Benny turns 13 months!!!

13 months - handsome as ever!!

I literally bite your cheeks.

Why so serious?

Benny in a nutshell. That's Brian he's clutching :)

Sweet boy.

Benny has a Brian on his head.

Layla couldn't resist a smooch!

BFF

13 month stats:

Weight: Somewhere in the 28 pound range?

Height: He's so tall - I'd guess 32 inches? 

Eating: All day, everyday :)  

Clothes: 18-24 month and 2T :)

Diaper: Size 5  

Benny Boy,

13 months??? Didn't you just turn 12 months? 11 months? 10 months? I know, I know. I am like a broken record but it's just insane to me - time is flying by faster then ever and while I'm complaining about early wake-ups and frozen temperatures, I need to remind myself that this precious time will be my most favorite. 

You are so very handsome. There are times I study your sweet face and wonder how something could be so beautiful. Your big, brown eyes light up with wonder & joy at the sight of your sister, the cat, a ball. You are so big but with all of your walking around, you're really starting to lose your baby chub. This slays me as I LOVE baby rolls - but with a little boy constantly on the go, it's no wonder you're losing the baby fat! You just had your 2nd haircut and look handsome as ever. Your hair is a dirty blond - it's so cute I can't take it. 

You are VERY good at walking - I'd say you're 90% walking, 10% crawling at this point. You're fast! You're also very good at climbing - amazing on stairs - and incredible at DANCING!! If you hear music, you immediately start bobbing your head and shaking your whole body. You love to clap your hands and sing songs. You love to wave BYE-BYE and sings songs. You're favorite thing is to play with Layla - most of the time she wants to play too, but you are now "fighting" over toys. It's tough because Layla was so used to you letting her do whatever she wanted. Not anymore! Now you fight back - I'm proud of you buddy. I mostly let the two of you work out your problems and you do a great job. It's clear Layla is your best friend and favorite person (tied with Mama & Dada). 

You're not very interested in the TV except for Jacks Big Music Show. So opposite of Layla - she'd watch the iPad and TV all day if I let her - not you. You'd much rather listen to music and have a catch with a ball. Your favorite toy is a ball - you call it a "DA" and run to the ball any chance given!

You're an excellent sleeper - we went through a little rough patch with napping (I think due to teething or traveling or diaper rash or something else?!) but you're really amazing. You go to sleep 6:30-6:30 (a little earlier today - pass the coffee!) and nap twice a day. It used to be like clock work, every 2 hours you needed a nap. Now it's moving towards 3 hours. So today you woke up around 6 AM but I'll put you in around 9AM for a nap. You LOVE Brian, your stuffed animal and also like Teddy - your little bear. These past couple of months have been really busy traveling and you've adapted so beautifully. 

You're officially transitioned from breast milk to formula to organic whole milk but you're not quite ready to let go of the bottle. I'm not forcing it and I know you'll switch soon. Hopefully by your 14 month birthday! :)

You're an amazing talker and repeat everything I say. Your staple words are Mama, Dada, Cat (Dat), Layla, Ball (Da), Pop-Pop, Elmo, All Done, Hello, Bye-Bye, Pickles, Bagels, Pizza, No-No, Uh Oh, It's Good. Probably more!!! Just like Layla, you're a little chatter box and I love your high-pitched sweet voice so very much. 

You love love love FOOD - anything I'm eating, you want to try. The only food I've found that you DON'T like is strawberries!! Everything else, you'll eat (and a lot). You're a growing boy and I'm so proud of you for trying any and all foods. You love water too -- you drink a lot of it daily. I am trying so very hard to teach you & Layla how important it is to eat a good, balanced diet full of healthy foods. Of course you love dessert like your mama so you get special treats from time to time!!

This winter has been awful - tons of snow, ice and lots of indoor time - you've really loved it and I think your favorite place to be is with mama and your toys. On Mondays, we take Layla to school and then it's your morning!! We drive around while you nap in the car (haha) and then it's music class. You love it SO much - you sit right in front of Miss Sandy and sway to every song. You are always looking back to make sure I'm there but you've become very independent. After class, we have lunch with Pop-Pop. You love eating the pickles, matzah ball soup and assorted other goodies we order. On Wednesdays & Fridays, Layla's also at school and it's so lovely to spend time with my little man. We sure do miss our girly and love to pick her up from school!! You've had an amazing month going to Disney World for the first time. I can't wait to go back in December -- I think you'll love it even more!!!

A couple of quick, funny things I love that you do. First, you always find the shoes scattered around the house and EAT the bottoms. It's so gross and I hate it but you've made a game of it. If you see a shoe, you make your way over and stuff it in your mouth while I scream in horror. You giggle - so weird. Second, you love to SCREAM high pitched while I jump from being scared. It's another game we play and you laugh so hard scaring me! Third, you love to crawl over, put your head on my shoulder, suck your thumb and cuddle. It's the sweetest, most amazing feeling and I hope you do it forever!!!!

