A Journey to Love

You just can't help but love him back. :)

Today our sweet little guy turned two years old. As all parents say, it feels just like yesterday that he was born. The time has flown by and it truly is bittersweet watching him grow from a precious little baby to a sweet, fun-loving little boy. We started Benjamin's special day with homemade cinnamon rolls before Nathan went on duty, complete with candles and a balloon. After his daddy left for work, Benjamin spent the morning playing with his new Thomas-the-Train set Grandma Peggy and Papa Kevin gave him. Then it was off to the park where he ran and jumped, slid and climbed on the play structure before chowing down on an In-n-Out burger and fries (his favorite!) with Aunt Laura and cousins Weston and Wyatt. I made macaroni and cheese for dinner (another fave of his) and we took a trip to the fire station to see Daddy and the "woo-woo's" before stopping for a scoop of ice cream on the way home. It was a day all about Benjamin and we loved every minute of it. Hap...

This kid is getting too smart. It started with bed time. I would lay him down in his crib (against his will) only to have him cry out "Poo-poo! Poo-poo!" Since no smart parent hesitates when a toddler says these words (nor did I think he was clever enough to lie about such a thing), I would immediately wisk him out of his crib and to the toilet where he would sit and...do nothing. I would ask him if he was all done and he'd reply with an adamant "No"...and continue to do nothing. After several instances of this happening (coincidentally all at naptime) I finally wised up to his little game and put it to an end. Well, he is pulling the same trick when it's time for discipline. In our household now, a spanking almost always coincides with a sudden need to use the bathroom. However, just like at naptime, as soon as he is placed on the toilet, the tears cease, as does the urgency that plagued him just a moment before. This time it didn't take me as long...

Benjamin's vocabulary has just taken off like I knew it would, in spite of my impatience. Nathan and I crack up over his pronunciation or version of certain words. Of course I have to write them down for posterity! Fire engine= "woo-woo" Elmo="Mo-mo" Weston & Wyatt= "Westie & Wy" Sadie="Say-say" Grandma="Mee-maw" Grandpa="Papa" Cereal="cecil" Cat="meow" Snack="nack" Happy Birthday="happy happy" Blankie="bankie" Spoon="poon" Frog="ricky" (I think he is trying to say "ribbit" here) Turtle="toto" He loves to say "Hi" and "Bye" to fellow shoppers and while we are driving down the road he must point out every semi-truck, tractor, RV, garbage truck, and bus that he sees (and he doesn't miss much). When he calls out his latest observation, you must respond verbatim or he will keep repeating hi...

As much as we love our Benjamin (and words just really can't describe how much we love him) there are times when we can't wait to get away from him. Let me explain. It's not necessarily him we want to get away from, but more like the responsibility that comes with him. The meal times, nap times, snack times, playtimes, bedtimes, and so forth. I love my son and he is really an easy, happy little boy to take care of, but even good kids are a lot of work and require a lot of attention. Hence, the reason for date nights. Nathan and I have tried to make them a priority since Benjamin was born, but it is easy to drop them when our schedules get busy. We recognize the need to keep our marriage fresh and fun, but it is all too easy to let it slide into stale and boring, which is very dangerous for a relationship. So since it has been a long time since we last had a evening to ourselves, we decided to take a couple days this week to rekindle our marriage. Benjamin gets to ...

Please join us as we celebrate Benjamin's 2nd birthday! When: Sunday, August 1st. Come anytime between 10 and 2. Where: Avila Beach, on the strip of sand in front of the play structure/bathrooms. Details: This party is open house style, so just come whenever you can! Pack a lunch and cold drinks, lather on sunscreen, and throw a chair in the car so you can soak up the rays! One thing you DON'T need to bring is a gift...all we want is to spend the day with you! Hope to see you and your family there! Oh, and in case there was any doubt, dessert WILL be provided!

Growing up, I had many dreams, as all children do. My biggest dream was to marry a man whom I was crazy about (and who was just as crazy about me) and start a family. I have dreamt about being a mother for as long as I can remember. So when I learned I was pregnant with Benjamin, I cried tears of joy and thanked God for the amazing gift he bestowed on me. My dream had come true. I was married to a wonderful man and we were about to welcome our first child into the world. All was as it should be. We spent the next nine months meticulously planning for Benjamin's arrival and relishing the special moments of my first pregnancy. The first time we saw him on the ultrasound machine, the first moment we heard his precious heart beating, that first flutter in my stomach that finally convinced me there was a baby in there, and then the first time Nathan got to feel him kick while we were laying in bed one night. We counted off each week and I poured over my pregnancy books, name book...