Merry Christmas!

Waiting for Christmas

Making a gingerbread house with Lulu.

Gingerbread house is done, picture is taken, let's eat the candy.

Any doubt that my kiddos are night owls just like their parents? Who is that puffy-face, squinty-eyed, wolverine-hair kid? That's my Sam, who just rolled out of bed at 9am to open his Advent calendar gift. I had to go wake Ben up at 9:30. I'm not complaining!

Our favorite Christmas pastime, playing with gel clings on the windows.

Benny-boo all bundled up to play outside in the cold. To my surprise, he actually willingly put on the hat and mittens.

This Month in Pictures

Lego Fever! This is where it all started ... a Lego party at Borders.

Lulu visited for Thanksgiving.

Pops did too.

Saints/Cowboys game. Pops, Mimi, Chris, and ...

Eric.

Amazing seats.

And this is why we haven't taken many pictures this month ... Benny has been a little clingy and cries when I'm not holding him.

Aunt Sharon and Fabio came to visit.

We had to get a picture with Chris too.

Donuts!!!

Yummy!!!

Really not sure where they get this from ... they are too young for A Night at the Roxbury.

Sam and Hagen are signed up for the Rising Stars hockey program and are fully geared up and ready to go.

14 years!

Gel clings have been a huge hit.

Ben at 13 Months

I missed the stats from Ben's 12 month appointment, so here they are ...

Weight: 20 lbs. 2 oz. (12%)

Length: 30 in. (55%)

Head Cir: 18 in. (29%)

He had gained two pounds since his 12 month appointment, but he had diarrhea for the last week, so he's probably lost a pound. He looks much smaller than Sam did at the same age, especially around his face. I'm thinking that may be because I'm not so worried about what he's eating like I was with Sam.

Did you notice the pacifier in Ben's mouth? He hasn't used one since he was about four months old, but he found one the other day and has wanted one ever since. We haven't fought him about it since he hasn't been feeling well and the pacifier has been very comforting to him.

Ben finally starting using the walker at around 12 months. He's taken a few steps without it, but he definitely is not interested in walking on his own. He and Sam chase each other in laps around the house and just squeal with laughter.

We turned Ben's car seat around at 13 months. He's much happier now that he can see us, see where we are going, and, more importantly, watch the DVDs with Sam.

Ben loves the washing machine. He loves to watch the clothes spin around.

Ben and Sam play very well together upstairs. That is very helpful when we are trying to cook dinner or clean up afterwards. We have gates at the top of the stairs so Ben shouldn't be able to get out. We've had one incident where he got out and was crawling around on the landing. We're not quite sure how he got out, but Chris tightened everything up.

Food, glorious food and my picky, picky eaters. I have another picky eater and we are at that oh so wonderful stage where Ben does not want me to feed him baby food any more, but he does not know how to feed himself with a spoon. He doesn't have any molars yet, so we have to be creative with the finger foods. He mostly tries one or two bites of something and doesn't want anything else. He refuses to drink milk and he refuses to drink formula out of a sippy cup, so he's still drinking formula out of a bottle. We are going to have to work on that over Christmas so he can move up to the next class at school.

Cleo's food and water bowls are wonderful and amazing, at least in the eyes of a 13 month old. If we forget to put the bowls up, he's over there in a flash with water and food every where.

Ben has two new bottom teeth for six total teeth. It seems he's teething the next two top teeth, but teething will more than likely be a constant until he has all twenty baby teeth.

Ben has become Mommy's baby. He wants me to hold him all of the time. If he sees me, he wants me. Most of the time, not even Daddy will do when he can see me. This is a little exhausting, especially on the weekends when he wants to be carried the whole time.

Ben isn't saying any new words. He's actually not even saying the words he knows due to the pacifier in his mouth. He says a lot of jibberish, especially when he wants something. Chris says it sounds like baby cussing.

Ben's favorite thing to do with Mimi is ride "dead pony". Mimi was over one weekend when Sam pointed him out and told Mimi that was his dead pony, so the name has stuck.

This is a very frustrating age to me. Ben is trying to learn so many new things that he is easily frustrated. There are so many transitions to be made and so much independence to be gained that it can be a little scary for him. I must admit that I do really enjoy the snuggle time!