Bennett: The Home Stretch

First and foremost, I need to wish a Happy Happy Father's day to two of the most important men in my life:

To my father for giving me such a solid foundation and teaching me to embrace change and independence, I love you dad.

And second, to my husband. For giving our son the greatest role model and best buddy a little guy could ask for. We love you Shane. 

Now, onto the update of the little guy.  Here we go gang, the home stretch. The final days leading up to our little guy turning an entire year old. Good golly, I. CAN'T. HANDLE. IT.

Hands down this has been my favorite couple of months. I have loved every second of your sweet babyness (today, it's a word ... so just roll with it), don't get me wrong … but watching your little personality develop, feeding you real foods, having you kiss or hug me and actually mean it, and to laugh at something on your own. It's too much. You're just too great. Geesh. Okay, let's see what you've been up to...



How big are you? (these staged monthly photos are getting more and more challenging, because you don't stay put anymore!)

• 10 months
• Height: 30.74 inches (91st percentile)
• Weight: 19lbs 10oz (25th percentile)
• Head: 46 cm (60th percentile) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 11 months
• Height: 31 inches (? percentile)
• Weight: 20lbs 11.5oz (? percentile)
• Head: 46.5 cm (? percentile)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

What's Your Temperament:

• Busy. Busy. Busy (in this photo you successfully removed a window pane from our kitchen ... since this photo you have removed two more in the office ... We get it Bennett, you want us to redecorate. But, if you could just hold off for a little while and let us enjoy the panes for a little while longer, we'd appreciate it)
  
• Baby boy, you are hysterical. You have one of the best dispositions of a baby I have ever seen.
• You are so friendly to everyone you meet, you nearly always have a smile on your face.
  
• You are determined to figure things out on your own.
• You make sure you are the center of attention.
  
• And even though you aren't saying real words … you make sure to let someone know if you want more, dislike a change, or simply want their attention. You work it boy. 
  
• No doubt, your smiles and belly laughs are still the best part of our day. You've also figured out that you are supposed to smile when you see someone and you have developed a sort of "fake" smile and it's impressive child. Already working the crowd. 
• Let's talk talking again … everything in your world is Da-Da. You can say tons of sounds and do so on your own, but anytime we ask you to say something you only say Da-Da … you RASCAL!
  
• You can say how a cow goes (mooooo)
• You can say how a monkey goes (ooooh oohhh ahhh ahhh)
• You can say a ton of other things, but not really on command and I'm unsure you know what you're saying

What are you eating?

• You're eating all kinds of foods! And you absolutely love it! 
  
• So far you've haven't met many foods you don't like, meat seems to be a struggle but other than that you're all in.
• Current favorites include:
• Any kind of fruit - clementines, pears, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and pineapple are the current favorites
• Cheerios, mini peanut butter and cheese crackers and goldfish are our fave snacks
• Colby jack cheese
• Egg noodles cooked in chicken broth
• You get 3 full meals a day (usually Turkey or Chicken, some sort of noodle, and a fruit or veggie) paired with a sippy cup with a STRAW because you hate sippies! And then you get 2 8 oz bottles every day: one in the morning and one before bedtime. And you often get a trainer bottle/sippy of formula around midday.
  
• You're still eating nearly every 3 hours ... and sometimes we can stretch you a little longer to 3.5-4 hours in between 
• Enfamil Gentleease is still your formula ... and you also drink water and apple juice. And PaPaw likes you sneak you diet coke every once in a while :)

What are you sporting?

• Still cruisin' in #3 diapers, but wearing a #4 baby dry at night, and still Pampers people.
• Avent paci's when you want one. But they're not a big time play for you unless you're having a rough time falling to sleep. 
• You're wearing all 12 month sleepers, and we've added 18 month items into the mix as well. It's funny because you have no problem filling them out lengthwise, but you are SO skinny we need to take in the waist bands. 
  
• You're pretty chill when it comes to hats, but other accessories seem to come off immediately.
• You're also walking {EVERYWHERE} now, so shoes have made their way into our lives. You seem to do best with light soles or moccasin style and Roobeez are the best ones for you. I also just purchased you your first sandals (a fresh pair of Nikes) and oh those little baby toes. Too much!

How are you sleeping?

