Finnegan: Nine Months

A few days late, but the stomach bug hit the Hogan household and knocked us out, so everything is running behind.

Our little guy spent almost exactly nine months in my belly and has spent nine months out! I can't believe it has only been nine months with Finny because it seems like he's been a part of our family forever (cheesy, I know).  We had a blast celebrating Finn's first Christmas and he had a ton of fun spending a few days with Nana and Grandpa without us. He survived the subzero temperatures in Vermont and has adjusted to life back in Groton seamlessly.  Happy nine months Finn!

Thirty nine weeks in and thirty nine weeks out!

Eating:  Finn still loves solids and has been trying all new kinds of foods.  We have been trying to give him more table food, so some of his favorites are oatmeal, avocado, and Nana's vegetable soup.   We have also started giving him the little baby Puffs so that he can practice picking up food and putting them in his mouth.  This is hysterical to watch because he will clench them with his fist and then shove his whole fist in his mouth. He eventually gets (most of) them in his mouth though and is a big fan.

Sleeping: Finn's biggest weakness is sleep, especially when travelling.  He does not travel well in terms of sleep.  When we were travelling over Christmas, he woke up at least three times a night, if not more.  Most nights, he would end up in our bed because he refused to sleep in his pack n play.  At home, he's definitely better, but still waking up twice in the middle of the night to feed.  He typically goes to sleep around seven and wakes up around 6:30.  I look forward to the day when I can say Finn is sleeping through the night, but that was not this month 😥  For naps, we have gotten down to a morning nap and an afternoon nap when we are home.  These naps are usually short (45 minutes), but occasionally we will get a long nap and everyone is happy!  At school, he only takes one nap and they can range anywhere from 1 hour to 2 and a half.

Noises: Finn is very vocal and makes himself known. Everything and anything is "dada," including Mike, myself, the tupperware container, and the table.  He squeals and grunts as he crawls around, especially if he is excited about something.  Sadly, my attempts to get him to say mama are just met with a smile and more "adadada."  Oh well! It's so cute to see his personality shine through with his sounds.

Milestones: I feel like he grew up so much this month and had so many milestones!  Good job Finny!!  He loves to wave at everyone as he leaves or enters a room and he figured out how to clap right before Christmas.  He even understands the word "clap!" and will (usually) do it on command, which is the cutest thing.  He sits up and plays and can pull himself up into sitting position.  Speaking of pulling up, he is pulling himself up on all sorts of things.  Our coffee table is a little too high for him to pull up onto his feet, but he definitely can get on his knees on all sorts of things. 

Likes and Dislikes: Besides riding in the car for extended periods of time or sleeping through the night, he pretty much likes everything.  His favorite toys are the cube with all sorts of wires and beads coming off of it (kind of like this) and his activity walker, although he can't walk with it yet.  He hasn't met a food he doesn't like, which is a huge improvement from a few months ago.

Nicknames: Finn, Finny, Bud, Buddy, Big Guy, Mr. Little Boy, Buddy Bear, Bubba

Clothing Size: 9-12 months/12 months

Diaper Size: Size threes during the day and size fours at night.  He probably could be in size fours all day, but the threes still fit and we have a ton, so threes it is!

Weight: still hovering around 18lbs.  The doctor said that was normal since he's started crawling and has had the stomach flu, so she wasn't concerned, but I would like to see him gain some more weight.

Height: 27.5 inches

Travel: Virginia and Vermont

This is one of my favorite pictures of our guy! 

Oh Finn! Your smile is infectious and your personality lights up a room.  We are so thankful we get to call you ours.  We love the way you squeal and get excited when we walk through the door.  You are a fan favorite at daycare and we understand why.  Your laid back personality makes me so happy and we have loved seeing you achieve different milestones as you grow and learn.  We love you, sweet boy!