Happy 9 months Finley!

*First off I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update the blog...our brand new computer crashed and so I have been unable to post. I am so far behind and I'm hoping to get caught up as soon as the computer is fixed. I will have to add pictures to this post at a later date.



Happy 9 month birthday FINLEY!!! I can't believe that you are 9 months young already. You are growing rapidly and learning something new everyday! You steal my heart away every day and I cherish every single moment that we spend together. It is all to clear to me that these days of you as a precious little baby will not last forever and I want to hold on to them for as long as I can. You truly are the sweetest, happiest, and all around good baby. You are developing quite the personality and I love to see it shine through. You get compliments all of the time for being such a beautiful, content, and well behaved baby (and I take all of the credit for that HA HA!).
*9 month stats...15.13 pounds and 28 inches...you are a petite little girl and your tiny hiney can still wear a size 2 diaper.
*For the most part you are on a great schedule...
wake around 5am (yawn) to nurse then back to sleep
between 7:30 and 8:00 you wake for the day and sometime nurse
9:00 breakfast
10:00 morning nap
play time
2:00 afternoon nap
playtime
7:30 bath time
8:00 bed time
*You have been a great sleeper but lately you wake several times a night and you usually just want the paci back in your mouth. I had heard of the 4 month sleep regression but I think you are going through the 9 month sleep regression. Mommy and Daddy are hoping that you grow out of the this soon because I am tired.
*You learn something new everyday and it is truly fascinating to watch you grow. Sometime I feel like I can see your brain working and learning and absorbing.
*you are a pro crawler and you can pull up on any and everything. You are starting to stand on your own for a couple of seconds at a time and you are just recently start cruising from one object to the other...like going from the couch ottoman to the couch.
*You LOVE LOVE LOVE bath time and when you hear the water running when we start your bath you come racing in from the den. We just started using bubbles on occasion and you can't get enough.
*You love to laugh and You are a DANCING MACHINE!!!! Ha Ha! Anytime you hear music you start bouncing, clapping, and bobbing your head...it is the absolutely cutest thing I have ever seen. If you are anything like your Mommy you will continue to love to dance dance dance.
*Your new trick that you just learning is pointing. It is kinda funny the way you point because you do this little hand flap and point that is so dainty.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It's officially December and Christmas season is here! I'm so excited because it is Finley's first Christmas. I love this time of year...the smells, the sounds, the sights, the lights...But I try to always remember the reason for the season. Now, if I could just figure out how to decorate the house with a little one constantly on the move!

Wordless Wednesday

8 is GREAT!

Finley is 8 months young and I've said it once it will say it a thousand times.....time flies! I can't believe it has been 8 GREAT months since you came into our lives. You are just an absolute ball of joy!!! So what are you doing as an 8 month beautiful baby...

*You are sitting up and playing. You love to play on the floor with your toys and Mommy and Daddy. You no longer really care for the exersaucer or swing much anymore because you would rather explore.
*You can sit yourself up all by yourself AND pull up on any and everything. You even try to be brave and stand on your own. You did this all in one night...I was getting your bath ready and you were laying on the bath mat. You wanted to sit so you rolled and twisted until you were up right and then you just crawled over to the tub and pulled yourself up! It happened so fast that I was in shock...we had to drop your crib that night. Ever since then you have not stopped!
*CRAWLING!!! You are crawling all over the place and I have a feeling you will be an early walker too (tear).
*You are still eating a few jars of baby food, puffs, apples (which you LOVE), and bananas.
*You take two naps a day one around 10am and one around 3pm.
*You still love bath time and you are not afraid to splash water in your face.
*You are absolutely full personality! You love to talk, squeal, sing and dance. You are saying Mamamama, Dadadada, and byebyebye. And whenever we go somewhere you think you are the life of the party! HA! We love your sloppy kisses that you and you even kiss yourself in the mirror.
*You are waving a lot now and you started clapping the weekend of Uncle Greg's wedding. It is your new favorite thing to do. I can't take credit for that one because it was your Daddy who talk you how to clap!

We had a mini photo shoot in the yard for her 8 month birthday...doesn't she look so fancy!

