big Baby poops

So much has shappened in the last few weeks I don't even knwo where to begin.

K&K came to visit and we celebrated all the March bdays together. we went to traverse city for the weekend. we saw Matt's band play at a cool upnorth bar and we saw aunt suid and the new house she is building. Kaia was shedding very bad and blew her coat all over the hotel room and everyone else too. Fin went for his first swim in a pool-he really liked it.

We visited the other Burns family-Kev, Steph, Logan & Landon and the gparents popped in too! it was a great time had by all. the babies are so cute together-learning to play and share toys.

We all went to church for palm sunday and it was a lovely day so we relaxed in the sun on the deck at ore lake but we had to leave early b/c we had a big week ahead.

we worked hard then packed the new car and left on thursday for Colorado but first we stopped in illinois to see the Coverdill family and Gma Beckie! It was awesome-we had so much fun seeing everyone. Fin got to meet Gma's bird Gus. and he had the 1st of many very big poops during our travels. It went everywhere-allover his clothes and on me and Bill and the changing pad so then we had to give him a bath in aunt celeste's kitchen sink. so cute. kaia got to play in aunt celeste & uncle bob's yard and got to hang out with us in the house even though she was still shedding. and drew came home from college for dinner and aunt amy and celeste's mom all stopped over to meet Fin & say hi.

we spent 2 nights on the road and made it to Denver in 1 piece-barely though b/c back home my dad got very sick and had to got o the hospital-it was very scarey for all of us anf fortunately he had a mysterious case of labrynthitis and not wsomething more serious like a hreart attackl or a brain bleed-which was originally suspected. needless to say this made for some very tense few days at 1st. he is doing alot better now and we are all very very thankful. during the same time Kevin & Landon had to get treated in the ER for severe dehydration due to illness-all very scarey and concerning as we were trying tio have a vacation.

but once things calmed down we were able to have a great time with our Colroado friends. Uncle Ron & Aunt B were extremely generous in their hospitality and friendship-as always. their guest room is so comfortable and they make us feel right at home. kaia got to play with her dog family and she had so much fun runnign around with the BIG puppy Lilly-who she had nt yet met but was instantly in love with b/c Lilly has lots and lots of energy just like Kaia. Kaia managed to lose the rest fo her fur and now she looks like a skinny scrappy little girl.

we met a bunch of friends at a happy hour bar night a a plce in downtown denver-it was very good to see old friends and of course Fin loved all th attention.

we watched Fin closely to make sure he has no problems with the altitude. he had a cold and an ugly cough at the tijme btu we kepty him hydrated so all was well. he adapted really great to traveling and different beds and eating out at lots of restaurants-we were so impressed and proud of him-in no time he will be a travelign pro like the rest fo us. as long as we stay together we are just fine-that is what we will teach him so that he is always flexible and adaptable-which will make life easier for him when he is older.

The weather was variable but we still had a good time. we shopped and hiked and wenty to rei and bought Fin a cute little fleece vest and we walked all around Boulder and had lunch at a great latin place. we watched lots of movies on aunt B & uncle ron's giant TV and we had fires in the chiminea and Fin got to have his bottle and nurse outside-just like camping.

Fin is eating lotws and lots of solid (mush) food now. He started insisting on it! so we gave it t him and now he eats with us at our meals and gets mad if you don't give him something when we eat.

We also realized that he is starting to be very very aware of us and what we are saying and doing so we are trying not swear as much and we are trying to remember to use sign language (or sign english as they say at Montessori school) as much as possible. he is getting so smart so fast I would not be surprised if he did his first sign very soon.

Fin got really sick of his carseat and started telling us all about how unhappy he was with it. now he often throws a fit whenever you try to strap him into something like a stroller or highchair-and does not shutup until he realizes it is fun or for food. He is eating so much and growing so fast. He definitely had a growth spurt over the past few weeks. He is now in most of his 12 month clothes!!! wow.

Fin has learned how to have back-arching, squealing tantrums. and is almost able to ask for what he wants when it comes to nursing and attention. He wants to stand all the time-which is not so easy b/c he can't do this on his own and so we have to help him and it gets old very quickly.

Sadly we still haven;t gotten any professional photos of him done since he was born. what can I say? pathetic but this is a sign of how our lives are right now. ridiculously busy. we want to slow down but we can't seem to figure out how. we want top have healthy sustainable lifestyles but it seems we are on a road that we can't pull off to the side and stop to think. but we need to try.

I can't even begin to go into the depths of this problem. we are too hectic and busy and overloaded and we waste time all the time. we need to get more routine oriented for Fin's sake as well as for our own. The ball drops here. We are changing things starting this week. It will be very difficult for us but we must do it.

I am so incredibly behind at work. never before have I been in such a bad position.the worst part si no one really knows and I am just going crazy trying to figure out how to have time to do everything I am supposed to do or have promised. I am so screwed right now. I feel like I need to just catch up on a bunch of things that are hanging over my head then I willl be able to set a new routine for myself that I can probably stick to even with Fin in my life. I am really not sure how to get it all done.

I am going to yoga today after I drop Fin at daycare. Also tonight we start a new bedtime routine for Fin and he will go to bed in his crib even if this means he screams and cries which Bill & I hate and is horrible for us but it must be done.