10 Months

We can't believe Benson is 10 months, he should still by my little baby! I say this every month but it's still true, he's so much fun and such a good baby/kid!
Here's his latest and greatest...
-finally had two top teeth break through (yesterday)!
-claps and tosses it in the oven for patty-cake
-loves to wave hello and goodbye to everyone, all the time
-can crawl up the stairs but not down (and the great thing about it is he's afraid of the stairs so won't go up them unless I'm right there with him, so no gates)
-loves to suck out of a water bottle
-loves to talk/yell/laugh
-loves to pull out the outlet covers (it's a game to him)
-loves to rock in new rocking chair

Pulling out the outlet covers

After pulling it out he always looks at me to see my reaction

New pj's (halloween ones) first thing in the morning

New rocking chair and Anth wanted to make sure the U jersey still fits

Playing with footballs with Dad

We sure love you Benson and can't imagine life without you!!!

9 Months

We've had another wonderful month! I love every stage Benson goes through. I keep thinking the one we're in is the best and then something changes and it gets even better! I hope I always feel that way. Here are his stats...
-weight 24.4 lbs
-length 29.5 in
-he's a pretty big baby!
-loves to be chased
-is such a tease
-loves to pull my hair
-eats only solid food or a bottle
-can stand without holding on to anything
-when we walk with him he would rather jump along
-still has only two teeth, but it looks like his canine are coming soon
-smiles and flirts with everyone

Can you see those chunky thighs? Oh they are so much fun!!

Here's a video of him walking/jumping. (I don't know how to turn it sideways so just turn your head, sorry)

Utah Trip

We were up in Utah for a family reunion but also got to spend a day before and a couple after enjoying northern Utah. I love Utah! I realize I was born there but it really is a great place! We got to see more family and a few friends. There is never enough time to see everyone!

Anthony with his High School buddies (Nelson, Anth, David, and Daniel)

The Wilkinson's and us. They were dear friends here in Corpus and moved to Oregon

Vance family get-together. Bens with Grandpa Vance

Bens playing with cousin Beck

Bear Lake 2011

Every year we have a family reunion up at Bear Lake, in northern Utah. We really look forward to this trip every year! Bens did great on the plane rides and it was so wonderful to be with family!!!





Here's the A B C babies (Adalaide, Benson and Calvin). They weren't too happy to get their pictures taken. And it's a tradition to have the babies take baths together, so fun!




We also love that it's up there because our little William is buried up in Laketown.

8 Months

He just keeps growing!
In the past month he...

-fully crawls, everywhere
-pulls himself up on everything
-was sealed to us and blessed
-loves to eat whatever we're eating and hates baby food
-puts everything in his mouth
-went to the aquarium, saw a dolphin show and was scared whenever they jumped out of the water
-loves swimming (we got a little plastic pool)
-loves to turn off lights (we're working on learning to turn them on)
-loves to play with dad after work
-gives everyone we meet a super cheesy smile, such a flirt
-can have really poofy hair when dad combs it out
-is as big as most 1 year olds (has size 4 feet)
-still loves to bounce, be tickled, be read to and sung to

How I found him after a nap one day

New church shirt and tie from Gma Vance

We love you Benson and are so happy you're part of our family!!

FOR-EV-ER

This past weekend was everything we could have hoped for and more!! Our family came into San Antonio Thursday night and we went up on Friday. We got to enjoy the sites, good food and of course just being together!

Playing with cousin Adalaide

Saturday was a wonderful day! As Benson was sealed to us I felt an overwhelming feeling of completeness. He's been ours for 7 1/2 months but to know we are bonded eternally, makes a big difference! During the sealing Benson looked at Anthony and then smiled and then at me and smiled and then at the sealer and smiled. He was such a happy boy! We took a few pictures outside the temple and then headed to Pappasito's for lunch. (Saturday was my mom's bday so we sang to her at every opportunity!) After lunch we all started the long drive to Corpus.




Once in Corpus Anth's brothers helped install a few appliances (more on that to come) and then we headed to the beach! Some great friends left us their boogy-boards when they moved to China so we had enough for everyone! The water was great and we stayed out there until it was pretty dark (that's what's nice about living in a place where it never cools down at night).

Going on a walk and sharing a stroller (Adalaide wasn't too happy)

Anthony gave Benson a name and blessing on Sunday, with his dad, grandfather, brothers, my dad and bro-in-law to help. It was a neat experience. Usually blessings are given when the babies are smaller, like around 1-2 months old. So it was pretty funny with a 7 1/2 month old. Benson fussed for a bit until he found the microphone and then loved trying to eat it.



It was really a wonderful weekend!! I know it was far for family to come and would have been cheaper if we'd just flown up but I loved that they got to see our life here. We really love our ward and wanted to share this weekend with them too. It was just really fun having everyone here. Thanks for coming and for all the support! It's fabulous to be a forever family!!!

Beach2Bay 2011

Last year when Anthony ran Beach2Bay I decided I wanted to run it in 2011. (This is a pretty big thing for me to decide to do; I am not a runner.) So last summer I started walk/running with some friends and got up to running 1.5 miles (I was pretty excited about that). Then came the fall, a surgery and getting Benson so running took a back seat until January.

Then a friend in my ward mentioned getting a group of women together to run Beach2bay. So I started running each morning with Benson. About 2 months before the race we started running together as a group, upping our running distance each week. It was wonderful running together as a team, helping each other motivate and encourage each other, not to mention just fun talking.

The race was this past Saturday and it was so much fun!! Because I have been running 4.6 miles the last 2 weeks it wasn't difficult to run it for the race. After it was over I felt like I could have kept going. My next goal is to do a 10k (there is one in the fall), so I'll have the motivation to keep running and to increase my distance.

Team MST (Mormon Standard Time)
Everyone on the team but one (thanks for running with us Lisa!)

Anthony and Bens were at the end of my leg of the race, cheering me on! It was fun to have them there supporting me! In the video below you can hear Bens crying because Anth had just yelled really loud for me and it scared him :)

This is right after the race, nice and hot/sweaty