The weather has finally taken a turn for spring and we couldn't be more happier around here. Between the cold weather and illnesses, we've had our share of cabin fever. Although cabin fever is much more enjoyable in our new home. Nevertheless, we have had fun exploring our new neighborhood and allowing the fresh air and warmth of sunshine to replenish our souls.
This day we went out, it was a little sprinkly. But we didn't let that hold us back from the fresh air. Collin actually preferred this time being outside b/c the sunshine didn't bother his eyes like the other days we've been out.
Golf anyone?
Happy baby! Don't let him deceive you though....he only stays happy in the stroller for very short periods of time. Must be a boy thing, Benjamin was the SAME way. It's a lot more problematic this go 'round though b/c I have two other little bodies I have to keep alive while out and about.
See all these little lives I'm responsible for? It's not too hard within our walls. But when out it can be quite overwhelming. I joke with Dave, that the stress of taking all three places is saving him a lot of money. :)
Our new home we are blessed with....
He got fussy, so we try a different position which usually buys me a little bit of time with this sweet, happy face.
Benjamin is really happy to be at the new house. When I ask him which house he likes better, he always says the new one either b/c it is prettier or b/c there is more room for their toys.
Anna loves it here too!
I went a little overboard with bundling Collin up at first. He hasn't been outside much, so I still worry about him getting chilly. I love having a big porch to sit with Collin on, especially when it's sprinkling outside.
I thought their determination here was really cute....
"I figured out how to reach it, Momma!"
I was nursing Collin when Anna brought me this book to read. She got upset when I said I couldn't right now, so I suggested she ask Benjamin to read it with her. Without hesitation, he climbed up into the rocking chair with her and went over all the pages and explaining what they found to her. It was ridiculously precious....to me anyways. :)
Another afternoon outside: I was so tickled how even though we were in the shade, Collin still wouldn't really look up much b/c his baby eyes are still adjusting to the brightness of the sun. Plus, he was having fun discovering feet.....
and grass. He kept 'raking' his fingers through the grass. He's doing that with a lot of things right now. I love watching them discover new things!
Life has turned full circle and I'm experiencing quite a lot of de ja vu around here: Anna in Collin's face just as Benjamin did (er, does) with Anna.
"Big Trouble In a Little Shirt" + a big stick = yikes!
Not really though, he's too sweet to be too scary!
I would coo and talk to Collin and he would smile as he is here, but he wouldn't look up at me. :)
But then he took notice of his Big Brother and Sister playing and he would look over at them!
Little girl with a little stick. Whenever possible, Benjamin finds the biggest stick he can for himself and then a smaller more acceptable size for his little sister. He always proudly announces this to me too and explains how he wants her to be safe for me.
Don't tell Dave, but her discovering of the dirt did involve a taste. After which she bluntly told me, "Don't eat it. It's yucky."
With much frustration, I type this sentence: Disease has entered our house again. Benjamin started being sick again on Thursday. The doctor was right when they said they'd have to fight everything more after having RSV. It seems as though he just has a regular virus, but he has had a horrible cough, trouble breathing, and is wheezy. He's (thus we've) really been struggling to sleep with this bout as well. The poor guy is just as frustrated by being sick again as we are. He kept crying and asking me why he was sick again already and why he had to be coughing again so much. This how all of Friday and Saturday were spent, laying propped up on the ground watching movies....
Monkey See, Monkey Do:
Even Zoe is taking advantage of Benjamin's illness, this is how I found her after putting him to bed.....
My little monkey is five months old now (on Friday)! He has the happiest spirit!
He has decided to celebrate this month milestone by developing a big case of the Momma's! His face becomes so pitiful when he sees me leave the room (even when being held by Daddy) and will cry so hard and then stop once I come back. Apparently, he was listening all those months in my belly when I instructed him that he had to love me best since I was experiencing Anna being such a Daddy's girl at the time. I will admit, it feels good to be loved so much! And who wouldn't want to be loved by this sweet baby boy?!?!
This outfit (which I hope he will wear for his baptism, but decided to go ahead and have him wear as I'm not sure he'll fit in it next month since he continues to grow so fast!) came with a hat and it tickled me to have him wear it. What did Dave think you may find yourself wondering? That Collin looked like a chemo patient. I had just finished taking these pictures when Dave came home from work, so Collin still had the hat on and that was the first thing Dave said to me.
Exploring his bear. He has a giraffe that is about this size that he plays with and it is a trip to watch. When he's on his back (like that lasts long) I put the giraffe on his belly and he plays with it like he's wrestling it.
Some of the expressions he was making exploring the bear (like this one) really reminded me of his big brother.....
Feet are a lot of fun to explore too!
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Thankfully, Benjamin seems to be feeling better today (Sunday) and so far Collin and Anna don't seem to have caught it. Anna just finished an antibiotic Thursday and Collin on Saturday and they both literally didn't feel better until that last day of medicine, so I really hope they don't catch this bug! *Fingers Crossed!*
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In one of the pictures above, Benjamin is wearing one of his "Big Brother" shirts. I told him what it said when I caught him examining the letters that day. His reply, "I know it says that, Momma. It's a lot of work being the Big Brother. I have to be the big brother to Anna and Collin. Aren't you happy I work so hard as their big brother so I'm nice to them and make them happy?"
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Anna continues to amaze me with her quick learning. While reading a book to her, I was asking her what letters were and she knew about two third of the ones I asked!
