Almost a Walker

Well...Benjamin is almost 15 months and he is finally starting to walk around the house...not entirely, but some! And it's been a nice change...at least I say that now. We'll see how much work he's going to be once he's fully walking. He is so excited to be walking...he spends a lot of time walking with the assistance of walls...he finds it very amusing. And I find it pretty amusing too. I'm realizing more each day that my little baby boy is no more...he is a very independent little boy who is developing his own personality. His new favorite spot in the house is our closet. Since there are clothes hanging close to the ground (this is for me, the height challenged one in our household), he has learned that the more he plays with the clothes, they eventually fall off onto the ground. Much to my dismay as he usually chooses to play this new game as I hang up laundry...which I end up redoing later, picking all the clothes off the floor. Another new thing, is his new word..."what's that?" he usually uses it in context, but uses it repeatedly even after you've answered his question. But at least it's taken away from the amount of "hi"s we receive every day. Even though he still says "hi" to everyone we pass in the grocery store and if they don't respond to him, he will continue with even more energy until they answer him. He is quite cute I'd have to say! That's the "new" stuff for today.

The Food Thrower

I've realized that the "trying" times have started...and it has begun with throwing food. Just in the past few days Benjamin has started to chuck most of his food off the side of the high chair...knowing very well what he is doing. He just looks at you with these sweet eyes...with a piece of food in his hand...and slowly brings his hand over the edge of high chair and either flicks the food or gives it a big chuck. I have realized that I like to be in control...and with this I am not...he is. One piece he'll eat and the next he'll flick. I know that he knows what "NO" means...because the moment you say it...regarding throwing food, trying to grab the remote, playing with the buttons on the TV...he'll pull out a big pout and start to wail. He knows that "NO" means "NO"...but he is very much trying our patience with the food bit! Maybe it's more trying because if he's tossing all his food it means that he is not eating it...and I don't want him to go hungry! Anyways...it's the choice between discipline and ignoring...so far the saying "NO" hasn't been working...maybe we'll have to change our approach?? But on a good note...he does have a pretty good arm!

Back at Work

So it's been a week now that both Brad and I are back at work...not exactly enjoyable:( But we'll make do. I do have to say it is an incredible blessing for us to be able to spend each day with our wonderful boy. Even if it's not both of us, at least one of us is able to watch him grow each day. What a change the last month has brought...he is into everything!! Benjamin has decided that he loves what the kitchen has to offer. He loves the pantry...and for some reason the spices. And has now figured out how to open the fridge...so the eggs were quickly moved higher up to avoid a huge mess! But even though it tends to be a bit irritating continually trying to distract him with other "toys" it is very exciting seeing him discover his surroundings. I just feel that as I'm at work...I'm missing so much:(

A Year Gone By...

It's amazing how long 9 months can feel while you wait for you new little addition to your family...but yet once they arrive the time just flies:) I do have to say that the first few months were a bit of a blur...more because personally I didn't enjoy them and for that I am very regretful. It seems that from the day he was born till Benjamin was about 4 months old were filled with little stressors...blood pressure health issues, Benjamin's not gaining weight, problems with breast feeding accompanied by feeling of incompetency (mostly brought on by health care professionals). Thankfully, the blood pressure issues resolved and a bottle of formula solved our problems with Benjamin's littleness and my feelings of not being able to provide. But don't get me wrong...I still enjoyed every moment that we had in those first months. Watching him blossom into a little individual with his own quicks and personality. His quivering lip, his ability to stuff his whole hand in his mouth to suck, his love of kicking (which he developed in utero!) and the list has expanded day by day. The past few months have been the most fun, as Benjamin has learned new skills...not yet walking, but motoring fast enough for us. It's amazing what he can get into. And his exploring skills are getting all the more in-tune with his surrounding...now loving the dishwasher, getting into the fridge, stove or any open cupboard. And now a year has gone by already, and I feel that I haven't documented nearly enough...that I'm going to forget this year and all that it held. So I'm going to try and start now...

Its life unusual...and full of glory

Can't say that life is ever predictable, although they say when you have children things get to be routine...or at least it's good to have a routine. We definitely have a routine, yet amidst that there is constant change. I guess there comes a time in life where people get so comfortable in their routine that change is rare and difficult, we aren't there, we are at a place that I think people throughout the world experience, and that's building a family. I really think we are doing just fine adapting to the change that comes with this wonderful time in our lives. So, lots has happened in the past two years, which I think its just about been since the last time Viv or I have posted on this blog. I'll highlight all the big stuff: Ben has been born (that was a big one), he's now almost 11 months old. While Viv was on maternity leave I took a day job at the Cancer Clinic, which proved to be quite enjoyable. I had health problems and today I'm a remicade junkie. Vivian is pregnant again (changes...big changes!) and has gone back to work on her second maternity leave. I took the last ten weeks of her first maternity leave to be at home with Ben. Factor in camping, a cruise, christmas, road trips, etc etc....and that's pretty much what we've been doing. Today we were breaking fast (denny's had their annual free breakfast), and while talking we decided it might behoove us to occasionally jot down all the seemingly minor but very enjoyable life experiences surronding one Benjamin Sheppard. I think it was his third tooth that brought this on, you'd think it would be his first step, or his first word, or even his first tooth. Nope, we are intrigued by this third tooth. Its in a weird place. I mean, it's in his mouth, but he has these two bottom teeth, perfectly centered in his gum, side by each (newfie expression), but this third tooth sits about two spaces lateral on the right side of the gum. So he's going to have those two teeth centered, and then this other tooth way off to the right...not over top the first two. I won't dwell on this any longer except to say that he's going to have a ridiculously funny smile. He's taking this teething thing in stride, doesn't seem to bother him much, he's a little restless at night, but otherwise a happy little fella. I have to laugh at myself sometimes, I find these small things just so big and important...to me. Not so much to those around me, and I send a special thanks to friends and family that indulge my excitement over a first haircut or strange tooth. I quickly realize people aren't as intrigued as I am when I start sharing all this excitement and I see this kind of bland expression on their faces, and they politley laugh. A friend just sent me a video of him scuba diving with a rather large ray in Thailand...pretty cool and it looks like loads of fun and a great experience. And yet, my day to day life, living with my wonderful wife, and watching this tiny miracle of a child, bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, living and growing and developing this wonderful and charming personality...we are blessed, I am blessed, and Joel if you ever read this you are blessed, because God's glory abounds and it's our greatest joy when we get to experience it, be it in the face of a child, or a giant manta ray. Benjamin is just a little bundle of God's glory...haha...I realize the bundle of glory may not always be so easy to appreciate, but I have to say, my little family makes me happy and God is very good.