Up...Down...and all around

I have been learning so many new words. I've been saying "up" for while now...but today started saying "down" too. When Mommy and I were playing with my magnadoodle. I said up and down when we move the slider to erase the picture. After that, I said it lots of time throughout the day today. Here I am on video, I say up and down and show off my walking skills.

Today I really took off with my walking. I became a lot more confident and started to try to walk a lot more on my own. I walk along the walls and furniture a lot still but I'm starting to take more risks and go out on my own. Life is different from the perspective of standing on my two feet!

Bedtime Prayers

Hannah and I love our bedtime routine, both of us do very well with routine. At bedtime Hannah gets into her pj's and we read a story. Then we rock together to her bedtime music while she drinks her milk. Once in bed we say a bedtime prayer and then blow kisses to each other. It blesses my heart when Hannah folds her hands to pray. Obviously, she does not yet understand that we are talking to God, but I love that she is getting used to the routine...and I'm so excited for the day that it clicks and she understands who we are talking to each night before bed. I'm glad that she is getting the routine and pray that prayer will be a part of her life and that she will grow into a young lady who loves the Lord.

folding my hands to pray

Ready to say "goodnight"

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Two more new words

Yesterday, I learned two more new words. Mommy is trying to help me learn to say "help" when I need something instead of crying. Yesterday she taught me the sign and was was excited to see that when I tried to do the sign I also said "help". So today we have been working on asking for "help" when needed. I also said "Papa" for the first time yesterday. Mom and I were looking at all the pictures of friends and family on our refrigerator (have you seen our refrigerator?!) and talking about who each one was. Mommy said Papa and asked me if I could say it. I said "Papa" (This is Grandpa F.) over and over again. Mommy called him to tell him the news and I even said it on the phone for him. How exciting! :)

My friend Elaina's birthday

Yesterday we went to Elaina's house to celebrate her first birthday. She is only 3 weeks younger than me. We have had fun growing up together this year and look forward to many more great years together as friends. We love to see each other at church and playgroups.

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley were there too! I sure missed them while they were on vacation. It's nice to have them home, and I sure enjoyed spending some time with them at the party!

Playing with Elaina and the Stanleys!

I got really sleepy at the end of the party. Mommy fed me and put me in my pj's. I snuggled right up with mom and dad on the couch...I was ready for bed! I fell asleep in the car on the way home and mom and dad didn't hear from me again until morning!

Free Fun Friday

As I've mentioned before...I love reading Kristi's blog. Every Friday she does Free Fun Fridays on her blog. We are going to participate for the first time. :) To see more free and fun activities for your friday check out http://runwatchplaywait.blogspot.com/.

Today I'll share 2 ideas...one activity and one craft...both can be done with materials you have around the house!

Fun with a paper towel roll!
Hannah loves to play a game with a scarf and paper towel roll. I stuff the scarf inside and then she has fun pulling it through. This game is great for babies 6-12 months. It's good for hand-eye coordination, fine motor development, and the babies love to see something appear and disappear!

For more fun with a paper towel...use it like a horn or a megaphone. March around the house or just dance making music!

I can't resist sharing a free craft idea as well. One of the many favorite activities when I taught kindergarten was making fabric collages. We did a whole unit for science on fabric. We learned about the different kinds of fabric. We made feely boxes. The kids had to put thier hands in the box and without looking pick out two matching fabrics. They loved exploring the different textures and feels and learning about all the different kinds of fabric. To help them learn more about the texture and feel of fabric we made fabric collages. I just had tons of different scraps of fabric and let them go to town cutting and pasting them. Some made abstract collages while others created pictures with different shapes that they cut out. It was neat to see how creative they would get!

Clearly some put more time and effort in than others...but all had fun!

new words

Yesterday was exciting day for us...
It's exciting to see how much Hannah is learning and growing everyday. We are just having SO much fun together!
One of Hannah's favorite things to eat is soup...so yesterday we had vegtable soup for lunch. When I brought Hannah's bowl to the table she pointed at it and said "hot". She also touched Seth's leg after he got out of bed in the morning and said "hot". Then later in the day she picked up a candle (unlit of course) and said "hot". It's neat to see her learning new words and connecting the meaning to them. (Here's the video...lots of me talking...and not very exciting....but aleast you can hear her new word)

Hannah is also learning how to communicate more and more everyday. I was in the kitchen working yesterday and she came up to me and signed "banana". She asked me for a snack! :o)
Then...when I told her that it was bedtime, she signed "bath". I wasn't going to give her one last night...but bless her heart...how do you turn that down?
It was an exciting day for me too! I am now officially a pampered chef independent consultant! I got my starter kit in the mail yesterday! I'm so excited to use all my new cooking toys and get started with my new buisness! I love pampered chefs products and can't wait to share them with others. I'm looking forward to a chance to make a little extra money and enjoy some (not too many) evenings away from home too. I also used my breadmaker for the first time yesterday! I can't believe that I've had it for so long and have never used it! The house smelled so wonderful and the bread was so yummy! What a great day we had!

Today we enjoyed the blessing of friendship. Sheri came over for a playdate with her 3 precious girls. We enjoyed lots of playtime, lunch, and some time to catch up. Now I am enjoying the quiet of naptime as Hannah & I both rest from our busy morning.

God's Word has been so refreshing to me lately. This morning I finished the last day of my study on the Pslams of the Ascent (Psalm 120-134). We did a Beth Moore Study (Stepping Up) with the ladies at church...and it has been so good! I've been challenged in so many ways. Today's Psalm was Psalm 134 and I thought I would share it with you...I sang the words as I read them today...does anyone else know the song?

"Come bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!
May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!"

Well...today was a blog post from my point of view...I guess maybe we'll go back and forth..some days from Hannah some from me. Thanks for taking the time to read and keep up with what's going on here in the Finnegan house. May God bless your day!

my first pigtails!

My hair is growing so fast! Last night in the bathtub...mommy tried pigtails..and we all decided that I look so cute! Here are some pics of my new hairdo..mommy and daddy say I'm starting to look too much like a little girl.

pigtails in the bathtub

don't I look cute?!

Taking a break from my book to take a quick pic