Benham is 8 months old!

Little Man is so delicious and full of character. He's actually just about 9 months old but we've been full of holiday bustle and his 8th month of life has seemed to slip through my fingers. I am so going to do better next year! He LOVES to eat and loves MEAT! I don't even think I had even given Maryn meat by 8 months. He'll gnaw on shredded chicken, turkey, ham...whatever we're eating for dinner. And just this past Tuesday, I spotted two tiny bottom teeth breaking through his gums!! My baby has teeth!! Lady M didn't get her first tooth until she was the ripe old age of 14 months so this is new territory for us. I think he realized that having teeth would open up a world of food options. He eats every meal like he's starving. Everything goes in the mouth. Another baby 'norm' that we never experienced with Maryn. She didn't drool, she didn't spit up, she didn't put foreign objects in her mouth and she never opened a cabinet door she wasn't supposed to. Sometimes I feel like we're doing this whole baby stage for the first time. Developmentally though, he's right on target with his sister. He's been walking around the house holding our hands since he was 6 months old and still does not crawl. I think Maryn crawled for a total of 1 month before walking. This is the way I like it. I'm granted just a few more weeks before I'm chasing a pine needle eating son around the house. 

 He's just recently grown fond of books. I can whip out his favorite truck book (thanks auntie Anne!) during a crying fit and he's all smiles. He started trying to wave 'bye-bye' this month but it really just looks like a flap of his wrist.

 He could probably use a haircut but he's trying to fit in with these southern boys down here.

 Everything goes in the mouth and Bode is a terrible influence.

 The moment I turn my back to run the bath water, he does this.

 And a week later, he did this.

With Your Nose So Bright

She's a performer and a rule follower. And that's all there is to it. I just signed her up for dance lessons.

First holiday performance and she's front and center leading the class. She also tried to steal the show and belted out Rudolph. She brings me such joy and her existence alone has transformed the spirit of Christmas for me. She is just an amazing person.

 Love the reindeer tail

 Grandma and Great Grandma surprised Maryn and came to watch 

 Not too bad for our first gingerbread house

 We did lose a lot of icing along the way though

Decking the Halls

Naughty and Nice. He's totally sucking up to Santa with that shirt and killer smile. And well, she's snot.

Watching daddy put up Christmas lights and dreading the day he's stuck out there with him detangling the ball of white twinkle lights.

 B ~ "Is this beard real?"

M~ "Duh...I told you."

Under the Sea: Halloween 2011

Our Christmas tree has been up for almost two weeks so I figured it was about time to recap our fall festivities before I'm too busy vacuuming pine needles off the carpet.

Sebastian the crab, Flounder and Ariel the Little Mermaid

I'm signing her up for drama lessons

She gets way serious when she sings. She thinks she sounds good. I encourage it. She's got a holiday performance at school in a couple weeks and her class is singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. When I picked her up from school today, her teacher told me that Maryn was leading the class and teaching them the words to the song.

Look at that booty

Thank you O'Flanagan's for these adorable outfits! They have gotten lots of wear this fall!!

And just as tiny tempers were beginning to get testy with their mothers persistent for a fall photo shoot, the mailman delivered Halloween treats from Nanny and Poppop! Whatchu get sissy?

painting pumpkins...

...and sucking the cheeks off of fuzzy headed jack-o-lanterns!

It was actually cold here for a couple days last month

"Flounder, don't be such a guppy" ~Ariel

Red hair extension...she's up on current trends

Second year in a row winning the neighborhood costume contest. I told her she only won because of the booty!

We had college friends visiting for the weekend. Whit and Mac are fraternity brothers and he recently moved from Chicago to Charlotte with his wife Erin and their BEAUTIFUL daughter, Abby! We had such a great time with them and hope to take advantage of our 3 hr distance.

decorating cookies

Is Abby not the cutest thing...those eyes!!???

Pumpkin hunting with Poppop and Grandma

No child was harmed

'The Heisman'

O.k. fine, his ego was harmed, but he'll get over it.

She's laughing now but how soon she forgets!

singing again, and again, and again.

This is classic Benham. Just a chill sort of kid.

He's chill but is quick with the hair grabbing!

I think he saw a ghost here.

First 'field trip'

jump pillow

This little girl climbed those tower of stairs and slid down the slide all by herself about 10 times.

Little man turns 8 months old tomorrow and that means he'll be a year old in 4 months.