Our Preschooler

Happy Birthday Benjamin! He turned 2 this past Wednesday and I was saddened that BabyCenter now refers to him as a preschooler instead of a toddler! Zero to 2 may sometimes seems that it will never end, but really it goes so fast....




On Benjamin's birthday, we went to the Raleigh Museum of Natural Science and the State Museum. He was pretty exhausted by the time we got to the State Museum, but loved the sports section and running up and down the ramp between the race car and baseball exhibits (thankfully we were there mid-week and it was basically empty!). We stopped at JRs in Burlington on the way back and didn't get home until almost 7, so a quick dinner and bath and then to bed....no cake, no candles, but other than people calling and singing him Happy Birthday, I don't think he really knew what was going on (or to expect cake and candles). And we figured he would get his fill with family visiting this weekend and next :-) Next year we probably won't be let off so easy, but figure we should enjoy it while we can. I have the same feeling about the snow. Ben had 4 snow days this week - NO preschool - argh! We didn't go out and play in the snow at all. I really wanted to get him snow pants and boots this year (didn't last year), but it went from seeming to early to then there not being any left and really unless he's going to ask me to play in the snow, I'm past wanting to freeze my butt off (Joel and I have determined that we've both become pretty wimpy when it comes to the weather!). Ben enjoyed looking at the window at the snow, but the two experiences he had were: running out and saying "Ewww" and then looking at me in near panic when his pants and sneakers got soaking wet from him running through about 6" of snow.

Anyway, he had A LOT of fun at the Natural Sciences Museum. He was really into the fish and the snakes. There was a step up to the snake case and most of the snakes were up against the glass hissing and wanting to get out. He thought this was hilarious and "SSSS'd" back. He has a stuffed snake at home from the Reptile Show we went to around his 1st birthday and he now hisses whenever he sees it. He has become quite a pro at animal sounds. He even points to the horse on my polo shirts and "neighs" ;-) He also "moos", "meows", "baas", "maahs" (goat), "woofs", "oooh-oooh" (monkey), and "roars" (which he's been doing for awhile now). He also makes a funny sound when he sees hippos, but not sure if it is intended as an animal sound or a squeal of delight. We went to the library today and picked up Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider. I had never picked up this book before and wish I had - it's all about the farm animals! It was sooooo much fun to read with Ben doing all of the animal sounds! LOL I was so excited to pick him up books from the library today. He is finally at the point where we can read a story (vs a short board book) and I hope this is the beginning of a wonderful tradition....my connection with the library is deep....we also got a Curious George book ("Goes to the Library") and he really enjoyed that book so we will get more of those. There are so many choices at the library - hard to narrow it down, but also found a fire engine truck (another sound he makes is a fire engine siren...so cute!)

He is picking up new words every day....He has learned so many new ones that I've lost count! He is realizing that everything has a name and has started imitating and using words...like "light" "mail" "car" "dog" "church" "amen" "bite"....but has also started stringing words together....like "bye-bye daddy/mommy" "here you go" "I don't know" "there it is" "no more (apple)" "you like it?" "more bite" "don't bite"...he's actually been babbling like crazy so I'm sure there are a lot of others that I haven't picked up on yet. He's funny...I put him in his crib at naptime / bedtime and you'll hear him on the monitor saying "don't bite" or "no more" or something else and it sounds like he's practicing his enunciation / inflection - what a language explosion!

Along with his language development, he's also become really interested in letters / numbers / colors. He started identifying the letter "E" at least a month ago. Now he identifies it EVERYWHERE - sweatshirts, packages, trucks.....LOL He has recently added "O" and "M" to his regular letters and we are working on "W" (he repeats but doesn't name it on his own) and "S" (he's calling "Z" "S", so we're close :-)). I bought him foam letters and we spell words in the tub and talk about the letters but I'm not really a believer in "drilling" at this age, but I definitely believe in educational toys and making learning fun! He has also started counting "1, 2, 3" - I think they do this in large motor activities in school....he likes the idea of counting a lot, but doesn't really have the sequential part down yet when he tries to do it on his own (2 - 3 - 5 - 8)!

Other fun things that he's become a lot more engaged in - playing with play-doh, finger-painting, coloring, and crafts (this is probably one of his favorite times at school). Despite the fact that he likes to always be on the move, he is really into fine motor activities - it's a good balance! We are definitely also noticing that he likes to engage more with us and play pretend (using the teapot to pour "tea" into cups) and has become a lot more lovey too! We are having a great time with us and couldn't imagine loving any little person more! :-)

The Best Halloween Ever

I always enjoyed Halloween as a kid, but I rarely did anything more than dress-up and go trick and treating. With Ben this year - dressed as a Monkey, we marched in TWO preschool costume parades, attended a 1st birthday costume party, and attended TWO community celebrations. When we finally settled back at home, we ate pizza in the driveway, socialized with our neighbors, and passed out candy to trick or treaters (we had a TON this year - went through 1 big bag of candy and 4 small bags!). It was a really fun celebration!!

