17 months and 23 weeks :)

I feel like I write something to this effect on every post, but I really can't believe we almost have a one and a half year old! Benjamin grows and changes every single day.  No, every single hour.  No, every single minute!  It is amazing how much their little brains grow during these early years.  His vocabulary is growing rapidly, although we still struggle to figure out exactly what he is saying to us sometimes!  Benjamin loves to play the "What does a _____ say?" game.  He knows what a dog, cat, cow, sheep, bird, snake, lion, and Santa says.  He also likes to point to his body parts when we ask him, "Where's your nose/eyes/ears/tummy/hand/foot?" Benjamin also has a new obsession with Mommy's iPhone.  He asks for it by saying, "Video?"  I think this is because when we got home from Disney World a few weeks ago, we would watch videos from our trip together to unwind before a nap or bedtime.  Now he will ask for a "video" constantly!  Sometimes he will actually watch the videos of himself on my phone, and other times he will play with apps.  He loves to call Elmo, FaceTime Santa, play Fisher Price apps, or play Peek-a-Boo Barn.  I try to limit the screen time to only a few minutes here or there throughout the day, but the little stinker asks for it all day long! He even learned how to unlock my phone and swipe to the page where he can find his apps!  He's already outsmarting us... :) 

He is such a loving little guy.  Benjamin will give the sweetest kisses and hugs these days.  One of my favorite times of the day is when we are getting ready for a nap and he will lay his head down on my shoulder and snuggle up to me.  I hope he always wants to snuggle with his mommy!!!

We went to visit Santa last weekend and Benjamin was not a very big fan of the man in the big red suit!  He was all smiles, was waving to him, and loudly saying, "Ho ho ho!" before our turn to go up and see him.  Then Santa's helper announced (very properly I might add), "Santa is ready to meet Prince Benjamin!"  Daddy held Benjamin and slowly walked up the stairs toward him.  As they got closer, Benjamin started making little cries.  Once they got close enough for Daddy to set him on Santa's lap, Benjamin started crying loudly and grabbed onto Chris!  It was so funny and cute.  We'll try again next year!!

Age : 17 months (almost 1 1/2 years old!)

Weight : 27ish pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : 18-24 months in Janie and Jack, 24 months in Carters, 80 or 90 in Hanna Andersson, and size 5 diapers

Milestones :  Benjamin says quite a few words these days.  To name a few: hi, bye-bye, Muma, Dada, Ma (Grandma), PaPa, Gie (Maggie), eat, baby, play, video, uh oh and oh no (these two are usually in sequence together in a very dramatic way ;)), cat, dog, up, juice, baba, snack, hot, and more.  I'm sure there are more words that I am forgetting right now! He has 10 teeth now, 4 of which are molars.  He's becoming more and more independent each month.  Benjamin will play by himself in his playroom for quite a while before coming to find Mommy or Daddy.  He definitely still has his days where he wants to be right by our side - or in our arms - though!

Sleep :  Benjamin is doing a great job with sleeping these days.  He sleeps from about 8:30pm-7:30am, and then takes a nap around 1 or 2pm.  We are down to one nap a day which I really like.  It allows me to get all of our errands or activities done in the morning or early afternoon, and then I can have 2 hours or so to prepare dinner and clean up the house before Chris gets home from work.  It's a nice schedule!  I try to remember to enjoy it before things get a little crazy again come March!

Eating : We have a little bit of a bird on our hands when it comes to eating! Benjamin will pick at his meals, but isn't a huge eater.  I sometimes worry that he isn't eating enough at each meal.  He loves to eat macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, green beans, corn, rolls, spaghetti, McDonalds chicken nuggets and french fries (which he dips in ketchup!), fruit smoothies, baby fruit snacks, scrambled eggs, steel cut oatmeal, and loves pretty much any kind of fruit!  When we are grocery shopping he loves to snack on a banana as we shop!  He will also still eat pouches really well, so I try to make sure he has 2 or 3 of those each day to get some extra veggies in.

Favorites : Going up and down the stairs at our new house, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Santa (he loves finding Santa at stores or around the house and saying Ho Ho Ho!), juice (especially apple juice boxes), Mommy's iPhone, baby fruit snacks, the song Let it Go (and the music video!), dancing, drinking out of a big boy cup or a water bottle, bottles of milk (or babas), 

Doesn't like : Still not a big fan of diaper changes, but we can usually distract him during them, being around strange people or even family members that he hasn't seen in a while, teething, diaper rashes (he just had a really bad one - I felt awful for the poor little thing!), and sitting on Santa's lap. :)


In addition to having a toddler, we also have a little 23 week old growing away inside of my tummy! I sometimes have to pinch myself - we are so lucky to have not one but TWO little ones!  I cannot wait to meet our next miracle.  

