SOOOO BIG!

I can hardly believe how big Benicio looks standing-yes, you read that right-standing here playing with his new music table! My baby suddenly looks a lot like a toddler-a very small toddler, but a toddler nonetheless. He is such a miracle, and we are so blessed by having him in our lives. Here are a few pics of his newest accomplishments:

Ben standing at his play table.

Ben figuring out how to turn the page on this "book" while standing at his play table.

Ben putting himself to sleep on the carpet after a hard day of standing up! One minute he was standing there playing, the next he was lying on the carpet asleep! Too cute for words!

One year ago....

Ariana Maria Nohemi

September 26, 2007 to January 7, 2008

One year ago today was the day we first met our daughter in the lobby of the Grand Tikal in Guatemala City. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Today, I remember her with love, laughter, and tears. I love you, sweet Ariana, and Mommy will never, ever forget you. Someday when we all meet again in Heaven, I can't wait to introduce you to your baby brother, Ben.

FFF-Merry Christmas

My friend's son and my niece, Belle, as Mary and Joseph in the living nativity at church.

Santa Ben and his new Curious George book.

This week's theme for FFF is Merry Christmas. With that theme, I had to include the picture of my niece as Mary. Have you ever seen anything more adorable than little ones celebrating the true meaning of Christmas? Belle absolutely "gets" what Christmas is about. She can even tell you that it is "not Jesus' birthday, just the day we CELEBRATE Jesus' birthday because the Bible doesn't say which month to do it." That girl is too smart!

Of course, no FFF post can be complete without including Ben! He was funny opening presents at my mom's house. He was wondering why I took away every new toy or book as soon as he opened it and handed him another package instead!

For more FFF, go to Sarah's blog: http://www.kissthefrog4me.blogspot.com

Dress up!

Most people I know who have a little boy always say it is hard to find cute boy clothes and how much more fun it is to shop for a little girl. They must be shopping in the wrong stores because I've had a blast picking out all sorts of fun clothes for Ben! Plus, almost everything I see in the girl's section is pink and I really don't like pink, so I definitely think the boy clothes are cuter! And don't even get me started on shoes and hats! I'll have to do a post just to show off all of those because he has so many. My sister says she thinks I have a problem when it comes to shoes and hats!

My nephews tell me I should enjoy dressing Ben in all of these "preppy clothes" now because there's no way I'll be getting him into a sweater vest in a few years:-) They're probably right since they used to let me dress them when they were little but not any more! So, while he still lets me, I'm going to enjoy dressing up my little boy as much as any other Momma loves dressing her little girl!

Fave Foto Friday

Santa Ben chewing on one of his many gifts!

Since Will is going to be out of town for Christmas this year, Santa came early to our house. He brought Ben all sorts of things he liked-boxes, wrapping paper, bows... Oh, and a few actual gifts too. I love that Ben is eating the package and totally unconcerned with what is inside

Ben and Daddy..err...I mean Santa!

The Santa in this picture just happens to be Ben's very own Daddy! I love the way Ben is just starign at Santa like he is the most interesting thing he has ever seen! Of course, what the picture doesn't show is Ben trying to pull Santa's glasses and beard off about two seconds later!

8 months old already!

I can hardly believe that my sweet baby boy is already 8 months old! It seems so impossible that he has been with us that long already, and yet even more impossible that I haven't known him always. He is such a part of us now that it is hard to imagine that we ever lived without him. Every day I am in awe of this miracle child, this answer to prayers, this blessing I could never have deserved. No words could ever express how much I thank God for this amazing child.

Lord,

Thank You from the very core of my being for allowing me the privilege of calling this child my son. You knew my needs and desires even before I did, and you have fulfilled them all with this precious gift. You held me in your arms in my darkest hour, and now you raise me up in joy with all that You have done for us. Your love and mercy is unfathomable to me. I thank You again for the countless blessings You have granted us.

Amen

Remembering

As most of you know, the adoption community was dealt a great loss last week when the Azhderian family lost their sweet, beautiful daughter, Josi, to a violent home invasion. (You can read their story, and donate to help offset the financial burden of their adoption at www.azhderianfamily.blogspot.com). I know how horrible it is to lose a child, but I cannot imagine how her family must be feeling in light of what happened to sweet Josi. Please lift them, and her family in Guatemala, up in prayer.

After hearing Josi's story, I cannot help but remember those dark and lonely days right after our sweet Ariana died. I can only imagine that the Azhderians are feeling even worse right now. My prayer for them is that they are able someday very soon to see through the darkness and pain and find those quiet whispers that will give them hope and peace. I know that the "what-ifs" and the "should have's" are plentiful-I remember a million if onlys-if only I had stayed a few more days, if only we had called a doctor about her runny nose, if only, if only, if only. I nearly drove myself crazy with those. I pray that Josi's family will somehow work their way through all of those and find peace. Please pray for the peace that passes all understanding to rest upon them.

