Making Memories, Memorial Weekend 2011

It was a scorcher this Memorial weekend so we spent it in the pool with family and friends. I was too busy enjoying my children that I barely took five pictures. Benham went for his first swim in the pool, and thanks to his new bff Charlie, he was disguised as Gilligan. He is such a snuggle bug and I attack his baby fat neck every chance I get!

She thought this was a really fun game. Her buddy Bax came over to play and I got a taste of what a little boy is made of...fearlessness!!

Miss Mac is so much fun in the pool and I should probably pay her for entertaining Maryn.

Uncle Tim was either whispering to Benham how to make a fake I.D. or how to smuggle store bought candy into the movie theater. He's a rebel like that.

Since we live in vacationland we try to avoid the beach at all costs during the holidays because the traffic is just not worth it. But since all the hungover vacationers don't come out into the light until close to noon and we're up at 6:45am on a Saturday, we started our day off with a walk on the beach. Someone loves the beach!

And this someone also loves painting the driveway. Benny Boy asleep in the BOB after our run, it's quiet moments like this that keep me sane.

Skylar painted an ant house, alright then?.

Benham is 7 weeks old!

Big Ben turned 7 weeks old four days ago, so I figured his picture in the *big white chair* needed to get posted before he hit 8 weeks. Confirmation of how busy I am. It's a good busy, one that I wouldn't even trade for my mothers warm homemade apple pie and vanilla ice cream. I have also mastered the art of multi tasking; I can run pushing a double stroller in one hand and lassoing Bode's leash in the other, I can wipe the hiney of one child while breastfeeding the other and take pictures of my children in between stirring dinner on the stove. I love the challenge.

He woke up on his 7 week birthday and was enjoying some tummy time. Maryn and I were on the floor singing to him and he rolled over!! He did it three more times that day! And just last night he slept 8 hours.

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love

Big blue eyes like his sissy

Business casual

"Why won't anyone take me seriously?"

Class of 2029 superlative

Benham Cummings: Class Clown

He comes up with some pretty interesting expressions.

She calls him a goof

I have yet to post nursery pics but here's our reflection in his mirror. It's a reflection, I do know that my son's name begins with a B, not a D.

We've been spending a lot of time with family lately. We are so fortunate that we convinced so many of them to move close to us. I couldn't imagine raising my children without these strong role models in their lives.

Mikaela and Uncle Tim made Maryn this rockin' chalk table to play with at Grandma and Poppop's house. Mikeala spent umpteen hours transforming an old train table with pink paint and pictures of Mimi with her family. Such a sweet and thoughtful gift that will get lots of creative love! Thank you Miss Mac and Uncle Tim! You have no idea how much this gift means to me...how happy it makes my heart knowing that so many people love my children.

Oh, and she even painted this pink princess chair too! They have quotes from Dr. Seuss's Oh, The Places You'll Go! decoupaged on them. I need Miss Mac's energy, it's endless! I'm at one cup of coffee/tea a day and it looks like I'm heading towards two.

Miss Mac and baby Mac

She calls the table her MacBook!

This is ONE, I repeat ONE of Mikaela's beautiful dogs. The other is just as big! Will and Chaucer, a father/son duo of Newfoundlands, not to be confused with grizzly bears.

Beauty

Just like we all have different taste buds, we all have different beauty buds too. Defining beauty on different terms. To me, these children are mouth watering. Just slather them up in butter and I'd swallow them whole! When I was pregnant with Benham I was convinced that all my picture taking efforts would be directed towards him and his squishy newborn self, and my sweet little Mimi wouldn't have any documentation of herself from about the age of 24 to 30 months. Nope, not true at all. Every time I glance over at her I am reminded of her beauty. To me, she is the most beautiful little person I have ever met.

Before you have children you always wonder if as a parent you would realize whether your kid was cute or not. Like, would you know if your child wasn't destined to win any beauty pageants? Come on, you know you've thought it! I think it's pretty safe to say that if I gave birth to an anteater, I would still be convinced she was the next Miss South Carolina!

More Mimi quotes:

We were walking along our neighborhood path and a 15 year old boy was riding his bike towards us. He was a true Southern Boy with his long blonde hair flipping back and forth over his face. Just as he was passing Maryn and I, she yells...I mean YELLS "that's a gurl, that's a gurl mommy!". I pretended I didn't hear her. Just hope he doesn't know where we live or he might steal the beer out of our fridge in the garage.

And after you feel like you've hit the genetic jackpot, along comes this charming young man.

O.k., so I'm gloating a bit but I consider this blog a celebration of my children. A sanctuary for them to run to when they need a morale boost. A place where they will always know how much their mommy loves them. I'm rejoicing and relishing in their beauty. They say *beauty is only skin deep* but hell, I made this skin so let me gloat!

Benham is 6 weeks old!

Ben must have partied like a rock star on his 6 week birthday because the kid slept 7.5 hours! I like him. Despite the lengthy stretches of sleep that he gives me every night I still require caffeine in the mornings to jump start my LOOOONG days. I've spent enough money on Starbucks nonfat chai tea that I officially own stock in the company and had to subtract this expense from my monthly wardrobe budget. I have to admit that I even broke doctor's orders and on my first day alone with both kids, one week post c section, I packed them into the car at 8am and drove to the nearest Starbucks. I lifted my 27 lb two year old and 30 lb infant car seat in and out of the car eight times, waddled to the counter with hair disheveled, morning eyes and a huge smile on my face. I'm a better mom once that drink is in my hands but Starbucks doesn't deliver, so I bought a Keurig. This thing is brilliant. My one cup, virtually zero clean up, pick me up that makes me smile every morning and doesn't care that I'm still in my pajamas at noon.

This pudge is all boy and was born looking like a little old man. When he concentrates he puckers his lips like he's forgotten once again to put his dentures back in.

Things that make him stop crying: a.taking him outside and relaxing on the rocking chair (old man) b.letting him stand-he is just like his sister and constantly wants to be standing. He could be in a full blown fit and the moment his feet hit firm ground he's a happy camper. c. the occasional paci helps too, something his sister repeatedly rejected.

Thank you Auntie Raz for my cool outfit, the ladies dig it.

He always wakes up so pleasant, grunting and cooing and never demanding milk. It's my favorite couple of minutes of the day because he will lay there for 15 minutes just smiling at me.

A normal day in our house....a 6 week old walking and Mimi in just her Pull-Up and fluffy dog slippers dancing to Dora.

I think he looks like a baby Mac here...

...and a baby monkey here.

standing again

More beach fun with Uncle Tim and Mikaela

"Hey good lookin', mama says you're a tad bit more colicky than my sister ever was...she's the *golden child* you know".