He makes my heart sing

My fabulous Aunt Linda said that about Ben today and I couldn’t agree more. He is truly amazing. He had another fun weekend. He has learned what lions, tigers and bears (oh my) say: ROAR! It is the funniest sound. He’s a hit on youtube. He is getting so much closer to walking. B says he took a step yesterday, but I won’t let it count since I didn’t see it. He’s also just getting kind of picky with his food-not so much fun for Mommy. He loves, loves, loves to play with his friend Austin at school. I went to pick him up last week and waited another 15 minutes because the boys were chasing each other and laughing. A happy Ben = a happy mommy!

Saturday we took him for some bluebonnet pictures. For 10 years now I’ve seen people parked on the side of the road snapping away while their kids sat in a field of flowers. I’m proud to say I’m now one of those parents. Ashley told me about this place (she neglected to tell me it’s also a cemetery-creepy). Thank God for digital cameras. When we pulled away I checked and had taken almost 200.

I love, love these pictures. They need no explanation. He is full of joy.

♥♥♥♥♥

On Saturday he went to another birthday party. This one to celebrate Rylee’s first birthday. Rylee’s mom works with me. Happy Birthday, Rylee!

Ben and the ladies at Rylee’s (l-r: Addie, Rylee, Cora and Ben)

Poor baby was so tired. He was out within 2 minutes of leaving Rylee’s and stayed asleep for an hour on his favorite person.

oh- We took him to the doctor on Friday because he had some congestion in his chest. It was the end of a cold, but they weighed him. He’s now 25 lbs! I told B he’s like a quarter pounder (but then he explained how little he would weigh if that were true)-but you get the idea.

Have a happy week! And Aunt Tina and Grandma-you better come visit or Ben’s finding a new favorite aunt (love you)

6 Flags

I wasn’t going to post anything this weekend, but Grams is insisting on pictures so here ya go…

 

We started our weekend on Friday by taking Ben to 6 Flags.  Yes, that’s right, we took our 10 month old to an amusement park.  Just like almost everything else, Ben was great and enjoyed himself.  His favorite-riding Titan and Batman with the big kids.  Okay, so maybe he got to wait while Mommy and Daddy took turns on the roller coasters.  We ran into some friends from Daddy’s work so luckily we didn’t have to fly solo on the rides.  Eventually we told them to go on and we took Ben to Looney Tunes USA.  We tried to wait in line for a family friendly ride, but it was too long and Monkey wasn’t going to last (or Daddy).  Ben was a great trooper and never cried once.  He didn’t get to bed until 10, but he slept til 10 on Saturday-YAY Ben, thank you!

Ben might have been too small for all the rides, but not the train.

 

I love how this picture looks like we're going really fast and Ben is holding on tight.

 

This picture is for Grandpa (he works for a competing construction company).  Balfour Beatty sponsored the family night at 6 Flags (it benefited Children’s Medical Center).

 

On Saturday we took Ben to finally get a haircut.  I’ve been going back and forth about this for awhile now.  He’s still my little baby and I’ve felt like with a haircut he won’t be anymore.  But, I’m not a fan of boys with long hair and it was getting really long in the back so off we went.  He surprised us and never cried until the end when he was done.  He made the cutest faces when she was using the razor.  We told her to go short since it seems to grow quickly (he lost it all at 4 months so it grew a lot in 6 months).  The lady was so nice and so good with him.  He even got a toy car when he was done.  I was the typical mom filling a bag with hair and snapping a zillion pictures.

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Click on ‘view full album’ to see his silly expressions

He was DONE and not going to smile

“Mom, I’m done!  Let’s go home!”

He looks like he’s about to enlist in the army, but we love it!

Take me out to the ballgame…

 

Ben has a been a busy boy lately.

Friday night he got to experience his first of MANY baseball games.  B’s company rented out a patio at the Rough Riders game.  Ben proved he is part Michalson-he loved it!  The Cubs come in town next month and we’re thinking of taking him to that-we’ll see!

 

 

Saturday Ben went to another birthday party!  This one was for a friend from his school, Austin.  Ben and Austin are best friends and love to play together.  They play chase at school and have such a good time.  It’s a huge bonus that Austin lives on the street behind us so as long as we all stay living where we do-they will grow up together.  Austin’s house has EVERY toy imaginable including not one, but two bounce houses.  This was Ben’s first time in one.  He liked it until he took a header.  Some other babies from his school were there as long as one of his teachers.  I think Ms. Dana loved not having to change the diapers.  The kid was exhausted when we got home.  I’m excited for lots of play dates with Austin.

