The Big Transition

This past weekend we made the decision to go ahead and buy Bennett his big boy bed.  Wow, we have already reached that milestone.  We haven't tried letting him sleep in it yet- that's another milestone in itself.  But for me, picking out his bed was bittersweet and fun at the same time.  We looked around locally at a few stores and found a couple beds but thought looking at Ikea would be fun so we waited before we bought anything.

Yesterday we rode up to Ikea and spent pretty much the whole day there looking around.  We found one bed but weren't completely sold on it.  But at that point it was the best one there.  We went down to the warehouse and were going to pick it out but were having a hard time finding it.  Thank goodness we didn't get that one because I'm happier with the one we ended up getting.  We went back upstairs and looked around some more and Jason really really wanted to get Bennett this one particular bed.  It took me a while to agree.  :)  It's a bunk bed, something I never thought we'd get.  But it's cute and, like Jason said, I think Bennett will really enjoy it and have fun with it.  The bottom part is completely on the floor, so we'll start him out on the bottom and when he's old enough, he can move up to the top and use the bottom area to play in.  We also bought him the canopy tent that fits on the top bunk.  I told Jason he could pick out that bed if I could pick out the bedding and accessories to go with it.  :)  So now I'm on the hunt for a cute comforter for him.  :)

Here are some pictures I found of the bed online.  Some people have done some pretty creative things with it.

This is the bones of the bed, minus the bottom mattress and the canopy tent

The really neat thing about this bed is that it can be flipped over to make a more traditional bed

And here are some pictures of what other people have done to the bed.  I'm getting some really cute ideas for Bennett.

This one is my favorite although it's 2 beds.  But they built a platform with storage and the curtains are very cute!!

I really hope Bennett loves this bed as much as his dad does  :)

Picture Post

So, I tried myself to take his pictures in the chair....not very successful.  :)  I had to give him something so he'd stay in the chair but then he wasn't looking at the camera.  Here are a few of the first takes:

We started with a book

Making a funny face at the camera  :)

Then we played with the monitor

This boy has a hard time staying still!

Then I tried feeding him some snacks

With the monitor again

Once Jason got home from work, it was a little easier to take them.  Jason distracted him and I snapped a few pics.  Here is the 2nd take:

I'm DONE!!!

15 months...almost a year and a half!

Wow, when you say a year and a half, it really makes him seem like such a big boy.  Pretty soon I'll be planning his 2nd birthday party!!!  Wow, where does the time go?!?

Bennett has really started to thin out- his face looks a lot different.  Even looking back on his 1 year old pictures, I can tell a difference in his face, and that was only 3 months ago!  Now, his legs and feet are still chunky but still oh so cute!!  He's getting really really good at walking now, so I imagine that's why he's slimmed down some.  It's so funny to watch him walk though.  Most of the time he has his left hand out, kinda using it to balance.  He still falls some and then crawls the rest of the way, but he can really go long distances.  I think back to when he was just a little baby and not able to even sit up on his own- and now he's walking!!!  It's like we were just there yesterday, and now we have a toddler on our hands.  He still loves to explore, which is good because I want him to be curious- that's how you learn.  He loves his books and will go get a book if you tell him to pick one out.  He knows where socks go, just can't quite coordinate his hands to put them on his feet.  He is really learning fast and doing really well with everything.  This mama sure is proud of her baby!!!

I should count myself lucky when it comes to Bennett and food.  He's not a picky eater by any means, and I'm thankful I don't have to trick him into eating his veggies.  But he does love some food more than others.  He loves the cups of fruit (peaches, pears and apples) I bought him the other week.  I have to save those til last so he'll eat his other food- if I don't, he'll eat all the fruit and leave the other stuff on his highchair.  :)  He still loves sweet potatoes, green beans, black eyed peas, cheese, and bread.  Those are his staples.  He also loves the different flavored applesauces.  Oh, he loves the pasta salad I fed him the other night- he might be a pasta lover like mama!  :) I'm sure his eating habit could change any day, but I'm gonna enjoy him eating so well right now.

He's really getting to a fun stage.  He's starting to do things that are just cute or funny.  He'll crawl in a basket and today he crawled into the pantry, sat himself down on something that was on the floor in there, and proceeded to shut the door with himself in there!  :)  I just love it!!  Now the memories will start!!!!!  We took him to the beach this past Saturday and he loved it just as much as he did the first time.  I bought him this blue and yellow wagon at Target on clearance- he loved that thing so much he decided to crawl into it and sit it in while the waves came up and splashed him.  He didn't want to get out!!  But the thing was, he was about 2 sizes too small but loved it any way!!  :)

I think he's going to have Jason's outgoing personality.  While we were at the beach, he wanted so badly to go up to these 2 little girls and see what they were doing and play with them.  I, of course, took his hand and directed him away from them and then he decided to go up to a dad with his 3 kids who were making a sand castle.  We said hey to them and then walked back over to our area.  I love that about him though.  His personality is really starting to shape up and shine through!!  While I think he's going to be outgoing, I think he's going to be laid back and go with the flow too.  I think that's more my personality- looks like he's going to have a great combo!!  Again, this could change at any point too.  :) We'll see once he hits the twos!  :)

Bennett is completely off the bottle!!!  Wow, no more bottles- can't believe it.  It's kind of bittersweet though.  It means he's officially not a baby anymore.  The past week or so he's been going down to bed without his milk and does just fine.

I can't wait to take him to the doctor on Friday and see how much he's grown!!  Then we must do his chair pictures!!  I'll update with those pictures later on this week.  For now, here are some random ones!!

July 4th Celebration

The past couple of years we've made it a habit to go up to our friend's lake house, in Prosperity, to celebrate July 4th.  A lot of Jason's friends gather there, so it's really good to go and catch up.  Every one has kids now, which is great for Bennett.  And then at the end, Lake Murray always has their fireworks show.  We picked up a Chick fil A platter of nuggets and headed up there.  Bennett played with Weston, Josh and Kim's little boy, and entertained himself with a chair for the longest time.  Maybe next year Bennett will be able to swim in the lake!  :)  It's a great time and great food!  Lake Murray is beautiful!

Weston, 11 months

My Little Firecracker!

That's the chair Bennett loved

Out on the lake

Bennett and Adele

Me and my firecracker!

The big kids swimming