With time marching on, it's insane to think you're now officially signed up for school. You'll be starting in September (you'll be 20 months) and I'm so excited for you. I know you'll love it and will learn so much but I'm SO sad to think that I won't be with you everyday. I'm going to go back to work part-time so I can buy you anything you want ;) I love you buddy. You're the cutest, sweetest, most perfect little man and I can't wait to watch you grow into a running toddler!!

Lots of love,

Mama

Haircut & your first lollipop!

So handsome!

Literally seconds after waking up from a nap <3

Cool guy!

C'mon. THAT FACE. 

Your favorite place to be. 

Disney World!!!

For the past 6 months, Layla has asked me almost every single day - MAMA, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD?! And that would answer her own question with "FEBRUARY!"

And now.. we have gone. We have conquered. We had an amazing time and I can't wait to go again.

Our trip down there was... horrific. No other way to describe it. We left Wednesday and ran into an INTENSE amount of traffic, thus making us late for the airport. We went encountered the longest, slowest line to check into our flight. We then encountered the longest, slowly line at security. The result? RUNNING to our gate and making it by seconds. The nice employee actually said to me "Oh, you're The Englands? We almost deleted you from the flight!" Wow. SO..there we were, begging people to switch seats so the 4 of us could share a row. We managed and happily sat down but that was short lived. Within minutes, the turbulence started (my gorgeous husband is a HORRIBLE flyer) -- and soon after that, Benny began crying and Layla became antsy. It was, in essence, 2.5 hours of trying to tame two little kids. The last 20 minutes was spent forcing Layla back in her seat while she screamed bloody murder. OY. BUT... we made it. Safe and (somewhat) sound. We gathered our luggage, found Josh's parents (who rented a Suburban for trip - awesome GIANT car) and went to our hotel! We stayed at World Quest Orlando again - it's a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo with a full kitchen & full living room plus a screened in porch. It's perfect for families and highly recommended (plus it's insanely affordable, comes with breakfast and is basically 4 minutes from Disney World). After checking in, we let the kids explore - unpacked and went to Publix for subs (YUM) and food shopping. It makes it much easier to keep fruit/milk/yogurt/snacks in our kitchen then in a tiny hotel room!!! We ended up splitting up the rooms with Me, Josh & Layla in one room, Josh's parents in one room and Benny in one room. Josh's sister, Sydney, came for 1 night and crashed on the sofa. It worked out well.

The next morning, we woke up ready for DISNEY!!! Layla woke up at 3 AM and came in our bed -- she hasn't slept in our bed since she was 5 months old so I'll admit I loved it but it was tough getting her back to bed. She eventually fell asleep around 4 AM so that was good. Benny was a CHAMP - he slept great and napped even better. My big boy!!! Anyway.. we all woke up early (me at 5:30 AM so at least I was able to straighten my hair). We quick got ready and were en route to the Magic Kingdom!! The downside? It was FREEZING AND RAINY. Like..beyond cold. I don't ever remember it like this when I lived in Orlando for four years. But we put our ponchos on and marched on!! We were one of the first ones in the park and it was truly magical. I'll never forget Layla's face when she saw the Castle for the first time. Pure love and happiness. We decided to slowly make our way to breakfast rather then try to do a quick ride. We had 8:40 AM reservations for breakfast with the princesses in Cinderella's Castle. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS. Josh & I had dinner there for our 2nd anniversary but this was 60468 times better. You first get to meet Cinderella and take two professional pictures with her (included in the price of breakfast). We then go upstairs and sit at a beautiful table -- the food was delicious but no one really noticed because you are surrounded by PRINCESSES. We were able to meet Ariel, Jasmine, Aurora, Snow White. SO great. Unlimited coffee & juice. And wonderful service. It's expensive but a great experience. After breakfast, we were ready for rides!! Because the weather was so crummy, the park was fairly empty (plus it's apparently a really great time to do Disney - not very busy) - we packed in ride after ride and each one was less then a 15 minute wait!! Layla's favorite was the new Little Mermaid ride (we did it twice). We also like meeting the princesses (we saw Rapunzel and Snow White). I was hoping Benny napped right after breakfast but instead he stayed awake sucking his thumb and lounging in the stroller. While in line for the new Belle ride, I decided to change Benny's diaper and try to get him to nap. I realized he had peed through his clothes (so now he was freezing, wet and peed upon) - poor guy! I changed his diaper, bought him new thick Mickey sweat pants and put him back in the stroller. I walked around (while getting poured on) and he passed out - success!! I met up with everyone and decided we should do one "adult" ride - Josh & I went on Thunder Mountain (so fun). We found everyone and realized Benny woke up and everyone was hungry. A quick meal & back to the hotel for naps. After everyone woke up, Josh, Layla & I went BACK to the park for dinner and fun! Layla's bedtime is 6:30 and our dinner reservations were for 6:30 so I was VERY nervous she'd be too tired to be happy. But she did great!! I think adrenaline helped? We made our way to the Ariel ride again, did the Winnie the Pooh ride, then dinner at the new Be Our Guest restaurant. This was eh - I was a bit disappointed. Belle is NOT there (annoying) and instead it's just The Beast (cool). The room itself is beautiful but it's an expensive restaurant with decent food. Oh well - it was a cool experience. Mid-way through dinner, Layla's sleepy face showed up and I knew it was time to go. We made our way to the front of the park and were able to catch some of the night-time show. It was pretty amazing - they project movies & objects on to the castle while music plays - she was so cute. Pure. Amazed. Happy. I loved it. We were going to stay for fireworks but she wanted to leave so that was that! We rode the monorail back to our car and got a quick glance at the fireworks as we left. Very cool. A long, rainy, cold, amazing day filled with memories we will all never forget!!!

