2 month man

Baby Bennett hit 2 months on Monday.  Hard to believe, right?

2 month monkey shot.

He continues to be a dream.  As mom put, he is truly a "God wink."  God knew that a cranky baby would just be too much.

Bennett is still sleeping great at night.  He gets his little bath right after his brother's go to bed around 8:30 which triggers bed time is near and he is normally overjoyed.  He loves his bath.  Everytime I start undressing him for his bath, he starts giggling.  I think he is quite ticklish. 

He and I fell asleep together on my bed.  I managed to get up without waking him... he slept just like this for 3 hours. 

Speaking of giggles, he is still pretty serious but when you get in a "conversation" with just him, he will respond with coos and "talking" and sweet smiles. 

His napping schedule--- there is not one.  He was taking one long, like 4 hour long, nap a day with a few cat naps thrown in there. It was pretty nice.  As of late though, he really only sleeps on me or in the car... which is a bit inconvenient but I am not complaining.  Last baby. :) 
He still is sleeping in his bouncy in his crib at night.  He wakes up around 3ish and then goes back down until 6ish.  Not bad.  He has slept through the night 3 times (one of them being last night from 9-7... I think it had something to do with the shots though)

Afternoon snooze on the couch

His eyes are looking blueish to me most of the time.  I am still holding out a small bit of hope that they might be a light brown but it is diminishing.  Though he was my most bald baby, his hair is starting to come in a bit and it is the same blond color of Hunts and Sheps. 

He had his 2 month check up on Wednesday and is exactly the same size that Ashton was at 2 months.

Weight 11.12 (41%)
Height 23" (53%)
Head 16" (92%)

Chad is home all this next week so hope to have a few posts.

Another year down

The big 31.

Yesterday was my birthday.  The weather could not have been more perfect and i have a slight sun burn to prove it.

I dont know why I am doing this to myself and actually letting other people see it, but here are two comparison shots of me holding my first baby  on my birthday in March 2006 vs holding my last baby on my birthday yesterday... My word... 7 years and 4 kids has done a number on me.  Oh youth, where are thou!?!?!
 In my defense, the first one is a the beginning of the day and the second one is at the end of the day... that alone makes a big difference... just humor me.

Bennett (7 weeks) and me in 2013

Hunter (13 weeks) and me in 2006

My brother, Nolan, was supposed to close on his new house on Friday so the boys and I were going to dogsit my parent's dogs so my parents could help him move.  Well, last minute on Friday, the closing got delayed.  By the time I found out about, the boys and I were already packed and half way to mom and dads house.  We decided to just go ahead and stay the night with my mom.

We got home around lunch time where Chad and the boys gave me my present and Chad had made brownies.

The brownies Chad made

Blowing out my candles... cant believe they actually let me do it without helping

And then it was to the soccer fields which was I loved.  The boys are both playing on the same Under 8 team, though Ashton is supposed to be under 6 I moved him up because 1) I didnt want to run 2 schedules by myself and 2) he is just flat out good.  They had a double header and won both games.  2-1 and 2-0.  Hunter scored the very first game of the first game and Ash scored the first goal of the second game.  I was seriously so proud of both of them.  They also had quite a fan base as Mantis, Queenie, Aunt Joan, Grandma, and Julie were all there for at least one game.

Little Ash in a big goal.  He did a good job

Hunter's turn in the goal.  He threw the ball out to Ashton.  You can see Ash running to it

Hunt dribbling the ball down the field.

Mantis occupying Shepherd.

We then headed up to Chad's parents house to have my birthday dinner.  Hub made some delicious chicken and Patsy did the sweet potatoes and a great salad.  Just a side note, Ashton ate a ridiculous amount... like 10 chicken nuggets and a piece of the chicken that Hub made. The boys got to ride on the Trecker with Papa Hub and Grandma and got to play with their cousins and wrestle with Uncle Tommy.

It was a great birthday and I so very thankful for these little men in my life.

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PS- Since I cant blog during the week, a quick weekly update.
Only got 2 days of homeschooling in this week.  I started working out again and need to figure out how to fit that and homeschooling in together plus we had a doctors appt and dentist appt.  However, I am anxious to get the rest of this baby weight off.  It has felt so good to work out.  After I am done, the boys are always amazed at how red my face it! So sad that in a few months you can get so out of shape.

Bennett has started smiling more.  He doesnt just hand them out to anybody... he saves most of them for me, but it is just a heart warming little grin.

Full on smile.  It is rare to get one this big.Bennett was smiling at me and Grandma was ready with her iphone to snap the shot.

Most of the time, this is what he gives...a half grin

  

Another Half grin

He is also started "playing" this week with a couple toys.  He figured out how to play the music on the little overhead hanging toy thing.

amazed with the sound and colors and the movement

He is still the champion sleeper going from about 8:30- to 3:30 and then 4:00- 6:30.  Normally he takes 2 or 3 cat naps (like 20- 30 minutes) and then HUGE 4 hour afternoon nap.  It is glorious!!!

Bennett helping me put Shep to bed

  

Bennett resting on Ashton

Bennett was sleeping on Hunter... by the time that I got the camera, he was awake... still a precious shot.  When I see this, I see how long Bennett is already getting.. sob!

Hunter, Ashton, and Shepherd are doing great and loving the nice weather.  Bike rides, backyard soccer, and swinging has occupied much of our time.

