A Playdate and Trick-or-Treating in the Red Stick

Benjamin, John Paul and Gianna (the gymnast in the background) in the famous ball pit

Benjamin's cheeks

Yesterday was a long, but very good day...It started out like any other weekday, but we had a playdate around lunchtime with John Paul Dawson and Gianna Lewis. Benjamin had a great time - like the Lewis', the Dawson's house also had a playpen FULL of balls!!! Ben was in heaven! While the kids played, Maria took pictures of our babies - see above. I was soo excited to hook back up with Maria, and then Kate and Dawson; what a blessing for me and Benjamin!!

After our playdate, Benjamin and I, along with my friend Leigh Erin and her little girl Ella, drove to Baton Rouge to trick or treat on sorority row at LSU. We met up with my sister and two of her friends and their three kids and my friend Angela and her two girls (all in all that is 9 kids!)...after a quick dinner at one of Emily's friend's houses, we put on costumes and headed to LSU. The kids were adorable - Virginia was literally a galloping giraffe (she was dancing "in the middle" of the dance circle at the Kappa House for a very long time - she had those college girls as her captive audience), Owen a elephant, Ella a bumblebee and Benjamin a monkey! The weather was cool and there were tons of cute kids in even cuter costumes to look at. Benjamin cannot walk yet, so he had to endure his stroller - next year I am sure he will lead the charge with Virginia and Owen. On the drive home last night, the babies got a little delirious and cranky (tired, uncomfortable and in sugar shock --> mostly Ella, although Benjamin got a small lolli earlier in the evening)...Leigh Erin and I sang every baby and praise and worship song we could think of!! Finally we made it home safely and fell quickly asleep. Happy Halloween! Pics of the "animals" to follow...

Tupperware Party!

Now that Benjamin is crawling around and getting into everything (when I think he will never want to play with that...as soon as I put him down, he races for the item and grabs it), I let him play in my tupperware cabinet in the kitchen. Everything else is off limits, which he doesn't seem to mind. Anyway, when I first began to watch him play he was pretty timid - usually only taking a few pieces out of the cabinet, then throwing them around the kitchen (and crawling to get them). Now after a few weeks of tupperware access, he is loving it! I was unloading the dishwasher this morning while he was playing in the kitchen. I heard lots of commotion, and when I looked...this is what I saw! So cute!!

Isn't this a pumpkin patch?!

Benjamin amid the mini pumpkins

The Hankins Family

Caroline trying to check out the pumpkin blaster

Jason, Jennifer and Jack Garcille

Benjamin playing with some hay

Caroline, Benjamin and Jack

I did my research, and thought I found the best place to bring Benjamin to get pumpkins (and take a few pictures)....but when we (Seth, Ben and I; The Garcille Family; The Hankins Family; and a few other families) arrived at CM Farms in Reeves, LA - we were overwhelmed by the great big corn maze (great for big kids, not so much for babies), and there was not a pumpkin in sight. We bought general admission tickets in addition to train tickets and set off in search of some pumpkins. When we got to the very back of the farm, a worker finally told us the patch was too muddy for us to get to...What?! We just packed up 3+ babies and drove almost an hour to see pumpkins! When the shock wore off, we relaxed and had a nice time...I used some mini pumpkins (used for the pumpkin blaster - great for big kids) and set up a small photo area. We took turns and each baby and family got a picture of their first trip to a "pumpkin" farm for their album. We enjoyed the lovely weather and the farm animals...even the train ride (bumpy) was fun! All in all, we had a great day!

Saturday Night in Death Valley

Death Valley before the game - The Golden Band from Tigerland

At the last minute, Seth and I managed to get tickets to the Florida game. We had a great time, despite the rain and the loss (Boo Gators!). I always forget how much I love the feeling of a sticky (or preferably, crisp) Saturday night at Tiger Stadium...the anticipation as the band marches on the field, the camaraderie with perfect strangers (high fiving or hugging a fellow fan after we have scored), the deafening roar of the crowd (and sometimes Mike the Tiger), and the overall feeling that there is no other place like Death Valley. Here are some pics at our tailgate. I am off to BR again tomorrow to spend some time with friends, go to Hollydays and to let Benjamin visit with his Nana.

Benjamin on his daddy's shoulders watching the band march down the hill before the game

Me, Ben, Jennifer and SaraBeth (perhaps Benjamin's future girlfriend??)

Auntie M and Ben taunting his alligator

Newer and Improved Crawling Video

OK - this is for Emily and mom...because the last crawling video didn't do my sweet baby boy any justice...Here he is!

Crawling!!!

Adele, Baby Charlie, Seth, Me and Baby Benjamin...Geaux Tigers!

Saturday morning Benjamin crawled for the first time (video below)...by the end of the day today (Sunday), he is crawling halfway across the living room - with breaks along the way. He will crawl a few feet, then sit down on his bottom to rest (or maybe get a gameplan where to go next?), then he will begin crawling again. He is so, so sweet! As you can see from the video, we used the infamous balloon as "bait".
We had a great weekend..the Tigers won (another close game that had me yelling at the TV and sweating with nervousness), Adele and baby Charlie came to visit, and today we just relaxed (went to church, went to a movie, then played with Ben the rest of the day).
Adele and Charlie came in on Saturday morning to visit and watch the LSU game downtown (we went to the tailgate party to benefit the YMCA). The two boys had a good time - talked to each other, took naps (Charlie a long one, Ben's was too short), and played by the bank safe which Seth was obsessed with...he made me take lots of pictures of it - him in it, him and Ben in it, Ben and Charlie playing by it, etc...The tailgate party had a VIP section (thanks Reiser's) that was inside the old Calcasieu Marine Bank.

Benjamin and Charlie in front of Seth's safe

Today, Robert stopped by to visit before he headed back home to Houston (we missed you Crystal!). Ben couldn't get over his beard...I know he has seen facial hair before, but only on guys with lighter hair.

CRAWLING!!!

It's a Boy!

Benjamin just recently discovered his obsession with balloons...being a first time mom and all, I am not sure if this is normal or not. Anyway, my mom bought Virginia a mylar Saints balloon last weekend, and Benjamin immediately claimed it as his own. He played with that balloon for hours - and anyone who tried to take it...well, let's just say even Virginia was a little scared to snatch it (her own balloon) away.

Today I am in the check out line at Wal-Mart (ugh!), and Benjamin starts fussing. Since it has been an upbeat trip (Ben singing, kicking his legs, bobbing his head to silent music), I try to figure out what is wrong. Do you want water? No. A cracker? No. Pacifier (almost always a winner)? No. Hmmm...I think for a second, then my eyes travel to where he is looking. It is a balloon attached to the register. I scan the other registers - no balloons. Of course it is the one I picked!

So, I guess I could have let him fuss until we left (it was a long line), but I didn't. I walked to the cashier and asked her if I could buy that balloon hanging over her head. She said, "I think it is just a display". Ben MUST have understood, because he started fussing even louder. The cashier smiled and said, "I have grandkids his age", and cut down the balloon and handed it to Benjamin. The lady behind us in line cheered (cause' she was happy for Ben or because he stopped fussing?).

PS - Thanks Nana for the Halloween PJ's...isn't he cute?