Got it.

I got it!
I finally captured a few of Ben's steps!
I will say it was no easy task.

He is one hard subject.
I might try a video next time.

Have you ever noticed that most of our pictures are outside or in the kitchen?
Does that tell you where we are 99% of the time.

I am voting for more kitchen and playroom pictures this summer. . .I heard it will be a hot one.
Thank goodness for the pool!
Hopefully I will be able to convince Ben that sitting in a float in the pool all summer long is the thing to do.
But, somehow I think "Mr. Hip Baby" will be enjoying the water a little closer to mama.

Thankfully Miss Kendall. . .one of our amazing and talented babysitters
that keeps leaving for college every August and is now graduated from college
and will soon get a job and be of no use to me  (hee hee). . .is out for the summer!
I can barely contain myself. 
She has already been put on high alert!

 

Let the summer begin!

I tried.

This sweet boy is almost 13 months!
He has never taken a step on his own, not even a little one!
He loves to "stand up" on his own and he loves to have help walking.
But no baby steps.

Yesterday.  All that not walking ended!

I was picking Kate up from school and put Ben down for a minute on the sidewalk while I talked to a friend and next thing I know Ben is taking a step!

I was so excited!
I lifted him back up onto his feet and he took three more steps.
I did that one more time and he took SIX steps!

Here is my question, how is it that this child can go from not walking at all to SIX steps in a row?

Could it be that his feet never touch the ground?
Or maybe that he is the fastest crawler I have ever seen?
Either way my life is about to change!

I tried my hardest to get some pictures of some first steps this morning, but Ben was not having it!
Playing under the table was much more fun!

Another little side note.

Ben has a bad habit.

He screams.

I don't mean sweet little screams to get our attention, I mean crazy loud screams just whenever he feels like it and when I say "no" (to the screaming) he does more!

Anyway.  My birthday was the other day and Trip had helped the kids get cards to give me.
All three of the cards were funny and sweet and both Mac and Kate's card had "mama"
written on the outside.
However, the card from Ben had "scream" written on the outside.
When I asked Trip about it he said that Ben didn't call anyone by their name. . .
he just called everyone "scream" . . .funny man.

 "Sweet Scream"

Dance

I think that since the last post was titled Music that it would only be fit for this post to be titled Dance.

This is Kate's second year of ballet and tap. . .to say she loves it would be an understatement.
This girl adores dance.
In fact the other day when she was waaaay out in the outfield at her t-ball game I caught her doing her recital dance (with her glove on-quite a sight to see)!

Her recital dance this year was to the song, "In the Jungle. . .the mighty jungle. . ."

The girls did a tap dance this year.
Last year it was a cute ballet dance. . .think year it was a sassy tap dance!

Can you tell that the girl's teacher was standing to their right?

They all did so good. 
We were especially proud of Kate.
She is so confident up on stage and is lots of fun to watch!

*I have a small disclaimer about the rest of these pictures.
My little small boy helper named Ben was not interested in anyone but his mama holding him this day. 
So dispite all the offers for help with him I was stuck with a baby on my hip and picture taking.
Which led to the fuzzy pictures below.
One day, I know, I will miss this little fuzzy picture maker!

Trophy time.
The trophies get bigger every year. 
Kate has spent much time with her two trophies talking about how this year she got a bigger one.

Sweet fuzzy dancer!

Music

Our kids love music. 
I am sure they got this from their father.
He LOVES music. . .don't let him fool you because he loves to sing too!
(And he does lots of it!)
Both Mac and Kate love to sing. 
In fact Kate is ALWAYS singing. . .she does not get this from me, I like quiet. 
Sounds grumpy I know, but I like quiet.
Don't get me wrong, I love to music. . .just not with the passion that the rest of my family has.

Mr. Ben has discovered music!
He is figuring out how to work Trip's ipod. 
He might know how to use it better than Trip before long!
I wonder if he will love music like his brother and sister or be a quiet bug like his mama?

Don't you wonder what he is listening too? 
Lots of times Trip has music and books on tape on his ipod. . .maybe he is learning how to be a better business man or listening to Jack Jackson. . ."better together" who knows!



Do you see the balloon wreath in the background? 
Want to know how I made it?