Benjamin's 3rd Birthday Letter

Dear Benjamin,

Three years ago I had no idea what it would be like to mother a boy. I can now say with all the confidence in the world that I am SO glad to have sons. You are such a precious gift from a gracious Heavenly Father and I am blessed to be your mama.

Through and through, you're a mama's boy. Maybe it's from the slightly more attachment parenting approach I took with you, or maybe you would've been a mama's boy anyway. You love your daddy, but when something's really bothering you, mama's the one you want. And I love that.

My heart still melts when you say, "I love you," (which you do on your own several times per day) and your sweet smile brings me such great joy. You certainly have strong-willed, disobedient moments, but overall you're a compliant boy. You want to do a good job and make mommy and daddy proud. When I give you a task, you usually try your best and do it without complaining (but, hey, not always!).

You  are very loving and sensitive, quick to apologize when you are reprimanded (and sometimes even before that). You are very busy and all boy, but also tend towards being shy. You have a funny habit of sticking your tongue out when you're nervous or put on the spot, like when you're introduced to a beautiful princess at Disney or you receive a gift in front of a bunch of people. You also are somewhat of a follower and often parrot exactly what Katie does and says, which is usually okay but has gotten you into trouble on a handful of occasions.

Right now, your biggest interests are cars/trucks and guns. You can play contentedly for endless hours with just a few matchbox cars, though you have a pretty extensive collection at this point. Your fascination with guns and swords is a perfect match for Katie's obsession with princesses. You all play pretend for hours every day, which I just love.

You're a big boy for your age, weighing almost 40 pounds with a height to match. Your vocabulary is also very advanced for your age and even strangers are often impressed with how clearly you communicate.


I can't believe you're three! It doesn't seem like it could have been that long since I held you in my arms for the first time after your incredible birth right here in our house. My sweet Benjamin, you make my world a better place and I can't even begin to say how thankful I am to be your mommy. Raising you and your brother and sister is such a gift and such a great responsibility. I know I fail you often, but my prayer is that God will use my efforts, feeble though they be.
As it has been since the day I knew you God had given us a son, my prayer for you is that you grow up to be a happy and successful man who fears the Lord and lives a holy life, one who is fit to lead a wife and family in godliness if that is what God has in store for you. Whatever path Providence takes you on, I pray you'll be steadfast and faithful. And I hope you always love your mama.

My sweet boy, I love you more than words can say. Happy birthday, son.

Love,
Mommy

Benjamin turned 3 on December 28. I wrote this letter in time for his birthday, just didn't get around to posting it here until today.

Benjamin's 2nd Birthday Letter

The only decent picture I got on your birthday--you're such a  busy boy!

Dear Benjamin,

I always get reflective around my babies' birthdays. As I write this birthday letter, I can't help but think back to that December night (well, technically early in the morning--1:48am)  we welcomed you into the world with a perfectly beautiful, peaceful home birth. Labor was rough, but I think back to your birth with such incredible fondness. And I can't believe it's already been two years.

You have grown up so much since your last birthday. You talk a lot--perhaps even more than your big sister did when she was 2 (which is really saying something). I've lost track of how many words you know, but I would guess it's at least 200 and your sentences are often 5-6 words long (more often, though, 3-4 words).

You weaned at 17 months, when I was pregnant with Joshua. Just like it did with your sister, weaning made me sad. You adored nursing and kept going until I had absolutely nothing left. The process wasn't traumatic at all, but the first couple of months after we finished, you would frequently pat my chest and say, "All gone?"

It has been so neat to watch you become a big brother. You're still learning to be gentle, but you love Joshua so much--and from the little grins he gives when you give him attention, he loves you too. I'm sure one day before too long you all will become the best of friends.

You also play really well with Katie. It has been so fun for me to watch your friendship with her grow over the past few months. The bulk of your days are spent together, and you get along so well most of the time. She plays cars with you (which is a good thing since you love playing cars and easily spend a couple hours each day on this one activity), you play dolls/stuffed animals with her--it works out wonderfully. The time you spend together is a blessing for the two of you and for your mommy!

You are such a sweet, easy-going little boy. You are sensitive and [almost] always eager to please. You obey well most of the time and don't require much in the way of discipline yet (though you certainly have your less lovely moments!). Despite your laid-back personality, you are a pretty rough-and-tumble fellow and definitely "all boy." It's fun to watch how different you are from Katie in that regard.

There was a time when I wasn't sure what I would do with a little boy of my very own. Two years into it, I can say I absolutely love being your mama, my sweet little man. Your sweet chubby face and adorable smile and personality make my world a more beautiful place. The fact that you look so much like your Grandpa makes me smile too. I am so, so thankful the Lord gave you to me, Benjamin.

Watching you grow, I can't help but think about the reality that one day I will look [up!] at you and see a big man instead of my little boy. Your soft, chubby cheeks will be stubbly, your toddler hands those of a working man, and your problems bigger than I can solve with a kiss.

On your second birthday, my prayer for you is the same as it has been since the moment I knew you were growing in my belly. I long for the Lord to grant you faith in Christ as a child and pray that He would cause you to grow into a godly man who pours out his life in faithful service to Christ.

I love you more than I can say, my sweet firstborn son.

-Mommy

Benjamin, 5 Months

 I'm amazed that my little guy is five months old! Has it really been almost half a year since I first held him in my arms? Benjamin is such a darling baby. He brings so much joy into our family and I am so thankful to be his mama.

Here's some of what he's been up to lately:

::He's still a really easy, laid back baby. He's almost always content and really hardly ever cries.

::He's not sleeping through the night. He had started sleeping 6-7 hours for a week or two but is back to less than 6, often waking up every 4 hours or so through the night. I think he might actually be waking up because he's hungry. I was hoping to exclusively breastfeed for a full six months, but I may end up starting him on solids a little sooner if he keeps waking up for nighttime feeds to see if that helps. I gave him a little taste of banana yesterday. Before he nursed he was thrilled with it, and after his breast milk he looked totally disgusted when I gave him a little more.

::He takes 2-3 naps during the day, and pretty much always goes down without a fuss at all (yay!).

::At present, he's sleeping in the pack-n-play which we have set up in our (really huge but not often used) master bathroom, because I don't want him to be in the room with Katie until he's sleeping longer stretches.

::He wears mostly 3-6 month size clothes, though he's starting to wear more 6-9 month clothes. He's a size 2 in disposable diapers, though we hardly ever use them for him (one small box has lasted us over 3 months. yay!).

::He's been working on a tooth for what seems like forever but it still hasn't come in.

::A week or so ago, he finally figured out how to roll from his tummy to his back, so he can now roll both ways. He's actually rolled himself halfway across the living room! It's so funny to me, as Katie never used rolling as a mode of transportation. He holds himself up with his hands, but doesn't get up on his knees yet, so I don't think he'll be crawling anytime real soon, though he does try to scoot on his belly some.

Benjamin, 4 Months

Another month has come and gone and my little man is already four months old! One third of a year already--at least in my experience, time goes by so much faster after having children. I can recall days prior to motherhood that seemed to just drag on, and I even have {vague} memories of saying, "I'm SO bored." Never again. ha!

Anyway, Benjamin is growing really fast, weighing in at a whopping 19 pounds a couple weeks ago when I weighed him. How crazy is that? He's going to outgrow his infant carrier soon at the rate he's going! Katie didn't switch to her convertible car seat until after her first birthday. Don't ask what I'm feeding him--he's eating the same good mama's milk his sister got! :)

For some other four month details:

::He nurses every 3 to 4 hours during the day and has finally started sleeping 5-6 hours consistently at night. I put him down around 8, nurse him at 10:30 or so (whenever I'm ready to go to bed) and he wakes up between 5 and 6 to eat, and then sleeps another couple hours.

