For the love of shoes

I seriously think I am in love.... with these adorable SHOES!!!!

I have had my eye on the Livie and Luca elephant shoes (www.livieandluca.com) forever now. I have liked them for sooo long that the company has discontinued them!!! My mom (Ben knows her as NANA) found them online at www.pajamasquid.com, and she ordered them for Benjamin! Hooray! They are even cuter in person than I could imagine...Thanks mom!!

The Boat Song

Lately Benjamin has been OBSESSED with boats...and tonight while we were eating dinner, he did not want to sing the "ABC" song or the "Itsy Bitsy Spider". He kept saying, "Boat song, boat song, etc.." I racked my brain, trying to think of a song with a boat. Nothing. So I made one up, and Benjamin (having clearly requested THE "Boat Song") got upset. "No, no, no!" he said. "Boat song!" Then it came to me!!! Row Your Boat!!! We were both singing quite well until I got out the camera, which always distracts him...this is our best take.

Painting Fun

Yesterday after I picked Ben up from Mother's Day Out, we went to our friend Ella's house to paint. Ella's mom, Leigh Erin, is way braver than I am --- she actually hung paper on the windows and let the kids "paint away"! Ben had sooo much fun - painting with his hands, his brush, Jack's brush...on his paper, on Jack and Ella's paper, his belly, in his hair, and of course on Leigh Erin's WHITE couch (thank goodness for washable paint!). Ben concentrating (I can tell b/c he always opens his mouth!)...

Ben, Jack and Ella getting more paint

more painting....

A beautiful masterpiece!!! This is about where we (I mean Ben) lost concentration, or interest - then I began chasing him around the house, trying to keep him from touching anything else with his dirty hands...he thought it was a game...until I caught him- and into the bathtub he went!!! The other two more "mature" children just needed their hands washed.

It's a GIRL!!!

I had my 20 week visit today, and we were soo happy to find out that Benjamin is going to have a baby sister, Mary Elizabeth!! When I showed Benjamin the ultrasound pictures, he smiled, pointed at my belly and said, "baby?" I cannot wait to meet this sweet new addition to our family!!

Mother's Day Out

Today was orientation for Mother's Day Out where Benjamin and I got to meet his teachers and classmates. I am starting Benjamin two days a week, from 9 to 2. I have had mixed emotions about this decision....some days I feel like it is the right thing to do, for both me and Ben; and others I feel I may be starting him too soon. Oh well, we are signed up and there is no going back now!
So I figured Benjamin would be super clingy, maybe even cry and not let go of me this morning...but to my surprise...as soon as we walked into the classroom, he jumped down out of my arms, ran to the big slide where a group of kids were playing and never looked back! I feel much better about my decision now --> Ben is ready for this...and I may get to get my grocery shopping done in peace now. Ahhh!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

We had a birthday party for our friend John Paul (he turned 2) this weekend, and on the invite was written, "dress up as your favorite character". What?! As I silently cursed (in the sweetest way possible) the birthday boy's mom (I love you, Kate), I racked my brain trying to figure out what Ben should be...he doesn't really watch tv or cartoons (not from a lack of trying on my part!) or really "know" any characters. Ben is also the biggest boy out of most of our friends, so last year's Halloween costume is out...until I thought of our friend Jack, who is 2 and wears a 4T. Jack's mom was more than happy to let us borrow his spider costume from last year....

Isn't my Itsy Bitsy Spider the sweetest thing you have ever seen?

Summer Pictures

Here are some pics I took this summer that I haven't posted yet...More to come later.


Happy 1st Birthday Owen!!!

Only pic of all three kids together during Owen's party...their matching shirts are compliments of Kales Jessen --- THANKS!!!

Our family shot during our annual Toledo Bend Fishing Trip with my extended family...see last year's shot here -->http://7thstsyn.blogspot.com/2009/07/three-cabins-on-toledo-bend-lake.html

Our summer playgroup took a trip to the Lafayette zoo - here is Ben on a tree...none of my pics of the other kids came out:(

Ben sliding down the pole with a fireman...Our playgroup took a field trip earlier this summer to the fire station on Big Lake Road - the kids LOVED the trucks, equipment and firemen...and the guys were GREAT! Thanks Ladder 8!

We couldn't get a group shot - this is the best I had...and we are missing lots of kids!!

Ben thought he was "all-time designated driver" at the fire house - he had a hard time letting someone else get in the driver's seat!

Visiting Daddy in Grand Isle

Since Seth has been away, I have been alternating dinner with friends during the weeknights - that way Ben and I don't eat alone every night (which can get lonely)...and the kids LOVE to eat and bathe together. The next 3 pics are in reverse order - dinner at Leigh Erin's...

Ella and Ben sitting with Ella's giant bear...avoiding diapers and PJ's after their bath

Ella rinsing Ben's hair in the bathtub

Ben with his Uncle Jason - Mother's Day lunch

Benjamin with his Nana on Mother's Day lunch at The Hungry Forager on the North Shore

Bubbles for Daddy