Our Playroom

We decided to take away one of our guest bedrooms and turn it into a playroom for the boys. It turned out really nice! This room was Ethan's nursery at one time and is also the office. It is so nice to have our living room back! I can put the toys back in the playroom, shut the door, and not have to feel cluttered. It's the little things that make your day, right?!:)

View from the doorway.

Bennett and Keziah's Dedication

Bennett and Keziah got dedicated last Sunday afternoon at our church. It was a neat service with a lot more babies dedicated since Ethan was- 7 total. Our church believes in infant baptism, but our family grew up believing that baptism should be a decision you make for yourself. Our church has been very accomodating to that thought and started an infant dedication ceremony several years ago. We committed ourselves to raising Bennett in a home that serves the Lord. We will teach him about Jesus and pray for him daily. In dedicating him we are saying that his life in in God's hands.

Keziah and her parents, Brian and Erin, and brother, Austin.

Bennett is 9 Months Old

Bennett turned nine months old yesterday. He is growing up so fast, it won't be long and we will be planning his first birthday party. He has perfected rolling over and uses it to get what he wants. He is becoming a lot stronger at sitting assisted, but hasn't been able to sit by himself yet. We continue to work with him to bear weight on his legs and he has gotten a little bit better, especially on his right leg. Recently he has learned how to wave and he has caught himself clapping a couple of times. He looks very proud of himself when he does that!

Honk Elmo!

He loves to eat solids, his favorites are fruits...which is the opposite of how Ethan was! As you can see from the post below, he likes banana puffs, and eats them very daintily:) He hasn't gotten any teeth yet. Ethan got his first tooth right around his 9 month birthday, so we are expecting some to pop through soon. He is still nursing 5 times during the day and usually once during the night. His schedule looks a little like this:

7am- nurse and then have solids

8:30/9-10am- nap

10:30- nurse

11/11:30- lunch

12/12:30-2:30- nap

2:30- nurse

4:30/5- nurse

5:30/6- solids

6-6:30/7- short nap (sometimes)

7:30- nurse and go to bed

3/4am- nurse

The last time Bennett was weighed (last Tuesday) he was 15lbs. 5oz. He has not put on very much weight since his last doctor's appointment. We go to his well-child appointment on February 3rd.

Bennett continues to be quite loud! He loves music and still adores the Itsy Bitsy Spider. He likes to play with anything that isn't a toy, in fact, I can't think of what toy is his favorite because his favorite things are an old tylenol bottle, a medicine dropper, a toothbrush, the remote, or my cell phone!:) If he likes a toy, it seems it is always one of Ethan's toys. He LOVES to look at books, and eat them too. He giggles when you sing "Benny and the Jets" by Elton John, laughs when you fake sneeze, dance, play peek-a-boo, and when you rub his hands through your hair.

Notice the GREAT head of hair he has!
See the tylenol bottle?!:)

Ethan put the blame on Bennett for the first time the other day. It was so funny. When Bennett's OT was working with him, we had the couch cushions pulled off of the love seat and Ethan was sitting on one side and Bennett was "working out" along the other side. Ethan pulled the big sticker off of the couch that has the brand name on it. He was shocked at himself and exclaimed, "Benne did it!" We started cracking up because obviously Bennett couldn't do it, and it was a first for, I'm sure, countless more times that Ethan will blame Bennett to get out of trouble!

Bennett's Silliness

Here is another video of Bennett being really silly. It is REALLY LONG and again, the audio is off and I am REALLY ANNOYING, but I wanted to share it anyway because it makes me laugh.

Bennett Loves Banana Puffs

Here is a little video of Bennett showing off his puff-eating skills. Notice his little pincher grasp!:) I know it's a little long to be watching him eat puffs...almost 3 minutes, and don't mind my annoying high-pitched voice and the fact that the audio is off. He is precious isn't he!

I'm a Catch-Up Blogger

It's official...every time I blog I put in at least 2 or 3 posts. I realized tonight that I'm a "catch-up" blogger (Not sure if that is an offical term, but now it is!). I know, it's o.k., I'm busy with 2 boys, a full-time job, a husband, a house, but I just wish I could be one of those bloggers that could blog when she wants to...

Make sure you read the 3 or 4 posts I added under this one!:)

Bennett's New View

Bennett's Uncle Chris made him this really cool new chair that allows him to gain some strength through his legs. He hasn't been putting much weight on his feet yet, and this allows him to do it with some support. When my co-worker, who is an occupational therapist came over, she was quite impressed! She wants to borrow it to show it off at work. It has a lot of different adjustments on the back so as Bennett grows we can make it bigger. We can move the seat up and down as well. Bennett loves this new stander, his favorite thing to do is throw things off of the tray!

More Random Photos

Ethan enjoys pushing his little brother in his new baby stroller...and is going to be a doctor when he grows up (we hope, anyway!).

Things were going fine until Ethan got fancy and started pulling him backwards using one hand. At one point he got Bennett nice and snug with the coffee table! :)

Ethan likes wearing my slippers around the house. :)

My Artist

I think that Ethan is taking after his mom's creative side. He already is a great little artist! Here is his "Big Truck". That is what he told me. I can't believe how he already thinks about the details of things. I think it's pretty great, but I'm also his mom!:)

Ta-Da! The finished product!

Photos from Smith Christmas

Here are some snapshots from Christmas on my side of the family. I was trying to group them differently this time...that is why they are different sizes. Let's just say I'm not as good as this blog thing as I thought I was!

Bennett liked to hold his presents REALLY close to his face!! :)

Ethan opening one of many fun gifts! Some of the gifts he got were a broom/dust pan, a shopping cart, a big dump truck, some big blocks, cars, and a movie.

Our niece, Keziah, LOVED this learning puppy that my sister got her.

Grandma and Grandpa with Bennett.

This is as good as it gets for a pic with all the grandkids...

They had had enough!!!

The needles on my parents' tree were falling off like crazy. Ethan filled this fire truck with them and then later on began filling his enormous dump truck with them. It kept him busy for awhile!

Benne or Benny?

So, I always spell Bennett's nickname, "Benne", and Adam always spells it, "Benny". I feel as though we should officially decide how to spell it, since he is called this 8 out of 10 times every day. I am torn on which way I like it better, so I need your help. Tell me how we should officially spell it, please!

My Sister is Pregnant!

My youngest sister is pregnant! Her and her husband told us at Christmas. She will be having grandchild #6 in July, she thinks that she is around 10 weeks along. We are very excited for them!