Ben, 8 Months

Big Ben is eight months today.

HOWDIDTHATHAPPEN and all that...

I'll save it.

It just does.  Somehow.  There doesn't seem to be an explanation (something about time and blah blah blah).

No appointment at eight months, so I'm estimating his weight at 18-20 lbs.  He was about 18 when I took him to the doctor about a month ago.

He is getting chunkier everyday. And maybe he's growing into his head after all.

Here's what Ben is up to:

Sitting up like a pro.

This week he has been sleeping through the night (11-12 hours).  I hesitate to mention it because while I'm not superstitious you just never know.

Drinks about 30 oz of formula a day and has three little meals.  I say meals, but really just a veggie/fruit two times at daycare and then a little something at dinnertime.  I have been making his food lately.  He seems to like everything ok.  Nothing seems to stand out as something he loves or hates.  Last night I made skinny chicken broccoli alfredo and used the immersion blender to blend some of the chicken and broccoli mixture.  He seemed to really like that and ate a pretty big portion.  I'm pretty sure that's the first time he's had meat.

Pears, sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, and peaches

Green beans, acorn squash, and cauliflower

He hates being on his stomach still.  He'll immediately roll over to his back if you put him on his stomach.  IF he eventually crawls, he will probably go about it by lunging forward onto all fours from a sitting position.  He likes to rock while sitting to he might start to scoot around that way.

He blows raspberries all the time and loves to spit on your face.

He is putting two syllables together but no words (bababa but no mama yet).

He is a pro at banging toys around.

He has two bottom teeth and one, maybe two (don't know if the other top tooth has broken through) top teeth.

He likes a particular duck lovey and a crochet blanket made by his great-grandma Alice.

He loves to laugh and smile and his sister is still the funniest (and he loves having his feet tickled).

He likes being carried around.

He is outgrowing his 6 month clothes.  Trying to limp through the next month or so of cold weather  though so as not to buy a new winter wardrobe.

Ben playing the other night.  We just recently introduced that toy.  It was always a favorite of Avery's.

Here's a video of Avery playing with the same toy at about the same age, maybe a little older.

He's growing like a weed and makes us smile and laugh everyday!  Can't wait to see what this month has in store.

Weekend Happenings

We were supposed to get a "blizzard" last night...pffft.  Didn't happen.  I would love a mini blizzard that would trap us all inside...for about 1 day.

Anyway.  Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

We had a nice weekend.  Rob went out of town so it was just the kids and I.

We went to a birthday party on Saturday.  We had...fun?  I don't know.  Avery becomes so clingy at parties.  Like, won't go play, won't talk to anyone, etc.  We really encourage her to play and participate, but if she's not having it she just...won't.  Complete opposite of the girl I see running around like a wild person when I pick her up from school.  I know, that's her element.  And there have been parties where she did run off and play.  It just seems like lately she hasn't.  I'm just not sure how to encourage her and make her feel comfortable but at the same time not coddle her.   I want her to be herself (a sweet girl who is a bit shy) but be brave and play with new people when she's not in her element.

Having fun in the bounce house...after all the other kids got out.  Yeah, she wanted to get in but would.not get in even though there were some sweet little girls asking her to come in and jump with them.  sigh 

Static

Resting after the party

Having dinner

Ben is really working on finger foods.  We have tried puffs, pieces of toast, peas, pieces of banana, etc.  He tries, but doesn't have his pincer grasp down just yet. He can pick up pieces of food, but they usually get closed in his little fist which makes the transfer to the mouth a bit difficult.

Sunday we ran to Target for a few things while Ben stayed at Gigi and Pepaw's (our new neighbors!).

I thought my 3 year old knew better than to lick the shopping cart handle.  Nope!  Next, we're off to lick some public doorknobs and escalator rails!

Rob came home (finally!;)) and we went to my mom's for lunch.

Nice weekend with family:)

Wednesday Randoms

Happiest baby on the block.

And his silly sister

Rob and I got a night out on Saturday.  We had a late Valentine's dinner and then out for a while with friends.
Sunday we went to Elijah's birthday party.

