Worst Week Ever

Ben and I were having such a great week last week...playing with cars and trucks and tractors, going to the park, and just hanging out together. Friday night I went to the movies with some friends (got a babysitter and everything!), and by the time I got home, I was not feeling so good. Saturday morning I woke up with a fever, headache and just a general yucky feeling. I called my aunt to come get Benjamin so that he would not get sick...by Saturday night I was a mess -- feeling very bad. Sunday morning I woke up, got undressed to take a shower hoping it would make me feel a little better, and guess what I saw?! Little red spots...EVERYWHERE!! I went to our family doctor (who is a friend and would see me on a Sunday), and he took one look and said, "It is definitely viral...you need to call your OB and go see a dermatologist". At this point I am an emotional mess...I miss my baby boy (who I only intended on sending away for a day or so), and I am VERY worried about baby Mary Elizabeth. Long story short (and 4 dermatologists later), I have chicken pox!!! How I got it is still a mystery. I have been quarantined for days now, because it is very contagious...and I may be losing my mind with loneliness, horrible red spots and missing my sweet baby (who I have not seen in 4 days!!!). Seth came home a day early (on his birthday) to care for me yesterday. It has been nice to finally have someone here with me, but I hate that his 30th birthday has turned out this way. Needless to say, I am hoping for an end to this week.

Mary Applesauce

Now that Benjamin is talking...ALOT...and I can understand him, I am realizing that he is pretty funny (silly, cute, etc...)! We have discussed the baby in Mommy's belly lots and lots and Benjamin knows that it is a girl and we are naming her Mary Elizabeth. He says her name all the time...which only makes this video even cuter. my pumpkin eating a pumpkin muffin new halloween pj's

LSU and deer too!!!

This weekend Ben and I went to the LSU v. McNeese game with Aunt Duby and Uncle Mark. Ben had a great time!! He ate and ate and ate --- pure junk food! And he danced and cheered and gave everyone high fives when LSU scored. What a great night!!

Uncle Mark, Aunt Duby and Ben...ready for gametime
mommy and ben, relaxing
watching the band perform the pregame show

This past week we met some friends at Sam Houston Park and had a wonderful experience with the deer...they were SOOO close! Ben, Ella and Gianna were feeding the deer cheerios, crackers and corn (and eating a little of the corn themselves...yuck!).

Halloween Craft Party...BOO!

A few weeks ago, Seth, Ben and I hosted a Halloween Craft Party at our house for all of Ben's friends. I have been wanting to do something like this for a while, but have been worried that Ben was too young to "get it". I was wrong...the kids had a GREAT time!! We made finger puppets, played with Halloween stickers, made pumpkin candy necklaces (which was a BIG hit with Emma), decorated sugar cookies, ate cupcakes (thanks Ella's mom), had a pumpkin hunt, and enjoyed PIZZA!! It was an afternoon of junk food and great friends! Thanks everyone for coming...we really enjoyed the time with you!
ben finding a hidden pumpkin
ben and gianna decorating sugar cookies
a very sweet moment between Maria and Gianna
ben enjoying a cuocake

emma
ella
Seth and Ben making a finger puppet

The Pumpkin Patch

This past weekend we visited Red Bluff Farms in Folsom, LA with my mom, Emily, Jason and the kids. Ben had a great time...petting baby animals (they had cows, horses, pigs, goats, sheep and chicks), watching how a cow is milked, taking a tour of the farm (running the ENTIRE way...very, very far!), having lunch, riding a horse-drawn carriage, playing with his cousins AND...the TRACTORS! There must have been about 10 tractors scattered around the farm, and Ben found and inspected each and every one of them! He was VERY tired at the end of the morning (see posed pictures below), but I know he really loved this trip!

Daddy's Back!!

I feel like we have been living life in two week increments: Daddy home and Daddy away. I have not posted in a while cause I have been busy while Daddy was away...now that he is home, I have a bit of time to catch up. Here are tons of pics from the last time Seth was home as well as the past few weeks without him. Last time Seth was here, we went to the Acadiana Zoo - Ben had a great time feeding the fish, looking at the turtles, riding the train and pushing and pulling the wagon.
The next weekend, I had a great time with my friends from Poker Night in Baton Rouge when they all came to LC for my friend, Hannah's bachelorette party. We stayed at L'auBerge and floated on the lazy river, enjoyed lots of food, going out, and spending time with old friends. The next weekend Ben and I went to Covington for Hannah's wedding (I was a bridesmaid at 6 months pregnant!), then we drove across the Causeway to NO to watch the Saints game (Who Dat!) at Emily and Jason's new house. Ben had so much fun playing with his cousins...spinning and jumping and dancing all around! Last week we went to Sam Houston State Park to feed the ducks and play as well as enjoyed the St. Louis Homecoming Parade...Bern had so much fun catching beads and candy, then pushing his red car home to count his "loot"! This past weekend (Seth has been home for almost a week now), we drove to BR to watch the Tigers play (it hurts to discuss any more than that)...Ben enjoyed playing with his cousin O-Man and his Nana while we hung out with friends after the game. Benjamin ate 10 donut holes on the way to BR -- we let him hold the bag (cause his Uncle Mark spoiled him rotten that way)...and the next time I looked back, he was FINISHED with the bag! Wow! We plan on having a great week while Seth is still in town...I will be sure to post all of the fun things we are doing!