Well Hello There

So yeah.  Ben turns one and I suddenly disappear and forget all about trying to keep track of what's going on in our little family.  Silly me.  My memory sucks.  I really do have to chronicle stuff somewhere.

So, in the past 4 or 5 months a lot has happened.  Ben kinda started walking.  Kinda meaning he took his first real steps when 16 months old, but even though he totally can walk, chooses not to.  He is a fast crawler and sees no reason to walk.  But he can walk.  In fact he can run if there is something he really wants.  Lazy baby.

Uncooperative 13 month old

14 months old

15 months old

Shy 16 month old Batman

17 months old and wearing the overalls Morgan wore when he was a 1 yr old.

Sam turned 3!  Stinkin snow storm almost cancelled his Curious George themed party.  Only two of his little friends managed to make it to the party.  Most of the family didn't make it either.  But he had a blast and ate way too many cupcakes, so it's all good.  Right now he is OBSESSED with the movie Cars and won't let his little Lightning McQueen car out of his sight.  He even sleeps with it.  Every time going up for nap or bedtime he has to grab his binky, 2 bunnies, and McQueen.  If he forgets one of these items he ends up sitting on his bed crying till you fetch them for him. 

Evil Mommy kept telling him to catch the balloons as I inflated them.

Babies, babies, babies!  It feels like half the people I know are having babies this year and it's a wonderful thing.  It helps to control the baby want.

And, skin cancer.  I had a bothersome mole removed and it turned out to be a basal cell carcinoma.  Surgery followed, stitches came out a few days ago, and now I just have to wait for the healing process to make the scar less angry looking.  Oh yeah, stupid cancer was on my FACE.  So I now have a scar on my upper lip that goes around the side of my left nostril.  But, even though I will have this scar for the rest of my life, I really can't complain about it.  I had cancer and it was the easiest kind of cancer to get rid of.  I mean, if you have to get cancer, this is the kind you want.  Stupid fucking cancer.

Oh, and somewhere in there Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Morgan & my birthday, and Valentine's Day all happened!  Yikes.  But we are all good, healthy, growing, happy, and enjoying the nice weather that Spring has brought after a long, long winter!

And I'm going to Vegas with my bestie in May!!!

12 Months, One Year, Stinkpot Skunkadoo

As I sit here just beginning to type this out I have two little kids upstairs napping and one of my favorite childhood movies (Secret of NIHM) is in the dvd player and just ending, so be forewarned I am feeling a little misty in the ether.  Ben turned one on Saturday, Sunday was his birthday party, and now the baby years for this family are over.  Toddler years will be here for quite a while before the little boy years take over, and for that I am thankful!  But for sure I will forever miss the baby years.

First, lets talk about the party.  We had a crazy busy weekend (Freemason family dinner, pumpkin patch, open house at the local fire station) that was capped off with the skunk party.  Okay, yeah, on second thought lets start with that other stuff.

The Pumpkin Throne.

Jumbo's is celebrating their 20th season.  Hence the "Happy Birthday" which made me love this photo of my boys on Ben's birthday weekend even more!

Of course the one he wanted was this odd little gourd type thing.

The only way I could convince Sam to sit on the firetruck was to give him my phone.

Stinkin phone.

It's amazing how different my two boys are.  Sam had NO interest in participating in ANYTHING.  Not even a bounce house.  Ben is too small to participate and the jealousy watching other kids have fun was angering him!

Now on to the party!  It was a skunk theme party with the colors being black, white, and blue. Super cute, right?  It was kinda a disaster, but we made it work.  The balloons didn't float, the food was late coming out of the oven, and the kids (yes. mine. both of them) kept ripping down decorations and trying to pull everything off the table.  Oh, and Sam is sick!  Kinda fitting that a year of baby jealousy was topped off by Sam getting sick with a fever and us almost having to cancel Ben's first birthday party.  But it all worked out in the end and everyone had a great time!  Especially Ben, who has decided cake is the best thing ever!  And Sam perked up and helped Ben unwrap and play with all his new toys!

Chocolate cake with a whipped cream core and blue whipped cream frosting!  He couldn't get enough of it!

"What are you doing to me?  Why am I topless?"

C.A.K.E.

Oh, lovely cake!

MINE.  My Cake!

WEEEE!  There's SUGAR in CAKE!

OMG, so much cake.

Must. Nap. Now.

And gifts!

And that brings us to the monthly list of what my squidlet does:

~ Cruises, turns himself around and takes a step between objects, holds on to things with one hand and cruises.  Will be walking soon...

