Ben has been watching his brother now for several weeks. Last night was the first "communal"bath, and Ben enjoyed watching his brother be silly in the tub. Hopefully all the bubbles are in the correct places.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Happy Birthday Ben!
Can it be 3 months since Ben's arrival? Some days it feels like it and other days it surely can't be 3 months already behind us. I'm sure Ben outweighs Sam at this age by 3 or 4 pounds. A couple of weeks ago, I weighed Ben in his car seat at the Dillions store by our house that has a BIG scale, and the 2 together (ben and car seat) was 22 pounds. It's becoming more difficult to lug Ben around in the car seat, so we have been using the car seat and the stroller together when we go out places that would involve carrying the car seat around for long periods of time. Ben has been blessing us with many smiles and coos, and especially by sleeping most nights until 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning. Although not to get too proud of his "accomplishments" he woke up around 3:00 the last 2 nights and demanded a little snack. We have yet to figure out why he doesn't enjoy trips in the car, I'm not sure how Sam survives there in the back seat right next to the screamer. Hopefully by next month we will be able to report he has learned to enjoy trips in the car (because we all know, Sam needs to visit Walmart and Target toy aisles at least once a week - just to look, or as Sam says, "I know that we're not going to buy anything., and I'll have a good attitude.")
This weekend we are going to Hutchinson to spend the night at the Kansas Splashdown Hotel/Waterpark. (That is assuming that Ben makes the 45 minute ride). We are all looking forward to getting out of town for a weekend, and also for a chance to refresh our "swimming" skills that we learned last summer at the Swim Club. We'll have more pictures from our weekend soon!
Can it be 3 months since Ben's arrival? Some days it feels like it and other days it surely can't be 3 months already behind us. I'm sure Ben outweighs Sam at this age by 3 or 4 pounds. A couple of weeks ago, I weighed Ben in his car seat at the Dillions store by our house that has a BIG scale, and the 2 together (ben and car seat) was 22 pounds. It's becoming more difficult to lug Ben around in the car seat, so we have been using the car seat and the stroller together when we go out places that would involve carrying the car seat around for long periods of time. Ben has been blessing us with many smiles and coos, and especially by sleeping most nights until 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning. Although not to get too proud of his "accomplishments" he woke up around 3:00 the last 2 nights and demanded a little snack. We have yet to figure out why he doesn't enjoy trips in the car, I'm not sure how Sam survives there in the back seat right next to the screamer. Hopefully by next month we will be able to report he has learned to enjoy trips in the car (because we all know, Sam needs to visit Walmart and Target toy aisles at least once a week - just to look, or as Sam says, "I know that we're not going to buy anything., and I'll have a good attitude.")
This weekend we are going to Hutchinson to spend the night at the Kansas Splashdown Hotel/Waterpark. (That is assuming that Ben makes the 45 minute ride). We are all looking forward to getting out of town for a weekend, and also for a chance to refresh our "swimming" skills that we learned last summer at the Swim Club. We'll have more pictures from our weekend soon!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sam was making Ben laugh tonight. He was laughing until KU lost in the NCAA tournament tonight.
Ben is almost 3 months old. He has been sleeping through the night for almost 2 weeks now, waking up to eat around 6:00 or 7:00. Sam comes in our room 2 or 3 times a week in the middle of the night so he can go potty. It has been several weeks since we had to change sheets in the middle of the night!!! Sam and I pray before he goes to sleep that God will help him wake up if he needs to go potty, and it has been exciting to share how God has answered our prayers! While Ben's smiles are precious, it hasn't been all fun and games around the Shaffer house, or should I say car. It seems like every time we want to go somewhere, Ben screams from driveway to driveway. You think you would be able to ignore it, but I have never experienced anything that has been so frustrating, and irritating. I'm not sure what the neighbors are thinking when every time I get Ben out of the car, he is wailing away. It sure makes it hard to make it to our weekly trips to the Walmart and Target toy aisles. (Or maybe 2 or 3 times a week trips).
Sam has gotten back into his Thomas the Tank Engine trains (the Cars cars haven't been out in a few days.) His most current thing is to have mom and dad tell stories about the trains. We then have to make up a story, that involves most of the trains. If the story is too short, Sam requests that we tell a longer story next time. When we think we are out of stories, Sam says that he will give us a kiss if we will tell another story. (It's so cute.) How can you say no. The theme of today's stories was that all the trains visited Target, and all of them had to stop at the snack bar first and get the number 1 Combo - popcorn and a drink.)
Auntie Kerri came over a couple of times this week to play with the boys (and go to Target!). She was able to give me some "respite" care so I could pick up some things that I had in a consignment sale this week. I took 183ish items (clothes, toys, bedding, etc.) including 99 maternity clothes (pants, shirts, dresses, skirts, etc.). I came home with 83 items, and made around $175, so I'm really excited. Plus Doug is really excited that all of the stuff is not all over our room anymore. I had to price and tag every item I took and put it on a hanger, and that seemed to take an eternity.
Stay tuned for more funny stories and pictures from our somewhat chaotic life!
