Ben at 15 months...

Ben,

At 15 months you 'officially' weighed in at 22lbs 4 oz (unofficially, but more precisely, you weigh 21lbs...it's amazing what a few days and some clothes tack on to the total).  You are pretty short at 29.4 inches (but you were also pretty wiggly, so I'm not entirely sure that you allowed for an accurate measurement).  You still wear size 3 diapers and you are half in 12 months and half in 18 months.  If it's pants, definitely 12 months.  If it's shirts or onesies, you can do either, but your arms and your trunk are starting to outgrow the smaller size.

You are very busy...not quite running, but you're perfected this ungodly fast walk.  

You are extremely opinionated.  And if we take something from you or tell you no, we better be prepared for the screaming, hitting, and occasional biting that might follow.  Jack has learned this all too well (you've gotten him good a couple of times). 

You have 8 teeth all the way in, 2 molars that have broken the surface, and the other two are certainly making their way down.  At least they better be you cranky little man.

You were sleeping pretty well until the last week.  You have now decided that 5:30-6:00 is a good wake up time.  Mommy disagrees.  You did sleep until 8:30 this morning, so I'm hoping that phase is over.  I'm not holding my breath though.  

You aren't eating as stellar these days as you were before. However, I think it's due in large part to your teeth.  And, you start out the day fairly strong.  Dinnertime leaves a lot to be desired. But, regardless, you're a much better eater than Jack.  You love to eat meat.  You're somewhat picky about your fruits (except for your beloved 'nana'). You'll at least put veggies in  your mouth, so that's a bonus.  And you usually drink a few ounces of whole milk a day in your straw sippy cups.  You are still nursing 3 (sometimes 4) times a day. 

As for communication, you've got a little hand gesture down for when you want something where you stretch out your little arm and twirl your hand around. You also say several words...some of them added just this past week:

Mama

Dada

Brubba (Brother)

Mmmmm (mooo for cow)

Gon-Ka (Thank You)

Enunit (I want it)

Gog (Dog)

Ha (Hi)

Nana (Banana)

Bah Bah (Bye Bye)

Irvya (I love you...I think, you've said it several times and repeat it back frequently to "I love you")

You have occasionally said Ja or Ack for Jack but usually you walk around saying, "Brubba". The ones I hear the most are Mama (All. the. time.), Dada, Brubba, and Gog.  You say several incomprehensible things as well that I have yet to decipher.  But, I will buddy. Just you wait!

You are so cute and funny, Ben! You have quite the amazing little personality.  And we love you SO much!

 

Bye Bye Babyhood...

(I have some catching up to do...so bear with me)

On November 19th, Ben took his final voyage in the infant carseat.  I don't know why but it seemed somewhat monumental to me.  I may never again have a baby in a little baby carseat.  And, Ben will definitely never be small enough to fit in one again.  Sad, really.  It seemed like one of the first steps in leaving this first year behind.

11 Months

Oh Benny Boo Boo...

I simply cannot fathom that you are only a month away from turning ONE!

I really want you to stay a baby forever.

And yet, I am looking forward to hearing your little voice...

At 11 months, this is what you are up to:

Sleeping:  This is a BIG one.  You are FINALLY sleeping through the night (by my definition).  For the last few weeks, you have been sleeping 8p-8a.  It is heavenly. You are still taking 2 naps during the day.  But you are definitely shortening them up a little bit.  Your morning nap is barely 2 hours long, and your afternoon naps is usually right over 2 hours (sometimes a little longer).

                       

Eating: For the last month, you have been eating 3 meals a day and breastfeeding 6 times a day.

We are really starting to work with you on eating more "real" food and less pureed food.

You also seem like you're probably getting ready to drop a BFing session during the day before your morning nap.

Teeth:  You have 4 teeth.  But your two front teeth are literally white pushing on the gums.  

They will be busting through any day now.  These teeth have made you the most noticeably cranky and clingy.  For your sake and mine, I hope it happens sooner rather than later.

Words:  You are still pretty much sticking with mama, dada, haven't heard much ja-ja this last month, with an occasional ni-ni.  You are also concentrating on g sounds and t sounds. You are signing more, all done, eat, and milk pretty consistently in response to questions or sometimes of your own will to let us know what you want.  The other day when I asked you if you wanted more breakfast or if you were all done, you not only signed more, but you said "mo".  

Skills:  You have gotten to be a little master cruiser.  You love going around the table in circles.  You have also gotten really good at standing solo. But the last few days you have really started working on taking more and more steps.  You took your very first one right before 10 months, and now at 11 months, you can take a few steps at a time.  Your best so far has been about 6-7 in a row.  You are starting to do it more and more without prompting.  I imagine we are right on the verge of full blown walking.  Just need a little more practice under our belt!

