Two years have gone by IN.
A. FLASH. But on the other hand, when I think about all the things Finnegan can
do, it seems like it would take far longer to master. Here are some things
Finnegan can do now that he couldn't do one year ago:
1. Pick out
his own socks.
He also picks out his own shoes, breakfast,
favorite toy of the day, and nap time. Sometimes Finnegan's choices are
whimsical and other times he reaches these choices with the passion and drama
of a highspeed chase on the discovery channel.
2. Recognize
his letters.
This development seemed to happen overnight. He's better with some letters than others. Finn will joyfully identify and yell praise to the letter E. (This happens every time we walk through the mall. Do you realize how prominently
Estee Lauder is advertised?) But letters like C, are identified as “nom nom
nom.” Which requires the listener to understand Finn’s train of thought. “Nom nom nom" is
the sound of Cookie Monster eating cookies. C is for cookie. That’s good enough
for me, but I hope he refines these mnemonic strategies before first grade.
3. Do somersaults, test
his balance on anything (the higher the better), and snuggle.
Well, the last
one isn’t new. Finn’s been a great snuggler since day one, but it happens less
often these days, so when it does, I know he is deliberately seeking out a
snuggle, which makes me appreciate it more.
What can Clark and I do
now that we couldn’t do one year ago?
1. Intuit what snacks and toys will make Finn happy in pretty much any given situation.
We don’t always have these supplies on hand…something to strive for in Finn’s
third year.
2. Take the
phases in stride.
This makes us relish (but not feel too boastful about) the
I-only-want-to-eat-wild-salmon-and-broccoli phase and not worry too much about
the I-only-want-to-sleep-six-hours-at-night phase. These phases pass more
quickly than the time it takes us to read a book on the behavior and try to
implement new practices, so we’re better about going with the changes.
3. Communicate
telepathically.
It’s crazy how we can work together without speaking. To know
when Finn needs to leave a situation, how special it feels when he learns a new
word, and how one of us can remember an important item that the other forgot.
In all, it’s been a great
year.
And here are some highlights of the day.
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| Decorations! |
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| Clark and I snuck into Finn's room the night before and hung this on his door. We woke up to his laughs and exclamations of Ernie?!?!? Quack quack! ELMO!!!! |
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| And more decorations just outside his door. |
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| The tube was a hit! Perfect for goofing around. |
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| And for resting |
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| Finn loved his new easel |
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| And the artist thought mommy needed a little touch up with the new markers. |
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| After a little dinner and cake |
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| (which was enjoyed by all) |
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| We got back to playing with the presents |
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| And more presents |
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And more presents
(thanks grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins!)
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