A Day in the Life of Benners...

Cloth Diapers, A New Month, And So Much More...

2010-10-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

I bought cloth diapers yesterday! It is a little weird how excited I am about them... But I'm all about saving a buck when I can. I decided to go with the Flip diapers by Bum Genius. My awesome friend, Hope, recommended them and a website to get them from that has a 30 day money back guarantee, so if I decide I don't like them, I won't be out $50. They should come in sometime today!

It's hard to believe how fast time flies and how grown up my little baby is becoming. He is now a crawling, soaring, climbing little monkey who pulls up on EVERYTHING. And I mean EVERYTHING. He would pull up on a pencil if he could. He keeps Max and I on our toes and laughter in our hearts, and we couldn't ask for more. Benaiah and I just got back from a two week long vacation visiting family back in GA. It was such a fun, enjoyable, and relaxing trip. Of course, Benaiah loved all the attention and the grandparents and aunts and uncles loved having him around. Amazing how a little baby can just bring a smile to your face and make life a new and exciting adventure. Here are a few photos from our visit...

Giggle, Giggle!

2010-09-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

Eating, Smiling, and Crawling...

2010-09-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last month! I was definitely in a funk there for a bit and had little to no motivation to do anything, including updating everyone on my precious little one. Month 5-6 was not a very happy one for my son. And I'm very sorry and unhappy to say that it was my doing. It turns out my milk production had plummeted and I was basically starving my baby. But a doctor's appointment, 4 canisters of formula, and tons of solid food later, Benaiah is back to his happy, bouncy, active self! There is not a day that goes by that he is not smiling or laughing or just enjoying himself (which is a 180 from what he was last week). I was beside myself with anxiety, grief, and stress about Benaiah a week ago. Now, I am enjoying him more than ever. He is now crawling around...not very well, but can take about 5-6 "crawl steps" before plopping down beside his object of interest.

Things that have occurred in the last month....

1. I changed my first real human feces diaper... it was an eye opener (or a nostril closer)
2. Benaiah can eat foods like avocados, bananas, sweet potatoes, and carrots and practically poop them out whole...I don't know how he does it...
3. Trying to practice "happy time by myself"... hasn't worked out so well
4. Benaiah now clings to me and won't let me step out of sight (which has made possible the above statement)
5. Benaiah has taken to singing. I like to play classical music in the car and I find him just sitting back there humming away. It makes me smile. Can't tell if he's tone deaf or not... he's got a 50/50 chance.
6. He can rock on his hands and knees.
7. He can crawl!
8. He can get into things...
9. He can scream.
10. He can laugh.
11. And he can make me soooo happy.

Unfortunately, he is in the process of being weaned, and not by choice. I was hoping to go longer, but when you have a hungry baby that you can't nourish, you gotta do what you gotta do. =)

I love you, my son. Your daddy and I are so pleased and blessed to have you in our lives!

Hello. I'm cute.

He's a ninja just like his mommy. I'm so proud.

Smiley, smiley!

Back from Vacation, Back to Real Life, and Back to Blogging...

2010-08-16T09:12:00.001-07:00

Whew. It has been a crazy month. Crazy summer, for that matter. And Benaiah has grown sooo much since I last posted! He has thinned out a lot. He's now extremely tall and extremely skinny. So skinny, in fact, that I can see each rib, which sent me into a panic and caused me to introduce solid foods earlier than I had originally wanted to. But, he loved the food. I introduced avocado first as it is incredibly nutritious and can easily be made into baby food. I decided to skip the rice cereal as it didn't seem like a good, nutritious first food. I might use it later and mix it with some fruit and vegetables. Overall, the food experience has been really fun and always makes for a good laugh. He is quite the ferocious, impatient eater. I haven't really weaned him yet and don't plan to for a while. He still nurses just as much as he did pre-solid food.

Benaiah has moved on into the skoochin' stage, where he basically scoots until he face plants into the floor. I have told him that it is probably not the best maneuver to get from point A to point B but he doesn't listen and seems intent on doing the "face plant skooch." I guess he'll learn one of these days...

He has developed quite the goofy little personality (but what do you expect when you have two off their rocker goofy parents?). He sticks his tongue out when he smiles and scrunches his nose. Don't ask me why he does this, but it does help him in the cuteness department... but not for long. I'll have to tell him when he's 20 to stick his tongue back in his mouth! But really... he is probably the cutest baby ever.

Benners spent lots of time with family the past couple weeks. While Max was in Phoenix finishing up his internship, Benners and I spent a long day at the airport to travel back to GA to visit grandparents and aunts and uncles. It was a nice little mini vacation, and it's always so fun to see family again. Then Max's family came up to visit this past week for Benaiah's baptism (which was cancelled...long story...). So we traveled the long distance up to Williamsburg to hang out in a fancy condo with Max's family which was a nice mini vacation as well. So that brings us to here and now, where I am sitting here coughing my lungs out and nursing Ben as much as possible to keep him from getting sick. It really isn't fun being a sick mom. The house gets dirty, the baby gets fussy, and recovery time is longer because you don't have time to rest or sleep in... not fun.

I still have my little redhead, green eyed boy... I thought his coloring might change by now, but it hasn't, and I love it!

Today, we had to do some de-spoiling... I set 10 minutes on the clock and put Benaiah on his play blanket with his toys while I washed some dishes and picked up the house. He threw a full out temper tantrum! I was madly throwing himself around on the floor and crying so hard he had snot running down everywhere. I guess I didn't realize how spoiled he was... And as soon as I walked over and picked him up, he was happy as a clam. That's when I realized I had to nip that in the bud.

The tongue out nose scrunch smile...

Eating avocado...

Not sure what I'm planning to do to him...

My handsome little guy!

In my mom's (grandma's) arms...

Sleepy boy, cuddling with Aunt Lissy's blanket...

With my dear friend, Kelly...

Daddy's plan to get him to crawl...

Already the ladies man, if he can catch up to her! She's already pulling up on things at 5 months!

Help! We're Stuck at the Airport...

2010-07-30T05:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, Benners is stuck at the airport. With mama, of course. We're on our way to ATL to see grandparents while Max goes off to Phoenix to finish up his internship. However, our 7am flight has been delayed until 9:30am. And being that a flight was canceled last night and I'm a little lower down on the priority list, it's looking iffy. But, we're staying optimistic and hoping to get out at some time this morning so we're not stuck here all day... The poor little guy has been awake since 4:30 this morning and has refused to go to sleep... We'll see how this day goes.

It's been a while since I've updated and can't believe Benaiah's coming up on his 5 month birthday... Crazy how fast time flies. I feel as though Ben is entering another fussy stage. He tends to get more frustrated with things; his body is playing catch up with his mind. He's also in a phase of fighting sleep again, which always makes me feel ready for the day as I hobble out of bed with dark circles under my eyes. Along with Benaiah's insomnia, I have found I have quite a bit of insomnia myself. Almost every night, I find myself taking a good two hours to fall asleep, which is annoying after the 3rd week. And when I do fall asleep, I am tossing and turning and dreaming like crazy. So needless to say, my patience has been a bit thin lately, which is not a good thing for a mom. Despite all this, I feel so incredibly blessed. And the Lord has been gracious. He gives me the grace to make it through each day when my body just wants to shut down.

Benaiah is also trying his whine until you look at me and smile tactic. It seems to be working pretty well to his favor. He just gets me every time. He whines, I look and smile, and he gives me the grin of the century. So it's all worth it in my book. He's such a little person and his personality continues to grow. I've decided he's way more chill than either Max or I, an interesting product from two Type A parents.

