A Chorus Line in Texas

Ben and I traveled to Houston this weekend to spend some time with Crystal Reiser, while Seth was hunting with Robert and a few friends in West Texas. I finally let go a bit and got a baby sitter (first non-family member to take care of Benjamin) so that Crystal and I could have a girl's night. Crystal's cousin (so it WAS a family member, just not mine!) came around 5 pm and politely listened to instructions re Benjamin's bedtime, pacifier, lovie, etc...Finally, around 6 pm we set out for downtown Houston (we were staying in Kingwood). After a wonderful dinner at Crave Sushi (excellent!) and a yummy pomegranate martini, Crystal and I set out to find the Hobby Center (no small task since we are both super directionally challenged). We had come prepared with a mapquest printout of everywhere we were headed, and managed to fumble our way through the one-ways, construction, and city transit to make it there in time for the show. A Chorus Line was great!! It has been so long since I saw the movie (which I have always LOVED), but I remembered most of the songs and themes...and did not even realize two and a half hours had passed when they finished the grand finale (One...Singular Sensation). We had a few scary minutes when we got very lost trying to get back on 59 N; bad neighborhood, lots of cars and people looking at us like we were NOT allowed there.
When we got back to Crystal's house, Ben was fast asleep...he had done well (cried when we left and cried when she out him down - all of which I expected b/c of being with a stranger in a strange place). Today we just relaxed in Kingwood until the boys got home...Seth was so excited to see Benjmain, while Ben was excited to show his daddy the puppy dogs (The Reiser's have 4 dogs, and Ben was in heaven all weekend).
Ben was so funny about the "stuffed" animals in the house - he would point to the ducks and geese ("duh" - he would say and clap)...and the sailfish that was high up above a window (very large) he didn't notice until today. He would say "shhh" (I can only assume he is saying fish) and hold his hand out to "call" the fish!! --- back story on that --> his nana taught him to "call" the kitty cat by holding his hand out and rubbing his fingers together, while saying, "Here kitty, kitty". So when he reached his hand out and "called" the fish the way he calls the kitty cats, I was so surprised...and I knew his nana would be proud!!

We also went to the doctor for our 12 month visit this week:
24 pounds, 7 ounces (60th percentile)
31 3/4 inches tall (95+ percentile)