BEN’S TWO!!!

I made a decision a while back to do small birthday parties for as long as I could- aka until my kids beg and plead for something more.  So we typically just have a party with us and a family member or few friends.  This year Ben’s favorite Aunt Meme joined us. 

And now he is officially 2.  Although when we asked him how old he was he raised up 5 fingers and said “FOUR!”  He has been acting the part of 2 for a while now but now we can really use that excuse. 

Some things about Ben:

1. He’s a super sweet boy. 

2. He loves to cuddle and give you kisses.

3.  He is happy to be held and sit on your lap all day.

4. He is very much his own person.  Many times I don’t know how to explain what he does other than- yep that’s Ben.

5.  He LOVES his family.  He especially loves Sissy who he follows around everywhere and wants to do just what she does.

6.  He throws some serious tantrums.  Usually ending in him smacking his head as he throws his body back on the floor. (Yep- that’s Ben.)  And then looking at you like it is your fault he has hurt himself.

7. He can work the iPad all on his own.  He could do this for a few months now.  He knows exactly how to find Netflix and start up Go Diego Go.

8.  He is obsessed with Diego and Dora.  Especially on the iPad.

9.  He loves to make a mess.  His favorite thing is a clean room- that he can go in and pull everything down.   

10.  We love him.  He is our sweet little man and fits perfectly with our family. 

 

This year, Ben who normally loves to destroy stuff was for some reason terribly upset by the thought of ripping the paper off his presents. 

No daddy don’t unwrap it!!

You want me to rip the paper?

The big winner was the train set.  He and daddy and sissy had so much fun putting it together and running the trains.

On to cake! (Okay yes we had to rip him away from the trains to do cake.  Next year I guess cake is first.)

Here I am trying to show him how to blow out the candles.

Huh Mom?

He got it after a bit:

Ben’s style of eating:

I tried to get him to use a fork.  That lasted for about 20 seconds.

And now back to playing with trains.  Forget the cake. 

At the park

Okay goal tonight.  Update blog.  So some of these are older and I didn’t get them blogged before Eli came.  But that shouldn’t be a big surprise.  This is just a little trip we took to the park.  On a cold but not freezing day. 

 

 

Elias gaining weight

Elias has gained some weight. At his doctor appointment today, he weighed 8lbs 6.5oz.

Sent from Sam's iPhone

Drama

Conversation between me and Sariah:

Me: Sariah, don't be a drama queen
Sariah: Mom, I'm not a drama queen, I'm a drama princess.

Sent from Sam's iPhone

The Nutcracker

This was James' second year being in The Nutcracker. Looking back I realize I was crazy for agreeing to this year. I mean hello my due date was the 1st and the performances were the 3rd & 4th- not to mention all the practices leading up to it.

But you pick your battles and you make it work. I was also crazy enough to go to the Sat performance with my 5 day old baby. But I had sacrificed James being gone so I really wanted to see the show.

It was worth it. I was exhausted by the time we got home. But James' mom took Ben and Sariah for the weekend and I knew I could rest.

Sariah loved going. She got to wear her special new Christmas dress and my mom braided her hair. She looked ADORABLE!!! And her favorite parts included:

When daddy came on stage: she yelled "That's my daddy!"

The Nutcracker (with the big head, not the doll or the prince): before he came out she kept asking "where's the nutcracker" and after he left she kept asking "when's the nutcracker coming back"

The dragon: during the Chinese dancers they had 4 little girls under a dragon like you see in parades. Sariah loved it but was sad when it left. I asked her why and she said she was sad "because the dragon didn't eat the princess at the end".

Little Bo Peep: they had a section with sheep and Little Bo Peep. She loves her from Toy Story so she was super excited that she was "just like in the movie"

Getting her own nutcracker doll: every little kid got their own little nutcracker. She was super excited she got a blue on just like in the show.

I could tell which parts she really liked because she would get up on her knees to watch it. They let all the kids come right up in front of the stage but Sariah preferred to sit back with me and Grandma at the table this time.

Here's a few little pictures:

Elias James Ransom

Today, Elias joined our family.

The stats:

Born: November 29, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Length: 20 inches
Weight: 7lbs 15 oz
Head: 13 1/2 inches
Chest 13 1/2 inches

Lots of dark brown hair.
Super awake and alert- more than either of my other kids.
Good eater.

I was induced. The labor was 5hrs and 24 minutes. Everything went smoothly. He did have the cord around his neck twice. And I will try to write a more detail post tomorrow about the labor.

But here's a few pictures for now.

Truly a moment

These little moments are the ones that make my heart melt.