Clothes:  You are completely in 12 months clothes now.  I went ahead and put all the 9 month ones away.  You wear a size 4 shoe.  You still easily wear a size 3 diaper at daycare, and you haven't really changed your settings at all on the cloth diapers at home. 

I don't really let or encourage you to watch TV...but with your brother in the house, it's a given that it catches your attention occasionally.  The one thing you can't turn away from appears to be Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  

You weren't sick at all this last month (woo hoo).  And we had no doctor's visits for you.  Which is fantastic...but I'm sure it won't last.  You still put EVERYTHING you find in your mouth.  You can't hardly function if something isn't in your mouth (perhaps I should let you have your pacifier out of your crib after all, now that I think about it).  Hoping you stay healthy though for our trip out east in a couple weeks at the very least!!

Weight: 19lbs 4oz (24%)

Trigger Released

So yesterday was the "big" day...

I waited until Monday to tell Jack that he was having surgery the next day.  

I had been told the week prior that he was to get IV sedation, so I prepared him for getting an IV and being taken to an operating room away from us, etc.  He was really pretty fine with it.  Not looking forward to a 'needle' but he's pretty good with stuff as long as he knows what's coming.

We had to be at the hospital at 6:30 Tuesday morning.  Since Poppy stayed over to watch Ben the next morning, we let Jack sleep in our room (which meant he was about the only one who slept).  He was a bundle of energy the next morning.  Telling everyone that it was his first time at the hospital.  He had NO fear. He was excited to get into his hospital attire...a shirt, pants, and fun red socks.

He then asked the nurse when she would be putting the needle in his arm (I certainly had explained it better than this, but clearly this was the key point he remembered).  She said that if he got one at all it wouldn't be until after he was asleep...and he just looked at me with a little smirk like 'ha ha...I don't have to."

After he got dressed and got vitals, then it was really just a matter of waiting around until the hand surgeon and anesthesiologist came in.  Dr. K (the surgeon) came in and went over the procedure again, and made his "x marks the spot" on the appropriate thumb.

Then, Ryan, the anesthesiologist came in and said he had no plans for any IV just a little laughing gas (plus, some other inhaled drug I can't remember) since the surgeon was doing a nerve block anyway to take care of the pain and because it was so short and there was no need to intubate.  Fantastic!!!  I explained all this to Jack and he quickly resumed listening to his tunes on the ipad with his new headphones.  No worries for him.

A few minutes later the nurse from the OR came to take Jack back to the room.  This was the moment I had been dreading.  In my head, I had it all worked up for Jack to be screaming and crying as he was dragged away from me.  As you can see below, this was not the case...

Jack, willingly, started to bounce out of the room without so much as a hug and a kiss for us (we stopped him and got one of course).  But he was truly happy and content to walk back with a "stranger" with the promise of pushing all kinds of fun wall buttons and whatnot.  

He walked back at 7:50 and by 8:20 we'd already talked to the surgeon and were just waiting to be allowed back in recovery.  About 8:35, we got called back. This is the face we walked into...

Man he is such a trooper.  The nurse said he had been asleep and then he woke up and was just wide awake, talking and smiling.  Seriously, this kid was not the least bit stressed.  

After we saw him, Bob ran to the pharmacy to get his Tylenol with Codeine (not like we've needed it)...and he told me he had to go to the bathroom.  Once we were in the bathroom alone, Jack started getting really tearful, then crying just holding onto me.  I asked him what was wrong...and if he'd been scared and he said yes (I have since asked him if he was scared in that OR and he was not, he says he was upset because he couldn't go potty). Once back in the room, he became clingy, then standoffish, and kind of irritable, then back to himself.  The nurse said moodiness was actually normal after surgery so I guess that's maybe what that was about.  

Every single person that encountered him said he was the perfect patient and that they couldn't believe he was so at ease with all of it.

We were headed home by 9:15.

He has no bad recollections about anything that happened.  He says he was never scared in the operating room.  He remembers trying to pop a big red balloon (I'm guessing this is something the anesthesiologist told him when he was breathing into the mask).  And he came home with as much energy as ever and an appetite to boot.  He has been adamant that he's not in any pain.  Not even once.  I can't get him to keep his arm elevated.  A regimen of wiggling his fingers is pointless because he's using his hand like nothing is wrong with it (except for the bulky green dressing...which is the only difficult part of all of this).  

