Time Warner....

I would like it known I already pay WAY to much, for seriously shitty service. If this happens HEADS WILL ROLL.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28446829/

2008 Wrap up

So I'll give you a real post here on the last day of 2008. Finn had his 6 month well check this morning. He's doing great, 18lbs 2oz, 26.5", and growing like a weed. He eats bananas, avocados, and occasionally rice - and we got the all clear to go ahead and feed him pretty much anything with the exception of citrus, dairy, egg yolks, or nuts until he's 1, and no meat until he's 9 mos (which is fine, because I don't want to puree meat anyways, she said at that point I can just give him small chunks). He regularly gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth, but faceplants as opposed to going forward. He can also half pull up to sitting, its like a sideways push up/pull up type thing. He loves his toy piano he got from Grandma Peggy & Grandpa Julian for Christmas, it is by far his favorite toy.

My mother is absolutely freaking insane, the cliffs notes (since I'm sure she doesn't want me sharing) are she is having surgery next week, and is planning her untimely demise as a result. It's a very common surgery, she will be fine, but she's super on edge, and as no great surprise, I'm taking the brunt of her frustration. She seriously was tearing me a new one the other day because I forgot to send my grandmother a picture. She also likes to tell me on a regular basis how I am doing everything wrong with Finn, and I need to do things differently, however I have the happiest most well behaved baby she's ever seen. Hopefully once she has her surgery she will calm the hell down, or else I may just lose it!

I'm going to my Dad and Julies in a few weeks and I can't wait!!! I want to see them, see Michael, and see a real winter since its 75 here. We're moving in about 6 weeks, something else I can not wait for. The ass holes next door still have 3 very noisy dogs, and bow dip shit behind us has a guitar he sucks at playing (electric to boot), and a weight bench he in forever dropping the bar on. I want to be in the house NOW!!!!

In Nichole is an old lady news, I spend a lot of time knitting - all kinds of stuff. Pants for Finn, hats, scarves, and a gift for Sarah's baby (I'm not gonna say what it is yet because I know she reads this). I don't care how dorky it is, I really enjoy it! I'll take pictures of some stuff and post later.

That's my final update for the year- so enjoy it!

I've been told I'm cheating

because I'm just posting pictures, and not stories. Tough. For now, you get more pictures... I'll tell stories later!

Merry Christmas

Love, Finnegan

I may not like Christmas

but I like this song. And I love Johnny Depp

He's a mess

Avocado take two

So I fed him his normal banana's, and for the last little bit, I mashed an avocado into it. He was none the wiser







And this is where he likes to play....



And in my mother pissed me off news - I called her this morning to tell her I have a cold, and feel like shit, and now she thinks I'm pregnant. I can tell you with 100% certainty that I am NOT pregnant, and if I am, its the freaking second coming. She refuses to believe me though. What a pain in my ass.

What happens you try something new and it's green

This

I'm bitter

Wanna know why? Because its been 75 damn degrees here all week long. The northeast has a blizzard, California had snow, the Mommys on the baby boards are even ranting about snow in the desert. I WANT SNOW!!!!! I know I am one of only 6 people in this whole damn state who wants snow, and that I live at the beach, where people like to remember "The Big Snow". No joke, ask any local, it snowed in 1989... 15 whole inches - at once. I grew up in Rochester NY, and they get a shit ton of snow. They average 95 inches per winter (wikipedia told me so), and in case you didn't pay attention that day in math class, average means 50% of the time they get more than 95 inches. I have many many memories of going to school when there was two feet of snow on the ground. Once we even had to sit on the school buses for almost an hour once we got there because the locks were frozen and they needed to unfreeze them. I only remember one occasion where school was canceled for snow, I was in 3rd or 4th grade and had a sleepover at Amanda's house. I can't tell you how many inches it snowed, but I can tell you it was over my head (It was the Storm of the Century if you want to know more). It was a good 3 or 4 feet at least. I also have fond memories of snow on Halloween, and even once on my Dad's birthday (May 5th). At this point, I'd take a cold breeze. Its supposed to cool off early next week, but only to be 75 again by the end of the week. Bah Humbug.