• How far along?  23 1/2 weeks
• Baby size:  Papaya
• Total weight gain:  I think around 18 pounds or so.  My tummy feels huge this time around!
• Maternity clothes?  Yes! I am able to get away with some non-maternity tops, but I am in all maternity pants.
• Stretch marks?  No, but I sure don't inspect my tummy and legs like I used to with the first pregnancy.  No time for that with a 1 year old on the loose! 
• Sleep:  Sleeping great!  Just waking up to go to the bathroom 2-3 times a night. I am trying to soak up these last few months of getting a full night's sleep.... :)
• Best moment this week:  We celebrated Thanksgiving with our families this week. It was great to spend time with everyone and for Benjamin to play with his cousins!  I am excited to add another little one to the festivities soon. 
• Miss anything?  My in-laws were having some wine with Thanksgiving dinner and it looked good, but it's not something I miss terribly.  I was content with my sparkling water, too!
• Movement:  Yes! Baby moves all the time! It is the most amazing feeling. I tell Chris all the time how lucky I feel that I have been blessed with not one but two pregnancies. I know many women dream of being able to experience all these moments, and some never can.  I love and appreciate every kick!
• Food cravings:  Apples!  I have a Honeycrisp apple almost every night. I am also craving McDonalds double cheeseburgers which is not my favorite craving since it's so unhealthy!
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not really!
• Gender:  BOY! Benjamin is going to have a little brother. :) We are working on the nursery plans and getting out all of Benjamin's old clothes.  It's so fun to be able to plan for our next little man!  I hope Benjamin and his brother will be great buddies.
• Labor signs:  I have had a few Braxton Hicks, but it's funny how you definitely know it isn't labor your second time around. :)
• Symptoms:  A little bit of back pain and I am more tired than usual these days.  But feeling pretty great other than that!
• Belly button in or out?  It is just starting to pop out! 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!
• Looking forward to:  Our 4D ultrasound in a few weeks!
• Diabetes update:  My A1C improved a ton over the past couple of months! I am proud of my hard work, but would still like to do even better.  I am in the process of getting a new pump, which I think will be really helpful in better controlling my blood sugars. I am excited about it!

Disney World 2014

Another Sweet Surprise!

A few weeks ago (on July 16th to be exact!), I was digging around in the bathroom cupboard for something and noticed an unopened pregnancy test.  I had already taken a test a few days ago since I was late for my period and one of my best friend's bachelorette parties was that weekend.  It was negative.  I couldn't be pregnant.  I was on the pill!  And still breastfeeding!  Or could I... 

I decided to take the test, just to be sure.  It couldn't have been a more different experience than when I took a pregnancy test and found out we were having Benjamin.  With our first, I had been painstakingly counting the days until I could take a pregnancy test.  I watched the second hand tick as I waited those 3 looooong minutes for the test to give us an answer.  I was elated to see the "pregnant" result!!!  This time around, things were just a bit different. :)  As I was peeing on the stick, Benjamin was crawling up my legs, crying for a snack.  I quickly got the job done, set the test on the back of the toilet, washed my hands, and picked him up to go about our day.  Then, I totally forgot about it!!  I definitely wasn't counting the seconds like before.  I didn't even end up looking at the test again for about 3 hours!  I walked into the bathroom, grabbed the pregnancy test, and gave it a quick glance - expecting to see one line, toss it, and head back out to see what kind of trouble our 1 year old was getting into.  Boy was I surprised to see 2 lines... :)

I have to be totally honest.  This 2nd pregnancy was a surprise, and at first I wasn't sure how I felt about it.  I mostly felt guilty that I would be taking time away from Benjamin.  How could I love another baby as much as him?  He was still just a baby himself - wasn't it unfair to be taking time away from him for a new baby?  Would he resent having a sibling at such a young age?  Could we handle two babies under the age of 2?

After the news sunk in for a few days, and after receiving some great support from my husband and family, I felt completely different.  Benjamin was truly the BEST thing that had ever happened to me.  I may sound cliche, but he changed my whole world - in the best way!!!  How lucky are we that we're going to have not just one, but TWO little miracles to love?!  We are truly blessed, and I know this baby was meant to be.  God had a special plan when he created this little one for us.  Benjamin won't even remember life before his sibling, and I hope that they are the best of friends.  Being so close in age will hopefully be a good thing when it comes to that!  I know there will be difficult days, weeks, or even months - especially at first.  But we are beyond grateful to have this baby coming into our family.  I couldn't be more excited!  

