May 28, 2008 at 3:44 pm (Benjamin)
This week we finally mailed out birth announcements for Benjamin. Our friend Natalee took the pictures for them in early April, when Benjamin was about five weeks old, and also designed the birth announcements. We think she did a great job! I wanted to show off some of her other work from our family photo shoot, so I’ve done so in the photo gallery below. For those of you who are interested in any of these pictures, I can put you in touch with Natalee about purchasing them. They are, after all, her property! By the way, she is starting up her own photography business, and her website will be ready soon:
Needless to say, we highly recommend her for any family pictures you’d like to have made. She also took maternity photos of me back in January. Thanks for all you do, and for your passion for photography, Natalee!
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May 28, 2008 at 2:45 pm (Benjamin)
Benjamin is very peaceful, angelic even, when he is sleeping (I suppose most babies are). And up until recently, it was rather easy to get him to go down for a nap. My routine was to swaddle him, rock him, and then put him in his crib, where he might cry for five minutes, but then he would go to sleep.
The past few days he has been more resistant. His usual five-minute “complaining” cry is now sometimes replaced with a shrill, very sad cry. Sometimes this means gas pains, but other times he continues crying after I burp him or change him, which tells me he is just very tired but stubbornly resisting sleep. So today I added another step to our routine: lullabyes. Actually, I don’t really know many lullabyes, so instead I serenaded him (in a soothing, quiet way) with a medley of American folk songs. I grew up singing these on family road trips and at school, and also probably listened to them on children’s sing-along records. So I know the words quite well.
Benjamin was pleasantly amused by my mini-concert, rewarding me with his sweet smiles and coos. Even better, he would interject some drooping eyelids and yawns in between the smiles. It still took him awhile to drift off to sleep, but I think we have both found a new step to enjoy as part of the pre-naptime ritual.
In case you are curious, here are the songs from my spontaneous medley:
- “This Land Is Your Land”
- “You Are My Sunshine”
- “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” (I especially like the “Dinah” parts of this song)
- “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain When She Comes” (several of the verses)
I was about to start in on “If I Had a Hammer,” but he seemed ready to go into his crib, so I’ll save it for next time. 
Did I miss any other classics?
Do any of you moms have other suggestions for good “settling down” activities? I’ll start trying out reading books to him pretty soon, too.
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May 27, 2008 at 11:21 am (Benjamin, Diversions)
We had a very pleasant Memorial Day. The day began with some down time at home. Brad and Benjamin enjoyed some snooze and snuggle time on the sofa.
Later in the morning, before it got too humid and hot to be outside, we picked up our nephew Joel and headed to our neighborhood park. Joel’s birthday was March 11, and at that time we told him that we wanted to take him on a birthday outing, involving playing with Uncle Brad’s remote control monster truck at the park and getting lunch at McDonald’s. Obviously, we were a little preoccupied in March, learning to be parents and such, so we didn’t get around to taking him on his outing until now. We had a fun time, even though it was already in the upper 80s outside at 11:00 a.m. As this picture makes clear, the truck was a big hit with other kids at the park as well. They came running literally from all over the place to join in the fun.
Meanwhile, Benjamin and I sat under one of the few shade trees on a blanket. He really enjoyed himself – kicking his arms and legs, listening to the sounds of the truck and the birds, and most of all, feeling the breeze on his face. He even managed to open his eyes and look around. That may be a first, as usually it is too bright for his little eyes, other than when he’s in the shade of his stroller.
After our park excursion, Benjamin’s feeding and napping schedule was off kilter, but by 6:00 p.m. he was finally feeling rested and cheerful again (after an afternoon of fussiness and not much sleep). Here he attempts to reach for the camera. He’s been experimenting with controlling his hands and holding toys this week. It’s fun to watch him.
We ended our Memorial Day by grilling out and eating dinner with our friends Luke and Natalee. Benjamin is fascinated by their two boys, Simeon and Caleb, and after they went to bed, he was considerate enough to fall asleep at the dinner table so the grown ups could enjoy some peaceful conversation. It was a fun time for all, and a great way to wind down a busy day.
Benjamin turns three months old this weekend, so look for a timeline of photos then, showing his progressive growth since he was born.
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May 20, 2008 at 10:51 am (Benjamin, Family)
We had quite a busy weekend, celebrating Patrick’s (my little brother) graduation from SMU Law School. Friday night we had dinner at my sister Cara’s house, with her family, my parents, Patrick, and his wife Lindsi. Benjamin cooperated by taking a nap while we ate (dinner is his usual fussy time). Brad was actually out of town all week on a business trip, so when he got back to town Friday night he met us at Cara’s house. By the way, Benjamin and I got along just fine while he was gone, but I did go a little stir crazy with the lack of adult conversation!
Saturday night was Patrick’s graduation ceremony, which was in a courtyard at SMU. Since we didn’t know how Benjamin would react to a two hour ceremony, we opted to stand at the back rather than sit in the middle of the crowd. He was a little annoyed by the whole event, so we were glad to have his stroller to keep him occupied. He stayed awake until the last 20 minutes! Anyway, congrats to Patrick for graduating with honors from law school!
After the ceremony, we went to Maggiano’s for a late dinner. We weren’t seated until about 9:00. Amazingly, Benjamin was awake and very happy throughout dinner. I guess he was as glad as we were that we weren’t sitting through the calling of hundreds of names anymore.
On Sunday, we joined the family again at Cara’s for lunch and then went to meet with our small group from church for the rest of the afternoon.
With all that activity, Benjamin slept 10 hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night! So Brad and I are well rested, too.
Here are some pictures from our fun weekend. Click on each one to view a larger version and a description.
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May 15, 2008 at 5:57 pm (Benjamin, Growth and Development)
It’s hard to believe that Benjamin is already two and a half months old! Before perusing the pictures below, check out these tidbits about what he’s been up to lately:
- He now sleeps through the night consistently. He only wakes up during the night about once a week now. Otherwise he sleeps until between 7 and 8 most mornings.
- This week he discovered his hand. That is, he has started to examine it as he moves it around and brings it toward his face.
- He has also discovered his tongue. He is very cute when he sticks it out of his mouth and wiggles it around. He gets a big kick out of our reaction, which leads him to continue the fun.
- He loves to go outside. Whether it’s in the stroller for a walk, laying in the backyard on a blanket, or accompanying me to get the mail, he always likes listening to the sounds of birds, cars, airplanes; loves the feeling of the wind on his face; and especially likes to look up into the trees.
It is amazing to watch our little boy grow right before our eyes. It’s so much fun to see him learning, taking in everything that he sees, hears, and touches. From the time that we get him out of bed in the morning (when he is all smiles and laughter) to the time we put him to bed at night (when he is very snuggly and content, swaddled in a blanket), being parents is a most rewarding adventure.
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May 13, 2008 at 6:28 pm (Benjamin, Family)
Before Benjamin was born, Brad and I wondered what it would be like to travel with him. Would he be a happy traveler, or a cranky baby who’d rather be at home with all his familiar comforts? We also wondered when we would be ready to travel with him: month two? month three? As it turns out, we felt ready to take him on the road this past weekend, which marked ten weeks for him.
So, how was he? Great! On the way to Ruston, where we went to visit my parents, my brother and his wife, and a few friends who hadn’t met Benjamin yet, he mostly slept. Same story on the way back. Apparently he can’t resist the lulling effects of the I-20 road noise. And oddly enough, he slept better than he ever has while we were in Ruston. The first two nights we were there, he slept 10 hours straight! I guess he finds Ruston as relaxing as we do.
Here were some of the high points of our trip, other than Benjamin’s fabulous sleeping schedule
- We ate a very pleasant outdoors lunch at Sundown in downtown Ruston, with my dad, Chris, and Karen. Chris fed Benjamin so I could enjoy my tasty burger and salad.
