Our Favorite Pictures From the Last Week

Our favorite pictures from the last few weeks are below. Next time we'll include photos of all the wonderful visitors we've had (and we look forward to more). Ben turned 1 month this week and is starting to get more interested in the world, able to focus on the mobiles we have, smiling from time to time (mostly for no clear reason - he often smiles at the wall or ceiling), looking at our faces, looking at his face in a mirror. He had his first breast-milk bottle and his first formula this week, though we are still breast feeding. He's been on several walks in his stroller and loves the motion of both that and the car as demonstrated by an instant nap.

At the pediatrician, we learned that he's up to 7 lbs. 11 oz. He's in the 20th percentile for weight, but he's in the 50th percentile for his height. I noticed last night that some of his onesies are starting to get too short on him. He also celebrated his 1-month check up by wetting himself and the table below him during his exam despite the diaper he was wearing!

I had to have a D&C this week because I'm not healing as quickly as they want me to be. The procedure seemed to have helped, so no worries. As I was feeling sorry for myself about the procedure, we learned that our friends Ellen & Dave Herman are facing a relapse of Leukemia for their 5 year old daughter, Rachel. Puts it all in perspective, most of our little troubles are nothing compared to fighting cancer with your little one for the second time. By all accounts, Rachel seems to have the biggest spirit and is the biggest fighter of them all. As Dave, Ellen, Rachel, their youngest daughter Sarah and the little one on the way work through this time, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers! They deserve good thoughts, they're some of the kindest people you'll ever meet.

It looks like Ben's playing peek-a-boo, but that's a skill he has yet to master. He's just wriggling his way out of the blanket.




Although a bit blurry, we still love this picture. The pacifier and his shoes seem so big! (thanks for the shoes Aunt Veronica and Uncle Rob -they're a big hit everywhere we go!)




It looks to me like Ben and William are having a very serious conversation and Ben had to get some phone books to sit on to look his dad more clearly in the eye...

Just let me catch a few winks and then I'll eat some more!

A Week of Firsts

Probably many weeks to come will include firsts, but these are some of the firsts we experienced this week...

First bath at home (Grandma assisted): it's hard to tell that Ben's getting a bath, but he is laying in his bathtub.

First time in his swing

We're going to try for some more activities in the next few days - going for a walk with the dog and making it to church and/or choir practice. Mom needs to get out of the house!

We've also discovered that Beanie Babies are the perfect size for a newborn to grasp. After this picture was taken he was holding on tight to the dog's tail.

Finally, it's easy to forget how little Ben is until you put him next to a full-grown adult. We took these pictures on Ben's 2-week birthday, yesterday.