Bennett James {10 months}

Sweet Baby B. You are so dang cute, loved, and funny. Everyone who looks at you just falls in love with you....and then you smile and you melt their hearts! You my sweet B are going to be a heart breaker!

Highlights:

• You weigh right at 21 pounds and I have no idea what your height is.
• You are a CHUNK!
• You still wear size 5 diapers and 9-12 month clothes.
• Still eating 4 bottles a day- but they are really not your favorite.... Not too much longer and we will be DONE with all this.
• Food is a hit or miss with you. Either you LOVE it or you refuse to eat anything. The only thing you eat pretty consistently is puffs.
• You are still sleeping pretty good. You have been waking up early but if you find a paci you will give us another hour or so.
• You have said "MAMA" and "bye bye". 
• You will clap- on your terms.
• We are teaching you high five and sometimes you will do it but most of the time you just laugh at us!
• YOU ARE ON THE GO! You can crawl super fast...but you have officially taken steps! If you are standing you will walk first then fall and crawl the rest of the way! There is no doubt in a few weeks you will be full on walking!
• Being outside is your favorite and you LOVE watching your daddy and sister play.
• I believe I am your favorite person (not being biased )! If I am around you would much rather be in my arms than anywhere else!

Health Update:

• We started your meds (blood pressure) to help shrink the mass in your thumb. So far we haven't seen a change....but praying for the best!
• I started seeing a small regression with your flat spot....so you are wearing the helmet at night and on the weekends full time.

How you really feel about turning 10 months!

Janie Beth {3 years old}

Sweet JB, 

How are you 3 years old? You are such a bright, social, loving, sassy, bossy, and caring little girl and we love every ounce of you!! You had A LOT of changes this year and you handled MOST of them like a champ and with grace and we couldn't be more proud of you!

Highlights:

• You weighed 27 pounds and 32" tall.
• You love Vamperina, Fancy Nancy, and Mickey and the Roadster Racers.
• You love being the center of our attention and pretty much will demand it most days.
• Your favorite food is still Mac and Cheese, yogurt, and chocolate milk.
• Your favorite color is purple and pink (even though it changes daily).
• When I asked what you wanted to be when you grow up it was a super hero, but that also changes daily.
• You love to go fishing with your daddy but will be girly in an instant and want your fingernails painted. 
• Georgia is still your BFF!
• And, you experienced your first snow with TWO different snow days!
• Visited Disney World!

Milestons:

• Moved to a big girl bed!
• Became a big sister!
• Got rid of your paci!
• Potty trained!

Bennett James {8 & 9 months}

Well, I totally failed as a mommy by writing your 8 month update. So, I am going to combine your 8 and 9 month update. You were trying to do a lot of things at 8 months and finally mastered them at 9 months. Without further adieu .....

Highlights:

• At 9 months you weighed 19 pounds and 27" tall.
• Around 8 months you were trying super hard to be mobile and at 9 months you figured it out! You have your own special crawl (You scoot side to side on your bottom). You will pull up on anything and everything and walking around the furniture.
• You love table foods but at 8 months you were still just sucking on it and spitting it out, but at 9 months you have mastered the art of swallowing.
• You aren't saying words but you are babbling and you will mock us every now then.
• You are a dancing king. Any music you hear you start bouncing up and down.
• Still sleeping awesome 7-7!
• You are down to 2 sippy cups during the day and a bottle first thing in the morning and one before night time.
• We are also working on clapping but you just look at us like we are crazy! 
• Hopefully this is the last month in the helmet.

Bennett James {7 months}

Sweet baby B! Happy 7 months old! Your little personality is FUNNY. You are loud and you laugh at everything.  You can make me so frustrated but then smile all in the same minute. We love you so much!

Highlights:

• You weigh around 18 pounds and you are a long little fellow.
• You wear size 4 diapers and 6-9 months.
• You still eat pretty good. 4, 8 oz bottles. You eat a good mixture of real food and baby food. It all just depends on what we have time for and what mood you are in.
• You are still sleeping pretty dang good and you my boy are not a huge fan of a paci (insert praise hands)! You will take it, but it is not necessary!
• You are TRYING hard to sit up by yourself and to crawl. It won't be long before you figure it out!
• You will semi reach for us when you want someone to pick you up. 
• Your squeal and babbling is the CUTEST.
• You will give kisses and it melts my heart.
• You are the most happiest when we are holding you up because you would much rather be standing than sitting. (back breaker)

Medical Update!

Helmet

You got your helmet on July 19th. It has been an adjustment and you have adjusted better than I did. The first day you only had to wear it for 45 mins, 2nd day for hour and half, 3rd day for 3 hours, 4th day 6 hours, and then 5th day 23 hours out of the day. You have not slept bad (knock on wood) or even bothered it much! Such a trooper you are. And not to mention how dang cute you look!

