Be who you want to be

I have these random times in life where I have insightful moments about society and humanity. Today I had a moment where I just really looked around at the people surrounding me and payed enough attention to notice the details and the individualism. I love that we live in a society where we can choose (to an extent) what we want to be like. We chose what interest us, the people we surround ourselves with, our careers, and our styles. If you think about it, our styles are a huge part of who we are today. It can show what we are in to and sometimes even how we feel about ourselves. As I get older and wiser (don't laugh) I have really become more relaxed on my view of individualism and stereotypes. It used to bother me when I would see someone trying to be "so different." Now I love it. Why not. Be whoever the heck you want to be and if that changes with the next trend or hype, so be it.
Before I get too deep, let me just list the few people today that caught my attention.
1. Be vintage/anthropologie. If you want to ride a bike wearing a antique floral dress, a big red flower in your hair, and feather earrings, than do it.
2. Be a southern Frat boy. If you want to wear boat shoes with short lime green shorts, than do it.
3. Be a hipster. If you want to ride around on your 10 speed multi-colored bicycle with Tom's shoes, than do it.
4. Be unexplainable. If you (a girl) want to shave your head and wear motorcycle goggles, than do it.
5. Be promiscuous. If you feel like it is necessary to lay out in the sun in your bikini, in front of a frat house, on a main Gainesville street, during rush hour, than do it.
Gotta love Gainesville.
Now ask yourself what stereotype do I fit in.... and then embrace it!

My empathetic, evangelical, super hero son

Finn and I were talking the other day (can't quite remember how we got on the subject) about people's jobs. Since it is already clear in Finn's mind what mommy and daddy do (see previous post about "what we do all day") he seemed to want to figure out what his friend Harrison's mommy and daddy do? First of all, Finn corrected me when I told him Harrison's daddy is a fireman. "no mommy. Harrison's daddy goes to school." Apparently in his mind all daddies go to school! Once he finally accepted the fact that Harrison's daddy is a fireman He then wonders, "is Harrison's mommy a fireman?"
He then moved on.
Finn: mommy, do you know what my work is?
Me: no, what is your work?
Finn: I help people get saved
Me: (in my mind I am thinking...I've got a mini evangelist on my hands!") what do you mean Finn?
Finn: I save people when they're stuck in a tree
Me: that's nice Finn. How do you save them?
Finn: I catch them. Do you know what my other work is?
Me: no, what's that?
Finn: I help people feel better!!
Then I saw this in action. The next day as we were leaving Finn's babysitter he whispered to me that he forgot to tell Diane something. We went back inside and he (with a cute shy smile) tells Diane that the loves her and gives her a big hug. So sweet! After we left, Finn tells me, "see mom I do make people feel better!"

So independent!!!

Julien recently turned 6 months. He's had a busy week learning

 how to sit up, his first teeth growing in, and trying new veggies.

We're still working on the hair! He still smiles through it all!

One stylish man

Finn has not really showed any preferences for clothes as of yet. Oh wait. I lie. Last summer he became obsessed with these green shorts that a friend Noah gave him. I think that since he loved Noah, he loved the shorts. They were a bright green and Finn wanted to wear them at all times. Mainly, He just wears whatever I give him, which is fun for me. Even though boy's clothes are not nearly as fun as girl clothes, I can still get creative. Recently Finn has been changing things up.

Add a little hat

How about some boots?



an outfit from his babysitter after he had an accident



There's my little GQ boy!

"Cold"lanta

A couple of weekends ago Sean had an interview in Atlanta (but not for a job in ATL), so we decided to make a trip of it. We stayed with my friend Katie, who was gracious enough to give us her place for the weekend. Maybe she was scared of staying with our brood!!! It was especially nice since Katie is weeks away from getting married and in the midst of moving. It was a really fun weekend and we got to experience some cold weather without the snow :(( Actually, Finn corrected us after calling it Hotlanta. He said, "No, it's Coldlanta."
We spent the first day with some friends, Danielle and Ben who have a daughter, Riley. We spent the day at a children's museum. Finn and Riley loved it! The next day we changed it up and spent most the day touring where Martin Luther King grew up. It was facinating. In the afternoon we visited a HUGE indoor farmer's market. I felt like I was in a Europe. We made a nice dinner with the good stuff we got. On the last day when Sean had his interview, I spent the day with Finn and Julien at the aquarium. Finn was in heaven surrounded by sharkes, sea turtles, fish, sea horses, jelly fish, etc. Here are some pictures from the trip.

 Finn and Riley at the Children's museum

Danielle (college friend) and Riley

Finn in front of Martin Luther King's childhood home (I have no idea why he decided to hide his face)

Finn and Sean enjoying the sights

Our visit to Martin Luther King's resting place (afterwards I thought how it is a little strange to pose in front of a tomb??)

Katie (college friends) with the boys

Finn with Travis (Katie's fiance). These two were inseparable

Finn and the sea turtle

Finn and I with a fish

Finn and I being penguins