Happy Birthday, Babe!!

Just about fifteen years ago, I was lucky enough to meet the man of my dreams. Fifteen years ago I met the person who was put on this earth to be my partner in life. The man who would be with me and bear witness to all of my most cherished memories, and the man who would make it his mission to hold my heart together in the times it felt it would break into a million tiny pieces. Fifteen years ago, I came face to face with the man who would give me three of the most amazing children. What a lucky girl am I to have met him so long ago and shared so very much. My husband, Steven, is a wonderful man, and the half that makes my heart whole.

Steven, I love you more than you will ever begin to know. Thank you for all you do and all that you are. I love you, Babe. Happy 31st birthday!!

Colton is 5 years old!!!

On September 4th, Colton Lane Finnegan reached a milestone....he turned 5 years old. I could not be more proud of the five year old that he has become. He is the sweetest son, brother, grandson, nephew and cousin any of us could ask for. The way in which he looks out for his brothers, and the way he loves on his new cousin, is AMAZING!

He is in preschool again this year (his early September birthday causes him to miss the kindergarten deadline) and he is a learning machine. He looks forward to going to school each day, and can't wait to tell Steven and I what he learned when he gets home.

He would like everyone to know a few of his favorites at the ripe old age of five, so here goes...

1.) Favorite color: White, because "it's just white" (doesn't get any simpler than that folks)

2.) Favorite thing to do: go to school, because "I like to play on the swingset"

3.) Favorite thing to eat for dinner: Brocolli chicken, because "I like brocolli"

4.) Favorite person: Aidan, because "he's my brother and he's fun to play with"

5.) Favorite thing to play: IronMan, because "it's what Aidan always wants to do"

6.) Favorite TV show: Batman

7.) Favorite place to go: Disneyland and Legoland (this child, thanks to having grandparents in Southern CA, has been to Disneyland twice already and is going again in 4 weeks)

8.) Favorite sport: football and soccer, because "I love to kick and run and it makes my energy go"

And last but not least....

9.) Reason you love your beautiful mother so much, because "hmmmm, let's see.....I guess because you play in the playroom with us sometimes?" Thanks, bud. :o)

Anyway, to my sweet Cole a few weeks after your birthday...

I love you more than you will ever know and I am so proud of the boy you are becoming. You are smart, and funny, and you have a strong ability to share your love for others even at just five years of age. Your little brothers both look up to and cherish you. You are such an inspiration. I look forward to all the years to come and all of the accomplishments Daddy and I will be witness to. You are a wonderful boy. Happy birthday.

Welcome to the World, Baby Taven!

I am an Auntie!!!! My youngest brother, Trent and his wife Andrea (the world's greatest sister in law) were just recently blessed with the birth of their first child, Taven Ross Clancy. Taven was born on September 13th at a whopping 5lbs 15oz. He is beautiful and probably the tiniest baby I have ever held. I took Cole, Aidan, and Jackson up to visit the Thursday after he was born, and none of us could get enough. My parents were in town from California to welcome their fourth grandson (can you believe all the boys?!!) and they were on Cloud 9. Steven came up as well, after work on Friday, and we all spent the weekend just being one big family and showering Trent, Andrea, and Taven with love. It was wonderful. Trent and Andrea are spectacular parents and I can't wait for all the memories "the cousins" are all going to have together.

Jack is a big boy now...or at least he looks like one!

So both Cole and Aidan had their first haircuts right around 12 months of age. Jack, on the other hand, had not had one at all until a few days ago. I don't know if I was holding off because he just doesn't have all that much hair, or if subconciously I knew that it meant he was growing up. The hair that he did have would curl up in the back and around his ears and was darling....In this picture, however, it is not so darling. I had an awakening the other morning....my baby was developing a mullet. A very thin and uneven mullet, mind you, but a mullet none the less.

So out came the clippers and Jack was strapped into his highchair. Let me just say this is one of the most mellow and happy kids on the planet...he smiled the whole time...even when there was cut hair on his face, in his mouth and under his shirt. What a trooper.

Truth be told, I did tear up a little when it was all said and done because my sweet baby of 14 months suddenly looked (to me) like he was a a big boy, with a big boy haircut! He has always resembled Colton and Aidan, but now I see a whole new level of similarity between the three of them. I don't know how it happened so quickly but it seems I am the mother of three (very handsome) very "big boys"...

It's Been a Year Already....

I don't know why but I am having a REALLY hard time w/ the fact that Jackson turned 1 on July 6th. Each of the boys' first birthdays have been special and have caused me to reflect on the year gone by, but Jack's seems to be even more so.