Happy 8th months Sweet Fin...I love you more today then yesterday and will love you more tomorrow then today.

FAB Friday

I just love this picture of sweet Fin and it needs no caption.
Happy FAB Friday!

Yearbook yourself...

We could not stop laughing at these...join the fun at yearbookyourself.com.

Ray Tanner Home Run

I have been a runner for years. It is something that I love to do. It's my time, my freedom, my exercise, my challenge. I grew up watching my parents run so I guess it is in my blood. I love everything about it...challenging my body to go further and pushing the limits...and if I don't get to run a couple of days in a row I get all antsy and out of sorts. In fact I was training for the Twin Cities marathon when I found out that I was pregnant. Now that Little Miss is here we try to go running at least 3-4 times a week so it is only natural that we ran a race together. So on October 16 Finley, Micah and her boys ran in the Ray Tanner Home Run 5k. I can say that it was our first race together but technically it was not...I ran in the Governors Cup Half Marathon when I was 5 and half months pregnant so this was really her second race with Momma! And for the record she beat me both times HA! Now my goal is to get back to where I was before I became pregnant and to run the marathon that I started training for. Daddy B met us at the finish line and then we enjoyed the festivities with Micah, Tucker, and Mattox. BIG props to Micah for pushing that honker of a stroller with TWO big boys the entire way!

Cocky giving us a pep talk before the race started!

All of us at the end of the race that finished at home plate.

Finley's first picture with Cocky!



B came to watch us run. He has been there for all but one of my races and he only missed the one because it was during the season!

Coach Tanner and Finley...B's old college baseball coach and now boss man.

FAB Halloween 2010

Finley's first Halloween was a lot of fun. It was a beautiful fall day and we dressed her up in her pink kitty cat costume. I have some pictures of her in her pumpkin costume but I haven't had a chance to upload them. We (I) carved her first jack-o-lantern and then took some pictures of our little pumpkin. I can't wait for the years when she will be running from house to house trick-or-treating! Here are a few pictures from Halloween...

Missing In Action...

Dear Blog,
I have not forgotten about you or neglected you! It has been a very busy couple of weeks plus the camera is out of town so posting pictures will have to wait until it returns. Here is a sneak peak of a few things I will be posting about soon...
*Ray Tanner Home Run
*Charlotte visit with Lauren and Kingsley
*Halloween
*What FAB is doing now
*Uncle Greg and Aunt Kara's wedding

Sincerely, MIA

Happy Anniversary...

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! Thanks for setting a great example for us! We love you and we are so blessed to have such wonderful parents.

FIRST TOOTH!!!

LOOK Finley got her first tooth.....


Hehehe...Just kidding! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Birthday Mimi!

Happy Birthday Mimi! I wish we could have been there to celebrate but we will see you next week for Uncle Greg's wedding. Finley can't wait to see you again and give you a BIG birthday hug and kiss! We love you and we are looking forward to celebrating many more birthday's with you.

FAB Friday

We are getting ready for Finley's first Halloween and I couldn't be more excited. I have always loved the holidays but I think that they will be on a whole new level now that we have a baby. We went to the pumpkin patch with Micah and her boys and got some really great pictures. I have been dying to put the costumes on Finley so we had a dress rehersal and i'm not sure that she like having something on her head. I will post some pictures from the official Halloween night. She is going to be the cutest baby on the block.

And for an update...what I am doing this week...
*You are still getting on all fours and rocking and now you are trying to go forward...but you fall flat. HA!
*You started waving!!! Ok, its more of just opening and closing your hand when I wave to you but its a start!
*I sing the Itsy Bitsy spider to you and you love it! (you are the only person on this earth that likes my singing HA HA!) You try to sing along and sometime you put your hands together like you are doing the spider and it is tooooo CUTE!
*You finally figured out how to use your jumper and you are loving it!
*You had a Doctor's appointment for your ears and they didn't tell us anything that we didn't already know. We have to go back on Wednesday for more tests.

FAB Friday...Happy 7 Month Birthday FIN!

