The Cummings Family: Staying "PAW"sitive

Benham is 9 months old!

2012-01-31T15:30:00.000-05:00

Nine months in, 9 months out, Buddy! Well, not exactly. More like 8 months and 1 week in, 9 months out! Three cheers for cutting that whole process short!

20 lb 7 oz. 50th percentile

28 1/4 in. 50th percentile

head circumference 45.5 cm

I absolutely adore this age! They are able to be educated, ie. "soooo BIG" and waving bye bye. They start to babble sounds that actually represent words. Stranger anxiety/shyness sets in and bloats a mama's ego realizing that her baby actually really does love her. He puts his head down, smiles and bats his lashes at strangers. The variety of table foods offered increases and they become mobile! Just last night, Benham started crawling. More like a chest to ground army crawl but he can actually cover some distance. A slow start to this milestone but then again, I think Maryn only crawled for a month before she started walking. I have enjoyed the extended pleasure of being able to leave him in a room while I go fold laundry and return to find him happy as a clam where I left him. And last week, he learned to put himself into a sitting position from his belly. He started walking behind his little wagon a couple weeks ago and now that's all he wants to do. Loves avocado, tofu, green beans and chicken. Says bye-bye often, dada every once in awhile and mama maybe three times so far. His fuzzy hair spreads joy to all!

Go ahead, prick your finger with that straight pin...don't say I never told you to behave.

*Touchdown*

These two are always up to no good!

Meeting new friends.

He's not around babies often and wasn't sure if Lane was real.

We started Kindermusik last week and the combination of loud musical instruments and children his age is right up his alley.

This Haba walker is the best and even allows Maryn to push him! If you're in the market for a good solid walker that won't tip and has some controlled resistance of the wheels this is the walker!

Most of the time she can't get enough of him, but the other day she told us how she really felt. Benham was being fussy and she looked at him and very matter-of-factly said, "Benham, you always do this, you're so obnoxious". Hmm. I didn't interject because a: she used the phrase appropriately in context and b: she was right.

Just checking his stocks and status updates on Facebook.

9 months is also a big deal because in our house, we learn to get rid of bottles. I start sippy cups at 5-6 months and basically its a trial and error stage to find the brand that they do well with. By the time they're 10 months, bottles are packed up and they breastfeed morning and night and get two sippy cups of formula/breastmilk during the day. I have always felt that the window between 10-12 months is crucial for preventing long term habits like bottle and pacifier addiction. Once they hit that year mark, they know what they want and it only gets more difficult to break it. Granted, getting rid of bottles in a breastfed baby is probably a lot easier than an exclusive bottle fed baby but it's all about taking the initiative as the parent and making the decision. I remember seeing pictures of Suri Cruise in magazines when she was 4 years old, carrying a bottle! That's just weird and really bad for their teeth. We all have our quirks and that's one of mine. This was last month and the early stages of sippy boot camp *note the humongous smile and the sense of independence on this child's face*.

I have such big dreams for this little girl.

I would totally marry this guy. According to Maryn, that sort of thing is acceptable. She asked her daddy at the dinner table last week if he would marry her. He of course accepted the proposal and left me in the dust. She kisses him "like Jasmine and Aladdin do"...tilts her head, places her hands on his face and holds the kiss for a good 10 seconds. Today, she told me that "when I'm Jasmine's age I can kiss a boy"! If Jasmine is 25 then she's correct.

Another end to another beautiful day in this place we call home.

Little Man walking with his new wagon that Poppop Loeps got him. I think Maryn was a couple weeks younger than Ben when she started doing this but it still just looks so silly to see such a mini person walking! Such joy! The pride oozes from his fat roles. (please excuse the lack of cabinet doors. we are in the process of refinishing them and by 'we', I mean Mac:) )

A Cummings Christmas 2011

2012-01-24T21:51:00.001-05:00

Oh man, Blogger updated itself and grew its own brain and decided to insert my pictures wherever it chose fit. I am definitely not smarter than the blogosphere. Have no fear, Christmas is here! Mac said I'm crazy for staying up until midnight editing and downloading pictures but he's got to understand that my inability to get out of bed the next morning from pure exhaustion will totally pay off in like 30 years. Oh, and the fact that I've exchanged vacuuming the giant tumbleweeds of Bode hair to blog is also something that I promised him would pay off in the long run. Just hang in there with me, honey! I promise I'll vacuum when Benham learns to crawl. I mean, the kid is walking but can't figure out crawling 101. He walks around the house pushing his walker but you lay him on the ground and he spins around like a greased dreidel.

Hope your holidays were as bright and warm as ours!

These two rock my world! And if I had a million dollars I would totally have a litter of 'um!

Baby Jesus and Mary(n)

Stylin' and Profilin' in his tie and tweed pants

Deja vu

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2009

At the time, he wasn't sure of Aunt Sue's gift, but now it's a fun keep away game with Bode

Mimi's princess hair accessories ended up in Grandma and Great Grandma's hair

Way too early Christmas morning

Don't you dare come down until mommy makes her cup of coffee!

I had my eye on this really cute and subtle dollhouse for Maryn but all she wanted for Christmas was a castle! I have tried really hard to keep my home from being vomited on in the color pink, but her joy in this 3ft tall pink and purple monstrosity is worth the eye sore! We didn't hear a peep from her all afternoon and if you approached her castle, she would very politely lift her hand to your face and tell you to "please leave me alone".

"Mom, you are seriously torturing this kid"

Nanny got a wine fridge!!

Maryn sat on Santa's lap and after she asked for her castle, she asked for a closet. A closet. Santa looked at me and asked "did she just ask for a closet?". That was a new one but Grandma and Poppop made her every wish come true!

And the only thing that Poppop asked Santa for was a remote controlled boat for his pool! Santa really came through this year.

It's not all pink in our house, this girl loves trains too.

Festival of Lights

Nanny turned another year young!

And we've trained another child to behave really really well in nice restaurants.

My heart doubled in size this year and my arms are covered in bruises from pinching myself. We all have our own dreams.

These four are mine.

Benham is 8 months old!

2011-12-30T22:14:00.002-05:00

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

2011-12-22T21:47:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-19T22:10:00.002-05:00

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

2011-11-25T09:58:00.026-05:00

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.

Benham is 7 months old!

2011-11-16T21:54:00.005-05:00

Let me present to you, my 7 month old sign. I like to grab it and eat it and give myself paper cuts. Cuz I'm a boy and I'm tough like that. ~B

I also love to stand. A couple weeks ago, I decided that walking is my favorite activity. I hold your hand and basically run when you put me down. ~B

Mom says I am the happiest baby she ever did meet. Sometimes she forgets that I'm even in the room since I sit and play so contently. ~B

She loves my fuzz too. ~B

Sissy recently got her license and took me for a joy ride. ~B

Baby giggle can brighten anyone's day!

