Ben 11 Months

Big Ben turned 11 months old this week.  He is a happy, busy guy.

Still not a lot of hair, but that's ok, he's been focusing on growing teeth (he has eight!).

He pulls up, cruises, walks when you hold his hands, and crazy crawls.

It's funny but he gets around!

He takes 4-5 bottles and eats like a man-baby.  I was told he had three servings of goulash at lunch one day.

He has been sleeping great.  Bedtime is around 7 and he wakes up anywhere from 6:15-7:15.

He says "uh oh," "mama," and I think "adada" is dada.  He claps and kind of waves, sometimes.

Busy, busy, busy.  Not a still moment with him.  He is into anything and everything.  He finds the tiny spec of trash on the carpet or bug outside.  He'll always find the one thing that isn't a toy in a room full of toys.

He is such a sweet little guy.  We are enjoying watching him race towards 1 year!

Playing at the water table

Sorry adult Ben

Silly man

A's 4 Year Check Up

With the dreaded shots.

Ever since she got a flu shot last fall she has associated the doctor with getting shots.  I probably wouldn't have even told her she would get shots at this appointment, but she jumped to that conclusion and we didn't deny it.  So there's been much talk of this appointment.  About how she doesn't want to go to the doctor, doesn't need to go to the doctor, isn't sick, doesn't get sick, will never get sick.  You name it, she tried it.  We told her it wasn't a big deal-just a few pinches and it would be over in seconds.  Assured her it was just a small pinch.  She wasn't buying it.

So I picked her up this afternoon.  As I was putting her in the car she said "hey mom, you know what would be cool?"  Me, "what?" "If we just went bowling and didn't go to the doctor" (Rob had promised to take her bowling afterwards).

Then she continued on.

"I don't need to go to the doctor.  I'm not sick.  I'm never sick.  My baby dolls are always sick.  They should go to the doctor."

Threw her own babies right under the bus.

Then, as we were walking in,

"Hey mom, you know what isn't cool?"

What?

"Getting shots."

I laughed. Hard.

Her checkup showed she is a healthy girl.  And-not gonna lie-looking over the development and skills for her age and she pretty much owns that.

She is 39.5 inches tall (43rd %) and 34 pounds (41st %).

She kind of lost her mind when the nurse came in for the shots.  Rob had to sit on the table with her and restrain her and a necklace I was wearing was a casualty of the process.  The tears pretty quickly dried up after she got a sticker and a sucker.  She decided she's never going back to the doctor.

























Also, you heard it here first, she'll be telling Ben "not to listen to Mom."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7yanHmb1Ag

Big shock.

Birthday Planning

For Benny.

That's right.

How that is even possible is beyond me.  But it is.

I have some busy weeks in June and July so I thought I better get started on planning Ben's party.  I decided to do a rubber ducky themed party because 1) Ben has a duck lovie that he is obsessed with and 2) he LOVES bath time and the rubber ducks in the tub.

I was kind of hoping to have it somewhere besides our house, but I couldn't really think of a place, for his age, other than a park.  Our house will do fine, though!  I might get a kiddie pool for the little ones.

Fun yet bittersweet to be planning our little man's 1st birthday!

All Play and No Work

None.  No work at all this weekend.  And our house is the disaster zone to prove it.

Ah, but we enjoyed ourselves and that's all that matters.

On Friday night we went swimming at Gigi and Pepaw's after work.  Avery is loving the water and has learned quite a bit in just the handful of times she's been in the pool this year.

Saturday we went to the Renaissance Fair at the Castle in Muskogee.  We had never been and some friends from work were going so we thought "why not."  It was pretty much what I expected.  Even though it was hot and humid we had a good time.

Mark and Ben

Brave one on the camel by herself

Mermaid treasures

Second pony ride

On Sunday we got up and had a late breakfast in Tulsa and stopped by a park before heading to Mayfest.

 

 Ben was doing his best to keep his appendages off the grass.

We walked around Mayfest for a bit.

Ben's 1st Mayfest

$4 water must taste better

Could have had his first bite of corn dog. Maybe next time.

We left Mayfest and went by Gigi and Pepaw's for a swim.

Avery is getting better every time.  Of course she still has a lot to learn, but if you ask her she knows everything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E11ek8ltxM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFAqZdF7IrQ

A devastating tornado hit the Moore/OKC area yesterday.  The images and stories today are just horrible.  It's unbelievable to see the devastation in an area I've driven through hundreds of times.  It makes you realize that life is not a guarantee.  Hold your loved ones even tighter because you never know.

This Week: It's About Time Spring Showed Up

Another week has flown by.  We've spent it doing the usual: work, school, laundry, cook, play, rinse, repeat, etc. etc. But the weather has been nice so we've gravitated outside in the evenings.  We picked up a swing for Ben at Aldi.  It fit perfectly on the swing set.  Avery was excited to have a buddy to swing with.  Ben was pretty jazzed himself.

Interesting hairstyle, A.

Ben likes to get in Avery's house (as she calls it).

Very interested in watching Dad use the water waterhose

Some blooms on the plant Gigi & Pepaw got for Avery

One more pic before we take the decorations down

Tuesday we went swimming.  The hot tub wasn't too hot, just warm, and Ben was LOVING it.

 

We've been watching Avery's ant farm this week.  They've made all their tunnels-it's pretty cool to see.

Avery has slowly been breaking into her birthday gifts.  This princess tracing thing was a favorite.  Of course she blew through all the tracing paper it came with in one night-ha.  Oh, and Smurfette pajamas at Old Navy for less than $4: score!

Oh, and this guy-this little stinker-is all over the place.  He won't stay seated in the tub.  Or the changing table.  Or anywhere.  He is into everything.  This morning he pulled up on the toilet before I could stop him, tightly gripping the seat as I tried to haul him away (ewwww).


But when he's sleeping....awwwwwww.  He's so sweet.  And still.  And quiet.

He loves the ducky and sleeps snuggled up to it

Avery and Rob cleaned my car inside and out last night.  I think Avery had more fun running in the water and throwing the cleaning sponges around.

In the process of cleaning out my car we found a note from Avery's teacher from two weeks ago.  Oops.

My child not minding?  I'm shocked.  Not really.  But I am a little surprised.  She usually minds pretty well.  We will have a talk about this today, but something tells me she will have no recollection of said events.

Mother's Day 2013

How cute are these little things they (ahem, the teachers) made at school?

My little sprout

Sweet little profile

Avery also slid a card under the bedroom door Sunday morning.

That's me on the left

I took the kids to the park by my mom's house so we could visit with her a bit and let them play.

Ben wanted to get down and crazy-crawl around the playground

We headed over to Gigi and Pepaw's for lunch and swimming.

I think we have two fish.  Avery had a blast.  It was a beautiful day and I'm glad I got to spend it with the ones that call me Mom as well as the best moms I know!

My first child with his new summer cut (hack)

Picture fail