Playing Outside

While we were playing outside this evening, I tried out the video camera on my digital camera. I had never used it before. It does remarkably well and the sound quality is excellent as John learned. He made the "pooting" noises with his mouth not believing that the camera actually recorded sound. He knows better now.


Playing Outside

Smiley

Yesterday when John came home for lunch, Ben was sitting in his bouncy seat while I fixed lunch. John bent down to talk to him and Ben smiled at him so big. We're considering this Ben's first "real" smile. He was definitely smiling at John. He didn't just happen to make a smiley expression. I grabbed the video camera, but he wouldn't perform on demand.

Weekend

We are enjoying our Memorial Day weekend. Saturday, John purchased a riding lawn mower. He's been using a cheap push mower for about seven years and it was time to upgrade. We live on a corner lot and have a fairly large yard. It took a lot of time and sweat to push mow it.



This Sunday, Ben went to Sunday School and church. I took him in the adult Sunday School class and left him in his carseat during class. He slept the entire time. Last Sunday during the service we sat in the back of the church. This Sunday we were brave and moved back to our usual pew on the third row in the center. Ben fussed a little, but overall was good. He got hungry and had to have a bottle midway through the sermon. Ben wasn't the only baby at church. The Godbold's grandon who is just a few weeks older was on the pew behind us. During the final song, I had Ben on my shoulder. I could hear snickering behind me. After the service ended, the Godbold's said that Ben and Cade had seen each other and were staring each other down. John said that Ben's brow was furrowed. This is the first time he has ever noticed another baby.

Sunday afternoon Ben and I enjoyed a nap. This is his favorite place to nap. He'll sleep for hours if I let him lay on my stomach.



After our nap, we went outside and enjoyed the nicely mowed yard. Ben seemed to really like being outside. It was VERY HOT so we stayed in the shade and weren't outside long.

Around and Around

While I was getting Ben's bath ready, I left him in his bed watching his mobile. When I came back he was having so much fun, I grabbed the video camera so that I could share the moment here. I hoped the fun time would last through bathtime, but it didn't. He still does not like taking a bath. As soon as he was dry and dressed, he was happy again, though.

Click on the picture below to view Ben watching his mobile:


Round and Round

Another First

Ben went out to eat for the first time today. We met John for lunch at Pizza Hut. I didn't take a picture of him in Pizza Hut. Honestly, I just didn't think about it at the time or I probably would have. His carseat seems to have a hypnotic effect -- put him in the carseat and he snoozes. He slept the whole time we were out running errands. Along with Pizza Hut, we also went to the post office, Wal-Mart, a children's clothing store, and the library this afternoon. We went home for a little while after Wal-Mart, had a bottle, rested from all the errands for a few minutes (and put away groceries), then headed back out.

Sunday Clothes

Ben went to church for the first time this Sunday. We hadn't planned to wait so long to take him to church, but the first week we planned to go, it was pouring down rain. For the past two weekends, we have been out of town. In the picture, Ben is dressed and ready to go to church. The blanket he's laying on was made by one of the ladies in the church. He has his Bible that MawMaw Wilma and PawPaw Sherman gave him. He is not wearing the outfit I had planned for him to wear. His daddy vetoed that outfit saying it was too girly. Mama: Notice he's wearing socks. I figured all the ladies at church would get onto me like you do if I took him barefooted.

He was very good at church, just squeaking a couple of times, but not crying. His first day at church was a long one. We had a covered dish lunch followed by a two and a half hour committee meeting. He sat through all of it patiently. However, I think he was allergic to either my perfume or something at church because he came home with a runny eye. It is much better this morning, though.

The Thinker

Playtime

In the last week, Ben has started noticing things around him. He's very interested in the mobile over his bed. This morning he loved looking at the toys hanging down from his gym. He cooed and smiled and moved his hands and feet around. He would accidentally hit one of the toys and make it spin. This was the most excited I had ever seen him.


A video is even better than a picture. You can watch a couple of clips of him playing at the following link.


Playtime

Sleepy Boys

John and Ben fell asleep together on the loveseat Friday night.

Major Accomplishment

Ben and I made it to Bible study this morning at 9 a.m. This was a major accomplishment for us. This was the last meeting for this school year of the Bible Study I've been a part of at First Baptist Church since last fall. Two members are moving soon so I wanted to be there as we said goodbye to them. I was glad that we were able to get there. This Bible study and our MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) group have been really important to me this year and helped me to feel like I have a place in Grenada.

Ben's 1st Mother's Day

This is a picture of Ben and me taken at the Elder's house on Mother's Day.

Road Trips

Ben made two road trips at the beginning of the week. Sunday we visited John's parents to celebrate his dad's 70th birthday. It was also the first time for Jim to see Ben. The next day Ben went back to visit Nana and Grandaddy while I went to the doctor. Thankfully, Ben slept the entire time we were in the car both days.

Meeting Uncle Zac

Ben is one month old today. Mama, Daddy and Zac came to visit Ben this weekend. This was the first time Zac had seen Ben. I think Mama and Daddy held Ben for 24 hours straight. This did mean that John and I got to sleep all the way through the night, which was nice.

Big Day

Today Ben is four weeks old. We had a busy day. First, we had lunch with Marcee, Mitzi, and Isaiah. Isaiah was born the same day as Ben. It was nice to get out of the house and visit with friends. Then we went to Wal-Mart. This was Ben's first trip to Wal-Mart. I actually took the picture as we were leaving Wal-Mart. When we first arrived, I couldn't figure out how to attach his seat to the cart. I ended up stopping a lady in the store who had a baby in an infant seat and asked her how it worked. Luckily, it was only their second trip to Wal-Mart and she didn't think I was crazy. If anyone saw me taking Ben's picture in the parking lot, they probably did think I was crazy. However, I promised MawMaw I would post a new picture of Ben today so I had to take a picture of him doing something.