Thumb

I have been anticipating July 27th for weeks now. I have worried about this surgery but so ready to get it done. I was ready for you to have a "normal" thumb. That day we woke up at 4:30am since we had to be at the surgical center at 5:45am. When we got there we had to fill out and sign a bunch of paper work. We went back to your room around 6:20 and we spoke with your fabulous nurse and the best anesthesiologist. You stole the show! Every nurse wanted to hold you and talk to you and boy did you flirt! I was so surprised considering you haven't eaten since 7:00 the night before. Finally, Dr. Hester arrived and it was go time. He gave us the run down and then he was off and we were left to say our good byes. Oh my gracious- I still get teary eyed thinking about that moment. Every emotion swam over me and I was a wreck. I think everyone in the waiting room felt terrible for me. All I was wanting and praying was a successful surgery, complete use of your thumb, and most importantly you to respond well to the anesthesia. Praise be to God because all those prayers were answered. They have sent the tissue off to be tested and hopefully we will know more soon. When you woke up you were PISSED and HUNGRY. I rushed back there with a warm bottle and I was so sad to see you screaming a cry I have never heard before and you didn't look like yourself. Your eyes were hollow and your body language showed you were in pain. Luckily with my touch, voice, and the warm bottle you calmed down pretty quickly. Once you ate we changed you, took your IV out, and off we went! 

We got home around 9:00am and you slept most of the day! You would wake up, eat, take some meds, and fall right back to sleep. By 5:00pm that afternoon you started becoming more alert and interacting with us and even shot us a few smiles. The first night you did great! Around 1:00am you woke up and I gave you some meds and you went right back to sleep.

Your new boxing glove!

The next day you didn't need any pain meds! You were a smiley happy baby like nothing ever happened! We can't wait to take your bandages off to see your new thumb! :) 

Bennett James {6 months}

Bennett James Weldon- you may stop growing up now! These next few months are by far my favorite baby months! You are interacting and learning new things every day!!

 Highlights:

• You weigh 16 pounds and 26" tall!
• Wearing 6/9 month clothes.
• Wearing size FOUR diapers!! ( The last size diapers I bought for Janie Beth was a size 4, you chunky thing!)
• YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR SISTER!
• We dropped the swaddle and you have become a side and tummy sleeper and still sleeping through the night!
• You are finally sitting up pretty good! Every now and then I will come back to find you rolled over either on your back or tummy!
• You have become curious about people and things. You will touch our face and its the cutest thing ever!
• EVERYTHING GOES STRAIGHT TO YOUR MOUTH!
• Still no teeth.
• You are still a very chilled baby...unless your hungry! 
• Eating 8oz every 4 hours and some food! (Your favorites are bananas, apples, carrots, and avocado!)

Health Update:

I have not blogged about your thumb journey. So, here we go! You were born with a large thumb. Actually, we are not sure if you were born with it or it developed after! Your daddy noticed it the second night we were home. At first we thought maybe you had a string or a piece of hair wrapped around it, but that wasn't it. I immediately called the nurse on call and she asked a bunch of questions and we both were ok with waiting until the morning to see Dr. Doles. Your thumb was the same color as the rest of your fingers, it was getting blood circulation, and you seemed to have feeling in it, so we all were stumped. Dr. Doles suggested waiting to see if maybe if would work itself out before jumping into something. Your thumb started to get bigger so Dr. Doles sent us to Dr. Hester (orthopedic surgeon) and he took an x-ray and we learned that the bone was ok and it was just a possible fatty tissue, tumor, cyst, or the worse, cancer. He referred us to Children's to get another look at it. We then saw Dr. Oaks (orthopedic doctor). She and some other doctors thought it was an incomplete constriction band. GREAT, we have an answer...wrong... she sent us to see a genetics specialist Dr. Korf to let him look at it. He didn't think it was an incomplete constriction band. He thinks it was a tiny cell that took a wrong turn when developing and now grows faster than its supposed to. He gave us a go ahead to go back to Dr. Hester to have it removed. We are now waiting on surgery which will be July 27th. 

Head Update:

Mommy guilt is BIG right now. We go back to Birmingham July 5th for a "flat head" appointment. You will be getting a helmet. I know you will still look ADORABLE but I can't help but beat myself up for allowing this to happen. 

Bennett James {5 months}

Bennett James slow down!!!!! Sweet baby boy you are soon stinking sweet and I can just sit and hold you all day long! AND IT'S SUMMER SO I CAN!!

Highlights:

• You weigh around 16 pounds and I have no clue how tall you are. We do not go to the doctor this month.
• Still sleeping like a champ but you still have to be swaddled.
• FINALLY ROLLING!
• You tried your first baby food and you were not a fan....we will keep working on it.
• You want to sit up so bad but after a few seconds you come tumbling down.
• You dropped a bottle and only eating 4, 8 oz bottles.
• You absolutely love your hands and feet! 

