one last packing post

My husband is outside methodically packing the car (suburban) with engineering precision while my almost 4 year old son is trying to fall asleep in our room (his is too hot and he got a late nap 'cause I was gone to Will's graduation) so here I am blogging one last time before I don't see a computer for a week or more. :) I know I'll miss it, but I actually think it will be relaxing too. The kids are off their usual schedule because of this crazy week, but they sleep really well in the car so I'm hoping that naps will come easily tomorrow. They'll need it. So will we, but since we'll have to go to bed when they do in the hotel room tomorrow night, it will be our chance to catch up ... assuming they go to bed at a normal hour (8ish).

I'm also interested in how they'll do in sleeping bags on the floor of our mostly carpeted house in Norfolk. The bedrooms are hardwood and the living areas and eating area is carpeted. I think I want them to sleep on the carpet b/c it's softer, but then I can't close the door and "put them to bed" b/c it's all open. This also would mean that I can't stay up late although I'll be on an air mattress so I can be in the bedrooms. Maybe I'll just pad their bags with some blankets I'm bringing. I'm sure they'll be fine. Half the time Charley would rather sleep on the hard floor and has many times.

It will be interesting to see how we'll pass the time with only the things I packed in an empty house. My plan is to let them play outside in the dirt and water, a lot! I already packed bathing suits and sunscreen. I also plan on visiting a lot of friends and maybe finally getting a Y membership. I have no idea when our household goods will arrive. ugh. I hope we don't have to wait too long. To that end, I overpacked, just so we wouldn't have to fish necessities out of boxes once they do arrive.

Well, my wonderful hubby is done packing. I'm sure he did a great job and we have room for a few extra toys for the boys, maybe even a trike or two! The neighborhood we live in down there is great for walks. There's so much shade and the streets are wide and since the neighborhood is so secluded, the streets aren't that busy. I can't wait to be back. Plus we can see the water at different points throughout the neighborhood b/c it's on a peninsula. I hope the boys like their new home and new friends and new everything. I wonder when they'll understand we're not coming back to RI (for a long time). I hope they're ok with it all. I know they'll enjoy the adventure anyway.

Next stop, D.C., then onto warm, sunny Virginia!

Blessings!

Oh yeah, a big Happy 2nd Birthday to my youngest, Ben, this Sunday, April 27th!!! I can't believe he'll be two already! I was barely pregnant with him when we first moved to RI. :) Happy Birthday Ben!!

little boy Ben

he's at such a cute age right now. not quite 2, learning new words everyday, discovering his will, playing with his brother, deciding he has an opinion :) but one of the cutest things he's doing right now is answering "shoo" for "sure" as a yes answer to many things we ask him. it's soooooo stinkin' cute!

when he sees a picture of himself, he points to himself and says, "me!"

when the baby I watch is over at the house, he circles her saying, "hi baby, hi baby" over and over and over again getting really excited and then gently petting her on the head, ooh so cute

he dances and skips everywhere he goes and lately has started standing on one leg with the other extended behind him as if he's doing an ice skating move

he loves music and bobs his head or dances to anything even slightly rhythmic he hears

he gets confused when he's supposed to say "thank you" and says, "welcome" instead :)

he can't say his brother's name, but says the vowels so it comes out as "ah ee" for 'Charley' and I think he says, "min" for his own 'Benjamin' and of course 'please' comes out "pees" (with his "receiving hands" held out together in front) receiving hands are my way of trying to teach them not to grab at what they want, so they end of doing it when they're saying please for something

he think to give a kiss means to gently put your cheek up against another persons cheek

his sweet eyes and adorable smile melt my heart and make it very difficult for me to say 'no' to him, until he starts throwing a fit, then it's easy :)

he's still small enough to hold in a bundle, but he's getting so big, I find myself in denial that he's not my baby anymore and this makes me yearn for another one

even when he's sick, or in pain, or coughing his head off, he is able to find something to smile about, he's definitely a happy boy

lotion lover

Another quirk of my second son is that he loves to do so many things that my first rebelled against. I'm sure it's a good thing, it's just that I'm not used to it b/c of having to fight Charley when he was Ben's age. Things like brushing teeth, changing diapers, putting socks and shoes on to go outside, and yes, putting on lotion. He loves lotion and while I'm changing his diaper, he'll rub it on his legs and arms and tummy. It's really cute and GREAT since it's so dry now, but it's also very hilarious to me to see my 19 mo. old putting on lotion like he's such a big boy. Also, if Ben had his way, he'd have a toothbrush in his mouth 24/7. He LOVES to brush his teeth and runs for it every time we accidentally leave the bathroom door open.

