Changes

Well, it's finally time to come clean with you all. For those of you who don't know, Dru and I are expecting our second child October 21, 2010. We were a bit surprised - I was still breastfeeding Fin and we were taking precautions, but God had other plans for our family. And, it's actually going to be a significant and relevant birth to the Findley family, as there have been several generations born when a parent was 30 years old - my great-grandfather was 30 when he had my grandfather, my grandfather was 30 when he had my dad, my dad was 30 when he had me, and now I'll be 30 when I have this new one! So, that's really neat for us. I am 20 weeks pregnant (halfway there already!) but we have yet to find out what we're having. All of my appointments have been good - I really like my OB, Dr. Dustan Hughes. Dru and I will probably opt to deliver at a birthing center rather than the hospital, and Dr. Hughes delivers at the center (for those of you who don't know, a birthing center is designed to simulate a home birth, but has medical emergency equipment right at hand just in case - doctors rarely deliver at them (it's usually just midwives) but my doc champions the center and delivers there as well!)

I have been EXTREMELY sick with this pregnancy - nauseous around the clock and vomiting multiple times a day, but fortunately it's finally starting to calm down. I am still nauseous periodically, but it's been almost 2 weeks since I vomited (knock on wood) and my energy is returning. Working 12 hour days at a busy pediatric clinic while nauseous and exhausted has been a real challenge, but the folks at work have been wonderful and I've made it through. My belly has popped out much sooner and much bigger this time around - I still hadn't built my abdominal muscles back up from the last time around. I felt rather ridiculous and a little depressed at having to bust out maternity clothes 14 weeks into the pregnancy, but I have to be comfortable! :)

12 weeks pregnant - I already have a belly

16 weeks pregnant - look at this monster - I can't imagine what I'll look like at 30 weeks!

Our other bit of very large, and for us life-changing, news is that Dru was offered a job with the city of Boise as the Plant Mechanic at the wastewater treatment plant. To maintain unemployment status, Dru was required to apply to 3 jobs a week. He happened to apply to this job, thinking there was no way he'd be qualified for it. However, they called him up for an interview, and out of over 100+ applicants, they chose him. To be honest, I was devastated at first - we had finally got into a routine with Dru staying home with Fin and it was so nice for me to have the extra support at home with being so sick with this pregnancy. But, this will be a great job for Dru, will allow him to mingle with other guys, the benefits are fantastic, and our church daycare had 2 openings in the infant and toddler room one week before Dru accepted the job. I am still really struggling with the whole daycare thing for our children - I cry every time I think about someone else watching over my babies 3 days a week - so please pray for me to have peace about this. Thankfully, the daycare is at our church and the infant room only has 3 other babies. I know Fin will have a blast playing with the other kids - he LOVES people - but it's still hard for me to accept...the waterworks are starting to flow again even as I type this. So, if you think about us in the coming days, please pray. Dru starts his new job tomorrow, but Fin won't go to daycare until Thursday, my first day of work this week.

The job offer letter that Dru received - pretty incredible!

Funny Fin

Our little man is such a pleasure - we get a kick out of him. Here's what he's been up to lately:

First, we're very fortunate to live only 5 minutes from one of my dear college friends from George Fox U. Anna and I couldn't believe how close we ended up living to each other after all these years of keeping in touch. We went over to her house to have dinner with her and her parents last week. Fin had a blast - he didn't think much of the dogs or cats, but he loves playing with people!


Fin and Anna


Next, Dru got very creative and turned this funny little alcove in our house into a play haven for Finny, complete with colorful mats. All we have to do is put a baby gate up, and Fin entertains himself in his little play room.


Fin still loves to be teased, and has this habit of burying his face in your chest and then popping back up with a big smile, just like in this picture

Look at that face

Fin also loves being outside now that the weather has been nice. Dru rigged up a way to keep him in one place for awhile - put him in his jumperoo attached to a ladder...oh my creative hubby

Fin enjoyed the novelty for awhile

He also likes to crawl on the concrete - don't know why

He's got so much hair now

He's also into EVERYTHING now - we can't keep a book on the shelf. Here he is early on a Sunday morning - look at that impish, mischevious look on his silly face!

He pulled down a book and thought it was the best thing ever

Because he plays so hard he also sleeps hard. Somehow, he managed to pull his stuffed frog off from the top railing of the crib where it hangs, and Dru found him cuddled up with it. Too cute!

Finally, here are several videos of Fin.

He has now learned to wave, and typically waves from his chubby little wrist.