From Sea to Shining Sea

2011-11-03T20:42:00.031-04:00

This is a summer vacation photo dump post. Just a little memoir for my children to look back on. Those days that will reach way too far back into their memory to recollect. In a months time, we headed west to San Diego for my brothers wedding, back home and then north to Long Island, only to cut our vacation short and drive 15 hours home as a result of Hurricane Irene. The three hour time difference was not Benham's friend and as a result, was not my friend either. Kid is rockin' it now though! 12 hours at night, 1 hour nap in the am and 2 hour nap in the pm. He even adjusted to the end of Daylight Savings Time and woke up at his usual time.

Princess Laramie...I mean Aunt Laramie and her flower girl

It's not a trip to the west coast without spotting a VW Vanagon

Uncle Phil meeting Benham

wet fingernails, wedding manicure

Uncle Shawn

Rehearsing her flower girl duties...daddy had to assist her down the aisle:)

A diaper change by the fire pit

Uncle Bryan found a little buddy

With each year, my brother looks more and more like dad

San Diego Zoo was A-Zing!! And somehow our monkey, Maryn, ended up in Benham's seat.

August 5th was a special day at the zoo. Panda bear, Yun Zi, celebrated his 2nd birthday and we were there to watch him open his presents.

Doesn't he look so cuddly? I just wanted to jump the fence and give him a huge bear hug until I realized that he could probably fit my entire head inside his jaw.

And that's what the ape thought about Maryn tickling his toes. Maryn said (really loud) "that's his hiney!".

A trip to the zoo will do this to any child

We weren't even out of the parking lot when I took this picture!

Three weeks later, we found ourselves on Long Island, waiting for the ferry boat to take us to our little slice of heaven on earth, Point O' Woods!

I think Bode actually wants us to leave him behind when we leave the Island.

Uncle Tim really knows how to crack this kid up.

breakfast by the bay

Great Grandma showing off her fishing skills.

The Great South Bay

This shot will have to go in the baby book...she really caught her first fish!

The boys with Grandma and Poppop

Cousins Blair and Dom :)

watching Grandma play a little tennis

I totally recommend this Kelty beach tent! We got it at Dicks and it was a lifesaver this summer. The perfect place for babies to nap, toddlers to snack and mommy's to nurse in private.

His idea of fishing

The Candy Store!

This guy was just crossing the bike path. Apparently, he had been in a race.

A slow race.

I'm actually watching the NYC Marathon on television as I type this and I think I just got inspired....to put this package of Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies back in the pantry.

Benham is 6 months old!

2011-10-20T21:15:00.025-04:00

From the moment he jumped out of me, feet first, people have made comments that he looked 'all boy'. He looked like a little old man. I think this spiffy sweater vest confirms these people's observations. He has been my reality check. Teaching me that not all baby's lick their lips clean after eating, or keep their drool to themselves, or even refrain from regurgitation. Yes, he is ALL BOY and I love every messy, gooey, slobbery, and drooly piece of him.

He plays rough and dirty. He grabs hair and laughs about it. Maryn is usually his victim. I think Bode may have found his match. He loves sitting up and being a part of the action. He jumps so hard in his jumperoo that I'm afraid he'll sling shot himself to the ceiling. He hates shopping. He can smell retail a mile away and within minutes of walking into a clothing store he begins whaling. It truly baffles me. He will be all smiles, laughing and cooing with a full belly, and I'll quickly try to capitalize on his delight by slipping in some window shopping, WRONG! I think he senses the adrenaline rush that I get when I realize that I might just get 20 minutes of retail therapy. He quickly puts a halt to it and forces me to leave the dressing room with my coveted items still hanging on the hook, never making it off the hanger. He totally wins that battle and I leave defeated...every time.

Benham Austin

6 months

17 lbs 10 oz 50th percentile

27.5 in 85th percentile

head circumference 43.5 cm 50th percentile

Oh my God, I love this child

Maryn didn't attack this sign until she was about 10 months old. He's a beast.

He does have the same hair as his sister though. At 6 months, both children looked like baby birds with light fluffy fuzz appearing to be electrified.

Poor Maryn takes the brunt of his attacks.

I celebrated my birthday with Minnie Mouse and a baby dressed in Christmas pajamas the first week of October. Apparently, Mac said they were the only clean pj's he had in his drawer. My response...well then maybe you need to do some laundry.

Some Nanny lovin'

Maryn came out of her cautious shell last month and whips around the playground like she owns it. Climbs the tallest ladders, flies down the the bumpiest slides and climbs the rock wall like a monkey. We need to strap a harness to her and head to an indoor climbing wall!

Benham Austin is finally baptized. Praise God, the child is washed of original sin. And now we prepare for the sins of his teenage hood.

The Godfather, Uncle Nick

Wearing the same gown that his sister wore. Both of their initials are monogrammed on the bottom of the gown with hopes that many more children...siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews will wear this gown on their baptisms.

I have to give Bode credit, he puts up with a lot. Benham just has mischief written all over his face in this shot and Bode's keeping a close watch on his every move.

Watch out world!

A Little Ray of Mimi

2011-10-05T21:40:00.009-04:00

Have you heard the buzz over the new breastfeeding doll that has recently hit the United States market? Of course, Europe has already been selling the doll for months. It comes with a little halter top with two flower petals that represent breasts and the doll actually makes sucking noises when placed to the flower to eat. I think it's great. But that's coming from a mom who has since been desensitized by the whole idea of breastfeeding. Why did I even have to be desensitized in the first place? That's the issue. Breastfeeding is not easy, and unfortunately here in the United States, I have to hide in my car or a fitting room to feed my baby when I'm out running those necessary errands that all moms need to run during the only two hour time frame during the week that we get to run them. It takes a lot to change culture. This was Mimi shortly after Benham was born. We're not going to buy the doll because she's content feeding Daisy Duck, Minnie Mouse and her own baby doll right from the breast. Let me just tell you that I lost my *you know what* when I first saw her do this, totally unprovoked.

Mommy's little helper

She is just so sweet and innocent. Nonjudgmental, non racist, nonsexist. The innocence of a two year old is just so refreshing.

Her own baby Bjorn. I love her gentle support of the baby's head.

First day of Preschool!!!!

She didn't need a single day to adjust. The boys in her class, on the other hand, are still crying when their moms drop them off. I asked Mimi what she did the other day in school and she told me that she "just watched the boys cry, wahh wahh wahh".

