eight months.

my whole life i have been obsessed with babies. literally, my entire life. every year when i was a little girl, i would ask my mom and dad for a baby brother or sister for christmas. sadly, i never got what i wanted {not true, but true in this sense} ;)

then when i realized i wasnt ever getting a baby brother or sister, the next baby in my life was my nephew, charlie. he was, and still is, the most precious thing to me. after that, it seems like i have been so blessed to have many babies enter my life. my sister had oliver, and many of my dearest friends have had babies. how can we be the age that we all have our own babies?

not a day goes by that i dont look at bennett and for a split second think 'is he really my baby??' it seems too good to be true at times. it's sort of like all of the build up of planning a wedding. then when the wedding arrives, the bride tries to take it all in and enjoy every second, all the while thinking that it is finally here and that this is the big day. i sort of feel like that as a mother. except it's not just one day, its everyday. every single day something changes with him. he grows, he has a different expression, he likes a new food, he looks at me different... he crawls, he pulls up, etc. it is like if i were to miss a day of his life, i would for sure miss something. i try sooooo very hard to take it all in and to realize that he will only be this little for a very short period of time.

i cannot believe he is eight months old today. it has been the best eight months of my life. i feel like a different person since i had him. everything i do, feel, think is centered around him and his well being. of course, i do a lot of things without him but i am always thinking of him, planning something for him, worrying about him, etc. he is truly the best thing that has ever happened to me. and i love him with everything i have.

here is what that little monkey has been up to:

- he weighs just over 20 pounds

- he still takes 35-40 ounces a day. the boy loves his bottle and i love that he loves his bottle :)

- he isnt a great eater. he is pretty picky

- he eats some baby food and some table food, if it is a teeeensy weeensy piece

- he is wearing 6-12 month clothes

- he is crawling at the speed of light (started crawling on september 28, 7 months)

- he is pulling up on everything!!

- he started walking around furniture on october 23 and is now obsessed with that

- he likes his bath time and all of the toys he plays with in there

- he is going to mimi's part time and playlearn part time, we have really liked playlearn, and of course we love the days he goes to mimi's the best!

- he is not a great napper. he takes an hour nap around 11-12 and usually that's it?!?!?

- also not a super sleeper ;) poor baby. its not his fault

- he sleeps in a crib in our room (this is one of the reasons it's not his fault) and he stands up in his bed at 2:30AM saying "mamamamamamama" so i cant resist

- he is OBSESSED with his daddy. like to the point where my feelings are hurt. he reaches for him constantly, cries when he leaves, and constantly stares at him with this adoring, admiring stare that i am pretty sure is only reserved for his daddy. im working on redeeming myself by giving him tcby when daddy isnt around ;)

- he is very silly. he does this thing when he's sitting on my hip where if i am not paying attention to him, he sticks his neck out and brings that little face around so he's right in front of me. it's saying 'ummmmm.. hello. why arent you paying attention to me??' he did it to my mom tonight and we busted out laughing!!

- he is ridiculously cute and charming. he is getting more hair and i cant decide what color it will be... maybe blonde and maybe a light brown?? and his eyes are turning greenish blue and not bright blue.

- he is the love of our lives!!!!

Happy 8 months sweet baby boy. mommy and daddy love you!!!!!!

lots of fall pictures

we have been playing in the yard............. with our pumpkin that daddy picked for us..........

we have been eating grass...................................

we have been crawling everywhere...........................

we have been trying to walk...................

we have been obsessed with daddy.................

and chasing lou..............................

we went to our first pumpkin patch..................

we went to watch our cousin charlie in the fun run............... and cheered loudly for him............

and we got even cuter since the last time i posted.........................

we love you bennett bear. so.so. much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 month pics

we had bennett's six month pics taken by jessica ritchie a few weeks ago... couple things i would highly recommend: #1: jessica ritchie :) and #2: taking pictures at your home.
we loved the way they turned out. i love how she got his real smile, his goofy smile and everything in between. i love how they are all taken in our home rather than in a random place. they just all feel very warm to me, because this is where we spend everyday as a family. love, love, love them. and my little man.

my favorite smile that he does, you only see it if you're really funny!
this is my all time fav pic of him (so far). of course, i had to get it in a 2ftx3ft
for the living room ;)

kiss, kiss

our family.

on 'the family bed'
ha! that's a whole different post!

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what happened to my little itty, bitty baby that couldn't push me away to take off to another room?!?! this was just seven months ago... look how much he has changed and grown up!!!!!!!!!

i love you bennett bear. you have stolen my heart.

mimi's birthday and catch me if you can....

my loves :)
had to strip down because the banana covered spoon
made a mess of us!mimi's favorite dessert (other than TCBY) :)

her little helper.... 1st attempt to blow out the candles
by the third time.... charlie was giving it his best. those

darn trick candles, will get ya every time!

we celebrated my mom's birthday this evening. doesn't she look great at 35 ;)

we had everyone over for taco night, dessert and of course, presents. she got some lovely items from the fam! i am jealous of her new razorback necklace that dad got her, and her facial, pedi, new statue... she racked up!

if anyone deserves a lovely birthday, it is her. my mom is the most loving, caring, trustworthy, kind, selfless person i know. she would do anything for her family. don't get me wrong, she's not one of those women who doesn't take care of herself (as you can see, she is still very fabulous) but she gives her ALL to us and my dad. she takes such good care of bennett and oliver while my sister and i work. this seriously is something you cannot ever, ever, thank someone enough for. its funny because i can't even count the times that we have been in public and people ask who takes care of the babies and we say that our mom does... often times the response is 'wow, that's something i don't know that i could do' or 'wow, i cant believe she gives up everything to keep them' and my favorite is 'bless that woman, she has her hands full!' and yes, she does. but those people are right when they say that they could not do what she does, most people couldn't, or wouldn't. i thank the Lord every night for my family and for the blessings that we have. as a mother (and any mother would probably agree), your child's well being is the single most important thing in your world and the single thing that is constantly on your mind regardless of where you are. i am able to have peace throughout my days because of my mom. thank you, mom, for all that you do and all that you are. and thank you dad for always working so hard to allow for mom to be able to keep the boys. we love you guys so very much!

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and in other news... bennett has decided that he would like to become mobile. i thought he was independent before, wheeeeeeeeeewwwww, he is one on-the-move little man these days. he is pulling up on all kinds of stuff, crawling, trying to stand, and bumping his head all too often. i seriously googled "helmets for infants" earlier and it was some pretty funny stuff. jared said that is ridiculous and this is part of him growing up, but my nerves are shot by bedtime because he is constantly on the verge of hurting himself :(
i know that this is a phase (that will last a while, and only get worse) but it is an adjustment for sure. i love that he is exploring and active, and we encourage him (mainly his daddy) to try and walk, pull up, etc, but it's just something new to get used to! one thing is for certain: he is growing up and changing every single day, right before our eyes.
we are off to bed!
we hope that everyone is having a happy hump day!!!!!!!
xoxo