September, School, Swings, Solids, Seminary

I looked up and realized it is almost October. Almost a full year in our new house! We have a dishwasher, two painted bedrooms, ripped up carpet in the bathroom and sidewalk chalk everywhere to show for it. Oh! And Swings! :)

Prek day! These kids rule the swings

Her favorite spot.

No one loves swinging more than Ana. All day every day she wants to be riding high in that baby swing. Zoe also learned how to swing a few weeks ago. She can pump her legs all by herself and get so high! My momma heart sees it and secretly freaks out sometimes - because do you KNOW how high swings go? She loves it though and it is exciting to see Z get even more independent in her play.

Speaking of independent Z, this kid l-o-v-e-s prek, which started at the end of August. She goes twice a week and it is the bee's knees. She knows that she has 3 sleeps until she goes again and she counts down each day. The other day they had a petting zoo come and the parents/siblings were invited to come join. I asked her if she'd like for me to come up with A and B and she just sort of looked at me with squinty eyes and said, "Uhm, I think it's just for the big kids." I told her that we were invited and Ana could come too and she reminded me, "But... you drop me off at school. And you leave. And just I stay." - I did not join her fun that day. Because however invited I was by the actual school, Z officially uninvited me! 

She marched right over to this tree and posed.

"Take another one!"

End of Day 1

And Z isn't the only one in school around here! Ana and Ben started clase with me during one of the day she is away. They both love, love, love it. It's fun to actually -go- somewhere with Ben and watch him interact with people besides us. Every day Ana asks if it is the day we go to clase and when I tell her we have to wait until Tuesday, she runs to baby Ben and says "Ben!! We get to go to clase on Tuesday!!!!" 

Best clase day ever!

And not only clase, but I am in cosmetology school and Matt started seminary. I feel like our life went from about 0mph to 80 that last week in August. But, as insane as this all sounds on paper, I feel like we are thriving! Well, at least I am. Cosmetolgoy school is so amazing. It is fun! It is creative! And I get to leave my house for 4 hours, half of which our kids are asleep and Matt studies. Things with Ben were swamping me. I felt like I was drowning and that I never laughed or had energy to be with my family! So many bills and doctors and bottle/milk madness and then God gave me cosmetology school. I dont feel guilty being there (Saturday is a bit harder, because it is during the day, but still nothing compared with nursing school!) and I am making friends who are VERY different from me and I feel like I'm growing as a person. I don't know how cosmetolgoy school is doing all that, but somehow it is and I love it. Matt is rockin seminary (remember college.. how Matt is such a good student? Sometimes I forget) and walking around the house saying phrases in Hebrew like a pro.

And then, there is THIS guy:

Little man and Froggers

exersaucer away

Ben's crazy face!

LITTLE BIG GUY!! 

7 months now. He can sit up by himself, roll all over the place, scoot forward/backward/sideways, laugh out loud, squeal, gurgle, and he even has two TEETH! Ben is full on baby and I feel closer to him perhaps more now than ever. I'm not sure if that too is school or just how fun/interactive this stage is. Don't let his plump thighs fool you, home boy is somewhere between 10-25% for both height and weight (lower end for height, higher end for weight). Our small chunk. I've always had huge, seemingly "advanced" for their age in terms of skills/speech babies so Ben is an exercise is not comparing. There is a girl who is 2 days younger in our Spanish clase who can crawl and almost pull up. While Ben meets all of his milestones (except blowing raspberries) he certainly isn't crawling yet. I figure having 2 weeks in no-nos didn't help. He does get up on his knees some and scoots all over the stinking place and it seems like he is -very- close to going from laying down back up to sitting.

For the most part, Ben is a happy, happy guy. Around 6.5 months, we started solids. I was pretty much dreading it. I sort of dread the puree stage for any baby, but I knew it wouldn't be easy for him. His first eating episode was less than ideal and ended with choking/gaging/crying (both of us) and he actually consumed -very- little food. Even now he only consumes maybe about an ounce or 1.5 oz per eating session. You have to give him very little at a time and hold your breath while he gums it it down. A few days ago there was a sweet potato diaster and he was coughing it out of his nose for a good ten minutes. Poor man! But as much as I would think he would be scarred and not interested in trying agian - each time we put him in the chair and try to feed him he is up for the challenge. His swallowing skill is much better than the first time - it is just a slow and delicate process. I'm not actually sure how eating is supposed to progress. Will he eat anything besides puree before his surgery? I just don't know. I don't know if he is physically able. We have been giving him half cheerios (not whole ones, enter - gag/choke) - and he seems to be doing okay with that. So Ben is basically on the slow half cheerio with a touch of puree diet. Hence 10th percentile? Bring on the milk! 

I am SO excited for the holidays. I just loving having all these kids and when the holidays come the fun-ness goes into overtime. And since it is almost October, I don't have to wait very long.