K2 Graduation

And just like that you have completed K2 at First Baptist CDC. What a wonderful year you had! You started the year off as an only child, in diapers, and sleeping in your crib. Now you are a rock star big sister, potty trained, and you absolutely love your free range in your big girl bed. You are only 2 (soon to be 3) and for some reason you seem much older. 

left: august  right:may

You ADORED your teachers this year, Casey Batyski (Tyski) and Beth Bridges (BB). They were both so kind, patient, and loving. They taught you SO much and for that we are extremely thankful for.

top: august   bottom:may

You can count to 20 and can count objects to ten. You are singing every song possible! And can recite bible verses! You know all the colors! And can recognize some letters(and tell you sounds) and numbers! You can retell her day! 

Bennett James {4 months}

Benny Boy you are SOOO STINKIN' ADORABLE!

I can just sit and stare at you all day and kiss those chubby soft cheeks! I am pretty sure you feel the same way about me! 

Highlights:

• You weigh 14.8 pounds and 25 inches tall!
• You wear size 2 diapers and 6 month clothes- I mean, REALLY,  slow down!
• You are eating 6oz every 3 hours and you usually finish every bottle unless you are too distracted by your loud sister.
• You still take your last bottle around 6:45 and your asleep by 7:15 and you are an awesome sleeper. We usually have to wake you up on Saturday and Sundays!
• Lord have mercy you are a spitter!! You will burp and we have approximately 3 seconds to have a burp cloth ready to catch the massive amount of spit up!
• You have become very active on your play mat. You are grabbing and shaking toys. Your absolute fave is watching yourself in a mirror! You will smile and babble all day at yourself!
• You can roll from your tummy to your back but you have no desire to roll from your back to your tummy!

• You LOVE your hands and sometimes choose them over your paci!
• Bath time is your favorite part of the day and your sister has become very funny!
• We finally dedicated you to the Lord and it was a great day!

We love you sweet B!

Easter {2018}

Janie Beth 2.5, Bennett 3m

Easter 2018 was amazing and filled with family visit and worshiping our risen Savior!

Janie Beth is at a such a fun age where she enjoys going and playing and takes it all in!! We have been practicing hiding and finding eggs for about 2 weeks before Easter weekend. Every chance she got she would hide eggs and we would have to find them and vise versa. It was starting to get a little annoying but she pretty much insisted! So when the time came she was a pro at every Easter egg hunt we attended! 

Our first Easter Egg Hunt was with our Sunday School class. We put together a glow in the dark egg hunt and that was pretty cool. The kids seem to enjoy it and it wasn't as much candy...so win/win for everyone!

Our next Easter shindig was with the Weldon's. Mallory, Hank, Henry, and Millie joined us for our community Easter Egg hunt in downtown and then we had a delicious lunch on the back porch of the new lake house! Henry and JB played so good together and it was fun watching them interact!

Easter Sunday we woke up and saw the exciting baskets the Easter Bunny left. Unfortunately I did not get any photos of that moment, I video taped it! JB loved it all and Bennett just watched :)
We rushed off to church to get some worship in and we took great pictures in front of the cross. Then, we headed to Lollie and Pop's house for a YUMMY Easter lunch and you guessed it....hide and hunt more eggs!

Bennett James {3 months}

Sweet Little B how are you 3 months old?! You are developing the sweetest personality EVER! You are so content wherever you are and I am so glad you are a go with the flow babe!! You are the happiest in my arms and my does it melt my heart! You will just sit and stare at me and smile and we are starting to get chuckles when we tickle you or make funny noises. I pray you keep being an awesome go with the flow chilled baby!

Highlights:

• You weigh around 13lbs! 
• Eating 5/6oz every 3 hours! You take your last bottle at 6:45pm and then we lay you down in your crib (still swaddled) and we don't hear from you until around 6:45 the next morning! Once you figured out your nights from days there is no stopping you from sleeping! 
• You are currently in size 1 diapers but after we finish this box I am buying size 2s! 
• You are still wearing 3month clothing but you are getting to long for them :( 
• You absolutely love sitting in your bumbo and jumperoo. Then when you get tired of holding your head up you love laying on you giraffe mat and activity mat!
• The flat spot on your head is driving me nuts so I try sitting you up as much as possible and tummy time only happens when you are elevated on my leg!
• You have recently found your voice and will babble and make the cutest noises!

• You brought home the stomach bug and man it went through our house like wild fire! But by Sunday we were all feeling so much better.
• You love watching the TV.
• You are starting to follow toys and us so much smoother and your hands have become your favorite toy!