a Lazy Thursday

Today is a lazy Thursday. I have a lot to do but I don't feel like doing it at the moment. It's just one of those days. I've been packing and trying to relax. Later we're going to visit a farm with some baby goats so Benjamin can have a little fun out there.

Since I really don't have anything interesting to say today, here are two photos of two very darling babies. {Did I mention I have enough money to buy my DSLR now? Hopefully soon I can get it!}





You're welcome.

Out and About

First of all... I don't watch Dancing with the Stars, but... Kate Gosselin? Seriously? I mean, it isn't like she has 8 children to raise or anything.

{Anyway}

I just wanted to share with you a couple pictures from today. I don't post very many pictures of Benjamin and Mariah, but today was monumental because we went grocery shopping with the pair, and prior to that we stopped by Target. For the most part, they both behaved.


I think Benjamin was a bit confused as to why he was forced to be a gentleman. hehe!


Don't let the looks of embarrassment or despair fool you. They were being very sweet together!

That was our day! I hope yours was well!

♥

An Onslaught of Cute!

Yesterday was sweet Mariah's birthday party! We had so much fun with our wonderful friends, and Benjamin loved sharing all of Mariah's new toys! It was a really cute party! I just wanted to share a few photographs from the party, since I can't upload onto Facebook for some reason. Speaking of Facebook... my friend Peyton showed me how to create a Facebook Page for my blog. So, if you have a Facebook and you'd like to become a Fan of Bringing up Benjamin, just head on over to the Bringing Up Benjamin Fan Page!

Anyway, on with the pictures!


Mariah and her beautiful mommy!


Mariah was sooo funny eating her cake at first. She picked little bits of icing and sprinkles off and ate it just a nibble at a time! SO cute!


She is so adorable!


Benjamin, on the other hand...


He already had some practice in...


So he knew how to attack that cake, which was by the way egg-free for Benjamin, and milk-free for Mariah!

After we all had cake and chips and fruit and ice cream, it was time to open presents! As Steve said on Blues Clues: Present Time! Present Time! Open a present and see what's inside! (am I a mommy or what?! haha!)




I was sooo glad to see that Mariah loved the doll we gave her!




One word: Ham!

I can tell Mariah is going to have fun exploring all her fun new toys! We had a really good time, and I had a great time talking to Dawn and seeing her precious girl Allyson. Benjamin liked playing with Andrew and all the other little kids. The ball that Mariah got was the hot item! Not to mention the baby doll...







After the party, we met up with our youth group and went bowling. Let's not talk about my game, kay? Ha! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be... but I didn't bowl the second game. Instead, I chased Benjamin around the bowling alley before strapping him into his stroller and attempting to stroll him to sleep. Did not work. We came home and I took a sleep aid before going to bed. Apparently Benjamin woke up at 2am screaming when hubby came to bed, but I didn't notice. Apparently I didn't even flinch.

And right now I'm eating pistachios, drinking Mountain Dew Voltage (I can still feel the sleep aid), and listening to the Avett Brothers on my iPod. Later tonight we're going to worship in Warner Robins and then have dinner at our friends' and let Benjamin play with Mariah! Whew! Today is her official birthday! Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

I hope you're all having a fabulous Lord's Day! Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!

It's Paw-ty Time!

Today is Mariah's birthday party, and we are so excited to go and celebrate her turning One with her! Tomorrow is her actual birthday, but we are going to celebrate it today at her birthday "Paw-ty", as the invitation said! If you can't tell, it has a puppy theme!

I also wanted to make mention of my new button over there on the right side of the page. Feel free to update the one you took, if you have taken one, or to take it if you haven't! Check out my Links page, and please if you have a button and I don't have it up, let me know so I can add it!

So, I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! It's quite possible that I will be bowling tonight. Hopefully I won't embarrass myself (though, I don't see how I couldn't... I am the world's worst bowler.)!