Update: We are now at the Newport News airport hoping to get a flight to ATL here. We were on the 9:30am flight; but at the last minute, they realized they had let on too many people, so we were kindly escorted off the plane... a little annoying, especially when I was the last seat and finally GOT ON and had already situated the babe and our bags! Oh well, still trying. It will be worth the wait in the end. Benners has been excellent. It always amazes me at how he rises to the occasion without fail. 12 hour drive: perfect! a day stuck at the airport: perfect! He really is a GREAT baby.

Benaiah had his first taste of Tabasco sauce today (a VERY little bit) and it did not go so well. He basically screamed and coughed and I got upset and.... it was just bad. It's just a good thing, I have milk and not water =)

Extreme Parental Paranoia...

2010-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's just a mom thing or if I'm going completely insane. Ever since Benaiah was born, I have pictured the worst case scenario. I have morbid, horrible visions of my baby getting hurt in some form or fashion. It freaks me out! I don't know why it always pops into my mind when we're doing anything... When I walk out on the deck, I imagine him squirming and slipping out of my arms and plummeting down to the ground. I imagine him choking some bizarre way in his sleep. I can see someone holding him and he falls out of their arms.... well, I guess it's mainly falling visions... Maybe I'm just imparting my extreme acrophobia to him. Praise the Lord he has not fallen off or out of anything. It's driving me crazy though! I have to slap myself and say, "Allison! Get a grip! He's in the Lord's hands and he will be perfectly fine!" So I find myself praying... a lot! So maybe it's just the Lord's way of testing my faith and calling me back to Himself. I just have to put my extreme paranoia, imagining the worst case scenario thoughts out of my head and just trust the Lord.

Ok... on a happier, less morbid note, Benaiah is doing fantastic. He's on a great schedule, sleeping 12 hours (or more) a night. My hubby and I are back in our own bedroom, FINALLY! He's finally starting to be content on his stomach and play with toys. He's working on keeping his balance sitting up (he still tends to topple over and face plant, lol). He absolutely LOVES his johnny jump up... I probably love it more than him... if only they would make adult versions... I would be in that thing all day long! He takes about 2 two hour naps a day and goes to bed anywhere between 8 and 10. Last night, he totally went to sleep at 5:30pm and didn't get up until 5:45am and then went back to sleep until 8! Tired little boy! I took him the Y yesterday and I think being in the nursery really tires him out. So all is fantastic in the life of Benners.

Sitting up!

Ok... still getting used to noisy toys...

Loves his "Sophie" the giraffe, but not sure the feeling is mutual... she usually ends up with her face in his mouth...

This pic makes me think of Zoolander... It's the "Magnum"!

"My diaper is full...full of fashion!" My son is going to grow up to be a model... oh no...

Sit up fail...

Eat Mor Chikin...

2010-07-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

Today, I took advantage of the cuteness of my baby to get free food. It is not as bad as it sounds, or maybe it is... Chick-fil-A was giving free meals to whoever came in dressed as a cow. And as I am willing to do almost anything for some free food let alone free Chick-fil-A food, I made a cow costume. Except I wimped out and made one for my poor, innocent, unsuspecting son. So I took out my sharpie markers and my creative thinking skills and began to put together my masterpiece. Here is the final piece...

And I decided to add my own little touch...

My poor little boy didn't have a clue. I strapped him in his carseat, and we made our way to the nearest Chick-fil-A. He's such a good sport, and he humors me all the time... me and my vanity or in this case, craziness. So I ate some free food, had a good time. And I must say Ben's outfit was one of the best ones. Creativity has gone way down.... so sad...

So... Eat Mor Chikin!

Four months, the Fourth, and Mommy's Birthday...

2010-07-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

We had a busy, busy weekend! It was so much fun though! Benaiah turned 4 months on Saturday... I turned 23 on Sunday... time just flies. Little Benners is becoming a little fireball. He is so funny. He lets me know he's unhappy but just sucking on his bottom lip and making the most pitiful whine. He's not even crying. He's not even really upset, just unhappy. He looks at me with this pained look; he looks so pitiful! He now sleeps on his stomach with his feet tucked underneath him. When he's nursing, he scratches anything he can get his hands on, which is mainly my skin... He smiles and laughs at peek-a-boo.

In his little pajamas spending time with Dad before bed...

We visited the Virginia Aquarium. We loved it!

Love his smiles! So genuine... Having a good time...

Finally! A good family photo!

My Boy =)

Loves dad!

Watching fish with Daddy...

He thought it was pretty cool!

Floating with Dad...

It was a little cold...

Was That You?...

2010-07-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

One huge benefit of being a parent is blaming things on your kids. Not a nice truth, but a true one. Everyone is thinking it and everyone does it, so don't go gettin' your panties in a wad. I'm speaking merely about bodily functions here....

I was at Ross today bargain hunting for some new decorative pillows for my couch (which are ridiculously and needlessly expensive everywhere else, and I would be all homemaker and sew them myself but material isn't much better....so.... hence, I shop). I was meandering down the isles, looking at all the eye candy on the shelves, daydreaming of how all I could decorate our home when suddenly a noise from inside my cart bounced me back to reality. Yes, it was my son pooping, no doubt, and making a scene about it. I embarrassingly talked to my baby and rhetorically asked him if he was pooping in my little baby talk voice, hoping others would hear and immediately understand the situation and shift their glaring eyes to my baby instead of me. It worked. I think. Of course, it takes him about 5 minutes to completely relieve himself, so I there I am halted in the isle trying to stifle the laugh and repeatedly asking him if he is going to the bathroom. Yes, I am soooo mature. I could be that mom in stilettos and a summery stepford wives dress with my hair so hairsprayed it doesn't move, completely ignoring him and going about my business, but no. I have to make the situation even MORE embarrassing. Of course, no matter how hard I try, I can't help but feel embarrassed. The kid, after all, is half of me and half of his dad. And, I could squeeze the living stuffins' out of him, he is so cute! So I love him, embarrassing moments and all. And I couldn't help but laugh, shrug my shoulders, and log it away as another wonderful moment with my son.

Here is the sweet little guy hoarding all the food. No wonder he's so big! *Note: This is my favorite picture of him by far! Totally captures his sweet, funny personality to a tee! Captured by our awesome friend, Thomas....

"No, No" is Apparently Funny...

2010-06-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

It is starting to frighten me how much Benaiah is starting to pick up on. He is becoming more and more aware. More aware of his surroundings, more aware of his voice, and yes, more aware of his body parts. He pretty much grabs anything he sees and feels. So he has realized that he can grab himself when I'm changing his diaper. And we just can't have that... So today, I said "no, no" and pulled his hand away. He smiled and immediately went back. So I said, "no, no" and pulled his away again. He smiled even bigger and went back. Sigh. We'll be working on that one.

My Son Can't Walk Yet...

2010-06-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Everyday, when Max comes home, he remarks about how big Benaiah is getting. My husband apparently thinks Ben is nearly grown. I often need free hands to make dinner, and since Max is hungry enough to do just about anything, he takes daddy duty while I cook. Today, during daddy duty, Daddy decides to teach Benaiah to walk. (Note: Ben doesn't even know how to crawl let alone scoot around or even sit up....). So I glance up every now and then with a chuckle as I see Max leading this nearly 4 month old around like he's two. Then, I hear a small thud followed by a cry. Yes, "he tripped" when "he was trying to walk." This little incident had nothing to do with daddy but had everything to do with Benaiah's inexperience in walking and his lack of fortitude with the task. Haha. So I grab the screaming baby out of my husband's arms to attend to his completely fine body but bruised spirit. Benaiah is fine and has lived to see his next day and has learned an important lesson: don't let Daddy teach you to walk... yet.