Friday, another rainy & chilly day. Our plans were switched so we grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel, had lunch in Animal Kingdom Lodge (a restaurant called Senna - very good but not very kid appropriate) - checked out all the animals we could see and went back to the hotel for naps. We ended up ordering dinner in (semi-decent pizza & pasta), baths for the kids and bed. Josh went out with all of our college friends in downtown Orlando that night while I stayed back. He made his way back to the hotel around 4 AM and nursed his hangover the whole next day ;)

Saturday, I let Josh sleep in and got everyone ready for a yummy breakfast at IHOP. It was nice and the coffee was yummy, haha!! After breakfast, I got my hair blown out at a salon in downtown Orlando called Mosaic - I really liked it! Went back to the hotel - picked everyone up and headed to downtown Disney for lunch & shopping. Layla picked out Ariel pajamas (huge relief because she has been begging to wear the same Ariel PJ's and socks every night to bed). It was a nice day. We all went back to the hotel for kiddie naps - Josh & I got ready and left for Drew & Jamie's wedding. It was at a gorgeous location in a part of Orlando I've never been. It looked NOTHING like Florida and could have easily passed for a random location in Europe (no joke). It was a small, intimate wedding of around 80 people and really lovely. It was so nice to spend time with our college friends and made me really nostalgic for UCF in general. I wish we could have gone to the college to walk around but time didn't allow it - maybe next time!!

Sunday consisted of packing, cleaning and going to the airport. This trip home was MUCH easier then going -- we had plenty of time and Layla even made a friend in the airport while we waited. She's so cute and literally makes friends everywhere we go. I love it - she's so full of life and happiness, it makes me smile.

AND now... we're back and in the thick of winter. We're getting hit day after day with snow/ice/rain so it's tough to not want to pack up and head straight back for Florida - but alas, for now we live in a cold tundra (ha!)

It was a great trip and I'm already looking forward to our next time down to Disney World - this time my parents are coming with us. I need them to see the faces of pure joy on my babies :)

xoxo

Benny, Ariel & I at the Princess Breakfast in the Castle - please ignore my rained upon hair ;)

Drew & Jamie's wedding

A picture from my real camera - I love this!! I need to upload those ASAP!

Benny & I at the castle - notice how empty it was!

My family <3

Lately....

To my left, Layla & Rigby are snuggled up and snoring away.

Benny is upstairs tucked away in the corner of his crib - sucking his thumb and clutching Brian, his stuffed buddy.

It's a snowy, cold, sunny day and for this brief amount of time I have a little window to write.

SO....

lately??

1. This morning, Josh's mom left after being with us the past week. She flew in and was lucky enough to see Layla as Shabbat Girl, Benny's 1st birthday party and a HUGE snowstorm. She was supposed to leave Tuesday but due to weather we got her an extra couple of days. It was great having an extra set of hands (especially because both kids had viruses and are now on antibiotics) -- plus it doesn't hurt she is always cleaning/doing dishes/willing to read the same story 57 times over again. The kids love having her here and so do we! It was sad to say goodbye but luckily we'll be seeing her next week!

2. Disney World is on my brain -- in 6 days we'll be en route to Sunny Orlando - plans include Disney World, UCF and Drew & Jaime's wedding. It'll be a jam-packed few days but I'm super stoked to see everyone. I literally can't wait to see Layla's face when we have breakfast with all the princesses.

3. Yesterday we finally made our way to the mall and got Benny his first two pairs of shoes. The kid has fat wide feet so it made buying shoes nearly impossible. The lovely lady at Stride Rite made it very easy and he is now the proud owner of size 6.5 W sneakers and brown fancy shoes. Too cute for words! I tried putting them on him this morning and couldn't. I know they fit so it's a matter of figuring out how to get them on while he is curling his toes. Also, Layla (who is now a size 8.5!) got a really cute silver pair of Ariel Light-Up shoes. They're so cheesy but she's so in love. They're meant for Spring/Summer plus their a tad big but we'll bring them to Florida next week. Luckily the Ariel is the size of a dime - I hate character clothes/shoes. If it was up to Layla, she'd wear princess everything. She requests the same pair of Ariel PJs every night.