I ask also at this time of year that you remember Ariana's foster family, her birthmom, and us in your prayers as we draw near to the anniversary of when we met her and of her death. Memories are bittersweet and come often at unexpected moments. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

FFF-Pics of the boys!

We just had these pictures done the day before Thanksgiving. I love how big Ben looks in the pictures by himself and how tiny he looks compared to Tony and Drew! My life is just so full of blessings! Just 5 short years ago, Will and despaired of ever having a family. Now look at the abundance of boys that God has given us! They didn't come to us in the way we expected, or at the time we expected, but still they are perfect for us in every way! I guess it really is true that the biggest rainbows come after the most violent storms. We suffered a lot of loss to get here, but boy is the rainbow brighter than we ever could have dreamed.

For more FFF's, go to Sarah's blog: http://www.kissthefrog4me.blogspot.com

Wordless Wednesday-What a bunch of cuties!

FFF-Thankful

I am thankful for oh so many things this year, but this little guy is the biggest miracle and blessing from this past year. He is such a sweet, loving baby and I am so blessed to call him son!

For more FFF's visit http://www.kissthefrog4me.blogspot.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

There is so much to be thankful for in my life that I'm not even sure where to begin! Above all else, I am so thankful for God who loves me and forgives me even when I mess up and don't do what He wants me to do. I am also thankful beyond measure for my amazing family-even if the saying about being mostly sweet with a few nuts does apply:-) I am thankful for my wonderful, loving husband, my precious niece and nephews, and for the miracle that is baby Ben. I am thankful for the week I got to spend with my sweet daughter, Ariana, before God called her home to Heaven. I am thankful that Will's job allows me to stay home and be with Ben and my niece all day. It is so great that I don't have to rely on someone else to care for them each day. I am thankful for my church family, who have given us love, support, and comfort on our rocky road to adoption. I'm thankful for the fact that we don't have to worry about food and shelter when so many in the world do. I'm thankful for Ariana's wonderful foster family, and the connection that they give us to Ben's heritage. And, I am more thankful than words could ever express for a courageous, beautiful young lady whose love for her baby and selfless choices have made me a Mommy at long last.

First Haircut

Before

After

Today Ben got his first haircut. The only tears that were shed came from Mommy, of course. Ben was a big boy and very fascinated by the whole process. I can't believe how grown up my sweet baby boy looks with his new 'do!

FFF-For Crying Out Loud

I don't have too many pictures of Ben crying because he doesn't cry all that much and never has. But, here are a few of him getting mad because Mommy was taking pictures instead of holding him!

For more Fave Foto Friday pics, check out http://www.kissthefrog4me.blogspot.com/

Where has the time gone?

Today Ben is 7 months old. It seems like just yesterday I was looking down at him in his isolette at the hospital! Now he is sitting up, trying to scoot around, and generally being interested in everything around him (especially the cheerleaders last night at Drew's basketball game!). He had to go to the pediatrician yesterday, so we know he now weighs 14 pounds. He's still on the small side for his age, but he is growing!

To my sweet baby boy,

I can't believe that you are seven months old already! you have grown and changed so much and so quickly! Every time I blink, it seems like you are doing something new these days. You are so curious, happy, and sweet. I love your adorable laugh, smile, and babbling. Your favorite word is "dada" and you say it constantly! Even though you can say mama, every time I try to get you to say it, you get the biggest grin on your face and say, "Dada". Silly boy! Mommy loves you so much, monito! Happy seven month birthday!

FFF-Kisses

Today's theme is supposed to be "blowing kisses", but since Ben is a bit young for that, we just went with kisses. This is Ben and I at the Children's Museum in October. For more Fave Foto Fridays go to Sarah's blog: Kiss the Frog 4 Me

Wordless Wednesday-Loving Cousins

Fave Foto Friday-Family Picture

Choosing just one picture to be my favorite family picture was impossible for me. Our family has changed so much in the past four years that I couldn't possibly figure out one picture to use. So, I chose more than one to show all of the stages of our family.

This is our family on May 30, 2008. These were our first family pictures with Ben. I love that she so perfectly captured the sheer joy and adoration we all feel about baby Ben!

This picture is of our family last March. We had these done to include in our family profile when we decided to pursue domestic adoption. A friend who is a photographer did them for us.

This picture is of that all to short week when we were a family of three with our daughter, Ariana, in Guatemala last December. In January, just 4 days after I last held her, she passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. She will always be such an important part of who we are, so we had to include her in our family pictures post.