Julie tagged me

But the tag said to go to 'my pictures' go to the 6th folder, and the 6th picture. Well this assumes I'm that organized. I actually moved all of my pictures to CDs a few months ago and restarted with an empty 'my pictures' (thank you monster computer virus). So I have two options - the 5th folder 6th picture, or just the 6th picture since I have random pictures floating around. I will do both.



The first picture is Finn, he is showing off his rolling abilities and how he can roll every where he's not supposed to be. Seriously, I can't even leave him long enough to pee without coming back to find him in a corner, with cat toys, my breast pump, the cable box, or some other random not meant for baby thing



The second picture I stole from Julie a month is ago - this is my baby brother Michael making a break for it out the dog door - hahahaha! He is getting bigger by the second and I can not wait until I go to CO in January and see him!!! (And my Dad and Julia too, but you know how it is)

Here are my 6 bloggers I tag to go to the 6th folder, and get the 6th picture, and tell a story

Heather - Eric and Heather + Travis
Karissa - Gleason Life and Times
Amy - Emerson Kaye Landis on the Way
Erica - Because I Thought Life Was Supposed to Start at 22
Kaycee - Life as a Mom at 22
and even though your blog is private Cory - because I want to see what you find

He is going to crawl at any second

Mom rant of the week

So tonight will be an adventure. We are going to Jay's... I'm going to call it a 'company holiday party', but if you know where Jay works, and the people he works with, its a free night at a trashy bar with some hardcore restaurant kids. As you can probably guess, Finn will be staying at home with Grandma and Papa (Jays parents), and Mommy is going to get all dolled up and go have a few drinks. As you can imagine, my mother is slightly jealous of this whole situation, but Jays parents live 10 minutes away, and she lives 120 miles away, and she wouldn't babysit late night on a Monday anyways. Well she asks me every day if I'm nervous. I have told her repeatedly that I"m not nervous about Finn being ok, Jay's parents have raised two children, and are 100% competent to watch a baby for a few hours. I am worried that Finn is going to wake up to nurse, and I won't be here, and they're going to have to try the bottle, and that's very hit or miss, and there is the potential of Finn crying until he gets what he wants. Every time I tell her this though, she immediately starts patronizing me like I'm going to burst into tears the second I walk out the door, and call ever 20 minutes. GAH! I love Finn with all of my heart, but I haven't had a night out in over a year. I am going to enjoy myself, and let Jay call to check once, and that's it! For whatever reason, to my mother, concerns about feeding, and first time mom babysitter neurosis are the same damn thing!

And now she wants to babysit too.... not happening!!!

New videos

Here is Finn eating Bananas (and yes, I call him Goone), the faces make me think he may not be a huge fan



And here is Finn scooching/ watching Law and Order. I was eating while I took this, so I had to stop it to get him away from the TV. Damn the TV...

To everyone with children 12 and under...

Have you heard about the lovliness that is the new law the CPSIA has passed? I came across it on my baby boards, and initially blew it off, since women on the baby boards tend to be a hair neurotic. But apparently, it's legit. For those who don't know Mom Loves Today has a good post about it here. For those who don't even want to read that much, here are the cliffs notes. Over the past few years, the amount of led in kids toys has skyrocketed, and led is bad. So long story short, a new law was passed that all products intended for children under the age of 12 have to be tested. Well the bad news is this does not exclude work at home moms or small businesses. More bad news is that it applies to finished products, not materials used to make the product. So even if the fleece you bought was tested, you are responsible for testing your finished fleece pants - in every fabric you have. Led testing is seriously expensive, and the shittiest part is the $100,000 fine if any product has not been tested. The internet is on fire because tons of work at home moms are being forced out of business. Compliance day is Feb 10, 2009. Go here and try to help get the law 'fixed' so to speak. Yes led testing is important - in toys my kid will chew on, not a t-shirt I bought for Finn from not WalMart.