Here, he disappears around the corner and waves when he hears "bye bye"

He's also making an odd new sound "duck-a duck-a"; here he's making the sound a bit


He likes to be sung to, also. His favorite song is about snack time (big surprise) and he actually claps and expects to eat when he hears it


Here are more of his classic "mmm's" when he eats, with a few other sounds mixed in for fun


And here he gets even MORE vocal - hilarious, with an even funnier surprise ending

Happy Mother's Day!

I celebrated my FIRST Mother's Day on Sunday. What a sweet day! Dru and I hosted a barbeque at our home for my family. We had so much fun.

Me with my pride and joy, my sweet little boy


In the background you can see the lovely flowers that Dru got me for my first mother's day and to celebrate our second anniversary, which was the next day (May 10th).


When everyone arrived, it was off to our patio for some grillin'. I'd made Dru an apron for our anniversary (2nd anniversary is cotton, so I got him a cotton apron labeled "Dru: Grill Master".


All the moms - clockwise from lower left: Grandma, sister Chelsea, Mom, me, sister Julia, niece Callia (who's not a mom yet but she loves to have her picture taken!) :)

All the moms with their kids!

The babies need to eat, too. Fin can't enjoy BBQ quite yet, but he still loves his bottle!

New Brother-in-Law, Heath, who supplied to brownies and the beer for the occasion

My dad, enjoying the day and the grandkids

Then it was back inside for homemade ice cream courtesy of the Grill Master. He made two batches - coffee for all the ladies and strawberry for the gents - YUM!

Fin loves his cousin Callia and she's more than happy to play with him




Fin's also a sucker for Aunt Chelsea

The gang, enjoying ice cream

Julia, Gretchen, and Ben. Ben supplied potato salad, fruit salad, chips, buns, and drinks for the event. Way to go, Ben!

Gretchen and Callia inspecting the ice cream

We had a lovely afternoon, and we had some nice (albeit windy) weather for the occasion. Someday, I WILL post pictures of our entire house and yard, I promise! :)

Chelsea's Wedding

My younger sister, Chelsea, got married 2 weekends ago. We are so thrilled for her and her new husband, Heath. They had a small, gorgeous wedding in McCall, Idaho. Instead of making just a day out of it, they made an entire weekend out of it. We had such fun!

First, we celebrated my sister Julia's 31st birthday at a pizza place in McCall. It was an evening of silliness and anticipation.

The birthday girl

Julia and Callia

Uncle Dru doing a coloring project with Gretchen

Our family with the birthday girl

Aunt Chelsea goofing around with Fin

Poppy and Aunt Chelsea with the granddaughters

Then, it was off for a girl's night out for Chelsea's bachelorrette party. We made her dress up with a crown, sash, and boa

The party planners with the bride-to-be

The party-goers: 3 sisters and Chelsea's good friend, Kandy

We went to a pub and had some drinks and gifts. The bride had to play "how well do you know your fiance" and answer 30 questions about her husband-to-be. For every answer she got wrong, she had to take a drink; she got about 12 wrong, so she did pretty good.

Then it was off to another pub to play bachelorrette pool, a game I made up. Each ball was assigned a specific task and if she or her pool partner hit the ball in the pocket, she had to perform the task. Here she is, hitting her next shot with two inflated balloons in her mouth. She was such a good sport!

Then we hit the dance floor to boogie

Serious air guitarring from the bride to be

When we left, we found that the boys (i.e. Dru, Ben, and Heath) decided to saran wrap Chelsea's car shut

Being the resourceful gals that we are, we saved all the wrap and hit Heath's motorcycle back at the hotel....sweet!

The next day we had a small bridal shower for the out-of-town guests that wouldn't be able to make it to her local shower

Julia and I after setting up; Jules made cupcakes and I made cream cheese mints

My cream cheese mint creations - turned out nice

Chelsea with guests. Here, with our grandmother who recently moved up to Idaho after my dear aunt passed away

With cousin Jodi, whose husband was the wedding photographer

Guests

Opening gifts

Me with the bride-to-be

The four Findley gals

Chelsea and Callia

The next day was wedding day! The day dawned sunny and gorgeous. Chelsea and Heath were married in a room with large windows overlooking a lake and mountains - it was beautiful. Here is the happy couple with their nieces and nephew.

We had a wonderful time, and took some pictures outside after the wedding. Here was the backdrop to the ceremony....stunning

Fin thoroughly enjoyed the day, especially afterwards when he got to crawl around on the reception floor

Then it was time to say goodbye to the newlyweds. Dru, Ben, Julia, and I decorated the car

Fin thought it was hilarious and couldn't wait for Chelsea and Heath to come out and see the mess we'd made of their car

Here they come! They were good sports, and drove away off to a honeymoon in Napa Valley, CA. What a wonderful weekend!