I had the opportunity to volunteer in Ben's classroom the morning of the Monday costume parade and I really enjoyed the experience. I got to meet some of Ben's Monday classmates (Will, Hunter, Milo, Piper, Brownyn...) and just had fun interacting with all of the little ones. I dressed up as a witch for the costume parade / party (complete with orange and black striped stockings) and walked with Ben through the Y. It was fun though Ben wanted to stop and have a piece of candy after he got the first one and then back in the classroom we put the candy bags up on the coat rack, but a couple kids had them on the table, so he was going around trying to swipe candy from his friends. Joel got to come up and video / photograph the parade / party and Ben got really excited when he showed up at class. ;-)

Marshall's daughter, Mary, turned 1 on Oct 28th, so for her birthday they had a party at the house - a baby costume party. I can't believe she's already 1 - this past year has gone so fast. She's standing and walking and it seems like just yesterday we were throwing Marshall's baby shower and welcoming Mary into the world. Ben had a great time running around Marshall and Mike's house and roaming the backyard (realized how much I love my fenced yard after that party!). I also enjoyed socializing with Susanna's mom and Madelyn's mom. It was a lot of fun to watch all of the babies run around in their costumes. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the food and cake were excellent. What a fun party! (and has inspired me for Ben's 2nd birthday....)

We went up to Birkdale on Halloween with the intention of getting Ben's hair cut at Snip-its and then hanging out at the Halloween celebration, but Snip-its closed early due to the celebration so we put Ben in his costume and walked around Birkdale. We didn't stay long because I wanted us to get back to our Community celebration.

All of the kids in the neighborhood gathered at the clubhouse around 5:30pm for a parade around the community area and then a pizza party at the clubhouse. After the parade, we decided it would be less chaotic to order our own pizza so we walked over to the playground while we waited for our pizza. We met a 4yo little girl named Lindsey and her dad. He was a nice guy - a Charlotte native (they are rare!!) and we found out he lives around the corner from us. He made the comment that he has lived in our neighborhood for about 10yrs but didn't start really meeting any of the neighbors until his daughter was born. I feel it is very similiar for us - these "community" events give us something to do w/ Ben and the opportunity to meet our neighbors :-)

We picked up our pizza and when we got home (Ben still in costume), we decided to sit in the driveway and eat to let Ben run around and not have to deal with the dog every time we answered the door for trick or treaters. Our neighbor Brad was outside as well so we talked to him and I brought over the gift (w/ Ben) to our "new" neighbors Mike and Jessica, who just welcomed new baby Luke. I feel terrible that we haven't met them and they lived in the neighborhood for just over a year. Sadly, I refer to the neighbors next to them as "new" as well and they've probably lived in the community at least 2 1/2 years.....I plan to reach out to Mike and Jessica and invite them over for dinner....we need more mom and dad friends.....LOL

So, all in all, Ben wore his costume approximately 12 hrs....and our $20 costume held up excellently! I think we will have even more fun next year as Ben really starts to understand the celebration better.

PS Ben broke through his first 2yo molar! He is much happier now....we thought he may be teething, but it's always hard to tell w/ Ben (until he has a tooth!). I hope the next 3 come in as easily.

Preschool Transition

Wow, what a busy summer, and now we're already into fall....where has the year gone?? Ben is 20mos old and really becoming a "kid". He started preschool in the "Adventurous 1's" program, from 8:30am to 12:15pm Monday to Friday, at the YMCA. He is having a great time and everyone loves him. However, it is still a LONG day for Ben, who was used to napping no later than 10:30am prior to starting school a few weeks ago. He falls asleep every day in the car ride home, but isn't napping as long as he used to, so he's not happy being kept up until 8pm. I think Ben took the transition to preschool better than I did. I think this has been the hardest transition yet. I really didn't get that upset about him walking or weaning, but him going to school meant that I was going to see him a lot less. I also enjoyed the little time I spent with him during breakfast and playing and reading to him and putting him down for his morning nap. It gave me the best of both worlds - working and being a stay at home mom ;-) Now that he is at school, I get him up in the morning and have breakfast with him and bring him to school and do much of his bedtime routine, but I still miss having him hanging out w/ me in the morning....(even though I am a lot more productive during that 9am hr these days...)

I think the socializing is great for him. It may be school, or just his age, but he's been communicating a lot more in the last few weeks - he's added "Ewww"(which he uses when you say dirty, stink, garbage, yuck), "Uh oh", "Keys" (sounds more like "Eees"), "Cookie" (more like "ok - E"), and "Car". The newest one is "Keys" - he is obsessed with keys, especially the ones with the remotes...he likes to stand at the door and points the remote outside toward the car and listens for either the panic alarm or the chirps for lock / un-lock. He knows it's bad when the panic alarm goes off and his latest response when he pushes this button is uh-oh (of course...so cute...but we wind up having to take away my keys because the transmitter is VERY sensitive...and it's the end of the world to have to give up the keys). Since starting to pronounce the "E" sound, he has started using a fairly generic "EEE" to describe the binky, "Grammy" (the dog), Dirty, and anything that ends in this "EEE" sound. We have a bit of work to go on the consonants but today in the car he was practicing his M's...Ma, Mom, Me (another new word, but not sure he quite understands the meaning yet). Over the last month, he has gone from a vocabulary of about 10 words to probably close to 20 (and I feel these days he's saying a new word almost every day). Despite the many words we've heard from him, "No" is the most common word we hear....LOL! He also says Mom, Dada, Door, Out, Up, Yum (w/ sound effects), Dog, On, Hi, Hot (I've been amazed at how accurately he's applied this to some abstract instances - pic of a cup of coffee on tv and a pic of a turkey dinner on the back of a lipton soup mix box). Some other fun things he's learned to do recently - scooting down the stairs on his butt and sliding down on his belly. He loves to go down the stairs and then climb back up and do it again. He also likes to climb steps w/o holding on now (up and down - I'm surprised by what good balance he's developed). He also is starting to enjoy going down the slide at the park (though definitely prefers just climbing up to the slide and climbing back down). He's been enjoying the pool more (especially after going 3 days in a row while we waited for our hot water heater to be replaced - thank goodness for hot showers at the Y - and our meembership). He's started doing the hand motions to itsy-btsy spider and I think is trying to do the "play" sign that he learned at school. He now doesn't fuss when we get to "school" or when we walk in (he likes to wave to everyone on the way) but still cries a little when I try to leave him at the door. He gives me a big hug and pats me on his back - it's cute, but makes me feel terrible leaving him....but they say he's doing great and I always peek in before I leave to make sure he's playing.

