This is torture!

Yesterday was a CRAZY day! I have never experienced anything like it and pray I never do again. On Wednesday at school all my kiddos were there all bright eyed and bushy tailed. Then I started the day off yesterday with 7 out, all with fever/flu symptoms. By 12:00 another 5 had been sent home with a fever. 12 out of 21 kids all sick with similar symptoms. I called the nurse and asked her what I should look for and she said a headache-yep, had that. I ran down to get my temp taken and was sent home at 12:30. I called my doc and they couldn't get me in until this morning and said in the meantime to avoid loving on Ben. WHAT!!! Seriously??? Lots of tears. That's not what I wanted to hear. Last night was torture listening to Daddy and Ben play and have bath time without me. It was the first night I haven't put him to bed. I hated not being the first person he saw in the morning. Luckily I'm not confined to my room and can see him, but not touch. He's been flashing his huge smile at me when he sees me. I just want to run over and kiss on him! But I am SO lucky to have B. He has been so wonderful doing everything with Ben.

Today 15 of my 21 kids were out sick and 2 more went home...and on a field trip day! It's crazy and I've been psycho about hand washing and spraying Lysol all over my room.

This morning was good news followed by bad news. Good news-tested negative for the flu and was told I could kiss on his feet and back, but should have minimal contact. Bad news-felt worse as the day went on (we kept Ben home today so we could go out and do things with him since the doc said it was okay-bad idea). If I don't feel any better in the morning I go back for another test and I'm back to no contact with Monkey in the meantime. Let's pray I feel fabulous in the morning.

How can I not love all over this face?

4 posts. 1 weekend. Wow!

I know-4 posts in one weekend! There's just so much I want to remember about Ben and each day brings many new things. After a week where the weather was hot, cold, hot, cold, mother nature finally decided to stay with cold. Yesterday we took Ben to the Outlet Mall. This is something silly we do when the weather gets cool each year. He was a sport. Sadly, he's going to be like his daddy with shopping. He was fine outside, but got fussy inside each store. Another first-mommy bought NOTHING, but Ben and Daddy each got some clothes (Mommy hates Dave Ramsey-daddy's financial god). Mommy has a student with a crazy dinosaur obsession so after a late lunch we headed to the library so she could check out some books for him. Not a peep from our little man. We came home and played and Monkey was exhausted! He slept for 11 1/2 hours!!! And it was his first night without being swaddled. We're so proud of him.

On Thursday, 'Aunt' Lucy and her daughter came to watch Ben while we went my school's Chili Throwdown (Daddy actually wanted to enter)! Lucy is a sweet friend of mine from work. We worked very closely together last year and I'm so thankful she was there for me during my pregnancy. She's definitely an angel in my life and she LOVES Ben. I miss working so closely with her this year. He was sleeping when she got there and fussed when we woke him to feed him, but when we got back he was squealing and so happy.

It was cold outside this weekend! Mommy had Ben dressed in a long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt and sweatpants. My Aunt Linda made this soft and comfy blanket for Ben. We were excited to get to use it. I love it so much-I might steal it from him!

Happy Guy!


Ben eyeing Mommy's sopapilla. And no, I didn't let his little fingers get anywhere near the honey.

This morning Mommy had to go to the walk-in clinic... a little case of pink eye. No fun! No pain, just annoying, but I was paranoid about Ben getting it. Funny-the Dr was more concerned with an apparent sinus infection I have. I didn't know I was sick! Now Daddy's painting the kitchen AGAIN and Ben's snoozing in his swing. I love weekends!

Cereal!

Last night Ben had his first taste of oatmeal cereal. I was going to wait until today, but Daddy was the one who wanted to start last night. We decided on oatmeal because of all the 'blockage' problems Ben's friends have had lately with rice cereal. We'll see if it makes a difference...

Waiting for his cereal. Like the socks? Poor kid has eczema and rubs his itchy feet together like he's trying to make fire with them. We can't keep socks on him. Daddy picked the bib. Not my first choice, by hey-go ahead and spit up over Cowboys stuff, at least it's not the Bears!
It looks like he's saying Grace before his meal

First taste

"Here Daddy, let me help you get it in my mouth."

"What? It's all gone? No more? But it's so good!"

Needless to say-Ben LOVED it! We did cereal and then his bottle and after tonight I think we're going to switch it up. He's so hungry and we just can't give the porker the cereal fast enough. On another note-this morning I did notice a different smell in his diaper. Yuck!

