Finn's Budding Independence

Finn has recently started crawling and pulling up on things, and it has made life with him so fun!  He is exerting his own independence and will, and I am enjoying it so, so much (most of the time)!

New Shoes!

One of our favorite things to do is play peek-a-boo.  I'll crouch around a corner and pop out to say "peek-a-boo" in a high octave (and super cheesy tone) that would probably drive most people up the wall, but Finn rewards me with the biggest grin every time!  And then comes after me.  He crawls right up to me, puts his soft little baby hands on my lap, and progresses to do everything he can to get into my arms.  It makes my heart melt.  I know I will miss this so, so much one day!

Playing piano with dad a couple months ago

 Finn also gets really excited about the piano.  Any time his gaze happens to drift up to the piano keys from his vantage point on the floor, he instantly heads that direction and proceeds to pull up against the piano bench and stretch his little arms out as far as they will reach.  He's just tall enough to be able to play a note or two this way.  It's so precious!  Of course, he doesn't stay satisfied with this situation, however, and soon lets everyone know that he wants to be lifted up onto the piano seat so that he can bang on the keys as vivaciously as his little heart desires.  He gets so excited and animated when you sit him at the piano.

And he wants to use the whole keyboard too.  Because his arm span can only cover about a third of the piano keys at any one time, he wants to be constantly moved from the low notes to the high notes and back again.  He'll reach and stretch as far as he can in one direction until you move him.  It's hilarious how particular he is.

Another favorite pass time is playing on the front porch. Finn loves to be outside, so several evenings ago, after he was in bed for the night, I took a mop and bucket out there and washed the floor boards so that Finn could crawl around without getting filthy.  Since then we've gone out there to play every day.  This activity, however, brings out a bit of Finn's emerging struggle with obedience.  Our porch is completely surrounded with a railing except for the exit on one side where there are 3 steps down to the sidewalk.  Finn is aloud to play anywhere on the porch except for in front of those steps.  When he starts to head that direction I watch very closely, and when he gets too close I say, "No no," in as firm yet calm a tone as I can.

And the beautiful thing is that he gets it!  Ninety percent of the time he stops in his tracks and turns around and looks at me for a moment before turning back to look at the steps and determine his next move.  I love to watch this reaction, because I can see the wheels turning in his head as he decides how to respond to my command.  He often turns back to the steps and begins going that direction a 2nd and 3rd time to see if I become more lenient, but usually he pauses and turns back to look at me each time I give my rebuke, and eventually he gives up on that part of the porch.  Occasionally his curiosity does get the better of him, and I get to swoop in and provide a more demonstrative admonition. 

Here we are enjoying the porch together!

Finn is also learning lessons from the leaves that occasionally blow onto our porch.  He's so curious about them and loves to feel them, crunch them, and unfortunately, taste them.  I'm always torn between sweeping the leaves off the porch first thing when we go out there and actually giving him the freedom to feel them, knowing full well that I'll have to take them away when he inevitably decides to put them in his mouth.  I know this dilemma is a baby version of much more difficult and consequential parenting decisions Derek and I will be called upon to make in the years to come.  Dear God, give us wisdom!

In other news...  changing Finn's diaper and clothing him can be quite the feat these days.  He's not nearly as receptive to "No no" while lying on the changing table, and man, can he squirm!