6 3/4 Months

 Long time no blog, right?  I have to say I am a little disgusted with myself. I can't even tell you what I've been doing, either! Life happens, I guess! On the 3rd of this month, Ben turned 6 months old! Looking back in journal posts and old blog posts, I always talk about how I can't believe how fast my babies have grown. This time around is no exception! In fact, I try to savor every little second I have because time is just flying by. In SIX more months, Ben will be a YEAR old. I don't even want to think about it! I, however, have started thinking about his birthday party. Yes, I'm a freak like that. :) It is going to be fantastic, but I hope it takes awhile to get here. I want to enjoy my baby for as long as I can.

 Ben is the sweetest, cuddliest baby ever. He loves to smile and laugh, and we just can't get enough of him. He loves to jump in his jumperoo, loves to roll to his stomach, loves to get mad when he's stuck on his stomach, and absolutely loves to play with toys! He actually has favorite toys, which kind of surprises me. He loves Monkey and Alligator the most. Monkey is a fun rattle, and Alligator is fun to chew on. He also loves Legos, but I'm a mean mom and won't let him play with those. :)

 We have been trying to practice his sitting up trick. He's starting to get some balance, but I think his big head knocks him down a lot. :) Don't you love his serious face, and his old man hair in this pic? It kind of looks like a bad toupee. :)

 Our smiley little Ute! Ben had his 6 month appointment a few weeks ago. Here are his STATS:
                                Height: 26 inches (25th percentile)
                               Weight: 14 lbs 13 oz (10th percentile)
I'm kind of glad he's a little guy, because it gives me more time with my baby!
Here's a few things about 6 month old Ben:  
                          -He still can only roll from back to stomach
                          -He has TWO teeth!
                          -He can say "Mama!" At first, I thought it was just him trying to figure sounds out, then I noticed that he only does it when he's tired, hungry, or just wants me to hold him. Last night I was working on the computer, and Manuel was holding him. Ben started whining and saying, "Maa-mma" over and over again until I finally took him from Manuel. Sam and Mateo both said, "da-da" first, so I'm glad that Ben said "ma ma" first!
                         -He loves to watch his big brothers! He is always laughing at their crazy shenanigans.
                         -He gives the best hugs and kisses!

I have been making homemade baby food for Ben, and I've kind of surprised myself. I've had friends that made their own and loved doing it, so I thought I would give it a try. One day I cooked sweet potatoes, threw them in my food processor, and the stupid thing wouldn't start. I was so frustrated, but I didn't want to give up. The next day, I went and purchased a Baby Bullet. It's awesome! It whips up purees super fast, plus you get these darling little cups! Ben has loved all of the foods I made for him, and I love it! So far, he has had sweet potatoes, pears, bananas, and peas. I can already see how making my own baby food will be beneficial, and it has given me a great sense of pride!

I am so grateful for this sweet little guy! He has blessed our family in so many ways. I can't imagine life without him, or my other two crazies. :) I've already decided that we will probably only have boys, and that's okay with me.