Dear Mariah,

Thank you for coming to play with me. We have so much fun together and I love having a playmate during the day. Mommy and Daddy are fun too, but I like having someone my size to run around all day with. I really like when we play Follow The Leader or Peek-A-Boo. I like making you laugh because it makes me laugh, too. I know I steal your lovey a lot, and I hope you don't mind. But you seem to really like it and I just wondered if would like it too. How about we share it next time, okay?



You are my best friend in the whole wide world and I love to play with you! I hope that we are friends forever, no matter where we are! You are very special to me and I think I would be very sad if our mommies and daddies hadn't become friends. You are so much fun! I can't wait to see you tomorrow when you come back to play, and I can't wait to go to your birthday party on Saturday! I hope you like the gift that we got you!



Thank you for being my friend, Mariah! Let's be friends forever, okay?

Love,
Benjamin

In The Leaves.

Let me tell y'all something!

It is really hard trying to photograph an active baby! It has been hard for me to find photographic opportunities while watching Mariah because she is always so busy. But the other day I saw that the corner of our back yard had a lovely blanket of leaves down, so I thought it would be the perfect place for Mariah - the leaves would keep her busy long enough to sit down for some pictures.

And it worked!











Seriously, y'all, is this child not quite beautiful?!





Shortly after taking about fiftybajillion pictures of Mariah, Benjamin woke up from his nap and I tried to get some of the two of them together, but they wanted to go their separate ways after a couple seconds.



But I did get some of Ben separately.














"Pleh!"







I love those kiddos.

Busted.

Benjamin unsuspectingly was playing upon his Christmas present, which I knowingly only paid $2 for - regularly a $20 toy, and yes, out of the unsuspecting Target store. Little did they know when I purchased a $4 prescription and gained a $10 giftcard, and then used a $5 off coupon for something that was marked down temporarily to $17, that I would get smart and actually redeem myself for the sock incident.

Can you tell I'm a little proud of myself? Although Hubby is the one who did the actual purchasing as Benjamin and I were sick that day.

Anyway. Would you believe that I just got waaaay off track?

I think Benjamin will like his toy.





Or, at least he is going to have fun with the box. I mean, look at them - they aren't even paying attention to that box of AVON books and whatever else is in it!



Oh ... um ...



Ok.



Sigh.



As if he had nothing to do with it ...



Yeah, I know you helped, Benjamin.



And I know you did it while wearing Daddy's shoe...



Busted.

Photogenic.

The great thing about having such a precious, adorable, beautiful, blonde-haired-blue-eyed, chubby-cheeked, ham-of-a child is that he is very, very photogenic and loves the camera.

Well ...

Most of the time.









Yesterday, dear little Benjamin was in one of his moods. I mean, if you can't already tell. And to be honest, due to his wake-up calls 5 times during the night, I was feeling a little cranky as well. To new moms (and experienced moms) who have babies waking them up through the night - I've really been feeling your pain lately. Benjamin has only slept through the night twice in his sweet little life, but usually he'll only wake up once or maybe twice... but lately it's been more around four or five times. Pretty much every hour after 2 or so.



Seriously.

Anyway ... so I've been keeping Mariah lately as I've already told you. Yesterday while Benjamin was napping, I decided to see if Mariah would sit for pictures. The lighting was off and I wasn't too fond of the shadows, but I did get a few pictures that I actually liked. We'll try again another day, but till then, I can share some of the ones I did like!


Reach for the stars!


Isn't she just adorable?


She really is one of the sweetest (busiest) babies!


I just love this girl! She is so much fun to play with and to keep.

-------

In other news, today is such a rainy day. We braved it and went out to the "big" city to get some shopping done and to get myself a haircut. We woke up to rain pouring down and it is still raining.

I got an e-mail from my dad this morning, he was trying to figure out how to put I guess a comment on my blog so he asked for me to just put this up for him:

Some things just happen ... we just happen to love our family! And it keeps getting bigger! Kristen is a wonderful example of how you can encourage others in what you say and do. We've been blessed to be a part of her life and the lives of those she brings near to us. We love you Kristen!!!!

Thanks, Dad! It means a lot! Love you!!