Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! We have so much to be thankful for this year. As we went around the table during dinner with Chuck, Liz, Sara and Bill, Chuck's new heart was at the top of everyone's list for things they are thankful for. Benjamin was in there, too, of course. It is amazing how much has happened this year.
The weekend was full of family and fun. Benjamin LOVES his aunties!! They are so good to him and he has so much fun with them and his cousins. Here are just a few pictures from the weekend.

Charlie declared Benjamin "healthy"

Play-Doh fun!

Aunt Sara is awesome!

Halloween

We had a fun filled day on Halloween with Cookie Monster.

Ed made two cool political pumpkins.

Trick or treat!

Watch out! Cookie Monster Coming!

Benjamin loves to say "Watch out! ... coming!" When we walk out to the car, for example, he usually says, "Watch out! Mama coming!" When we are in the car he almost always says, "Watch out! Car coming!" at every intersection. (It is very helpful.) And he also says, "Watch out! Cookie Monster coming!"

As a side note, Benjamin's other favorite saying is "...right now". Just now he said, "Ben hold ostrich right now." He also says, "Ben go outside right now" or "Ben eat banana right now". Cute, yes. Polite? Not so much. We laugh a lot at this, but prefer "please."

It's halloween, and this time of year is, of course, a bit more exciting for us with a 2-year-old in the house. Benjamin loves Cookie Monster, so I decided to make him a Cookie Monster costume. I am not a big sewer, so this was a pretty big deal for me. I had fun, but realized a few days ago that if I had just bought a costume I would be a more laid-back mom that wouldn't care either way if Benjamin wore his costume or not. I REALLY wanted him to wear this one.

Benjamin's friends, Nick and Annie, invited him to a party Saturday morning. While he at first did not want to put on the costume, he was easily persuaded when we said that once he was dressed as Cookie Monster he could have a cookie. Okay, so that is bribery, but it worked. And to my delight, he wore his costume all morning! What a cute little Cookie Monster he was.

Waiting for his cookie.

Nick and Annie have great outdoor toys! Ben had a blast.

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Visit to the Apple Orchard

This weekend Benjamin and I visited Martha, Mike and Charlie in Clarkfield. On Saturday we went to an Apple Orchard. The boys had a great time! Check out the pics on Martha's blog:

http://marthamikecharlie.blogspot.com/2008/10/visit-from-ben-and-linda.html

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Benjamin's first haircut!

After almost 10 months, Ed and I finally broke down and took Ben for his first haircut. We love his curls, but it was getting pretty long. Here are the before, during and after photos.

Since this was his first haircut and there was lots of hair, we took him to Kids Hair. (I think next time Ed or I will just do it.)

At first he didn't like it at all. But, then he decided all of this attention was okay. He was like a little king sitting there with a train, truck, car, and strawberry lollipop, watching Blues Clues with 4 adults (yes 4!) fawning over him. There was the groomer, mama and papa, and another woman blowing bubbles! Whew. I guess we got our 15 bucks worth as far as service goes.




























Okay, so perhaps he was way cuter with the long hair, or perhaps we just couldn't get a good picture with the new do. He looks pretty cute now, too. And I still see some curl.

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Pony Ride!

Benjamin and I (Linda) are in Schaumburg visiting Babushka and Dadushka. Today we joined Kathy, Alex and Mia for a pony ride! Benjamin loved it.

After the pony ride we all went to Steak and Shake for lunch.

We are having a great time here, but missing papa, who is on his annual guys golf weekend. Benjamin has been calling both Babushka and Dadushka (whom he used to be able to call Babu and Dadu) "Dooda." It is pretty funny. We are at "Dooda's house."

Vacations

We took two trips to Elkhart Lake, WI in August. The first trip was with Uncle Jim, Aunt Kathy and cousins Alexa, Alex and Mia, along with Babushka and Dadushka. We had a great time! The kids got along great and Alexa was a little mom to Benjamin. He hardly needed mama and papa around with his three cousins to take care of him! Benjamin loves jumping in the pool over and over and over. This boy has no fear!

"More jump"

Alex, Benjamin and Alexa

Alex, Benjamin, Alexa and Mia on the pier in Sheboygan.

The second trip was with Dan and Michelle Johnson with their son Alex. We did much of the same - lake, pool, park, pool, Sheboygan, pool, with lots of great eating in between. Ed and Dan got in a round of golf. It was great to get away. (Michelle has the pics from that trip.)