The Smedshammer Saga: September 2009

Our happy, precious little boy turned 10 weeks old today. At his doctor's appointment yesterday, he weighed 11lbs 7oz and was 23.5 inches - he went from the 25% in both his weight and height to the 35% in weight and the 55% in height! He IS going to be tall like his daddy after all. He is smiling and cooing a lot now....such fun. Here (finally) are some good pictures of him smiling.

"I am a boy, a happy boy, a healthy boy, a hungry boy...."

We (again, finally) went to visit Fin's "aunt" Mellie Pie this weekend (AKA Mary Ellen Sawyer, our dear, dear friend from church who has been a wonderful support and blessing to me and Dru both individually and as a couple). Fin had a few "almost" smiles for Mellie Pie, but was battling some pretty bad gas pains that night....poor Fin....poor Mellie Pie! :)

Fin also graduated up to a new swaddle this week - the velcro was wearing out on the old one. If you've never seen/heard of these things and you have not yet had children, trust me on this one - they are a MUST HAVE. They're like individual blankies that velcro together to keep the infant swaddled up nice and tight without having to worry about them rolling out of the swaddle. Fin absolutely cannot sleep without it - he'll wake up crying in the middle of the night if even one of his arms has managed to wiggle out of it.

Fin also had quite the week of falling asleep on/with his daddy. He has a knack for coming up with some very (ahem) creative poses.

Fin's also enjoying a new wardrobe now that he can fit into 0-3 month clothes well. Here we are before going to church one morning - check out the sweater vest - TOO CUTE!

Hanging out with dad "preppy" style

Here are the random photos of the week

I'm full....

Moommy, can I have a HUG??? (yes, his shirt does say "I love my MOOMMY" - there's 2 little cows on it)

Who's your daddy...uhh, I mean moommy

That's right, girls....I am officially one of the BOYS - check out this camo. I am seriously ready for duck hunting and four-wheelin'. Wahoo!!!

And finally, a little video of Fin cooing and batting at objects dangling from his gym. I couldn 't be happier than to be the mommy of this little man. How God has blessed us so!

Unbelievably, our "little" man is 2 months old already - he was 8 weeks old on Tuesday. To give you (and us) an idea of how much he's grown, I put his newborn picture side-by-side with his 2-month old picture - look at the difference! Pretty incredible! He's got so much more personality now - he can be such a cuddle bug or such a stinker - and I know it's only going to get more and more pronouned. Two months from now he'll be a whole different baby again.

Fin's 2-month milestone was commemorated with his first overnight trip! For Labor Day weekend, we went to New Hampshire with our friends, the Pullen family. Our first stop was at the Lancaster Fair - summer's not quite complete without a visit to a fair!

Lunch break...notice how I was NOT the milk cow while at the fair...there were too many others

Of course he had to wear his "cowboy" hat!

Looking at exhibits

A good ol' fashioned sheep shearing - the kid turning the wheel is generating the power for the shears - pretty cool!

Out of the carseat! - checking out the animals with Daddy and Hannah

Our family - notice how Fin's looking at ME instead of the milk cows....hmmm.....

Pretty horses

Oxen teams. Why yes, son, those ARE big cows (steers actually, if you wanna be a nerd about it)

And of course, no fair is entirely complete without the rides. While Fin skipped out on the rides this year, you'll notice just above Dru's head, in the last seat on the coasater, are me and Hannah with our hands up in the air...whew!

Then it was off to check into our motel room for a quick nap and to feed Fin. This was Fin's first stay in a motel, so, like a true nerd, I had to capture it on film.

Setting up the pack 'n play

Three little monkeys, layin' on the bed...

Cuddling with Mommy

Naptime with Mommy after a full feeding

After dinner at the motel, we went and swam in the indoor pool with Hannah and Rick - very refreshing. Lorena watched Fin for us so that we could have a little time in the pool/sauna. Thanks, LaLa!

The next day we were off to an amusement park called Clark's Trading Post, where the main attraction is a trained black bear show (the picture is NOT with one of their trained bears!) :)

Outside the syrup house

Fin's getting free rides again

The trained bear show...we didn't have very good seats so these pictures are a little hard to see. Here, the bear is in a tutu.

Laying down drinking a bottle

Sitting on a "bear-al", clapping

Riding a scooter - seriously! Unfortunately this picture is blurry...

There was also an INCREDIBLE Chinese acrobat show - we got better seats for this one

Fin enjoying the action

Our view of the stadium

A very bendy lady

A very bendy and BRAVE lady

The park also featured a train ride - here we are next to the engine

...and on the train

Fin slept through the whole thing

The ride was very entertaining - it took us through the lands of "Wolfman" - a live character who accused us of trespassing and chased us in his old car...it was a very well-done act. There were several young boys on the train with us who had fake air guns and they were on a mission to bring down the Wolfman - it was so cute - Dru and I could just picture Fin in about 5 years from now with his own little fake gun, trying to take down Wolfman.