Benaiah just LOVES Max. Whenever my husband is in the room, Ben follows him, smiles at him, talks to him. He's enthralled. The other night, Ben was just sitting contently in Max's lap while he was talking with his law colleagues about different issues. Ben sat there for a good hour just staring up at his daddy like he was listening intently to every word!

Update....Finally!!!!

2010-06-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

Ok! So Benaiah is asleep and I have pretty much caught up on everything since being back in town, so time to blog! Our two month vacation was awesome! It had its moments of joy and stress, but it was mostly AMAZING. Ben loved the attention. So much that he came home spoiled rotten to the core. I set him down, he cries. I pick him up, he smiles. However, with all the catch up I had to do, I said forget that, you're going to be happy by yourself for at least 5 minutes. He's gotten to the age where he doesn't usually fuss for no reason. Finally, the two month fussy stage is over! I can usually stop his fussing by just talking to him, reading to him, or holding him, which is really fun. He is soooo much fun. I think this might be my favorite age. He's rolling, sleeping, almost sitting up, smiling, cooing and talking. So, Ben HATES being on his stomach, but has been forced to like it. Beyond my comprehension, without fail, he rolls to his stomach when on his back, and he cries and whines. So I roll him back over, and within 5 seconds, he rolls back over to his stomach only to cry and whine again. Babies.... don't they know that mama knows best?! However, since rolling over, he went through a weird transition about waking himself up everytime he rolled. But I think he has adjusted and sleeps really well when on his stomach, surprisingly. He slept his first 12 hours the night we got home! It was such a blessing! Now, he's been consistently sleeping 9-12 hours a night. It's so great to be home!

Sitting up in his little Bumbo...

On his tummy, a rare happy picture...

He tried out his new "big boy" carseat. I think we still like our travel system carseat though...
AW! My smiley boy!

He loved the beach.... I'll post more Florida pics in another post

The Lord is good!

Benaiah Laughing...

2010-06-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

Benaiah laughed today! He full out belly laughed! I cannot tell you how exciting it is to watch a person grow and change before your eyes.

God must have blessed me with Benaiah's laugh today because he was SUPER tired and cranky and I was really beside myself on what to do. After only about 30 minutes awake, he became inconsolable and irrational. The only way I could calm him down was to feed him, so he ate about every 2 hours. And where he usually has a long morning nap, he only slept about an hour. So hoping he'll sleep tonight! I didn't get much last night (but that was my fault).

I love my boy. I was thankful God gave me the grace to make it through today joyfully. And I got a laugh....

Rolly Polly...

2010-06-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

Benaiah rolled from his back to his stomach today! And my parents and I were the first witnesses. Max left this morning for Phoenix, AZ for his internship. He'll be gone for two weeks. He's going to miss so much!!! We will miss daddy bunches!

Yesterday, I was a bit of a mess trying to pack and help Max get ready for his trip. I think Benaiah felt my frantic stress and had it against me because he pooped on my foot. Yes, pooped...on...my....BARE....foot. I was just standin' there trying to transfer Max's old contacts to his new phone when I heard the grunt followed by a splat. I actually didn't think anything of it as he drops drool on my feet every 5 seconds. But as it was accompanied with more grunts and I felt bigger and bigger splats, I looked down and to my horror, it was poop. Of course, Benaiah just looked at me with those huge innocent green eyes of his and smiled at me. And I couldn't help but laugh. It made me just stop and enjoy the moment. Thanks, little buddy... for pooping on my foot.

3 Month Photoshoot and Talking...

2010-06-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

3 Months and Counting...

2010-06-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

heMy wonderful, handsome son is now 3 months old. In a way, it seems like it's been forever and I can't imagine our lives without him. In another sense, it has gone by sooo fast! I haven't posted in a while; we've just been so busy and honestly, I just really didn't feel like writing... a week long writer's block. Plus, I have so brilliantly misplaced my camera..... ugh! All my Benners pics gone.... Thankfully, I have most of them backed up.

So now, Ben can roll from his back to his side (hasn't quite made it to his stomach yet, but he's close), bring his hands to his mouth, follow me across the room with his eyes, chuckle, sit up from a slanted position, explore his voice, hold his head up 90 degrees when on his stomach, stop sleeping through the night.....

He has developed such a personality. He has his "Vulcan eyebrows" when he's focusing or studying, haha. He makes the funniest noises, one of which he inhales really fast and sounds like he's choking. Apparently, that is his excited sound. Ah! He is so huggable and kissable. I LOVE him!

Flying Adventures...

2010-05-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

Benners took his first plane ride (post womb) on Tuesday. He wasn't really sure what to think of it. When we were taking off, his eyes got really wide and his body looked like it was being pushed into the carseat. I really forgot what a funny feeling it is. He didn't cry, but he had a bit of a panicky look on his face.

Grandmommy Thelen was having surgery on her heart, so Dad was flying out there to be with her. And since Grandmommy (or Granddaddy) had never met Ben, we decided we would go too. So began our journey to Joplin, MO. We flew into Wichita, KS (which I had never been to either) and met Uncle Tedd and drove to Joplin.

He was pretty psyched.....

And we surprised Great Grandmommy and Great Granddaddy....

So amazing to have four generations in this picture... well, Max is missing, but four generations nonetheless =)
This picture I took and thought it was absolutely adorable. Now when he smiles, he really smiles!
And he likes putting Mr. Giraffe in a chokehold...

After an amazing trip seeing everyone, he was definitely ready to get back and see daddy!

So we got back and later that day (poor thing...he was pooped!), we decided to go swimming. He wasn't too sure and didn't quite take to it as I hoped...

But he liked sitting on the edge and looking at the pool from a distance with daddy...

Daddy's First Diaper Change...

2010-05-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Benaiah has been so good the past two days! I know, I know... I didn't post yesterday. We were over my parents house all day and stayed busy. We went yard sale-ing and Ben slept almost the whole time and was happy for the rest of it. He was so happy all day yesterday and he slept really well too. He has his cranky periods due to his teeth coming in, but it's totally understandable.

When it comes to his teething, he has become somewhat of a predator. My finger has become the prey. And he's vicious and merciless.

He loves walks. He tends to get a little fussy in the evenings, and the only thing that will calm him down is going on a nice long walk in the neighborhood. And it gives me a good workout too.

Here is Max changing his first diaper =)

I LOVE my men!
This was Ben after a long day of yard sale-ing, Dutch Blitz, and playing with his aunts, uncle, and Grandpa and Grandma.

Say Goodbye to Gummy Smiles...

2010-05-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today was a much better day in the way of mood. Of course, his teething is still bothering him. I had to give him my finger and he chomped on it all day. I think I have gum marks... I'm kinda sad his teeth are coming in. No more of his gummy smiles! I love gummy smiles! With each new milestone Benaiah reaches, I feel like I'm losing my little baby.... it goes by so fast!

He gets stronger and stronger and longer and longer. It seems he grows an inch a day. He's become so strong that he can not only roll from his belly to his back and do crunches, he has found a way to come out of his little swaddler. I come down to his room every morning to find his arms flailing and his legs kicking, completely free. But ironically, he can't sleep without it... still workin' on that one.

I turned him around in his Baby Bjorn and he loves it! Look at those long legs!

Father/son time =) Gets me every time!

He has such a personality. He's not too happy about his tummy time...

Got your nose, Daddy...

Mastering the Mad Cry...