So, here we go again! :) 

• How far along?  15 weeks exactly
• Baby size:  An orange!
• Total weight gain:  6 pounds. A few pounds less than when I was pregnant the first time around. Probably because I wasn't eating much during the first trimester since I was so sick! :( 
• Maternity clothes?  Oh yeah. The tummy is popping much more quickly this time around! I am in maternity pants most of the time, and both regular and maternity tops.  I like the snug fitting maternity tops because it makes me hope people see that I'm pregnant and not just chubby. :) 
• Stretch marks?  No.
• Sleep:  Sleeping great!  I do have to get up to go to the bathroom at least once (usually twice) a night, but it's nice to be able to go right back to sleep.  Benjamin is getting his molars right now, so he has been up occasionally in the night.  It's tough to crawl out of bed, and it is reminding me of whats to come in a few short months...I am getting pretty used to how great it feels to sleep through the night now with Benjamin!
• Best moment this week:  I am pretty sure I felt the baby moving last night!  I heard that you can feel it earlier with a second pregnancy since you know what to look (or feel) for.  As I was on the couch watching TV last night, I think I could feel those first little flutters.  Nothing beats that!  It is the most *amazing* thing.
• Miss anything?  Not really! I am just thrilled to be carrying this little one.  All that stuff you give up when you are pregnant seems more than worth it when you think about the end result.
• Movement:  See above! :)
• Food cravings:  Mexican! I definitely crave spicy this pregnancy. I have also been craving apples and veggies - especially Subway veggie subs.
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  I had awful nausea throughout the whole first trimester, but thankfully that has subsided.  Nothing really makes me queasy now!
• Gender:  I have no idea!  I do feel totally different with this pregnancy, but I am not sure if that means anything or not.  
• Labor signs:  I was having a lot of cramping and pain earlier last week, but that went away! Not really labor signs, but it was a little strange. I never had anything that intense with Benjamin.
• Symptoms:  My back is a bit sore (my sciatic nerve is acting up again this time around, and it probably doesn't help that I am carrying around a 30 pound sack of potatoes all day :)), but other than that I am feeling pretty good! I love the 2nd trimester!
• Belly button in or out?  In. 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!
• Looking forward to:  Finding out if we are having a boy or girl in a few weeks!
• Diabetes update:  My blood sugars have been good, but not as perfect as I'd like.  Chasing around after Benjamin takes away from my ability to watch my sugars like I did before. I am working hard at it and will keep trying to improve! I am anxious to see what my A1C is now - I head down to the doctor next week!

Well, I'm off to enjoy some TV and relax a little before bedtime.  Benjamin and I have a busy morning at the Library Lapsit class tomorrow. :)  Thanks for reading!

1 Year!!!

I can't BELIEVE our sweet boy is a whole year old! In some ways it feels like he was just placed into my arms for the very first time. In other ways, it feels like that newborn phase was forever ago. It is so true that it just keeps getting better. Every month he surprises us with how much he grows and changes! 

We had so much fun celebrating his 1st birthday! When I was growing up, my mom put balloons all around my bed the night before my birthday so I would wake up to a fun surprise to start the day! I decided to continue the tradition for our little one. I snuck into his room around midnight and taped balloons all around his crib. I knew this would be extra special for Benjamin, because he LOVES balloons. It was one of his first words! We'll be walking around the grocery store and he'll spot a balloon, start pointing at it, smiling, and saying "ba-ba-ba!" (His version of balloon!). :)  I couldn't wait for him to wake up and see his birthday surprise. Welllllll, turns out I could've probably waited a few more hours. He woke up at 3am and was batting the balloons all around, saying "Ba! Ba! Ba!" and he wouldn't go back to sleep! Haha! I had to take the balloons out of his room and put them in the hallway until the morning. Oh well...he was still THRILLED when I carried the huge bouquet into his room when the birthday boy woke up around 7am! :)

We had a special birthday breakfast of German Pancakes that morning (another tradition passed down from my mom!). He LOVED those. We played all morning and had a visit from Grandma Judie. Then we went to Baby Gymnastics with Tia and Stella. He loves crawling all over the cushy, bouncy floor and climbing on all the fun toys at Baby Gymnastics! After that, we had a long birthday nap, followed by dinner with Daddy at Casey's, and cake at home of course. It was such a fun day!

