Day #4 Without Daddy

Yesterday was a horrible, frustrating day with the weather. Who gets stuck 4 times??? This person. Here are some pictures of a happy Bennett from last night. 

 He wouldn't sit still for pictures in hisChinese  New Year outfit. 

Day #3 Without Daddy

We had a rough night Tuesday evening. It started off well.

Then the dogs got into garbage and everyone got worked up. To was horrible. 

Today I was determined to have a writer evening. It was nearly 30 degrees when I left work so I rushed to get Bennett so that we could take the girls for a walk. 

The girls were very happy. Despite Bennett's unsmiling face, he loved it too and would kick his legs as I sang him songs. Then we went to grandma and grandpas for dinner. By the time we got home, well after someone's bedtime, we were all pooped. 

Day #2 Without Daddy

Home from daycare... 

Big Day

Today was a big day. Joel left for his first work trip since Bennett was born. We both saw him for the last time this morning and Bennett won't see him until he wakes on Friday morning. Bennett didn't seem to notice that he was gone as much as the girls have been waiting for him to come home. We did get a chance to FaceTime and Bennett definitely recognized his dad's voice.

Then I picked him up from daycare Bennett was playing with a little boy. They were standing at a baby sized table, smiling at each other. The little boy just turned 1 and is the son of one of the ladies there. She said they are adorable together. They follow each other around all day and her son laughs at very thing Bennett does. Bennett was still happy to see me though but made his way over slowly, stopping along the way to point out some snowmen they had made. I don't know if he actually made one or if it was a project the kids did before he started there, but he wanted to make sure I saw them. That was pretty cute. 

Usually when I pick him up he is super clingy and insists I hold him while I put on my shoes. Not today though. When I set him in the ground to put on my boots, he took off up some nearby stairs and wouldn't come down in his own.

Then when I was preparing dinner, twice I turned around and Bennett was standing on his own. So far, he has only been able to pull himself to standing but these two times he was standing far from anything he could pull himself up on. I watched him like a hawk when finally I caught him do it. 

Was he were proud when I screeched with joy. He kept doing it afterwards, standing for a few seconds, plopping on his butt and then laughing afterwards. I bet he'll get up the guys to walk soon, once he gets more comfortable standing in his own. 

Then he ate dinner and had some chicken. 

We've had a pretty good first night without Daddy but can't wait for him to return. 

Last night we tried to make a father son circus act. It didn't happen. 

Picking Bennett up from daycare. He said,"see you later!"  Let's hope he's just as excited when I drop him off tomorrow. 

Chinese New Year

Bennett celebrated his first Chinese New Year today.

Mr. Congeniality

According to Bennett daycare report he is making friends!

From Daycare

Each week Bennett does art at daycare, and they take pictures for us to see. Even though it's just one picture a week (Bennett missed the previous week's art lesson because we thought daycare was closed) it is nice to see what he is doing.


Art with Miss Connie

Today we were exploring white clay with Miss Connie. We were squishing, rolling and sculpting it. . .Clay play is a powerful way to support your child’s learning. It lets children use their imagination and strengthen the small muscles in their fingers—the same muscles they will one day use to hold a pencil and write …more

Today we were exploring white clay with Miss Connie. We were squishing, rolling and sculpting it. . .Clay play is a powerful way to support your child’s learning. It lets children use their imagination and strengthen the small muscles in their fingers—the same muscles they will one day use to hold a pencil and write :)

 

 

47 Weeks

Bennett's 47th week photo shoot wasn't going well, so we stripped him down and then he got more animated. He can stand a bit on his own and gets more and more sturdy each day. He likes to talk, talk, and talk, but is getting increasingly more sassy every hour that passes. If he wants to open a drawer, but we stop him from doing it, he stiffens up and screeches. Is it possible that the terrible twos start before 11 months? We're hoping it's just a phase and he's not a bratty, temper-tantrum throwing kid, but only time will tell.

Photos from sick day Friday. 

Bennett was fussy in the afternoon and insisted on being carried like this. 

Spoiled

He was crying in his crib because he didn't want to nap, so naturally I needed to spoil him since it's the weekend and he's sick. I bundled him in his blanket, and then we rocked and sang "Rockabye Baby" until he fell asleep. 

Swaddled

Busted

Snow

Once Daddy was done plowing, we decided to join him outside. Bennett loves being outside, even in the cold. We were only out about 15 minutes and he was smiles the whole time. He would get snow on his hands, then clap them together and make the snow fly. He tried eating the snow a few times too. Definitely an outdoor kid. 

Measuring how much snow there is:

Standing in the snow: 

Clapping his hands together:

And the best photo ever, the Isla photobomb: