Not Hardly Missing It

About a month ago, our microwave went kaput. It was sparking every time we used it, so we threw it out. The crazy thing is, we haven't really missed it that much. Yes, occasionally it would be nice to heat something up quickly. But we've had more important things to spend our money on right now, so we've done without. And really, it's been okay.

Finn's Morning Routine

I'm a get up and go kind of person. It's a rare day if I'm not showered and ready to get out of the house by 9am. (And yes, I have thought about what this is teaching Finn that we go constantly....just not ready to make the adjustments for more time at home...but that's for another post.)

JJ on the other hand likes to linger awhile in the mornings. He would be happy to sleep until 10:00 or 10:30, watch TV for a little while, make some eggs and toast for breakfast, shower and be ready to go around, eh, noon!

I think Finn might be taking after his daddy a bit. He stirs for a long time in the mornings before he actual wakes up. Then once he's finally up, he starts talking and playing. When I come in, I usually find him with a couple toys and books spread around him, perfectly happy.

I always ask, "Are you ready to get up?" and he always says, "No." So, I get him a snack and some juice, he eats it in his crib and plays for about fifteen minutes or so. Sometimes I sit in and talk with him. Sometimes I use those extra minutes to unload the dishwasher or enjoy my cup of coffee. Doesn't matter to him. Either way he's happy.

Here is how he looked this morning:

If I Had a Million Dollars

I knew it was inevitable. I've known since the day he was born that one day, at around 2 years old, Finn would learn to love the word "no."

It has happened. He says "no" about a thousand times a day. It doesn't matter what I'm asking him. Even if it's something he really wants to do, he'll pretty much answer every question with a "no."

There is one exception and it cracks JJ and I up. If you ask him if he wants a million dollars, he'll answer yes every time. You can ask him five "no" questions in a row and then ask, "Finn, do you want a million dollars?" Every time: yah.

Smart kid.

Letters & Colors

Finn isn't exactly talking yet, although recently he has started saying a few words here and there. He has really amazing communication skills and receptive language and I am not worried in the least. I know we are right on the brink of an explosion of words and phrases.

Two things we have been working a lot on lately is letters and colors. He can point out about a dozen letters and can say most of the main colors.

Last night we did a little art project (finished product to the right...stupid blogger will not rotate the picture!). I've taught him his letters based on his friends' names, as you can see I've written them in.

Here is what we did:

1. I handed him a bunch of sticky foam letters that I bought at the dollar store. He stuck them where-ever.

2. I asked him to point out the different letters and then wrote in the name of his friends (he has lots of M friends!).

3. I pulled out the paints but kept them on the other side of the table. He had to specifically ask for the color he wanted. It was so cute because for some, he'd have to think for a minute (like purple or brown) and would be quiet for about thirty seconds and then yell "bown!" really loudly once he remembered. Love it!

Pantry Divers

Most of our friends and family know know that JJ is an incredible chef. I say chef and not cook, because he really does create his own recipes, which is where I think the line between cook and chef is crossed.

I would say JJ and I share the cooking duties pretty evenly, but we are very different in the kitchen. I am a recipe follower to the letter (except when I get lazy and leave out steps, usually to the foods' detriment). JJ just makes things up as he goes. I think in our six years of marriage, I have seen him reading a cookbook less than five times and it's always for reference (Should I do the roast at 450 or 500? If I use baking soda instead of baking powder, how does that change the recipe? etc, etc).

I have often said that JJ should try out for "The Next Food Network Star." His POV (point of view) or show, would be called, "Pantry Divers." Basically, the idea would be that he and his team would randomly knock on someone's door and then create a meal from whatever is found in the pantry. Kind of like "Take Home Chef" but with no shopping ahead of time. He'd literally have to make something up from what he finds, which is essentially what he does every time he cooks dinner.

For example, after lunch today, this is what I found waiting to go out to the recycle bin:

1. Tomato Soup

2. Butternut Squash soup

3. Chipotle Salsa

I also found:

1. An empty Tupperware in the sink that I know recently held green beans

2. A wraper in the trash from a pound of ground beef from our newly purchased cow

Who knows what he made with all of these things? But I'm sure it was probably yummy.

My Fall

Yesterday I took a pretty bad fall. It hurt. I cried. Finn cried. And today, I ache. A lot.

I was holding Finn and reached down to grab a catalog out of the mail. When I stood up, I took a step backwards, not realizing that Finn's wooden train was right behind us. As I started to fall, I instantly knew that Finn was going to take the brunt of it, so I twisted myself around so that I would hit the ground first.

It worked, Finn never touched the ground, but literally all my weight landed on the train. My main point of injury is my leg, which slammed into the bell on the top front of the train. The picture doesn't do it justice.

I am not a person who hurts themselves often and I hate it. I hope I feel better soon!

Sleeping In

Yesterday Finn slept until 9am. It is 8:15am and he is still sound asleep. This is a kid who has woken up right around 6:45am every day of his little life.

He is fighting a cold, but I'm hoping that maybe this new trend will continue. I'm loving getting my workout in, checking Facebook and enjoying my coffee without any mommy-guilt that I should be paying better attention to him (because let's be honest, I usually do those things whether he's up or not).