Our trip to San Diego was a whirlwind and I might have taken maybe five pictures. Here is princess flower girl Maryn...in all her 'terrible two' glory. We were having our pictures taken and Maryn had to use the bathroom. No time to find a potty so she got to pee behind a tree like Bode. The other evening at work, I get a call from Mac. "I turned my back for 5 seconds while we were playing in the back yard and Maryn had her pants at her ankles, squatting behind the tree". A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do, daddy!

At least one of us finds the time to exercise

We finally got to meet Katelyn! The daughter of a nursing school friend whom I haven't seen in 8 years! I remember when 8 years used to be a long time. Now it just seems like yesterday.

The last time the three of us were in Hilton Head, we were wearing *naughty nurses* shirts, 'nuff said.

We cuddle,

we dress up,

we bake,

we laugh,

and we wear crowns on plain ol' ordinary days.

Benham even likes to wear a crown from time to time.

Benham is 5 months old!

2011-09-19T21:00:00.008-04:00

This lapse in blogging is totally not acceptable but if running from hurricanes, ER visits and hospital stays aren't a big enough excuse, I apologize. August was rough. Too much travelling. Too many colds. We were evacuated from our yearly trip to Point O' Woods since Irene had her eye on Long Island. My flight with the children was cancelled and we were forced to drive 16 hours through the hurricane dodging flying debris and fallen trees on the highway. Don't mess with Mother Nature. Lesson learned. And to finish off our summer with a bang, Benham was rushed to the ER Labor Day weekend for acute abdominal pain. It was 8am and he was enjoying his exersaucer when he suddenly started screaming a scream that every mother knows IS NOT normal. His legs were pulled to his chest and he was inconsolable. Within a few minutes, he was feverish and lethargic. We suspected intussusception which could have been triggered by his viral cold, and spent the night without ever getting a definite diagnosis. By the time the abdominal ultrasound was done, the pain had resolved. Our little man is completely 100% back to normal and he's charging through this whole infanthood entirely way too quickly. He is ALL boy! He drools, he farts, he kicks, he punches and he's stolen his momma's heart.

He lights up when Maryn walks in the room.

Did I mention he's ALL boy? My sweet daughter sitting like a proper girl, knees closed reading a book, while my son eats paper.

But I am utterly, unabashedly in love with this beautiful child of mine, paper eating and all.

As cute as these faces are...I feel like I'm constantly cleaning and bathing little body parts. When Maryn was 5 months old, I typically bathed her every 2 to 3 days. She didn't spit up, she didn't drool and she was a neat eater. Bah...this boy requires daily baths. I mean, they're like totally two completely different creatures.

He's got a thing for mirrors.

He yells at you in between bites of baby food because what he really wants is a continuous straw infusion of pureed sweet potatoes. He can't eat fast enough. And at the end of his meal when I pull out his sippy cup, his eyes widen, his fists pump, his legs kick and he snatches it out of my hand. Quite frankly, I wouldn't mind a continuous straw infusion of a little Benham Austin.

Oh, and he found his feet this month.

And oh, he can sit up. Assisted.

Be back soon with a little more Mimi:) She's got her first school pictures tomorrow.

Benham is 4 months old!

2011-08-16T11:22:00.006-04:00

My body is here in August but my mind is like somewhere in July. I've had enough time in between trips to unpack all of our suitcases, do all 10 loads of laundry, repack the suitcases and board another plane. We've been coast to coast and let me tell you, adjusting to a 3 hour time difference is not what I call a vacation. I need to insert a loud *shout out* to my friend Raz, who lives in San Francisco and has traveled back home to Ohio several times with her one year old son...credit where credit is due! I hate when I don't have time to blog. It kills me. Recording these early months are so important because every day is like an adventure for the little man. Every thing is so new to him and watching the discovery on his face is what this whole parenting thing is all about. He is rolling over front to back and now back to front...much sooner than his sister ever did. I lay him on the floor and within minutes, he's like a fish out of water and has flipped and rolled himself a foot from where he started. He's doubled his birth weight and recently decided that his previous habit of sleeping 10 hours at night wasn't working for him anymore. He rang his meal bell around 3 or 4 am. Partial result from stated time change adjustment. Nonetheless, I didn't appreciate it. With a little sleep training and the introduction of cereal...he's back on track. For now. The kid loves to eat and the doctor gave us the go ahead to start cereal.

15 lbs. 6 oz. 60th percentile

25.5 in. 75th percentile

head circumference 41.5 cm 40th percentile

"Where the ladies at?"

He startles himself, jumps out of his skin with excitement and focuses really really hard when he's in this contraption.

She was reading him a book by the dim shadows of her princess flashlight in her princess pajamas.

You'll find me right here after a long day shift at work

Mimi built him a fort:)

My little beauty

Maryn and I have the right idea on how to beat this disgusting heat. We eat a lot of ice cream.

He Made It To Three

2011-07-28T13:51:00.005-04:00

When he's naughty, which is more often than not, I threaten to drop him off at the pit bull rescue. This wuss, who's afraid of the dark, wouldn't last 2 minutes in a cage with a rescued pit. The threat usually works.

Bode was NOT an inexpensive purchase. Quite the contrary. Sometimes I think that price defines quality, it does not. He has had more issues with skin allergies that have cost us well into the thousands of dollars mark. He is pretty much allergic to EVERYTHING. If he eats a Cheerio, for instance, he develops hives and will scratch and lick himself until it becomes infected. You tell me how I can monitor all lost Cheerios in this house!? Impossible. After trialing around ten different types of dog food, chicken, lamb, beef, fish...we have finally found one that won't inadvertently cost us a $500 vet bill. It was the most expensive food we tried, of course. I love this dog of championship lineage, a pampered prince.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Bode!

And since he can't eat store bought treats, I've found that he tolerates carrots, bananas and peanut butter. So, instead of cake...peanut butter carrots! Us people folk celebrated with carrot cake so as to not offend him. He would have preferred the cake.

Bed Head.

Making blueberry pancakes with Nanny

Where Bo Bo likes to spend most of his time...next to Poppop.

A Few Firsts

2011-07-24T17:06:00.010-04:00

My bestest friend from high school and college had her first baby, Charlie, just 4 days after Benham was born. The boys were due a week apart from each other and ironically, both were born around 3 weeks early. They have no other option than to be pen pals. Charlie lives in Chicago and was on his first trip to Hilton Head Island. We spent an afternoon kissing, rocking and forcing the boys to pose for pictures.

Long awaited introduction

Benham Austin and Charles Gordon

Tickle toes...Charlie didn't even flinch, he's got his mothers 'straight face'. Mimi is really gentle with babies but at one point, she just about fell on top of poor Chuck. Since Benham's birth, I have grown a set of eyes on the back of my head and fine tuned my peripheral vision. With Benham in my right arm, the left arm intercepted Mimi from making ground Chuck.