We're still waiting for snow around here. Will got so excited when we had some flurries a few days ago. He can't wait to take the boys sledding at the golf course around the corner from our house. He also can't wait to go skiing. He's going to see the new Warren Miller snow movie in Providence tonight and by going, he'll get free ski passes to some places around here. He can't wait! Seriously, this is going to be something we have to work out in our future: Will wants to live somewhere cold and I love warm weather with short winters. I DO love snow and skiing, but I just don't like cold for 6 months! Plus, with the dry skin issues I've mentioned in previous posts ... I just don't want to be itchy, cracky and dry every winter just so we can ski nearby. I'd rather travel somewhere to ski and wear my shorts and t-shirts most of the year. Anyway, I know we'll compromise on the perfect place someday (once the Navy is done with us, or vice versa and one plus is that with all the moving around we have to do, we'll get to visit different parts of the country to see what they're like before we have to choose.

Oh yeah, another success on the potty front, Charley is finally going #2 in the potty! yay! I know it may sound late to most, but with the issues he's had and meds etc. I'm just thrilled and he's proud too. He's been going consistently for 3 days now. I'm not holding my breath, but I think he may have conquered the constipation thing. He doesn't even want his medicine anymore and doesn't seem to be having problems without it now. It started getting easier for him a while back and when he had to go, he'd go and grab a pull-up and go. When we realized he wasn't struggling anymore, we started disciplining him if he didn't go in the potty. I think this helped us get where we are now, but for the longest time, he really was struggling and having a really hard time pushing it out, and we didn't feel that we should punish him for not using the potty b/c of that. Well, it seems to be over now, so we'll see how the next week goes and hopefully it will become a habit and easier for him. Yay!! It's funny, I'm actually excited that I get to wipe his bottom b/c it means he's gone on the potty! Of course, he wants to that by himself and he doesn't do a bad job at that, so double YAY!!

sweet dancing Ben

Ben is growing up sooo fast! Charley was his age when we first moved here and now I can't believe Ben is already 19 mo. old!! He's such a cutie with his little blond hair and big smiley cheeks! He's always grinning about something. I just had to write b/c I want to remember later that he loves to dance. Anytime he hears even a couple of bars of music, he starts bobbing his head and, if he can, moving his legs. It's so cute. I guess he's going to be the music lover in the family. It's just so much fun to watch and he is usually able to get the whole family started too. Once Ben starts, then Charley follows and pretty soon, we're all dancing around and being goofy.

We especially enjoyed one of these moments this past Saturday when we went to get our Christmas tree from Escobar's Highland farm, here on the island. We brought it home, turned on some Christmas music, heated up the cider, and the dancing and celebrating began. We got all the Christmas boxes down and had such a fun time together. I know it might seem a little early, but this is the first Christmas we won't be traveling in years, which means, I get to decorate! :) We plan on having a low-key family day, simple, easy, fun. (that's the plan) :) We'll miss all of our extended family, but if you've been reading, we've traveled quite enough in the past few years, and with very small children. Anyway, since I know we're going to be here, I just couldn't wait to get everything out and decorate for Christmas so I can enjoy it this year.

In other news, we enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with my Mom and brother, Grant, who flew from Houston, TX to be with us. My Mom was here for a week and my brother, who had to finish finals, was here for three days. Will and Grant went to NY on Thanksgiving day because Grant had never been in this area before and wanted to see it. They had a blast, and then we celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday. My Mom and I stayed home with the kids on Thanksgiving day and since it was such a beautiful day, we had a blast doing a ton of pruning and yard work. The kids played outside and it was so much fun! We also did crafts with the kids (finishing a handprint apron for the grandma's) :) and while my Mom (Nonny to the kids) was here, we also got to have a fun shopping trip to Providence place and did some sewing together. We had such a great time and it was so great to see both of them.

Well, back to chores and stuff while Ben naps. Charley has pre-school today to it's an errand day. :) All part of the fun!