 

Austin has a ball pit that Ben loved.  We can’t let Austin have everything alone so today Daddy took Ben to Toys R’ Us to buy some play balls.  750 balls later we have the start of a ball pit.  Mommy likes it, too.

 

Sweet picture even though he looks sad.

 

Ben and his buddy Bailey.  He crawls over to her, pulls up on her and then lets her kiss him.  Gross yes, but still so cute.  We’re working on no kisses.

 

And this is how he gets kisses from Bruiser.  Bruiser is still a little scared of Ben so he generally keeps a close distance.  But today Ben was giving him kisses through the window when the dogs were outside.

 

Today Ben also had a first-his first kid’s meal.  We stopped at Christina’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch (just for you Aunt Tina)!  He made a HUGE mess, but our waiter was in awe of how much he can eat.  He couldn’t believe he’s only 10 months. 

 

Have I mentioned that I love this kid????

Ten Months

Sweet Ben is 10 months today. We’re into double digits now! It’s also Addie and Wyatt’s first birthday today, which a HUGE reminder that my sweet boy is just two short months from his own birthday (and yes I tear up each time I think about that). Again Ben continues to amaze us each and every day. He’s such a joy and we love him more than words could ever say. He loves to be crawling and moving EVERYWHERE! Baby gates are up and it’s a constant battle of how to keep him from leaving the room we’re in. We’ve introduced the word “no” to him. Ya, that’s a fun battle. Table food is a hit for him! It should come as no surprise that the kid loves to eat. I’m struggling with what the right portion size is. I worry so much he’s going to be fat. We’ve had some diaper rash issues and we’re hoping we’ve figured it out. Tonight was also the last night for Ben to have “mommy milk.” I made it 10 months and am really proud of myself. I kept with it because it saved us so much money-I think Daddy should give me the money I saved and let me get a brand new wardrobe! Isn’t that fair??? Today we noticed Ben starting to stand on his own for a few seconds. This boy is getting too big, too fast!

Ben and the birthday girl, Addie B. She had a birthday parade and Ben loved hanging out with some friends.

Some of Ben’s friends (their mommies work with me at school). What stud surrounded by the ladies!

I.LOVE.THIS.BOY!

We have a new fun activity. Ben crawls to his bookshelf, pulls himself up and then pulls down each and every book one by one. Mommy cleans it all up and we do it all over again.

He loves to pull down books, but he also loves to read them. This picture is very special to me. Noisy Nora was/is my most favorite book. Grams got this for Ben. He enjoys opening books, pointing to pictures and being read to. He also enjoys pounding on books and trying to eat them.

Working on our mess for Mommy to clean.

The weather has been amazing lately and Ben and I have taken walks almost each day. We walk to the park and then swing on the swings. My favorite is when he sits in my lap and we swing. I love the quietness and the feel of the wind. He holds on so tightly and smiles the whole time. Do you think he’ll mind swinging in my lap when he’s 12?

Happy 10 months sweet boy!

Best.Birthday.EVER!

This little prince

+ a homemade cheesecake (made completely from scratch by the world’s greatest husband) + sleeping in until 10:15 + a peaceful walk in the park and playtime on the swings + my Baylor Bears making to the Elite 8 = the best birthday for mommy yet! Yesterday was my (gasp) 29th birthday. Starting next year I no longer attach a number to my birthday. I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate than with my two favorite boys. Ben must have been super excited at the possibility of cake because he was SO much fun yesterday (at home and at school). Ben’s going to play with Lucy tonight so we can go out with Ashley and James. How great is it that I get the perfect present everyday in the cutest little monkey ever. Oh sweet Ben, you have no idea how much I love you!!!

Spring Break-chapter 3

Chapter 3-Orlando

We left for Orlando Wednesday afternoon. Ben was not too thrilled to get back in the car. Saying goodbye to everyone wasn’t too much fun either. But we will see them in July! My parents live about 90 minutes from Grammy’s house. Once we were there, Ben made himself right at home.

Ben found a stack of old bills that were going to be shredded. Such a happy a boy playing with paper. Maybe he’ll be an accountant???

Thursday morning we met two of my childhood best friends for breakfast. Brandy and Jennifer were the first two friends I made when we moved. Brandy’s little girl Abi is 18 months and Jennifer has Callie (3 years) and Wyatt (3 weeks younger than Ben). The last time I saw them, Abi was about 3 weeks away from making her debut. It was nice to catch up.