We celebrated Benjamin's birthday with friends and family with a party at our new house. The house wasn't quite done on the inside, but the outside was ready for a party! We had a big tent that was placed right next to the garage. It ended up being a perfect set up! The theme was balloons. We had primary colors and balloons everywhere! We even had a big balloon #1 and stations leading up the driveway to the party. It was a hot and muggy day, and we had some rain, but that didn't stop our fun. About 50 people came out to celebrate Benjamin's special big "one". :) It was such a special day!

Age : 12/13 months 

Weight : 24ish pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : Benjamin is wearing a 2T in Janie and Jack, an 80 or 90 in Hanna Andersson, and 24 months in other brands!

Milestones :  Our mobile boy is still a crawling machine! He is getting so fast. He is also pulling himself up on all the furniture, and "cruising" around the furniture as well. Just last week (around 13 months) he started standing all on his own in the middle of the room. He will pop up and down to stand up!  It's pretty cute! We are still waiting for those first steps. I am excited because it'll be easier to let him get down and exercise when we are outside, shopping, or out and about!  Benjamin is alllllllll about the stairs right now. He loves going up the stairs at Grandma and Papa's! He b-lines it for the stairs immediately when we get to their house. The trouble is that he doesn't quite know how to get down the stairs yet. He leans over the edge like he is going to go down face first - yikes!  He is getting pretty good about lowering himself down off the couch or chairs by turning his body around, so maybe he'll transfer that to the stairs soon.

Benjamin is talking up a storm these days. He babbles all day long!  He says quite a few more words now - hi, bye-bye, Muma, Dada, baba, ba (balloon), Gie (Maggie), uh oh, Ma (Grandma), and probably a few others that I am forgetting right now!

Benjamin also just cut one of his molars! He now has 7 teeth - 5 on top and still just 2 on the bottom. :) Overall he's been a trooper so far with the teeth.

Sleep :  Benjamin is doing so much better with his sleeping! We can lay him down with no tears for both naps and nighttime sleep now. He was waking in the night a few times for about a week when he cut his molar, but now he is sleeping through the night again. :)

Eating : I am a little sad to report that we are all done nursing. We dropped one feeding at a time and switched to a bottle of whole milk after his first birthday. It took about a month to wean 100%, but overall he (and mommy) did really well! He had no problem switching over to the bottle of whole milk. We are now using 2% milk from a recommendation from our doctor. It helps prevent heart disease later in life, along with childhood obesity! Apparently there is no reason to give a baby whole milk - the 2% is just fine.

Benjamin is becoming a little more of a picky eater! He doesn't love avocado or blueberries like he used to anymore; he much prefers whatever we are eating! Some of his current favorites are corn on the cob, BBQ chicken, lasagna, mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli, carrots, spaghetti, scrambled eggs, and mac and cheese! 

Favorites : Still loves Maggie's dog food and water!, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, dancing to the baby station on Pandora, his blankies, going for rides in his new bike buggy (thanks Grandma & Papa!), knocking over his stacking cups and saying, "uh oh!", crawling around on Mommy and Daddy's bed with Mommy "chasing" him:), and being free in the bath tub to crawl around/stand up/play! 

Doesn't like : Hates diaper changes, and also doesn't like when Mommy takes away something that he shouldn't have! ;) 

10 and 11 months!

It can't be possible that this is the last post I'll be writing before my sweet baby boy is a ONE YEAR OLD!  I know it sounds so cliche, but holy cow, did the past 11 months fly by.  As I always say, this was absolutely the best month yet!  Benjamin reminds me more and more of a toddler these days.  He is totally mobile and LOVES exploring.  It is fun to watch him discover new things on his own, rather than him depending on me to hand him toys, or carry him to different places.  

Age : 10/11 months (Things got a little crazy with the new house the past few months and I didn't have a chance to post at 10 months.)

Weight : 23ish pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : He is still wearing 18 month in most brands, and is now ready for 18-24 month in Janie and Jack.  Such a big boy.

Milestones :  We have a fully mobile crawler! Benjamin army crawled for a few weeks, and would lift his belly up occasionally, but then get tired and lay back down to move.  He started legit crawling with his belly up off the floor at around 10 1/2 months.  Chris and I love to chase him around the house!  If we roll a ball along the floor in front of him and pretend like we want to get it, he will try to crawl as fast as his little legs/arms can take him to get to it first!  It is so so cute!  We play all kinds of fun games like this now.  Benjamin will clap his hands when I sing Patty Cake or when I say "Yay Benjamin!".  He'll also hold his arms up high for "Sooooo big!" with a huge smile on his face!  He is saying "bye-bye" and really waving his hand (or handS!) when we prompt him!  It seems like he definitely understands.  He'll also point to things around the room that he wants.  I am still signing with him, but the only word he signs back to me right now is "milk". (Not that surprising.) :)  We'll see if he picks up on any of the other signs in the next month or two.  