My little pumpkin! (picture courtesy of {Micah}Leigh Photography)

You are 7th months young today! I can't get over how fast time is flying. We love you and you bring such happiness and joy to our lives! Here is what you are doing as a busy little bundle...
*Getting up on all fours and rocking...you will be a crawler in no time!
*You try to get your hands on anything that you are not suppose to have like our cell phones and remote control. .
*You love to go running with me and we ran in our first race, The Ray Tanner Home Run.
*We are expecting a tooth to pop up any day now.
*You generally sleep from about 8:00pm-7:30am but lately you have been waking up with the birds.
*Bath time is one of your favorites! You LOVE to splash and kick your legs and you have NO fear when it comes to the water. We have to watch you closely because you like to roll onto your belly and nose dive face first into the water.
*You love your cousins, Mattox and Tucker, and you just laugh and watch them play.
*You are eating 2-3 meals of solids a day and loving it and you take 2-3 naps a day.

Whats in a name?

Finley Amelia and Amelia

I was about 4 years old (the same age as my nephew Tucker) when my mom was expecting her 4th baby. I remember going to a doctors appointment with her and the doctor asked me "What do you want the baby to be? A girl or a boy?" and I answered "a girl!" Back then you didn't know what you were having so you had to be ready with a name either way. I have memories of my Mom asking us what should I name the baby? She had a few choices for girls but I distinctively remember one of the choices was...AMELIA. Even as a 4 year old little girl I LOVED the name and thought that was what we should name the baby if it's a girl! Well, on December 23rd Mom gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, baby GIRL and named her AMELIA. I got my wish...the baby WAS a girl and we named her AMELIA! I was so proud of my new baby sister and that I helped name her. Who knows if we really helped pick the name or if Mom already had decided but either way my 4 year old self (almost 5) felt that I had a big part on what she would be called for the rest of her life.

Fast forward to July 2009...B and I had just found out that we will be expecting our own little bundle of joy in March 2010. We decided that we would NOT find out what the gender of the baby was and that it would be a surprise! In order to prepare us either way we started deciding on names for both a boy (Wriggley) and a girl.

Rewind to October 2005...B and I had been dating for 4 years and he had just finished up his second season in pro ball. It was a beautiful fall morning and B took me to Finlay park for a picnic. Little did I know that he had a diamond ring in his pocket...It was at Finlay park that B ask me to be his wife, it was at Finlay park that we promised each other that we would spend the rest of our lives together, it was at Finlay park that our life together as a couple and one day family really began.

Back to deciding on names...We threw out different things for a boy and after much discussion and going back and forth decided on Wriggley (for other reasons). When it came time to pick girl names it did not take us long. We both almost immediately said "Finley" and we agreed (which almost never happens when talking about names) and LOVED it. There was no discussing or changing our minds, we knew Finley was THE girl name. It is an awesome and unique name that has special meaning to us. Since we had a first name picked out we needed a middle name. I have always wanted to used family names and immediately thought of AMELIA after my baby sister. After all I helped "pick" the name, it is a beautiful, classic, timeless name, and who better to name a girl after then the gorgeous, vivacious, caring, funny, baby of the family.

On March 22, 2010, after 17 hours of labor, I gave birth to a 7lb beautiful baby girl! And boy was did she surprise everyone. Baby Buscher was not a boy like everyone had thought but instead she was a GIRL! We named her FINLEY AMELIA and it could not fit her more perfectly. I love the name and her more and more every day! It's a perfect name for a perfect little girl.

Celebrate good times!

Mimi and Grandad came to visit and watch Finley while we went to the USC-Alabama game. We had an awesome time with good food, great friends, and GREAT football! The Gamecocks beat the number 1 ranked Tide 35-21!!! Here a some pictures from the day. We loved getting together with all of our friends for the tailgate and we had a ton of fun! Thanks again Mimi and Grandad and GOOO COCKS!