4. On Friday, 1/17 - one of dear friends & sorority sisters, Sara, lost her sweet boy Monroe to a rare heart defect. I followed their story everyday on Facebook and prayed every night. I talked about Monroe a lot with my family and after a tough 10 weeks, he lost his battle. It's so very sad and heartbreaking and just feels so - unfair. They are amazing parents and I hope they find peace within this station. Their attitude has been so positive thus far and I hope they will continue to laugh and love and remember how amazing Momo was.  I'm going to try really hard to get to see Sara next week while in Orlando. I forget how amazing being a Kappa Kappa Gamma sister really is - I have an entire group of women who love me despite miles and years apart.

5. I'm on a serious mission to lose weight. We gained a lot of weight back in December (Josh & I) thanks to serious eating and being away for 3 weeks. Now that we're back, it's back to business. I'm down about 2.6 pounds and have roughly 23 more to go... I hope to get there by Aruba in March or at least by the summer. I'm really loving my Fitbit Force -- it's keeping me motivated.

6. I want a Nook. I bought The Book Thief on my IPAD but haven't had the chance to read a page of it because Layla's always on the IPAD doing puzzles or it's not charged. I love the idea of reading books on a device (I used to be so anti but I'm coming around) and the Nook may be what's best.

7. I'm thinking about watching Scandal -- I need a new TV show now that the sadness of Breaking Bad ending is over.

8. We had the BEST TIME at Benny's 1st birthday party. I'll blog about it soon with details and pictures but suffice to say, it was a mustache bash success.

9. I hate my iPhone. It dies all the time - the battery stinks. I need to get it fixed asap. Our desktop MAC computer broke last week - it completely zonked out and I'm freaking out because ALL  of our pictures are on there (including my wedding pix which have not yet been made into an album). I'm praying we can retrieve it all and just get a new computer. Uhhhh.

10. I hate winter. The idea of moving to Florida creeps closer and closer to reality with each freezing morning.

A sneak peak of my big boy at his party!!

Benjamin's 1 year!

What a stud!!!

My big boy!!

You & your Dada...twins. Except you're a blond. Randomly.

Not in the mood to take pictures but still cute as ever.

A boy and his bear..Teddy.

Cheeks & lips.

Your hands are so big. You will either play football or piano.

OVER IT!

I love you!!!

12 month stats:

Weight: About 28 pounds! (7 pounds more then Layla at this age)

Height: 32 inches! (1.5 inches bigger then Layla at this age!)

Eating: 3 Meals a day + Snacks. Working on saying goodbye to formula...currently getting bottles of formula + milk mixed 4-5 times a day.

Clothes: 18 month, 18-24 month and 2T!

Diaper: Size 5 baby!!!!

My sweet, handsome, lovely, gorgeous boy -- 

It was a Wednesday in May. I was sitting in the kitchen feeding Layla. We all just got home from school & work and your Dada insisted I take a pregnancy test. Layla was barely 11 months old (younger then you are now) and I thought there is no way we could be pregnant again. And so I giggled my way into the bathroom, took a pregnancy test and watched as that faint pink line showed up twice. I stared at it. I sat and just looked at this pregnancy test in shock and awe. Could it be? I ran out to the kitchen and showed your Dada who started jumping, skipping and shouting -- we are pregnant!!!! Layla giggled because we were giggling. Then I cried because I was so unprepared for this shocking news -- little did I know it would result in the very best surprise I could ever receive. 

Our journey together while you were in my belly was a scary one - I was sick more often then not. I was tired all the time. And worst of all..we had results that scared me more then I could ever say. We spent an entire day on September 11, 2012 at CHOP testing you while you remained warm in my belly. And at the end of that day of testing, with Mom-Mom by my side, we received the best news ever -- you were healthy and strong. It was a huge relief. 

3 months after that, on a Monday afternoon... I was nervous, excited and ready to see your little face. And after a successful and happy C-Section, you were born. The nurses and doctors shouted "OH MY GOD! HE'S SO BIG!" and I asked over & over if you were okay?! And they shouted "YES! HE'S GREAT! AND HE'S 10 POUNDS, 1 OUNCE!" ... the funniest, warmest feeling came over my body and within a minute they put you on my chest. And there you sat, calm and cool as they finished the surgery. It was a magical moment I will never forget. After that, we were sent to the recovery room - just you & I. Dada came a bit later but for a while, we sat. Just you & I, learning and studying each other. You breastfed for one solid hour and it was a puzzle piece that fit together. It's true what they say... a baby is our heart on the outside of our body. For the next 4 days, we spent time together in the hospital. Those hours spent with just us are an amazing moment in time. Your whole family immediately fell in love with your chubby cheeks and big eyes. 

And now here we are. 12 months later. A walking (sort of), talking, climbing, giggling, eating machine. 