We've traveled a good amount since my last post - Disney for Memorial Day Weekend, Charleston for July 4th, NY for a week in July and then Beech Mtn twice to visit Nana and Grandpa Johnny. Last weekend we went to Atlanta. Joel really wanted to go to the Southeastern Stamp Show and I enjoyed spending the day with Ben at Zoo Atlanta - he loves running around but did enjoy seeing the giraffes and gorillas and the birds and loves going on the carousel. We rode the train, which seemed like a good idea and he was really excited...until we went in a fairly long tunnel....something that I think reminded him of the car-wash (he loved going to the car wash when he was younger, but is now terrified. This started in July - we tried again about a week ago and he's starting to understand that it's not so scary, but was still really nervous)...and then he was really nervous the rest of the ride, looking for another tunnel. Overall, it was a fun trip (and we got a great deal at the Doubletree in Marietta!). This weekend, we stayed closer to home, but got to play at the Concord Mills play area (and ride the carousel and the train - really cool little train) and today we went to "Africa" at the Asheboro NC Zoo. Joel actually wanted to go an auction nearby in Ramseur, so after the auction, we headed over to the zoo. A fun, but short, weekend (if only the weekend was 5 days and the work week only 2...). We are still firming up plans for Thanksgiving.....we like to keep things a bit spontaneous - a cruise maybe, a tropical island, maybe Europe - Belgium or Italy are candidates at the moment. We also really want to head back to Disney (were supposed to for Columbus Day weekend, but we're hosting tailgating....) - hopefully MLK weekend in January.

I'm hoping to update this more frequently - such a great way to record all of the changes and fun that comes with raising a baby! :-)

Spring is Here

I can't believe the first day of spring has come and went. It seemed like it was just freezing cold and all of a sudden we are right in the middle of blooming trees, planting flowers and warm weather. I love spring - I really could deal with this weather all year round! I think Ben loves spring even more. He has been outside nearly every day....usually several times a day and gets very mad (yes he has learned how to throw a tantrum) when we come inside. Sharla, his babysitter, also told me how upset he got when he thought they were on the way to the park and did an extra loop of walking first....He is such a boy - he loves to play in the dirt, crawl through the bushes, play in the bird bath, and just run. He has definitely needed his nightly bath every day this week - my dirty, sweaty, stinky little boy! :-)

Some of Ben's favorite activities are playing with the dog - he tries to give her toys but then doesn't like when the dog goes and takes them - he wants them back - they are still working through this relationship (and thankfully our golden retriever is super patient w/ Ben!)

He also loves playing in the kitchen and has recently become fascinated with "stirring". He reaches up for me to pick him up so he can see what I'm making on the stove and wants the big spoon so he can stir too. I let him try play-doh for the first time last week and he seemed to have fun with it. He tasted it a couple of times but never actually ate any (though the dog tried). He pulled it apart a few times but most of all liked putting it back in the little container and putting the lid on (he really enjoys putting the lid back on anything w/ a lid). Ben also has really developed a love for books and if you are sitting on the floor in his room will bring you over a book to read and then sit cross-legged in front of you like it's story time. I think this is adorable especially since he doesn't have any exposure to going to an organized story time....

He is so adventurous and although occasionally will grab onto my leg or be a little clingy for the most part, he'll go with anyone (or at least talk to them) and absolutely loved the Easter Bunny. He is so in love w/ all animals - cats, dogs, birds, squirrels that I'm not surprised but I've seen / heard of so many kids freaking out w/ these giant characters that I'm always a little nervous. Luckily there was no line when we were at the mall last week so we stopped in and saw the bunny. Ben was so lovable and full of smiles but the photographer kept missing them. He just lounged w/ the Easter Bunny while Joel and I pondered which one to pick and was all cuddly with him - it was adorable and wish we could've captured that better. :-) The easter egg hunt at our clubhouse was rained out but I really thought Ben was a little too small this year to understand what was going on...for Easter we'll go to church and then are going to go have dinner over Andy and Nicole's. I'm excited to see them because it seems like it's been awhile.

