8 month stats

Ben went for his 8 month check-up last Thursday.
Weight - 18 lbs 8 oz - 25%
Height - 28 inches - 60%
Head - 17 3/4 inches - 45% (Yeah, average)

His latest trick is clapping. When we say "yeah" he puts his hands together and claps. So cute! We are working on waving, but without any success yet. He also recognizes the word daddy. If I ask "where is daddy?" he will turn and look to the front door if Ryan is expected home soon or he will turn and look at him if he is around. He is starting to make much more recognizable sounds. We have heard ba-ba even though he has never taken a ba-ba and da-da just today!

Ben loves cords (and knows he isn't supposed to have them) and hates the vacuum cleaner. In this picture, I was cleaning one of our hospitality apartments and Ben climbed under to get to the cords, but also to get away from the vacuum cleaner. I moved the cords and moved him and he went right back to it and just sat under the tv until I finished vacuuming.

He pulls up!

He tries to stand at any chance he gets. In this picture, he was very angry with me for putting up the gate. He knew Ryan was on the other side of the gate and he desperately wanted to get by.

This is how I am greeted after most naps. He is such a big boy already.

Grandpa and Nana Visit

Before I begin with this post and the many, many pictures I must say...it snowed here today!! Nothing stuck, but lots and lots of flurries. That probably means lots of ice tomorrow. On to the post...

Grandpa and Nana (Ryan's dad and stepmom) came to visit us this past week. They treated us like royalty, doting over our adorable son, treating us to wonderful dinners and giving early Christmas presents. Ben is so much more active and responsive since their last visit, so they had a fantastic time getting to know him all over again. It was a wonderful time.

When they were here we had beautiful weather. We took a trip to Botanica and sadly, there weren't really any plants to see, but it was a gorgeous day to be outdoors.

Ben found a small stick and carried it around like a toy. He is showing it off to Nana.

Grandpa and Nana with squirmy Ben

He is pulling up and beginning to prefer the standing position to sitting.

Our Family

Cute baby found on lonely path

Isn't he so handsome?

He goes anywhere now. I love the shadow.


Ben went swinging with Daddy, Grandpa and Nana while I was at bible study.

Standing
He even took a couple of steps.

Love! this picture

Reading time with Daddy
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?

Nana made this sweet sweater for Ben. It was way too warm for him to wear while they were here, but Sunday morning was very chilly so Ben wore it to church with the hat that another person made for him.

More standing. He is finding more in his kitchen cabinet now that he climbs in.

Ben's new ride. He got a big boy car seat. It must be comfy because he fell fast asleep last week after running errands with us.

Happy 8 Months

Once again, much has changed as Ben grew another month. At 7 months he was starting to crawl, but not really going anywhere. Today, he follows me all over the house and gives me no privacy. He is getting pretty fast too and good at mastering the little steps up and down throughout the house, like this one.

He crawled up to the door after we waved Bye Bye to Daddy in the morning.

He is eating like a horse these days. His diet is like this:
Nurse and 1/2 C cereal and 2 ounces of applesauce for breakfast
2 ounces of fruit or veggie for 10:30am snack
Nurse and 4 ounces of green veggie and 4 ounces of fruit for lunch
2 ounces of fruit or veggie at 3:30pm snack
Nurse and 4 ounces of yellow veggie and 4 ounces of fruit for dinner

I discovered his need for snacks in an unfortunate way. He was napping for maybe only 30 minutes and waking in the night again. Ugh. I offered him a snack one day before his nap and he slept 2 hours. So, I have continued to offer snacks and he continues to nap well. Poor kid. I felt horrible because I didn't know he was hungry. He is still pretty skinny and long though. We go to the ped next week and I am anxious to see what percentiles he falls into now - my guess is low on head size, low in weight and high in length.

And of course, I already told you that he got his two bottom teeth this month. I think he might be getting another one on top right now. He has started to refuse food and keeps that lizard tongue of his going like crazy.

Banana Boy - He still isn't too crazy about finger foods except for the baby wagon wheels and puffs, not real foods yet.

This is a little blurry, but a good example of some Mommy loving from Ben. He leaves round, wet spots everywhere if you let him.

I know I already blogged about Halloween, but a friend took this picture and sent it to me. This is how Ben and I ended Halloween night. He was so cozy.

The weather here has been up and down. We had a few days where we didn't get out of the 30s and then we have had days that almost hit 80. On a recent warm day we went down to the nature center and enjoyed the sun for a short while.
Notice Ben is in the same pose. If we get on the ground with him he thinks we are mountains to be climbed and proceeds to climb over us again and again.

Ben's friend Lincoln.
I got to keep Lincoln for a morning while his family was moving (sad, they are 2 miles rather than 2 minutes walking distance from me now). Lincoln was born 2-9 and Ben 3-10. Isn't the height difference funny? They actually did this pose on their own. Lincoln can pull up very well and cruise the furniture. Ben can pull up, but doesn't go anywhere. In this picture, Lincoln's paci was in the stroller seat, so he went looking for it and Ben wanted to check it out too.