• Still pretty amazing compared to other little tykes I've heard of.
  
• Since you're putting yourself to sleep, the schedule is about the same but going a little later with the summer months. Bath, bottle then bedtime between 8-8:30 and you're up and at em between 6 and 7 am. 
• Your naps are getting much more patterned. Somewhere between 2-3 a day depending on how long each of them are.
• They are usually around 8am, 11am and 3pm
• Still loving your Halo Sleep Sack!

Bennett likes and dislikes:

• Likes:
• Being on the move. 
  
• Walking. Walking. Walking.
• You took your first steps the day before Easter Sunday and your daddy and I were both there to see it.  You took them in between the island and our kitchen table and we both looked at one another, screamed (and scared you) picked you up, snuggled you and cheered with you. It was a big day buddy. Big day. And you've been on the move ever since.
• Your highchair! You like to play in it and drop all of your toys all over the ground. Plus, it usually means food is close by and heavens we know you love that!
• BATH TIME. You LOVVVEE bath time. And your bath time toys! 

• Anyone talking or singing to you, you're such a social little butterfly!
• Holy stairs. You love to climb up them and turn around and look at us like, "HEY DID YOU SEE THAT GUYS?!"- we've installed gates but you are the first one to notice when we accidentally leave them open and you pounce on every opportunity to climb.
• Water. The pool, the bath, the ocean, the faucet. You are a total water baby.
  
• Grabbing hair {OUCH!} ... you always get handfuls. You're also starting to notice jewelry and loving it.
• Dislikes:
• Your car seat, when you've been in there for too long you are NOT happy.
• You're starting to get a little more particular about who holds you, but I don't mind because I'm one of the ones you're okay with ;)
• Getting dressed - you'd prefer to be naked.
  

Fun Moments, favorite memories, quirks and milestones:

• YOU'RE WALKING!
• You've been kissing, but you've learned to hug. Seriously BEST part of the day.
• We took a family trip to Destin, FL and you walked on your own in the sand.
• You're mimicking - nearly everything (cough, hoo-hoo)
  
• We ask you, "How Big is Bennett" and  you throw your little arms up in the air and we say "SOOO BIG" - holy adorable.
  
• You've started holding your own bottle.
• You're sporting some teefers :) 4 on the top and 2 on the bottom
• You love to walk around with an accessory -- a broom is your current favorite.
• Capturing your smiles via camera is still a personal challenge of mine and I get wayyy too excited when I get a good one - here's one of my favorites from the past few months. I love it. 
  

We are having so much fun watching you grow, but can you just stay this small for a little while longer before we head into toddler days? I'm not ready. Good grief. You make every day infinitely better. Cheers to 10 and 11 months BIG!

Happy Birthday SDBU!

Whew, quite a lot has changed in such a short time. Just last year I was wishing my hubby and soon to be daddy a happy birthday and celebrating sans baby. This year however, things are a bit different with a little dude running around. And by that I mean, it couldn't be more perfect (aside from the fact that I took pictures and there was no SD card in the camera so I had to retake all of them and the cheesecake is half eaten ... FAIL).

Watching the man you love become a father has been one of my greatest joys to date. I love my husband, like love, love my husband … and have for nearly 8 years (GEEZE, that seems like so long). But seeing how incredibly amazing he is with our son makes me love him even more.

Don't get me wrong -- we've been at it this parenting thing for a little over 10 months and figuring out our "roles" and how we can help each other and who is better at which task took some time, but we're finally getting there.  We've worked our way patiently through it, and his composure, strength, and talents in areas I lack make us the perfect team and more thankful for him in our lives everyday.

Ya'll real life -- when Shane walks in at the end of the day Bennett LIGHTS UP.  BUB grins ear to ear to see his daddy and crawls or walks as fast as he can to give his big daddy hero a hug. My heart bursts at 5:30 everyday. But, don't get me wrong. They're still boys … and all boy. They giggle at each other when they fart … and if there are no real ones they make sure to make the noises with their mouths, which I roll my eyes and continue on. But they are buddies. The best buddies.

My my what big shoes Bennett has to fill one day. He has such an incredible role model in his father to teach him the ropes of life and I feel 100% content in knowing that if Bennett turns out to be half the man his father is, we're doing okay!

