Weekend Recap: Happy Birthday, Benjamin!

I still can't believe our sweet little boy is TWO!!  He definitely acts and talks like a two (or four) year old, but these past two years have truly flown by.  We had the best time celebrating him this weekend!   We wanted to kick things off right when he woke up in the morning, so we filled his room with one of his favorite things---balloons!  Just as we suspected, he loved it!  (No, we didn't put them in his bed while he was sleeping, but he sure had fun throwing them on/off the bed.)

Although Ben and Andy make pancakes together on a regular basis, they were extra special birthday pancakes on Saturday, mostly because he got to eat them on a football plate.  It's rare to see him in his highchair these days.  Actually, he was probably only in it because that's where he sits for pancake making.  Apparently two year olds prefer tall stools.  

He had to have a good breakfast because we had a big morning ahead of us!  How fitting that the hospital who took such good care of Ben when he was born was having its annual run/walk on his birthday.  We have formed a team since before Ben was even born, so we wanted to keep up the tradition.  (Plus continue to raise awareness, money, etc.)  Ben was pretty excited that we switched his carseat to be forward facing for the ride down!

We left nice and early to go meet our team.  It was a little colder this year than it has been the past several years, but that didn't stop the fun!  We had 36 people on our team this year supporting the hospital in honor of BEN!

It was hard to keep track of our team during the walk, so thankfully we were able to chat with some friends for a bit before the walk.  

It took awhile to get to the actual starting line, and no more than 10 minutes into our walk, Ben was fast asleep. :)

He woke up just as we crossed the finish line and met up with Andy, who had run the 8k.  (In his fastest time yet, I might add!)

Luckily, I had my wonderful friend Maggie with me to keep me company on the walk!  Ben loved having here there too.  

I didn't want to have a huge birthday party like we had last year, but Ben has so many loving fans that we decided to have a family party at our house after the run/walk.  We took the easy way out and ordered some pizzas, but I didn't hear any complaining.  Even from Ben, and he doesn't even like pizza.  ;)  

Ben isn't a huge fan of fire, so he kept his distance from the candles while we sang to him and he let Andy and I blow them out.  He was a huge fan of watching Andy cut the cake though!  Every time someone asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he said cake, and this one did not disappoint!

He had a blast opening his presents and giving hugs to each and every (EXTREMELY generous) gift giver.  For someone who is a little young to understand the whole gift thing, I think he did a pretty good job of being gracious.  (Even though he wanted to open every toy right after he opened it, especially the 15+ containers of play dough from Auntie Anna...)  It is hard to say what his favorite thing was, because he truly loved (and still loves) everything.  

There were definitely tears when we had to go inside for the night!  There isn't much this boy loves more than playing outside with his soccer ball, football, basketball, or baseballs!

We all crashed for a bit after everyone left.  And by all, I mean it was Andy, Ben, and me in Ben's bed fast asleep.  :)

After a little more playing outside, it was an early-ish bedtime for this two year old.  He was such a good boy the whole day!  I'm pretty sure the only time he cried is when he had to stop playing with his new toys.  He slept like a rock all night and the next morning we woke up to his precious little voice on the monitor saying, "Happy birthday, Ben!  Hold baby Lydia in the chair."  He has been talking away when he wakes up in the morning and Andy and I just lay in bed and listen to him for awhile.  Such a great way to start the day.  He certainly loved holding baby Lydia twice on his birthday!

Saturday was such action packed day that we had to take it easy on Sunday.  Super Nana and Papa John watched Ben so Andy and I could get some work done.  (Thank you, Mom!!  You're the best!!)  Andy had a paper to write for school and I worked on thank-you notes.  I'm not a coffee drinker, but I couldn't pass up some hot apple cider from Starbucks.  Ahh, I love fall.  

