Ways Bennett makes me smile

I don't even know how to write this one, but I want to have a record of the funny things that Bennett is up to so, here goes:

1.  Bennett calls sweeping brooming and raking scraping. He calls the broom the broomer. 

2.  He loves to play hide and seek, but doesn't quite understand that he is not suppose to come out of hiding to chase me around.

3.  He likes to play golf with his golfer thinger.

4. He reminds me so much of his grandma because he is cold all the time.  He can be sweating and still say he needs a blanket.

5. When He gets mad at his daddy, he hurts his feelings by saying "I'll break all your coffee cups"

6. He is selectively modest. He loves to be naked, but then he freaks if someone sees his penis.

7.  He scratches my back- one of my favorite things.

8. He LOVES to read. He reads to himself, to his brother, but best of all he crawls up in my lap with as many books as he can hold and lets me read to him.

9.  He is so tender hearted.  He doesn't like to see others sad and wants to "wipe their tears"

10.  He has an amazing imagination. I can't even count how many deer he has killed and how often he goes in to the woods (yesterday)

11.  When he was little, we read a first words book that had lots of animals in it. I made the sound of each animal as we looked at them, but had  no idea what the zebra said. So, I would pinch his knees when we saw a zebra. Now, any time we see a  "beejah" he waits for me to do the same thing.

12.  He likes mo-ca-cyles.(motorcyles)

13. He is fascinated with pantyhose. Mimi wears them to work all the time and he things they are the coolest things ever. Grandma actually gave him a pair and he loves wearing them around the house. I am VERY surprised that Quinn didn't freak out, but he was cool about it.

14.  We were at dinner one night talking about how much hair Levi has as opposed to when Bennett was his age. Quinn made the comment that one day he would lose his hair like his daddy and he cried! He did not want to think about losing his hair.

15. Bennett is so much like his daddy in so many ways, but he definately gets his sleep habits from me.  He naturally stays up late and wants to sleep late (by late, I mean 8:30ish) and if he has to be woken up he is VERY grumpy. It is not wonderful when you are trying to be on a schedule, but it still makes me smile to think that he "got that from me"

16.  He loves Levi. I mean really loves him. He always wants to include his little brother in everything we do.  I actually took Levi to school one day so Bennett and I could have a date and Bennett cried when we left Levi there. 

17.  He prays about everything. And usually that prayer is some form of praise. Even if he is praying for someone to get better, he says "Dear Jesus, Thank you for helping mommy feel better"

18.  I can tell that he has a tiny bit of my OCD tendencies. Now, he is a mess and loves to dump things out of any container. But he also loves to line up his toys, books, etc.  I love it when I find a line of animals through the house. He is also a mega rule follower. He definately tests the limits at home but anywhere else he does exactly as told.

19. He tells me I am his best friend. Nevermind that he tells everyone that they are his best friend. It still warms my heart. 

20.  He looks at me like I am the coolest, most beautiful mommy in the whole world.  Being a woman that has always struggled with self image, this is a very big deal.

It takes a village...

Every Labor Day weekend for as long as I have been alive has consisted of going to the Bennett family reunion. I have always enjoyed going and really look forward to seeing all of my extended family (and let me tell you there are a BUNCH of us) But this year was different for me. I guess it's because I am getting older and learning to appreciate family more, but I was so touched to be among people that truly love me.

We started the weekend off with a cookout. Growing up, this was a part of of our reunion, but hasn't been done in several years.I remember that by the end of the night everybody was in a circle with their guitars singing gospel songs. This year we had a water slide, snow cones, hay ride, and even a talent show.  Then on Sunday, we have the "big meal" and visit some more. But looking around this year, this is what touched me:

