My Little Turkey

 (Note: Anytime I hear the word "turkey" I think of my Pepaw... He always called me his turkey.  I really miss him! He would of LOVEDDD spending time with my babies.)

Yesterday Benjamin had his school Thanksgiving feast!

Rebecca and I attended ... she was pumped.

I walked into Benjamin's classroom armed with my camera and immediately got this face. 

We walked over to see his family tree craft and I got this face...

Which led to this...

ending with this.

It was a great start to the party. ha. His teacher was sweet enough to grab the cookies and start passing them out.  Benjamin's sleep is a little messed up right now (see previous post about his big boy bed) and he has been unusually tired.

 

 They said their prayers.

Benjamin has always taken praying very seriously.  

Pretty darn cute. :)

 

His teachers were cracking up all day because he refused to take off his head dress and would twirl the feathers like they were hair.

My loves.

 

Family Tree.

After the party we played at the school park with Luke, Audrey, and Savannah.

Here he is still rocking the head dress.

 

"Cheese!"

One last shot of my little cutie.

Big Boy Bed (Update)

I jinxed myself by blogging/bragging about Benjamin's transition to a big boy bed. 
Friday Benjamin discovered his freedom and by Sunday he was fully taking advantage of it.  We went from him staying in his bed until 7:00 and I came up to his room to now waking up at 5:45 getting out of bed, turning his sound maker off, coming downstairs and tapping me on my head. :) Getting him to fall asleep now takes Will and I putting him back in bed 10 times.  A night light has been installed and a clock that turns green telling him he can come downstairs ordered. 
As annoying as this whole transition thing is he is pretty adorable.  Benjamin is my little rule follower, color inside the lines, no dirt on my hands kind of kid.  He NEVER once jumped in his crib so the fact that he is loving his new found freedom is hysterical. (Example: After waking up at 5:45 AM he pronounces at 6:00 AM he is going back nigh nigh. He tells Rebecca nigh nigh, Mommy nigh nigh, Hank nigh nigh, and Daddy nigh nigh.  He walks up the stairs, closes his bedroom door, turns his sounds maker on, crawls into bed, puts his covers on, closes his eyes for a whole two seconds then gets up comes out of his room and pronounces he is up.) I am hopeful that the novelty will wear off soon and he will return to sleeping til 7!
Rebecca Sleeping Update: Our girl is sleeping through the night!!! Yeah! (I consider sleeping through the night to be 11-12 hours) We are one full week in of our girl sleeping 7ish to 7ish! Yeah yeah yeah!! Funny the day my baby sleeps through the night my toddler decides not to. :) Crazy to think one day Will and I will have to WAKE THEM because they are sleeping in too late... I think I will enjoy my tiny babes the way they are right now.

October Lake Trip

 Rebecca went to the lake for the first time a couple of weeks ago... she fell in love.

(Melt my heart.)

The kids enjoyed...

picnics on the lawn...

 walks with Tula and Pop...

carving pumpkins... 

 (Will left Saturday to attend Texas v. TCU so I was left with the carving responsibilities.) 

 long talks by the fire...

 long talks on the swing...

 wrestling with Uncle Brian...

 Rocky rides...

 Benjamin would eat, sleep, and play in Rocky ALL day long if we would let him. OBSESSED. 

 We are looking forward to spending Thankgiving out at the lake!

(I spy tiny baby UGGs.)

Big Boy Bed!

Benjamin was moved into his big boy bed last week!

Benjamin has never been the kid to break the rules.  He never climbed out of his crib, only stood up in his crib when I was in the room, and I always knew I would be the one to decide when he was big boy bed ready.  I tried to show him he could jump in his crib (I'm sure not many moms have done that) one time to see if he would start testing his boundaries but he never took the break. Will and I finally decided our tall little love was ready.  Last weekend while Will was set it up.  The second Benjamin saw his bed he climbed up, didn't hesitate and starting JUMPING! We were both shocked out our little ruler follower.

I snapped these first reactions of him seeing his bed. 

  After seeing his initial reaction to the bed I started to get a little nervous on how the transition would go.  Here he is all ready for his first nights sleep. Can you say PRECIOUS!?

 We did our normal routine - Daddy read to him, we sang songs, and said our prayers.  Needless to say, Benjamin has done fantastic!! He has slept better and has yet to climb out! His diaper is dry (he still fills he the second he wakes up) which was a huge issue in the crib as he leaked (more like soaked) it every night.  We have loved reading and snuggling with him every night before bedtime.