All the babies

Ben and his new buddy, Wyatt

After breakfast, we headed over to the Hyatt. Both of my parents worked here while I was growing up and my mom still does. Many of the people are like family to me. I call the guys my dad worked with my uncles. Working for Hyatt is a family affair. I worked there for two summers and my uncle and cousins all worked for it, too. I like to give Pops panic attacks and tell him Ben is on his way. Grams LOVED showing Ben off to everyone. He was a good trooper about it.

this picture is for Pops :)

So this is my mom’s desk at work. I count 14 pictures of our favorite kiddo on just this side of her desk! She calls it her Blog Wall. I love it!

No it’s not a girl’s hat, this is the hat that one of the valet parkers was wearing. I told him how awesome it looked on him so he sweetly let Ben wear it.

I found this looking through my baby album. My dad said it looks like me holding Ben, but it’s my Aunt Linda holding me.

Ben relaxing with Grams. I think they were discussing how talented Pops is at submitting his bracket picks!

These coasters are OLD and very special to me. I used to play with them at my grandparent’s house when we would visit. Grammy Boo and Grampy Dave would have loved Ben. Ben also learned cause and effect this week. He knows that when two things bang together, sometimes it makes a loud noise. It started with the toy Aunt Linda gave him. Now whenever he bangs to things together he scrunches up his face like this first before he even hits the objects. Hysterical!

Even though we were only in Orlando for two days, it was nice to be home. Daddy slept most of Thursday so he would be ready for the drive Thursday night (and I don’t think he really wanted to tag along on our adventures). I told Ben that we can do the Disney thing next time (maybe). It was fun to hear the Disney/Universal/Sea World fire works Wednesday night. You can hear them all from our house.

All that was left was the drive back…

Spring Break- chapter 2

Chapter 2-The beach and Grammy's house

We made it to the beach! Like I said in the previous post, it took 17.5 hours, but we did it! I’m not sure who was happier, us or my family. My parents, Grams and Pops, and my aunt Linda and Uncle Bob were already there with Grammy and Pal. It was the first time Aunt Linda and Uncle Bob had met Ben. Guess who had them wrapped around his fat finger in a blink of an eye?

After we got Ben out of his pj’s, he got to play with Aunt Linda for a little. She even got him a toy that you hammer balls with. He loves the hammer! We call it his gavel and that one day he’ll be a judge.

First order of business-go see the ocean! Grammy lives right on the beach, which is sooo nice.

The water was COLD and Ben was not a fan of it. He didn’t really like the way the sand felt either at first.

Kisses on the beach

With Grams and Pops the next day before they left. We had to try the beach again. He liked it a little more on Sunday.

Pool time! The pool was really cold so we didn’t go in it, but we tried out our Little Swimmers and the raft daddy bought. I think he just loved the attention he was getting by being silly in the water.

Family picture time before Grams and Pops went home. Not sure where Grams is and we know Daddy avoids pictures like the plague.

Grammy has been telling all her friends about Ben forever now so some of them came to see him. They even helped feed him dinner.

On Monday ‘Aunt’ Kathryn flew in from Atlanta just to meet you. She is my very best friend. Ben, I hope you have a friend like Kathryn one day. She is incredible (and so beautiful and smart). In fact, go ahead and marry someone like her. You already have our approval. She even taught Ben how to ‘party’. It’s the cutest thing. He throws his arms in the air and starts squealing and shouting.

We tried the beach again with Kathryn and her mom, Charlotte (she drove up from Orlando). Much better this time. He even took a little nap under the umbrella.

Our little beach baby

Proof Daddy did join us on this trip. Like the outfit? Daddy bought you a Spiderman hat that matched his awesome shirt. He put it on when I told him his head was going to burn. So stylish…

We got in the hot tub after the beach. It was warmer than the pool and Ben LOVED it! We were picking sand out of his hair forever though!

Pal has a cat, Snow White, that Ben was fascinated with. When Grammy got out Snow’s toys, he thought it would be fun to play, too.

Uncle Bob is an AMAZING chef. I think Ben was very excited about the smells in the kitchen so he decided to help him.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Daddy’s KITE! It got windy on Tuesday so Daddy went out and got some kites. Being the cool guy that he is, he let go of his and it flew into the neighbor’s palm tree. Looked pretty good. Luckily they hadn’t arrived in Florida yet so they missed out on the fun.

Playing with Charlotte on Wednesday morning.

Thank you so much for coming Kathryn! You are AMAZING and Ben is lucky to have an attorney like you to get him out of all the trouble you’re going to get him into as he gets older!

next up: to Orlando to see Grams and Pops