, you’d think we’d get the hint to carry a burp cloth with us 24/7.  Wrong. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been caught dripping in spit up.  Yuck.  Thankfully for me, she seems to like mom’s shoulder better than mine!  Katelin was also a spit ‘r upper when she was a baby, although Finley seems to be even worse.  We’ve tried burping more often during feedings and other things, but nothing seems to work.  Any suggestions for us?  Anything you’ve found to work?

It’s really nice that Finley has turned a corner.  We’ve gotten on somewhat of a schedule which includes a little more sleep for the both of us.  She’s such a joy to be around.  She’s a very smiley, happy baby. What a 180 from just two months ago.  However, Jen goes back to work full time on Monday, which means I’m on my own all morning long until about 12:30/1:00pm.  Wish me luck.  It’ll also be a very hard day for Jen too so send her some thoughts of encouragement.

Mike