Better Late Than Never

Bennett turned 17 months last Thursday.  But last week was way too busy to update the blog, so I'm just finding the time today while I'm off work.

Bennett's personality has hit full force!  He's definitely head strong (which I think he gets from both of us). Being head strong has its pros and cons.  He knows what he wants and likes things a certain way.  On the flip side, if he doesn't get what he wants, the way he wants it, he throws a fit.  We are trying to teach him that he can't always have his way and sometimes it's for his own safety that he doesn't get it his way.  We are working very hard and hopefully he'll outgrown this little phase.

Even though he can be stubborn at times, he has his sweet streak too.  I love it when he gives me kisses and hugs!  The nice big open mouthed, slobbery kisses are the best!  :)

He pretty much likes the same food and still has a pretty good appetite.  Some days he eats more than others, but I feel that if he was really hungry he'd eat, so I try not to stress over the face that he might not have eaten as much as yesterday.  He drinks a lot of milk so that also eases my mind a little if his appetite is down.

He's not really saying any new words since last month, but he definitely has his own little language.  It's so cute to watch him talk because he knows what he's talking about and all I can come back with is "Really?" :)

He is a busy body!  From the time he wakes up til the time he's down for the night, he is constantly on the move, checking things out, moving things, pushing things, dragging things, all.the.time.  I'm convinced that he would stay up til midnight playing if we let him.  We have to make him go to bed around 8:00 because we know he needs the sleep.  The past week or so he's been taking an early nap before lunch and then sometimes taking a smaller one late in the afternoon.  He used to take one long nap after lunch.  But as long as he gets a good nap in for the day, I don't really care what time it is.

He is completely off the pacifier.  It kinda happened by mistake, but what a good mistake that was!  :)  We sent him to Mrs. Bertha's without his paci one day.  When I picked him up that afternoon, she asked me if I knew he didn't have one and I told her no and started to feel really bad for her (cause I just knew he would have been fussy all day without it).  BUT, she said he did fine and took a good nap without it and everything.  Jason and I took that as a sign that we just needed to take it away and get him used to not having it.  I was thinking we needed to wean him soon but thankfully we've have that behind us.  He's done just fine without it since and we have packed up all his pacis and put them in the cabinet!! I'm so glad he's not going to be that 3 year old who still has a paci.  ;)

Bennett has also been sleeping in his big boy bed!!!  He's been in our room since he was born, so this is a big adjustment for Mommy!  Probably more so for me than him.  :)  He isn't really sleeping any worse up there in his room, so I think once he gets through with this whole teething phase, he'll be just fine.  Speaking of teeth, he's got 10 teeth total I think.  I'm ready for the night we don't have to deal with teething, because it's just not fun.

I think that pretty much sums up the last month!  Can't wait for his 18 month check up so we can see how much he weighs and how tall he is.  Seems like he's really gotten taller in the last 2 weeks.    Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.  :)

Pictures from the Greek Festival in Downtown Columbia:

He loved watching all the cute little girls  :)

2nd trip to the zoo.  We didn't stay long because the weather wasn't cooperating for us and we actually got rained on.  :)  The weather will be cooling down soon though and we'll have more opportunity to go and really enjoy it!

He loved watching the gorilla

And now, the chair pictures.  It was really tough this time- he was not wanting to sit still at all!  But I snapped a few and took the best I could.

This just sums up the whole session  :)

So What's Going On?

I know I just updated the blog with Bennett's 16 month update, but just seems like he's already done some changing since then!  :)  Here are just a few things I want to get down before I forget.....

• Bennett is starting to say more.  While he doesn't have the widest variety, he is progressing so that makes mommy happy.  Here's the list as of today:
• Hey (sounds like the Fonz when he says it)
• Thank You (sounds like tank schoo)
• Uh Oh
• Mama
• Dada
• Ball
• Baby- he actually saw a baby on TV last night and said Baby!  
• Bennett LOVES to be outside.  He loves walking around, watching the neighbors kids run around- just being out there.  He hates to come inside, which makes it hard when we have to for bath and bed time.  I don't mind it though- let him run wild outside and get some of that energy out!  Speaking of energy- he seems to have a ginormous amount, while I seem to be lacking.  He is constantly doing something.  He does not sit down for longer than a minute before he's off playing with another toy or getting into something he's not supposed to play with.  :)  Can I just have a little of what he has?  :)  We just recently bought bikes and a trailer to pull Bennett with.  Greatest purchase ever.  I look forward to our nightly bike ride around the block.  It's fun and it's exercise for me!  Bennett seems to love being pulled behind daddy too!  I want to try out the bike trails at Saluda Shoals!  
• Teething is by far the worst part of parenthood (at least so far).  It just plain stinks!  Bennett is not a good teether.  This time around it's making him irritable and just fussy ALL the time.  Not to mention the long nights of his restlessness.  Wish all those teeth would just pop right in so we'd be done with it, but no, they are taking their sweet little time.  And he gets them ONE at a time.  It's like he'll get one tooth after a week of exhaustion on our part, then we'll have a short break, then another one comes right along, again.  Right now he has 9 teeth.  He's got the 4 on tope and the 4th one on the bottom just popped in today, and he's got what looks like a molar on the right side.  Who knows what other teeth are working their way out.  
• I think we are working our way towards the terrible twos!  His fussiness is probably a combination of teething and that wonderful stage.  :) He's gotten to the age where he knows what he wants and he wants it NOW!  :)  Mommy isn't fast enough or sometimes it just doesn't suit to give him what he wants.  And when he can't do something or he gets stuck or can't reach something, he gets mad and throws a fit.  I'm trying to reason with him and teach him how to do things and to keep trying or ask mommy for help, so hopefully that will work.  We'll see.....  ;)  
• I can't believe I am already thinking about Bennett's 2nd birthday.  I know he's only 16 months and still has 8 more months before birthday #2 comes along, but I've been trying to think of something fun and cute to do.  Pretty soon I'll be taking "first day of school" pictures.  :)
• I wish I had a stylist who could pick out our clothes for our family pictures coming up next month.  I'm already stressing about what everyone will be wearing.  I know in the end it won't matter, I just want them to be perfect!  Guess I better start looking unless someone wants to volunteer......  ;)