I am so glad it's over.  I'm glad no tears were shed on my part. I'm in awe of this brave little boy that continually teaches me how to be so much stronger than I am. I am happy that there seems to be no pain.  I'm beyond thankful for an incredible staff...from the registration person who started if off fun by letting Jack stand on her desk to put his arm bracelet on his ankle, to the nurses that were so friendly, an anesthesiologist that made going to sleep fun and not scary, and a surgeon that quickly did a rock star job.  I wasn't expecting a kid-friendly experience outside MY favorite hospital, but we got one, and I am so grateful. 

It's impossible...

...to get a good picture of this kid.  

...something in his mouth

...mean face

...blurry

...Jack is determined to be in the picture too

(love him, I do, but he wasn't helping my cause here)

...and the story continues...

Teething

Ben is finally getting his front teeth.

(At least it appears that they are really really close)

He is a drooly, cranky mess.

You will never catch him without something in his mouth.

He's always gnawing on whatever he can find.

I'm hoping these little chompers break through soon.

A Sandwich

Jack saw a kid on the Disney channel making a "turkey sandwich" with his dad.

He was determined that he also wanted to make his own turkey sandwich, all by himself.

Then he was going to eat it.

He successfully made the sandwich all by himself.  

And, I guess he ate the majority of it, but after the first couple bites, he decided he didn't love it after all.

Choo Choo

Yesterday, Poppy and TT came over for a visit and ran some errands with me. 

While I shopped, TT rode the train with Jack.  

Out of the Mouths of Babes, Vol. 10

Jack today after being told to go to rest time: "I'm mad at you, Mommy. I'm really, really....ONE HUNDRED mad at you!" (This must be pretty mad because that's all the higher he can count)

New Things...

This has been a big week for Ben.  I feel like he's learned SO much.

He has started to dance (any time he hears music, on command, and sometimes just to the music in his head apparently)...he just bops his little head around any time he feels like it. He has gotten really good at waving hi and bye (and depending on which you tell him he makes a ha ha or a ba ba noise). He learned to raise both arms up in the air to "soooo big". And today, he started clapping.

My dad was over today and pointed out that he dances like his little Fisher Price doggie who sings and dances (and claps and does So Big)...since Ben is enamored with watching him, I'm guessing this little dog has taught Ben his new tricks.

He is standing better on his own and is braving more little solo steps.  Today, he attempted 2 steps in a row. So, we're working on walking.

Latest sound: gong-gong-gong

Playing

Jack is a pretty awesome big brother.

He loves Ben.

Most of the time he's willing to play with Ben.

He doesn't usually get too bent out of shape if Ben touches his stuff.

He likes to hug Ben.

He loves to try to teach Ben words.

He's just super good with him.

He is definitely as smitten with Ben as we are with the two of them.

Perhaps this is why he's already put in his request for another little brother. 

Ben doesn't exactly play with toys the way Jack might prefer.

Our Little Spidey

Banana

Last week I gave Ben his first real 'nana'.

It was a hit.

And a big old mess.

All done.

And all cleaned up.

Curl

Ben's hair as it's gotten a little longer in the back has this little curl behind his right ear (there's a little wave behind his left, but it's not quite like this one).  It's not always quite so visible depending on how it's laying.

But I just love his little curl.  

Not its intended purpose...

Jack got out puzzles yesterday to 'do' with Ben.

This was how Ben 'does' puzzles...

Covered Bridge Festival

Fall has always been my favorite time of year.  I love the temperatures outside, the smell in the air, the color of the leaves, and the Covered Bridge Festival (which I don't get to go to nearly as often as I'd like).

I escaped from the kids yesterday (thank you, Bob) and headed back home for the day with Staci.

We had a wonderful time sans children to just enjoy the day.  There was no wrangling children in strange places for diaper changes, no attempting to get a cranky kid to sleep in a stroller, no temper tantrums, no rushing a 4 year old to a potty with a line a mile long, no "I'm bored", no trips back to the car to attempt to breastfeed (pumping was an adventure, though).  It was awesome!  And every time we saw someone else's kid throwing a fit or crying, we just smiled. 

This was our view on the back roads we took to get to Bridgeton to avoid traffic...

One of the roads we took on our little back road adventure was so incredibly bumpy we could only go about 4mph and couldn't stop laughing. 

This little chair was my one little find.  I just loved it.  It's old and cracked; the paint is chipped, but it was still very sturdy and super cute.  And all of it's little flaws just added more character.  

The chair is pretty cute, but I'd say it's occupant takes it to a whole new level.

Love this boy!

And I definitely love coming home to these two crazy little guys!

All in all it was a very nice day with one of my favorite people, fantastic food, lots of laughs, and a new little treasure!