2010-05-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

His lungs are definitely developing, or should I say developed. And....he cries like a girl. He has a very unique cry in which he whines and squeals in this high pitch voice until he bursts into an all out cry. Today, he burst suddenly into tears and while usually nursing calms him almost instantaneously, nothing worked. He screamed for about 30 minutes, inconsolably. Then all of the sudden, he stopped just as soon as he started.

At first, I thought maybe he would be more laid back than Max and I, but the older he gets, the more capable he becomes of letting his needs (and wants) known. And I've realized that many times, he becomes frustrated with the limitations of his own body. So yes, another strong willed little one. I will have to stay strong when it comes training time =)

So today was a cranky one, but still no complaints. He has such a personality, and I can't wait to watch him grow into a man.

Pictures to come.....

Teething and No Shields: What am I Thinking?

2010-05-19T18:29:00.000-07:00

The past two days have been weird days. He has been super fussy. Not the type of fussy where it is mellow crying all day, the type of fussy where he screams bloody murder. I'm not sure if he's in pain or has just discovered that he can really make a racket. It does make me wonder if he's teething. I know, I know... at 2 months?! I asked myself the same thing, but in fact, it is a possibility. The drooling like a faucet, the absolute need for something to be in his mouth, the sudden outbursts of crying, warm temperature.... I should have put two and two together. I guess I should be ready for crawling at 4 months, walking at 7 months, talking at a year..... he's a fast movin' little guy. I can already tell he gets frustrated with his limited mobility. Type A personality much? He did come from two Type A parents; I guess we can't expect much less of him =)

Along with the whole teething thing, we had a breakthrough day yesterday in nursing. For the past two months he has had to nurse with shields. He would FREAK out without them. Then all the sudden he just stopped. Of course, now that he's teething, I'm a little of afraid of the possible damage....

We went by Walker yesterday to see some of my old teachers and see my dad. I met up with Maria, my best friend from high school, as well as running into another one of my good friends, Jake. Here is a pic of Maria with the little guy....

Here is Benaiah at Chili's with us last night; he was enthralled with the red pattern on the table. He stared at it most of the night...

So, good day, just weird.

Maternity Pics and Today's Happenings...

2010-05-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post some of my maternity pics taken by The Vintage Button Photography.

Today's Happenings:

Benaiah was totally bipolar today. One minute he would be smiling and laughing, the next minute he would burst into tears. There was a different sound to his cry that I noticed today. He was mad. Face red, burning hot, body tensed up, face distorted, choking on his sobs. He has now found out how to mad cry. And it works. He is so pitiful when he does it, poor thing. But when he wasn't mad crying, he was the happiest baby on the planet. I probably had more smiles from him today than I have ever had.

I love him so much!

Benners Jump Up...

2010-05-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Max came home from work today and played with little Benners, and this is where he ended up...

He loved it. Workin' those strong little muscles. I have a hard time telling myself he's only two and a half months old...
Evidence of his new obsession with his fists....

Smiley time on the rug...

My sweet boy and me...

Outfit Save Fail...

2010-05-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

My wonderful husband was able to get a Swiss Army one shoulder backpack with points he racked up from somewhere, so basically free (basically). And he very lovingly gave it to me. I was very excited when it arrived yesterday, and decided to downsize my diaper bag and use that. It didn't fit very much, but seeing as I am very prone to overpacking, I told myself I would only need certain things. I decided to scratch the extra outfit I always pack as well as a spare blanket. So we went off to church today with my new spiffy Swiss Army backpack, a thing of wipes, two diapers, and his pacifiers. On the way to church, my sweet boy did his midmorning poop as always. Telling myself his diaper held everything in, I was disappointed when we picked him up out of his carseat with yellow spots all over his nice khaki church pants. I sighed and took him to change his diaper. I pulled off his pants and just told myself I would just keep his sharp button up shirt on. I reached for his spare diaper after I had cleaned him up and to my dismay he had fired away, soaking his button up shirt, white onesie and my hands that reflexively tried to save the outfit. Outfit Save: fail. So I walked him back into church with only his polka dotted diaper to find my whole family laughing as they could only guess what had happened. Where it is burning up in our church back in VA, it is FREEZING in our church down here. Of course, it would be freezing when I have no blanket, no outfit, nada. So there sits my poor baby boy, naked, in a freezing church. The only thing I could scrounge up to keep him warm was my bright pink sweater... yes, bright pink. So I lovingly wrapped my BOY in my PINK sweater. I could just tell what all the experienced mothers were thinking of me, rolling their eyes... oh, she must be a first time mother... Why yes, I am a first time mother, but I have learned my lesson: Always bring a change of clothes, always overpack, and wear something other than a pink sweater.

Here is my naked boy sleeping on the way home from church. Notice the pink sweater....

And here is my husband yanking the sweater off of him and wrapping him in his jacket, haha.

And here is a cute picture I took of him playing with his first toy...

Just An Ordinary Day...

2010-05-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

So just an ordinary day. Benaiah didn't quite make it the whole night and woke up at 3:30... oh well, I didn't really mind. The mornings are always my favorite because he is the most happy and awake. Mom-in-law, Lissy, Ben and I have just been playing around on the ground, just talking and smiling and enjoying our wonderful children.

Today, little Benners got to meet one of my dearest friends, Kelly, which I MEANT to get a picture of. Picture I didn't take goes here... (actually, I don't think I took any pictures today...sad). But we had a fun and exciting day. Kelly, you're the bestest!

Tonight, he had a bit of a weird schedule. Last ate at six then slept until 11ish while we were at a friend's house, then woke up when we got home, played a little, then fed him and went back to sleep. We'll see how that works out....

I was thinking today about how much I love Benners and how I can't imagine my life without him now (yes, yes, it's corny and cliche but true). I fall in love with him all over again each and every day when he smiles through his teary red eyes back at me when I walk into his room, when he poops all over my new clothes, when he kicks and squirms and plays on the floor with me, when he cries his sad pitiful, "hold me now" cry, when he wakes up before I think he will, when he sleeps longer than expected, when he grunts, farts and makes embarrassing bodily noises, when he sleeps with his lower lip protruding, when he nurses and looks up at me. I love him.... all of him....every minute. What a precious gift from our Lord, and what a wonderful bond He created between mother and child.

Don't Slip on the... Poop?

2010-05-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

I woke up to Benaiah's sleepy cry. And in my usual sleepy stupor, I walked into his dark room and reached for him and was startled to find his face soaken wet. I pulled back, then grabbed him and went into the light to find out what all this wetness was coming from. He is leaking! Like every other human being after they cry, his face was wet from tears. Then I realized that he had been lacking tears after he cried for the last couple of months. Poor little guy was soaked in tears.

So... next story....pretty much takes the cake. Look at this picture...

Any guesses?! Yes, that would be poop...on the floor. And lots of it. Here goes the story behind this picture....

My dad was holding Benaiah and rocking him, and he began letting it rip. We were all sitting around laughing at his faces and bodily noises (he had no inhibitions despite this), when all the sudden, we see this stream of greenish yellow fluid squirt, no, JET from his diaper and splatter (thankfully) on the hardwood floor.

And the next picture is of his poor little soiled outfit....

Then we started laughing at his patches of balding he had going on, lol.

He was being a good sport about everything. "What did I do?"

Long Walks, Yummy Fists, and Gurgly Smiles

2010-05-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last night, we spent the night with my parents. For some reason he decided not to go to sleep until 11pm last night, but did sleep until his usual 7am. He is starting to stay up more during the day, which is cool, but what do you do with a baby who doesn't talk or walk? I'm just kidding; it's totally fun. Our new favorite things to do are just lay on the ground and practice our air run, smile at each other for hours, and take walks! Taking walks are the best! He LOVES them. I have been taking a walk in the evening before he goes down for the night. They really seem to calm him down. We took a long one tonight with Granny and Aunt Maggie =).