Blessings!

new words

I keep forgetting to post that Ben said some new words the other day. He said "love ya da," while talking on the phone with Will. He had prompting, but he still clearly said it. So cute! :) He's saying so many new words now, I can't even catch up. His first was "da da" months and months ago (when he was about 8 mo old I think). Next was, "want dat" and "down". "Ma ma" took a little longer, but followed shortly. He says, "by by" and "Gi gi" is his bear and a bunch of other ones that I can't think of now. Oh yeah, and he said "thank you" to Charley for the first time yesterday too! :) So fun!

happy feet and shrieks of joy!

I was recording some fun things about Charley, and remembered some moments with Ben I didn't want to forget as well.

One cute thing Ben does is climb down the stairs to the landing and step around quickly like the penguins in the movie "Happy Feet". It's really cute and so when he does it, we all do it together and have the best time. :)

Also, every time I come home from being away from the boys, Ben lets out this ear curling shriek with a big smile and . . . happy feet, of course. :) It's so cute and it's one of the few things that Charley copies. So now I come home to two shrieking boys. It's sweet, a little deafening, but I know I'll miss it someday. It's nice to know they love me. :)

blossoming!

Oh my goodness, Ben is growing so quickly and blossoming right before our eyes! He's catching onto so much and communicating so much as well. It in such a beginning stage that it still catches us off guard when he does it. Today, we told him to go put a dirty shirt in the dirty clothes hamper. I never thought he'd do it and was really kidding, but low and behold, he walked straight back to his room and did it! Will and I had the most amazed looks on our faces since we didn't even think he knew what that was, much less could follow a one step direction. Well, he's 1 so I guess it's time, but he still feels like my baby so I guess I just wasn't ready for it. It's here now though so here we go.

By the way, one of his favorite hobbies is to go fish the wet diapers out of the trashcan and put them in the dirty diaper holder. (I only put dirty ones in there so I don't waste bag space with wet diapers that don't smell as much) It's really cute to watch, although I don't relish him digging in the trash. :) Oh well, it's not toxic and I wash his hands enough.

He's also in a climbing stage. He can crawl up on the chairs and onto the top of the kitchen table with no sweat. It's surprising and scary. :) So we have to keep the chairs away from the table so he doesn't do that.

Unfortunately, all this "understanding" has led to a discovery of his own "will". He's in a really fussy stage right now because he realized we wants to do all of this stuff that he can't or that I won't let him do. This is especially frustrating when he decides to get picky about his food and since I refuse to keep fishing around for stuff he will eat, he can either stop fussing or go to bed to take a break. I think he went hungry this morning, but he made up for it later and one or even two missed meals aren't going to hurt him. I think children's appetites are so subjective at this age anyway that they're always changing. However, he has a little habit right now if throwing food or drinks on the floor and so formal discipline has finally begun for him. It's hard to get used to because I still think of him as my innocent little baby who can't help crying or throwing etc. Not anymore!

He's also teething again right now so that's part of it. He's taking up to 3 naps a day at times and still sleeping a full 9-10 hours at night! It's a trial, but I'm hoping he'll learn the ropes soon and the fussiness will end.

It's also kind of funny because for the longest time we've worked on Charley sharing with Ben and he's done a really good job. But now, Ben has to learn to share and not always get into Charley's stuff. I'm glad Charley finally gets to feel and learn that the rules don't just apply to him.

Anyway, just another chapter in the beautiful life of my wonderful and really, really cute blue-eyed boy Ben.

Ben, Ben the Music Man

Ben is my music boy. When he need to calm down, all I have to do is play PP&M's "Garden Song" and he's dancing and smiling or shaking a maraca right away. It's adorable. The outdoors did it for Charley, and while Ben loves being outside, I think he loves to dance more. :)


Here's picture of him gnawing on a drum.


Ahh so cute!

catching up 2

So . . . Ben had a wonderful first birthday on April 27! We celebrated the next day with Will's parents, who came into town for a week, and his aunt, who came into town from D.C. for a few days. I made a cute carousel cake with animal crackers connected to the chocolate pirroine (sp?) pole by twizlers. Will's mom made a top out of paper for it. We waited until after naps this time (unlike Charley's first) and that worked much better. Ben did a great job and seemed to like his presents. Of course he had help opening them from his older brother. I think Charley enjoyed playing with them more, which is fine because almost every morning, Charley gets different toys out for Ben and tried to show him how to play with them. It's so cute watching them. They play really well together and to borrow a term from my friend Anna in Virginia Beach, "it makes my heart happy". Anyway, I can't believe Ben is one already! This has been the fastest year yet in my life and I've heard they only go faster. Aaaahhh I'm hanging on to this ride as best I can!! :) No, life is good, not spinning out of control, despite some of our crazier days. Ben was under the weather for a little while when he got his one year shots, but he's doing better now. What a blessing to have a happy, healthy baby. Oh yeah, he's up and walking by the way!

crawling and teething and walking (almost) . . . OH MY!

