The better to see you with, my dear

People often comment that Benjamin's eyes are big, alert, and wide open. Like, really wide open. He doesn't sleepily look about, as my cousin Meredith says, as if he's hardly aware of his surroundings, but rather he stares as if he's looking straight down into your soul.

He is also my first reserved baby. He doesn't seem to fear strangers, but he's not the type to shower them with his smiles. Benjamin prefers to soberly observe strangers until he's determined them to be friendly. And despite his numerous interactions with the camera, alas he still counts it as a stranger.

Today there were a couple of times when I was bustling about and suddenly stopped and looked at him. I inexplicably felt like his phasers were on me and they were set on stun. And sure enough, there he was fixing me with his steely gaze and loving me all the while.













I love you always my sweet stalker. Thanks for noticing me.

There's a New Baby in Town

Join me as I continue my blogging walk down memory lane. Just can't get enough...

I'm sorry, when did this happen? Whoah.

September 2008














November 2010













Whoah!!!































And you, my little toothie wonder, weren't even a twinkle in your mother's eye.













Whoah indeed.

Sweet Six Months

Today Benjamin is six months old. He was born in the wilderness of our affliction, or at least in a time of intense change and activity. Four short weeks after he was born we relocated to Provo, UT (mom and boys) and Omaha, NE (Matt) for the summer. We sublet our apartment to three nerdy University of Chicago undergrad guys and we then became very high impact guests of my parents while Matt worked at an internship.

That summer little Benji was my roommate and best buddy. I fell in love with him. Just completely. And he fell pretty in love with me. He is gentle, mild, sweet, and happy. Ben is big. At four months he weighed two pounds more than Nicholas did at the same age. He loves his brothers even when (especially when) they are being silly. He brings a lot of joy into this house. These six months have been very rich. They've also stretched Matt and me more than we thought we were able to stretch. They've also gone a little too fast. OK, a lot too fast. As we anticipate Matt finishing school this year and settling down for the longer term we are so grateful that our wild ride in Chicago included bringing Benjamin into our family.

My only complaint? He decided to commemorate his six month birthday by starting army crawling this morning. Wah.

And so, to Benjamin! We love you always darling boy. Here's a nod to the Benjamin of yester (half) year with pictures taken by our friend when he was 4 weeks old (thanks so much Amber!).







































































































And in case you forgot what this big boy looks like now in his older infant glory, here he is enjoying those big, bad brothers.

You're not the only one Dad

Today Nicholas saw this picture and said, "Who's that girl?"

Apparently, it's an easy mistake to make.

One of these things is not like the other things

It's getting hard to ignore how much these two look alike:



























And how much this guy doesn't.














Amazing. I love my little Nico face. Even if he is up to 10 tantrums a day.

It's sort of like Jacob in his kindergarten class. Just look for the kid who blends in perfectly with the hay.














(I realize that lately all I seem to be able to do is post old pictures of the boys, but the feeling that time is racing by/playing tricks on me/slipping through my fingers is ever present these days. I promise to get current again. Until then, indulge me!)

Something I Want to Remember

Tonight we needed to quickly go down to the lobby to meet a friend. Benjamin was asleep and so the big boys and I went down. I had already put them to bed, so they were extra excited to leave bed and come with me.

When we got to the lobby Jacob turned to Nicholas and said, "Let's run around in big circles!" and Nico said, "Sure!" And run around in big circles they did. Laughing and smiling all the way.

Those two speak the same language. It's fun (and I'd be lying if I didn't say also challenging) to listen to the natives each day.

Here are some snaps of that brotherly togetherness from May in Alabama.













Sweaty (and sweet) brotherly togetherness.













And if you're interested in that Benji-boy, I promise to post more about him this week. He's my giggling, smiling, rolling, and backward scooting babe. He is also being initiated into his big brothers' tribe and, judging by the smiles he only saves for them, I think he likes it. (Heaven help me!)

Masters of Disguise

Dear Nicholas,

You love to find things. Things that have been lost for a long time. You love to tinker with them. You love to take them apart. You love to break them. All in the name of curiosity.

Then you bring it into our world and invite us to use it. And oddly enough, sometimes it's fun!

Behold the fake-nose-glasses-without-the-nose-anymore!

Jacob's worst fears are confirmed

Some mornings after he goes to school we do just sit around and watch TV for a while. (Underoos optional.)













Ah to be three again, eh Jacob?

Forgot the poll!

Get out and vote (yes) on Prop Pimpernel! (If you're confused read the next post.)

Who's with me?

I just started attending a book group and the first book we discussed was The Scarlet Pimpernel. If you haven't read the book I recommend it. It's nothing fancy, but definitely an enjoyable read (although if I have to hear about Marguerite's tiny hands and feet one more time...).

As I read the book I had a real hankering to see the movie version that I watched repeatedly as a teenager. Heck, that a lot of us watched repeatedly as teenagers. Needless to say, by the end of the book that movie had to be seen. At least 10 years had passed since the last time I'd watched it. When I proposed a movie night Matt asked, "Is this the movie where he says 'Sink me'?" Yes, Matt, it is.

As Matt and I were waiting for the movie to start I turned to him and said, "By the way, the Scarlet Pimpernel is hot."

Matt was shocked by my claim and said that that was the first time he'd ever heard me call anyone "hot". I am naturally so demure, you see? Anyway, after watching the movie Matt was totally underwhelmed by the Scarlet Pimpernel's hotness.

And I couldn't believe it. I told him categorically that girls my age watched that movie a ton and that we en masse find the Scarlet Pimpernel super duper hot. Especially in the "ruggedly handsome" scene. If you've seen the movie you know what I'm talking about. You know.

If you don't know, here it is. Sigh.

Even with the feathered hair and bad make-up, it's just undeniable, no? (Sorry it's embedded funny.)

Matt still doesn't believe that I am not the only girl in the world who feels this way. After a healthy debate I said, "I bet if I put a poll on my blog there would be tons of girls who would agree with me." Matt said, "Do put a poll on your blog!" with skepticism and doubt in every word.

Ok, bring it.

So you 25 to 35 year old female readers of my blog, who's with me? If you are with me, let Matt know! It's just that important...

By the way, if you haven't seen this movie, or it's been a while, I encourage you to watch it. For more than just the hotness. You won't be sorry.