You are so very handsome. You are very tall and strong. You have the biggest brown eyes that are so bright and alive. Your hair seems to be getting blonder and blonder by the day! You are really losing your chubby body and growing into a little toddler by the second. 

Right around December 22nd, you took your first steps in Florida. One day you just got it - and since then, you've taken more & more steps every single day. You are SO proud of yourself and clap with each step you take. We are proud of you too buddy!! You love using your walker to run across the floor - it's so cute. You can stand alone for a long time and love to pick toys up off the floor while standing. Very strong!! You are amazing at having a catch with a ball - your favorite toy. You wave bye-bye, clap, dance like a maniac, give sweet kisses, do SO BIG, and hold up one finger when I ask how old you are turning. You repeat a lot of words I say which is so so cute. You are obsessed with the cats ("DAT!") and love to lay with them and suck on their fur (gross). You are recently obsessed with the steps and can fly up them if I'm behind you. 

Music is your favorite - if you hear a song you like, your little body & head immediately start moving in rhythm. You're not too interested in the TV (opposite of your sister) except for Jacks Big Music Show -- we only have 3 episodes and put them on for you if you're in the mood. You love to dance to the beginning song and when they bark like a dog, you repeat it. 

You are a master sleeper.The past week has been a little tough with your naps but without fail, you sleep 6:30-6:30 every night (sometimes longer) and you nap twice a day, about 1-2 hours each. You love your crib and especially love Brian, your stuffed animal :) You sleep with your bum in the air and it's so sweet. You love your sound machine and a dark room. You don't seem to need the bottle to fall asleep so we're going to put the bottles away very soon. 

A talking machine and learning more everyday. Your FAVORITE word is Dada.. over & over & over in the sweetest little voice. You also say Mama, Ball, All Done, Cat, Dog, Ding-Dong, Layla & Thank You. It's so adorable and I love hearing you chat... you also have THE BEST belly laugh I've ever heard from any baby. It's so loud and infectious, I could listen to it all day long!!!

You are a great eater and love to share whatever I'm eating. You used to have oatmeal every morning but seem to be moving away from that. You love bananas, bread, french fries, macaroni salad, meat, and more... I hope you continue to eat as well as you do now because it's SO hard with your big sister!! I can't wait to see you eat cake at your birthday party (although I'll admit you've had lots of sweets lately..just little tastes here & there never heard anyone!)

We recently started music class again -- this time it's just me & you. I decided to go on a day Layla has school - I know she's sad to miss it but I love the time where I can focus all my attention on you! You love it so much - you sit right by Miss Sandy and dance away. You love the guitar and all the instruments she brings you. I hope to sign us up at Romp & Roll soon - once you start walking full time, we will sign up! 

You are a major traveler. You clearly don't like to fly too much - you're either crying or sleeping on the past few flights :( I hope this gets better with time. You've been to Florida 5 times and in a few weeks, we'll be heading back down South for your very first trip to DISNEY WORLD!!! I think you'll love it and I look forward to many, many more trips to the Magical Kingdom!!

Your big 1st birthday party is coming up quick and I cannot wait to celebrate YOU!!!! It'll be a perfect afternoon filled with love & music. 

I started filling our paperwork for you to start school in September. Can it be? Is my baby boy old enough to start school?? While not quite yet.. the day is coming quick. I've loved these past 12 months. There have been very few days that I've spent away from you. We are so lucky to have spent so much time together. 

I love you so much. I love the way you teach me how to slow down, to enjoy life, to giggle at the little things. I love the way you love Dada & Layla. I love how you crawl over to me and put your head on my lap while sucking your thumb. I love how you cuddle for a second before popping your head up and laughing. I love it all and I can't wait to watch you grow into a handsome, smart, creative little boy. 

Today, on your actual birthday..your big sister was sick with an awful virus. All of our plans got cancelled but you were sung to by a lot of people that called... and we will celebrate this weekend, I promise! Also -- I bought you a big chocolate chip cookie and you loved it so much. I think you forgave me! :)

We love you so much my sweet boy. 
xoxoxoxoxoxo

You  were still a little nugget in my belly!

I LOVED our time together in the hospital. 

My favorite. You were ready to go home!

Oh I love you...

Baby in a basket.

Your first bottle of breastmilk - like a champ!

Mustache!

As soon as you were big enough.. the love affair began!

Swinging!

HA!

Helloooo 2014!!!

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!

Here we are. A new day. A new year. A chance to start over and write a new chapter.

A look back on 2013... and I'll be writing tomorrow as I look forward to this new year. 

Favorite trip? We were so lucky to travel to Florida (several times), NYC, Jamaica...it's a toss up of what my favorite trip was. I LOVED heading to South Florida in May with Benny, my sister & Remi. It was a quick girls trip and despite Benny getting sick, it was so lovely to spent time with my sister and see friends & family (while meeting my best friend's new baby boy, Owen) -- this is of course tied with Jamaica. Josh & I recently had the chance to go to Ocho Rios, Jamaica for 5 seconds and I literally loved every second. I'll write more about this later. 

