'Tis the season

I've been laughing at myself a lot these days. If you can't laugh at yourself, then who can you laugh at, right? I laugh because I find the things I do quite humorous, mostly when no one's watching. This is a season, I tell myself.

 A season of picking up toys or dirty laundry WITH MY TOES because my hands are full of kids or more toys. A season of severe self control. I refrain from licking the spoon of raw brownies because "it has raw eggs in it" and I want to set a good example. A season of sharing my coveted jacuzzi tub for bathtimes and enduring back pain from reaching way too far to clean a kid's back and not to mention all the random bath toys surrounding MY bathtub. A season of eating candy in a closet so I don't have to "go there" with the kids, or hiding from the kids just so I can make a private call to a utility company. God forbid the person on the other end know that my kids communicate at a high volume level, and I ask them to repeat themselves, over and over again. A season of Dora's soundtrack running constantly in my head. A season of total drain after 8:30 when I can hardly remember to do the dishes still sitting in or near the kitchen sink from dinner. And there's more...

A season of staying home while I raise some great kids. A season of saying no over and over again, so eventually I can say yes. A season of being wanted by three miracles of life. They only want my attention, my time and my touch. A season of holding hands and children and guiding them where they should go. 

So in this season, although very humorous to me, I realize it is fleeting. So in any season I will try to remember the blessing in it all. Because that's what it all is... A blessing from the good Lord. 

First Days of School

Ben's first steps!

The other day, the kids and I were at the pool and the lifeguard asked if Ben was walking yet. I said, "no, I think it will be a while." A week went by,  and we were headed up to Virginia to see my brother's family. Low and behold the next day Ben was testing the waters of independent walking. He would move one toy from say a chair and then put it just a step out of reach. In a short time, he was taking several steps at a time. Sweet baby Ben walked for the first time, in front of an aunt, an uncle, cousins and us, about a week and a half shy of his turning 13 months old. Guess he was waiting on an audience. 

Ben turns ONE!

I blink and here we are, a year later, with an almost toddler.

Ben's actual birthday was uneventful. Sadly, he was sick on his birthday. It seems each first birthday that our kids are sick with something. He happened to be running a fever and a little cranky. We made cupcakes for everyone to enjoy any way.  About three quarters of them went to waste. I was hoping by Saturday (three days later), he would be healthy again and alas he was! That night we enjoyed the best homemade purchased vanilla, banana-creme filled cake ever. There was so much icing on his smash cake that he never got to the actual cake part. It was pretty funny, though, watching him devour the icing.

Since our last post, 6 months ago, "Benny" is crawling, cruising, coasting, but just not quite standing alone and walking. He says words like "dada," and "mama" and "ni-ni" (night-night). He points. He plays "indian." He signs "all done." He dances, like moves his whole body, for more food, rather than signing "more." He's fascinated with plugs, cabinets, trash cans, toilet paper, drawers and doors. He climbs and dismounts the stairs with ease. He keeps up and plays well with Millie and Cam. They still adore him and exhibit tons of patience with him.

My typical routine once I put him on the floor to play involves a child-proof quality check. If I forget, Ben is sure to remind me that the stair gate was left open or, worse, the toilet seat was up. When he's headed for trouble, I'm usually watching. I say, "danger Benny," and he responds "Da-duh" but in a way that makes it sound like "danger." Cute stuff.

He's eating everything. No more baby food. His favorite foods are peas and bananas. His food adventure is only beginning! Whole milk here we come, once weaning is complete. That may be a while though.

Here are his stats:
Weight- 19 lbs
Height- 31"

Milestones include:

4/15 first tooth

4/30 crawling on all fours

5/15 2nd tooth

7/2 pointing

7/24 discovered security blanket

At a year: nursing 2-3 times a day and eating mainly small bites of regular food like spaghetti, pizza, edamame, potatoes, waffles and strawberries. 

Ben turns 6 months old!

On Thursday, January 10, our baby turned a big six months old. Even though we are still on the fence about him being our last child, I am relishing every single moment! Ben still maintains his easy going, happy, sweet baby status. The other children still adore every waking second with him.
Because of his wonderful demeanor we haven't pushed an on-time schedule, although there is routine.
He is thriving and developing right on track. We've got his well-baby appointment on January 29 where he will receive more vaccinations.
He's wearing 9 month to 12 month clothing. Napping without crying and finally this week, we have seen a positive trend to sleeping through the night 10 hours (8 pm- 6 am).
We love our little guy as a family unit. If that makes any sense. Millie and Camden instinctively discovered their inner responsibilities for taking care of Ben. Everyone protects the baby. It's so hard to explain because I'd never experienced it before. Millie and cam aren't babies anymore. They are interactive humans with opinions, ideas, and identity in our family. I am loving being a Morris and raising more Morrises. Corny, I know, but true.