Fall Fun...

Ben helped us rake and mow the back and front yards today. It was fun to watch him play in the leaves. Here are a few cute shots:

Getting Ready for Halloween!

Ben's working on his SCARY face... (Mommy was, in fact, horrified at the amount of dinner he managed to get all over himself!)...

Apples... Num Num Num!

Here's a silly video I took last night. After his bath, Ben perked up (usually he's in bed soon after the tub!) and we let him hang out with us for awhile. We put Nemo on, and Jonathan gave him his apple to finish. The two boys were so cute sitting on the couch together, I just had to record it.

I've also included a few photos of Ben and Mommy playing in the sandbox the other day. It was great! We're getting in all of the backyard fun we can before the rains start...

Lots of Backyard Fun!

Here are a few recent videos of Ben hanging out in the backyard!

This first one gives a good sense of Ben's vocabulary these days. He's very vocal! Guess where he gets that??

In this one, Ben shows off his musical talents. He loves his "piano" and playing it in the backyard is a favorite pastime!

This last one shows Ben scooting around the yard a bit... very cute!

Ben Found Nemo!

Ben is cutting his third tooth, and it's been giving ALL of us some rough nights and early mornings! This week he's been up at about 5:40 am each morning. Much, much too early for Mommy! So.... despite keeping him away from tv for the most part, we did plunk him down in front of Finding Nemo the other (early) day. Ben loved it. Well, he was fascinated by it for about 15 minutes, and then got bored. But it was amusing to watch him watching the movie. Check him out!

Lots of Growing...

Ben had his 9 month check up today! It's so amazing to realize that we're closing in on his FIRST BIRTHDAY already... time is really flying!!!

He weighed in at 19 lbs. 13.5 oz and is 27 inches long. He's kind of a shrimp, coming in at the 25th percentile for each. But the doctor said he's totally healthy, and developing well on schedule. So I'm a happy mommy!

Ben is also standing on his own these days. He did so in front of the doctor, and the doc said Ben would likely be walking within a few weeks. So that's pretty exciting... we're about to enter toddler-dom around here.

Here are some photos from the past couple of weeks.

These first two are hilarious. About a week ago, Ben refused to take his morning nap. At lunch he was happily eating peas, cheese, and cheerios. While I was cutting up some more cheese, he fell asleep in his high chair! It was really cute.



Here's our little guy working out with some one armed push ups!!


Last night I cleared out all of the clothes Ben has outgrown! It made me kind of sad... but also makes me realize how quickly he's growing into 12+ month sizes. Hint, hint...

The Cuteness Continues...

I know I'm becoming one of those obnoxious mothers who constantly says "you'll never believe what my kid did today..." BUT, seriously... Ben does the most amazing things everyday, and I just have to share!! At least by putting them on a blog I give people the option of not having to look if they don't want to.

So here are the latest wonders from the land of Ben...

First off, bath time! He loves being in the tub, and is pretty active in there these days. He likes to have a washcloth on his head and to read his bath book (thanks to Karen and Tom Dubow for that great gift!). Here are some highlights:



The best part about this second photo is that if you look very close, you can see Ben's two bottom teeth!


After his bath last night, Ben's hair was uncharacteristically wild. Check him out: