BENJAMIN'S GOT THE CLAP

...down pat. (sorry, we just watched Dewey Cox--Walk Hard)

Took him a while. He's been trying for months, at first by wrapping one hand around the other and shaking them briskly, more like an up and down motion. Then by hitting a closed fist with an open one. Now it's the real thing- two open hands smackin' together very cutely and emphatically. It's his favorite. And he's ours. Aw.

Enjoy the video of his clapping!

P.S. Friday morning (the day after Thanksgiving) Benjamin actually said the word clap as we were encouraging him to clap. Mommy said clap. And then Benjamin said clap right after. No baby talk involved. Clap. Plain as day and very matter of fact. Like he's been saying it his whole life. Genius.

First Thanksgiving!

Happy 1st Thanksgiving to Benjamin Bug! In celebration we thought he might enjoy his first taste of a seasoning spice. Cinnamon is almost synonomous with Thanksgiving yum so we hoped Benjamin might like it.
















Well, for those keeping up, Benjamin is not very fond of solids overall. And we wondered if he might dig it more if it had more flavor.






















I guess not.




















But he did enjoy playing with the spoon at least.
















On this Thanksgiving we are thankful for all our friends and family, for health and happiness, and most of all, for the miracle of our baby Benjamin. He is amazing and we are humbled by the gift that he is. We love you, Bug.

No No No!

At the doctor's office today (Grandmommy Kim's appointment) Benjamin started shaking his head no for the first time ever. And emphatically so. Lots of head shakes, back and forth. Repeatedly. "No, no no." And he continued to do this while driving in the car, then still while trying to nurse him while waiting in the parking lot of the eye doctor's to pick up Grandmommy's glasses, and on the way to pick up lunch, until we got back home. Haven't seen it since then. But man, he had a lot of no's to say this afternoon.

What's that sneaking up on me...?

It's your Eleven Month Birthday, Benjamin!

And how does an Eleven Month Old Bug spend his special day?
He wakes up nice and early, he takes a trip to town with Mommy and Grandmommy Kim, he takes a very snuggly nap with the aforementioned Grandmommy Kim, he eats some delicious sweet potatoes (mmm! his favorite!), and he learns to eat water from a spoon (we're trying a new sneaky feeding trick).





...And of course the usual running around, laughing, screaming, dancing, waving, chopping and saying "Hey" to all the light sources in the house.


Happy Eleven Months, Benjamin Bug! We Love You!

The Longest Post

On the eve of Benjamin's 11-month birthday there is a lot we have to catch you up on. Again, Mom and Dad have been slow on updating this here blog.
But here's the skinny:

Food: Booby juice is still numero uno in Benjamin's book. He seemed to enjoy doing finger foods (banana, avocado) but we had to eliminate them due to the reaction he had to the avocado. The doctor recently said we could reintroduce banana, which he had this afternoon, and he ate better and was more interested than when we try to feed him purees, although still not a lot. Grandmommy Kim has been here almost a week now and we are pretty sure he has gained at least 5 pounds. She cashes in on his love of water from a straw to slip in some solids--the old switcheroo. He fusses about it, but we can tell he is heftier already. This month he tried peaches, peach soy yogurt, and zucchini for the first time. Out of the three, soy yogurt is his least yucky. Oh, and we found a corn syrup-free organic soy formula we are giving him in his sippy cup as recommended by his pediatrician, to get him used to taking a milk product out of a sippy. He seems to like it okay.



The Bug’s new favorite gesture is the Benjamin CHOP! It’s basically a judo chop, but much much cuter—and it’s not to be confused with his adorable royalty wave (which is all in the wrist; the chop is more of a shoulder/elbow action). He laughs his little butt off at peek-a-boo, and enjoys standing up in his play yard, peeking over the edge (and sometimes chewing on it). Might not sound like much, but it’s crazy cute. He very much likes removing his socks and eating them (or gnawing on his toes, which can be painful now with his 2 little choppers). Other hobbies include kicking, scratching, pinching and spitting on mommy and daddy- especially while he’s got them pinned down, yanking on a fistful of hair (or a nipple, or an eyelid). We imagine it’s not unlike a stay in Guantanamo Bay.






Other favorite things include taking a bath, drinking water from a straw, kicking his doggy, Bum Bum, in the butt (somewhat gently), eating books, reading books, throwing and catching his little grey elephant or a rolled up pair of his socks, watching Yo Gabba Gabba & Jack’s Big Music Show, playing baby in the mirror, peek-a-boo, listening and dancing to music, and playing the little keyboard/piano his Grandmommy Kim brought him.






His least favorite things are eating solids, being sleepy, being told “no” and being ignored. And diaper changes, formerly on his favorite list, are now the most distressing experiences EVER (give or take choking on a green bean, bashing his head on his crib, or being slightly drowned, don’t ask).






We’re still teaching him signs. He seems to be catching on to most, if not all, of them. He recognizes the signs for kitty cat, doggie, night night night, water, bath, milk, eat, and yes. And he totally loves watching mommy fly through the sign alphabet (she’s really fast!). Spoken words he recognizes include all of those just mentioned plus mole, safety pin, belly button, wall, throw, catch, fingers, toes, and wall. Oh yeah, and “no.” But, trust me, you do not want to say that to him (see Guantanamo Bay reference above).

Adventures we’ve gone on since our last post include picking out a little gourd and a big pumpkin for Halloween; going on a PetsMart playdate with his best pal Brennan; visiting his Aunt Newt and Uncle Chard in Wild Wonderful West Virginia, and visiting the Natural Science Museum (especially the tigers! Whoa!).





What’s next, you ask. Hopefully a decent night’s sleep and then, tomorrow, he’s turning 11 months old. Up next, THE BIG 01!!!! Time sure flies when you’re being held captive and spat upon in the face!

We love you, Benjamin Bug!