Fiestaware anyone?

So we are moving in February, to an already painted house. In case you don't know me well, it will be a cold day in hell before I repaint anything. With that, we will have a yellow kitchen. Well all of our current dishes/accessories/ beautiful Kitchenaid Stand mixer is red and black. You can bet your ass I'm just going for red, black, and yellow now because I love my dishes, and I'm way too cheep to replace them. Internet stalking has led me to this at Ravings of a Mad Housewife. You can all enter too, but should all enter for me - haha, just kidding... kind of...

Now I want yellow dishes - too bad Jay would have a heart attack if I bought any more.

100 Things

I think I have seen this on every blog I read lately, so I figured I'd do it too. Bold are the things I've done

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity.

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain. (kinda... A little Boone mountain)

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child - no but my Daddy has almost twice now

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept in an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitchhiked

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar.

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (speeding like fast, not speeding like illegal)

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chicken pox

89. Saved someone's life

90. Sat on a jury - even though I've had jury duty three freaking times I've avoided this

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

So apparent;y I'm not the most boring person on the planet... although a lot of these were 10+ years ago

Sorry I suck at posting

I'm trying to finish 5 million things in time to mail them for christmas. Here are some pictures to hold you over.

For your enjoyment until I get the weekend pictures up

(sorry, I need to dust my scanner)

Off for the weekend

I'm off to Apex with Finn for the weekend. We'll be at the Christmas parade on Saturday night and Old Navy jeans sale on Saturday morning if you want to come see us (otherwise I'll be at Moms or Josh's). I'll take pictures. Byebye

Not quite a boob nazi

So as I'm sure you've all figured out by now, Finn is breast fed. I'm not a crazy 'in your face if you don't breastfeed your ruining your child' type, but I will happily argue any day that it's best for babies. I don't fault anyone who chooses formula, I just think everyone should have access to the proper resources to breastfeed if they desire. If you agree, go here and think about signing the petition. I hear a lot of women (especially in the baby forums) who give up because they are having trouble and want to continue, but don't have the help or know where to get it. Did you know in the UK it is illegal to show babies younger than one year with a bottle? In print, movies, ads, whatever - because it promotes something other than breastfeeding. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for two years minimum, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a minimum of one year. I have no idea how long I will nurse Finn, but my goal is in the 18-24 month range. I have been quite surprised by the number of people who assume all babies eventually need or switch to formula. I've had a few comments about when I'd get Finn on formula. In case you don't know, the answer is never. When he is off the boob, he will drink cows milk. I didn't think that was all that uncommon, but apparently, people like to make assumptions. I want to reiterate that I have no beef with people who choose formula for whatever reason (with the exception of women who choose formula because their breasts 'belong' to their husbands - you ladies need to smack the shit out of your husbands and tell them to shove it), I know a lot of people who use formula, but I think the majority of this country should be educated on breastfeeding, and how long is 'normal'.

The video

We did it

So tonight I caved and we fed Finn 'solid' food. I really had wanted to wait until he was 6 months old, but was hitting my limit since he is still exclusively breastfeeding (no bottles, not even pumped bottles, he wants nothing to do with it), and some growth spurt craziness is making him eat every hour and a half to two hours. I love him more than life itself, but it was time. He had about 2 or 3 tsp (powdered, I added breast milk to it which made it seem like more) of rice cereal. We only did rice cereal because we have it and it was free, once its gone, I'm sticking to veggies and fruits cooked by me (meaning no jars - gotta keep up with my own crunchiness!) The rice went well. He made some funny faces, and like good parents, we got 3 videos and about 65 pictures. Here are some pictures and when I have time I'll get a video on the youtube later.