It was fun to see both boys in the same developmental stages...starting to laugh out loud and grab at their toys. These are the things that excite new moms. Watching someone do something for the very first time in their lives is monumental, no matter how minuscule.

Princess Maryn and her Fairy Godmother...Auntie Kristen:)

I lasted a month and a half after Ben's birth before I signed her up for a Mother's Morning Out program. She constantly has to be challenged and I needed one morning out of seven to just sit and stare into my newborns eyes. The sitting and staring never happened. I've been cramming a weeks worth of errands into one 3 hour time frame. Ben is usually strapped to my chest in the Bjorn and we run here and there and by the time I pick Maryn up from school, I'm whipped.

My swollen puffy morning eyes gave away the fact that I had a 6 week old.

We love Miss Martha and her sweet southern manner

I had no intentions of starting preschool at 2 years but her time at school seems to be such a positive experience. She's a smart little cookie and exposing her little sponge of a brain to experiences outside of our home will hopefully benefit her. She is potty trained during the day, can sing the alphabet and count to twenty with only minor slip ups. I'm hoping that by November, she'll know Mandarin and Arabic as well as all 50 states and their capitals. What?

Maryn was born with a full head of black hair and by 5 months, it had fallen out and her blond fuzz was sprouting. During those 5 months of transition, she rocked a mullet and male pattern balding. I REFUSED to trim her hair! I wanted her first hair cut to actually be her first. Finally, after 24 months and about 4 months of Mac begging to cut her hair...I gave in. My baaaabbbbyyyy!!!!

We heard about this pink airplane and the princess movie that she watched during the cut for about a month afterwards.

I think it's actually time for another trim.

Showing off the little baggie of blonde hair that is now taped into her baby book. I may or may not have a baggie of Bayley's baby teeth hidden in a drawer some where.

A Good Dog

2011-07-20T22:20:00.003-04:00

I worked last night and a couple fellow dog loving coworkers and I were discussing our love for these animals. One coworker has a 15 year old golden retriever who appears to be finishing her race and the thought got me all reminiscent about my Bayley. We got into a discussion about how these innocent dogs truly become your children and fill a space in your heart that you never realized was empty. Just as I turned to look at the clock, 1:30 am...it dawned on me...it was now July 20th...the 3rd anniversary of Bayley's death. That dogs spirit has never ceased to leave my side. He was there with me last night, rushing all of our memories back to the surface. He won't let me forget. And I promised him I never would.

He was one in a million.

The day we met...and fell in love.

His paws looked like chocolate chip cookies!

You taught me my greatest lesson...how to be a mommy. Sacrifice, dedication, determination, and raw love. You would have loved these kids!

We miss you Big Guy!

Benham is 3 months old!

2011-07-12T13:11:00.005-04:00

Funny Boy, as Maryn likes to call him, has turned 3 months...a quarter of a year old. His personality is really starting to surface. A man of few words who coos and babbles and graciously amuses us with his giggles. We have a suspicion that he might be a momma's boy. Don't hate it. He's beginning to morph like my children do. His hair is falling out and has the same reddish hue that M's hair had around this age. He loves a good swing after dinner. I top off his tank with a dream feed around 10 pm and the pudge sleeps until about 6 or 7 am. He's past the colicky, cry for no reason stage, and I can actually take him grocery shopping now. I push that obnoxiously large shopping cart with the toddler bench in the back and a steering wheel. Once I'm headed down an aisle, there's no turning back for bananas, it's too wide for a U-turn.

And there's no turning back now, this kid is here to stay. I weighed him the other day...15 lbs!

In order to achieve cute little poses like this...

...and this...

...I often have to drudge through a lot of this.

He laughs out loud with high pitched giggles, nasal snorts and pigeon laughter with his lips sealed. He even laughs when what he really wants to do is cry.

His sister intrigues him and his eyes follow her around the room. Please take note of Mimi's big girl panties!! For the most part she is daytime potty trained and very proud of it. She loves a good poop in bed though.

I would totally sleep with these two in my bed if I didn't totally disagree with The Family Bed.

Go Blue. Red and White Too.

2011-07-06T12:59:00.011-04:00

Mac was born in Ann Arbor while his father earned his PhD from Michigan. They have a loyalty to the Maize and Blue. Hail! to the Victors and thanks to the Commodores for the awesome onesie!

Hope y'all enjoyed your red white and blue festivities. We spent our weekend at the water park and comforting Maryn during the 9pm hour when everyone in our neighborhood lit fireworks for 3 nights in a row. Daddy had to sleep on the floor next to her bed for an hour or so each night...he's the best!

Go Blue!

The heat down here will knock anyone out

Thank you Nowlins for the lobster suit...it was the perfect holiday attire!

The descent

The crash landing

Go USA!!

The Stars and Stripes Forever

Ella wore Maryn out. I actually had to wake HER up at 8:30 the next morning for school. She started a Mothers Morning Out program a few weeks after Benham was born. Momma needed a break. She absolutely loves it so she's headed to preschool the first week in August! My baby is growing up in between blinks of my eyes. *tear*

Enjoying the people watching with Uncle Tim.

"Ooohhh, look at the pretty lights!"

Making sure he wasn't scared during the fireworks

Sometimes when I look at pictures of me with both of my children I just can't believe that I made them. I MADE these beautiful children and feel like I was literally touched by God in doing so. It's a feeling that is indescribable. They have given my life such purpose. I'm sure that if I didn't have them right now, you'd probably find me wandering around in search of something. I am happy, I am content, I am mommy.

Her rock, her comfort zone, her safety

Just like two years ago...daddy protecting her ears from the 'boom booms'

I'm sorry but this child provides so much laughter in our home. He is AWESOME! Maryn was napping so Benham and I played. My version of playing is experimenting with the camera. I propped him up on the sofa but DID NOT pose him like this. It's like an Olan Mills/JCPenney studio shot. I didn't even realize he crossed his hands until I was looking at the downloaded files and that's when I lost it! He makes me the happiest woman alive! He's got the dopiest look on his face and quite frankly, he doesn't even look like himself in this picture. He's 3 months old and could probably pass for 6 months.

He's getting really good at his tummy time and frequently rolls over. Already proving to his sister that not only was he ready to be born 4 days sooner than her but he's more advanced with his motor skills.

How can you not laugh at this?