Sleep :  Benjamin hit a rough patch with sleeping at around 11 months.  He starting waking up around 4 or 5am everyday, and didn't want to go back to sleep!  It made for a challenging morning, with an early morning nap, and that threw off the rest of the day. Hopefully we'll be back on track with a normal wake up time soon. :)  His naps are still great!  He sleeps for between 3 and 4 hours each day.

Eating : Benjamin is still nursing in the early morning, before naps, and before bed (4 times a day).  The thought of stopping still makes me a little sad and anxious.  I never would've guessed I would be THAT mom that enjoys nursing so much.  We both are just so content with our little schedule, and with me being at home with him all day it's so much easier than formula.  We have a trip to Las Vegas for Chris's 30th birthday planned in mid-August, so my thought is I should wean him from all feedings (except maybe not bedtime) by then.  We'll see how it goes.  He goes through phases with his solid food where he eats more and then less.  Right now he is eating a bit less than usual.  He still enjoys Puffs, fruit, veggies, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, spaghetti, french toast, scrambled eggs, and more!  He loves yogurt melts, so he gets a few for "dessert" while I clean up his high chair after each meal. :)

Favorites : Maggie's dog food (he is OBSESSED with trying to crawl over to get it - and eat it! Gross!), waving bye-bye, eskimo kisses with Mommy before bed, Baby Einstein You Tube movies while he gets a diaper change, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song and Hot Dog song, dancing, mimicking the sounds Mom or Dad make, crossing his little feet

Doesn't like : Really isn't liking diaper changes or getting dressed lately, only likes his car seat some of the time

9 months

Nine months?!  My baby is only 3 short months away from being ONE YEAR old.  My mind is blown, my heart is bursting, and my emotional side is making me want to cry because it's all going by so darn fast.  Each month is bittersweet; I get sad that he is growing so quickly, but then remember how much I adore each new stage.  He is really interacting with us now, and definitely showing us his silly personality!  He has his daddy's sense of humor for sure. :)  Here are some stats about our big boy!

Age : 9 months

Weight : 20 pounds 3 ounces!  I was surprised he wasn't more with the way he has been eating lately, but our doctor said that's really common for babies to start leveling out around this age.  He was 28 3/4 inches long!

Clothing and Diaper Size : He JUST grew out of his 12 month clothes and is starting to wear 18 month.  He can still wear the 12-18 Janie and Jack clothes - thank goodness, because that is the biggest they come in the layette collections. (Tear!)

Milestones :  Benjamin is still army crawling, but most recently up on all 4's "rocking" back and forth, too!  I don't think we have many more weeks left before he is really on the go.  I am excited for him to crawl, but kind of nervous about all the mischief he'll be able to get into, too!  I constantly worry about his safety.  Typical first time Mom trait, I am sure!  His top front tooth is *so* close to popping through!  I think we'll see another pearly white any day now. :)  I installed his new convertible car seat this month, and so far, so good!  He seems to like it better than the infant seat.  My mom and I took a trip down to Troy to look at some tile, fabric, and flooring for the new house last week.  Benjamin didn't make a PEEP the whole way, and he even took two naps in the car!!! :)

Sleep :  Benjamin is sleeping through the night almost every night again (woot woot!).  I did some nap training this month which was really tough.  He cried.  A lot. :(  And my heart broke!  But I knew it was best for him to learn to take good naps on his own, so I tried to power through the tough days.  And it was well worth it, because he is now falling asleep for naps totally on his own!  He takes a morning nap around 10, and an afternoon nap around 3 or 4.  He sleeps a total of 3 or 4 hours each day.  What a good boy! 

Eating : Benjamin is still nursing when he wakes up in the morning, before each nap, and before bed.  It is usually 4 times a day, or occasionally 5 times.  The thought of weaning him at a year old used to make me excited. I would have some freedom back!  I would have my body back!  But now that his birthday is just around the corner, it makes me sad to think about not having that special bond with him anymore.  We worked so hard at it and came so far.  It soothed him during tough days, comforted him to sleep during long nights, and brought us closer together every time we nursed.  I will miss snuggling with my little guy during those early morning nursing sessions, or late at night as I rub his back before bed.  Hopefully he will still cuddle with me without nursing... :)  

Favorites : Dropping Cheerios off his high chair for Maggie (and laughing about it!), his playpen, stacking cup toys, Mommy's iPhone (especially seeing himself on FaceTime!), playing peek-a-boo, balloons (especially his mylar balloon from Grandpa Mel's birthday party!), water in his straw sippy cup, brushing his hand across his lips as he babbles to make funny noises (Daddy taught him this), and looking out the window in his new big boy car seat. 

