Author: The Nack Daddy

A couple of months ago, Finn got waaay into checking out light fixtures around the house. Each morning we’d reach for him in the crib, and his first move would be to look up, up, up at the bulbs in his room. After maybe a week of this, he lost interest.

Now, however, he’s rekindled the crazy passion, in a huge sort of way. Not only does he start the day by looking and pointing at the lights; that’s how he finishes, too. He’s constantly begging to be lifted to check out the lights at closer range, and his little circuits of downstairs seem like luminary tours.

I’ve discovered that tapping the various fixtures produces all kinds of different tones, much like playing half-full wine glasses (who knew??), so Finn and I now like to tap them together. I was impressed that after I used a camera lens cap to do some tapping, he later reached for the same cap and gestured upwards.

Boy, as I write all this, I keep thinking, “Man have we turned into navel-gazing parents or what?? This must be the most boring topic ever!” Yet the whole thing really is kind of bizarrely fascinating. 🙂 Check out this mini gallery (HTML) that Margot snapped today.

We finally got our act together and bought a new (used) car–one that will far more easily fit Finn, his car seat, all of our gear, and the new baby + car seat come summertime. Getting in and out of the VWs had turned into an exercise in contortion.
Finn got a new ride as well, since he is getting waaaaay too big for his “baby bucket”. We got him a new, bigger-guy car seat which we have now dubbed Finn’s Flying Houndstooth Throne (the new car goes very fast and is a very smooth ride!).
Check out Finn in his new throne (HTML), and the two of us enjoying *our* new wheels (to follow).
[The big appeal of the new ride is the cavernous back seat. It’s not quite as big as this old Audi (!), but at least you don’t have to fold up like a Picasso figure as we did getting into the back of the Jetta. –J.]

Thanks to the generosity of our pals Adolfo & Romina from Buenos Aires + a recent cold snap here, Finnegan is one guapo gaucho these days, cutting a rakish little figure in the handsome poncho Romina’s mom knit for him. Tonight he posed for a few shots with Mom (HTML) before going on another walking spree. In some of the later shots I think he looks pretty serious, like some kind of Jedi knight (see side-by-side comparison) trying to use the Force on ol’ Dad. (“Those *are* the Cheerios you’re looking for…”.)
If you click through to the end you’ll get a preview of another hand-knit marvel–but that deserves an entry and gallery of its own. 🙂

Tonight there’s gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in this house…
The Finnfatha is officially on the move! Our little guy didn’t settle for taking just a “first step.” (Nah, that weak sauce is for *babies*! ;-)) On Wednesday he let rip with a full five steps in a row, right in front of his newly arrived “Jeeps” (the G(rand)P(arent)s Liggett). While I wouldn’t say he’s walking, exactly, he’s flying around the house at high speed, one-handing it with whatever parent/grandparent happens to be in tow. Finnegan Nack is officially a Squirrel Rampant!
So far his movements have been too fleeting to be caught on flim, so in the meantime I’ve uploaded evidence of his other new passion: mass consumption of Cheerios. Here’s a small gallery (HTML) Margot snapped the other day as Finno helped me power through a bowl.

Last Sunday our pal Clare accompanied the three of us to the neighborhood park. In addition to helping squire Finno around, she put her pro photography skills to use, snapping some great shots. When we got home, she captured the Finnfatha enjoying a story with Mom (and wielding his hair brush like a mic). Here’s our gallery (HTML).

I am
too darling for for my bib
too darling for for my bib
so darling in my crib…

Fashion icon Finn has been sporting all kinds of great duds lately. In our latest gallery (HTML), he starts out wearing a pair of shirts (one dinos, one lightning) given to Dad by a Web/clothing designer in San Francisco. He finishes up clad in the beautiful hand-knit sweater created by Great Aunt Judy.
Coming soon: Finn in an Argentine poncho. 🙂

We’ve had a fun weekend with Mr. Finn, a.k.a. Little Green Riding Hood. He has this little outfit that’s called a “sleep’n’play”, complete with hood. I guess it’s the hood that turns it into “‘n’play” instead of just pj’s. As we were cavorting with him on Saturday (all of us in pj’s) we snapped these pics (HTML).
Finn had his first bath in the real “big boy” bathtub this weekend, too. We thought he might be freaked by the vastness of the tub, but he absolutely loved it. There was lots of splashing, squealing, and even some pseudo-backstroking.
Today I went to the spa today with my friend Mira for a few hours of soaking, scrubbing, saunaing, and relaxing. It was great, and while we were away, Finn and John went to a place called Rancho San Antonio with Mira’s husband Bruce and daughter Anja. It’s popular for parents and kiddies (we call it a stroller derby) because you can stroll in the great outdoors at a working farm and see lots of different farm animals. John says there were lots of “big turkeys” wandering around the farm, and I’m pretty sure he means actual birds, not just middle-management Silicon Valley types. Sounds like the boys had a fun time. I came back from the spa with skin almost as soft as Finny’s!