Shepherd, looking cool, while practicing on his balance bike

Ashton rocking the training wheels... hope to take them off this summer

Hunter flies down this hill... no telling how fast he is going

Shepherd no longer takes a nap.  This is not really his choice but mine.  He would bother his brothers at night by being loud, climbing in bed with Ashton.  So I took his nap away.  He goes to bed at 7, when we are home that early and things are running much smoother at bedtime.

First attempt at no nap ending in falling asleep on the couch

Love watching these boys.  I pray that they will always have eachothers back.

Hunter reading to his brothers... yes, Shepherd is pantless. :)

  I am going to try to put together a little "who is who" quiz from pictures of the boys around 6-8 weeks for next week... so until then....

I really hate only getting to really blog once  a week.  I like blogging when the desire comes to me... not trying to cram a week or twos worth of events into one post.

I guess the "highlight" of my week was an early birthday present from my mom.  She scheduled an appt for me to get my hair and nails done and then watched the boys while I got it done.  It was nice and I feel more like me... just 20 lbs heavier still... cant wait to start really working out again.

My boys and my new haircut.  Got a good 10 inches cut off!  and I love it!

Shepherd has been on a roll when it comes to funny things.  I swear he says some of the goofiest things.  I wish I would record all of them, but here are two of the newest Shepherdisms.

Typical Shepherd

1- I was nursing Bennett and he had been nursing for awhile and it began to feel like he was pinching me.  I told Shep that Bennett was pinching my boob and he casually said, "there is a boob in the car."  I said, "what?"  He said "there is a boob in the car."  We did this dialogue back an forth until he finally said, "there is a red boob in the car."  At that point it hit me that he was talking about the red BIB in the car. 

I will never look at this bib again without thinking about the "Red boob in the car"

2-  Shep brought the box of granola bars to me and asked if he could have on.  I got him one and then he pointed to the box and said, " that boy looks like GrandpaGordie." 
   UPDATE- I was blogging this, Hunter saw the picture below and said, "Why did you take a picture of that?"  I told him what Shepherd has said.  He chuckled and then said, "it looks more like GrandmaDean."  hahaha... love these kids.

so what do you think?.. GrandmaDean or GrandpaGordie... GrandmDean, I hope you have a good sense of humor over this one.

Took some pictures before church today. 

picture with my big boys

picture with my little boys

precious

ahhhh!  One of my favorite baby shirts.  He looked so handsome today yet only a few people saw him because he slept the entire time of Sunday School and church and lunch.

Hunter is doing great at homeschool, he just finished up the chapter book, "Dinosaurs Before Dark."  Though I dont have anyone to compare him too, I am quite impressed with his reading.  We are still getting in 3 homeschool days a week which is good for now.

Sweet boy.

A page from Dinosaurs Before Dark. 

Oldest and youngest

 Ashton loves preschool.  He goes running in the door every Tues, Wed, and Thurs and greets his classmates and teachers with a big hello.  When I pick him up, he talks non stop to the car about his day. 
He has really grown up since Bennett came.  He loves his baby and helps me with him.

 And the house is officially on the market.  I would post the link but Mantis would say that is not safe to put my address on the computer... and I agree.  We have had one showing and hope that it picks up in March!

Someone BUY ME!

One Month and Counting

Just to defend myself... I wrote this post out on Bennett's actual one month (on Monday), but apparently, the iPad will not post on blogger.  If it can, I dont know how to...

Anyway,  can you believe Bennett is already one month old.  He was 5 weeks yesterday and continues to be, in the words of my mom, a God-wink.  He is such a joy of a baby.

1 MONTH

The past 2 weeks, he has pretty consistantly been going a six hour stretch at night, eating, then going back down for another 2 or 3 hours. 

Full baby face :)

The older three still just adore Bennett and the feeling is mutual.  I am amazed at how after awhile he will begin to fuss on me., I will just lay him beside one or all the boys and he will be so content. 

Though I look rough... Hunter took this sweet picture of me loving on Bennett

He had his one month appt on Monday too.  He is gaining weight steadily weighing in at 9.11 on Monday so he is easily over 10 lbs now.  Plus, the past day or two he seems to be eating more so maybe a small growth spurt.  He is totally out of newborn clothes and is starting to get little rolls on his legs.

He doesnt fuss much.  I noticed last night that he had not fussed or cried one time all day.  He did make up for it today though and was a bit fussier than normal but he was also out of his little routine with Chad being home and the boys being a bit more noisy.

Even fussin' he is just adorable

Chad gave him his first bottle last weekend too.  He did pretty good with it.  I have since attempted to give him a bottle and he doesnt much like the idea of me giving him the bottle, he more or less plays with it.  Oh well...I guess nursing is easier and more convenient anyway.

Getting the hang of the bottle from daddy

  

Chad feeding Bennett last Sunday

Bennett loves to be lightly swaddled at night, however he does NOT want his arms in the swaddle because he likes to sleep like this....

Bennett's preferred resting position... I adore it!

As promised, I took his comparison one month picture. (look Liv, I remembered)

1 month shot (left) compared to 2nd day home from hospital (right)

here is another 1 month shot but with straight legs

Cant wait for this next month and getting to see the "real" smiles from Bennett.  I think he has actually smiled at me a time or two but I cant wait to see him interact with us more.  When he is awake, he is soooo alert and active.  He tracks us really well so I am sure he that more smiles are just around the corner.

I will try to post an update post tomorrow so check back!