A Couple Stories

I forgot to mention these the other day when I blogged, so I thought I'd throw in an addendum:

When Finley was using her sidewalk paints the other day, I pulled up a chair with my sketchbook and pencils and started to sketch a future painting. I was holding my pencil in what we artists like to call the "violin-bow-grip", which is exactly like it sounds-how you would hold a violin bow to play the instrument. (Try it!) Finley looked up from her painting and saw me drawing like this and she shouted, "No, Mom! Like this!" She grabbed the pencil from me and held it just like you are "supposed to" hold a pencil if you were writing your name, etc. - which we artists call the "pen grip". She was pretty pleased with herself!

Then, I grabbed the chalk while she was painting and started writing stuff. She wasn't paying attention, but I was writing her name. She looked up and saw her name written on the step and she said, "That's Finny! Write Mommy!" So we went through a long list of family: Mommy, Daddy, Annie, Luke, Megan, Sadie, etc.

Finally, tonight Cam went to Canterbury with Chris Fett. Chris came to pick him up and we told her he was going to see the horses. She asked about 3,000 times where Daddy, Chris and Phil (don't ask!) went and every time she would answer her own question with, "Daddy go see horses. They poop in the street!" This is apparently a very strong memory from the parade we went to in Zumbrota last weekend. She's so funny!

Finley's Chart

Summer Fun

We have been enjoying these lovely, hot days since school let out. Cam has decided that we are going to do things this summer instead of staying at home and one of the things he wanted to do was go to a town festival. We went to Zumbrota to see Grandma, the crafts, and a parade. Finley LOVED the bands, but HATED the fire trucks. I'm pretty sure she didn't sleep the next night because she was dreaming of those huge giants rolling toward her honking their horns and screaming their sirens. As you all know, we've also been working on going to bed and sleeping through the night and potty-training. I have a whole bag of "prizes" for when she fills her chart up. The sleeping is going pretty well, but the potty-training is pretty much a no-go. She did earn some sidewalk paints, though, and they have been the coolest toy ever for the summer. She can paint on ANYTHING (herself included) and it comes right off with a dip in the pool or a spray of the hose. Even when it gets tracked into the house, it simply dusts away. I highly recommend this for all parents, grandparents, and baby-sitters!

First Weekend of Summer

Finley spent the first weekend of summer at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Waseca while Mommy finished up the school year at work. She had lots of fun playing with all the great toys and, of course, Grandma had to buy her some new clothes. Finley's favorite new purchase must be her new shades, which she wears in and out of the house and even sleeps in. She surprisingly wasn't wearing them when she played in the pool for 2 hours while Mommy got some good boat time with Grandpa. Mommy's favorite new purchase of the weekend is the art desk that G and G found on rummage. It is seriously the BEST! There is a spot for every possible art supply, which OCD Mommy and Finley really appreciate. While Mommy and Finley waited for Cam to come home from Chicago, we painted at the new desk. As soon as Finley started painting her hands and arms instead of the paper, we stopped and took a good, long bath. It's going to be a FUN summer!

So Beautiful

A Woman's Work Is Never Done.

So You Think You Can Dance, Finley?

I think Finley is going to be America's Favorite Dancer in the future. I know she's mine.

Finley's First Poop in the Toilet! (Warning: Graphic Descriptions!)

Last night, I think Finley was trying to show off for Uncle Luke because she decided she needed to sit on the potty and try to go. She sat in the bathroom for at least 15 minutes. She called in Auntie Annie, she called me in, and, of course, she called Uncle Luke in to watch her sit on the potty (she's kind of in an anti-dad phase now, so Cam was not invited). I went in again after awhile, thinking she was just trying to keep from going to bed, but I smelled a little toot action going on so I rubbed her back a little bit. I got tired of sitting, so I left. Remembering what happened the last time - long ago - Finley pretended to go on the potty, I had a feeling I'd hear panic if she really did start to go. I heard the panic and ran to see Finley trying to get up with poop falling from her butt! I tried to calm her down and sit her back down. She kept crying for her diaper but everyone came in and we all cheered and clapped for her. She couldn't let everyone down so she kind of nervously went along with it. We let her flush her turds down the toilet and then she got a sparkly sticker to put on her potty to remember her big event. We went to bed shortly after and she starting remembering her day. She told me about the train that went 'round and 'round (at the restaurant we ate pizza at earlier) and how she pooped in the potty like a big girl.

Today, when we got home from daycare, I asked her if she was going to try to go again tonight and she quickly said, "No! I scared when I go potty." I told her that, yes, she was scared but now she knows what it's like and she doesn't have to be anymore. She tried again later, but to no avail. Probably because she was really just trying to keep from going to bed. If that's what it takes, so be it!

Here Comes the Bride!

Sadie and Finley got new dress-up clothes from Grandma Brenda. At first, Finley wasn't at all interested, but after a little (or a lot of) prompting from cousin Sadie, we finally got her into the dress. It made for some pretty adorable pictures.

My Adorable Geography Genius

Finley is growing up oh so fast and her hair is growing with her! More than one person has commented on how her hair is finally starting to grow. Her "locks" on the side of her head are actually really super long and I'm having a hard time not cutting them. Finley is very into nail polish right now and tonight I had to paint her fingernails purple and her toes navy blue. The only problem is that the second I get a layer of color on her, she wants me to do a different color!

Now, in reference to the title of this blog, last night Cam and Finley were doing their nightly routine of putting together puzzles. Finley is a gem at doing whatever puzzle you put in front of her and Cam can also stay busy for just as long with the puzzle of the USA. Cam was focusing very hard on putting the US together last night without the wooden base. He was working on the east coast when Finley came over, pointed to California and said, "Nanny Paige live here?"! Later, I had her show me where she lived on the puzzle and she said, "Umm...I live here!" and she pointed straight to Minnesota. She's a geography genius, just like her Daddy!

We also are enjoying a lot of Sadie hand-me-downs, which we acquired on our trip to Waseca Friday. As you can see in the first picture, Finley loves to wear them - she just doesn't like to fall asleep in her bed in them! After putting up a good fight, she finally fell asleep on the floor in her room tonight. Mommy can't wait for summer to get her sleep trained, potty-trained, no-binky-trained, etc. We have big plans!