• There was Tammy and Stephanie leading up the thing. They were the ones that I would run across the yard to and jump in their arms when I was a little girl. Now they are making sure all the kids are acting right. And let me tell you, if yours is acting up, somebody will put them in their place. And it is expected. Nobody gets mad if you set a child right.
• Melissa was there with her camera. She was so much fun growing up. I thought she was the prettiest person I have ever seen. Now I understand her beauty isn't only on the outside. She is one of the strongest women I know.
• Aunt Patsy and Uncle Clyde are there with Chris and Brandon and all their kids. I think that they have 6 grandsons!
• Uncle Dennis and Aunt Pam are visiting with everybody, a grandchild in each lap. Denny and Paula are leading up the hay ride and making sure that our kids have as much fun as we did growing up.
• William and Uncle Carol are heading up the grill and keeping everybody enjoying watching everyone.
• Aunt Julia is just sitting back enjoying every body's company. After several years of having the stress of making sure everything is going smoothly, it's her turn to chill.
• Aunt Pat and Tracy are trying to keep all their boys in order. That's a job let me tell you!
• Uncle Swenson is keeping everybody laughing. 
• Granny Myrtle, the matriarch of the family is perched in her chair as we all come to see her. She is genuinely happy to see all of us.

There are many, many more people on the scene, and some whose presence was missed,  and all of them have a very special place in my heart.  They all had a part in making me who I am today. I looked around the circle as Uncle Carol sings and I think of the love these people have for each other-despite the mistakes we have made and  the different paths we have taken,  We are family. I am so very thankful that this village raised me.

Bennett's 3rd Birthday

I love planning parties, but get very stressed out doing it. Bennett's birthday is in June so it is usually very hot. Levi was 6 months old and the hottest baby I have ever seen, so I knew I didn't need to have Bennett's birthday party outside, so I weighed my options and decided to go with JumpNJacks. 

Bennett's actual birthday is June 2. On that day, we woke him up and took him to Daylight Donuts, his favorite. He got to pick the doughnut he wanted, the one with the sprinkes of course.  When we got home, Quinn kept him inside while I got his birthday present ready. Quinn brought him out to see his new John Deere Gator (new to him, we bought it at a garage sale-those things are expensive!) Bennett does not like to be center of attention nor does he like to be put on the spot, so he was very shy at first. But once he got over that, he was all over that thing. It didn't take him long, and he was changing gears, backing up, and having a great time. We let him ride it for a while before coming in and getting ready for lunch. We had a great day, spending time together as a family and then Quinn and I taking Bennett to Wild Adventures.

We had his party on June 4. Mrs. Nancy Stalvy made him the most amazing cake. I am a little anal about some things. Shocker, I know. But he wanted a Mickey Mouse birthday party, and that just didn't go with the bounce house theme. So she made me an inflatable slide cake with Mickey sliding down. We all win!

We really had fun, and it was definately the most stress free birthday party I have ever had. I will tell you that it was HOT in there. Three in the afternoon in a warehouse full of kids makes for a very warm environment. But the kids had fun, the staff was great, and I didn't have to clean up.  We are so thankful that all of Bennett's friends were there to make his day special.

NOTE: We had someone take pictures of the party for us and none of them turned out so if you have any of this special day, please let me know!

A very different Panama City Beach- part 2

So after a restful night with a head jammed into my armpit and feet jammed into Quinn's ribs,we woke up to a beautiful day at the beach.  We had a breakfast of champions-honeybuns and chocolate milk. After about a million trips to the beach, we were ready for a day of fun in the sun.  Well, that day turned into a couple of hours.

Some serious construction is going down

Around mid day, Bennett and I went up stairs to get lunch and have him at least rest if he wouldn't get a full nap in. Levi fell asleep at the beach, so Quinn stayed down with hiim and got to enjoy some quiet time on the beach.  I have to tell you the hotel we stayed in, Legacy by the Sea, was great. When you walked in, you were in the room with the bed/tv, then you walked through a hallway that had the bathroom on one side and the "kitchen" on the other. Next was the living room, with a sleeper sofa and plenty of room, and then on to the balcony. The bedroom could be shut off from the rest of the space, so when the kids are older it will be perfect (and no one can leave without going through the bedroom-for those teenage years)

this is what the beach does to him

After naps were over, we decided to check out Gulf World.  It was really fun. I have been to all kinds of things like that, but these shows were the best I can remember. Bennett loved the Sea Lion show, and got to take his picture sitting next to Otto the Sea lion.  We also watched the dolphin show (Bennett had his picture taken with the dolphins too), the reptile show, and the bird show. Well, Quinn and I watched the bird show. Both boys were conked out by that point.  It was very kid friendly, and super educational.  We will definately be going back there if we ever go back to PCB. 

