Bennett's 1 Year Photo Shoot

We got a sneak peek at some of the photos that our photographer shot of the family and Bennett last weekend.  I was so so happy to see that you cannot tell that we were roasting in the 118 degree heat index.  I love how they turned out!   Here are a few of my favorites.

You Cannot Make this Stuff Up

Sunday we got a new couch and immediately the old couch which had HAD it was taken to the curb...in true 763 fashion.  There it sat for a couple hours until we were looking for the remote and could not find it anywhere.  Where could it have gone?  Hmm did we leave it in the couch?  Pat headed out to check in the cracks in the couch and see if it might have landed itself a ride to the curb.  Nope he did find the remote at the bottom of the driveway, but he did find...........drum roll please.................

.........................his wedding ring.  You cannot make this stuff up.  It had been missing for a month and just this weekend we had discussed how we needed to get a new one since it had been gone so long and we were not finding it.  And low and behold we found it with no time to spare.  It almost landed itself in the local landfill....or on the local garbage man's finger. 

Pat is happy to have it back as this last month he has been fighting to keep the ladies away:)

A Year in Review

On this day last year Bennett was one day old and we received word that there was a healthy, beautiful and tiny little preemie in the NICU in El Paso, Texas.  We were elated at the thought that maybe... just maybe he could be our son.  We emailed the adoption agency as quickly as humanly possible and told them that we absolutely wanted to be considered as parents for him.  And the waiting began.  It would be two whole days before we would get the call to tell us that he was really ours.  And as soon as we got the call, we got this picture in our email.  Our first look at our son.   

We spent the next 10 days holding him and cuddling him and getting the best training new parents could ask for from the NICU nurses.  And then it was time to leave the hospital.  As of his discharge, Bennett weighed in at a whopping 5 pounds.  Here he is as of July 24th, 2010.

At one month he had grown a bit more.

At two months, he was baptized....and had very spikey hair from the chrism oil.

Three months marked his first trip to the pumpkin patch, apple orchard and marked his first Halloween.

At four months his big brown eyes took on an extra bright sparkle

At five months we celebrated his first Christmas

 At 6 months Benny perfected his rock star pose

At seven months he started his swimming lessons

At eight months he started eating table foods.

At nine months he perfected his "shriek" and going to church got a lot more interesting.

At ten months his curls came out

At eleven months he started climbing on everything

And now our little boy is one year old.  He got his first taste of birthday cake and no need to worry about his sugar intake because I am pretty sure it all ended up on his face or on the floor.  What a wonderful first year it has been!

Happy Birthday Bennett Anthony

I had a post all drafted complete with pictures thoughout the last year and it just disappeared.  Wah!  So until I can re-do that post I just have to wish our little man a Happy Birthday.  We love you Benny Boy!

11 Month Update

Bennett was 11 months old on June 12th. The pictures were taken on time even though this post is quite late.  Life is busy chasing this little man around.

 At 11 months, he speed crawls. 

 He pulls himself up onto everything.  He is up down up down all day long and we love when he greets us every morning standing tall in his crib

 His new trick is climbing up the stairs.  The problem is he has no fear so he just turns around and heads back down fully expecting that someone will catch him.  Gates are up!

His little walk is so cute.  It is kind of like a march as he picks up his feet nice and high with every step.  He still needs to hold on for balance but I think he will be walking on his own soon.

He is eating almost all table food now and he has taken quite well to his sippy.  He loves anything with noodles like mac n cheese or lasagna.  He also loves yogurt and eats lots of peaches.  He has just finally started feeding himself some table foods but he still refuses to hold his own bottle.  His new word is "uh oh" and it is cute to hear him using it appropriately.  I hear him in the back seat saying "Uh Oh" when he drops a toy out of his car seat.  He sleeps like a champ but his bed time is getting later and later as the days have been getting longer.  He is in 12 to 18 month clothes and a size 4 shoe and diaper.  We think he has six teeth but we are not positive because he never really lets us look.  He has recently formed an attachment to his blankie and he just loves to stick his face in it as he is falling asleep.  Our little guy now gives big old wet kisses when you ask him for one...sometimes at least.  I just cannot believe that our little precious preemie is going to be 1.  I feel like just yesterday we were rocking our little 4.9 pounder in the NICU rocking chair with all his little cords hooked up and just wanting to stop time and remember that moment forever. And I did and I took pictures ...thank goodnesss for that.  Because I would never in a million years believe that you were that tiny.  All of a sudden you are such a big boy.  We love you so much Bennett Anthony. 

Daddy's Shoes

 

Joyful Noise

We enjoyed the 2011 Joyful Noise Family Fest at the Blaine Sports Center.

Pat and Bennett took a ride on the inflatables

We took a couple spins on the Carousel

And then he tried to eat the ride.