Here's the little guy during our smile battle....

Ben has taken a special liking to his fists. You would think they were like candy the way he goes at 'em. I have to laugh because he likes to bring his fists together and you can see it in his face when he grabs his other hand: "oh, I caught something! Must...bring...it...to...my...mouth...asap!" He even does situps to get to it. And his eyes get all crosseyed as he examines what he's "caught."

Here's little Benners loungin' on the couch....

Bubbly Smiles...

2010-05-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Each day, Benaiah seems to be achieving milestone after milestone. Today I felt like a screaming and jumping mom when her son hits one out of the park.... he totally rolled over from his tummy to his back! I'm not sure if that's normal for a two month old but it seems kinda early, so I was so excited and happy. Of course, I totally had to comfort nurse him afterwards as he was so upset about being placed on his tummy in the first place then having to use all that energy to roll himself back over to his back where he wanted to be. Such a strong boy!

Well, Ben JUST went down (11pm). Poor thing was overtired and seemed like he had some stomach issues... I didn't even have a chance to nurse him to sleep; he was zonked as soon as we got to his room.

Although we had a bit of a fussy and tired day, it was good and we had some smiles. He really does try so hard to be happy. Tonight he was totally smiling at me, then an instant later he would break into a cry. Poor guy was trying so hard.

Enjoying some tummy time....

Connected at the hip, Benaiah is having so much fun with his Aunt Lissy!

Lissy is such a great and encouraging aunt!

Bubbly smiles...

A Mother's Day to Remember...

2010-05-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

Wow. So another fail. I'm purposing AGAIN to write every day. The last few days, my mind (and body) has been recuperating and organizing. Ok, so here it goes again...

All of my clothes have poop stains on them now or throw up stains. I shouldn't have gone out and bought all those new clothes for my new skinny body. Had another poo'slosion today. Everytime I think I fix his diaper to hold it all in, his poo magically finds a way out to my clothes... luckily, my wonderful mom-in-love has let me use her high efficiency front loaders to do laundry and it gets EVERYTHING out! I'm so spoiled....

Benaiah has reminded me somewhat of an owl here lately. He turns his mullet head 360 degrees it seems, looking at everything in sight. He reminds me of a kid who has 5 minutes in a candy shop and grabs everything in sight. He just can't seem to look at everything fast enough. He just loves soaking it all in and interacting with the world around him.

I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of things and knowing what cries mean what and so on. The past two nights Ben has slept 10 hours, so I feel so rested!!! I found out if I let him have his midmorning to afternoon nap and then just let him cat nap here and there around the house with noise and lights til his bedtime at 9ish, he sleeps so well at night. He has been such a happy baby now! He rarely fusses after he is fed and changed and rested. And I've found his new favorite toy, where he is now sleeping... It's Jeep and it vibrates and it's awesome!

And here's Aunt Ti seeing the little guy for the first time! We love Aunt Ti...

And here's Benaiah with his great grandma. He's so blessed to have such a wonderful heritage!

I had a wonderful first Mother's Day! It was weird to think that now I'm a mom, but it's such an awesome privilege!

And here is a present that my Aunt Nancy made for me! I'm going to show it off (even though I feel so undeserving of it!)....

Great Day!...

2010-05-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today was a fantastic day! Benaiah is doing so well with a schedule. He was by the books today. I could tell he was a little tired from yesterday so he slept a bunch, which yielded a happy baby! He went every 3 hours like clockwork. He gets more and more interactive each day!

I've been so thankful to have some extra time to myself; my wonderful in laws have been babysitting Benaiah when I need a break. Well, don't have much time to write tonight as I'm preparing the meal for Mother's Day tomorrow (the cousins are giving the moms the day off).

So blessed to have a sweet, spunky, lovable, and kind hearted son who brings me so much joy!

Here's sweet Aunt Lissy holding her nephew (haha!)...

Halo... It's Not Only for Angels Anymore...

2010-05-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a failure. I forgot to post something yesterday... and the day before. It just completely slipped my mind, and I have been so busy.

Ben is just growing up each and every day! It's crazy! He's starting to coo now and stay up longer and SMILE! He smiles so much now...adorable!

Benaiah went to his first Halo Reach party last night. Yes, he has two nerds for parents, and he will most likely grow up to be a nerd as well....poor little dude. It was not always easy being a nerd, but the rewards are endless. Who else can say they have needled a noob or gotten a triple kill when they were only a few weeks old? Actually.... he spent the night gettin' ladies. He was totally the cutest guy there (besides my husband, of course). So, I guess that makes him a cool nerd, not a dorky one.

Poor guy didn't go to bed until almost 11! (This was my fault). So there could have been two scenarios last night: either he was overstimulated and wouldn't sleep a wink, or he was totally exhausted and would sleep all night. I was very happy to wake up this morning and realize it was the latter. And now he is STILL sleeping from his 10am feeding cycle. He should have eaten 40 min. ago. But he was so happy this morning, smiling at everything that moved. He is definitely able to focus on faces now and can track. And he is totally like Max in that if he doesn't have constant social interaction, he gets whiney and fussy and pouty, hahaha.

Here's a little action....

Drool Face...

2010-05-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

So as much as I tried to fight the pacifier, it fought harder and won. It began on the long trek back to Georgia where it was the only thing that would stop or muffle his cry. And it was perpetuated at the American Vision benefit dinner where he had to be quiet...and when he is in his carseat and refuses to go sleep but is determined to be fussy. However, I am satisfied despite the fact that I am a weakling. He is not to the point of crying when he doesn't have it, so it works.

Each day that passes, I realize he is getting older. He is losing his scrunchy, smooshed, fat newborn face and is becoming quite handsome! He is actually starting to look more like me, so I don't have to contemplate taking his birth certificate everywhere to prove he's mine. However, with the whole aging process comes drool. Oh, drool. I must admit I have a weak stomach when it comes to three things: snot, puke, and drool. But I am proud to say that I have only gagged two or three times in my few months of motherhood. At first, I was excited that Ben did not drool. Unfortunately, his time came two days ago. Now, he drools like a faucet. Blah! The worst moment was during our little photoshoot yesterday when I was holding Ben above my head only to look up at a string of drool hurdling ferociously towards my face! Well, for everyone's information, I did NOT die. It was a close call, I'll have you know. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

I went in at 10am this morning to my crying baby and as soon as I walked in, his fussing stopped and through his goopy, shiny, teary eyes, he smiled this big googly smile! So, another teary moment for mom =). Then again today, he was sitting in my lap as I was checking my email when Max (daddy) walked in, and Ben turned and smiled the biggest smile. His smiles could be some sort of super power or secret weapon.... they kill me everytime.

Some more photoshoot pictures from yesterday....

Two Month Photoshoot!

2010-05-04T13:42:00.001-07:00

Beautiful photoshoot taken by my lovely sister in law.... Love these!

Two Months: Where Has the Time Gone?...

2010-05-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

I CANNOT believe my little baby is already two months old today. He has changed so much, and I am amazed at how fast time flies... Time for #2 photoshoot!

We had a relaxing morning, just playing with Granny, Aunt Melissa, Mommy, and Daddy. Loved all the attention! He even did a roll! Although not completely unassisted, he's definitely strong enough to do it on his own. I have a feeling he is going to be a social butterfly like his dad =) He just loves people!

Here is yesterday with G.Pop and Gigi (my parents)...