Favorite book? Oh I have no idea.. I can't remember what I read. Most recently I read Artie Lange's book Crash & Burn and really enjoyed it.

Favorite movie? Hmmm.. this is tough again because my memory stinks. Very recently we saw "Inside Llewyn Davis" and it was incredible.

Favorite TV show? EASY -- BREAKING BAD!!!! Wowza. Loved it. Also watched all of Parenthood and reallllly loved it.

Favorite song? Album? I love John Mayer - his song, Train, was my anthem when Mom-Mom Rose became sick and passed away. I love Lorde. And, like any 30-year-old wannabe teen, I love Justin Timberlake, Katy Pery & Miley ;) haha! 

Favorite purchase? For my 30th birthday, Josh bought me my first (and only) Louis Vuitton - it's my pride & joy. 

Favorite meal out? Del Friscos for Josh's 31st birthday. YUM. 

Favorite new recipe? Cheesy Pasta - thanks Pinterest!!!

Favorite day? Hands down, January 14th. The day Benjamin Sawyer was BORN. The days following were so very special. 

Favorite outfit? My green-striped Gap dress. It's cute, comfortable and makes me feel thin. It's the first outfit I wore after having Benny and friends told me I looked like I never had a baby (which was a lie and why I love my friends). 

Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving & Hanukkah fell on the same day this year. We were home and celebrated with my entire family. I loved it so very much.



..... so there ya go! That about wraps up my year. It was full of love, tears and fun. I adjusted (slowly) to life of two  under two. I left J&J to become a full-time Mama and I've learned so much from my "bosses". I've worked on our marriage to make it my top priority and fell in love with Josh in a whole new way. 

I can't wait to see what this year brings. It's a time of change. Benny will start school. Last will start her THIRD year of school. We will figure out our next big move... and it may be life changing. 

Cheers to a happy, healthy and love-filled year - 2014!

Benjamin is 11 months!

11 month stats:

Weight: 27 pounds. I am not kidding.

Height: I'd guess roughly 32 inches?

Eating: Lots. Everything. He still gets about 4 bottles a day. Will be switching to organic whole milk soon.

Clothes: 18 month, 18-24 month and yes.. even 2T. Catching up to your sister ;)

Diaper: Size 5 (since the age of 3 months, lol)  

My gorgeous brown-eyed boy....

11 months. SO quick and yet... I can't remember what life was like before you? Or maybe I just don't want to. You fill me with such happiness and love. I am forever kissing your sweet face and giggling along with you. You love to climb in my lap and gently rest your head while sucking your thumb. It's so sweet and innocent.

Your so big -- it's so cute. Your hands and feet are giant - your still chubby but you're continuing to slim down the more you move. And move you do, constantly!! You are very fast and always on the go -- you are amazingly quick when you crawl and you're so good at standing & cruising on furniture. I think you'll be walking soon -- any day, in fact. You have no fear and will try anything so one day, I know you'll take your steps and soon after you'll be running around with Layla.

You have lots of cute tricks -- you are really good at "SO BIG!" and waving bye-bye. You love to yell and scream (LOUD!) and love to laugh and fake laugh. You use anything & everything as a push toy. You love to play with Brian, your favorite stuffed animal. You like when we make castles with blocks so you can knock them down. Your favorite toy is a ball - you can have a catch for a long time. You love the stroller and to take long walks, especially outside. It's a good thing we're in Florida for a while - we've been taking daily walks and you just sit and stare at the birds & trees. You love to point to the sky when we mention there is an airplane!

Your not very into the TV (except for Jacks Big Music Show) -- so opposite of your sister. You LOVE music and always dance if something comes on. So cute!!!

You are a master sleeper. I'm SO proud of you -- I was worried you'd have trouble since we're in Florida for a while, but you've adjusted beautifully!!! You sleep every night roughly 6:30-6:30 (waking earlier here but staying in your crib until 6:30) -- you nap twice a day, 1-2 hours each. I'm so lucky you've turned into a great sleeper!!! Right now, we're using Tylenol because you have your 4th ear infection (had to go to the Florida doctor yesterday) -- poor little thing. But you're a champ!!

You are getting very good at talking!! You say Yeh, Hi, Mama, Dada, Layla, Dog, Cat & Ball.

You're a great eater and will pretty much eat anything we have... I hope this continues!!! Your sister was also a great eater around this time and now she's so picky! Hopefully you'll continue to try new foods and enjoy them all. You don't love fruit (but you love your fruit pouches) -- I think it's a little sour for your taste? You love sweet things and I'm excited to see you eat your first piece of cake at your birthday party!!!

We have been in Florida since the 16th and we're here until the 30th.. so great to spend so much time with your family. This is your 5th trip to Florida, pretty crazy!!! Mama & Dada went to Jamaica last week -- it was the first time we were away from you and we missed you SO much. You did great while we were away and when we got back, your eyes lit up and you SCREAMED in delight!! So sweet and loving. My little boy.

