January PA Trip

Wow. January has felt like a very long and cold month. I started to have a small seasonal depressive episode caused by a record number of days without any sign of sun. Paul prescribed a road trip to mom-mom and pop-pop's to shake me out of my funk and it worked:) PA had blue skies each day we were there which was a nice change.

It was great seeing Paul's parents again and to see how Hugh is starting to recognize their faces and voices. We played around in Harrisburg one day and stopped in at my favorite Amish run store for some out of control baked goods. It feels good to be home again and now I only have 10 days until Hugh and I fly to AZ to soak up some serious rays and get to meet cousins and aunties.

Our little Hugh has started doing some pretty fun stuff in the past few weeks. Along with laughing he has discovered his feet, enjoys turning pages during bed-time stories and sitting with the support of a pillow. He will furiously chew on his fingers as we can see his front teeth trying to make there way to the surface. He now enjoys eating rice cereal mixed with fruit. Pears are his favorite so far. He continues to become more vocal and he is wearing 12 month size clothing to accommodate his massive thighs. He grabs all his toys with both hands and puts them on a one way track to his mouth.

Here is a video of Hughie's debut of sitting up on his own. Pay attention for the bonus at the end of the video - he must of had enough pears!

Christmas 2009

We can't believe the holidays have already come and gone. We had a lot of fun at the Benson Manor in Selinsgrove, PA where we got to catch up with aunt Liz, aunt Megan, and got to meet the "some day" uncle Adrian. We took a day trip to visit extended family in Delaware and the weather was so nice during our entire stay in both places. It was really nice to have multiple sunny days in a row that we don't get a lot of in Ohio.

Trip highlights included Hughie taking his first rolls, eating his first bites of rice cereal, and getting dressed in a reindeer outfit (compliments of mom mom). Paul got to eat some scrapple, Blake did some fun thrift store shopping with her sister-in-laws and we both got stuck in stand still traffic for 3 freakin hours on our way back home. Blake, Megan, and Elizabeth started on some original 90's hip hop cheography while Pop Pop perfected his moon walk and snake. All in all it was a fantastic trip :)

Over the past few days our not so little Hugh has started doing something so great that we are so excited about....he is laughing. The best part is that he laughs as a response to being scared. Kinda messed up, but he is so cute when he does it. He also officially loves his super soft blanket (now called "smoothie") when he naps. Here's his laughing debut......

November fun

Well, another month has flown by bringing more laughter and joy in our little home. We feel so grateful to be where we are and to have a healthy little boy who is pretty cute too. Little Hugh has really come to life this month and is cooing, smiling, and discovering his hands and feet. He has finally started sleeping in his crib and solidifying more of a sleep and nap schedule which has made our lives a little easier.

We had a great Thanksgiving holiday with Paul's parents who are now just a 4 hour drive away. It is so great to be close to some family again but we are still missing the rest of our family in AZ , UT, and WA. Luckily, the Christmas holiday will bring a few more family members to PA to celebrate together.

We just bought Hugh this exersaucer and he is quite enamoured with all of the toys on it. I can't believe that he is already big enough to even sit in it...yikes!

Home Bodies

So Paul and I broke down and decided to get some good pics of our little Hugh by a real photographer. I realize that I am so lucky to have Paul at home helping out so much. He is such a great daddy and gets to spend so much quality time with us every day. I need to remember this when I think we are ready to have another one that it will not be nearly as easy b/c Paul will not be around nearly as much to change diapers, burp, and give me frequent sleeping breaks. I really do not know how single parents can do this on their own.

We have been hunkering down in the colder weather and staying indoors while getting to know our new bundle of joy. He has been such a good baby so far but will not sleep in his crib yet. After all the baby and parenting books I read during my pregnancy I was convinced I was going to take a more structured take on parenting but it is becoming quit the opposite. I CAN NOT stand to hear him cry for more than one second and give in and pick him up.

So far at nine weeks of age he is starting to crack the most beautiful smiles at us and the other night he started laughing in his sleep. We are a little worried b/c he has already started fighting his sleep and I am seeing future days of a bigger Hugh running in circles until he drops to the floor in utter exhaustation to get to sleep. He was going through a colicky phase but after making some changes in my diet he is doing a lot better.

On Sunday October 18th Paul gave little Hugh his church blessing with both sets of grandparents in attendance. It was a special day and little Hugh looked so cute in his white outfit borrowed from his cousin Reeves. We are already looking forward to the fun days that lie ahead once he reaches future milestones but we are trying to remember to enjoy him now and live in the moment.

Long Overdue

It's been 8 months since our last post and I am vowing to friends and family to post a new update with pics at least every month. A lot has happened since our last post. We have moved twice and Paul has transferred med schools. We are now living in rural northeastern Ohio just 45 minutes south of Cleveland. We found a cute little house to rent and start our family in.

We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary in August and welcomed our first little boy Hugh Maxwell Benson on September 4th at 9pm. He weighed in at 8lbs 8ounces and 21 inches long. Labor went fast and was fairly painless (thanks to the miracle of the epidural), and like I have heard almost everyone say, it was all worth it. We feel so blessed to have a healthy and well tempered baby and can't believe how much he has grown in just 5 weeks.

Being parents is even better than we imagined and we are already so proud of him over things like his excellent ability to pass gas and belch like a grown man and the sweet little farm like animal sounds he makes when he is half asleep.

Paul is back to being a full time student and I am calling myself a trophy wife and mother (lol). I am so glad that I don't have to go back to work b/c I could not imagine leaving little Hugh for more than an hour or two:) Fall is definitly here and the leaves are changing and there is a strong chill in the air. We are so happy to be in the same home for almost 3 years before our next move.

Happy New Year!

2009 started very differently for us this year. I had to take Paul to the ER at midnight on the 1st but not before having to pull over twice so he could puke. They found 5 kidney stones in his kidneys. Poor guy was in a lot of pain until the numerous pain med injections took effect. This makes two ER visits for Paul since we have been married. We are now laying low at home while Paul enjoys a consistent vicadin trip until he can hopefully pass all the stones on his own and soon. 

Besides taking care of my Paulie, I was so excited that we got our furnace fixed today! Now I don't have to keep my scarf and jacket on inside anymore..yeah. It was hard getting on the plane in AZ following our fun quick holiday trip to come back to the arctic, I mean Michigan.  I am still working with the same social service agency and teaching dance at night and the past few days off have been wonderful. 

I have decided not to make any New Years resolutions this year and then maybe I could actually follow through with the ones I "make" every year..lol. Paul has told himself he isn't going to drink one soda the entire year...any bids on how long he will last? 

Best wishes to everyone in the new year!  Go Utes !!!!!

Enough said.