Summer Fun!

This week has flown by and was filled with some Summer fun! Yesterday, Benjamin and I braved the heat and went to our neighborhood pool with some sweet church friends. This was Benjamin's second pool experience and it was a success - we lasted a whole 45 minutes!

Kathryn and 4 week old Maddie joined in on the fun. Benjamin warmed up to the water pretty fast and loved standing in it.

After some pool time Maddie decided to get a quick nap in on Mikel. Mikel is due in 3 weeks with Heidi and Benjamin is super excited to have another friend to play with.

Yes. Benjamin is still enjoying his food these days! I actually have been over feeding him and have had to cut back on the solids. He was spitting up (more like throwing up) due to the large amount I was giving him. New mommy mistake. :) I am going to have to watch this little guy because he just eats and eats even if he is full!

Will and I get the biggest kick out of the sleeping positions he falls asleep in. Below is our favorite.

The highlight of our week was my childhood bestie Stephanie coming for a visit. We had so much fun playing, catching up, and eating. Benjamin was asleep when Stephanie left. I realized I hadn't documented her trip, this was the best we could do. :) Come back soon Auntie Steph, Benjamin misses you already!!

My little Benjamin with his post-nap sleep face.

Tummy time.

Love this picture. He looks rounder than he really is and I love it. He is getting more and more smiley everyday!

5 Months!

5 months old and we are loving life with Benjamin!

The highlight of my day is going to get my little man from his crib every morning. He kicks his legs and starts to giggle the second I open the door. These pictures were taken minutes after he woke up this morning. So happy, so giggly.

At 5 months old Benjamin is still eating every 3-4 hours during the day with one meal of solids for dinner. He is still rocking it at night sleeping 7ish - 7ish. He is so close to doing this every night but once and a while will get hungry around 5ish. We have turned a corner this month with naps. Benjamin is somewhat predictable! I never thought I would live to see the day. :) He takes 3 naps a day that last at least an hour each. With all the good napping going on, he seems to be happier and able to play for longer periods of time.

Benjamin loves blowing bubbles with his mouth, reading books, watching "Abby's Flying Fairy School," jumping in his jumper, screaming (his new trick), and sucking on Sophie. He is wearing 6-9 month clothes and is still super long. When he is eating DO NOT look at him - in order to control this, he has started eating with his hands across his eyes so no one can look at him. :)

Boy, this kid can eat! He loves sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, peas, bananas, pears, and apples. I made tons of baby food this month and am storing it in my freezer. Super easy and healthy. Here is Benjamin surrounded by his greatest love (other than me).... FOOD! Unfortunately, Benjamin is a SUPER fast eater. Sometimes this results with some pretty bad spit up. Will received the record breaking spit up the other night... I was laughing so hard while taking this picture.

Benjamin loved his blue vanilla scented pacifier the first 4 months of life. One day he woke up and decided they were no longer friends. Anytime you would put a paci in his mouth he would launch it three feet. Very impressive if you ask me. Ben has found his thumb and often sucks on it before falling asleep.

Bath time is still a highlight of the day. He loves kicking and singing with his Daddy.

I love these next pictures of him.

Tiny baby Mohawk. :)

This month Benjamin has really enjoyed sitting in his stroller when we are out and about. Within two seconds of putting him in he props both feet up and is ready to be pushed. What a tough life. :)

Benjamin, you are the greatest gift I have ever received. What a joy you are! You are so loved and I can't wait to see what this next month will bring!

How can anyone experience motherhood and not believe in God? My cup runneth over.

Father's Day and More!

This weekend we celebrated Father's Day at home with our family of three. Benjamin was super excited to love on his Daddy all day long. He couldn't wait to give his special card and gift to him...

Will spent his first Father's Day with a yummy breakfast, church, a nice long run (Yes, Will runs miles and miles in this Texas heat. Crazy, right!?! Guess nothing compares to Iraq!), playing with Benjamin, grilling out steaks, and some nice cold beers. We are so thankful and blessed to have him in our lives. I feel like I hit the jack pot and love him more today than ever before!

Benjamin loves his Daddy time!

Benjamin is one lucky kid and is blessed with two amazing Grandfathers.

Boots came over for a visit yesterday and brought a very special gift with him. Boots! How appropriate that Benjamin's Boots gave him his first pair of custom boots! They are super tiny and something Benjamin will have forever.

Here is Boots and Benjamin with his fancy boots.

