Why A Direct Flight Is A Necessity

This past weekend we went for a long awaited trip to St. Simons/Sea Island (southeast Georgia). If you have ever flown with a small child or children I am sure you will agree with the title of this post. Well anyways, to save a few extra bucks we decided to fly to Detroit first and then on to Jacksonville. Big Mistake. If you take one thing away from this blog take this.... One take-off and landing is less stressful than two take-offs and landings.

To make a long story short we basically flew to Detroit, had a long layover, a delay, then flew to Jacksonville, waited an hour for our luggage and then drove an hour through a monsoon and hail-storm to St. Simons. And we did all of that in just under 14 hours. Now it is time to unwind and relax.

Play Dates

One of the great benefits of working at Park Tudor is the two-week spring break. This past week was week one...Bennett and I have made the most of our time together by meeting friends for play dates, lunch dates and dinner dates. We met daddy for lunch on Monday, spent Tuesday in Kokomo where we had lunch with papaw, walked with memaw and dinner together with both of them. Wednesday Bennett met some friends of mine from the IU Foundation, Thursday was play time at the Prather's and dinner with the big kids (our friends) and today we took a break from packing (week two is at the beach) to meet up with Susan and Dani!

We have not forgotten Fenny...she has been enjoying frequent walks outdoors. I am so thankful to have this time with Bennett before returning to work full-time. Thank you so much to my many dear friends and family members who have been offering great support to me as we work through this difficult transition. And thank you to Lindsay, Chris and Cooper for the wrap...I would have never found this great piece without you -- we love it!!

I wish I would have taken my camera with me throughout this whole week -- it is so much fun watching Bennett interact with the different people and settings. He definitely wants to know what is happening around him! This is a pic of Bennett and Cooper (with Carson looking on in the background) during their play date.

Last night's dinner with the big kids to celebrate Kevin's 29th Birthday. In honor of Kevin's recent trip to LA (and perhaps a strip club?) for his bachelor gathering, Bennett sported his "stripper shoes".

Baseball During the Madness

Even though basketball was the theme of the weekend, we enjoyed the nice weather, family time and baseball as Valparaiso was in town to face Butler. We are excited to report Valpo won the three game series (2-1). Go Uncle Andrew!!

After the game on Friday afternoon, we headed back to our house for pizza and cupcakes (Happy Birthday, Chris!). Bennett and Cooper enjoyed a little playtime before bedtime.

It is Madness

Well I picked Wake in the brackets and now I am up a crick without a paddle. Might as well have just written IU in the bracket. I really wish I had listened to Daddy or at least mirrored his picks. Now who looks and feels foolish? That's right; Yes, I do.

It is March and It is Maddening

With March brings that time of year and Bennett has made his picks. He loves gambling and is ready to go deep into the tournament.

Happy St. Patty's Day

New Digs

Thanks to Zach's handywork (Part I - the highchair), Bennett is able to begin spending more time upright! He is now eating his cereal and playing with toys in his big boy chair.

Part II - the excersaucer. This project was a bit more time consuming, but worth it nonetheless. Bennett was a bit overwhelmed his first time in it (note the first two pictures...love the facial expressions trying to figure it all out), but by days 2 and 3, he was beginning to play more comfortably.

My name is...

...Mohawk Monkey Munster, according to my dad. Now let me explain:

1. Mohawk - like my dad as a baby, my hair is growing at a more rapid pace on top of my head and it likes to stand up.

2. Monkey - according to my parents, I have resembled a young monkey since birth.

3. Munster - my dad says my hair line has a widow's peak and it reminds him of Eddie Munster...what do you think?

Sunshine and Cereal

This past weekend provided us with a much needed opportunity to enjoy some fresh air. It was sunny and warm almost all weekend! We were so excited (well, I think Fenny was the most excited) to just be outdoors.

Bennett had his four-month well-baby visit on Friday! His appointment went well and he was a trooper while receiving another round of vaccinations. He gained one pound (for a grand total of 13.0 pounds) and grew one inch (25.5 inches)...placing him in the 20th and 50th percentiles, respectively. We can't believe how quickly he is growing and changing.

We received the go ahead to begin giving Bennett a little cereal each day. This is day one...not too bad! He did pretty well and even tried to help put the spoon in his mouth.

All finished! Fenny remained close by throughout...very curious to what might be in the bowl. It is only a matter of time before she will be waiting patiently below him at each feeding (good thing she lost a little weight at her yearly check-up in February. We have a feeling February 2010 might paint a different picture).

Happy Birthday!

Today is Linda's birthday (Zach's mom)...Happy Birthday to you! We hope you had a great day and enjoyed the slightly warmer weather.

Safe travels to Mark and Linda, who will be heading south early tomorrow morning.

Me in the Mirror

Bennett really enjoys talking to himself in the mirror. He will just carry on and on talking and smiling each time we place him in front of one...it is all very fascinating to him.

He is getting much stronger and beginning to enjoy "tummy time" a little more.

Although, he does still prefer to be on his back. Usually when Zach or I places him on his tummy, he has flipped over to his back within a couple minutes...and then it just becomes a game. We place him on his stomach and he rolls (not so gracefully) to his back. This Friday is Bennett's 4 month appointment...looking forward to seeing how much he has grown, not looking forward to more shots.