Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

From our family, who remembers a Savior

born in a manger,

but also a Savior who calms the frazzled, heals the sick, guides the hawk to snakes in the yard, provides when life feels overwhelming, celebrates with our joys, comforts in our tears, made visible in our joy-filled or our frustrated moments.

of good news that brings great joy

Benjamin or BenjaFlay

The many faces of Benjamin,

well,

are awesome!

That grin.

Those eyebrows.

Seriously, those eyebrows.

(Our favorite is Benjamin's "Spock eyebrows"....  They are hard to capture on film, but you see some good glimpses in these shots!)

We also love Benjamin's palate.  He loves a wide variety of foods, loves spicy foods,

and he loves sitting with me while I cook!  We laugh and say maybe he will be the next Bobby Flay, our own little "BenjaFlay!"

This is him stealing raw onion out of the bowl, and loving it!

My helper peeling an onion

Benjamin, BenjaFlay, or maybe BenjaSpock

All That was Missed

Here are some of the things that happened around here this fall!

Anna-Kate's class went on a field trip to Raleigh Little Theater.  I loved getting to chaperone, and she loved getting to ride a school bus!

Dad broke church etiquette and took a selfie, 

and Mom loves it!!

Anna-Kate and her long legs, it was time to get a bigger bike!  She is so close to being a true bike rider!  Benjamin needs some more practice, but... 

we all love getting out as a family!

Anna-Kate is becoming quite the reader!  My favorite is watching her bring home her library books, sit on the couch and read to Benjamin.

A warm fall afternoon,

it was a beautiful sight outside the kitchen window to see all 3 of my kids having fun in the back yard!

Anna-Kate's school has a back-to-school picnic every year.  She and Benjamin stood in line for so long, passing up the bouncy house, to get their faces painted

Peyton, Brady, and Anna-Kate

first grade buddies!

Benjamin and his smoothie!

Benjamin's first performance in front of a crowd

Lambs at church

He only participated in the third and final song, but he was so cute that I'll take just one in three!

While I was in DC meeting Jax, Dad, Anna-Kate, and Benjamin had their own fun!

They went to a fall family picnic with Oma and Opa's office.  

Painted pumpkins

Got their faces painted and picked out some mums for the front porch

They were thrilled that Dad also took them to see a movie! 

Then off to Chic-Fil-A to finish their day of fun with Dad!

When Mom and Dad have dinner with their friends the Macks, there is always a cheese course.

Anna-Kate sneaks by to steal more cheese than even Mom eats!

One evening for a treat, Benjamin and Anna-Kate got to have a pajama party, watch a show in bed, and then have a sleepover in Anna-Kate's room!  So fun to have ordinary treats with your siblings!

Camden got to celebrate his birthday at our house while his parents went to a wedding.  Perfect timing for big icecream sundaes!  Happy 11th birthday Camden!  (Love the blurry siblings photo bombing!)

And, now we get excited for Christmas!!

8 Months

Bethie girl! this has been such a huge month for you!

Your formula has been figured out.  28oz of Necoate.  4 six-ounce bottles and then one more bottle before Will and I go to bed.  That one is our favorite!  You are so funny.  You either sleep through it.  Or, you wake up in this so awesome, groggy and delirious way.  We are going to be so sad when this feeding disappears.  For your continuous sleep's sake, hopefully in another month or so as you get more solids and your belly can hold a little more milk at the earlier 4 feedings.  For our enjoyment's sake, hopefully not for another year!

You started eating and you love it now!  Most of the time, you are mad when the bowl is empty!  You have had 4 foods, number 5 tomorrow.  We will go back to the allergist after the first of the year and talk about how to introduce you to your first grains and meats and starches.

You are a mover now!  You can go forward!  You use what we call the "corkscrew crawl."  So fun to watch.  Game on, girl, now we have to get all tiny things out of your path.  You love figuring out what your brother and sister are in to!
The day after you crawled forward for the first time, you went from on your tummy to sitting for the first time!
So many milestones this month!

You are our laid back girl!  Happy.  Quietly observant.  Love attention and reward the giver with a huge grin.  A sweet cuddler.  (Mommy is obsessed with how you cuddle in!)  You don't need more than a toy or two to keep you occupied.  You will not nap very long on the go anymore, but you adjust easily when the rest of the family's schedule keeps you away from your crib.  We call you our easiest going, highest maintenance baby!  So flexible, with a tummy that we are still figuring out!

Bethie girl, we could not enjoy you more!

Here are two pictures of me with my Bethie girl

Can't wait to see all that you learn and enjoy this month!

Starting Solids

Neocate is the formula that works.  

So, at 7 months, it was time to start eating!  

Because of the sensitivities that got us to this point, the doctor said to start with green vegetables and fruits.  

Baby's first food:  zucchini

Mom, what's that? 

Okay, I'll try it.

Whoa Mom, what is this stuff?!

Yeah, I don't think so, Mom.

Getting Bethie girl to swallow has been the struggle.  She wasn't sure what to do with the food once it was in her mouth.  I don't know that she loved zucchini, so I decided to make a fruit her second food rather than another green.

Food 2, five days later:  pears

Okay, Mom, I'll try it!

Mom, what is this?

She seemed to enjoy the pears.  She just would hold anything that wasn't super, super smooth on her tongue.  After about 2.5 - 3 weeks, she finally swallowed her food easily!  Yay!

Once she got that down pat, she leaned in for the food, excited to eat!

Yum!

So, now she has been eating for about 3.5-4 weeks.  She has had zucchini, pears, green beans, broccoli.  Broccoli, she is not sure about, but the other 3 she eats well!