To kick off the "official" start of summer, we went to the Slye's for a BBQ. I say "official" because apparently summer doesn't really start until June 21 even though it has been hot as fire for a lot longer than that. Since the Slye's have a new baby to contend with, we took the party to Baltimore. Plus, they have the BEST backyard, filled with lots and lots of plastic toys. We had a blast and the kids had even more fun. It was great to sit outside and sweat our fannies off with some of our best friends. Hello summer!
Samantha shows off her Dora the Explorer swimsuit
No texting while driving, Finn!
The only photo of all three kids
BUBBLES!
Wait, I was wrong: here's another photo of all 3 kids
(Sorry Jack)
What? Us get into trouble?
Why play at the water table when you can sit in the water table
Yum, popsicles and juice box
Also know as dinner
Sam: Quick the coast is clear
Finn: Let's blow this joint
Barrett is tuckered out just from watching the others play
When you put your normally extremely vocal child in "time out" for two minutes and don't hear a single sound during those two minutes, the mission has not been accomplished.
Well, we are officially at the halfway mark. Finn is 6 months away from being three years old. And I have to say I'm a little choked up as I write this, because three sounds so old. But that is still another 6 months away, thank goodness. I have to say that so far, two has been a really good year: a busy, exhausting, exciting, frustrating, funny, and sometimes-want-to pull-my-hair-out kind of year, but a good one.
I know there are growth spurts, but I feel like we are having a growth sprint. In just 6 months, he has gone from my squishy little toddler to a long and lean, little boy. He runs like a big boy, he talks like a big boy, and he acts like a big boy (most days). . . a boy who can do everything by himself. Except sleep in a bed. Because he is still sleeping on his crib mattress on the floor in front of his toddler bed, not to be confused with actually sleeping IN his toddler bed. Because that would be silly.
I have started writing this post several times and always stop because I can't quite come up with the the things I want to say that I feel will capture Finn at this point in his life. Because with all of the drama that two encompasses (and there has been plenty), truly it is a magical year. He is learning and growing and changing so much that I wish I could press pause, somehow bottle him up so that I will always be able to remember him exactly as he is right this minute.
Two is a big year and so much happens and I'm just so afraid that I will forget who he is and what he's doing at this stage in his life. I can catalogue what he is doing (or not doing as is usually the case), saying, thinking, not eating and I know that I will probably do that at some point this year. But, when Banner sent me these pictures, I realized that pictures do speak a lot louder than words. And these pictures scream Finn.
Most of you know that we went back to Charleston a few months ago and had our friend Banner (Banner Photography), who also photographed our wedding, take some pictures of Finn--his first official photographs. I had high hopes riding on this photo session and that should have been my first clue that the session was not going to go as well as I had planned. Mainly because the primary subject was a TWO-YEAR-OLD. In my opinion, the photo session was a disaster: he looked every which way but at the camera and he did the exact opposite of what you wanted him to do. I was so frustrated. But looking at the pictures you would never know. Banner is such a pro and has such an amazing eye. She was so patient with Finn (and me). Finn left with a new friend to say the least and I couldn't have been happier with the finished product--Banner totally captured the energy, heart, spirit and CURLS of my two-and-a-half-year old little man. Here are a few of the highlights. Obviously, George and Night-Night made cameo appearances.
If you haven't been living under a rock, then you know that Toy Story 3 opened this weekend. And guess who was one of the millions of people who saw it over the weekend?
Finn has been having a love affair with the characters from Toy Story for the past few months. Woody #1, Buzz Lightyear, a close #2. We have all of the Toy Story-themed paraphernalia: book bags, stuffed animals, talking figurines, pajamas, cars, toothpaste and the list goes on and on. So when Mark announced that he was taking Finn to see Toy Story 3 in the movie theatre, I only second-guessed him for about 10 seconds. Mainly because the point of going to see a movie in a theatre is to SIT and WATCH. Finn is not really a sit and watch kind of guy. But, he does LOVE Toy Story so I figured they would break even.
Mark and Finn walked to the movie theatre, bought their tickets to the 10:30 AM showing of Toy Story 3 (have you ever seen a movie that early in the morning?), got their refreshments--popcorn and cokes and headed to grab the best seats in the house. Mark said that from the minute the previews started until the credits rolled, Finn didn't move a muscle. (Except to knock his drink over).
After the movie was over, Mark asked Finn how he liked the movie and Finn said, "do you want to watch it again on that big tv?" Mission accomplished.
My friend Alisha FINALLY had her baby boy. I say finally because she was nearly a week late. And those last days are tortuous. Especially when the day the baby is supposed to be here comes and goes. With no baby in sight. Anyway, the good news is that he is here! And he is precious. Big sister Samantha is happy to have a new baby to play with . . . to add to her doll collection. Here are a few pictures I "borrowed" from Alisha.
Barrett Lane Slye
June 11, 2010
8lbs. 20 oz.
Congratulations to the Slye family. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to the hospital to meet baby Barrett because our entire family was sick. But I was able to go this past weekend and spend some time with baby Barrett and his big sister Samantha. It felt so weird holding a newborn after 2 years of toting my little man-child around. He is so sweet and such a good baby. I can't wait to go back for another visit.
