So, as much as I enjoy posting, I'm finding it hard to keep up on, like lots of things it seems! Since the last post Brant has been sick and so has Ben. Both are now back to good health and spirits and it seems to be life as usual again at the Ausenhus household.

Ben and I started music class two weeks ago. Ben isn't around other babies very often, which is one reason I wanted to do this, and he just isn't sure what to think of these other little people making noise and crawling around. Mostly, he sits quietly on my lap and stares in awe at everyone else in the room. In the last class, he was excited enough about a song that included a ball to get off my lap and sit right in front of me. What can I say? He is definitely a mama and daddy's boy.

We are also starting to explore more foods lately. It depends on the day how that goes. He is great at regular baby food, but I'm trying to incorporate more and more table food too. We've been trying toast over the last few days and Ben actually ate it tonight, but seemed to enjoy the stickness of the jelly on his fingers even more. He loves saltine crackers and sliced bananas and even picked up a few green beans last night (accidentally, I think) and ate them. And, perhaps most exciting to me, Ben is finally beginning to figure out the sippy cup. We've been working on this for a long time and he is by no means an expert sippy-user, but in the last few days he actually sucked on it and got formula out instead of just chewing on it like a teething toy. Small steps, small steps!

I was going to download a video clip of Ben pushing around his favorite truck, but unfortunately, our flip cam has gone into kahoots. Here are a few semi-recent photos, although I haven't been too great on the picture taking lately.

Events of the Week

We've had a busy week since heading back to work. Brant celebrated a birthday last week and Ben and I threw him a little family birthday party. As you can see in the picture, Brant even had the privilege of eating his birthday-requested hamburger and potato wedges off of the "special plate." I think Brant enjoyed the last birthday of his 20's. I'm glad I still have a few of those left!

Ben was suppose to begin his Kindermusik classes on Monday, but due to the weather (seriously, I don't know if I can take much more of this) it was canceled. So, we will start next week instead. It will be interesting to see what a room full of babies and music will be like, but I figured it would get us out of the house one night a week and give Ben a little socialization time, and me too, I suppose.

A month ago on the 12th marked the day that my dad passed away. In a way it feels like yesterday, and in other ways it feels like I have lived a lifetime since then. Everything is still very fresh and raw. Ben has a book called Who Loves Baby. There are pictures of family members in it. One night as we looked at it and talked about the pictures, he grabbed the book to take a closer look every time we turned to Grandpa Dave. I think Ben misses him too in some way, even if he doesn't understand and won't remember any of this.

We are looking forward to our friend Katie's post-cancer treatment party this weekend, not only for the obvious reason of celebrating with our fabulous friend for this milestone, but to also have a night on the town together!

Ben's New Tricks

I have found that it seems like Ben reaches turning points where he changes a lot in a short amount of time. For example, when he was six months old, he starting crawling, sitting, and eating baby food all within two weeks. I feel like we are again at a turning point. He has lots of new tricks up his sleeve that he is "wowwing" us with every day!

The first is his new found ability to stand independently. It doesn't last too long yet and generally he gets so excited that he ends up lunging toward Brant or I. However, the amount of time and frequency is definitely getting longer and longer! Ben has also found that he can climb up our entire flight of stairs on his own (with mommy very close behind, of course). Along with this, he has taken up to 3 steps on his own. It won't be long until he is walking!

Another new trick Ben has developed is saying "bye bye" by waving is hand. For all the times we've worked on this, he finally did it on his own a few nights ago! We were all so excited and clapping so much, that he just kept waving and waving in hopes of the same reaction. It was very cute!

We are also hearing lots of mamamama, dadada, bababa, and other sounds being babbled. Sometimes it almost sounds like Ben is talking to himself in his own little language. On the same note, it is clear he is starting to understand what we are saying to him. When we say, "Give it to me," when we roll a ball to him, he puts in our hand. He always looks at us when we say, "No," but doesn't always get what he shouldn't do. In the last few days, has gotten a kick out of me saying "Up" and "Down" when he plays with one of his new toys.

It is also becoming apparent that Ben seems to be developing a sense of humor. He finds things very funny that we aren't even trying to entertain with. He loves to giggle and last week, he got so worked up laughing, he even snorted!

Finally, we find it hilarious that Ben has started to "pose" for the camera. When we say, "Smile!" he often puts on this goofy, eyes-closed, scrunched up smiley face. Perhaps this is a direct result of too much picture taking... thank goodness for digital cameras! I'll leave you a few photos of this new found trick!

Happy New Year!

We are at home tonight celebrating a quiet start to 2009. With everything that has happened in our family over the past few weeks, quiet is the perfect way to start the new year. Ben is asleep and Brant and I are getting ready to watch a movie before we watch the ball drop.

We were talking about New Year's Resolutions on our way home from shopping today. Brant and I agreed that we don't like resolutions and that it seems that resolutions to begin a new year are only set ups to fail. Our conversation turned instead to our hopes for ourselves and our family for 2009, big and small.

- Health and safety of Ben (and all of our family)
- A 5 year anniversary vacation for Brant and I
- Taking on a home improvement project
- A cure for diabetes
- Creating a play area in our basement for Ben
- Continued success and challenges in our jobs
- Keeping my dad's memory alive and dealing with everything involved in the process with wisdom and grace
- Calm and peacefulness - no surprises, no tragedies, no illnesses - just life as it should be

All the best to you in 2009.

Christmas 2008

Here is a little peek into Ben's first Christmas!