School notes

So here are pictures of two little things that the teacher in Mommy just loves. They made me smile when I saw them picking him up at school this week. And yes, I had to take a picture of both :)

When I wrapped my arms around him to pick him up earlier this week I felt something on his back. His first school spirit night sticker! Do you know how many times I've put these stickers on kids as they've walked out my classroom???

Ben's first bulletin board! I loved looking for his name and smile each time I see it.

4 month check up

So I'm two days late, but our stinky wireless mouse won't work and I can't find one with a wire anywhere around here even though Daddy says we have one. On Thursday Ben had his 4 month check up. Mommy was pretty worried about taking him to the doctor because of all the sick kids out there so we quickly checked in (never been in such a hurry for someone to take my money) and then waited in the hallway outside. We got lots of weird looks from people passing by. A few smart Mommas told me as they left, "what a good idea." DUH!

Ben did great at his exam. He continues to be a very big boy.

physical exam: A+
Development: A+

weight: 16.12 (90%)
height: 26 (90%)
head: 17.8 (OVER 100%) lots of room for a big brain to grow!

Waiting in the hall outside the doctor's office

We got a green light on cereal! We are really excited about this. Ben got a few shots. One orally and a couple in the leg. He did SO well. I was so proud of him. He cried initially, but then as soon as I scooped him up he started smiling and squealing again. So brave, just like Mommy-hehehe!

Welcome Fall!

Hooray for the Fall! Football, open windows, chili and comfy clothes! The Mahrers love the Fall! We've had a few cooler days lately and Ben loves it! I've been worried because he loves to be warm and I wasn't sure he'd be a happy baby with cooler temps. We took a long walk Friday night and he was super contented. I have been so excited to decorate for Halloween and finally got to this weekend. Halloween is Daddy's favorite holiday so we are happy to share that with Ben. On Saturday he helped me decorate the outside of the house. Our neighbor, Haley, was out helping her dad and she came over to 'play'. We love this little girl (and her brother Ryan) like they are our niece and nephew. We moved in to our house when Haley was just a month old and have loved watching her grow up. I am SO excited she'll be in Kindergarten next year and look forward to her bossing Ben around as he gets older and plays with Ryan. B was sleeping and she wanted to go see "Bull". When I told her he was napping (Daddy was very nice and got up with Ben at 6 so I could sleep until 10), she said, "let's go jump on the bed and wake him up!" It took some convincing, but she decided she would babysit Ben while I worked instead. Oh I wish I had recorded her. She sang to him, told him jokes about bananas on his head and showed him how to sit on the grass and run. Love that little girl!

Today we hung out at home and watched football. Mommy and Ben had a HUGE tickle fest and I think I gave him a million kisses, maybe more. Grammy was concerned about our house being cold in the winter and sent Ben a bunch of super comfy warm clothes. Ben likes to be warm, Daddy likes to be cold. I see conflict in our future...

I don't want tomorrow to be Monday. I want the weekend to stay so we can spend every minute together. Ben's just too much fun!

Haley telling Ben a joke-adorable!
Ben went down for nap and Haley continued to babysit by watching him on the monitor. Once she learned how to keep the screen up, she loved it. She stared at him for a good 15 minutes telling me over and over, "he's still sleeping."

Go Bears! (and stinky Cowboys, too)

Best Buds!

How cute are these feet? Thank you Grammy for all the clothes.

Four Months!

Can you believe it? Our sweet boy is 4 months old today! Where has the time gone? He's 1/3 of the way to a year! So happy 1/3 birthday to Ben (and a big happy 1/2 birthday to his friends Wyatt and Addie). Our babies are growing way too fast!

We continue to fall more and more in love with him. When we're not with him, we're talking about him. I spend most of my day staring at his picture instead of teaching, oops. He's getting so strong. He continues to love to stand. It seems all we do is help balance him. He's lost any desire to roll from his back to his tummy, but has started to play with his left foot. His fingers are still his best friends and he loves to spread drool all over his chubby cheeks (or anything else for that matter). He's been sleeping through the night most of the time ever since he started daycare. Hooray for that! And as I type this, I hear him in his crib farting-a trait he gets from Daddy.

A sad note-that beautiful long hair he was blessed with at birth is falling out. The doc said he didn't think it would because he still had so much at 2 months, but I guess he was wrong. You can see the new (and very blonde) hair growing under the sparse dark locks of his. He's still the cutest thing in the world to us.

We have his 4 month check up on Thursday-stay tuned for those results!

Like every month, here are his 'birthday' pictures:

Monkey's not going to stand a chance soon.
If Ben can lift it, it goes in his mouth!

Our love!