checking out the penguins

petting a sting ray

After several hours at Gulf World, we went and got dressed for supper. Finally, seafood!!  We ate a Sharky's because it was within walking distance of our hotel and very kid friendly. Let me tell you the serving sizes are ridiculous.  We had so much food left over!  But it was great. After letting Bennett play on the playground there, we made our way back to the hotel.  We hung out in the pool for a while, walked on the beach, and then got ready for bed. See how exciting we are? 

On the way home, Quinn wanted to check out Mexico beach because he wants somewhere a little less crowded. We checked out a few places, ate a a great place called The Oyster Bar, and made our way back home.  It was a great family vacation. Can't wait to do it again next time:)

A Very Different Panama City Beach- part 1

The last time I set foot on Panama City Beach, I was a Senior in high school. Several of my friends and I somehow talked our parents into letting us go spend the week there for Spring Break.  It was fun, but looking back, I wonder what my parents were thinking. Quinn went right before, and I mean like the weekend before, we started dating so his last time there was just as wild as mine.

This year, we decided to give PCB another go, but under very different circumstances. I traded my string bikini in for a very conservative one piece and Quinn's cooler of beer was now full of Capri Suns and bottled water. 

My little OCD boy lining up his animals in the room

The family vacation started off like most family vacations-chaotic. Trying get everything ready stresses me out, and getting everything packed in the truck stresses Quinn out. But we got it together and were on our way by 10:00 Sunday July 17.  We stopped in Tallahassee to eat and feed Levi. I noticed that nursing was really painful and told Quinn that if I made it through the trip, I may wean him when we got home. Later on I noticed white patches in his mouth and realized we both had thrush. Great-haven't even made it to the beach yet and already there is a problem.  I called nurse triage at SGMC and they were wonderful.  Called us in some Nyastin to a pharmacy there and we just kept on trucking.

excited about the beach

Not so excited about the beach

Before we could check in, we had to hit up the grocery store. Again, something very different than 10+ years ago happened. We weren't buying junk food and cigarettes. We were buying milk and gogurt snacks.  Finally, we made it to our room and didn't waste much time getting to the beach. Bennett has been to the beach many times and has finally gotten used to the water (he has always loved the sand) This was Levi's first trip, so we didn't know what to expect. Well, I was very suprised that he didn't like the sand more. He actually cried when I put him in it and didn't want anything to do with it. The water on the other hand, he loved. I had to muster up everything in me to take him out there in all that seaweed, but I did it and he loved splashing around and watching the waves. 

We went to Pier Park for the laser show that night. Everything was so crowded that we ended up eating a Buffalo Wild Wings of all places, but when your kids are hungry it's not wise to wait 75 minutes for a table.  Bennett had the best time with all the attractions. Again, Levi was in the sling so he was just along for the ride. About 9:30, the laser show started. I tried to record a very hilarious Bennett dancing to the music but I couldn't get the lighting just right. He had so much fun.  Levi went to sleep.  Walking back that night, we passed all kinds of young kids and college students making big party plans for the night. We were just ready to go to bed. 

watching the laser show with daddy

a very sleepy boy

One of Bennett's favorite parts about the trip was that we had a king size bed in our room. We told him he could sleep with us as a sort of treat. He has never slept with us at home, and doesn't even want to, so it was kinda cool to snuggle with him. 