- Benjamin enjoyed lots of quality time with Grandad, including this morning bottle feeding. The cute frog nightgown Benjamin is wearing is one of my favorites, but sadly he has pretty much outgrown it! It is time for me to start going through the 3-6 month clothes, because he’s getting too tall for many of his 0-3 month outfits.
- Benjamin was highly amused by Brad’s piano playing. Too bad we don’t have a piano at home, because I sense that this would be a good form of entertainment to avoid fussiness.
- Benjamin was intrigued by the black and white piano keys, and the sounds they made. I have a feeling he will be musically inclined, like his parents.
- Mama C bathed him in the kitchen sink every night. He found this very relaxing.
- His smile and his onesie say it all. Benjamin was very sweet to me on my first Mother’s Day.
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May 7, 2008 at 7:24 pm (Miscellaneous)
You may think that all baked potatoes are created equal, but I’d like to challenge that thought. I’ve always had trouble remembering how long to bake a potato, what temperature to set the oven to, whether to wrap the potato in foil or just poke it with a fork, etc. Several months ago, in my quest to double check these details, I came across a fun little website devoted exclusively to the ideal recipe for baking a potato. It takes you through every step, including pictures, that will lead to the ultimate tasty spud.
Brad and I have counted baked potatoes as one of our favorite meals for years, but since I’ve started applying this detailed website’s instructions, Brad has proclaimed that I make the best baked potato in the world! So, I thought I would encourage those of you searching for a new spin on an old classic, or those of you looking for an easy and tasty dinner, to check out this website: www.howtobakeapotato.com
We are having baked potatoes tonight, which is why they are on my mind. Let me know what you think, after you try this website’s tried and true recipe for spud success. By the way, our toppings of choice: turkey chili (no beans), shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions. Sometimes we also add steamed broccoli, or do a barbecue theme, with shredded pork and sauce. What are your favorite tater toppings?
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May 2, 2008 at 10:06 pm (Benjamin, Growth and Development)
Benjamin officially turned two months old yesterday! Unfortunately, we celebrated the occasion with three vaccinations which have left him feverish and fussy. 
Other than that, though, the doctor’s appointment went well.
His two-month growth update:
- Weight: 11 lbs. 6 oz. (25-50% range compared to other two-month olds)
- Height: 23 3/8″ (50-75%)
Benjamin at Two Months:
- He is very happy and smiley when he first wakes up in the morning. Watch this video to see what I mean.
- He enjoys sitting in his swing and looking out the window. (He also has a good view of the brick on our fireplace hearth from where we have the swing, and for some reason he finds it very amusing.)
- He normally goes down for naps for easily (let’s hope that sticks!). I swaddle him, snuggle and/or rock him for a minute, and then put him in his crib. Usually he drifts right off to sleep, but sometimes he’ll cry for about five minutes and then fall asleep.
- His best nap time is mid-morning, when he sometimes will sleep for two hours. The rest of the day he takes 45 minute naps in between feeding times.
- Benjamin has finally noticed that we share our home with an interesting cat named Chloe. He has started watching her as she crosses the room.
- Now that he has the ability to hold his head up for awhile while also turning his head, he has started to observe his surroundings. Some of his favorite discoveries: the wall paper border in his nursery, the red bird on a wall hanging in his nursery, the refrigerator (when it is opened), and ceiling fans.
- He enjoys watching me exercise at home, and he even tries to imitate my arm and leg movements when I do bicep curls, leg lifts, etc.
- It is amazing to watch him learn all the time. He takes in everything he sees and hears and processes it. It will be fun to see him continue to develop more personality and understanding of the world around him.
And now, the pictures:
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The Official Two Month Old Pose
Benjamin is showing off how he can hold his head up during tummy time.
Perfect little feet and toes! I also love his chubby legs.
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