In other Ben news, as of about a week and half ago, he is officially WEANED. Although this was a little sad, it wound up going a lot smoother than I thought it would and definitely after the first day or so, he understood no more boobs for him. I am excited because hopefully we will be successful in getting pregnant w/ #2 soon now that he is weaned :-) I'm a little worried that I will start gaining some of the weight that I have lost (back into my skinny jeans) but work has made up for the calorie burning I was doing BFing. I am up for a promotion that should be official in the next week or so - my manager left unexpectedly but both him and his manager recommended me for the position so I am very excited. I have already taken on the extra work but hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I will have the official title and added compensation. I think that's why the last month or so has gone so fast - I found out my manager was leaving the first week or March and his last day was the 19th and it's been a whirlwind most of the month. I am hoping to get some more resources on my team soon and hopefully that will alleviate some of the work load (I don't like working into the wee hrs of the morning).

Over the last few weeks, we have been toying w/ putting our house on the market but we are likely to barely break even at this point so I think we will wait at least a couple months, maybe a year. It is probably an ideal time to buy right now in Charlotte but not necessarily an ideal time for us (which sucks). We don't qualify for the purchase tax credit so at least I don't feel like we're losing out on that. We know we definitely want to move before Ben goes to school but we have some time for that. In the meantime, we have had the carpets cleaned, the roofer out to look at the roof (waiting on an insurance claim due to storm damage) and started working on updating the guest bath. I changed the light fixture in the bathroom (very proud of this accomplishment - a lot easier than I thought but definitely scary to deal w/ electricity) and now am working on spackling and hoping to get to painting this weekend (this was supposed to be a weekend project a couple of weeks ago but between work and lack of motivation to work inside in nice weather, it has lingered on). I have created a cage for my garden (to keep those pesky rabbits from eating my broccoli) and need to spray paint that and get the rest of the screening up - that will first priority tomorrow morning during Ben's naptime. I've also been working on a massive mission to de-clutter our house. This is a slow process but our babysitter is looking to move back into her house in the next couple of weeks (she's been staying w/ her parents while someone was renting her house) so will probably be able to help her out w/ some interim furniture while she's saving up for some of her own.

Joel was off today. It was not feasible for me but we did get to go out to McD's and Starbucks this morning and then Ben and Joel got to spend a little time at the park together. I wound up then being on the phone from 10:30am to 5:30pm, almost none stop (didn't eat anything or even go to the bathroom during this time). Sharla still came by (wasn't sure if Joel was going to try to get his motorcycle fixed today (it needs the battery charged). When I did finally get off work, we went out to dinner at Edamae (before the evening rush...Ben was loud but mostly cooperative). We then still had plenty of daylight left so went over to Latta Plantation - we walked down to the water and let Ben run around for a bit. He has grown mostly out of the Infantino backpack so we really need to look into getting a real backpack for me or Joel to wear to bring him for walks in the woods and other places where the stroller isn't feasible (we also need a back-up stroller to keep at home / in the car so we don't have to remember to put the stroller in the car whenever we go anywhere. It's nice that he's walking much better now but he's still difficult to direct and gets distracted easily so it's much easier to push or carry him (at least while he's still cooperative!). We are going to try to get out to Wilmington one of these weekends to bring him to the Aquarium and get to the beach - I think he is going to be absolutely thrilled to play in the water.....we are going to try and sign up for swim lessons....we joined the Y but aren't feeling much healthier (what!?!?....you mean we actually have to go and exercise.....).

Mushy Toddler

This last month has been exciting. Ben and I just got back from an impromptu visit to see the grandparents and aunts in FL. We flew out last Sat and returned Wed. Although active, Ben was very good on the plane. It's only about an 1 1/2 hr flight, but that's a long time for a toddler that wants to run around and investigate...he stayed in the seat w/ me for the whole way down and we got up once on the way back to sit in the seat across the aisle (there were 2 empty seats) and look out the window. Any longer a flight I would definitely get him his own seat but to FL, it works out well to have him as a lap baby. And Ben's favorite airplane game - Teddy bear peek-a-boo - Teddy hid under the tray, under the seat and Ben would laugh hysterically when he popped out...this game kept him entertained at least 15-20 min (forever in toddlerville). So, while Ben and I were in FL, Daddy and Uncle Mike went to Las Vegas (though they spent more time searching for aliens and driving through the dessert than actually in Vegas...LOL)

It has been colder than usual in Charlotte for this time of year but today it was slightly more pleasant (and surprisingly dry). I did some organization in / around the garage and Ben played in the driveway / side yard. He really enjoyed walking on the cement and grass and went around to investigate all the different plants in the yard. He also got to meet the little doggy next door - Ginger (who is a real yapper....but Ben just watched and didn't get upset, maybe b/c she wouldn't get any closer than about 10 ft). I actually brought Ben back around the front so our neighbor could put Ginger back in the house and he went running right back to their fence to go look for the doggy. He really loves animals - had a great time w/ Eric (Bern's cat) and Marley (their dog) though preferred Marley when she was quiet...Ben actually got a lot of time outside today as earlier in the afternoon, Daddy brought him out w/ Graham to the backyard. He had a great time watching Graham chewing on sticks (surprised he didn't try this out himself!)

So far, it is a pretty laid back weekend, which is a welcome relief after the last week of traveling. Tomorrow is Joel's birthday - we don't have any big plans but will definitely read Birthday Monsters ;-) and sing Happy Birthday. We'll go to church (we even went to St. Thomas for the Knights Lenten dinner on Fri) and then will head down to the outlets in Gaffney - we went to Concord Mills tonight and got a couple of things at Bass and Carter's but weren't impressed by the deals / size availability at Brook's Brothers. Kathy told us Children's Place pants are cut a little slimmer than some of the other brands - I am excited to pick up a couple pairs at the outlet store!

In Ben news, he has cut through 4 molars - top and bottom and is now back to himself. He is much happier and sleeping better and eating better (though still refusing most veggies). He is enjoying walking around and climbing every chance he gets - we were waiting in the baggage claim area and he walked over to the belt and climbed right up (it wasn't moving). It was super fast! Then I was talking to his babysitter, Sharla, and found out he can climb on the futon in his room too! His gross motor skills are progressing right along. He is starting to use things for their intended purpose - he puts the phone to his ear (and I think he said "Hello" when the phone rang the other day), he brushes his hair w/ the comb, brushes his teeth and loves to "type" on the keyboard. He has gotten really mushy - he comes over and will give hugs and put his head against my chest. He also walks over and will hug your leg and will grab your hand and rub his face w/ it. It's so sweet - I hope he stays sweet! :-) He also hugs his teddy bears, which is super cute! I am hesitant to say Ben is using any real words yet, but I think a few have slipped out - "yeah" "hi" "yum" "hello" "milk" and we've been working on "more" (which he does fairly well, or at least something close) and "up". He's definitely starting to throw tantrums and I've been trying to nip this in the bud and help him use words to ask for things, or at least make him calm down before I acknowledge him.

Mommy and Daddy went out for Valentine's Day (to Bravo and to see When in Rome) and then to see Celtic Women (what an amazing concert). Not sure what our next night out will be.....but we're thankful for Sharla!! :-)

Walking and Waving

It's been awhile - I should just write shorter posts and then maybe I could get this updated more often. It's been pretty hectic - Thanksgiving in FL, preparing for Christmas, having Bern, Bridge and Annie for the week of Christmas and then heading into the new year (nevermind the crazy work schedule I've been keeping as of late - it's been hectic!)


Ben turned 1 on Jan 12th - it's amazing that a year has passed already! The other amazing part is how much he is developing every day in the month of turning 1. Each day, he looks (and acts) more and more like a toddler. The other evening after getting up from his afternoon nap he sat on the bed next to me eating his snack (puffs) and I just looked at him and was really taken aback by how he looked like a "kid" and not a baby.....

I didn't really want to make a big deal out of his birthday - he's only 1 for goodness sake - how many years will I have of planning parties and doing all this craziness!?!? We sang him Happy Birthday a million times and Joel went out at lunchtime and got him a cake (awww!). Joel also stopped on his way home from work to get party hats at Target (I thought a party hat was necessary for the birthday cake picture!) So at least Ben had cake and a party hat - isn't that all that's necessary? Also, last weekend, on Sat, Papa and Oma came by to visit and then on Sunday we had Aunt Chrissy and the kids and Mikey and Sharla over for dinner. On Monday, we went to Riverbanks Zoo with Mikey and Sharla - all part of an extended birthday celebration!

In other Ben news - He has been taking a step or two for a couple of months to aid in getting from one piece of furniture to another (or to a wall) but now he is officially walking. The day before his birthday he took 3-4 steps across the kitchen and in the last two weeks has been improving his balance and practicing squatting and turning and he looks just like a penguin walking - it's so cute! Now that he's walking a little more, I have to try and get a video of it...before he gets more steady :-)

Also this month, Ben has caught up w/ some of the other finer motor skills - he is waving (almost on demand, but usually a little late - he had a perfect bye-bye at the dr. office - there was a guy in the waiting rm that called me over to warn me of germs from another patient that was there before me, odd but good, and when we walked away, Ben started waving....adorable!) and as of this week he is clapping (which is also super cute, something about those little (ok, big) hands clapping that melts my heart).

Unfortunately, the last month has also brought Ben's first and second colds and although he was really very good, Mommy and Daddy were also sick and that was no fun. I think our next big "thing" is going to be an array of new teeth popping through. He hasn't gotten any teeth since Sept (though he got 6 of them in rapid succession from July to Sept) and you can see the rest of the bottom row about to burst through - poor baby! He handles teething very well all in all but has definitely been more cranky and clingy than usual.

And a few more friends for Ben - welcome to Baby Cooper and Baby Logan!

The ABCs of Fall

A - Apple Picking w/ Sharla in Hendersonville
B - Brunch at the Biltmore
C - Cute Comfy outfits from Carters
D - Driving to the Mountains listening to SuperFreakonomics
E - Election for School Board
F - Fall Foliage
G - Going to Gymboree for Level 3
H - Halloween didn't bring many Trick or Treaters
I - IKEA is....
J - just the right place to hang out w/ baby while car is being serviced and has....
K - kid toys that are perfect - easy to put together, no crazy sounds and cheap!
L - Like a Lion for Halloween (have you every seen a lion w/ a pacifier?)
M - More money on baby clothes than Mommy and Daddy clothes....
N - Nothing is better than spending a day with the family
O - Outlets in Gaffney, SC
P - Pumpkin Patch Party at Gymboree
Q - Quite a big temperature difference in the mountains (and Mommy forgot her jacket!)
R - Rain, Rain, go away!
S - Shoe Shopping at Stride Rite (1st pair - size 4 WIDE!)
T - Thank you Nicole for a delicious Smores Caramel Apple (though Ben only got the apple part - the rest was for Mommy!)
U - Upscale shopping at Brooks Brothers, Van Heusen and Polo :-)
V - Very messy table due to Very messy baby means Very big tip
W - Welcome to Baby Judah (Chris and Penny) and Baby Mary (Marshall and Mike) - can't wait to meet you!
X - Xeriscape at the Biltmore Conservatory - the palms and mums were much more exciting!
Y - Yes, our car is 2 1/2 years old and has 62K miles.....we drive...a lot!
Z - ZZZs back in my own crib after a weekend of excitement - priceless!