I don't think it's because he's the last one, because I really do believe that ultimately Steven and I will have one more. Maybe it's because time just keeps speeding up on me and each of the boys's babyhoods have seemed to go by faster and faster.

It really does not seem like a year ago that we brought this precious boy home to join our family. I loved that he was a total cuddler and slept best next to me in his co-sleeper in our bed. I threw the whole "they should be in their own bed" thing to the wind, knowing full well that this stage was going to pass in a blink, and I needed to soak it up while I could.

I think that in his infanthood, Steven got up w/ Jackson only a handful of times. This was not because he was a lazy or sleepy dad (because Lord knows I have been blessed w/ a husband who seems to come by "fathering" naturally and very willingly), but rather because I was so happy to do it myself. Those times in the middle of the night when it was just Jack and I, are times I will treasure forever. Quiet, warm, the smell of a new baby cuddling in to be close,and receive comfort from me. Wonderful.

But, I blinked. And now he is 1. He is into everything, exploring and learning every possible second that he can. He does not like to be contained in his high chair or his crib (unless it is bedtime and then it is okay), and he loves nothing more than trailing after Cole and Aidan. His brothers are his heroes. The sun seems to rise and set around them in Jack's eyes, and as always, if he is upset all it takes is some attention from the "big boys" and all is well.

So often when I am out and about running errands during the day, people will comment on "how full my hands must be" with my three boys. "Boys are so busy" they will say. "Boys keep their mom's on their toes", the offer. True, my boys do keep me busy, and they do keep me on my toes, and yes, my hands are very full. But my hands are not nearly as full as my heart, and I am so very happy to have them all. Every one of them offers me something new each day, and while I am a bit melancholy about the fact that my baby is already 12 months old, I look so forward to every memory that has yet to be made and all the smiles that are yet to be shone.

Happy Birthday, Jackson. We love you more than you will ever know.

I Guess My Kid is Bilingual

A quick story from this morning:

I was laying up in my bed with all three boys and we were all chatting and goofing around when:

ME: Let's go downstairs and I'll get you guys breakfast.

COLE: Well, what are we gonna' have?

ME: I don't know (thinking in my head how I am not all that inspired this morning)....how 'bout Eggo's?

COLE: Eggo's? What are Eggo's?

ME: Waffles.

COLE: Okay, but why do you have to say it in Spanish?

AHOY MATEY!!!

From May 16th to the 25th Five Finnegans traveled down to sunny, southern California to visit my parents and brother. The boys were so excited to see Gma, Gpa, and Uncle Conner, and it felt like an eternity before it was finally time to go to the airport and board the plane. The flight down was uneventful, as always the boys all flew like champs!

Once there, we began a BUSY itinerary of fun So-Cal activities. Hanging out in the pool (given a few more days there, I know we would have had two full-fledged swimmers on our hands) and the hot tub were top on our list in the first few days. Then, down to San Diego we went, to tackle Sea World (the whale and dolphin shows were amazing). On Monday night, when Sea World was over, we headed up to Anaheim to do Disneyland and California Adventure Tues. and Wed. I made a real effort to get the boys' pics w/ (and the autographs of) all their favorite characters. At CA. Adventure, the highlight was the Aladdin play (the genie was hilarious) complete w/ a flying carpet that comes out over the crowd! Cole is such a big, brave kid, he went on the Tower of Terror w/ Steven and I, and loved it!

Wednesday night, we headed back to my parents house and Thursday, it was back in the pool! Friday, the boys got to go w/ Gma and Gpa to Sesame Street Live "Elmo Grows Up", and they thought it was great. Saturday, my mom and I took my brother, Conner, clothes shopping for his birthday at the outlet mall in Camarillo, and man did he look handsome in his new threads!

All the while, we were eating good food, playing the Wii (and oh my did I get sore from bowling!), having great talks, relaxing in the sun, and enjoying each others' company. Unfortunately, all the pictures taken were on the old fashioned 35 mm so I can't upload anything, but while we were at Disney, my mom and dad bought the boys these awesome pirate costumes, and Aidan insisted on putting his on for the parade Tuesday night at Disneyland. All kinds of people were commenting on "that darling pirate over there" and I did get some great pics for the scrapbook.

Today, they decided to relive their Disney days and put the costumes on again. They ran around the house for a good hour and a half playing "Jack Sperrell" despite me telling them over and over again it was "Jack Sparrow". :o)