Finnertainment

We just got this sweet new entertainment system. It's amazing you can spend hours watching it and it does the most incredible things. It will smile, laugh and coo at you and all you have to do is sit in front of it and act like a monkey. It's called Finnertaiment and it's awesome! The only draw back is that when it's done playing with you it cries. That's not as fun.

Finn's First Fishing Trip

Finn's First Hike

Two Months and Counting

Finn is over two months old and it seems like a lifetime since Brad and I drove to the hospital when I was in labor. Our lives are permanently changed. Everyone tells you that it will, but there is no way to know until you experience it for yourself. For example, it's nearly impossible for me to string a clear coherent series of thoughts together without a serious effort. I have a theory that in the hospital they secretly remove your brain and replace it with a new mom brain. The new mom brain is not all bad. I can now discriminate between a hungry and tired cry. I can determine if a diaper is wet by touch at an eighty percent accuracy rate. And I am thoroughly entertained by an eleven pound cutie pie.

What about Max?

With our new little arrival taking up soooo much of our attention, time & thoughts, one might wonder, "what about Max?" Well, our loyal pooch Max has had the shock of his life. When Finn first arrived, Max was pretty nervous, trying to figure out who the new guest was ... I think he thought Finn was just visiting. Now that Finn is two months old, the reality has set in that this isn't a guest, but a pretty important new family member.

Now Max is kinda like a crazied Lassie. Finn cries - Max shakes, pants, and watch out, cause he's going to get someone to help NOW!!! He's usually under Finn's crib, next to the swing, and even laying his head on the side of Finn's bouncy chair, keeping a constant eye on the little guy. Max might be taking his role as the protective brother a bit far, but someday it just might come in handy for Finn.

Happy Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day and I can't help but think that being a mother means that I will always have that little voice inside my head that says, "Please, let him be o.k." When I first went to see his heartbeat at 8 weeks, all I could think was, "Please, let me see the heart beat and please let him be o.k." When his heartbeat dropped during delivery, I thought, " Please, please let everything be alright and please let him be o.k." That same phrase stays with me now day and night as I watch him grow and change. As I worry about him and hope that everything is alright, I have to remind myself that being a mother not only means that I am constantly concerned about the little guy, but that it also means that I need to take good care of myself so that I have the strength and stamina to keep on worrying.

Kissing Cousins

Finn is lucky to have two cousins that love him very much. He spent the weekend cooing and smiling at them, while they took turns holding the little guy. Brad and I spent our time trying to talk them into moving to Salt Lake and becoming our nannies.

Milk Does A Body Good

My dad suggested we document Finn's growth by taking a monthly photo of Finn. These photos are Finn at one week and Finn at one month. I guess eating every three hours around the clock really will make you grow.

Finn's New Friend

Finn has found a new friend. We recently hung some photos above his changing table and the bottom two are of Finn. Well, he cracks himself up. Every time he looks at the photos he laughs and smiles. I'm not sure what's so funny. I guess it's an inside joke between Finn and himself.

Your life is going to change...

Who would have thought that something so small and cute could cause such an uproar. Sure everyone we told we were expecting a baby said, "kids change your life." But it's really hard to get your mind around how much things change until the little bundle arrives. For example, BF (Before Finn) we would have been completely freaked out if someone pooped, peed and spit on one of us, but AF (After Finn) it's all in days work.

A couple of nights ago Finn and I were really having a rough night. I was working on about an hour of sleep and Finn had been crying for hours. I was really wondering what I had gotten myself into when I looked down at him in my sleep deprived, half crazy state and he gave me the most amazing smile. That's when I realized that my life had definitely changed for the better.

Pics from Finn's 1st few weeks

And baby makes four ...

For over eight years (eleven for Brad and I) Brad, Max and myself have lived in harmony going on adventures and really enjoying life, but as so many do, we felt like something was missing. So we started on the journey of parenthood. We naively thought that this would be an easy path, but after several years and a little heartache we were blessed with the arrival of Finn Seeley Rutledge on March 24th at 10:28 p.m. He weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces and was 20 and 3/4 inches.

His arrival was our first lesson in parenthood. Children are individuals. No matter how many classes you take and what you do to prepare for the arrival of your child, they come when they want and how they want. He arrived by emergency c-section. The only part of our "birth plan" that he followed was to arrive healthy. And really that's all that matters.