And since the weather was absolutely beautiful and fall-like (and because Ben adores being outside) we ended our weekend we some outdoor fun.  This kid has a crazy strong arm, so I keep my distance when he is playing catch with Andy!  Unless, of course, I'm getting some Benji love.  :)

All in all, it was a perfect weekend.  I could not possible love this big boy more than I do!  I am so proud to be his momma!  He had his 2 year check up today and the doctor was singing his praises as well.  Of course I think Ben is smarter than smart, but it was nice to hear his doctor (and teachers) say how advanced he is.  He just brings so much happiness wherever he goes.  It's hard not to smile when he says some of his favorite lines like "baby in daddy's tummy too!" because he knows he will get a laugh or when he remembers things that happened months ago.  Auntie Anna thinks it is getting old, but I still love playing along when he "hides" every time someone enters the room and then he giggles when that person is trying to find him.  He still usually talks in third person which makes me laugh and I'm sure it won't be long before he stops answering "BEN!" when I ask questions like, "who is my snuggle baby, love bug, sweetie pie, etc?" So although I love watching him grow up, I am trying to cherish each and every moment just in case there comes a day where he doesn't want to give me hugs and kisses on command!  Happy birthday to my loving Benjamin!

25 Weeks

How far along? 25 weeks
Maternity clothes? Yes!  I've realized that the timing of my pregnancies is actually quite off, and I have minimal fall/winter options.  I was not planning on buying a ton of maternity clothes, but when I try and where my regular clothes, my belly is peeking out of the bottom.  Maternity clothes are more expensive and less cute than I remembered too.  
Best moment this week: Getting ready for Ben's SECOND birthday!  I was getting a little emotional about it this week, but I'm excited to celebrate my baby big boy!
Miss anything? Not really.  
Movement:  He kicks a lot, especially when I lay down.  Love it so much.  Oddly enough, I don't freak out if I don't feel him for awhile.  I worry much less than I did when I was pregnant with Ben, but I suppose I had more reasons to worry last time.  
Food cravings:  No.  I've just been eating the usual lately.  
Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm pretty sure strong scents will bother me throughout (and potentially after) this pregnancy.  
Labor signs: No way.
Exercise: I'm running at least every other day!  It is actually running for a quarter to a half mile and then walking a quarter of a mile, but it feels so good.
Looking forward to: Celebrating my soon to be 2 year old!!  Love that boy SO much!  

Weekend Recap: Friends, Dogs, & Family

Andy is studying and I just finished packing Ben's lunch for day #3 of school tomorrow, so it's time to blog!  We had such a fun weekend, even though Andy was at school until Saturday evening.  I picked up my mom and Ben on Friday night and we headed to a local street fest.  Ben loves any sort of party, so I knew he would be up for a fun night.  Our first stop was possibly his most favorite spot: the dunk tank!  He spent the whole night trying to find it again.

He also loved watching the kids in the bounce houses and on the bungee lines.  I am SO glad he is not old enough to do this stuff yet!

To be totally honest, we definitely missed Andy, but we still had fun!

Ben probably would have stayed all night listening to the band.  It was mighty loud, but he didn't mind one bit.  "Drums! Guitar! Kids dancing!"

We were out later than we probably should have been, but amazingly, he was a perfect angel the entire day on Saturday.  It was our first music class this session and he was SO excited to go back.  He was singing songs on the car ride there, but he was a little shy getting back in to the swing of things.  He loved it nonetheless!  After music class, we had to pick up our team shirts for the race this weekend!  I can't believe Ben is going to be TWO in a few days!  Next stop was Wag Fest to meet up with Auntie Anna.  I wasn't planning on bringing Rosco because she isn't the greatest on the leash (which she proved to be true), but I felt bad leaving her at home at a DOG festival. 

Ben definitely had fun and he is such a good helper.  He always wanted to make sure that Rosco had plenty to drink. 

He protected her from the cats. 

He also gave her an obscene number of treats.

He was such a good boy that he earned himself a treat as well.

Little does he know, we would give him ice cream everyday if he would eat ice cream everyday.  :)

He ate his ice cream so he could play on the playground.  

