An Ode to Jen

Hi everyone! I was looking through the pictures that I wanted to share with you all and came across these of Finley during physical therapy this past year. I realized that while all of you saw his amazing improvements physically, no one ever saw the miracle behind the magic. Her name is Jen... I'll stop at that since I haven't asked permission so far. She was the therapist we visited when Finley was concerning me with his physical development and I had to beg the pediatrician to have him evaluated. From the moment we arrived, everyone in this office made us feel welcome and at ease... and it was that way until the week we moved. I have seen physical therapists first hand in multiple settings from infants to geriatric patients and never have I seen anyone with such vigor and passion for their job as Jen always had. She saw Finley on that first day, developed a plan of action and stuck with it... and us when Finn hit toddlerhood and began to have his "Finley fits". No matter what mood Finley would grace us with on a daily basis, Jen faced it head on and always managed to love him unconditionally and gracefully, while still demanding progress. I can honestly say that if it was not for her, I don't think we would be anywhere near where we are today! So, "an ode to Jen".. we miss you more than you will ever know, we thank God everyday for sending you to us, and will never forget how you graced our lives with your positive attitude, contagious smile, and a gift of love that will last a lifetime. Thank you!!!



Smiles,

Meredith

The Butterfly Pavilion

A couple of weekends ago, John and I had the opportunity to babysit our two nieces and nephew for the weekend while their parents were on a weekend getaway in the mountains. We decided to take all 5 of the kids to the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, Colorado because we have always heard it is a lot of fun and they have a butterfly release twice a day! So, we packed up our two cars and headed for the interstate. The kids had so much fun..... there were spiders galore, roaches and beetles, honeybees, starfish and stingrays you could touch, over 1200 butterflies flying around ... AND... Rosie the spider. (tarantula? does that look right? read: big and hairy) Apparently you can hold Rosie the spider at special times if you come at the right time and your parent says it is okay... I didn't have a chance to protest before I see John and J.T. in line!!! I was scared at first and then inwardly was smirking because I thought if John is trying to scare me he has another thing coming because J.T. will never make it to the front of the line before getting scared... much less hold the hairy devil. Boy was I wrong. J.T. not only held the spider but let it crawl up his arm..... yuck yuck yuck! I guess after the small heart attack I was surprisingly proud of our little man for his bravery. He was even more proud of himself and he got a sticker to wear that said, "I held Rose the Spider!"

After the butterfly release ( that Peyton and J.T. saw because Emily, Andrew, Finley and I were too hot) we went for a nature walk! It wasn't too bad. Those who know me well, know that I don't do nature.. at all! I may have the occasional plant in the house or eat a "nature's best" product, but typically I feel there are enough people enjoying nature in this world... why crowd them? On the trail we saw multiple prairie dogs (carrying the plague) and the occasional flower or ant but what I noticed the most was how much the kids loved running around outside and just being together. Needless to say we had a great weekend!!

On a side note, I told my neighbor that I really enjoyed all of the kids and couldn't be certain that I was done having them myself.... that night I had a dream that I was pregnant with quadruplets!!! Hello birth control.. I'm yours! Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Smiles,

Meredith

Holy 'Mole

Apparently, Finley loves guacamole!!! These pictures are actually from a few months ago when we first moved back to Colorado. We didn't have our kitchen table yet so we would eat outside at night..... mainly because it is easier to clean up afterward, but also because it is beautiful weather this time of year and it felt great. It was also a chance for the kids to be outside and breathe that fresh mountainous air! On this particular evening, we decided to do takeout (Qdoba to be exact.... our favorite) and the boys shared a quesadilla plate.

Finley must have thought we were holding out on him because he got into the guacamole with a vengeance!!! He was shoveling this stuff in his mouth! I thought after he tasted it he would realize it wasn't green pudding and spit it out, but he just kept on eating it until it was gone. (I shouldn't need to tell you how lovely that diaper was) Anyway, we had popsicles for dessert and I am pretty sure J.T. painted himself with his because there is no way he could've eaten too much.... just look at him! Well, obviously I am trying to find "blogwords" to match our cute pictures so I will go for now. I hope everyone is doing well.

Smiles,

Meredith

Something New

For the few of you who are still interested in our everyday lives, and those of you who have asked why Finley's Blog has not been updated in a LONG time, welcome to our new blog. I felt like it was only fair to include the entire family, especially the boys since that is who everyone wants to know about anyway, in a new blog. These past few months have been pretty crazy... First of all, we have moved back to Colorado if you didn't already know. We are back in our old house, the house we all love, and settling in pretty nicely. The boys had a blast playing with the boxes which helped keep them entertained long enough to unpack. Also, J.T. had his 4th Birthday Party... Spiderman of course.... at Mr. Biggs in Littleton. He had a blast playing with his closest friends in the foam factory. After everyone left, our little family hung around and played in the balls for a little while to enjoy some time together. Finley started walking a few days before his 18 month "birthday"...whew!!!... I was sweating that one. Although now we are sweating it more because he is a loose cannon.... so unpredictable! On top of being mobile, he has learned to say "no" and also that he doesn't necessarily have to do what we ask him to... I only thought J.T. was strong-willed!! Speaking of J.T., he had his first cavity at the dentist this week.. I won't say how many since they are apparently my fault ("you should be flossing his teeth") I will only say that it was a complete shock and to my friends with young children... "We as mothers are apparently responsible for flossing their teeth!!!" (on a side note, we had our first flossing experience last night and let me just say good luck to the newbies and kudos to those who already do it because my fingers and floss do not fit into his little mouth nor do they appreciate the biting) Monday, September 15th (Nannaw's Birthday) Finley will have surgery to place tympanostomy tubes (ear tubes). He has had multiple ear infections since last November and the ENT doctor thinks he will benefit from tube placement. I feel like I am forgetting something.... Oh yeah, J.T. will be starting his new preschool - Belles and Beaus - on Monday, September 8th. I think I am more nervous than he is. This place is amazing and comes highly recommended... also it prepares kiddos like J.T. for kindergarten next fall (can you believe it?)

On a different note, John and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this year! We went out to eat and to a movie to celebrate the weekend, but what we truly decided to give each other was the gift of health. We joined Lifetime Fitness as a family and the boys love it... probably a little too much since I have to drag them out - literally - every time it is time to leave! Our first month's goal has been "just don't die" and woohoo.. no one has... yet. There is still time I guess. Anyway, I hope to post a more organized update soon.... I just wanted to make sure this update got posted so I can see how things look and what needs to be changed, etc. since this new site is a work in progress. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Smiles,

Meredith