Oh My Goodness

Just wanted to let everyone know...Benjamin slept from 8-11, 11-5 (yes, that's 6 hrs folks), then went back to sleep until 7:30. Yeah. I only took 9 mo, 3 weeks, but Benjamin officially slept through the night (STTN is any length over 5 hrs according to baby books). Woot Woot.
And what did we do to encourage this behavior. Nothing.
So unfortunately, I don't know how to get this to happen again, but I will celebrate nonetheless, and pray that it keeps happening. The sleep was amazing!

that all.

SoMo adventures

Benjamin and I have been visiting my sister since last Thursday. She had a baby on March 30th. He is quite possibly the best baby ever.... one of those babies that when people ask if he is a "good baby" you can say "YES" without hesitation. After the reflux/colic/screaming I endured with little B, Josiah Emerson is like a little doll. If you can't tell, I'm quite smitten. It has been fun to see Benjamin "interact" with his new cousin. We are trying to teach him what "gentle" means, but he doesn't always get it. He prefers to poke him, and steal his pacifier, blanket, or pants.


The travelling has also been an "adventure" in terms of getting Benjamin to settle down. Naps and nighttime are certainly more challenging in an unfamiliar environment.
After this weekend (where my 12 day old nephew sleeps longer stretches than my son), and the realization that my son will be 1 in just a few months, I am finally determined to find a way to "encourage" him to sleep longer. We will be in our new house after this weekend, so let sleep training commence!

One of the only naps of the last 4 days.

House update...finally!

Scott and I took our almost daily trip out to the new house today. So far, we have moved a lot of boxes to the basement, a couch, bed, 2 bookcases, 1 roll-top desk/hutch, and coffee table upstairs. The upstairs is almost finished, with only two lights and two mirrors to put in. The entryway tile needs installed, as well as the backsplash and fireplace tile. The lights should arrive this week, then the outside siding and concrete work is left to finish. We WILL be in the house by April 30th, even if the exterior is not finished. Enjoy the not-yet finished product.

Tile in Shower

Island


Fireplace cabinets and mantel..with no tile yet : (

Kitchen cabinets (range hood still needs to be installed)

More Kitchen cabinets

"Amazon Black" Granite and stovetop

Happy Easter!

9 months and beyond

Somehow, my son has now been in the world as long as he was in utero.
Crazy fast is how I would describe the last 9 months.
Little Benjamin continues to grow and move around with amazing swiftness.
Benjamin has started feeding himself. He still gets oatmeal and fruit and veggie purees, but he loves feeding himself teething biscuits and graham crackers.
Benjamin's favorite pasttime is pulling up to the window and watching the cars go by. Unfortunately, we won't have any cars drive by windows in our new house...but he can stare at the beautiful trees and nature.

Major Bedhead
"brushing" his teeth with his dad...that would be his hairbrush.

Jabbering and "walking"

Benjamin's School Picture

I haz two teeth

and our wood floor has been stained!

March Madness

King Benjamin and his servants are doing great.

Benjamin continues to crawl faster, pull up more, move around the coffee table with ease, and open any and every cabinet door in sight. He also started waving bye-bye and clapping his hands. We went on our first walk of the season, it went 1,000,000 times better than the walks last year! So maybe I will get in shape this summer....if summer ever comes.
B also really enjoys watching cars drive by our duplex.


Benjamin's current food list:
Oatmeal
Yogurt
Prunes
Bananas
Mango
Sweet Potato
Butternut Squash
Pumpkin
Carrots
Green Beans
Applesauce
Puffs
Cheerios
Pea/Spinach/Pear mix
Toast/Bagel (just a little)
a taste of Mulligatawny Soup (curry and rice)

Oh, and the best news of the year....Benjamin has slept for 5 hrs straight, two nights in a row. Yippee!

Sample day in the life of Benjamin Robert:

• 6-7am wake up....babble really cute sounds, crawl around, and eventually stand up.
• Get out of Pajamas (which makes me laugh) and into bath. Splash around for a while and have a great time.
• Get tortured...I mean, diapered and clothed.
• play until 7:30ish
• Eat a yummy breakfast of oatmeal and fruit or veggies
• Use walker to walk around duplex, crawl after momma, try to open any cabinet I can get to, etc
• Nurse
  
• 8ish: If momma works, get loaded up and taken to G-ma Cow's house.
  
• Play play play until I get really tired.
• Read books.
  
• 9-9:30ish Nap 45 mins - 1.5 hrs
  
• Bottle/Nurse
• Play play play
• 12: Eat lunch (Oatmeal and veggie/fruit)
• Play some more
• Bottle/Nurse
• 2-3ish: Nap 30 mins - 1.5 hrs
• Play
• Bottle/Nurse
• 5:30-6 Eat dinner: Yogurt, Oatmeal, veggies, puffs etc
• Play while mom and dad eat (the paper recycling basket was particularly fun tonight)
• Change into my nighttime diaper (it's really big) and get on my Pajamas (torture)
  
• 7ish: read books and sing bedtime songs with dad and/or mom
  
• Nurse until really drowsy
• Rock or bounce to sleep
• 7:30-8: Get put to bed in my crib
• 9-11: wake up. ...we wont' bore you with the night time details.

Favorite playtime activities: kick balls, pull up and sit down a million times, walk with walker, push around cars, push around laundry basket, play peakaboo around coffee table, read books.
When I'm really stealthy, I can grab the remote control off the table without mom noticing (she says it is strictly off limits....but I showed her who was boss)





House update:

• All windows and doors are trimmed, and doors are in place
• Rooms are painted
• Bathroom and cabinets are installed
• Wood floor is being stained and finished
• Linoleum is being installed
• Next Wednesday, countertops arrive and carpet gets installed
  
• Following Wednesday, Fireplace mantel and cabinets arrive
• Bathroom tile is being installed
• Upstairs bathrooms are finished