Merry Christmas

Look, ma, two teeth!

I really hate delaying gratification. I really love buying gifts (and receiving them too). So, that means I usually go buy a gift the same day I think up the perfect gift (I hate shopping) and then usually find a way to give the gift the same day.

Fortunately for me, Ryan had to give me my Christmas present early this year. I asked to go see Tran Siberian Orchestra. They were only in Wichita this past Monday. I have always loved their music, but never seen them live. I really am not a concert person, but I had the best time! I was sitting on the edge of my chair and grinning from ear to ear like a little kid through the first 3-4 songs. It was a little early for Christmas, but it was the best present. Thanks, babe, I love you!

The light show was incredible.

They even had fire! A few times we could feel the heat when it shot up.

So, if I got my present early, I figured Ryan deserved his early too. Ben and I bought him a new office chair for his home office. His old chair had been ghetto rigged a few too many times and made this horrible noise every time he moved in it. His office is very close to Ben's room and I was started to wonder if it was disturbing Ben's naps. So, a new chair for Dad makes Mom happy. A win-win for everyone.

"Helping" Daddy work in his office.

Merry Christmas

Corn Maze

This past weekend we were able to go to a corn maze with a group of friends. There were lots of little children, so we didn't spend too much time there, but it was a fun outing. Ben loves being outdoors and was enthralled with the wind rustling through the corn. He had only a 20 minute nap on the drive to the maze and instead of napping while we walked, he was wide awake taking it all in. When we originally planned this, I thought it would be cold and he would need his winter hat and to be bundled up. The sun decided to shine and the Kansas wind was blowing like crazy. I ended up using sunscreen and his summer hat rather than bundling. I like fall! Come back cooler weather.

World Impact Friends

Mommy & Me

It was super muddy. I thought this picture of everyone trying to get by on the dry land was funny.

Ryan was our fearless leader/map reader. Ethan stayed in front of Ryan and Ryan would call out left turn or right turn. Ethan thought he was guiding us through :)
The maze is on 16 acres, so you have to follow the map or you might never get out. The corn was well over our heads, so you can't see anything but right where you are at.


Ben is crawling like a pro now. He follows me all over the house and even goes off on his own to find things he shouldn't. I think he spends most of his time in the kitchen in his plastics cabinet. He gets out the same toys (bowls and spoons) and will play for an hour while I do dishes or cook dinner. Our house has little steps up into the bathroom, into Ryan's office and at the entrance of our house. Ben has mastered the steps which allows him to cruise freely all over the house.

He is also making kissing sounds when prompted. I can tell him, "Ben, give mommy a kiss." And he sucks in his bottom lip which makes the kissing sound. It is so cute! He has done it for other people which just makes me so proud :)

Halloween 09

I feel like I haven't blogged in forever, but it has only been 7 days :)

Tonight, we had a Halloween party in the yard at one of the missionary houses. We put up big lights in the yard and had games for the kids. Many families came by which was great. Ben lasted much longer than I expected. He missed his afternoon nap completely, but stayed up for the festivities until 7pm. With the time change, we will see what time he greets me in the morning.

Our boys. Me and Ben with Tina and Jackson (8 weeks)

Ben holding Jackson

Ben found a candy bucket.

So tired. Our friend Angie put him right to sleep.

Our sleeping monkey. He went from the car to the changing table to get pjs to the crib without a fuss - yeah!

Some randomness:

He cooks in the kitchen with me all the time. He LOVES that wooden spoon.

I left him in his room for no more than 60 seconds and this is what I found when I returned. He had licked almost all that he pulled out, so I couldn't even reuse them :) You can't see in the picture, but he has at least 10 in his hand all balled up, ready to be licked.

Playing with Mommy.

He crawls through!

When Ben was tiny, I took so many pictures of him sleeping. Now, we wouldn't dare do anything that might wake him. But, I realized I don't have any pictures of him looking so long in his crib. So, I snuck in today and got a sleeping picture of my big boy (and I didn't even wake him).

2.5 weeks old

Kisses

Ben is mimicking us some now. So cute. When we make a kissing face and sound, he responds with his own version. See video.



He is crawling all over the house now. I find myself saying "Come here!" or "Come on!" all day long. He requires some encouragement before he will come find me. He continues to crawl the fastest to things he can't have. Does he know it is a "no no" and think we are playing a game? Cords of any kind, dirty shoes, his space heater (no, it can't burn him) and the stereo are his favorite.

Ryan and I carved our pumpkins last night, but we got pictures of our little pumpkin first.


This is another version of kisses Ben gives. He opens wide and attacks. And, he can give a hard pinch with his hands. Usually he gets a fist full of hair in the process as well. When we play on the floor with him we tend to have round wet spots all over our clothes, face and necks where he has given multiple kisses. Fun, but not very hygienic.