Meeting Baby Tal

While we were at the beach, my sister in law, Deaven decided to have her first son, Tal Jesse Thomas. Of course, it was the one night that I left my phone in the truck so when we woke up the following morning Quinn looked at his phone and said "Deaven is in labor"  Being a man, he didn't know, or feel the need to know, any more of the details. Me, on the other hand, wanted to know EVERYTHING! I was so excited. First because someone I love very much is about to experience the best thing ever, second because babies being born is super fun, and third because that little guy is my newest nephew.  Deaven and Stewart were pretty good about keeping us posted, and we finally got the call that Tal made it here and was healthy and a cutie. 

I called Deaven and/or Mrs. Marilyn everyday to check on everyone. And let me tell you, that Deaven is a strong woman.  She had to have a dang root canal the day after coming home from the hospital.  You don't ever see that on Bringing Home Baby. Anyway, we made arrangements to go visit the following week.  We decided to leave Bennett with my parents for the weekend so I could focus on being a help, not a hinderence.  Levi went with us since he is still nursing.  It was only the second time I have left Bennett for more than a night, the first being when I was in the hospital with Levi.  It was hard on me, but he loved sleeping between Mimi and Papa.

When we got to Deaven's house, she was sleeping with Tal right next to her. I just get choked up when I see a new mama-it's such a sweet feeling to see someone loving something as much as you love your own.  boy let me tell you, that little fella is a cutie!  He has what I like to call "chicken hair," that hair that goes everywhere, and lots of it. 

I went up to help Deaven with breastfeeding, but she and Tal already had that figured out. I love seeing a breastfeeding mama. Don't get me wrong, if someone chooses not to do it that's cool. But I LOVE breastfeeding so I love sharing it with other mamas.  Quinn and I had so much fun watching Deaven and Stewart become parents.  And Levi loved meeting his new cousin.

So now that Tal is here, we get to anticipate the arrival of Quinn's brother's son, Aaron:)

Levi is 8 months old

Well, another month has passed.  I know everybody talks about how quickly times goes and how fast your children grow up, but Levi seems to be in turbo mode. I guess it's because we have Bennett to keep up with too, so we don't notice those subtle changes anymore. It's almost like a soap opera- you know, when the kids go upstairs and when they come down again, they've age about 10 years.  Well, maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but you get the point.

Levi is so stinking funny. He loves to laugh and to smile- and laughs and smiles at everything.  He also has a temper. Boy does he have a temper. We now have to take things away from him that may (um...WILL) end up in his mouth. And he screams-not a "you hurt my feelings" kind of scream, but an "I am so mad I could scream" kind of scream.  He has the cutest little mad face though, so I usually end up laughing at him before I can console him.  He is also into everything. I let him crawl around the other morning while I was taking care of Bennett. When I found him, he was soaking wet, with a huge smile and water droplets on those long eyelashes, next to the dog's water bowl. When I asked him what he was up to, he just laughed and laughed. I have a  feeling this is a sign of things to come.

Developmentally, he is a genius (of course) He is crawling everywhere.  He can get up on all fours but still prefers to army crawl himself around. He can go from sitting to crawling and crawling to sitting.He just recently started pulling up, but only attempts that when I am close by to save him.  He can say "dada" and "bubba". He can also say "mama" even if I am the only one that has heard him:) He loves to clap and play patty cake.  He also has learned to "motorboat" and thinks its the funniest thing ever.  He still only has two teeth, but another is bound to make its appearance any day now.



pulilng himself up in the crib

He is still in 6-9 month clothes and size 3 diapers. Sadly, I think he is starting to wean himself. He still loves to nurse, but only when he is sleepy.  He's too busy any other time. I am still pumping while I am at work and nursing when I am off, it just takes a little longer because he stops to look around. This may have a little to do with our recent run in with thrush, when nursing wasn't fun for either of us. But we are both healed, so hopefully he will regain interest.  No solids yet, but he does love his puffs and cheerios.  He eats a whole jar of baby food at each feeding, sometimes more, and loves the baby yogurt. That boy can eat!

He still loves his brother very much. Although now we have the challenge of teaching them both to share. All in all, life is great.



playing with his Bubba