Doesn't like : Still not a big fan of diaper changes, super long car rides, and getting a "toy" taken away.  This list is pretty short because he is just such a happy guy these days!  He honestly is smiling 90% of the day!  I love 9 months. :)

8 Months!

Ok, I say this every month - but seriously, how is Benjamin 8 months old?!  8 MONTHS!  I can't believe it.  He gets more and more fun every month. :) 

This month we had lots of exciting things going on!  We started swim lessons at the YMCA which Benjamin is loving.  Daddy takes him in the pool while Mommy watches and takes pictures. ;)  

 

We also took a trip to Florida with Grandma!  It was so much fun to get away from the "polar vortex" and enjoy some time in the sunshine.  We went to the park almost everyday to swing on the swings and play in the splash pad, went to the beach, swam in the pool, and met up with Aunt Sandy and Grandma Judie for a visit!  It was a great get away.  I can't wait to get back down there again soon!

Such a good little boy on the plane!

Age : 8 months

Weight : Around 21 or 22 pounds I'd guess? He definitely looks a lot bigger to me in the past week - especially length wise!

Clothing and Diaper Size : He is still in 12 month clothes (or 12-18 month if its a range of sizes), and size 4 diaper.

Milestones :  Benjamin got his first teeth this month!! He got his little bottom left tooth at about 7 months 3 weeks, and then the other bottom tooth popped in just a few days after that.  He looks so cute with his little teeth!  He is also getting SO close to crawling.  If you put something he really loves in front of him a few feet on the carpet, he will kind of "army crawl" to it.  He uses his arms to pull himself, and then sticks his little feet into the ground to push himself further.  It's so cute and funny to watch!  He's definitely on the move more so now than ever.  He hates being confined to one area!  He also just started playing peek-a-boo with us.  He will pull his bib up over his face, and then pull it down with this big smile!!  He looks so proud of himself!  It's the cutest thing!  I love how much he is interacting with us now.

Look at those toofers!

Sleep :  Benjamin is still doing a great job sleeping at night!  He lays down around 8:00 and wakes up around 7:00.  He gets up once around 3 or 4 for a feeding most nights.  Every once in a while he will sleep all the way through the night which is an awesome surprise. :)  We are having a hard time with the naps again.  Benjamin just loves to be awake so he can play with Mommy and Daddy!  He will fall asleep while nursing, but we are trying to get him to learn to fall asleep on his own.  Ugh. :(  He still rarely sleeps in the car (no one believes me - apparently he is the only baby in the world who doesn't like to sleep in the car!).  We are thinking about installing his convertible car seat in the next few weeks when it starts to warm up a little to see if that might help him get more comfortable on longer car rides.  

Eating : He loves finger foods!! He is getting a little bored with the pouches, and much prefers something he can pick up and eat on his own.  Some of his favorites are bananas, blueberries, chunks of baked or steamed sweet potatoes, egg yolks, cheese, bread, Puffs, and Yogurt Melts!  He will have about half a pouch at each meal, but it's a little more work to get him to eat it!  I just want to make sure he is getting a good variety of nutrients. He is still breastfeeding every 3-4 hours though, so I feel good that he is getting most everything he needs from that anyways. 

Favorites : His new bath tub that he gets to sit up in, Fisher Price apps on the iPad, Cheerios, Puffs, playing peek-a-boo, Mommy sticking out her tongue at him, his blankie, the aquarium in his crib, grabbing Daddy's face :), playing with his cousins Tia and Stella, and his puppy Maggie!

Doesn't like : Diaper changes (or anything that involves having to sit still), long car rides, getting out of the bath tub, and getting a toy taken away from him (usually something that he isn't supposed to have, like the remote or the phone!).

7 Months

Just a few nights ago, I went into Benjamin's room to check on him before I went to bed.  I quietly opened the door, snuck in, and peeked into his crib...and started crying!!  Where did my little newborn go?!  He looked so LONG in his crib.  I can't believe how much he's grown.  I am not necessarily sad that he is 7 months old, because I love each stage so much!  He is able to interact with us more and more each month.  I say it every month, but I think 7 months might be my favorite age!  And I know watching him start to crawl, or learning to walk, or hearing him say "Mama" or "Dada" will just melt our hearts!!  So it's not that I don't want him to grow; I just wish it could slow down a little! :)

Benjamin was baptized this month, and it was such a special day!  All our closest friends and family were there (except my dad, brother, and Luke who were out of the country on a fishing trip they'd had planned for 2 years!).  Benjamin was SUCH a good boy.  Didn't make a peep during the mass or the baptism service - even with the priest poured the water on him!  We had a luncheon afterwards at River Crab that was lots of fun.  Benjamin received some very special and thoughtful gifts.  All in all, it was a wonderful day!!!

