Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?

This afternoon we had Aunt Mary, Uncle Tommy, Jaime, Jared and James over for a BBQ pool party. Benjamin wore his full body green SPF 60 swim suit from Land's End, and Jared Lee kept calling him a Ninja Turtle...look at the pictures and decide for yourself.
Aunt Mary and Benjamin had a great time in the pool, and the BBQ was delicious! Gracie practiced her long jump (off the diving board) for the upcoming Dog Trials (she may have a chance). After we ate, the guys watched the LSU regional game while the girls bathed and rocked Ben to sleep...then it was outside to swing and enjoy some girl talk.

Gracie jumping off the diving board...wow!

Auntie M and Ben enjoying the "waterfall"

Our little turtle...

Mommy and Ben

It's been a LONG day!

Whew! I left the house this morning at 9 am with Benjamin, my friend Tanya, and her son Matthew (5 weeks older than Ben) and just got home (5:30 pm)...We have been all over town (and even Sulphur - they have a better selection of organic stuff for Ben's baby food) toting these two babies. The boys both LOVE watching Baby Einstein together in our car; and they both laugh, shout and kick their legs at the same things. I took some pictures of Matthew today at our house, and they turned out very good - I need to get Ben outside and take some of him in the near future.

Ben has been teething (I think) these past few days - he is using Sophie the Giraffe (he better). I am posting a shot of him gnawing on Sophie in his new owl Zutano shirt (thanks Nana!).

Jogging, Cooking and Weedeating

It has been a while since I wrote, but we have been busy, busy and life at our house has been eventful. We spent this past weekend in New Orleans visiting with our family and loving on our new addition, baby Owen (who still looks JUST like his daddy)! Virginia also got alot of love and attention because she is the new big sister. Seth, Benjamin (sporting his new crawfish PJ's - thanks Auntie M and Uncle T-Tom), and I went with the gang to Mulatte's close to the quarter and enjoyed live/loud cajun music and good food Saturday night. We spent the next day celebrating Owen's birthday with cupcakes from Bee Sweet Cupcakes (http://www.beesweetcupcakes.com/) ; my fav was The Drew Brees.

Then it was back to LC to celebrate Memorial Day...we spent the afternoon swimming with the Garcille's (Jennifer, Jason ans Baby Jack) and enjoying some good BBQ. I also got a jogging stroller (InStep Runaround Ltd) that day. I have been jogging (hopefully this makes my Paw Paw happy -- you know why) for the past two days and feel tired and sore...which I am sure is a good thing.

Tonight we went to Lowe's to buy Seth's Father's Day present (early, I know). He got a new weedeater - which Ben laughed and squealed at when he saw it (he practically picked it out himself!). Now Seth is outside playing with his new toy...no telling when I will see him again!

Tomorrow I am going shopping to buy groceries so I can cook lots of meals this weekend; I will freeze and use them when Em, Virginia and Owen come to stay at my house in a few weeks...I have lots of new recipes I am trying out from Cooking Light.

Update on Benjamin: we weighed him on the Wi, and he is now 20 pounds and 3 ounces (that's one big baby!). He is also now sitting up regularly by himself for extended periods of time (20 - 30 minutes)!!!

More pictures of Owen

Owen Roberts Turner

Virginia is a big sister...and Benjamin has a boy and a girl cousin to play with!!! We were all excited (and surprised) to hear that Emily had a sweet baby boy on Wednesday afternoon. The proud daddy (Jason) came to the waiting room to announce Owen's birth to me, mom (Nana), Mrs. Debbie (Dobby), Virginia and TMark (or T-Mart). Owen was born on 5/20/09 at 5:09 pm and weighed in at 8 ounces (even though he looks so little, little). He is 20 3/4 inches long. Both mommy and baby are doing well and will be going home tomorrow.

It's a BOY!!!

Emily had her baby at 5:09 pm - Owen Roberts Turner...more details (and pictures!) to come.

Wild, wild weekend...still no baby!

We went to Houston on Thursday afternoon in search of a SUV for me (Audi is too small now that we have Benjamin). I have been researching SUV's for some time now, so I had a list of about 7 cars that I wanted to look at while we were there. Robert and Crystal were kind enough to spend the day car hunting with us on Friday. Eleven hours and 6 cars later (and some good BBQ), we finally got it! We bought a Volvo XC 90!!! We were not expecting such a long day, but we had a very good time (The Reiser's were good company!).
We made it home in time to go to Max Adam's 3rd birthday party, and Benjamin went swimming for the second time in his life...he LOVED it this time!! He was kicking his legs and splashing his arms and laughing...
Today we went to Big Lake with Robert, Crystal and Becky and went fishing and crabbing...it was very chilly, windy, etc....not the best weather for crabbing. We had a great time - the dogs played with each other (Gracie and the Reiser's 4 dogs - Fudge, Casey, Lily and Belle). Then it was back home for bath and bedtime for Benjamin. I hope he sleeps well.
Still no word from Emily on the new Baby Turner...patience is a virtue (?).

Mommy, Gracie and Ben in Big Lake

Baby Benjamin wearing shoes for the very first time!

Our new family SUV

Baby Turner On Its Way???

OK- I just got off the phone with Em - she has been feeling quite yucky all day with cramps (read early labor). Tonight it is even worse...she finally decided to pack her hospital bag (so it must be getting closer!). Anyway, she said she would call me as soon as she left for ythe hospital (or before) and not a second later!!! Oh - I know I won't be able to sleep.

I can't wait to meet my new little niece/nephew!

Oh - I tired another new recipe tonight out on Silas and Seth - chicken chimichangas (Cooking Light)...delicious! http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=604814

The cutest boy ever!

Today was a beautiful one here in LC - Ben went through 4 outfits before 2 pm (I finally left the 4th on him even though he drooled on it until it was wet). He also sat up unassisted for over 30 seconds this morning! Still no word from Em about the new baby - Mrs. Linda calls every day for the update.

Tomorrow we are starting apples - Ben is eating us out of house and home! He has started to make the "razz" sound with the spit in his mouth; and when Seth was feeding him this afternoon, he "razzed" sweet potatoes across the dining room (I am not cleaning that up)!

Tonight he is wearing the new PJ's mom got him and they actually fit (12-18 months!).

First Mother's Day...Fun!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Today we celebrated our first Mother's Day with Baby Benjamin. Mom came into town to spend the weekend with us. After church (and a very yummy breakfast quiche I made - recipe @ http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=257960) we packed a picnic and went to Sam Houston Jones State Park. It was a beautiful day - we ate, played with the ducks and turtles, and took a little nap by the water. Then, it was back home to take Benjamin's very first dip in the pool!!! He seemed to like it (it was hard to tell, since he kept his pacifier in his mouth for most of the swim). Even Gracie joined in the fun!!

Still no news from Emily regarding my soon to be niece or nephew - the suspense/wait is killing me (at this point I think Emily feels the same way)!! Hurry up new Baby Turner!

Adventures in Blogging?!

Ok - I have been wanting to create a blog for some time now so that friends and family can keep track of our daily happenings here in Lake Chuck (and I do mean chuck). We have already had a very productive day - I rode the riding lawn mower for the very first time and finished the back AND front yard in under an hour (with no grass in the pool)! Seth swept and vaccumed (he wants me to put mopped - but that has not happened yet), folded clothes and sold his boat trailer...all in a days work!

Baby Ben has been practicing talking, sitting up, and jumping in his jumperoo most of the day (he did have two decent naps in the between) - he has already put away some zucchini, bananas, avocado and his bottles...whew!