Here's the wonderful relaxing morning we spent with family!

To Grandmother's House We Go...

2010-05-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Benners slept 8 hours last night and then another 3.5 hours this morning, so he was happy slappy today. We went to church with my parents. And Ben totally loves my dad (he totally loves my mom too, but my dad just has a way with him or something.... ). It was so sweet watching Ben smile up at my dad for the first time. There is something about a baby smile that can melt a heart of stone (not saying my dad has a heart of stone, haha).

I think Benaiah is going to be pretty smart. His eyes go deer in the headlights and he has to look at everything in the room. He loves it and will not go to sleep if he is in any way stimulated. So I have to be extra careful about stimulating him too much or he does not sleep well, which happened today. He pretty much skipped every nap today, so I put him down at 7:30 and hoping he'll make it until 3:30.

It amazes me every day how big he gets and how much he changes. Not to be vain, but I've been in show off mode since we arrived. I just think he's the greatest, and I can't wait for all of my loved ones to meet him and hang out with him.

And I didn't get this blog in by 12am so epic fail on posting every day..... and with that, I'm going to bed....

Children are a Blessing from the Lord...

2010-05-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

Benaiah did so well today! It is amazing what a little sleep can do to heal a case of the fussies. It even did for me too! He slept two 6 hour segments and another 3.5 hour segment from 9 until 12:30, giving me a chance to sleep in, which left me feeling rather rejuvenated.

So Benaiah met our good friends Stewart and Bethany Adams as well as Roy and Bekah Turner for the first time today! And it was so funny because he automatically smiled at Bethany and Stewart and took to them right away! He is such a sweetie!

Some new updates:

Benners is still workin' on that mullet
I'm afraid we have a redhead on our hands...
He grows like an inch every day, and I can feel the pain of my little "newborn" slipping away from me... instead of the sweet "awww's", I'm getting the "oh wow! he's huge"... uh, thanks? =) But I feel so blessed to have a strong, healthy baby boy!
He likes to climb up my tummy
He exploded poop this morning.... of course

He is such a wonderful blessing, and I was so happy he was able to get some rest and be a happy boy today!

Long Drive, Long Night, Long Day, Finally a Long Nap...

2010-04-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

I didn't really know what to expect driving 10 hours with a 2 month old. Even though he didn't have a full nap all day, he did surprisingly well. I sat in the back with him holding a pacifier in his mouth to comfort him (first time we've used the pacifier and probably the last...). And thinking he would sleep really well last night, he was apparently overstimulated and only slept about 5 hours. And since I didn't get to bed until 2am, I only had a 3 hour run.

Today, we hit the ground running when we went to the new KSU dining hall to stuff our faces with tons and tons of food, then to my high school alma mater to show off the babe and see my daddy, then off to visit my mom. So needless to say, poor little Benners was a tired fussy emotional mess today. Fortunately for me (who is also a tired fussy mess), he is now taking a much needed long nap!

Fast food....

Trying to get the hang of the paci so we don't cry...

And now off to sleep....

So now we are hanging out with our wonderful families, which is so much fun! Here are two of the aunts having a blast....

And Benaiah became the life of the party, and he was all smiles....

We're so glad to be back. It is a good day in the life of Benners =)

First Trip...

2010-04-29T03:43:00.000-07:00

Little Benners goes to GA... Benners adventures in GA to follow!

My Son is an Insomniac...

2010-04-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

I guess I got too excited too soon. Benaiah had given me a bunch of nights where he went 8 hours or more, so I thought he would just continue to sleep more and more. He has backslidden, I'm afraid. The past two nights I have gotten up with him at least 3 times.... 3 times!!!! That is crazy! I'm hoping he's just having a growth spurt (like he needs that...) and it won't last long. He was a lot happier today though, gave me a fair share of smiles and kicks to the stomach =). He even went coupon shopping with mommy very early this morning and did fantastic (especially since he was awake pretty much the whole time). Together, we got $45 worth of groceries for $7! Go Benners!

My favorite thing is actually feeding Benaiah. It sounds weird, especially since he is a chunk and I feel like my milk is basically lard, but its my favorite bonding time with him. He has the funniest expressions and noises when he eats, and I can't help but smile down at him and just watch him. I'm hoping to be able to breastfeed him for a year or so, but I'm thinking he's going to need some supplementation due to his "beastly-ness"... we'll see.

So Benners is getting to the point where he likes to be interacted with. If I leave him alone on his boppy or in his swing, he gets bored and cries and whines and throws a little tantrum. So after I feed him, I usually just hold him for 30 minutes or so and either read to him or talk to him (usually while he is pooping, haha). And, he hasn't really gotten his cooing down very well; he ends up scaring himself with the noises that come out of his mouth.

I love life. I love my husband. I love my son. I love the Lord God Almighty, who has abundantly blessed me beyond measure!

Here's little Benners lounging on the couch watching a chick flick with mommy... poor kid... he was forced against his will...

Benner's first trip home to ATL tomorrow!!! Will keep you updated...

*Disclaimer: Lack of sleep, busy-ness, and writer's block have kept me from blogging the best that I can. Hoping to have some interesting stories up soon =)

Doctor, Doctor...

2010-04-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

Another unlucky nights sleep.... He decided to wake up 3 times between 2 and 8 this morning.... no clue why. And he's extra fussy today because of it.... so needless to say I feel like a zombie today.

I've been a little lax on posting the past couple days due to the busy-ness and tiredness. The video I posted yesterday made me laugh. He has started to sound like he's talking when he's crying, and it's the funniest thing.

Doctor's Appointment today! Benaiah is currently 13 lbs. 2 oz.! And I was told he was a beast today... not sure whether I was supposed to take that as a compliment or not. Yes, thank you, my son is indeed a beast... come on! He's 7 weeks old! He's as cute as a cuddly caterpillar =) So I went in expecting them to call my infant obese (ya know that infant obesity; its rampant these days...). Not sure whether it was the fact that he has a double chin or the fact that he was 50th percentile for a 5 month old that tipped me off to it. But in actuality, he is quite tall as well, in the 90th percentile. They reassured me that he was perfectly proportioned, that he was just a big baby. So now I don't have to start the "Stop Infant Obesity" support group anymore. The doctor's appointment went excellently. I feel incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful pediatrician. I even broke the news that I wasn't going to have him vaccinated until he is two, and expecting a scolding look, I was greeted with reassurance that it was my child and I could do anything I wanted, they weren't going to force me.

Hoping for another 10 hour night tonight... I know he can do it... little booger...

Here is a picture of the little one with a frowny face but wrapped in the beautiful blanket that my friend, Hope, croqueted for him!!! Thanks, Hope!

Talkin' and Whinin'

2010-04-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

Caught him making funny whining noises in his swing, haha.

The Lord's Day...

2010-04-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

I had a late night last night with the Law Wives eating chocolate and socializing. So I put Benaiah to sleep in his carseat around 9:30. Little did I know that he would sleep until 7am this morning!

I wanted to upload a video of him splashing around but blogger is obviously incapable of uploading larger videos or something...

I have had a pretty tiring day. Most of it consisted of me trying to organize my mind and sit around staring at the mess that is piling up around the house and all the stuff I need to get done before we leave for a month.... BUT enough about me.... Benaiah was able to cheer me up. He has begun to smile at us now, and it can always make my day.

Benaiah is such a sweetie. More Benners to follow....

Business Up Front, Party in the Back...