This picture is of my family before my older sister and niece died. Back then, Gayle was the only one of us sisters who had kids. The two bigger boys are my nephews that I am raising, the smaller ones belong to my sister's fiance, who is in the center of the back row.

For more FFF pics: www.kissthefrog4me.blogspot.com

Wordless Wednesday

Old news I forgot to share....

Benito got his first tooth back on October 21st! It was so funny, because at his 10:00AM pediatrician appointment, she looked in his mouth and said, "No teeth yet. His gums do look a little swollen, though." Then, at 2:00PM when I was getting ready to give him a bottle, I noticed that he had something white in his mouth. I thought he had gotten hold of a piece of paper or something, so I stuck my finger in his mouth to get it out. Lo and behold, sometime between 10 AM and 2 PM, that little tooth had popped right through! I would love to post a picture, but he is pretty shy about showing anyone and I haven't been able to get a picture that you can see it in yet. My little guy is growing and changing so fast these days that I can barely keep up!

Fave Foto Friday

The picture above is of my older sister, Gayle, and me, taken back in (gulp) 1976.

This picture is my sweet niece, Belle, and my precious baby Ben, taken this week.

Notice any similarities? I kept looking at the picture I took of Belle and Ben and feeling like it was dejavu. Then I was looking through some old photo albums and saw this picture of my sister and I. I thought it was great how we are in almost the same pose and she has blond hair just like Belle and I have black hair just like Ben. Isn't that crazy?

For more fave foto Friday pics, go to http://www.kissthefrog4me.blogspot.com

Look who's getting soooo BIG!

Ben can officially sit up as of yesterday! He hadn't shown much interest in trying before because every time I would sit him up he would start grabbing his toes and fall over face first. But, yesterday at a friend's house while he was too busy watching her daughter crawl around I finally got him to sit up. Now he wants to do it all the time. In fact, once today he actually sat up for almost 5 minutes straight. I'm so excited for him, but it also makes me sad because he is growing up too fast!

Yummy, yummy squash!!

Today Ben got to try squash for the first time. Since rice cereal and green beans have not been all that much of a hit with him, I assumed he wouldn't be too excited about the squash either. Boy was I wrong! This boy ate every single bite of the squash and kept going "mmm" between bites. I had never heard him make that sound before, but I always say "mmm, yummy" to him when I give him bites, so I guess he figured it out once he had something that really was yummy to him. He actually even cried when the squash was all gone! I guess maybe I should have taken my aunt up on the offer of fresh squash from her garden this fall!

Busy, busy, busy!!

Since my last post, Ben went for his six-month well baby check and he is doing great! He is now up to 13 pounds, 12 ounces, which still keeps him under the 5th percentile, but is a pound more than he weighed at his four month visit. He is 25 and 3/4 inches long, though, so that explains where all of his growth is happening!

I am busy, busy, busy this weekend because I am caring for my cousin's 17-month old son because she is in the hospital in danger of delivering her new baby 8 weeks early. Please say a prayer that all goes well for her and the baby. I'm having a blast with her son, but boy am I tired! On Friday my Mom and I took Ben, my cousin's baby, my niece (3), and one of my nephews (14) to the zoo. That was really an adventure, but the kids all loved it.

Will is back at work on board the vessel for the next four weeks, so I am on my own with the kids. I sure do miss his help-especially with an extra!

Please pray for this family

I don't know this family personally, but I read their blog and would like to ask that all of you pray for their sweet daughter.

http://ferrickfamilypromise.blogspot.com/

Happy 6 months, sweet baby boy!

Ben in the hospital at 6 days old

Ben at the zoo a few days shy of 6 months old

Benito,


Mommy can hardly believe that half a year has already passed since you came into our lives. You have brought joy, love, and happiness beyond measure to our family, and especially to me. I love everything about being your Mommy-the early morning smiles when I walk into your room to get you up for the day, your giggles when I tickly your underarms, the way your smile lights up the room whenever you see me pass by, even the way you like to cuddle up on me and suck your thumb when you are fussy. You are my dream come true, sweet baby boy, and I love you more than words could ever say. Happy 6 month birthday, monito!


Love,


Mommy

Fun at the zoo-again!

Ben and Daddy checking out the fish tanks

Jamie, Belle, Daddy, and Ben looking at sharks in the shark touch tank

Ben and mommy

Will, me, Ben, and Belle looking at the lemurs and flamingos

Me, Ben, Belle, and my sister, Jamie

Ben in the Desserts building

Ben checking out the seahorses

Yesterday we went to the zoo with my sister and niece. We sure have gotten our money's worth out of that zoo membership we bought! Ben LOVES looking at the fish in the Oceans building because he can get so up close with them. He also loves the rest of the zoo because he loves anything that involves being outdoors. Hope you enjoy the pics!

Too cute for words!