Ben is almost 3 months old. He has been sleeping through the night for almost 2 weeks now, waking up to eat around 6:00 or 7:00. Sam comes in our room 2 or 3 times a week in the middle of the night so he can go potty. It has been several weeks since we had to change sheets in the middle of the night!!! Sam and I pray before he goes to sleep that God will help him wake up if he needs to go potty, and it has been exciting to share how God has answered our prayers! While Ben's smiles are precious, it hasn't been all fun and games around the Shaffer house, or should I say car. It seems like every time we want to go somewhere, Ben screams from driveway to driveway. You think you would be able to ignore it, but I have never experienced anything that has been so frustrating, and irritating. I'm not sure what the neighbors are thinking when every time I get Ben out of the car, he is wailing away. It sure makes it hard to make it to our weekly trips to the Walmart and Target toy aisles. (Or maybe 2 or 3 times a week trips).
Sam has gotten back into his Thomas the Tank Engine trains (the Cars cars haven't been out in a few days.) His most current thing is to have mom and dad tell stories about the trains. We then have to make up a story, that involves most of the trains. If the story is too short, Sam requests that we tell a longer story next time. When we think we are out of stories, Sam says that he will give us a kiss if we will tell another story. (It's so cute.) How can you say no. The theme of today's stories was that all the trains visited Target, and all of them had to stop at the snack bar first and get the number 1 Combo - popcorn and a drink.)
Auntie Kerri came over a couple of times this week to play with the boys (and go to Target!). She was able to give me some "respite" care so I could pick up some things that I had in a consignment sale this week. I took 183ish items (clothes, toys, bedding, etc.) including 99 maternity clothes (pants, shirts, dresses, skirts, etc.). I came home with 83 items, and made around $175, so I'm really excited. Plus Doug is really excited that all of the stuff is not all over our room anymore. I had to price and tag every item I took and put it on a hanger, and that seemed to take an eternity.
Stay tuned for more funny stories and pictures from our somewhat chaotic life!
March 28, 2007 Sedgwick County Zoo
Along with the rest of Wichita, we went to the zoo last Sunday. The line to get had probably 200-300 people in line waiting to pay to get in, or to buy a membership. Luckily we already had a membership (thanks Uncle Kevin), so our line was only about 10 people deep. Sam has a pair of Wrangler jeans, size 3 slim, on in this picture. He looked so adorable.
Happy St. Patricks Day !
We loaded up the kids and went downtown for the St. Patricks Day Parade last Saturday. Sam loved the parade, and reminded us many times of the last parade we went to, and how the loud fire engines scared him. But this time we had lots of fun. The parade lasted 50 minutes, and had lots of variety, from people running for political offices, to the above pictures of the electric cart pulling a wagon (only in Wichita), and many old cars, this one reminded Sam of Lizzie from the Cars movie. I think Ben slept through the whole thing.
March 4, 2007 Sedgwick County Park
The weather was so nice, we decided to go for a little walk in the park, followed by some exercise at the park. Sam loved swinging by himself, and sang "We are the pirates who don't do anything, we just stay at home and lie around..." A song from the veggietales movies. He hasn't quite learned how to swing by himself, but a few more trips to the park this summer and I think he will have it mastered.
I'm not sure Ben enjoyed his walk at the park as much as Sam did. Maybe it was the hat?Saturday, March 03, 2007
Our church had a family skate night at the downtown ice skating rink. Dad bravely took Sam on the ice. Sam said he had fun and didn't want to take his skates off or give them back. I'm not sure he understood how much effort it took Doug to hold him up and go around the rink for 30 minutes. They were supposed to have double bladed ice skates which might have made it easier for Sam to support his own weight, so if we go back, we'll try to get some of those skates. Ben enjoyed the evening snuggled in his warm car seat. Mom stayed safe on the sidelines and took pictures. The last time she ice skated was in 7th grade, and I wasn't very successful then. Someone had to watch Ben!
This last Wednesday was such a nice day, Dad took the afternoon off of work and all of us went to the zoo. Here Sam was feeding the fish. Ben chose to sleep the afternoon away. It was probably best that he did!
Here Sam is helping Dad saw some dowel rods for a project I was doing for my 2 year old Bible Study Fellowship class. It's never to early to learn those construction basics.
Every night, Sam wants Ben to lay in bed with him. Sometimes it works (like this night) and sometimes Ben really isn't in the mood to lay still.
The Shaffer Boys enjoying a movie in mom & dad's bed. Sam asks to "hold" Ben, but as soon as we get Ben situated on Sam's lap, Sam says, "take him back, he's too heavy." So many times Sam just holds Ben's hand, or as in this picture, puts his hand on his head.
Ben is now 2 months old. (Actually, he didn't have a birthday in February since he was born on the 29th, so these pictures are from the 28th). He went to the doctor for his 2 month checkup and got his first round of shots, all 3 of them. Just like his brother, he turned bright red and screamed really loud, then slept most of the day. He gained a whopping 2 pounds since his last visit. He now weighs in at 11 lbs. 10 oz. ( I just looked, Sam was 11 lbs. 14 oz. at his 4 month checkup). He is crying a little less often now, but still gets worked up on occasion.
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