Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot

Ben and Zoe on their first date.

mmm...Grammie's finger

Grammies know just how to make it all better.

Yay for play with Aunt Sarah.

Snuggling with Great Uncle Randy and Great Grammie!

LOTS of Family

Stillwater, MN...on the St Croix River

Out for a stroll...

Singing by the River

Sooo many antiques, everywhere I go.

 Uncle Geoff is good but the fingers are magic.

Ben meets Gpa and Gma's Beach

The tide was out...so we took advantage of the beach time.  Turning over rocks to find crabs, seeing the clams spit and picking out the best shells...good times.  Jason (Benj's cousin) had a good face-plant and in typical 'boy fashion' got right up and kept running...and stepping on the little crabs...

'Welcome to the Family' - Family Shower

What a blessing family can be?!  We traveled to Washington with excitement to show off this beautiful little bundle of joy, and we were surprised to find ourselves in the midst of a family adoption shower.  (Thank you Aunt Betty!)  Benj received some ridiculously adorable clothing and toys. Sunni and I enjoyed the time with our family and Benj basked in the arms of everyone (at least once)...Oh, to be 4 months old again!

Day trip to Poulsbo (quaint town on the Olympic Peninsula)

X-Rated Benj

Sitting up to play my piano

Funny Faces

Stylish and Standing

Family Trip to...family

Time with Grandpa.

Grandma working magic to get Benj asleep.

Cousin Jason and Ben

Family Supper at Olive Garden...loved the 'Family room'

Quality time with Great Grandma (Mor Mor)

Food. Glorious Food...What else could be finer?!

For those who forgot the above line in the movie/music sung by Oliver Twist...A young boy basks in the glorious taste, texture and smell of lukewarm mush...Similarly, Benj found solice and adventure in his first experience with 'real' food. His physical development has surprised and amazed us. He, now 4 months of age, weighs 16.5 lbs. measures 26.5" long, and has produced two little teeth which protrude his little baby lower gums...Developmentally, he is moving by leaps and bounds (figure of speech,not literally). He is sitting up on his own. He is standing with only slight finger support from his overly protective parents who admittedly push him back down...we are not ready to have him moving on his own yet :) When we eat, he watches us intently, sending off the vibe for 'HOW RUDE?! Why wont you share with me?'. When something is near by he grabs at it, pulling it into the abyss (a.k.a. mouth). So begins the journey with eating. We hope you enjoy the videos of his first experience below.


The first 'real' food...Rice Cereal
(take one)



(take two)

CONFESSION:
We should be so grateful for the milestones that Benj is achieving. We should be celebrating the many new and exciting hurdles he has overcome. We should be ecstatic at the new experiences and adventures he is leading us into and out of....

BUT...

We do miss the clean and orderly domicile we once called 'home'. It is an amazing realization to see the added 'stuff' that a little one needs as they grow and develop. (For instance...We are excited he is able to begin eating real food...however do high chairs have to take up so much space in a kitchen? And does an entertainment/excer-saucer for a little 16.5lb boy have to dominate an entire living room?...even Melvin is wondering why this new little brother of his has to take up all of his play/nap space. Spatial complaining aside...He is such a Beautiful, Monopolizing addition to our home.)

American Idol, here we come

Ben and Mom singing.

Memorial Day

Ben and Daddy...enough said.