4 Month Doctor Appointment

Rebecca had her 4 month well visit this morning and did great!

She is 13 pounds 2 ounces (20-30%), 26 1/2 inches long (95%+) and her head is 16 1/2 inches (80-90%).  Which of course needed a bow on for the check up. :)

 At 4 months, Ben weighed 14 pounds 4 ounces (50%), his head was 42 cm (50%) and he was 27 inches (95%+). 

 Here they are side to side still looking pretty similar - both long and lean.

 Her current favorite sock monkey kept our Bizzy busy while we waited for the doctor/while Mommy talked to the doctor. The doctor was impressed with her neck strength and tummy time skills. He also thought she should be sleeping longer at night.  I told him I keep telling her that and she just isn't listening.

Here she is post shots.   

Halloween 2013

Halloween sure was fun this year! Having children really makes the holidays more fun!  

Halloween week started out at Benjamin's school for a costume parade.  We woke up extra early on Wednesday and made sure our little Woody was dressed and ready to go.  Any mom knows that having kid(s) requires lots of organization... I had my camera, diaper bag packed, lunch made, backpack ready, video camera charged, modified Rebecca's schedule so she would be happy during the parade, ect.... so off we went...

Once at school Benjamin was a little overwhelmed seeing all his friends in their costumes.  These were the best pics I got before the parade. 

 After drop off I wheeled Rebecca and joined Amanda and the girls in the gym waiting for the festivities to start.  Audrey was super helpful and insisted on giving Rebecca her bottle.

 We got there extra early so we could have great seats.

 Class after class came in ... being a great aunt I made sure to document my precious nephew parading his knight costume around the gym...

 After Luke's class left everyone started clapping and to my horror I realized I was in the wrong spot for Benjamin's parade!!! I might of wheeled over a few mom's toes, took out a small child in the way, and dropped my camera in a effort to make it clear across the school to reach Benjamin. Sadly I missed it.  His teacher was sweet enough to let me come into his classroom.  With Rebecca screaming in the hallway I quickly tried to snap some pictures.  At this point Benjamin was very confused and wanted to come with me which he NEVER does. I left him screaming in his teachers arms and went to my car and bawled.  (haha.)  Looking back it is a super funny story but in the moment I was a little devastated. 

The next day (Halloween) I woke up and was bound and determined to make my little guy feel the Halloween love.  The second he opened his baby blues he was in his costume and wore that thing until bedtime. He was Woody for the day. 

We enjoyed a fun lunch with Stephanie and Elizabeth at Chick-fil-a.

 Kyle and Rebecca 

(Note: Rebecca's twisted shoe. ha)

While his sister napped I snapped these beauties.  I was so pleased they turned out so adorable.

Our Bizzy woke up and she was a little less cooperative with the photo shoot.  

 Best I got. Taking pictures of babies gets so much easier when they can sit.

Benjamin kept putting his hat on my head and thought it was the funniest thing.

Before Trick-Or-Treating my sweet friend Elizabeth invited us over for a yummy dinner.  Benjamin loves her girls!

Don't be deceived by this photo. 

Our busy bee cried the whole time we were there...

More accurate picture of how she behaved. :)

 After dinner we headed out to get our Trick-Or-Treating on! Elizabeth made some delicious apple cider that we sipped on throughout the night.

Benjamin's first house. 

The caravan. 

Will and I were laughing so hard because Benjamin was determined to sit in the wagon after each house.  He would get his candy and run to the wagon. 

  Sitting pretty in his pink chariot. 

 Bizzy finally perked up.

 I am all about celebrating Halloween but man some of these houses were scary! We came upon a super scary/evil house and the kids weren't too sure about it.  The home owners were out on their driveway so passing them seemed rude.

 Here they are walking past the graveyard with decaying bodies coming out of the earth. :/

 Elizabeth and I were laughing and trying not point out all the decorations that were progressively getting worse.

It's safe to say this house will be passed next year... :)

 I spy Woody.

 

 The following night Rett and Ashley threw an adult Halloween party.

Having some kid-free time did the body good for this Duck Dynasty dude and scarecrow. 

We had so much fun!

 Ashley and I are bringing back the peace sign.

 Well that sums up our fun Halloween!

Yes, he is in his pjs. Yes, he is eating candy for breakfast. Yes, his pumpkin is empty/'lost.'

Stay tuned for more posts soon- Rebecca's 4 month doctor appointment, her first lake weekend and Benjamin's big boy bed.