10 Month's {Benjamin}

No doctor visit again this month, we don't go back until he is a year old.

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth...
and so he got! They came in just a day before his very first Christmas. He now has 4 little pearly whites peeking out at us. In his stocking was a new little tooth brush just for the occasion. He just loves having his little teeth cleaned and I'm sure the feeling of the brush rubbing on his gums.

He is an eating machine still, and we have been able to add some big people food to his routine as well. He loves snacking on the little puffs, Num Num's, small pieces of chicken, and whatever else we can give him from our plates. He is not picky at all, at least yet!

He pulls himself up on anything he can reach even if this means that it's not stable enough to hold him up, like his ride on toys or Olivia's shopping cart. poor kid took a tumble on that one. He got his first head wound when he tried to stand holding on to her shopping cart and it tipped over and he hit his head right on the edge of the door. He was fine, a little bottle and boo boo Elmo cold pack later he was good as new.

The good thing is he is figuring this whole standing thing out and I have been told by many that he will be in the middle of the floor and just stand up holding onto nothing. I have yet to see it, sad face! I know it's coming though. He is just so much more of a cautious soul then Olivia-the-jumps-head-first-into-everything!

He has learned a few new things like clapping, shaking his head no, waging his finger at you (we say 'no no no' while we do the same), and he can sign 'more'! Our smart little man. He still can only say Mama or sometimes it is Mommy and Dada. He would much rather speak in his little language.

His sleeping is a little off since he has between the teething and growth spurts. During those times he wakes several times at night in pain or hungry. Unfortunately not during those times he still wake usually once at night. I think he gets to off his normal schedule and it's hard to get back to it. The good thing is this one loves his bed and room. He happily sits in his crib when he wakes up and talks to himself or plays with whatever is in there. I have gone in on many occasions to find the bumper untied and in the middle of the bed.

He is so lucky to have a big sister that wants to play with him and just loves on him although one day he may hate that I let her dress him up with her jewelry. But for now he loves it and so do I.

Big Girl Panties

We have been working on the potty training since before Olivia turned 2. Unfortunately she never had a huge interest in it. We never pushed her to pee on the potty but we always asked. But since just before Thanksgiving she started showing more on an interest in it. Slowly over the last 2 months she used the big potty and her little potty more and more.


OK let me share the story behind this picture. (Yes, Jamie she will kill me for this and I don't care) I had both the kids home while Ben was at work this past Saturday and I was putting Benjamin down for a nap. I came out to see that she moved her potty into the living room so that she could watch her movie while she went poopy!I about died laughing when she told me this.



We are officially potty trained in this house. What a great way to start the new year. She still sleeps in a diaper (yes, a diaper because she wants to wear the ones that brother wears) and we are ok with that. It's a lot less to clean up, although 90% of the time she wakes up dry.

Needless to say I am truly amused at how many little panties I wash on a weekly basis. Hello Cinderella, Hola Dora!!!



Who knew I would be washing a zillion panties each week.

Santa Came

Christmas morning came all to quick around here. This year Olivia actually understood what it was and who Santa was. What was even cuter was when she went over to the nativity scene we have set up and said Happy Birthday Jesus!

We left cookies and Milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer although she wanted to drink the milk. Then it was off to sleep with her, it wasn't as easy as it usually is when she knows she will wake up to presents.

In the morning she woke about 7:50, just enough time to get her hair fixed and brush her teeth before everyone arrived. All of our family came to watch the kids open their presents. She anxiously waited in the kitchen since we wouldn't let her anywhere near the tree. We wanted it to be a big surprise for her.

Let's just say she was thrilled when she walked into the room. She went right over to check to make sure that Santa drank his milk and ate his cookies. And what a surprise, he even left a note for the kids. How sweet that Santa is. She is more and more like me it took her twice as long to open gifts as her brother. She wanted to play with everything she opened. Santa brought her exactly what she asked for. It was a great Christmas for all.

We spent the afternoon at Nana and Grandpa's house for Christmas #2 and dinner. The Holiday's were amazing and we love spending so much time with all of our family. 

Christmas #2 at Nana and Grandpa's House

North Pole Breakfast 2012

Our Elf Bernard came through again this year with another wonderful breakfast for us, he even invited our family.

The kids were so excited to eat yummy food that Daddy helped Bernard prepare. They even got a little surprise from him, matching Christmas PJ's!!!

New Year's Resolutions

The past few years I haven't given myself goals for the new year, but I have a lot that I want to accomplish next year!

1. Learn Italian: Which is actually something I have wanted to do for most of my life and Ben bought me Rosetta Stone. It's gonna happen.

2. Perfect my Photography: A huge hobby of mine, but lately I haven't taken much time for it. Come on between chasing after 2 kids and trying to keep my house looking like I don't just let Olivia drop her junk anywhere she wants, it's been tough.
3. Buy a home: Pretty sure this won't happen this year but we haven't wanted anything more, so we can work on this. We just want a place to call ours and not have to worry that we may be moving again.

4. Finish all of my open projects! That list keeps growing.

5. Take in every moment with my family!!!

6. Look like I didn't have a baby last year! And by that I mean lose the mom-gut. It's been much harder getting rid of it since the c-section but I swear I will see it dissapear. I want to rock the shit out of some bikini's this summer.

9 Month's {Benjamin}

Benjamin went in for his 9 month well visit with Dr. P and all went great, we didn't even need to get any shots.

Stats

Weight: 19.1lbs

32nd Percentile

Height: 27inches

45th Percentile

Happy Boy at the Dr. office.

Getting to play like a big boy!

He is cruising around like a champ and is still pulling up on anything he can. He loves to stand at the tables and reach for anything he can get his little fingers on. He has already pulled a few things off and some cups over. luckily nothing that can hurt him. It's tough to get back into the stage where everything has to be moved up to a different level.

With this doctor visit we were given the go ahead to start him on some new things, like small pieces of bread, pasta, really anything he can gum. He is thrilled with the new foods too, he sure doesn't give us problems at all in that department.

First taste of chicken and he was a huge fan, thank you 4 Rivers.

He is also beginning to get a bit more picky about where Mom and Dad are. When we go to leave the room he gets very upset but if you redirect him or give him a new toy he forgets quickly that you are steeping out of eye shot.

His favorite word is still Dada, but he talks incesantly. I can't wait for him to start saying words!!!

Shoe Shopping

Benjamin got measured for his first real pair of shoes just before Christmas. He wasn't real fond of trying them on or even walking in them. He kept his little toes all curled up in them.