Boots, baseball, a kitchen and Olive

I’m getting so bad at posting lately, but I seem to want to play with Ben instead of photograph him, sorry. 

On Friday Ben got an early Christmas present from the North Pole via Grammy.  His very own kitchen.  She said to go ahead and let him play with it now.  What a hit!  This kid is in Heaven.  It has a light he can turn on, the burner makes different noises depending on which pot or pan you put on it and the stove and microwave will beep once we get more batteries.  It also has a cell phone, because well doesn’t every kitchen have it’s own cell phone?  B put it together while Ben napped on Saturday.  When he woke up he didn’t notice it right away because we had visitors.  B’s parents drove in from Austin.  It took Ben a minute to warm up to them, but then Gramma started playing with the kitchen and they became instant friends.  We’ve also been trying to find just the right name for B’s dad, but Ben took it upon himself to name him…Boots!  B’s dad has some sweet cowboy boots and Ben loves them.  He learned to say boots, but then kept calling B’ dad “Boots” so we went with it.  Kind of sounds more like “buuuts”, but so cute.  He also says “may-maw” for Gramma.  He’ll learn.  Thanks Boots and Gramma for coming to visit.  Ben loved watching UT and baseball and going to the park.  We can’t wait to see you in a few weeks.

playing with Gramma

this is what the kitchen looks like after about 10 minutes (we spilled water on our shirt)

 

after Boots and Gramma left we went to the field by the pool to kick around a ball and fly Daddy’s plane.  Ben kept watching the plane (and birds and real airplanes) with his hands behind his back like this.  Such a goof.

 

Look at the birds!

 

Learning how to kick

 

Mommy and Ben unintentionally dressed alike :)

 

Ben took a header into the corner of the wall while chasing the dogs.  He nailed the side of his head near his eye.  A little cold pack, juice (which he never gets) and some TLC from Daddy made all the difference.

And now Olive…

Ben will be a big brother around April 18.  This puts Mommy 14 weeks tomorrow.  I actually found out right at 4 weeks when Daddy was at a Rangers game.  It wasn’t a huge surprise to us.  Daddy asked me to take a test a few days earlier, but it was too soon.  We kept it a secret from everyone except a few people we work with for about 6 weeks.  Pops and Grams found out on Pops’ birthday and Boots and Gramma found out a few days later.  There are still some people who don’t know (my kids and their parents), but for the most part it’s not a secret anymore.  In fact I found out tonight Pops was blabbing away to people who have no need to know!!!  The entire time I’ve thought girl and this was confirmed at our 12 week level 2 sonogram.  Two days later I ate a TON of Olive Garden breadsticks and blamed it on the little princess so I’ve been calling her Olive.  We possibly have a name, but it’s a secret for now (and it’s not Olivia).  We’ve been blessed to have an easier pregnancy with this one and my wonderful doctor still lets me come in every 2 weeks for heartbeat checks.  I can’t wait to start feeling her.  We are very excited about all that is to come as our family goes from 3 to 4.  We have no idea how to do girls, but we’ll learn and we have no doubt Ben will be a protective big brother.  We’re also preparing ourselves for the poor princess to be beat and picked on by Ben, that’s what big brothers do :)  In the meantime we’ll soak up all the Ben time we can get before our lives change again.  Ben is so amazing and fun, we can’t wait to double that!