We love you Shane. Now, have a good time in Chicago (he's on his buddies bachelor party this weekend … I'm sure he's so sad about having to spend his birthday that way *sarcasm*). Bennett tried his best to get a good picture … but he was so excited he couldn't stop clapping :)

Happy Birthday!!!

Snack Attack ... I'm a Momma

Going wayyyy back in the archives I told y'all about our typical weekly eating schedule.  In said post, I also mentioned when it comes to food it is not wise to mess with our routines. Well, apparently my child did not get the memo. Damn TPS reports.

I'm trying my hardest to get back into our routine. But, well ... life happens and it doesn't always work out exactly as planned. So, as I'm working to fine tune my cooking skills one handed, I'm also learning a lot more about a little thing called snacks.

When I was pregnant snacks became my lifeline. It didn't seem suitable to always eat a a full meal. One, because I'd be hardcore judged by everyone around me if I ate as many cheeseburgers as I did snack baggies of fruit. And two, because I needed to keep those blood sugars up! Now that little man has arrived, its not much different. Although the snacking frequency is MUCH less than when I was preggers, it's still just as imperative.

On days when lunch just ain't gonna happen or when I haven't been to the grocery store and we have no food to make an actual meal ... snacks are essential.  And I currently handle my snack attack with these delicious delights.

Ha! And you thought I was going to share some healthy snacks or something that you may consider trying. WRONG.  Did I mention I have a 10 month old?  His snacks are my snacks, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. And I'm not above the occasional Goldfish for dinner routine. Cheesy baked goodness in all it's glory. Yum.

So don't mind me while I finish polishing off this bag of white cheddar puffs and wash it down with some stale coffee. Happy Tuesday!

Mother's Day ... My First.

Sometimes I wake up and pinch myself. I have to honestly blink twice to remind myself this is real. I am a mom. A mother. A friend. A little boy's first love and the only one who can care for him, a way only a mother can. I am that person. ME. No one else. 


Of course he has his daddy, his grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and oodles and oodles of other fabulous people to love him. But, God chose me to be his MOTHER. ME! What an incredibly awesome gift. He gave me a sweet innocent bundle of happiness molded in his own likeness to nurture and love. And I get a chance to give him all of the things he deserves in this world. 

I get to be the one to pick him up and make him feel better when he bumps his head. I get to giggle with him when he thinks someone/thing is oh so funny. I get to watch him try and try until he finally figures it out and flashes the biggest "I am so proud smile". I am gifted the hours to bathe him, feed him, and sing to him. I am able to tuck him in at night and snuggle him first thing in the morning (okay, well Daddy usually steals most of  those snuggles, but I get to watch). I am his mother. How lucky am I?!?!

The days are long. The sticky food he manages to place in my "newly washed and just fixed' hair is annoying. My interrupted sleep patterns and occasional 5am wake up calls are frustrating. The tiny human that cries for attention or needs food 30 seconds before it is humanly possible to get it to him is trying on one's emotions. The constant being needed is sometimes too much. But Heavens to Betsy is it worth it!

I'm coming up on my first Mother's Day this weekend. My little man has just started walking. He's going to be an entire year old in less than two months and holy bajeeze is it making me emotional! I'm overjoyed with happiness. My heart is so full of love for this little guy I can physically FEEL the emotion.  Not to mention, the joy and happiness it has brought to my marriage and the constant reminder that I am so beyond blessed with a great family and loving husband. It's all just too much. 

So, for anyone out there who is reading this ... I want to share my love with you. And want you to hug everyone you know and especially your babies a little tighter this week. These days are long, but the years are short (I'm learning that a little too fast these days). No matter what stage of life you're going through... traveling the world with your buddies while studying abroad (my baby bro), right out of college or still going through it, mid-twenty something career gal moving up the corporate ladder (several of my gal pals), SAHM who barely has time to shower (ahem ... hello MaK and Katie Bugg), grandmama's who love everything about their stage of life (aside from their knees), etc...savor it! We will never get it back and one day we'll wish we could snap our fingers and go back to that place. But we're here, now.  So I'm gonna snuggle my little man and my hubs a little tighter this weekend and thank my lucky stars for all I have. And hug your momma's a little tighter too, I promise they love you to the moon and back.

Happy Mother's Day Weekend my friends!