::He slept in a SwaddleMe until Saturday, when I found him wailing in his bed because he had rolled over in it, had his face planted in the mattress and couldn't move because his arms were in the swaddle.

::Pretty much any time I lay him down on his back on his play mat, he rolls to his tummy. Usually he's not very happy to be on his tummy once he gets there, but he hasn't figured out how to roll back over yet.

::Benjamin is wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes, though he is beginning to outgrow some of those and is wearing some 6-9 month clothes already. We're still using almost exclusively cloth diapers, but when he does wear a disposable, he's in size 2.

Benjamin is such a delightful little guy. He's usually all smiles and adds so much joy to our family. He loves his daddy and his big sister, but for now, he's definitely more of a mama's boy and he loves to snuggle and be talked to. If he gets over-tired or really hungry he cries, but other than that he's almost always content.

And because she's so precious, here's a picture of my sweet Katie girl from Easter Sunday.

Benjamin: 3 Months

My little man turned 3 months old Monday of last week. I can hardly believe it! (I think I say that every time I tell someone how old he is. Ha!) Last time I weighed him (2 1/2 weeks ago) he was 15lbs., 1.8oz. with his onesie and diaper on! He is a chunk--definitely no worries about whether he's getting enough milk!

Benjamin with my Grandma, his Great-Grandma Katie

 He takes three naps most days, and goes down for the night at around 7 (usually). I feed him around 10 (or whenever I'm going to bed), and he always wakes up at least once before we get up in the morning, but it's usually twice. He's just passed the 15lb. weight limit of his bassinet, and I'm having mixed emotions about moving him out of our room so soon! But, I'm hoping it will encourage him to sleep a little longer at night. Five hours is just not quite enough for me to feel really rested. He does go to sleep most of the time with little to no fussing, which is definitely something to be thankful for!

Benjamin really is just about the sweetest, happiest baby I've ever seen. He loves being talked to (and tries so hard to talk back!) and smiles at just about anyone who pays attention to him. He's a very content, laid back little fellow and really hardly ever cries. He does let me know if he's wet/messy, tired, or hungry--and sometimes he complains a little bit if he gets bored. He's a mama's boy through and through, but he definitely loves his daddy and big sister, too!

My men <3

 This life as a wife and mama--it's my dream come true. What amazing grace the Lord has bestowed upon me! I'm daily growing more thankful for my sweet babes. They really do bring so much joy into my life--I really can't imagine what things would be like without them!

Oh, how I love them!

Sweet baby smiles

I *finally* caught my little guy smiling on camera! Isn't he just precious? His personality is just as sweet as his little pudgy face, too. What a joy he is! :)

My Boy

Benjamin: One Month

Benjamin turned one month old this past Friday. I can't believe how fast the time is going by. It amazes me how much he's changed in the five weeks since we met him.

Playing on his blanket

He nurses every two and a half to three hours during the day, takes about three naps, and usually wakes up once in the middle of the night to eat. He's growing like a weed! His newborn size clothes are getting too small and he wears pretty much all 0-3 and 3 month clothes. He's also starting to show more personality, which is so much fun. He smiles and coos and is really a pretty laid back baby--though when he's hungry, he's hungry and when Katie's a little too in his face, he lets us know! ;) He's more attached to me than Katie was at this age--she always wanted Daddy!
 

Starting early! ;)

Katie loves Benjamin and is doing great at being a big sister (for the most part--I often have to remind her to be more gentle). She loves to read him books and talk to him and is also a great helper for mama. She loves to fetch things for Benjamin and throw diapers away (though there's not a whole lot of that happening now since we've switched to mostly cloth).
 

Katie beeping Benjamin's nose. Benjamin wondering what in the world she's doing. Ha!

Adjusting to two babies hasn't been a total walk in the park, but I feel like we're finally getting into a good routine and life is settling into the new normal. Both of them are such a blessing, and I certainly wouldn't trade this season of life for anything in the world!

My babies. {{heart}}