God Bless You

Benjamin and I have had a very nice week. I have lots of pics to upload and post of last week and a few of this week, but I will do that in a later post. I just wanted to remember what Ben said to me tonight. As I was rocking him and reading books right before bedtime, I sneezed. He looked at me and said in the sweetest voice ever, "God bless you, Mommy." I love that sweet baby boy!!

GEAUX!

Benjamin got to sit in a fire truck for his very first haircut!!

He had such a nice time playing with the trains, and sitting in the fire truck during his haircut

Playing in the water at the beach

Playing helicopter with Daddy at the beach

Cookies!! Today is the first LSU game day of the season, and I am soooo excited!! Benjamin has worn his LSU colors for the past three days now, getting ready for tonight. We had a great time making LSU cookies yesterday morning; Benjamin and Ella helped roll out the dough, cute the shapes, and decorate...This morning we went to get donuts and played at the beach. Then, Benjamin got his very first haircut at Pigtails and Crewcuts!! Now it is nap time, then off to Pappy's to watch the LSU Game!! GEAUX TIGERS!

Daddy's home!!

Now that Seth is home for 8 whole days, Benjamin has been getting as much "Daddy time" as he possibly can! These two boys are sooo great together -- Benjamin adores his Daddy, and has had a hard time letting him go (into another room, out of his sight, etc...). We have been busy, busy doing fun things as a family.... Daddy and Ben reading a book

Isn't that the sweetest smile ever?...right before he proceeded to throw balls EVERYWHERE!

Yesterday we had a major accomplishment, although I think it was a bit of a fluke. Benjamin pp'ed on the potty for THE FIRST TIME!!! We proceeded to have a party, complete with M&M's and big boy train underwear....a few minutes later, Ben pp'ed in his big boy underwear while sitting on his Daddy's lap!! Since I have not "officially" started potty training yet (although Ben seems to be ready), I will count yesterday as a good start. I know I need to start soon, I am just overwhelmed by the whole process --> especially with a BOY.

This morning we took Ben to the Creole Nature Trail (not realizing that it closed a LONG time ago)...we still had a nice time walking on the bridge - we spotted an alligator and lots of fish! Gracie even got to come...and she and Ben were quite a pair!

Mommy, Ben and Gracie taking a water break

A boy and his dog...

Ben looking at the alligator below in the water...Wow!!

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!!