Well, Benjamin hit the 11 month mark on the 15th, and my head is spinning wondering where the time has gone! But oh boy, he is such a CUTE little boy with boatloads of personality! I guess I should start planning the big 1 year birthday party coming up around the corner!!! (I think we're going with a Mickey Mouse theme!!!)
Our house has sort of become a well oiled machine as of late. Benjamin has a really solid schedule about 95% of the time, with the exception of those days that are upset by swollen gums or sick tummies. Anyway, I thought I'd better document our schedule! I love comparing it to when he was just a baby! What a different household we have now! Here goes...
Between 7:30-8:30 AM: Benjamin starts squawking from his crib - "I'm up, Mama!" That morning smile will never get old. :)
Immediately afterward: Diaper change and Breakfast* while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He's obsessed with Mickey. We DVR the episodes so there's always one to watch.
Remainder of the morning: Hardcore playing! He loves to play chase, which consists of either chasing me around or being chased. Wrestling, tickling, and loving up on me is also included in that game. He enjoys lots of toys (especially interactive ones), and really likes this fun Sing & Discovery Story Piano. It comes with a microphone that really amplifies your voice while you sing along, which he's only recently discovered! Another favorite thing right now are balls. He knows how to roll a ball back and forth to me. He also loves to watching them bounce along the kitchen floor and then chase after them. He adores reading books! Benjamin is such a BUSY mover, and I relish the uncharacteristically long amount of time he will sit still on my lap and flip through books! He looks at the pictures, feels the textures, and loves to press any buttons that make noise. (By the way - he can say "button." sorta.) Benjamin also practices walking while exploring our apartment! He stands up on his own and walks quite well if he's supported by furniture or our hands. So far he's taken two steps on his own! Any day now! He's become quite adept at pushing drawers and doors open and shut. He likes to eat his snacks while roaming and playing, so we've now become that house with the goldfish crackers ground into the carpet. I've also started taking him to Storytime at the library on Tuesday mornings! He has some friends that go too, and he loves to watch the bigger kids and dance along with the music. Lastly, Benjamin doesn't stop talking. His real words include Mama, Dada, and Button, but the space in between is filled with lots of baby babble. I love it! He is quite enthusiastic! He also loves to try and sing along with people, especially while dancing.
Approximately 11 AM: Benjamin sucks down a big ol' bottle and lays down for a nap! He is a great napper (only in his crib) - I lay him down and walk away.
Between 1:30-2:00 PM: I hear more squawking coming from his room - "Come get me, Mama!"
Immediately afterward: Diaper change and Lunch*
Remainder of the afternoon: This time is usually spent running errands, visiting friends, going for walks, swinging at the park, and lots more playing!
Approximately 6:00 PM: Dinnertime*
Between 6:30 and 6:45 PM: Benjamin takes a bath and changes into his pajamas.
Between 7:00 and 7:15 PM: The nightly routine: Bottle, rocking with Mama, lullabies, goodnight!
...zzz until the morning! YAY!...
*What's Benjamin eating these days?
Well, he currently has 5 teeth! (Plus one more eye tooth coming in soon!) He's put them to good use munching on snacks such as goldfish crackers, Cheetos, string cheese, Gerber graduate snacks, fruit such as peeled grapes and apples, and cherry tomatoes. He's also still eating lots of baby food, but we're introducing more "real" food, too. He likes rice, meatballs, pancakes, bananas, french fries, yogurt, and almost anything else that Joel and I eat. His favorite baby food flavors include any of the vegetables - especially if they are mixed with some meat and rice cereal. While all of this may sound impressive, do not be fooled. Although he has eaten a variety of foods, he is still the world's worst eater. I often have to force feed him because he's just not that interested in more than a couple bites. If he's eating real food, he probably actually ingests only a teeny, tiny amount. He totally prefers to have a bottle, which I usually save until the end of the every meal so he'll eat as much as possible! In fact, lately I've been slightly concentrating his bottles to maximize his caloric intake just in case... He's just a little guy! :) I do have to add something that I've noticed the past couple days. Benjamin LOVES to feed himself with a fork, and I've noticed he actually does better at eating the food if I help him pierce it with his fork and he takes it to his mouth. It's so stinking cute!
As you can probably tell, we're dealing with a real little boy around here! It's so much fun, and he is so happy. I am constantly hearing comments about how much he smiles and what a little ray of sunshine he is. We're so blessed to have him in our lives.
In other news, here's some good news about Joel:
We get to see TONS more of him! He's built himself a little office in our bedroom and has started staying home to study. He gets to see way more of Benjamin (who by the way, is OBSESSED with his dada...), and it's just nice knowing he's here.
Want to see how I can tell when Benjamin is pooping?
We built him a cardboard house... He loved it!
I'm not kidding when I say he adores his Dada. Here's the proof:
He looks so big in this picture!!!
And our most exciting news of the month?! This picture was chosen as the "fan photo of the week" on the America's Test Kitchen facebook page! This was their first photo ever that wasn't food! Woo hoo! Just in case you're wondering what recipe Benjamin is sharing in this picture, it's called Pineapple and Kiwi Salad with Mint and Lime. He's an aspiring foodie.
