Closing Day

So Spencer and I bought a new house today. Well, new to us. It's actually 106 years old. It's in a neighborhood of Indianapolis called Meridian Park that has lots of historic homes.

As charming as it is, standing in the updated kitchen is where I knew this house would be ours and where I started getting choked up about having found "the one." I'd heard that when looking at houses, we'd just know when we found the right one. I didn't really believe it, but it happened.

We'll be moving next weekend. Which is a little bittersweet. Spencer and I have been in our current house for 10 years and it's the only place I've ever lived besides my parents house and dorm rooms. But it's time to move on. It was too small when we moved in. And though Finnegan is tiny, his equipment -- think swing, highchair, play gym, Jumparoo -- take up a lot of space. But we're hoping to hold onto it and rent it out. If you know someone who might be interested, let us know!

Valentine's Day with the Valentines

When I started dating Spencer 10 years ago, there was a lot of pressure celebrating Valentine's Day. I mean, when your last name is the holiday, you feel like you have to go all out. With buying a house in two weeks, we decided to keep this year low key. We spent the afternoon with Finnegan, trying on dad's hat


and making impressions of his tiny foot. Note the gap between his toes. He gets that from his mom.


Our eighth wedding anniversary was in December, and Spencer and I have tried to keep with the giving of "traditional" anniversary materials. Eight years was bronze, so Spencer gave me a kit to make impressions of Finnegan's hand and foot. We finally got to the foot on Valentine's Day. It was a special way to spend the day and one we'll always be able to remember. I hope to make Valentine's Day special for Finnegan, and he enjoys having the last name Valentine on February 14.

Hope you had a chance to flirt with the ones you love!

This boy can sleep anywhere

So Finnegan and I have started a little Sunday afternoon tradition. I wear him in a sling while putting away laundry. We bounce around and sing to a kids CD -- think This Old Man, Say Say O Playmate, Wheels on the Bus. He had too much a few weeks ago and needed to rest.

His dad has a hand in this

As a fan of the Cleveland Browns, Spencer has an affinity for the color orange. Many recent purchases are this color. I get the style I want. Spencer gets the color he wants. See highchair. Stroller to make an appearance in warmer weather.

And it seems to be rubbing off on Finnegan. He apparently LOVES sweet potatoes.
Green beans not so much.