He was exhausted after the dog fest, and fell asleep nearly instantly after we got home.  He slept for over 2.5 hours!  As soon as he woke up, Maddie and Sarah had arrived!  There are few things he loves more than when Maddie is at his house!  I hope they are always such good buddies. :)

As if our day wasn't busy enough, we then went to the grocery store and to see our friends' new house after Andy got home.  It was a perfect nearly-fall night and Ben had so much fun playing with the big kids.  They were so good to him, which makes me a happy momma.  He thought it was pretty darn cool to play catch with someone besides daddy.  ;)  The only thing Ben didn't like was making s'mores.  "No like fire! No like fire!"  Firework flashbacks maybe??  It was bedtime anyway!

On Sunday, we got to spend some more time with Andy, and we went on a nice long 5+ mile long walk.  We took the scenic route and there were the beginnings of leaves falling and changing colors!  It made our perfect little morning that much better.  We are working on making Ben a fall-loving boy as well.  

He is already a momma-loving boy!!

We stopped at a park to get some swinging and sliding in.

Next, we stopped at Starbucks.  There was a drive-thru, so Ben got to wave to each and every car that passed by.  There were even a few cars with dogs in them, which Ben thought was the funniest thing.  "Doggy's head out the window!!"

We stopped at Target for some essentials before heading back home.  It was a long walk, but we all loved it.  Andy had to get back to studying, so Ben and I went to visit great-grandma with Auntie Anna.  She always loves a visit from Ben, although without a nap, he wasn't on his best behavior.  It was the first time she had ever seen him do anything naughty.  (He colored on her couch with crayon and wouldn't apologize---ugh!)  He was in bed by 6:30 that night so he could be well rested for school!

Well, Andy is done studying and I'm done for tonight too.  I hope to update my bump posts tomorrow, though I'm not sure when I will be able to take my pictures.  I'm not keeping up to date with them like I was hoping but I'll keep trying!

Happy 1st Day of Pre-Preschool, Ben!

My baby boy is truly stepping into the role of being a BIG boy!  I could not possibly be prouder of him, but it makes me sad that he is growing up so fast!  He amazes me every day and I need to start writing down the things he says and does.  This morning, for example, it was thundering out and he was looking outside trying to find the thunder and he kept saying, "Ben hold the thunder!  Ben hold it!"  He did not like my answers as to why he couldn't hold it.  :)  He wants to hold and do everything these days.  A day does not go by where we don't hear, "Ben hold it!" or "Ben do it!" at least 5 times.  When he isn't demanding to hold things, he is such a sweetheart.  The other day, I had an OB appointment before work and I told him I had to go to the doctor.  In his most empathetic and concerned little voice, he said, "Momma feel better" and gave me a hug.  Heart melted!  He was watching a YouTube video of the "5 Little Monkeys" song the other day, and when the monkeys fell off the bed, they got huge red bumps on their heads.  He was nearly in tears each time and by the end of the song he had almost lost it completely.  He didn't want to see those monkeys in pain!  Love him.  He learns at least 10 new words a day, including "iridescent," which he used to describe the wings of a bug he saw today.  Yep, he "plays" with spiders, slugs, and other bugs at Nana's house!  I could go on and on about how smart, curious, funny, mischievous, and loving he is, but I don't want to stay up too, too late.  ;)

We have been talking about school a lot for the past few weeks, in hopes of getting him excited about going to school!  Even though he has the same teachers this year that he had last year, we went to the "meet the teachers" event last week.  Have you ever seen a boy more ready for school?!

Andy and I were both able to go and he seemed to fit right back in.   He didn't even seem to mind when I had to leave for work.  (Andy was still with him.)

He has definitely been talking about school and his teachers all the time, but we didn't know how he would do when it came time to leave him there.  But first things first, Daddy had to make sure that Ben went to school with a full tummy, so he made pancakes while Ben took a bath.  Thankfully and surprisingly, there were no tears when Ben got out of the bath and realized that he didn't get to help daddy pour everything in the bowl and then "stir! stir! stir! so fast!"  I didn't have a pancake, but I am absolutely certain that they tasted better because they were shaped like leaves.