Alright, huge milestone catch up blog . . .

Ben started getting his first tooth about 2 weeks ago and his second a week after that. Only two so far and they're so cute!

He's been crawling like a champ for about a month now is currently pulling up on everything in site and even beginning to walk along the edge of the couch! He's only 6 months old! Maybe I shouldn't be suprised, but Charley didn't even crawl well until he was around 7 months old so I'm just not used to this pace. We keep thinking it's because Ben has been watching Charley so he' s just catching on faster. People have told me it's "second child syndrome" :)

Charley is doing great as well. He's reciting books to us, talking to us non-stop, counting to around 13, praying at the dinner table, and singing us songs. It's so much fun having a conversation with him! Some of his favorite phrases are, "Oh my goodness" and "You're kidding me". He is such a good brother to Ben. He's constantly caring for him and noticing him. He's always telling me what Ben is doing like, "Mom, Ben crying," or "Ben smiling at me," or "Ben happy," or "Ben crawling." It's adorable. He'll usually bring him a toy to play with, but lately he's started trying to tackle him and wrestle with him. It had to start sometime.

Oh I could write so much more, but I have to get to bed. Enjoy!

creeping . . . crawling

Something exciting . . . Ben is in the beginning stages of crawling!!! He's been able to creep, like babies do, with their feet kicking behind them, but in the last couple of days, he's actually been up on his knees. It's been so exciting and fun to watch. He's still trying to figure out how to coordinate his arms while his knees want to move and sometimes he does the awkward "lurch" forward into a mini-face plant :) It's cute though and he keeps trying! Charley is actually trying to help him by pushing on his diaper, but I have to remind him that Ben has to do this on his own. I think he'll be crawling on his own before too long though. It's going to be amazing once again to watch the miracle of mobility! Go Ben!

tired-leigh

I can't seem to get out of the tired rut I've been driving in for the past, oh I guess, 4 months (since Ben was born). I don't know if it's having a newborn, or if it's the combination of a newborn and a toddler, or just that I can't seem to get myself in bed before 10:30 . . . I'm just tired. I'm sure it doesn't help that Ben has reverted to nursing through the night again. He was sleeping through the night at around 2 months old and ever since we came back from Norfolk, he's wanted to nurse every 3 hours again. It's funny because Charley has actually been sleeping later! Go figure :) I think Ben needs to start rice cereal and that's why he keeps eating through the night. You saw the picture of how that went though :) We'll try again soon, but for the time being, I'm having some very long days.

On a happy note, Charley has used his little boy potty a few more times and I'm so proud of him! We're not ready to go diaper free yet, but hopefully it's the beginning of the end :)

everyday things

Here are some cute things that have been a part of our day lately . . .

Daddy & Charley cooking together

First try at solid foods didn't go so well

Daddy loves snuggle time with his boys

Charley loves to drive in his Cozy Coupe Car

Of all the things, a real life mini-excavator came to pull up shrub roots next door. Charley was enraptured!

Some cute pics of Ben at 3 1/2 months old. He loves to sit up and play with and "gnaw on" the toys on his swing. He's rolling over easily now and pushing himself up for a good
amount of time. I can't believe he's growing so fast!!

Benjamin Wayne Rimmer

Since it's been awhile since our last mass e-mail and some have been suprised (sorry), I gave birth to Ben Rimmer on April 27, 2006 at 9:44 AM. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 13.5 oz and was 20.5 in. long. He was 5 days late, but right on time because he waited for the Rimmer grandparents to fly in on April 26th before decided to put me into labor the very same night, so my mom and Will's parents all got to be there (literally) for the birth. It was much easier the second time around and I recovered much more quickly.

Ben sleeps much better than his older brother did as a baby and I have a feeling that this will be my quieter, easy going child, layed back child, but time will tell. He's already sleeping through the night as of 2 months old and is starting to smile at us. I'll post a picture when I catch it. I'm enjoying him as a baby much more than I did my first probably because I have more of a clue about what I'm doing. It's still quite a transition going from one to two and we're still adjusting. More milestones to come . . . stay tuned . . .