There's my short list of what's on my mind.  Exciting, huh?  :)  

Dear Bennett

Dear Bennett,

There is not enough words to really express how much I love you.  I don't think my heart could hold any more love!!  You are now 16 months and 1 week today, and you have the best little personality already!  I love watching you play with your toys and read your books.  You love to take things out of boxes and bags, spread them all over the floor, and then put them all back in!  You are growing into such a handsome little boy and Mommy and Daddy could not be more proud of you!  You love to go upstairs and play in your room and just yesterday you napped in your own big boy bed and did really really good!!  Pretty soon you'll be sleeping in there all the time!!

I love you so much and thank God for you every day!  I could not have asked for a better son to have- I would not trade you for anything!  He blessed us in a way that no one could come close to!!  God led me to your Daddy 11 years ago and now we have you!!  Life is good!!

Love always,
Mommy

You're getting so tall!

And you're so sweet!

Right  now you have 7 teeth and one pushing through

You love to rock your buddies!

Trying to play some music- you like to sing to Mommy too

You LOVE your Daddy!

Giving Daddy some love!

Step by Step.....

Well, this Monday Bennett will be 16 months.  That's only 2 months until a year and a half!!!  We have about 8 weeks til we get more pictures made by the wonderful Amanda Joy Photo!  I'm so excited because she's so very talented- she did his 1 year pics and they were amazing!!!!!!  Not only are we having Bennett's 18 month pictures done, we're doing family pictures too!!!  Can't wait!!!!!

Bennett is walking all the time now.  Probably 2 weeks ago he was still crawling some and walking, but now it's pretty much walking.  When he falls down, he just gets himself back up and starts walking again!! Such a big boy!  He's doing very well at balancing himself- he can squat down and pick up a toy and stand up without holding on to anything or falling.  He's getting around really well these days!!

Bennett still has a pretty good appetite.  He loves his milk and would probably drink it all day and night if we let him.  After I pick him up from Mrs. Bertha's, he will almost down a whole sippy cup in the car before we get home- and Mrs. Bertha's house is only 2 minutes from our house!!  He LOVES it!  Right now his favorite food is probably apple sauce!!  One week while he was teething really bad, that's all I could get him to eat.  I think his mouth just hurt really bad and he didn't want to chew anything, so apple sauce we easy and cold.  He loves his snack food too.  :)  He loves these cereal bars I bought for him the other week- cinnamon apple and banana strawberry.  He loves the graham cracker cookies I bought him too.  He still likes cheese and bread.  It's tough thinking of new things to feed him- sometimes I feel like he eats the same thing over and over.  Oh, black eyed peas are probably his favorite veggie!  Tonight we had pizza and he seemed to really like that.

Bennett isn't saying too many words.  He can say hey and Jason said he was going to start calling him "The Fonz" because he says it all the time!  :)  He can say thank you, which is really sweet.  Of course he says Momma.  ;)  He still jabbers most of the time.  He understands very well though and knows when he's not supposed to do anything.  I can tell him to do things and he knows what I mean- like go get a book or get your sippy cup.  He loves his books!  There's this one book, Old MacDonald, which is his favorite.  It has flip tabs and he loves to open and close those.  We'll go through it at least 2 times a night.  He's got a very good memory too, and amazes me at some of the things he does.  He knows what belongs in his Bertha bag and will put those things in it.  He's starting to imitate other people, so I guess I need to start being on my best behavior ALL the time now.  ;)

We got Bennett's bed put together and in his room.  Not sure when we'll let him try it out.  I'm thinking we'll let him nap up there first for a little while to get him used to it.  Right now we've been up there to play, but not to sleep.  Hopefully he'll love it and the transition won't be too hard on any of us!!  :)

I just love love love him to pieces!!  Such a joy!  Here a just some recent pictures....

Cute, cute hiney! :)