I love Fall

I love fall - I couldn't imagine living in a place where the leaves didn't change color. I think of my step-dad and his funny quips when he travels up from FL in the fall or winter and asks why all of our trees have "died". I was going to call him today and joke w/ him that I think all of our trees are dying b/c their leaves are changing color and falling off....LOL

I was determined to go apple-picking this year - when we lived upstate NY (or even LI), it was fairly easy to find an orchard and you didn't have to go very far - it is afterall the Big Apple :-) I have always figured there was apple picking somewhere around here, but it was never as obviously close as it was back in NY. I searched online a couple of weeks ago and found this orchard - Stepp Apples - in Hendersonville - about 2 hrs from Charlotte. My friend Sharla (also Ben's babysitter) told me her family went apple-picking down in York but they only had these Winesap apples that she was undecided about (or maybe just sick of after having at least a bushel worth). Stepp Apples has 22 varieties, though there were only 2 left when we got up there (Rome and Yellow Delicious). I got 1/2 bushel of them mixed. They also had this great "real" pumpkin patch. So, we went apple picking last Saturday. We probably missed the "peak" leaf time by about a week but it was still beautiful. We had hoped to do a bit of hiking (and maybe see a waterfall) but we spent a long time at the orchard (especially since we decided to fully enjoy the experience and walk through the orchard - you can drive up closer to the apples but we thought this kind of spoiled the experience). The weather in Charlotte was damp and cool but we had nearly 70 degree weather and beautiful sunshine all afternoon. We actually managed to miss the rain completely on the drive out there and back. It was a lot of fun. We stopped at another orchard after apple and pumpkin picking and Ben got to see a Llama and a couple of goats. He thought it was really neat - I'm excited to bring him on the safari at Disney (we're heading there for Thanksgiving). He would squeal when the goat started walking over to us - it was adorable, though hard to capture on film....(ironic statement considering everything is digital but I suppose it has the same meaning...) I can't wait to go back next year - though I wish Joel could've enjoyed it w/ us, though he was having his own fun at the Wake vs Navy game.





Last Fri, Ben and I had dinner w/ Marshall and Mike and since then, their family has had an addition. Mary Marshall (7lbs 11oz) was born on Wednesday morning. Congratulations to Marshall and Mike! Speaking of new babies, congratulations are also in order to Penny and Chris, who welcomed little Judah Asher last week (8lbs 8oz). Two weeks ago, Ben and I also went to Kathy's shower for Cooper (due to arrive the beginning of Jan - another Capricorn!) I think I am starting to get baby fever again....next week we're going to go visit Marshall and the new baby - hopefully that will quell it for a bit.

So, Benjamin is a lion for Halloween. It is kind of frustrating celebrating these "first" holidays. It's like you want to make a big deal of them because they are the "first" but the baby is really too little to understand all the fuss.....I got him a lion costume that is adorable and at least we got some professional pics done of him in it - when I dress him up in it, he looks at me, like Mom, why do I suddenly have fur....and a tail!?!? I brought him to the Pumpkin Patch Party at Gymboree and he seemed to enjoy it - lion suit and all. We had a lot of fun - a lot of the kids were a bit older, but he definitely seemed to enjoy all of the excitement. Tomorrow, we are going back to Gymboree for a free preview class of the 10-16 month class. I am excited that it's a Sat morning class and want Ben to be around some more babies / kids. Despite his lack of experience, he gets along well w/ other kids. Joel had an election event at the Imaginon and we played for a bit w/ a little girl who was 8 months old and Ben jumped right in there and played nicely (it made me a little sad that I couldn't spend time there w/ him during the week...). We have a gift certificate for 3 free classes at Gymboree so at least we will try to use those.

He is getting big so fast, though I have discovered that either his proportions are completely skewed or the manufacturers of kids clothing have no idea what they're doing.....the sizes are not even close to consistent from size to size and I don't understand how 6-9 month old clothes can be so small and then 9-12 month clothes be too big - what are you supposed to do in between? I am actually already buying 18 month clothes a little at a time b/c they tend to jump sizes so quickly and he's so long that I don't think these 12-month pajamas are going to fit very long.

As far as new developments, Benjamin is becoming a pro at getting around. He crawls quickly, pulls himself up and has started getting really daring where he will hang onto something w/ one arm while reaching toward something or someone else. He has also tried a couple of times in his crib to let go of his railing - he stands momentarily and then falls on his butt. I wonder when he will have enough balance to start taking a step or two. He has also gotten really into checking things out. This last week Ben has made a couple of interesting discoveries. He has figured out how to open the cabinets in the bathroom but he stands in front of them while opening them so his weight leans against them and closes them right away - I'm sure soon enough he'll figure out how to take everything out. He has also discovered the doorstop behind our door in the master bedroom. He will lay on his belly for 5-10 minutes using his little pointer finger to make the spring go "boing". He is fascinated by it. He has also been developing a great relationship w/ our golden retriever. She has been wonderful w/ him since he came home but now he is really into crawling down the hallway to her "squirrel" or bone but doesn't really want to do anything w/ it - he just wants her to come over and play w/ it. Of course as soon as Ben heads for them, Graham runs to get her bone or toy and will play w/ it. Ben just sits and watches her and occasionally will crawl over to her - it's cute b/c it looks like he's trying to "play" w/ her. I can't wait till he really is old enough to play w/ her.