We stopped nursing about 4 weeks ago. The last time was a Sunday morning - it was early and everyone else continue to sleep. You played with my cheeks and brushed my face and it was so gentle and sweet. I really miss nursing you and wish we could have continued -- I loved nursing you so much and will cherish those moments.

We sent the invitations on Monday -- I can't wait for everyone to get them!! We are having a big mustache bash -- it's a music class party and it will be so much fun. We can't wait to celebrate you!!!

We love you so much sweet boy. I'm sorry this entry is so late -- please know how special and amazing you are. I can't believe you will be turning ONE so soon!!!!! We have lots to celebrate and do -- your birthday, your party and then... DISNEY WORLD!!!

Love you Benny Boy,
Mama

Beauty.

Happy Monday, ya'll!

With the temperatures below freezing and the snow covering everything in sight, it felt only right to cozy up in the corner of my sofa and write a bit.

We had a lovely weekend despite the frigid air. We made our way to Sesame Place on Saturday -- after much confusion (we got there at 11:15 AM and realized the park doesn't open until 1:00 PM... ah!), we were able to squeeze in the last reservation for the lunch with the characters. It was perfect, per usual - Layla loved seeing everyone from Elmo to Telly, even Santa! Benny was completely indifferent - he stared at the characters but didn't smile or cry. Just looked and went back to eating. The kid is amazing.

Yesterday was filled with snow so we spent the day at the gym, followed by playing, napping, eating, playing, outside time and more.

Now it's a new week and I thought it would be fun to change it up a bit -- my beauty regimen.

I always see these on blogs and take notes of new or cool products.

Recently, I've decided to (drastically) change the products I use on both myself and my babies. I'm trying to stay away from chemicals and use lines that are way more organic and body friendly. This isn't easy but I'm heading towards a good routine. It all started after having a fabulous facial & massage at a local spa thanks to Livingsocial -- it's called Eden Organics and I'm completely hooked.

I told the woman doing my facial that I've had horrible skin since 7th grade and pregnancy/nursing hasn't helped. Combined with my current Mirena, my skin is breaking out circa 1995. So she reminded me it's important to use good products that aren't filled with bad chemicals. I also recently discovered Arbonne after my friend Shannon started selling it. It's a great line that is organically made and really good.

Ok, so moving on. My routine. If you have any products you love, please let me know -- I'm learning (at the ripe age of 30) how important skin care is.

Andalou Naturals Meyer Lemon Creamy Cleanser is my new (and very nice) face wash. I use it every night. It's soft, smells great and is really good for your skin full of natural products.

Two to three times a week, I use Earth Pure Organics Ultimate Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser. This makes me skin feel incredibly soft and I love it. It can be drying (so I'm told) so I limit the use.

Every morning (and most nights if I remember) I use Earth Pure Organics Sheer Essential Moisture. I was never a nighttime lotion user and I'm learning this was a big mistake!

I currently use Clean & Clear spot acne treatment but I'm searching for an organic spot treatment.

I just got two new eye products from Arbonne - I can't review them because I've literally used them twice but I like them a lot and can't wait to see results!! I'm using the RE9 Advanced Corrective Eye Cream at night and the Calm Soothing Eye Gel in the morning.


...so that's that!!! I'm going to switch my make-up too but I'm slowly going to get there. These products aren't cheap but a little goes a long way and I'm happy to take care of myself. I'm also switching the kids shampoos, body wash and diaper creams to more natural.

So.. any products you can share that you love??

(I wasn't paid or asked to write this - all opinions are my own and for fun!)

Layla: Version 2.5

One day old. Cute as a button. 

My Dearest Layla.... 

It's been 6 months since I last wrote you. After 2 years of monthly letters, it seemed silly to continue the trend. But now I realize these are the precise months I SHOULD be writing you - these days seem to be zooming by and you seem to be changing almost daily. 

You are two. 

You are discovering, testing, learning, loving, emotional, dramatic and a bit sassy. You are a sponge and soak everything up around you. 

How you look... You are petite. We haven't been to the doctor in a while (knock on wood) but I think you're still hovering around the 25/26 pound mark (same as your brother!). You are just so little - it's so cute. You are tall but seem to be around average for the kids in your class. Your hair is SO long - after a recent haircut I swear it seems longer then ever. It's a beautiful shade of light brown. Your eyes are the most gorgeous shade of blue. Your skin is so fair and I'm careful to not ruin that. 

