Finn is one!

We've been in the throes of sickness for the last week and a half, so I'm late in writing this post, but we had a very special birthday in our family this past week.

I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that our littlest boy was born an entire year ago! It's hard for me to put into words exactly what a gift this little boy is, our rainbow baby.

I have often thought about how he was our first baby after I lost twins and then another baby, and while I don't understand all the ins and outs of grief and loss, I know that Finn is such a gift. I knew adding another little soul to our family would be an adjustment (and it was!) but I didn't have fear about his arrival or the pregnancy. We loved that he was born at home with a home birth midwife. I wrote about his birth story and re-reading it again, a year later, it brings tears to my eyes to see the Lord's provision throughout.

A little brother for our favorite big brother.

Since Cooper was sick (followed shortly by Finn), we didn't do a large celebration, but my father- and sister-in-law came over the Sunday before his birthday and we opened a few gifts and had coffee and dessert, including gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies and sourdough cinnamon rolls. At the beginning of his birthday week, I hung up a felt ball garland in the kitchen (I think it will be our birthday garland, from here on out, so cheerful!) For Finn's birthday, he got a natural rubber ducky, a train engine and two cars for the boys' train sets, and a stacking tower. All three toys have been a big hit with both boys!

Some favorite little things about Finn, at one year old:

• So many smiles and "stinker grins" before he digs in a house plant for the tenth time in a day, or makes a run for the stairs.
• He loves to "get cozy," and flops down on pillows or blankets, clean laundry, or anything soft, tummy first.
• He adores his big brother, and often tries to reach over and touch his face when Cooper is sleeping, or tries to make Cooper laugh.
• He will regularly grab a toy and then run out of the room, wanting us to follow him, or going off to play by himself for a minute before returning to find us again.
• He loves beef, turkey, clementines, raspberries, and he still nurses like a champ
• He's very vocal, lots of near-word sounds, but also he frequently says, "mama," and "dada," and sometimes says "more."
• He loves to screw the lid onto jars or bottles. The other night, he put the small cap back on a bottle of kombucha and screwed it on all the way (while Nicholas held the bottle)
• He loves to cuddle and will run over and lean against Nicholas' or my legs or reach up with both arms to be held.
• He has a lot of fine, white-blonde hair that often sticks up everywhere. I love it so much.
• He loves when Cooper plays music on his CD player, and does a little sway-and-one-arm dance to the beat.
• We always have to watch out for toilet paper and kleenexes – this baby loves shredding and carrying around paper products
• His other favorites: the dishwasher, playing peek-a-boo, putting kitchen towels or articles of clothing on his head, anything involving the stairs (yikes!), running into the bathroom when Cooper is taking a bath and throwing things in the tub, being worn in the carrier on walks or at the grocery store.
• He blows kisses by making a loud, "mwah!" sound with the back of his hand against his mouth. It's the sweetest thing.

A whole year of holding him while he sleeps, and comforting him when he cries, laughing with his little giggle, finding joy in the gap-toothed smiles, and the weightiness of holding and raising up this little man.

Finn is a gift; our littlest sunshine. Thank you, Lord, for a year with him!