Where did the summer go?

So, where did the summer go? It's amazing that it's September already....we had a very busy summer...and I'm sure the business is likely to continue since we're throwing a baby shower for Marshall at the house in a couple of weeks (her and husband Mike are expecting their first on Oct 22nd) and now we're in WFU football season, I'm sure we'll be heading to some games. Oh, and Joel is going back to school on Saturdays for a certification. It is going to be Christmas before I know it...hopefully I don't miss Halloween and Thanksgiving on the way :-)

So, how have we spent the last two months? We had a great visit w/ the Coogan family in July and then spent a week in Chicago in August and then Labor Day weekend up at the Biltmore and in Beech Mtn (we've gotten away more this year w/ baby than the last couple w/o...amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it). Joel and I have gone out a couple of times to the movies or dinner and we have a new daytime babysitter. Our previous babysitter (before Bridgie) was expected to come back once Bridgie went back to FL (we still miss her) but not surprisingly her mom made her find another job in the meantime....though she neglected to tell me this until the Fri before I expected her back (we had already set up time...). So, no babysitter.....Ben was and is still sleeping really well during the day (and night) so it wasn't that big a deal but obviously frustrating. Well, in the end it worked out well. A friend of ours has found herself unemployed and although it is not a long-term solution works very well in the near term. Sharla is a friend of ours and Ben has a babysitter. Although he is attached to me, he has not yet really started w/ bad separation anxiety (and hopefully won't...). At night, all he wants is mommy but otherwise he's pretty easy-going and generally will go to anyone (especially girls LOL).

In Ben's world, he is developing leaps and bounds. He has 2 more teeth (the top 2) which both popped out right after Labor Day weekend (poor baby). He is sitting up and going from belly or back to sitting really well - it's amazing how easily they can do that.....He is almost crawling though not yet. He can get his belly off the ground and rock but then kind of lunges forward. So, he can move but not very gracefully (and luckily not very quickly....). He is really moving in the walker though and loves chasing Graham (the golden retriever). He loves being outside and it is cute how he "walks" over to the back door in his walker and looks out. Sharla, his babysitter, takes him on walks and to the park. He has really started enjoying the swing though is still indifferent about the slide. In addition to a new babysitter, Ben has also gotten a new RED stroller (the Joovy Kooper - I LOVE it!) and a new blow-up duck tub - it seemed like the best option since he likes to lounge in the tub - I wanted to get one of those sitting positioners but I don't think he would be as happy in that as he is in the duck (and the beak quacks!). Ben is also pulling himself up - which he just started this week! I can't believe it....he is going to be walking and talking before we know it. Though no "real" words yet, he definitely communicates. He started over the last week "singing".....it's really cute to hear these little high pitched noises that sound very much like either Rock-a-bye baby or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (ok, to hear it, it would be like having to squint to see something meaningful in abstract art.....but it is "singing" nevertheless). He babbles quite a bit and we're hoping one of these days that he's going to say mama and dada with some meaning!

Ben in his Joovy Kooper:


So, since my last post, Ben has gotten two more teeth, is sitting up unsupported really well (at about 6 1/2 month) and is scooting around on his belly / back - he does this thing where he kinda of lunges forward and half rolls and somehow gets across the room though he is not really a mover. He much prefers to stay in one spot and investigate whatever is in front of him or to watch something that is a little further away. He is not officially crawling yet but I think it will be anyday. . Not only is the summer over, but so is September - kids have been back in school over a month. I just can't believe it. I suppose I say that every month but time really is just evaporating before my eyes. We had a fun and very busy summer - we had Bridgie w/ us for 6 wks and then Annie for 2 wks and then went to Carowinds and then spent a week in Chicago (maybe a future home...). We spent Labor Day visiting the Biltmore House in Asheville and then went to see my mom and Johnny in Beech Mtn. We had a couple more date nights and brought Ben to his first Wake football game (vs. Elon). We also threw a baby shower for our friend Marshall - her and husband Mike are expecting their first Oct 22nd.

The clan at Carowinds:

Halfway to One....

Ben is 6 months - I can't believe it!! The time has flown by, but in a weird way, it seems that the only thing that is changing is Ben.....some type of metaphysical oddity - the time goes by so fast that it seems to stand still....anyway, he is getting so big and developing so fast. In the last couple of weeks, his first tooth has "erupted" (all you can see is a little white line where it broke the gum but it was still exciting), he has started rolling from back to belly and is chewing on everything!! He is "talking" up a storm, which includes babbling, shrieking and screaming. There are occasions where he looks like he's yelling at you. He has also started blowing raspberries - mostly he does this when he's frustrated but it's so cute that I laugh every time he does it. I'm sure this makes him more mad......He has really started to become mobile so he is enjoying his walker more and we got him one of those foam put together mats that he rolls and scoots around on. He pushes himself up and lunges so I am convinced he will be crawling before we know it. Ben is also just becoming more of a little person and less of a floppy baby - it's cute how he holds on when you carry him and reaches for you when he wants out of his walker or car seat or stroller.