Out of the Mouths of Babes, Vol. 9

This morning I had to drag the kids out fairly early so Ben could get his final flu shot for the year.  When we went into the garage to get into the car, Jack saw that there was sand (or maybe even cat litter) all over the garage floor (Bob put it down to absorb some of the oil that had leaked onto the floor when he changed the oil the other day).  

Jack said, "Who put all this stuff on the floor?"

I replied, "Daddy did."

Jack said, "Well, Daddy is a FREAK."

After trying to hide my laughter I told him that wasn't very nice and asked why he thought that.

Jack said, "Because I could barely stand and almost fell over in that stuff."

Surgery Update

Jack's thumb surgery has been scheduled for November 6th.

10 Months

My dear sweet Ben,

You are KILLING me! I cannot believe that we're in double digit months. Only 2 more months and you'll officially be a toddler.  What are you up to these days?

You have gotten super speedy.  We always laugh that you're like our little puppy dog.  You are incredibly fast at crawling, and when you really are trying to get somewhere you basically make a panting sound that mimics how fast you are crawling.  You also like to crawl with something in your mouth.  Hence, the little puppy dog comments.

You are stating to get quite chatty.  Lots of mama, dada, and I'm pretty sure you're trying to say Ja-Ja for Jack (you adore your brother and follow him everywhere...Jack is no longer certain that this is a good thing).  And, tonight, when you were apparently quite tired and you thought I wasn't getting the message fast enough (although I was quite aware since you were trying to bury your face in my chest and pull my shirt down) you said ni-ni (I always ask if you're ready to go ni-night) and signed milk.  Daddy says we can't count the milk signing as real since I never taught you to sign for milk...but it was very obviously a sign for 'something' (you just kept opening and closing your little hand...and when I looked it up, it was indeed the sign for milk). And, who knows, maybe at daycare she practices signing with you.  It's possible.  Regardless, it was adorable and totally got your point across.  

You really got the hang of cruising this last month.  And, on Friday (10/5), you took a little tiny baby step on your own.  I was hoping you'd beat your brother on this one, but I think he one-upped you by a couple days.  Overall, you guys are in a dead heat on your gross motor skills.  You're standing for a little bit longer on your own as well.  And getting braver at moving from one surface to another without dropping and crawling.  You love to climb up on things to get to anything else (you mastered Grandma and Grandpa's stairs within seconds this past weekend). 

It's VERY hard to get pictures of Ben these days.
I know this one is blurry, but I just LOVE it.
It is the epitome of who he is at 10 months!

In the last few weeks, you got your 3rd tooth.  It's not one of your main top teeth though, it's a little one to the left of them.  The rest of your gums are swollen and busting at the seams.  Poor thing.  You are the drooliest little thing I've ever seen.

 You've been sick on and off (back to back) since the middle of August.  Lots of viruses--you share really well too.  I hope your little 'puts everything in the mouth' phase ends sooner rather than later. 

You also have some serious stranger anxiety going on these days. You like to keep very close to mommy (even at home), and frequently completely lose it if someone you don't know tries to hold you.  Even if Daddy has you, more often than not, you get whiny and starting saying Mama and reaching for me.  You're quite the little mama's boy...which is okay since Jack has switched teams since you came along. 

You are pretty much moving into 12 months clothes.  You can wear 9 month pants (short little legs), but not the onesies, and pajamas pretty much have to be 12 months. 

You moved into your own room a couple weeks ago, and you have taken to it like a champ.  All in stride.  You're slowly sleeping later and later in the morning.  Usually waking anywhere from 4am-8am (occasionally you like to throw in a super early one just to keep me on my toes). You take 2 fantastic naps during the day (sometimes your morning nap is about 3.5 hours long). But you certainly play hard while you're awake.

As for food, you usually breastfeed 7 (sometimes only 6) times a day, and we've been doing purees twice a day. My goal over the next month is to boost the purees up to 3 times a day. Mommy started taking a hiatus from making your baby food herself, and now you'll eat all kinds of vegetables from a jar. We continue to work on textures.  You are just like your brother...you do not like chunky food.  You'll sort of eat puffs and rice rusks, but nothing mixed in with purees. I gave you some cut up avocado the other day--you did all right with it, but you spit most of the strips out rather than swallow them. 

I haven't weighed you but maybe once this last month.  That neurosis of mine finally appears to be getting out of my system.  So, I'll have to work on getting a weight on you tomorrow.  

Update: I got your weight on 10/8 and you weight 19lbs 1oz.  Of course, you had just eaten 6oz of baby food an hour prior to that so we might have gotten a little bit of a boost.  But we'll take it regardless!