Visit from Uncle Larry & Aunt Ginger

We have been told that Wichita is on the way to NOWHERE. My Uncle Larry (dad's bro) and Aunt Ginger stopped in Wichita on their way to South Dakota. We had a delicious meal out together, they met Ben for the first time and we hung out at the house watching Ben play with the gifts they brought.

Thanks so much for coming to see us!!

Eventually, I will get the settings right on my camera. For now, enjoy the blurry pictures and the cute (short) video.

Big Shoes to Fill

Ben insisted on wearing Ryan's shoes and socks yesterday. Hilarious!

New Sign

Ben has always loved bananas. It was the first table food he ever ate that wasn't pureed. He still loves them! We decided to teach him the sign for banana, but I'm not sure it was such a good idea now. If he is not particularly fond of the meal that I have offered he will take some bites and then turn in his high chair toward the kitchen and sign for his banana! We have created a monster.

Ben's version of the sign for banana.



Watch how to actually sign banana.

Total Slacker

While I have been slacking in my blog postings, I have been crazy busy with work stuff. Before being asked to join missionary staff all candidates have to go through a week long interview process. Ryan and I obviously survived it, but we are thankful to be on this side of it now. The Wichita staff is a very small staff and we will be hosting 7 candidates and 10 assessors (missionary staff from other cities) for an entire week at the end of June. There is so much that goes into the preparation for six 8-hour days of interviewing. I have been working on my computer ever single nap time and pretty much every evening after Ben goes to bed. I think I am done with the major work, so hopefully I can rest now.

Being in my first trimester with a toddler running around has gotten the best of me some days. It is very different having Ben to worry about instead of just worrying about myself. So many mornings I wish I could stay in bed longer, but he calls me anyway. So many days I just feel like sitting on the couch peacefully, but he climbs all over me now that he can get on the couch himself. But, I also am able to forget how tired I am sometimes because life must go on. Once bedtime comes for him I usually feel like I have been run over by a truck. The best part with this pregnancy though is no morning sickness. There is something reassuring about morning sickness before you really start showing, but I haven't missed it too much.

Ben is seemingly more and more fun each day. He also seems super smart. Being first time parents, we don't have anything else to compare and I certainly try not to compare him to all the other March babies that I read about on Baby Center. He seems to understand everything we say although still no words from him yet other than proficient use of mama and dada. He loves to wave to everyone we see, but usually once they are no longer looking. He waves to all children in the grocery store. He loves our friendly neighbors and waves and hollers the very second we walk out the front door. He is getting pretty sure he can run, but he really can't yet. It is funny to watch. Still no major bumps or bruises - how have we been so lucky?

Enjoy these few pictures.

My mom bought him a recoradable book from Halmark and recorded herself reading it. Ah! I love it. It is the only book Ben will actually listen to every page. Usually he wants to turn the pages and go from book to book at rapid speed.

He has figured out how to make bubbles although Super Magic Bubbles or whatever they are called are not very super and not very magical!

Our super eater. He eats most meals in his diaper these days because we are all about letting him learn how to feed himself. This was a plate of chili. He usually gets about 90% in his mouth and 10% on his body or floor. It is a huge mess, but I get to eat in peace. Totally worth it for us! And just in case you notice, he very rarely uses his right hand to eat. I am shocked looking at this picture. He uses his left hand with the spoon and if he gets a bite that he can't get on the spoon he will only use his right hand to pick it up. His left hand never has a bit of food on it and his right hand is always covered up to his elbow!

Bubble Fun!

Starting Young

Ben has to learn to earn his keep around here. Vacuuming and off to work.

Sprinkle Park FUN

Last year we bought a Sprinkle Park at Target for 80% off or something crazy like that at the end of summer. I have been patiently waiting for a whole year almost to get it out of the box once the weather warmed up. Today it was warm enough outside - the water was still freezing. Ben's friends Jackson and Bree came over to play. Bree had a blast. Jackson screamed when his mom put his toes in. Ben just sat in the water, full face shivering and laughing and having a great time. Yeah for outside fun.

Bree arrived first and was thrilled to have the place to herself. Ben actually look a longer nap than I thought so he was still inside while his party began :)

Please don't do this to me mommy.

Checking it out. He had to get a nudge from me to get in.

Oops, sat in the mud. He was desperately trying to get to the grapes that he saw me bring out.

Vacation Picture Overload

We went to our favorite vacation spot, the Eagle's Nest cabin at the state park in Toronto, Kansas. We had some very generous friends watch Ben Sunday night while we unloaded everything and enjoyed our first evening without Ben since his birth. It was weird and very different, but fun. Then, we picked him up Monday afternoon and began family vacation. He likes being outdoors so much that he just loved everything about it. We took him there last Thanksgiving, but of course he doesn't remember it. It was fun to see how he has changed and what he enjoyed and got into this trip. I have posted tons of pictures below, taken with my new camera that Ben and Ryan got me for Mother's Day. I love it.

Definitely my new favorite. I love this kid!

Out for a walk.

He loved the loose gravel - played in it for hours.

We tried the playground, but he is too small for anything.

This was the only thing he could really reach. He kept going back to it.

Oops - do you see that bump? We were both watching him as he slid down the slide and somehow he still bumped his head and got a nice goose egg.

Nothing like a sink style bath.

Sink bath last Thanksgiving!

The view from our deck as the fog began to lift over the lake.

Hiking...

...is tiring.

A mommy and me shot.

What you lookin at?

Something obviously wasn't going his way.

Cheerios snack in Daddy's chair. Now that is livin' the life.