Five Years

2011-07-01T07:35:00.006-04:00

Five years of wedded bliss. A solid eleven years of love. My best friend. My companion. My partner in crime. Well, not so much crime...we're pretty much the non crime sort of folk. He thinks I'm beautiful and he loves my flaws. I think he's hot and I tolerate his flaws:) We serve each other, we sacrifice, we laugh, we cry, we argue...but at the end of the day, we look at our children and agree they are the most beautiful product of our marriage. I love you Michael Austin Cummings and will never be able to thank you enough for gifting me these gorgeous little people.

If you have about 20 minutes of free time here's a link to our wedding video that's divided into chapters. The best money spent on our wedding. Brian and his team at True Video nailed it! They are located in Columbus, OH but will travel. My friend and Mac's cousin both used them after our wedding and were just as pleased as us.

Our Wedding Video

Love, Love, Love, Love, Crazy Love

November 25, 2010

Their 62nd Wedding Anniversary

Here's to Mac and I making it that long!

Cheers!

Fathers

2011-06-29T12:56:00.015-04:00

Poppop didn't make it to Father's Day this year but we celebrated him just the same.

He spun me around so hard on the dance floor at my wedding I almost peed on my dress. I told you he was strong! He was so darn cute.

Father's Day was bittersweet for my dad this year but it reminded me of how strong he really is. He kept the boat afloat with my Grandma and pretty much organized all the details for the funeral services. Not how he wanted to spend his Father's Day but he's the oldest, the big brother who always comes through in crisis. That's my dad, 'ol' reliable'. He doesn't miss a beat. He's intelligent, witty, sarcastic (almost to fault), but the most reliable man you'll ever meet. He encourages, he supports, and he's got the best sense of direction:) He can sniff his way around any town without a map. He has always been my solid go-to-man when I need a cheering section or advice without judgement. I'm his one and only daughter:) Selfishly I love that. He used to be wrapped around my pinkie but I think after 31 years he's slowly catching onto my gig.

Happy Belated Father's Day, Dad.

I love you. I have, and always will, look up to you.

Love, your Rinky Dink

We spent the weekend with Mac's parents and would you believe that I didn't get a picture with Mac and both of his babies together? Craziness.

Poppop proudly showing off the card that Maryn made for him. And no, the kegerator in the background does not belong to my in-laws...it's Mac's brothers.

This is called L.O.V.E.

And this is called S.C.R.U.M.P.T.I.O.U.S.

Poppop found a pet at the beach

And Maryn was showing us how the crab crawled

"Thank you Great Aunt Sarah and Uncle Kevin for my Minnie suit...I look good in polka dots."

Several years ago, my grandparents were forced to sell their home of over 50 years in order to move out of state to be closer to my aunt and assisted living. They sold a lot of their furniture but I was fortunate to get a secretary desk they had in their family room since before I was born. It was probably 6 months after I got the desk that I discovered an old photo tucked into one of the drawers. A picture of my grandfather serving in the United States Marine Corp during WWII! What a treasure. I've blown it up to frame and hang in Benham's room. Those goggles are rad.

My cousins Carlson (named after my Poppop) serves in the United States Army and my cousin Cory followed my grandfather into the Marines.

Three Servicemen

They presented my grandmother with the American flag used to drape Pop's casket

My parents grew up one block from each other in Reading, Pennsylvania. Remember the Reading Railroad on Monopoly? My grandfather, my moms dad, worked on that railroad. We managed to find a little time to hit up some old favorite spots in town.

Mimi was convinced this was a princess castle.

When you can get two babies to take their naps in a hotel room you feel empowered!

We met cousin Jack for the first time...he could be M's twin.

This is after I asked her to share her Nilla Wafers with him. *thinking about it*

*making the right choice*

She seriously looked like an angel at his funeral. Her prayers go straight to heaven:)

I think Grandma found some comic relief in this one.

Proof that she really is THAT sweet.

P.S. It's all about ballerinas and twirling and dancing and tutu's right now. Mama likes.

Benham Rolls

2011-06-18T15:36:00.002-04:00

Ben at 7 weeks rolling over...you can hear Little Miss wanting to do everything her little brother does:)

The girl loves her heels. Check out 4 week old Ben snoozin' on the bed...not so much the sleepy newborn anymore.

Poppop is at peace and Benham is 10 weeks old

2011-06-16T14:44:00.009-04:00

"Momma always said dyin' was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't." Forrest Gump

Today my Poppop has found peace. His earthly life ended this morning and he's singing with the angels in heaven. My grandfather was Christ loving and was devoted to his church. I remember watching him usher at mass and he'd always wink at me. He emphasized to his children the importance of having faith. That commitment was passed on to us. Growing up, we went to church every Sunday...even when we were on vacation! He was a meat and potatoes man and worked like a horse to provide for his family. He had the BIGGEST hands of any man I've ever known. Last week I sat at his bedside and held those mighty hands. I envisioned all of the furniture those hands built and the war he fought. He was strong. Just this afternoon, my brother Phil told me of one of his memories of Poppop. He was about 15 years old and was playing catch with Pop..he said he'll never forget how bad it hurt his hands after he caught those balls...Pop threw a mad ball. He served this country with pride and bravery and I'm so honored to call him my grandfather.

Sir Benham Austin is showing his respect for Great Grandpa Carl Loeper...sporting some Red White and Blue in a tribute to a great marine!

Every week of this child's life has such importance to me but the time has come to convert our measurements into months. Trust me, I would love to take his picture in the *big white chair* 52 times this year but we've got other important things to do. We've got to break out the Bumbo seat, stretch our legs in preparation for the Jumperoo, make and freeze homemade baby food, and survive two nights a week while mama's at work.

62 years of marriage...hard to come by these days. How fortunate I am to have role models to base my marriage upon. The epitome of true love. I just loved the little twinkle in his eye.

July 2010...just a week before Benham was conceived...Pop must have been our good luck charm:)

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:5)

We'll be gathering as a family in the coming days and I anticipate that our new sweet baby Benham will provide some of that much needed comfort. An opportunity to see distant relatives and to celebrate the long and prosperous life of our grandfather, great grandfather, father, husband, brother (he had 8 brothers and sisters!), cousin, uncle, friend, neighbor and fellow marine.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Night night Poppop, you ARE a very loved man. Kisses xoxo

2 Month Stats

2011-06-14T16:52:00.007-04:00

13 lbs 75th percentile

23.5 in 75th percentile

head circumference 39.5 cm 25th percentile

He's a monster with a peanut head

"Why I oughta..."

There's no where else she'd rather be

Hangin' at the beach with Auntie Heidi

Daddy always does the final rinse off

She pee peed in her Pull Up the other day and I pretended to cry about it, she replied

"I'm so sorry for you mommy" while giving me a hug and rubbing my back...I obviously get more upset than she does when she has an accident.

And just tonight, Grandma was trying to get her to sit on the potty but Maryn was in a boycott potty sort of mood. Grandma used Benham as a lure. She told Mimi that Benham was going to use the potty in hopes that she would join the fun. Grandma went so far as to actually take off Ben's diaper and sit him on the tiny potty. Literally two seconds later, the kid is peeing on the pot!! Benham peed in the potty! We collapsed on the floor in laughter! Moments later, Maryn couldn't be one upped by her little brother so she decided to use the facilities as well:) Just a friendly act of sibling rivalry. Whatever works.

Benham is 9 weeks old!

2011-06-13T13:30:00.012-04:00

It's the circle of life, one little man is beginning his journey while another is approaching his finish line. He's lived a long (87.5 years!) brave and honorable life, but unfortunately we are saying our goodbyes to my Poppop. I packed up the kids last minute and flew to New York to see my grandfather last week. He is still holding strong but I think we are counting days. My heart is aching. I feel sadness for my grandma and the tears of my dad fall hard. I haven't lost a grandparent since I was 9 years old. When I held my Poppop's hand last week, I knew that it would be the last time. I leaned over to kiss his forehead and out of an almost comatose sleep, he lifted his head for a kiss on the lips! He hadn't moved an inch the entire time I was sitting next to his hospital bed but mustered up the energy for a REAL goodbye. No doubt that Carl Joseph Loeper will be sitting with the Lord, my prayers right now are for his comfort and peace.

This 9 week old brought some much needed joy to an otherwise sad time.

"Move over sissy!"

"Alright fine, only because you can read..or think you can read"

This is how I managed to pack our suitcase last minute

Ben's first plane ride

Meeting Great Aunt Carolyn

Me and my grandma...she looks good for 88 years!

Mimi and one of her namesakes...Great Grandma Marian Loeper

See that tiny green M&M in her mouth? Grandma Loeper was sneaking them to her by the handfuls! She always lets me know that her *name* is on the M&M. It doesn't matter how many times I tell her that it's her initial, she thinks each one was made with her name. Maryn gets one for pee pee in the potty and two for poo poo. A couple weeks ago Grandma asked Maryn while they were skyping how many M&M's she got for pee pee, she turned to make sure I wasn't looking and told her FIVE!!! The little rat tried to pulled a quick one over on her!

Five out of the seven great grandchildren...plus one more on the way!!

They'd be a cute little couple...if they weren't second cousins

Nanny has the touch

Tummy Time!

I think Benham successfully provided distraction

Four generations...me included

We were able to visit with Grandma and Poppop Cummings since they only live 45 minutes from my grandparents

Grandma got Maryn some new toys that were a huge hit! Benham's fuzz needed a blow out.

He rolled with it

The final 'do'

Skyping with daddy...he missed us so much, we came home to a dozen roses:)

Checking out Grandma's box of tricks

And coordinating outfits with Poppop

We can't wait for them to move to Charleston permanently!

Feeding the birds

When I look at this sweet picture, it reminds me of the memories I share with my Poppop...sitting on his lap and listening to stories about his family carpentry business or being a marine stationed in the South Pacific during WWII. I used to love helping my grandma turn the pockets of his work shirts inside out to dump all the sawdust out. He'd always have a Werther's Original in his pocket for me. I'm going to miss him.

Benham is 8 weeks old!

2011-06-03T15:15:00.004-04:00

I'm just going to pat myself on the back and says congrats to me for successfully getting my offspring to take their afternoon naps at the same time...freeing up valuable time to blog...I mean clean the house. Sir Benham is 8 weeks old, a couple days shy of turning 2 MONTHS OLD! Holy Crikeys! I ventured into work yesterday to fill in my schedule and had mixed emotions. I really do love what I do. Not many people at their place of work can nonchalantly say, while huddled around the water cooler, "dude, I just saved someones life 5 minutes ago". It's a pretty cool gig. I just don't look forward to the nitty gritty stuff that can get pretty irritating...just like every other job out there. It doesn't matter what you do for a living, who you work with or for, a job is a job. Period. My life is full of purpose right now, lots of purpose, but there IS something to be said about purposely contributing my knowledge and skills to make a difference in someone else's life, besides my children's. Every minute of my every day is given to my children. Everything I do or plan to do first has to be cleared with their schedules. Who eats when, who eats what, who sleeps when, who sleeps what? They currently rule the roost. My friend Meghan who has a 22 month old and 2.5 month old twins said it perfectly to me the other day..."when I had one child, she adjusted her life to fit into mine, now that I have more than one, I have to adjust my life to fit into theirs". And this my friends is truth. So, what I'm trying to say is that I'm looking forward to my 12 hour shifts at work because for the majority of those 12 hours, I'll be thinking of something other than my day to day...and if I have to go to the bathroom...I can go without someone crying or calling my name...and if I want to sit down and eat a cookie...I can eat a cookie without someone else eating half of it...and if I just want to sit in silence...I can sit in silence...and at the end of those 12 hours...I'll drive 10 miles per hour faster than the speed limit to get home to my little chickens who rule the roost!

"Are we done here?"

Oh my sweet Jesus I love when he smiles!

And when he pops his collar like this...heart breaker!

We got wonderful news yesterday...his hips are completely normal! Because he was frank breech he had to have an ultrasound of his hips done between 6-8 weeks to see if he had any slight dislocation which would require a fancy leg brace. Not only are his hips normal but he abnormally loves to put weight on them. He absolutely loves to stand and I totally realize this is just not normal to see a 7 week old baby standing on a sofa. He's like that creepy dancing baby from Ally McBeal.

I'm already sort of sad that one day some pretty little girl is going to sweep him off his feet and I'll no longer be his number one lady.

Just remember...you have to share the holidays!

Benham Austin...I love you to the moon and back!

Making Memories, Memorial Weekend 2011

2011-05-31T16:12:00.005-04:00

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!

2011-05-29T15:47:00.014-04:00

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

2011-05-21T14:11:00.010-04:00

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!

2011-05-20T12:46:00.010-04:00

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".

Getting Our Toes Wet

2011-05-18T22:31:00.004-04:00

We loaded ourselves with caffeine Saturday morning and loaded our crew into the Yukon...Bode and the double BOB included, and headed to the beach. Benham's first dip in the ocean. Now if only we lived beach front this wouldn't be such a task.

Dippy dip. Maryn exclaims "it's WARM!"

This little ray of sunshine has been cracking me up lately. I need to start a journal with all of her 'isms'. For instance, let's recap yesterday:

"Benham's cwhyin', he wants mommy's milk"

"I poopied, the Easter Bunny's happy"

and she calls squirrels "swirls"

Check out Ben's face...he's like what the 'H' are these fools doing to me?!

So glad we bought two double strollers. She pushed it home from the park today too.

Benham is 5 weeks old!

2011-05-13T21:38:00.005-04:00

Benham gave us his first 'real' purposeful smile on his 5 week birthday. He's been smiling for a couple weeks now but it was during sleep or because of gas. Now we can talk to him in our most obnoxious goo goo ga ga voice and he's all gums.

Benny Boy had his one month check up

10 lbs 4 oz 50th percentile

21 3/4 in. 50th percentile

head circ. 37 cm. 25th percentile

I'm pretty certain he's going through a growth spurt because from 5 pm to 10 pm, he's happily hanging from my chest and I feel like one giant boob. This has to stop. I really shouldn't complain though because he does give us our longest stretch of quiet in this house from 10 pm to 4 am...it's beautiful and I look forward to those hours every day.

He's been doing a lot of this between the hours of 12 pm and 4pm

Mother's Day Weekend

2011-05-13T16:25:00.007-04:00

It took me six hours to pack for a weekend trip to my parents house. In between feeding a demanding 4 week old and wiping the heiney of a potty training 2 year old, I managed to pack all of the necessities...yes, it was six hours! You might hear me say this more than once but having just one child is like a walk in the park, a bubble bath with candles, ice cream with sprinkles...shall I go on?? I am not disregarding the adjustment that new parents of one newborn experience or the weary sleepless nights but when you toss in another child...the dynamic changes and all you wish for is another set of arms. Maybe if they were four years apart I wouldn't need extra extremities. Despite this lack of go go gadget arms, we are still afloat and everyone is happy...including mom and dad:) I clean less, I cook less but that's only because we PLAY more! 'Tis life!

Someone pinch me...these children really do belong to me

This hunk belongs to me too;)

A genie in a bottle couldn't have granted me a more loving Mother...but I hold her responsible for this burden I carry on my shoulders to be 'Supermom'...she defines 'Supermom'...love oozing out of every pore, the best damn cook you'll ever meet, a woman of all trades...she knows how to use and use well, all power tools, can wallpaper and paint like a paid professional, write calligraphy, and sew on a button in 2.5 minutes flat. I have really big shoes to fill...literally, she wears a size 10:)

Happy Mother's Day to the woman who taught me what it means to give of myself.

I love you mom!

safety first

She loves water so much she asked for a water bed the other day...so 80's...do they even make those anymore?

Nanny is 64, sorry for the reveal mom, and she is always the first in the pool with Mimi. She never tires.

Bode is never far from my dads heels

Nanny introduced her to sugar cones

We went to the Taste of Beaufort and M thought she had died and gone to heaven...seven jump castles! Mac took her down the big shark slide and suffered a good slide burn on his elbow. He sacrifices too.

And maybe if I really did have a genie in a bottle, I'd wish for a million of these pretty little girls to cover the Earth.

Benham is 4 weeks old!

2011-05-05T21:13:00.005-04:00

Really? 4 weeks have come and gone since that unsuspecting Thursday night? Benham Austin is pretty much the male version of his sister. He has the same temperament, the same sleeping patterns, the same eating habits, and the same crooked pinky fingers. I love the smell of his oily baby skin, the velvet touch of his cheeks and the baby dinosaur grunts he makes in his sleep. He still loves to sleep but he's getting better with his Babywise every day...it's a chore for me to keep this boy awake after feeds.

Happy 1 month of life baby Ben!

All smiles

and serious contemplation

No, I'M in charge

2011-05-04T12:32:00.007-04:00

We've been cruising along quite nicely and this whole transition has gone better than I had anticipated, until last Thursday night. I guess we needed and deserved a reality check. Maryn woke up with a fever Thursday night and she had it off and on for close to five days, reaching as high as 104.6 F. We diligently Lysoled every surface that M came in contact with for fear of a hospital stay for a newborn. Her sleep habits have been worse than said newborn. Ben did end up manifesting the virus in the form of yellow crusty eyes. And of course I got a minor sore throat and runny nose. The days without my other half around to change half of the dirty diapers, bulb syringe boogie noses every hour and referee the icky hands of the two year old away from the three week old have been long. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tired...two pediatrician visits in three days, waiting 45 minutes at the Walmart pharmacy, child in arms with rising fever, only to be told they are out of erythromycin eye ointment. There have been days where I had to stop, take a deep breath and remind myself that there are droves of selfless mothers out there that have felt my exhaustion and they not only survived but WON!! I remind myself that 'I'm winning'! I'm winning here people! So, even though this little guy thinks he's in charge...I am so much bigger than him!

And then I look over and catch this and suddenly I've got a new pep in my step

Don't fool yourself kid, I'm still winning though

How we treat fever in the Cummings house

He discovered the hanging toys and appears to have a strong right hook

In addition to decontaminating our house, I have a responsibility as a mother to provide 30 minutes a day of tummy time...he likes it

And for some reason, during the 20 hours a day that I stare at my sleeping angel, my mind wanders to the future when he's all grown up. He's going to break bones, probably get in a couple fist fights, drink too much beer, drive too fast, and make his own decisions. I want to keep my baby chicks under my wing forever and hide them from all the scary people in this world. Just because we are short one Bin Laden, doesn't mean there aren't thousands or more just like him out there or maybe they're even being born right now. I think about those Navy SEALS who risked their own lives to protect ours and all I keep thinking is that they were once a momma's sleeping angel too. We can't hold their hands forever but you better believe I'll be holding them as long as he lets me.

Summer is here

2011-05-02T16:25:00.004-04:00

The pool is open, temperatures are flirting with the 90 degree mark, the beach bag is relocated to the hall closet for easy access and Mimi's got her collection of sunglasses at hand. Maternity leave during the summer months is glorious! I just need to figure out how I'm going to handle TWO children around the pool deck by myself...because, I refuse to be held hostage in my home.

First trip to the pool. He sported swim trunks but slept through the fun.

D.I.V.A.

Flashback: Maryn Amelia 3 weeks old

A picture to remind you how much my newborns morph into completely different looking individuals. Some people say Benham looks exactly like Mac, others see me, but I think it's safe to say 'who the heck knows how this kid will turn out?' :)

Benham is 3 weeks old!