His 6-month Dr. visit went great - he is growing like a weed and Dr. Coyler continues to be impressed with his motor development. Joel came to this visit even though he knew Ben was going to get shots....Joel did not like Ben getting stuck but he was really a trooper (Ben that is). I leaned over him and hugged him and he cried of course but calmed down a lot faster than he had at the 4-month shots. They stuck him twice in the same leg (ouch!) I didn't get a picture this time b/c he ripped off the band-aid later in the day before I had a chance. Thankfully, his reactions to the shots have been mild to non-existent so Joel and I had plans to go to dinner w/ Andy and Nicole that night and Ben was seeming a little feverish by the cheek to the forehead mommy feel :-) He was acting fine so I gave him a little infant tylenol before we left. Later that night Bridgie felt his first tooth had popped through - on the bottom - we're thinking he will have another any day....he is chewing on his fingers like crazy! He was a bit fussy for Bridgie that night but she did a great job and we had a nice night out - I think that was our first time out to dinner w/o Ben :-) It was also my birthday last week - I love my birthday - I like all the fuss, don't care about being a year older - want to celebrate w/ cake and dinner and at least cards (though presents are nice too :-)) Bridgie started the day by collaborating w/ Annie a big breakfast - she made me eggs and bacon (first time she ever made "real" bacon) and waffles w/ cut-up bananas and a cup of coffee - it was delicious! She was going to make me lunch but I actually made lunch b/c I wanted to show her a "real" steak sandwich - can't explain this but I fry up some onions and mushroom in some crazy and slice up the steak w/ the gravy on top of some bread and then top w/ cheese and put under the broiler - her idea of a steak sandwich was cold steak and butter....we wound up going to Dave & Busters for dinner. Joel was willing to accompany us to Chuck E Cheese which I thought would be good for Annie - I felt bad having to work during the week and then going out the following night so thought this would be fun ....and I wanted to play skee ball :-) We actually didn't know the Chuck E Cheese had been relocated until we couldn't find it....so then Joel suggested Dave & Busters - it was fun but had a lot of games that were more a matter of chance than skill.....Joel left me, Bridgie and Annie and took the baby over to the Disney Store and bought him the talking "Doug" dog from "UP" (Ben's first movie)...we had seen it sometime before but Joel couldn't resist this time :-) This dog talks....it is adorable :-) We will definitely be buying the movie when it comes out on DVD.

So, a couple of weeks ago we went back to NY for the first time in 3 yrs. It was an exhausting trip but all in all I think Ben faired well in the car. He shares his mother's distaste for NY traffic, but otherwise Bridgie did a good job entertaining him - the miserable trip from Manhatten to Plainview took over 2 hrs. Danielle's wedding was nice, but the weather was less than cooperative and I was exhausted so we left the reception early (we had Ben w/ us so it was a good excuse regardless). We got to spend sometime visiting w/ Grandma and Grandpa Stankowitz and even got to see Great Nana. It was so nice to see everyone at the wedding but I wish we had more time. We drove back the Sunday after the wedding and did the whole trip in one day (although that sounds bad, it actually seemed shorter than breaking it up on the way down).

I have an unnatural love of fireworks - Joel does not share my love. I had to go see fireworks on July 4th. I was very disappointed that I did not get to see them in Charlotte last year (bad weather) but Joel did give in to watching them w/ me on TV (thank you Macy's). This year, since it was Ben's first July 4th, I was determined to see fireworks in person.....although we did not put a lot of planning into July 4th, we actually found an awesome spot on the top of a parking garage in Charlotte that put us literally right in front of the fireworks (so far enough away to avoid the smoke). The pics came out pretty well. I made Joel and Bridgie pose w/ me - as you can tell, they were not so happy about this - oh well :-) Of course Ben slept through most of the fireworks (amazingly) but he did get to see a few on the walk back to the car....and I got a picture of him awake on July 4th :-)

I was actually off the Fri before July 4th and since Annie was going to be joining us after the weekend of the 4th, I spent this day going w/ Bridgie to the Whitewater center. Joel was also off but didn't want to go rafting so he was the babysitter. We got there at a little after 11 but couldn't get a rafting appt until 5:30pm so we were ok w/ this (we wound up getting to go on both zip lines and take one of the mountain biking courses - that made me realize how out of shape I am...) but Joel was very worried that I hadn't pumped enough for him and that baby was going to be miserable but daddy and baby survived for about 6 hrs w/o mommy. I am happy that I really didn't miss the baby terribly...not to say that in a mean way but since I am with him so much, I worried that I would have terrible separation anxiety but I had a blast hanging out w/ Bridgie and exploring the Whitewater center. Daddy tried to bring Ben down to the Columbia Zoo but Ben started crying shortly into the ride and so Daddy went home....at first he was disappointed by this but then realized he didn't need to "do" anything to entertain Ben - he is very happy to just hang out on the floor and have you make funny faces at him :-)

As of now, we are planning a trip for next month but we don't know where we're going yet.....will keep you posted on that. As I mentioned, Annie joined us after the 4th (Mom drove her over from Beech Mtn) and in a week, the rest of the FL Coogan clan will be up - they will stop in for a weekend visit and then go to NY and then stop back the following weekend before heading back to FL. We have a busy rest of the month - definitely a trip to Carowind's when Dan comes up.....