They are currently being displayed in Ben's room until he grows into them. I am sure they will be covered in mud in no time! :) Thanks Boots!!

Happy Father's Day to Pop! Benjamin loves his Pop so much and so does his Mommy. He is such a special, special man in our lives. We love his advice, his company, his humor, his playful spirit... and his lake house. :) We love being loved by Pop!!

Last weekend Will and I took our church friends out to "Tonk Nation" (the Schmid Ranch) for a yummy lunch and ranch fun. The husbands went kayaking down the river while the wives stayed back and swam with the babies. Benjamin had never been in the pool and wasn't too sure about it.

I think he liked laying out better than being in the pool. He looks so big in this picture! Love him. After some pool fun he was exhausted. Nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby.

Benjamin and I went to Mckinney for a few nights last week. Aunt Amanda and Uncle Brian were in Canada so Benjamin got to spend lots of time with his favorite buddy Luke. Here they are "reading."

Love this picture.

(Note: Their heads touching. Love it.)

Benjamin played with his Uncle Rett...

and learned some life lessons from Uncle Grant.

Someone is turning 5 MONTHS this Thursday! Stay tuned for good update...

Slumber Partayy!!

Benjamin couldn't contain his excitement...

LUKE WAS COMING TO SLEEPOVER!!

Without hesitation, Luke walked right in and gave his favorite cousin a big old kiss. Luke does the cutest thing to Benjamin every time he see him. He stand directly in his face and says (in a country accent) "hi ben. hi. hi ben. hi..." over and over again.

Tula also came for the day to give some Tula love.

Here is Benjamin cuddling with one of his favorite ladies.

Luke's turn for some Tula love.

Luke had fun playing 'soldier' with Uncle Will's hat.

So serious. :)

Benjamin had fun laughing with Aunt Amanda.

After Tula left, Amanda and I took the boys to get a slushy. Luke has a pair of cool frog glasses and wanted us to wear them. It is funny to think Amanda and I will embarrass the heck out of Luke and Ben someday with our lack of coolness. Till then, we will enjoy being the apple of their eyes.

We attempted to have a photo shoot with the boys and it proved to be unsuccessful. Out of 35 pictures this was the best shot we got.

Luke loved playing with Benjamin and all of his old toys. It's crazy how amazing Luke's memory is. He knows how to work every toy that has ever touched his hands.

Thanks Luke for letting us borrow all of your fun toys!

When Amanda and I are together we like to switch kids. I will take Luke and she will take Benjamin. It is so wonderful and such a nice change of pace. I am so blessed to get to experience motherhood with my sister and best friend. We always have so much fun when we are together!

While Luke helped me with dinner...

Amanda read books to Benjamin.

Luke is such a good helper. :) (Note: The forceful left hand grabbing Ben.)

Dear Luke,

You are my best friend. Come back soon. I love having slumber parties with you and Aunt Amanda. I can't wait for us to be big enough to sleep together on a big pallet. I miss you already.

Love, Benjamin

Benjamin Loves...

Benjamin loves...

Benjamin loves being a STUD!

Thanks Auntie E for my super cute outfit.

Benjamin loves AUNTIE E and MOLLY! They came to see us this week and he had so much fun staring at them. He isn't use to dark hair and I could tell it was so facinating to him. They are both such special ladies in my life and I know will grow to be for Benjamin. :)

Benjamin loves FOOD!

Milk. Cereal. Green Beans. Squash. Sweet Potatoes.

This kids eats like there is no tomorrow. I keep telling him that no one is going to take it away but he just isn't listening.

In between each bite of delicious baby food I get this face...

Benjamin loves SLEEPING ON HIS SIDE!

Will and I are big time side sleepers and it's looking like our little man is too. Sometimes I look at him sleeping and my little four month babe looks more like a big kid.

Benjamin loves BATHTIME!

Every night he enjoys a warm, bubbly bath filled with songs and kicking with his Daddy.

Benjamin loves KISSES!

From Daddy...

and Mommy. :)

Benjamin loves HANK!

Over the past week he has really started to notice our dog Hank. He laughs and laughs at any movement Hank makes.

Hank is so sweet and loves Ben. He is really ready for Ben to be big enough to play.

Note: Notice the dog toy Hank brought over for Ben to throw.

Benjamin loves HIS DADDY!

They already have such a special bond and I can't wait to see it grow.

Ben enjoys relaxing with his Daddy...

Talking with his Daddy...

And cuddling with his Daddy.

So much love between these two.

My cup runneth over.