Our Six Month Benaversary

So this past Sunday at 9:35 am was the official six-month Benaversary. I am especially glad he made his debut six months ago and didn't wait any longer than he already had. Now we didn't do anything fancy to celebrate the day; we just wished him a happy birthday like we do each month on the 20th.

Tuesday was our six-month well-Benjamin visit so we have all of his latest stats. And thankfully it isn't quite time for a new car seat, but I believe it will be in December when we go for his nine month visit. So are you ready for the fantabulous Ben stats? Benjamin is 27 1/2 inches tall, that is 2' 3 1/2", and he is 18 lbs 10 oz! I am quite pleased with his growth and the doctor is pleased with his progress as well. He had grown 2" in the last two months and gained 2 lbs 10 oz. Now on to a little about what Ben has been up to over the last month.

It took a while after that first roll, but about a week ago Ben started rolling around on the floor. He doesn't really go anywhere and he isn't quite flat on his belly (usually one arm is in the way) but he does roll trying to reach for toys to play with. He sort of rolls back and forth onto his side and then onto his back and sometimes nearly flat on that little belly of his. I am thankful for every day he remains stationary so I don't run myself ragged chasing after two little ones up to no good!

Ben is also sitting unsupported quite well. His balance has gotten much better over the last month in the sitting position. He can sit and play for several minutes before toppling over (usually backwards). Ben likes to sit but standing is still his favorite position. That means I am not getting a lot done these days as Ben is still not too proficient at standing. However he is beginning to learn about moving his feet while standing so once his balance improves I think he will be cruising all over the place. Jackie didn't do much cruising, but I definitely think Ben will. He already knows that he needs to be fast to keep up with Jackie, so I think he will do whatever he needs to to start moving around with her.

This past month was the advent of the next phase of growing up: solid foods. (And by default: solid poop.) We had been given the green light by the Doctor at the four month check-up, but decided to hold off a little while before giving Ben his first bite. After several episodes of Ben trying to help himself to our dinners, we finally decided we needed to start on the solids. It was a good decision because Ben was pretty determined that if we did not willingly give him "real" food then he would take it himself. He had quite a grasp on Don's bowl of pasta the night we finally relented! Ben has done quite well with his solids. He even liked rice cereal which Jackie never really liked. I guess Jackie still doesn't eat overly well, maybe Ben will be our big eater. But he especially likes his yellow vegetables: carrots, squash, and corn with sweet potatoes. This past weekend he really ate well. Ben ate half a jar of squash for dinner and then still had some milk. I was amazed at how well he did! Don has posted some cute pictures of Ben's first feedings, so check them out under the photos tab.

I'll post more about Ben when we get back from Texas in a month.

~Tiffany

The Turbulent Twos

So everyone always talks about the terrible twos, but after having experienced the twos on a daily basis (instead of just off and on when I was babysitting) I have decided that terrible isn't quite the right word to use. I think that the turbulent twos is a much better description. I guess that many people only think about the tantrums and power struggles when they use the word terrible, but there is so much more to the life of a two-year-old. Turbulent encompasses all the ups and downs of life at this age; I think being two must be sort of like traveling down a wild river. There are moments of tranquility and peace and then times where everything is unsteady and in danger of capsizing. Turbulent just seems to capture that image in one word.

Jackie's turbulent twos are traveling right along like a river in the spring near the source: quickly changing with the weather. Calm on cold days but becoming overfilled on rainy days when the melting snow runs off the mountains into the stream. There are a few odd days of tranquility right now. Days when Jackie is loving and cuddly like she was daily before turning two. But it seems most days right now are quite rocky, overflowing with new emotions and an ever growing need to assert her desires. And I think that Ben's new sense of independence and growing accomplishments is part of what has Jackie feeling so unsteady. She sees him getting praise for all that he is doing and to some extent being allowed to do things she is not (like pulling on hair and grabbing at things) and she feels the need to test the banks of her little stream.

But there are wonderful moments with Jackie. I guess they are the moments she feels the most secure in herself. It is nice to just sit with her in the wonder of growing up. Below are a few of these moments.

So recently Jackie has been having a blast with another little girl a lot like herself. She spends a little time here and there during the day with this little girl, but not necessarily every day. We live very close to the other little girl and Jackie is quite taken with her. We live so close to this little girl that she can often be found in our dining room. In fact, when Jackie found her she was staring back from the back of the china cabinet. You might have guessed it, but this other little girl is Jackie's reflection. Not to say that Jackie did not discover the power and awe of mirrors before now; she did. But this is a little different - Jackie is playing with the reflection somehow differently than she used to. And she thinks that she is quite funny. Maybe Jackie is now using her reflection to practice socializing with (that is sort of the impression I get when watching the interaction.) But whatever is different about the interchange between Jackie and her reflection, it is adorable.

Another recent occurrence happened while reading one of Jackie's favorite books: The Ear Book by Al Perkins. We probably read this book an average of 20 times a week and sometimes it feels like we read it that many times in a day. But about a week ago, shortly after my parents left, Jackie started to help read the book. This is a book filled with otomotopeas, and as I went to turn to the page about water Jackie said, "Drop, drop, drop." Which is exactly what the page says, "We hear water: drop, drop, drop." And she continued to help read the rest of the book.

This story is not so calm and wonderful as downright cute. We were driving home from errands the other evening and Ben was tired and hungry and not so calm. In fact, Ben was crying this ear-piercing cry. I looked back in my "Jackie view" mirror to see how she was coping, because she is usually upset by Ben's crying, and she had her fingers in her ears. It was so cute I burst out laughing and told her I wished I could do the same. She didn't like me laughing and she got upset. But the picture of her with little fingers in her ears trying to block out the painful screaming is still pretty funny.

New Photos

Just a quick note: there are several new photo galleries up. Two new ones are under the family photos tab, and one new gallery under Ben's first year.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

(Oh and I will try to get a few posts written this week.)