2010-04-24T08:29:00.001-07:00

I have been informed by my husband that Benaiah has a mullet. This is true. I wish I could say it wasn't, but it is. Babies apparently lose hair in no particular order or pattern, therefore, giving them a splotchy head of hair on top of the warped cone head shape (how cute!).... So my son, not even in his 8th week, is balding... However, he has decided to keep all of his hair (and even grow some more) on the back of his head, giving him a long straight mullet-like do. Little does he know that mullets are NOT back in style. I'll have to break it to him sooner or later... poor kid...

Documentation of mulletness...

Today is nice beautiful cloudy rainy day, very springlike. And being a Saturday, got to sleep in a little (because someone decided to wake up at 3...). Now for a day of cleaning and getting ready to head out of town for a month and a half with little Benners and my wonderful husband back home to GA! I'm very excited about bringing him back to his homeland. This will be his second time to see Granddaddy, Granny Annie =), G. Pop, Gigi, and all of his wonderful aunts and uncles. Words really cannot express how excited I am. Benners, on the other hand, is oblivious, and will most likely express his great disapproval of the 10 hour drive.

Benaiah has been staying awake much longer than before, so I can't seem to get as much work done around the house, but it has been a blast just hanging out with him, which mainly entails making faces back and forth... I think he has me beat though. At least his faces are a lot cuter than mine...

Want Some Cheese with that Whine?...

2010-04-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

It amazes me how instinctive whining is to the human race and how early it starts. Like everyone else, Benaiah has begun to whine instead of cry when he needs/wants something. It's actually quite pitiful when he does it; it comes out as this sad, whimpering, half hearted cry with his sad dark blue eyes with raised little eyebrows. Unfortunately, he sounds like a girl when he does this. He lets out a yelping high pitched little sigh... not cool, son, not cool. Good thing he has a big masculine father who will be introducing him to GI Joes, leggos, and model airplanes by the time he's crawling. Personally, I think it's the cutest thing I've ever heard.... but it won't be for long...

Just put the little munchkin to bed and hoping for a 3rd 8 hour night! He really is a great baby.

So I had a definite a postpartum hormone moment this morning... I got up around 7 to wake Ben so I could top him off before I hit the gym with Amber. As I saw him laying there peacefully sleeping, it hit me... this is our little child, the child that God has given us; he is God's child! And next thing I know, I'm weeping like a small pitiful child. I just felt so overwhelmed and overjoyed by God's amazing blessings! Benaiah is such a wonderful, amazing, handsome little baby.

Here's the little guy his first time at the Y... pumpin' that iron.... actually just doing what I wanted to be doing (I was glad I got up early and got my workout in).

And sportin' the diaper...

It's Not Polite to Smack or Hum at the Dinner Table...

2010-04-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've got a smacker and a hummer on my hands. Benaiah has begun to coo a little and as such is prone to humming during his feeding. Where most babies have a cute little suckling sound, Ben flails his extremities, grunts, smacks, squeals, hums, and gulps. Then along with that he usually has to go the bathroom; so add farting to the mix. He does somewhat remind me of a half starved T-Rex growling and gnashing his teeth into some innocent little animal of prey. Needless to say, it's a little embarrassing nursing in public. There have a been a few times where I have to go to a public restroom, sit on the toilet (yeah, gross!), and nurse him. And all the other unsuspecting women are hearing is this loud slurping, gulping, grunting, and farting nonsense going on in the stall next to them... I can only imagine...

Benaiah so graciously slept another 8 hour night last night. *Proud smiling*

I've noticed today that he is quite more expressive and interactive. He can focus on my face now and reacts to it.

Right now, we are having another highly enjoyable and successful swing ride.

Little Benners, catching up on some reading...

Just a Swingin'...

2010-04-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

From day 1, we have had swing issues. Major swing issues. Every mother I have talked to has said, "Oh, the swing saved me!" So, looking forward to having a strong backup plan in the way of sleep, I lovingly (yet wrongly... husband had to redo almost everything) put together the swing for our child. In my mind, I thought, "Ok, if the child can't sleep, at least I have the swing!" Not only was I wrong about this, but I would have an extra cranky kid every time I put him in it. So every day, I sadly looked at our unused swing with a tear of wishful thinking. The only thing it seemed to be good for was the classical music it played in the background as he happily sat in his boppy. And thinking I had a broken child (because what child doesn't like to swing?!), I had almost given up on it.... until today. I was determined....

All the swings now come with a plastic tray that folds down over the baby's lap and in between the legs. I realized that this seemingly ingenious feature was the problem. It was squashing the poor baby's legs! So, I got my wonderful, good with his hands husband to fix this problem. Off came the plastic thingy, and in went the baby. And to my absolute joy, the baby almost immediately drifted off to sleep! So here we are just a swingin'....

Swing = Success!!!

So he has yet to sleep through the night again, let alone go more than 4 hours... what is the deal?! Oh well, I'm not too worried about it; he'll be sleeping through the night regularly pretty soon, I'm sure. He's getting much stronger. I'm pretty sure he's knocked the breath out of me with his kicks several times. His legs are like bricks but his arm strength is kinda sissy, so we're working on it during "tummy time." Here's a picture I took of him this morning enjoying his tummy time...

*And if you notice the red dot on his forehead... yes, that is a self inflicted scratch, which ironically he got due to my failure in cutting his nails yesterday...

Dancin'

2010-04-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a video I took of him the other day, laughing at how active he was. Just imagine him like this inside my womb because he definitely was.

And those are definitely baby giraffes on his onesie....so cute.... courtesy of Aunt Bethany =)

No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk...

2010-04-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

So I probably got spit up on over a dozen times today. I guess he was just getting me back for almost cutting off his finger... I can see him now, "Oh yeah? Well, mommy, your milk is gross! Puh!"

So I've found out that the Target brand diapers are the cutest thing ever (...and cheap)! *Puzzling question: Why in the world do diaper manufacturers print cute little designs and characters on a disposable diaper that babies wear for like 2 seconds before they poo all over it. I'm sure it's a million dollars cheaper and I could be saving tons of money by just buying plain white diapers.... just sayin'....

So this is the priceless picture I captured as I got out the shower (the shower I have been craving for days.... just kidding... not really kidding). I actually almost cried tears of joy as I was taking this picture; it just made my heart melt. Both of the wonderful men God has so providentially, undeservingly placed in my life...

And again, my little boy taking his before nighttime nap or declaring himself as Caesar... still not sure. He is such a little man =)

"You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ¹⁹You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ²⁰You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates," ~ Deuteronomy 11:18-20

A Manicure or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre...

2010-04-20T09:16:00.001-07:00

So, he only slept until 3am last night, but oh well, still a work in progress, I suppose. Woke up around 7 again, and I was still tired after a restless night of weird dreams and tossing and turning, so after I made Max some breakfast and kissed him off to his first exam (woot!), I naturally went back to sleep. At 11, I was feeding him when I felt this sharp pain across the skin of my chest. I realized he had tried to grab my skin and he left a scratch. I then also realized his nails were as long as a desperate housewife. So I found the courage to bring out the nail cutter. Poor thing was all smiles and happy faces... "No mommy, not a manicure!"

Nothing could brace me for what was about to happen. I've heard horror stories of poor dears getting skin cut off, fingers cut off (actually not really...), but anyways, I was a nervous wreck trying to hold the cutter while holding his wiggly fingers still. When I thought I had only the white part of the nail, I chomped down on the cutter, only to reveal a screaming baby and a chunk of skin missing from the top of his poor little thumb! I jumped back in horror as I was one of THOSE mothers. Blood began pouring from the tiny little wound; one would have thought I had chopped off his whole arm. So after calming him, and apologizing over and over (like that would help a screaming baby who has no idea what is going on, only that his mother nearly chopped off his finger), I took out the nail file and began filing away, only to realize that his nails were so thin, they bent in half when pressure was applied. So...... I did what only a dedicated, hard working mother would do.... I gave up. I wrapped his little finger with a washcloth and sent him to bed.