Ben approved!

Both Ben and Andy were good sports for some first day of school pictures.  I hope they continue to be this cooperative for the next 15ish years.

Andy had a last minute meeting on Wednesday morning, but thankfully I was able to take Ben to his first day!  I wouldn't have missed it for the world!  My mom didn't want to miss it either.  In the past, he would cry when he saw his school, but this time, he was so brave.  He did day, "Nana carry you," as soon as we walked in the building, but no tears. 

Unfortunately we didn't get a great picture of the 2 of us outside of his school, but you get it.  :)  (I look extremely pregnant in this picture.  Or maybe that is just how I look these days???)

Ben walked us right down the hall to his classroom and found his cubby box and proceeded to hang his "nee nee" on his box.  He was quite proud of his handiwork.  He is the "dog" this year, which is the perfect animal for him.

I almost died from the cuteness when he hung up his bag on his little dog hook.  He walked right on in like he owned the place.

He then went and put his lunchbox on the shelf.

He was so excited to play that he barely had time to give me a smooch before I left.

There were ZERO tears from Ben the whole day, which is more than I can say for myself and for the mom next to me who was SOBBING as she dropped her daughter off.  My mom and I watched Ben through the 1 way window and he just went from toy to toy, checking everything out, being the busy boy that he is.  There was another boy who was crying his little head off, which I was afraid was going to cause Ben to cry, but instead he just said, "boy sad" a few times.

Andy picked Ben up from school, and he didn't get the detailed report that I like, but basically they said he had a great day!  I want to verify this with the teacher, but it seems as though he actually napped on one of the cots in the room!!  This is huge since Ben never falls asleep on his own for naps **spoiled** and last year, one of the teachers would hold him until he fell asleep and then she would put him into a stroller.

Needless to say, I was beaming with happiness and pride that Ben had such a good 1st day of school.  I hope he continues to love going to school-- forever for that matter!  He loved telling me about what he did at school and he says that he wants to go back, so fingers crossed Monday is equally successful.

Well, the Packers lost, Andy is sleeping, and my computer is about to die, so it's off to bed.  Happy Friday!

Weekend Recap: Birthdays!!!

Ben is in bed (after pooping A LOT in the tub tonight), the Packers are on, there's pumpkin beer for Andy and a pumpkin candle going for me, baby has been kicking like crazy, and I finally have time to blog!  Life is so good.  A lot has happened over the past week.  Of course, we always love a 3 day weekend over here.  Weekends are going to be a little different around here with Andy in school and needing to study all the time, but you better believe we are still going try and make the best of our time together.  On Saturday morning, I went to the gym and Andy and Ben (in stroller) ran to check out the Great Clips near our house.  I met the boys there for Ben's 23rd haircut.  Ok, not quite that many, but his hair sure grows fast!  (Don't mind Andy's sweat, remember he RAN there and it was pretty muggy that day!)  Ben wasn't too sure of things at first, but any time he got upset, we would ask him what color sucker he was going to pick for being so brave and he would be happy once again.

For the first time since his first haircut, there were no tears!  He is growing up waaaay too fast.   I always get a little sad when he gets a haircut because he looks older.  I miss the mop, but he is equally handsome with his short 'do.

I kindly drove Andy home after the haircut so he could study, and Ben and I did a little shopping.  First stop: the mall.  First stop at the mall: the food court for some fries.  This was still in the 10:00 hour, mind you.  First batch of the day!

I haven't gone shopping one on one with Ben lately, but he is busier than I remembered him being.  I finally let him out of the stroller at Baby Gap, which wasn't my best move.  I would look at something for a millisecond and someone would disappear…  He thinks he is so darn funny.  (He is.)