~ Loves to eat table food.  Breads, muffins, bananas, cheese, carrots, cereal, crackers, etc.  Pretty much anything as long as it's not too big or too pasty/thick.

~ Has 4 words.  Mommy, Daddy, No, and Baby.  He says baby referring to himself.  As in he yells "baby" when he needs your attention or help.  It's hilarious.

~ Can get up the stairs in a heartbeat with no help.  Loves to sneak over to the stairs to practice.  We now have a baby gate for the stairs.  He stands at the gate shaking it and fussing.

~ Usually takes one nap a day.  Pretty much the only time he takes two is if we are out and he falls asleep in the car or we have a playdate.  He ALWAYS falls asleep at playdate.  Evidence -

~ Sleeps through the night almost every night and has become much better at the self soothing since we started the short periods of cry it out.  So far he hasn't woken up his brother with his crying!  Yay!

~ Adores anything with wheels on it.  Adores anything that Sam plays with and will imitate whatever Sam is doing.  Loves music and Thomas the Train.  Also seems to be a big fan of Sesame Street.

~ Loves to be outside, but I think he's like me in that the sun is not his friend and he's a little sensitive to allergens. Poor ginger.

Dr Stats:

we go tomorrow and I will update

SKUNK PICTURES! We will do the 12 month shots and then I will hog up sooooo much space and make this post waaaaaay too long by posting the first 12 months so you can see how he's grown!  Love him!

And now....In The Beginning -

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

12 months

Welcome to the Toddler Years!

11 Months Old and Feeling Sad

In 4 short weeks my little apricot bunny will be a year old.  My last baby.  I spent so much time thinking about having a baby, trying to have a baby, struggling to have a baby.  Now my second baby won't be a baby much longer and I am forced to face the fact that I'm not ready for my baby years to be over so soon.  But we are done.  No more babies for us.  I got the two boys I had only dreamed I would be lucky enough to have.  But seriously, pout.

Ben continues to be the most active little thing ever.  All he wants to do is stand and cruise all day long.  All. Day. Long.  He now crawls with his belly off the ground and it makes me snicker to see him race across the floor like a little wind-up toy with his head held high.  Sam likes to tickle him and tries to wrestle with him.  Ben doesn't really understand the wrestling yet, but he's still happy to be getting attention from his big bro.  Teething has been a bit of a downer for Ben as of late.  He's cutting his second top tooth right now and it must really hurt.  Poor squidlet.

Who? Me?

Things with the family have been very, very busy lately.  MIL has had more Dr appointments than usual, and sense she is in a wheelchair now Morgan has to take her.  We just bought a new (or rather new to us) car.  Which means I am now officially a mini van rockin momma and we are trying to sell my old Scion.  I love that Scion.  It's the last thing I have of me before we became engaged, moved in together, married, home owners, parents.  I will miss it, but I LOVE my Mazda5!  It's kinda awesome to be able to take the entire family to run errands and still have room for groceries and whatever else we pick up.  I also have joined the community Halloween committee.  Meaning I'm in charge of making props for our Halloween Haunted Walk on the nature trail near our house.  So much fun!  We have almost no budget, so I am literally making everything.  Bless Pinterest.  And, of course, I've been busy planning Ben's birthday party!

Sliding Door Lust

Get On With It, 11 Month Old:

~ Crawls proper, with his belly off the ground.

~ Pulls himself to standing at any surface he can manage, including walls.

~ Cruises very well and tries to turn himself so his back is against the couch/table and take a step while reaching for you.  Can almost do this without help.

~ Loves banana bread and will strike down all those who try to take it from him

~ Like his mama, isn't too fond of the sun.  It hurts the eyes.  Maybe the soul too.

~ Is mostly wearing size 18-24 month clothing.  Sam wears 2T and 3T, still wears some 24 month pants.  Soon I suspect they will be sharing a wardrobe.  Definitely within the year.

~ Tries to climb the stairs.  Gets himself up to the 3rd step sometimes before I discover him and drag him back to safety.  Need to get a gate.

~ Is about to graduate to the big boy car seat!  Morgan says he will put it in the car this weekend.  I hope so 'cause the infant seat is TOO small!

Skunker!

Do you see that curl?

And some more because I loves him and his brother so much!

And there we go.  One month to go.  And also it appears I need to work on putting matching tops and bottoms on Sam!  And at some point during the month Sam got a haircut.  I think I need a nap.