We've just been plugging along this week.  Some things of note:

Ben snatched some kale out of my hand and started (trying to) eat it.  He looked like a little turtle.

He got a new car seat.  The infant carrier was getting way too heavy to lug around (for me anyway). He hasn't outgrown it, so we're still using it in one car, and got another seat for my car.  Avery also got a new seat for Rob's car.

Ben also had a tooth break through on the top. This kind of makes me sad.  I really love his little two-tooth grin.  He's getting too big.

Who eats their green beans before their spaghetti.  Who does that?
Actually, I do it too.

Surprised shark.

Snowy morning.  It only took until February to get any accumulation of snow.

It is hard to find a hood that will fully cover that head.

Sister Mommy

That's what she calls herself.

I saw Rob standing outside of Avery's room.

She wanted to read to Ben.

And she wanted to do it by herself so she asked Rob to leave.

This is a new thing. She asks you-usually politely-to please leave her room.  I wasn't really expecting that for a few more years.

It was a fleeting moment. Soon Ben grabbed the book and started eating it, then he fell over.  Avery lost interest and left to play elsewhere.

But it was a sweet moment.

Ledge Shelves, Kites, Sunshine, & Valentines

What is going on with the weather?! Saturday was rainy and freezing.  I ran some errands but I don't think the kids left the house all day.

Rob finished up a project I found on Pinterest.  Rob just loves that I find things on Pinterest for him to make!  He even came up with a t-shirt idea:

Pinterest: Ruining Men's Free Time Since 2010.

I think he might be on to something.

Anyway, I found these shelves on Pinterest and thought, hey, Rob could make those (never I could make those)!  Tutorial found here http://ana-white.com/2010/10/plans/ten-dollar-ledges.

And just as I planned, he did a great job.  More pictures later.  But Avery helped paint.

Ben and I stayed inside where it was warm.

It was a hot chocolate kind of day.

Saturday night we made pizza and Aunt Lynn came over.

Sunday morning the shelves were dry and Rob hung them.   I think they turned out so well!  I love them and I think they're a great way to display books that otherwise get shoved in the toy/bookcase.

I took Avery to Target to pick out some Valentine cards for her friends.  We got special treats at Starbucks (mental note: put juice box from home in purse next time so as to avoid the $2 juice box at Starbucks).

She wanted to address all the cards herself.  She did such a good job.  I told her how to spell all the kids' names (obviously) except for Coen (she already knew how to spell his name somehow).

It was pretty nice on Sunday although windy.  Avery and Rob got the kite out and had fun with that for a while.

Ben napped and looked very sweet doing so.

I took the kids to Riverparks since it was so nice.  Rob had to stay close to home since he was on call but my mom met us there.  It was pretty chilly and windy by the river but Avery had a great time running around.

Hands chilly? Just put them in your pocket.
My mom put them in there and he kept them like that.

A super nice, quiet weekend!

Boot, Ballet Slippers, & the Super Bowl

Wednesday already?! Guess I should be thankful it's one day closer to the weekend:)

Catching up from the weekend:

Avery and I went to a wedding shower on Saturday. 

Looking cute in her boots

She was excited to go and I like getting out of the house and getting some one on one time with her.

As usual we did some lounging around.  

Sunday we went to a friend's house that was getting rid of some kids' clothing.  She happens to have a 4 year old girl and a 1 year old boy so I found some things for both A and B!  She kindly passed on her daughter's old leotards and ballet slippers.  The leotards fit her pretty well if not a tiny bit big but the slippers fit like a glove.  

I'm thinking someone needs to get into a dance class, asap.

She added another dress to her collection a la Mimi.

We went to a Super Bowl party Sunday evening.  Ben wore his Team USA outfit.  I still couldn't tell you who was in the Super Bowl BUT we had fun.  Avery enjoyed playing with the kids-Olivia is almost 3, Grayson is 3, Claire and Koen are 1 so Ben is the youngest.