Onto the stats! 

Age : 7 months

Weight : He is definitely over 20 pounds at this point...he's a big boy all around!  He is starting to get a lot more rolls on his arms and legs now, too.   I love chubby babies! <3

Clothing and Diaper Size : He is in 12 month clothes for the most part (some 6-12 or 9-12 month sizes fit).  He is wearing a size 4 diaper.

Milestones :  Benjamin is sitting up all on his own now!!!  He will occasionally roll over onto his side or back from the sitting position, but he isn't nearly as wobbly as he once was.  He also will pull his little body up onto his arms when he's on his tummy - they call it the "mini push up", and it's a sign that he is getting ready to crawl (yikes!).  Mommy isn't sure she is ready for that milestone quite yet.  We have some baby proofing to do! :)  He also is learning to feed himself.  He can hold a pouch, put it into his mouth, and suck out the yummy food all on his own!  He is also able to grab small snacks, like his puffs, between his fingers.  It took some practice, but he is able to pop the little treats into his mouth about 50% of the time! 

Sleep : Benjamin is sleeping great at night.  He sleeps 10-11 hours straight most nights.  He'll go down around 8ish and get up about 7ish.  A few nights a week he will wake up for a feeding around 4, which is no big deal. :)  We did some nap training and it was bruuuuutal. :(  Mommy and Daddy both had a really hard time with it.  As he gets older, he understands more and more - and isn't happy about us leaving him alone in his crib (awake) during the day!  We followed the plan from the Baby Sleep Site, though, and we got through it!  Most days he will go down for a nap with NO CRYING (Hallelujah!!!).  He still has days where he needs a little more shhh-ing or patting when we lay him down, but overall it is going so much better!

Eating : Benjamin is still loving trying new solid foods!  Some of his favorite pouches are Banana Blueberry, Ella's Sweet Potatoes/Pumpkin/Apples&Blueberry, and Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal!  He was having a little bit of trouble going to the bathroom after all the changes in his diet, so we even introduced some prunes.  Believe it or not, he loves them!  He is breastfeeding about every 3 hours now.  It is nice to have a longer span of time between feedings to run errands, nap, or play!

Favorites : Still loves bath time, Puffs, Baby Music Class at the YMCA on Monday nights with Mommy (he loooves his teacher and flashes her big smiles during the whole class!), singing Itsy Bitsy Spider, peek-a-boo, ice cubes in his teething feeder, and pulling Mommy's hair!

Doesn't like : He's getting better with car rides, but still doesn't love them! He also doesn't like teething :(, putting his bib on, and being left alone in a room - he just loves being around people!

5 and 6 Months

2 months have flown by and I have been MIA from blogging! Between the holiday fun, traveling to Florida, and just general busy-ness, time got away from me.  I'll combine both Benjamin's 5th month and 6th month in this post. :)

Before I get started on the stats, I have some exciting news to share.  We are building a house!!!  I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to design a house with all the things our family finds most important to us.  For example, a super awesome PLAYROOM for Benjamin!  I can't wait to have a space where we can organize all his toys.  I also can't wait for my kitchen with a big island in the middle, and a HUGE pantry.  Chris will be so happy having his own office in the new house.  The open floor plan will be so nice, too; I can just envision Chris and Benjamin in the living room hanging out, while I am in the kitchen making dinner - but we will be so close to each other.  No walls separating the rooms!  The builder expects the house to be done early this summer.  I am hopeful we will get moved in by Benjamin's birthday on June 27th so we can have a party! :)

Here is a pic of us in front of our new house on Thanksgiving! So much to be thankful for this year. :)

We had such a great Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families.  We traveled to Florida after Christmas for Benjamin's first vacation.  He had a ball!  His favorite things about Florida were the swing at the park and the swimming pool.  It was so rejuvenating to be able to take him outside for walks again.  It took me back to the first few months after he was born when we went for walks everyday.  It was so great to get out of the house and get some fresh air!  It was also great that Benjamin got to spend some time with his cousins.  He ADORES Trent and Owen.  It was adorable to see the big smiles he gave them!  He really enjoyed trying to play with Tia and Stella, too!  We were happy we got to go visit Grandma Judie for a day at her Florida house, too.  We had a blast on our first trip, and we couldn't have asked for Benjamin to be any better than he was.  He was truly an angel on the plane - Chris and I were both so impressed!!  He only slept about 20 minutes on the way down, but he just played and hung out during the rest of the flight.  And on the way home he slept the entire way!  Such a good boy. :)

Here are some pictures of Christmas and our trip to Florida!