FAB Friday...on Saturday

I have a few post that I want to write but this past week has been kinda hectic. Finley had a great visit from Mimi, Grandad, and Uncle Greg last weekend. The evil stomach bug paid a visit to our house (YUCK!) and we survived. Finley is growing like a weed and changing everyday. She is sitting up really well and likes to play with her new to us toys that Micah gave her. She has a new face that she loves to make where she scrunches up her nose and smiles really big. I have tried getting a picture of her making the face but she is too fast for me. She is eating and loving solids. So far she likes pretty much everything (she gets that from her Dad, not me)...green beans, carrots, peas, squash, peaches, pears, prunes (yes prunes), oatmeal, applesauce, but NOT banannas! Finley also loves to munch on real apple slices and baby puffs (she likes the bannana flavored ones...weird I know). I am amazed at how well she can use her fingers to pick up the puffs and then put them in her mouth. She started doing that two weeks ago and new exactly what to do with them the minute I put them on her high chair. I think that is advanced for a baby her age but of course I would...after all I am her Mom. I got a new lense for my camera and I am trying to learn how to use it (I should add that I am not the photographer that my sister is so don't expect too much). I really want to take great pictures of my beautiful subject so I am trying to learn how to be a better photographer...but I will leave the rest up to the pro photographer in our family. Above are a few of the pictures from Finley's little photoshot. I apologize for the insane amount of pictures but I couldn't decide which ones to use and not use.

Say YES to the dress!

On Saturday morning Finley and I packed up and headed to Clinton to GRock and Papa's house! We were going to spend the weekend with the family and most important go WEDDING DRESS shopping...no not for Finley but for Amelia (aka Mil Mil)!! I can't believe my baby sister is getting married! All of the Simmons girls loaded up and headed to Greenville to a bridal shop. When we got there we wasted no time picking out dresses for Amelia. And she looked beautiful in all of them. Seriously she could wear a trash bag and look gorgeous. I had so much fun looking, picking out, and helping Amelia try on dresses (somehow I ended up in a wedding dress myself HAHA). Who doesn't love wedding dress shopping?!? Finley was an angel and was loving all of the pretty dresses. I couldn't help but think that we would being doing this for her one day! The thought scared me to death because I know that with the way time is flying by it will be here before we know it. After dress after dress Amelia found one that is most likely THE dress. It is beautiful and I can't wait to see her all dressed up on her wedding day. I get all excited just thinking about the wedding and have volunteer my services as her wedding planner...if she wants me! Micah took some pictures before we left the bridal salon and I will have to steal them from her when she post them on her blog. It was Finley's first wedding dress shopping experience but I know that it will not be her last......

FAB FRIDAY

It's FAB Friday!! I think that we have a talker on our hands. Finley had just finished eating was just babbling away. She does this all day long and it is like she knows exactly what sh is saying and is carrying on a conversation with us. She loves to play on the floor an can scoot from one side to the other (even though she goes backwards). I will have to get it on video because it is quite funny. Finley is trying to get on all fours to crawl and I am just amazed at the sheer determination she has to succeed. It will not be long before we have a crawler on our hands...slow down Finley you are growing up too fast!! I guess this means we better start baby proofing the house.

FAB FRIDAYS!!!

I have decided that Fridays will be FAB Fridays...the post will be dedicated to sweet FAB (as if the rest of the blog is not dedicated to her)! This week was a big week for Finley.

*She turned 6 months young. Her six month stats are 15 pounds and 25 inches long. Finley has more then doubled her birth weight and is growing like a weed.

*Finley sat up by herself for the first time on her 6 month birthday! She sat and played for about five minutes before finally toppling over. She was so proud of herself and had the biggest grin the entire time.

*Finley started eating solids this week. So far she has had rice cereal, oatmeal which is likes, green beans, and carrots which she loved! Whenever I put her in the highchair she gets so excited and squeals. She is loving trying eating solids and we are excited to try all kinds of different foods.

*We also started using the jogging stroller with out the infant seat (although I may continue to use it for a little while because she take a nice nap in it when we go running). It was a completely different view then what she is used to . She now is able to face out and look at all of the scenery rather then just stare at her Mommy. Finley loves going for runs in her stroller. I can't wait to take her for a ride in the bike trailer soon!

I have posted some pictures from this week. I wish that they were in order but I haven't figured out how to do that yet.