wip 3.24.12

friday:
got up with the boys and was pretty darn productive. i'm learning that music gets me moving! cleaned, shopped, made most of the desserts for ben's party.

then it was time to pick up ben and head to his well check appointment.

we passed the time waiting by playing football in the room.

ben did well. we were in and out in record time.
came home and finished baking. and i'm so glad i did, because then this rolled in.

totally looked worse than it was. just a bit of rain. but did make for some cool pictures. all taken on my phone!

saturday:
up and at em for ben's birthday!
i had put some balloons in his doorway, but he wasn't impressed. woke us up saying they were bothering him. little did we know that he was on the way to sickie-ville.

opened pressies then packed up and headed out to the party.

his loot.

why, yes. i would love a birthday kiss. 

ben thought chewy needed some bows.

rocking his new batman cape. or as he calls it, a bad man cape.

trying to show us three fingers.

this wrapping paper is way more fun than my pressies momma.

the kids got to play with their goodie bags before and during the party. some action shots. 

the birthday boy. {and i don't think i took a single one of these pictures! kinda scary giving up control, but nice to just enjoy the moment.}

pressner party of three. 
can you tell that one of us is not feeling so good?

 a ball. still a favorite after all these years!

when we packed up and headed home, we thought ben felt a bit warm. we were hoping it was from all the running and playing.  no such luck. woke up from his nap with a fever. so that meant no going to gabby and drea's birthday party.  and no going to a benefit for a high school friend either. but my girlfriend convinced me to leave ben at home with nick and she would leave her kiddos at home and we went together. so glad i did. was good to see some people and catch up...

so nick's at home with ben and a few friends that i met up with at the benefit convinced me to go out with them after. luckily, my  mom was home and willing to come over and house sit, since ben was asleep and nick was able to join us too!

the girls. it had been way too long. so glad we snuck out for a few hours. love them.

table shot. yes, that's a giant water. was trying to be good in case i was up later with a sick beanie. 

crazy boys and flaming dr. peppers. 

 long, busy day. but totally worth it.

sunday:
still has a fever. wanted to run around in his undies all day. why not?

 playing with the balloons from his party. i spy a benjamin.

we did try to go outside for a bit. didn't last long. but here's what happened while we were out.

ben and nick tried out a few of his new presents.

then it was bubble time!

no, don't get us!

then it was back inside. home skillet didn't feel so good. was a trouper. glad we got him out for a bit!

ten on tuesay 3.27.12

- my bicep is sore. played darts for a few hours saturday evening... is it pathetic that i'm sore from darts?!

- feeling very grateful. was looking back through pictures and couldn't help but think how lucky we are. ;)

- am learning that it's okay, sometimes, to put myself into uncomfortable situations. that they don't always turn out so scary. that sometimes that little push is just what's needed. but at the same time, trying to figure out why i'll give on some things and not on others...

- have 3/4 correct for the final four! who knew?

- excited for these shoes. hope they're as cute and comfy as i hope they'll be.

- ben was home with nick today, and when nick pulled some warm towels out of the dryer ben asked him to be covered up. a few minutes later, ben asked nick for another one because this one's cold now. {i love warm towels!}

- another conversation they had: nick told ben he needed to jump in the shower. ben told him, no dadda. it's slippery.

- and nick had a productive day at home. dishes done, laundry cleaned and folded, dinner cooked. yay! love him.

- hate when someone says they are going to do something and then they don't. your word means a lot to me.

- am completely not ready for the upcoming weeks. a quick get away with friends and then it's easter. holy where is time going!?

mr. ben turns three.

i have every intention to create a digital spread similar to one of the following: birthday album, birthday printables, and birthday interview. but who knows when i'll have time to get around to that. {hopefully, sooner rather than later. but i'm a total procrastinator. so who knows!}
figured i should post it here for safe keeping! :)

birthday stats from his doctor's visit on the 23rd. weight: 31.8 pounds. height: 35 inches. {total shorty. fifth percentile!}

and the questions.

what is your name? benjamin ryan {or sometimes ben pressner.}
how old are you? march 24 {with a bit more prodding he finally replied, 'i'm free.'}
what is your favorite color? pink. and blue.
who is your best friend? erica.
what is your favorite animal? chewbacca. {our cat.}
what do you want to be when you grow up? a boy.
what is your favorite movie? cars.
what is your favorite book? lightening mcqueen book.
what makes you happy? being a good boy.
what makes you sad? crying.
what is your most favorite food to eat? pasta.
what is your favorite song to sing? twinkle.
what game do you like to play? mario. {yes, he's related to nick!}
what is your favorite toy? football.
what is your favorite drink? milk.
what do you take to bed every night? polar bear and frog blankie.
what is your favorite show to watch? thomas or boom. {aka wipeout.}
who is your teacher? melanie.
what is your favorite snackie? fruit snacks, goldfish, and crackers.
what is your favorite thing to do at school? play tennis with miller.
what is your favorite thing to learn? letters.

and at three... {his 2year post! and his one year post.}

he was sick. thought he was acting a bit off saturday morning. ended up rocking a pretty impressive fever later that day. {and apparently, he was sick last year on his birthday too. hopefully, this trend doesn't continue.} he still has one. so it's tag team between nick, my mom, and myself to stay home with him until it clears.