That is all for now. More "Benners" to follow...

I Slept 8 Hours Last Night...

2010-04-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

So after watching that video yesterday, I tried the swaddling thing. It totally worked! He slept from 10-6 last night! *Relishing* Although I should have slept like a rock, I found myself getting up every hour after 3 to check on him, get water, and go to the bathroom. And expecting myself to hit the bed like a sack of rocks every time, I found it hard to fall back asleep. It's been so long since I slept a full 8 hours; it felt kinda weird but great!

Swaddling has seemed to do wonders for his sleep. He has slept 3 and a half hours between each feeding, which is usually only 2.5 to 3 hours. And after he poops (which makes him fussy), he is much happier during his waketime.

He is starting to get such a personality. He grunts and squeaks and squawks and squirms. His noises and facial expressions get me every time.

His eyes are turning more blue, which I'm way excited about! I've always wanted blue eyes, so I'm glad my children can enjoy them. I'm still trying to find something about him that is like me.... still nothing. The "Thelen" gene pool definitely had a monopoly =) I've noticed his hair is turning quite reddish; it looks so red in the sun. A fireball in the making? Still not sure....

Swaddling has been great, but unfortunately it's not quite as manly as going around all day sportin' his airplane onesie or Max's personal favorite: his little monster onesie that says "Feed Me". He kinda looks like a baby from an Anne Geddes calendar....

8 hours of sleep for an Anne Geddes baby? Totally worth it in my book. He can pass for a caterpillar or an inch worm (which is what he looks like when he kicks, haha), which is totally masculine, right?

Love my boy!

How to Calm A Crying Baby...

2010-04-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

The pacifier.... to do or not to do.... Had another fussy day today, and I know that sucking really calms him down. He has been extending his nursing periods by just comfort sucking at the end and cries when I pull him off.

One of my dear friends gave me a video today about how to calm a crying, fussy baby. Although I had my doubts at first, it was actually quite insightful. Doctor Harvey Karp adheres to the 5 S's: swaddling, side or stomach, shushing, swinging, and sucking. So why not? I'll give them a try next time he starts fussing. He claims it helps babies sleep better at night. If you know me, you know that I am against any kind of sleep aid or crutch due to the fact that I want to raise an independent, flexible child. However.... the doc says that you gradually decrease these aids over a period of 3 months. So I'm willing to give it a try, at least some of it. Still can't get myself to give him a paci... but we'll see.

So I've come to the conclusion that Benaiah loves dad more than me, haha. He always turns his head towards dad's voice and when held, lovingly stares at dad's face and smiles. No such luck with mom. All mom is good for is food, then he wants to be passed to daddy. I'll get him one of these days... but glad he's turning into a daddy's "man's man" boy.

It's amazing how many new facial expressions he has each day, and oooh, that mad, angry cry..... gonna start nippin' that in the bud here pretty soon.

Going to bed early tonight, and trying to get on a good schedule to optimize time spent with Benaiah, and time for housework and cooking.

All Smiles Today...

2010-04-17T09:16:00.001-07:00

Ben went to bed around 10pm last night (which I'm going to start making his normal every night bedtime). And he didn't wake up again until 3! Then he went back down for another 4 hours until 7! The goal is to get him to sleep from 10pm-7am. He's well on his way...

So I was still pretty tired at 7am this morning so I put him back down until 10. He took on a full feeding (which I have been having trouble getting him to do) and did his routine morning poo, which didn't spew onto me, thank goodness, although I was sure it had. And after his diaper change, he was happy as a clam. So off to daddy he went. He spent 15 minutes in dad's arms today, and smiled for all 15 of those minutes! I was standing over his shoulder trying to snap pictures. He loves dad. He has begun to turn his head to hear dad's voice when he's eating. Despite my jealousy that dad gets more smiles than mom, I was happy to get a few good shots...

So hopefully this will be a good day in the life of Benners! =)

Benaiah Maxwell Thelen

2010-04-16T14:46:00.001-07:00

In starting this blog, I hope to be able to write at least a little every day about my new son and his growth, progress, and day to day life. How cool will it be when Benaiah is a year old and I have written something every day of his life so far? Also, this will give our families a glimpse into his precious day to day progress.

Today is Friday. And I will be honest and say that today has been a rough day for little Benners... He didn't go his hopeful 6 hours last night, and he barely went 4! I awoke at 6:30 this morning to him screaming bloody murder (apparently he had been crying for a while... )(at night, I turn his baby monitor to silent and set my alarm for every 4 hours... I need at least some sleep). Sometimes he goes 5 hours, sometimes 6, and even 7, but it is hardly regular right now. I will relish in the day that he sleeps a full 8 hour night...

I must say that the past two weeks have been a bit rough on me. He has been extra fussy. I have been building up in exhaustion from only having 4 hour runs every night for the past 6 weeks. My nerves are shot. My emotions are extra explosive. My poor husband.... who, by the way, has been ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! He is so patient with me, and has helped out soo much, on top of his law school studies, might I add.

Some things to note about Benaiah:

1)He fights sleep.... has his whole 6 weeks of life. He was never one of those newborns you had to wake to feed... lucky me. I can tell he's tired. His eyes are back into his head like a zombie, and his eyelids are like bricks, yet he keeps them open, haha.

2) He is majorly explosive. He holds all of his pooping until after his morning feeding in which he explodes out of his diaper almost every time. I have been spewed on twice so far.

3) He is 6 weeks and is already into his 3-6 month outfits and weighed 10 lbs. 6 oz. at his 2 week appointment.

4) He has the funniest expressions and sounds. He screams like a girl when he has gas.

5) His smile melts me every time. He has two very deep dimples, one on each cheek (which I found out was a muscle disfiguration, but who cares! They melt me like butter!)

6) He has always been able to hold his head up. Now he stands up and practically jumps when on my lap, tucks his legs under his belly when he's on his tummy, and can hold his head up at a 45 degree angle.

7) He sleeps way better in his carseat than in his crib... he hates lying prone; he literally can't sleep unless his head is raised to some degree.

8) He likes it when I blow raspberries on his tummy, and actually likes the feel of Max's beard when he kisses him.

9) He loves bathtime, and as soon as the warm water hits him, he pees straight up in the air without fail.

10) He doesn't like to be cradled like a baby (he'll almost always cry), but loves sitting up in my lap.

11) He grunts ferociously with his mouth wide open when he's hungry. It's the funniest thing ever.

12) He farts like a grown man.

Some funny moments:

When he exploded in church during the prayer. Max and I were so loud trying to stifle our laughing.
Yesterday, I was changing his diaper and as soon as the diaper came off, a rocket of pee shot straight up at the ceiling. I reflexively covered him with both my hands. I cleaned him up thinking he was done. When I reached for a wet wipe, he peed again, this time shooting himself straight into his open mouth and in his face, which caused him to start screaming and me to start freaking out... "Oh my gosh! He peed in his mouth! He peed in his mouth! What do I do?" Pee is sterile, just fyi, and I'm sure it won't be the last time.
During the first week, when he started transitioning into have runny poos, I took off his diaper, and apparently he hadn't finished yet because it shot across the changing table and hit the wall.... had no idea that stuff was projectile....

So he's my boy, and I love him like a billion. He makes me laugh almost everyday, and he brings me so much joy!

The Lord is good!