Your Schedule....Right now, you go to school 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Tuesdays are spent with Benny & I. Thursday are spent at Mom-Mom & Pop-Pops. And the weekends are our favorite... we always plan fun things to do (mainly based around you!) -- you love to play with all of your toys and every weekend day is spent napping with Dada in the afternoon. You LOVE to nap in our bed and it's always 2-3 hours. During the week, I'm lucky if you nap an hour in the crib. At school you nap perfect. At Mom-Mom & Pop-Pop's it's always hit or miss. You go to sleep beautifully between 6:30-7:00 PM every night. We read the Lorax to you in our bed, you put your "red" (it's actually white) sleep sack on and into the crib you go. You still use the sound machine and love a nice, dark room. Your current sleeping buddies are Mr Bear, Kyle, Peter, the frog & Kermit. You also like to sleep with the big Princess blanket we bought you for Hanukkah. You're so cute when you're falling asleep, always one hand by your hand (same as when you drink milk). I'm nervous for the inevitable switch to the big girl bed that's coming soon but for now we're sticking with the crib!j

Your Likes....It's all about princesses. I mean.. they seem to be taking over our lives. Cinderella. Ariel. Rapunzel. Tiana. Jasmine. The list goes on.. you love them all. I can't wait until Disney World in January.. I think your head is going to explode when you meet the princesses in person. You still love to watch movies (we have 51 movies we switch through). You love the read books. You love to do puzzles. You love to color. You love to do puzzles on the iPad. And you REALLY love to watch the most random videos on You Tube. These include (but are not limited to): Play Doh videos, princess videos, Disney World videos, Disney on Ice and random people playing with toys. So strange. You love to play in your kitchen. You love to play in the basement in the ball pit and with your princess castle. You love music and to sing & dance.  You love to brush your teeth, wash your hands, put on "make-up" and look at your clothes. 

Your Dislikes: You don't love the bath (or water on your head, in general). You don't like being away from your mama for too long. You don't like when Benny takes your toys (but otherwise, you're Benny obsessed). Your tantrums are far & few between -- but don't get my wrong, you are two through & through. You love to test your boundaries and want so badly to be a "big girl" sometimes. You're currently in a mama phase -- you want me, quite often. I know this bothers Dada and can be a bit taxing on me when I'm needed elsewhere but of course I secretly love it. 

Your loves: You really love Mama, Dada & Benny (and sometimes smother us in hugs & kisses). You are obsessed with your cousins (all of them). When we're all together, you run from cousin to cousin screaming and yelling "HI ABBEY! HI AVA! HI MARLEY!" -- it's so sweet and genuine. You're in between the ages (the big girls - Ava, Abbey, Marley) and the little girls (Remi, Sami) so you get the best of both worlds. You love your grandparents so very much. We FaceTime daily with Grandma & Grandpa and try to see Mom-Mom & Pop-Pop as often as we can. It's a wonderful connection you've made with them and I love it. You LOVE school - your really in love with your teachers (Miss Jenn, Miss Ashley... and also Miss Lizzie from last year). You talk about all of your "friends" at school. You also really love Isabel, a friend you made at music class. I love her mama so this works beautifully - we've gone to the movies twice with Izzy and you remember both times, talking about them often despite it being a long time ago. Your memory is quite good! You love Disney World and always ask about it. 

Your Food: Whole milk, all day everyday... haha. Still quite a picky eater, you have your few foods that we know you'll always eat. Danimals (yogurt drink), bananas, yogurt, cheese, snacks, pork roll, french fries, matzah ball soup, chicken nuggets. Oh and chocolate, of course. You're sometimes willing to try new foods and you'll randomly shock us by eating a full steak or 3 meatballs. But it's rare. As you're getting older, you're getting better at trying -- also, if you're around a big kid who is eating something, you'll try it. ;)

Your Thoughts: Your speech is incredible -- we have full conversations now. You repeat everything and remember a lot. You are getting really good at your colors. You are good at your letters (but we're working hard to perfect them). You know lots of basic questions (name, city, age, school, teacher's name, mama's name, Dada's name, brother's name). You know the words to a lot of songs and can sing them (somewhat) on key. You are good at your shapes. You're so very observant and soak everything in -- between learning at home & learning at school, you're amazing and so very smart. 

I could go on & on ... my dear girl, my love grows for you every single day. I love when you climb into our bed every morning and snuggle into me while you drink your milk. I love when you ask if I want to sit with you to watch a movie or do a puzzle ("Mama, wanna sit with me on this couch?") I love how you say Hi BENNY, hi BENNY all day, everyday. I love how you just want to play with him all day and always tell him to come near you ("Come here, Benny.. come here!!!"). I love how you ask where Dada is all day and then calmly say "Oh, he's at work Mama!". I love how sweet you are and always ask everyone how they are doing. I love how I ask you if we should have another baby and you always reply with "YES, baby Ellie!" I have no idea where you heard the name Ellie but rest assured, should we have another baby girl, we will need to name her Ellie. You have a very sweet and gentle soul and I am so lucky to call you mine. 

Two & a half is such a special and fun age... I can't wait to see what these next 6 months will hold. Of course your 3rd birthday is already being discussed  and I can't help but think about how fast time is going. I adore you, my sweet girl. You are very special and very loved. 

Happy 2 1/2 birthday!!!!!!