- would eat cereal for every meal if we let him. or pasta.
- remains obsessed with sports of all sorts. soccer, basketball, and football are the three biggies.
- will read to himself. so cute. melts me every time.
- is wearing 2t clothing. almost 3t on top thanks to the cute little buddha belly of his!
- sleeps from about 8 pm to 630 am.
- hasn't had an potty accident in about a week. nighttime is another story. but the pediatrician isn't concerned. seemed impressed that he was doing so good. gave some credit to daycare and his little buddies being trained.
- loves thomas the train.
- called his pediatrician dr. suess repeatedly instead of dr. stroman. thankfully, our doctor is awesome and totally went along with it!
- knows all of his upper case letters. working on the lower case and numbers. we're almost there. but who knows... he may answer differently at school and he may really know them all. he's tricky like that.
- loves singing and music in general. so cute to hear him sing along with songs in the car. like, i'm sexy and i know it.' or 'like a love song' by selena gomez.
- isn't shy. but if he doesn't know you he's a total momma or daddy's boy.
- pretty sure he's gonna be the class clown. loves being silly for attention. has gotten in trouble for it at school too!
- has the cutest lil swagger when he walks.
- would take a bath all day every day.  and would prefer it if nick joins him in the tub.
- talks constantly about bad guys. {i'm blaming nick and his video games especially when he tells me he saw them on daddy's computer!}
- will tell you that he's a 'good teamer' when you're playing any type of sports with him.
- wants to know if you like whatever it is he has/is doing.  he'll ask, 'you wike dat?' or 'that your favorite?'
- will try to talk on the phone whenever nick or i am talking to someone. and he doesn't like taking no for an answer. even when it's related to nick's job!
- has a standard going out order and will sometimes order his own meal: chicken nuggets, french fries, and chocolate milk. {i guess he needs to get it when he can because we don't eat those at home!}
- is a total lover. will snuggle and hug and give kisses when asked. and it's even better when he stops playing to come over and give me a big squeeze. nothing better!
- sang happy birthday to himself at his party!
- can still get him to do pretty much anything if we bribe him with chocolate. ;)
- has a momma and dadda who love him more every day and who he makes laugh every day, even at the most random times, like during a terrible tantrum... we can't help but laugh. he's so darn cute!

wip 3.17.12

friday:
errand city. way productive day. felt good!
won't bore ya with the particulars. just some fun pictures of that evening. spent outside with friends.

yes, my brother parks like that whenever he visits. weird boy.

just love his facial expression.  thank you tamron zoom lens. and yes, that's his shirt's sticker. he was adamant that it stayed there. ben one, momma zero. :)

and miss wynn's funny expression.

that's better. :)

ben loves playing ball. football, basketball, soccer. 

 

group shot! ben's like, 'yeah right!'

uncle kevin checking out how sturdy the swing set is!

more balls! the kid doesn't stop!

someone tried to take his ball!

nothing a juice box won't fix!

and some quality chalk time.

the best part about chalk. cute little chalk covered butts. ;)

say cheese. xo.

somebody all cleaned up and ready for bed.

time to catch up on my internet and march madness.

and then wrapped some presents for the wee man. ;)

saturday:
 beaner checking out the highlights from all the games he missed last night.

 green monster pancakes. good morning st. patrick's day style!

then it was mom and son time. nick and the boys went and played frisbee golf. gotta enjoy this weather, right?!

the lazy man's way? ;)

and some fun with noodles and letters.

lucky charms is a totally appropriate lunch on st. patty's day, right? 

after nap time, we made some leprechaun bark.

then it was time to play outside. jumping with his football! 

our landscaping was in need of some serious work. 

bubbles! 

ugh, leaves and leaves and leaves and leaves. two giant bags worth by the time i was done.

playing football with daddy.

family feet!

much better, no?

couldn't fit all the ingredients in my crock pot. had to improvise and put a pot on top to hold it closed! 

the sweetest little boy tootsies.

a little leprechaun.

green river and corned beef and cabbage. yummy.

and leprechaun bark for dessert. 

sunday:
group bike ride!

gotta stop at the park!

someone 'watering' the grass. ;)

and we're off! 

then birthday festivities for my dad.  ben has been a dr. seuss nut lately.

grandpa helping ben with his shoes so he can go outside. again. and play some more football.

 i missed the earlier part of the afternoon where he was playing catch with grandpa.

cake time.

and back to the couch. relaxing. uploading a zillion pictures. and watching basketball. oy, boilers. that was painful!