Age : 5 & 6 months

Weight : Benjamin was 27 inches long and 18 lbs 6 oz at his 6 month doctors appointment. He was in the 80th percentile range for both stats! He's a big boy!!

Clothing and Diaper Size : He is in size 9 month clothes, but is quickly approaching 12 month sizes! He is wearing size 3 diapers now.

Milestones :  I think 6 months is one of the most magical months yet!  Benjamin has changed so much in the last 2 months.  Even the way he looks at me seems different - you can just see his little brain working.  And talk about Mr. Personality! :) He is more and more social everyday.  I'm glad that he doesn't get nervous around new people yet; he loves anyone and everyone who will give him a friendly smile!  He is rolling all over the place now.  I will leave him on a blanket in the middle of the living room floor, and come back to find him across the room!  He is lifting himself up with his arms on his tummy, but I don't see too many signs of crawling just yet.  He is getting pretty close to sitting up, but is still a little wobbly!  He loves to feel everything right now.  He will open and close his fingers (almost like the sign language sign for milk) to touch everything he can.  And everything is still going into his mouth, but we have yet to see any teeth emerging!  Finally, he is a crazy bouncing machine in his jumper!  It is so fun to watch him having such a great time in that thing. :)

Sleep : Benjamin went through a pretty rough 4 month sleep regression.  He was rolling over and couldn't get back to sleep (as I described in my last post).  This caused him to wake up multiple times a night (sometimes 4 or 5 times!).  I was desperate, and decided to get a personalized sleep plan from www.babysleepsite.com.  Oh my word - it is wonderful!  It is a 36 page personalized plan JUST for Benjamin with step-by-step instructions on how to help him get to sleep on his own...and STAY asleep all night.  The best part is - IT WORKED!  He started sleeping through the night again at 5 months.  When we went to Florida, we got a little off track, so we are working on getting back on schedule now that we are home.  But he is still sleeping great through the night!  The next thing I need to tackle is nap training.  I have to nurse him to sleep for naps, and sometimes that doesn't even work.  It makes for a very tired boy and some long days!  But not to worry friends - the personalized sleep plan has a section just for naps. ;)

Eating : We started giving Benjamin solid foods at about 5 1/2 months.  He was giving us all the signals that he was ready a bit early!  He was reaching for our food, opening his mouth when he saw us eating, was able to sit up on his own, and no longer had the newborn reflex to push things out of his mouth, so we decided to go ahead with the solids!  We started with rice cereal, which he liked! But then we moved on to sweet potatoes which he REALLY liked!!! And we've been experimenting ever since.  Some days he seems more interested in eating than others (there have been a few days where he didn't want any solids at all!), but most days we are really having fun with them. :)

In addition to the solid foods, Benjamin is still nursing every 2-3 hours.  He only takes about 4 minutes on each side to finish eating now! Such a change from those early days when he was nursing for 45-50 minutes every 2 hours (if he could wait that long!).  I could probably write an entire post on it, but as I look back on our journey of breastfeeding, the main thing I think about is how glad I am that I stuck it out.  It was (and still is) a huge commitment!  There were days when it was really painful, really difficult, really time consuming, and really tiring. There were days when I worried that he wasn't getting enough to eat.  There were days when I was totally ready to throw in the towel.  I knew it was the best thing for Benjamin, so I stuck it out.  And now I can honestly say that it is SO easy...and really enjoyable, too!  I truly love those feedings in his nursery, where it's quiet and we can just snuggle in.  I totally respect every mom with whatever decision they make about breastfeeding.  It doesn't work for everyone!  But I am pretty darn proud of myself for sticking it out for the past 6 months.  And I plan to do my best to make it another 6 months!  We are half way to our goal. :)

Favorites : Bath time, his Fisher Price jumper, the musical mirror in the car, Mommy or Daddy blowing raspberries on his tummy or cheeks, Maggie (he loves watching her and gives her big smiles!), playing with his cousins, swinging in the baby swing at the park in Florida, grabbing Daddy's nose and face, and pulling Mommy's hair!!!

Doesn't like : Still doesn't like long car rides, being tired or hungry (but who does like that?!), green beans, and I don't know if I would say he "doesn't like" it, but he definitely isn't as into the TV these days!