Super Nana aka my mom magically appeared and for some reason wanted to take him on her off day, so I did get to shop in peace for awhile. ;)  After our mall trip, we went to….Hobby Lobby!!  I forgot that there is a new-ish Hobby Lobby about 25 minutes from our house.  Since I have been itching for some new fall decor, I was beyond excited to check it out.  I wish I could say the same for my shopping buddy…

Yes, those are Christmas trees and ornaments and yes, it is a wee bit early for such things, but I would be lying if I said it didn't make me a wee bit excited.  ;)  I may have gone a little overboard on the fake pumpkin decor, but I absolutely love our fall house!  The pumpkins make all of us happy so they are here to stay until it is time for Christmas festiveness.  

Sunday was my mom's birthday, so Ben and I stopped over there for a bit.  We've had so many birthdays in our family lately that Ben has really gotten in to cake.  Whenever we ask him what he wants for his birthday, he says, "CAKE!"  I'm sure you won't take much more than a bite or 2 of your cake, but you better believe you will be getting a nice big "uh-nilla" cake.

After cake, we headed to the pool!  I couldn't believe that the last time we were at this pool it was Memorial Day weekend.  I blinked and it was Labor Day weekend.  Unfortunately Fortunately for me, I didn't even pack our swimming stuff, but Nana just so happened to have a spare swimming suit, swimming diaper, sandals, and a flotation device for Ben.  He had the whole little pool to himself.

I think his favorite part was splashing Auntie Anna though!

After a fun day at the pool, it was time to go hang out with daddy!  I forgot that I had a massage scheduled on Sunday evening, so went to have the most amazing massage I've had in a long time while  the boys went to Andy's parents' house since they were having people over.  I got a massage and a solo Target trip while Ben and Andy got to eat, socialize, and play with balls outside--a perfect night for all!

Our labor day was pretty free of labor.  Well, except for Andy who studied hard for almost the whole day.  I am drawing blanks on what Ben and I did all day, but I'm sure it was fun.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the mommy-Benji one on one time I've been getting lately.  He is such a fun boy to hang out with!  Auntie Anna's birthday is September 2, so on Monday evening, we celebrated my mom's birthday and Anna birthday as well.  I don't have many pictures from the day, but it was your typical meals of fruit for Ben, chicken for me, and steak for everyone else. :)  Love that little nugget's face!

Ben had to get up close for the singing/cake/candle action!

We had a blast celebrating some of our favorite people this past weekend!  We had so much fun that we wanted to celebrate Auntie Anna on her actual birthday as well.  We met her for Noodles and Andy RAN (6 miles) to meet us afterwards for fro-yo.  Everyone wants to celebrate Auntie Anna!

We were out a little later than we probably should have been since Ben had his 1st day of SCHOOL the next day, but it was worth it!  I'll save the first day fun for its own post.  :)

24 Weeks

How far along? 24 weeks
Maternity clothes? I'm definitely wearing maternity pants at all times, but I'm still trying to make some of my non-maternity tops work.  
Best moment this week: I can never complain about a 3 day weekend!  We had fun celebrating my mom and Auntie Anna this past weekend. 
Miss anything? Not really.  
Movement:  He kicks a ton!  I'm not sure if he could feel him last week, but Andy can definitely feel him kick now too.  I've tried to have Ben feel too, but he doesn't like to wait around for him.  He does like to give my belly hugs and kisses though which is just the sweetest thing.  
Sleep: I'm still sleeping like a dream!  I can hardly believe it.  
Food cravings:  No.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really.   
Labor signs: No way.
Exercise: I'm still running a lot and I love it!  I've been waking up around 5, sometimes without an alarm, to go to the gym.  I usually will run either  0.25 or 0.5 miles and then walk 0.25 miles and alternate between running and walking.   I really missed working out when I was pregnant with Ben, and I feel like a rockstar that I've been able to exercise more this time around.  
Looking forward to:  I'm not looking forward to Andy being gone this weekend, but I am obviously excited for all the one-on-one time I will get with Ben!

(I wish I could say that these pictures were taken on the correct date, but I'm actually over a week late in taking them and they may or may not have been taking on the same day as my 25 week pictures, just a different time of day…)