2011-04-29T20:26:00.005-04:00

Big Ben is 3 weeks old and was supposed to be born 3 days ago. He grows an inch every night and I can't possibly imagine him being born the monster he is today. His newborn clothes became capri lenth pants over night and he has successfully blown crap out of his newborn size diapers three times in the last two days. Mimi was in newborn diapers until she was 7 weeks old! God is so good to us and blesses us with children who like to sleep. Like I mentioned, he has been sleeping 4-5 hr stretches at night since he escaped from the womb and the other night he got all night owl on our butts and woke every 3 hrs. I have this overwhelming respect for those parents whose newborns wake every 2-3hr! I was a zombie the next day. He redeemed himself and pulled out a 6 hr snooze fest last night. Makes you jump out of bed when you roll over and look at the clock and need two hands to start counting the hours on your fingers. Had to make sure he was breathing. He is such a gent and goes along for the ride...where ever Mimi decides we should go.

His new bestie, Charlie, hooked him up with some fancy pants. And just in case we acquire new parent amnesia...his rear end is appropriately labeled to help us decipher between back and front.

Eggcellent Easter

2011-04-26T16:54:00.007-04:00

Mimi's holiday weekend started off with an Easter themed birthday party for her bud Rowan. The girls had a blast hunting and decorating eggs.

We headed to church on Sunday morning and Maryn chose the most silent 2 minutes of the entire mass to yell "all aboard the choo choo train!!" We already had all eyes on us because of the wee tiny person that was perched in our arms and then the obvious chaos of our family unit was confirmed by the cute two year old.

Easter brunch...tell me what's better than a Peep on a stick??

Uncle Tim would never miss a holiday with his Godbaby

"the bunny came, the bunny came!"

And you better believe he left PlayDoh in her basket

Nanny and Poppop are smitten

He left this kid in her basket too:)

Mikaela aka Miss Mac...organized another Easter egg hunt...complete with the special *golden* egg!

We don't dote on her or anything

Miss Mac made the most delicious Easter dinner! She's an amazing cook and we all left stuffed to our gills! I've already requested a copy of every recipe.

Benham is 2 weeks old!

2011-04-22T08:49:00.008-04:00

B-Ham is starting to give us a little bit more alert time. But, the kid is still sleeping 4-5 hr stretches at night. I'm not bragging or trying to rub it in the face of other new parents, just stating fact and knocking on wood. In two months, I want to remember how much I liked him.

Because of his breech position, his little feet turn outward. He'll get an ultrasound of his hips in about a month to see whether or not he has to sport one of those fancy braces on his legs. Wouldn't that be special?!

First nap in his big boy crib.

She's so gentle with him. Carefully places her arms around him and supports his head. She's not pushy and doesn't ask to hold him every 3 minutes. She peeks on him when he's napping and whispers so he doesn't wake up. I had always thought that I wanted a boy first. But after witnessing the 2 year old boys at Gymboree, I think God knew what He was doing by gifting me my sweet baby girl;)

In the last two weeks...we've been doing a lot of this...

...and this.

Easter egg hunt!

She keeps telling perfect strangers that the Easter Bunny is coming and is bringing her Play Doh! I need to run to Walmart...I can't disappoint.

Must have for your second child...a sling!

My friend Kristen had gotten this for me after Maryn was born and we used it often. It's a necessity now! We literally use it every day. I'm a mom on the go and I need both hands to wrangle my two year old. This particular sling is so soft and isn't bulky, the Market Sling from Serena and Lily

Finally figured out how to transfer videos from my phone to the computer...they were too large to download directly so I had to download them to YouTube first.

Benham's first Dr. appointment

How we measure up

2011-04-20T15:12:00.005-04:00

This beautiful peaceful child had his first doctors appointment at five days old and weighed 7 lbs. 1 oz., which isn't much of a weight loss from birth...this kid seriously would have been like 9lbs! He shrunk a half inch and measured 20.5 in., head circumference 34.5 cm.

Ben is the sleepiest newborn I have ever known...it is very rare to capture a picture with his eyes open.

It's true what they say about subsequent children...not only do you become more forgetful but the little things that you made into big things with your first child return to their former state of being little things. I forgot to bring my camera to Benham's first appointment...what kind of mother am I? So, we brought in the stand by, the phone's camera. I took a cute video but it won't transfer to my computer...I'm working on it.

Ben's nightly lounge during story time.

We returned to the doctors yesterday for his weight recheck and fat boy weighed 8 lb. 3 oz.! He's a weed! And Lady M had her 2 year old well child check up and it appears that she is average across the board.

27 lb. 50th percentile

33.5 in. 50th percentile

head circumference 47 cm 50th percentile

But come on, look at this child...she is anything but average.

I've tried really hard to keep her life as routine as possible. Nanny helped me take Mimi to Gymboree last week and today, I packed the kids up myself and we ventured there again. Ben hangs in his sling and M dances and runs and plays. Seeing her so happy is worth all the effort!

Boys, boys, boys...

2011-04-18T20:51:00.004-04:00

My best friend from high school and college and Maryn's godmother, Kristen and her husband Patrick, welcomed their first baby into this world on April 11, 2011...3 weeks and 2 days early. We were due one week apart from each other and both boys decided that they would rather not wait any longer. I think Charlie was just trying to keep up with Benham...he couldn't let him reach the finish line too far ahead of him:) My love for this child makes my heart swell and it's killing me not to be with him, smothering his precious face with kisses!

Charles Gordon

April 11, 2011

6 lb. 5 oz.

And another very dear friend of mine from grade school and high school, Meghan and her husband Ryan, welcomed their twin boys Peter and Tommy on March 21, 2011...4 weeks early! I'm telling you...these four boys are already competitive! They join their big sister Maisie who is 19 months old...I channel a lot of my prayers toward Meghan:) Although, I really don't think she needs them...she can juggle these kids with her eyes closed.

Thomas Edward 5 lb. 2 oz.

Peter Ryan 5 lb. 10 oz.

March 21, 2011

And since Benham's birth was a little bit of a surprise and unexpected, I totally forgot to get one last belly pic! By the time I remembered that I wanted one, I was hooked up to monitors and they were prepping me for surgery. So, I looked back to see what was the last shot we took. It was the evening before his birthday and I had gone to Target to look for some shirts to get me through the next three weeks. It was there, in the florescent lit dressing room, that they sneered their ugly face at me...STRETCH MARKS!! I stood there in disbelief, I went numb and then I started crying. I had three more weeks of this growing belly to endure and these ugly scars were only going to get worse. I dropped the shirts, dressed myself and cried the entire drive home. That evening, I lathered my gut with Palmer's cocoa butter and wrapped it in Saran Wrap. I took this picture and sent it to Meghan since she could sympathize with me...but come on, she was pregnant with twins. I avoided stretch marks with my first pregnancy and never thought I would fall victim. I'm in the market for some really good and effective stretch mark cream...do share your secret beauty tips with me. Another reason why my children are so good to me...they come early! And, another lesson learned...never get naked in a Target dressing room!