Family Pictures Sept 2016

The thought of getting our new family of 4 photo ready shortly after Benjamin's birth was downright overwhelming.  So I was holding off family photos until he reached that cute, chubby, smiley, baby stage. Oh boy is he there! We were lucky to have our friend Theresia spend a sunny afternoon in our home documenting our crazy :) Benjamin was so good and I realized how photogenic Xander can be EVEN when his toddleritis is in rare form!

This is the fourth time Theresia has taken pictures of our family. Our home is filled with her beautiful photography documenting all the major stages of our lives from pregnancy, to newborns, birthdays, and now to a family of 4. We are sad to say that she will soon be moving on to new things are we will miss her here in Norway! We wish her love, adventure, and success! I hope somewhere down the road we will meet up again in this big world. If we're lucky maybe she'll have her camera with her too :)

Takk for oss my friend! xxx

Benjamin - 6 months

6 months already!!! 6 months seems like such a milestone! Our little B has been here for half a year now and it's crazy to think in the same amount of time he'll be walking and talking!

He's still growing fast! So fast in fact, that I had to put him in his Christmas onsie from Nana before he outgrows it. He's 50%tile for weight but 95%tile for height! Apparently we make long, lean boys.

This month I hosted a playdate at our house. B was a charmer and enjoyed watching the other babies.

The Jump-a-roo has been a baby favorite around these parts. After Xander outgrew it we lent it out to some friends. It's now been through 3 other babies and has returned to use just in time for B. I would say it's been worth the money! Benjamin is finally big enough to use it now and he loves it. It's a beast of a baby item but it's so fun to watch him jump and play in it!

Arthur and I have been trying to meet for lunch once a week. Sometimes we eat lunch at home while Benjamin naps, but since he's been fighting naps lately we've been going out for lunch. I guess there are advantages to not sleeping...

Benjamin and I started baby swimming this month. He has already started diving under the water and holding his breath! His teacher says he is a natural swimmer. Of course he is, he was BORN in the water :) It's second nature to him. Thankfully after each class he CONKS out for several hours and I get some much needed B-free time!

Reach and grab! His new favorite skill...much to Xander, and the dogs', disappointment. Benjamin's favorite toys are Xander's cars and he loves to grab Bailey's long hair. So far he has been very good with him even though Benjamin can be a little rough. The kid has an iron grip!

I cherish this time with Benjamin now as I see him growing so fast. But I'm also ready to put this month behind us. His sleep has been dreadful and I've been pushed to the brink of exhaustion. He is a very demanding baby (as babies should be) but meeting his needs can leave me totally drained at the end of the day. I know these sleep issues are just for a season, and I'm hopeful that, as we start to introduce solid foods, he will sleep longer. I also have a feeling that some teeth are on the way but I can't see anything yet. But just when I feel like I've had enough and I need a break, I come around the corner to catch a moment like this....Xander "reading" to his little brother, and Benjamin totally mesmerized. Seeing these two grow together is without a doubt the best part of my day!

So happy 6 months to our little B!!!

Ut på tur

For the last few weekends we've been partaking in a quintessentially Norwegian pastime known as "ut på tur". Literally it means going "out for a walk" and it's basically the national hobby. Especially on Sundays, known as Søndagstur, families or groups of friends will head out to the forests and mountains no matter the weather, to enjoy time together and some fresh air. Our family "turs" are borne out of complete necessity to get our mischievous toddler out of the house!

Here are some of our favorite spots...

Rogaland Arboret: A beautiful park about 25 minutes from home. The place is full of trails and different scenery around every corner. From lily ponds to mountain streams to pine forests! One of our favorite new discoveries!

Sandvedparken: City park and playground in Sandnes (about 15 minutes from our house.) There is a river running the length of the park that Xander enjoys. There is also one of the best public playgrounds in all of the Stavanger area here.

Tananger Barnahage: School playground across the street from our house. This is our "go-to" spot when we need to get the toddler out of the house ASAP! We can even see the playground from the top floor of our house!

Our house in the background

Hafrsfjord bru: Gorgeous neighborhood beach under the bridge that connects Tananger to Stavanger. The day we went was VERY windy (as your can see by Xander's hair in the picture below.)

Benjamin - 5 months

5 months already! Its been a rocky month full of highs and lows but at the end of the day you've truly multiplied our joy (...and divided our sleep!)

Shortly after returning from Texas we went for a walk to enjoy the beautiful weather. It was just a walk, like any other. Except it was something I had been dreaming about doing since I was pregnant with Xander. My back has been so bad, up until this point, that going for a walk around a lake that I had previously been able to run (multiple times) was out of the question. I must admit, I took about a million mommy/Benjamin selfies to commemorate the occasion. And I was tearing up with happiness behind my glasses. It was a lovely moment to share with my baby.

You started rolling over while we were in Texas. It seems like every time we're around Nana our kids hit these developmental milestones! While you really enjoy being on your tummy during the day it is at TOTALLY different story at night.

We've had to stop swaddling you now that you're rolling. Your brother didn't start rolling at night until about 6 months so he was pretty good already at rolling back and forth. You are great at rolling back to belly but not so great going the other direction. And once you're on your belly at night you're PISSED and awake and that's not fun for anyone! So to get us through this transitional stage you're sleeping in a sleep suit. It's super padded and helps keep you from rolling in your sleep. It looks ridiculous but it does the job!

TOES! This is a stage that Xander skipped! Not really sure why he was never too interested. I think babies playing with their toes are the cutest things EVER! You've been trying for a week or so to figure out how to reach them, and one morning I'm getting ready and I see this....VICTORY!

5 months is such a transition time for babies. I feel like the drive and motivation to move kicks in before they have the motor ability to do so. So it results in a lot of frustration! You've been sitting in the rock-and-play or the newborn seat on the Tripp Trapp when we're all in the kitchen but they both recline which you're no longer a fan of. You're not quite able to sit up unassisted, but I think YOU think you are! We've put you in the high chair seat a few times and you seem to enjoy sitting up MUCH more!

Trying out the Jump-a-roo for the first time! You seemed more interested in chewing the toys than actually jumping though :)

Much to Xander's disappointment, you've started showing a strong interest in whatever he is playing with. Lucky for you there are plenty of monster trucks with squishy rubbery wheels on which to cut your teeth.

My sweet Benjamin. I love your feisty, determined personality. I'm not seeing the laid back, easy going demenor that seems to be more steriotypical of a second child. But it seems like we don't make chill kids. However, your cuddles and easy giggles make my days joyful. I can't believe you've been a part of our crazy circus for 5 months already. We love you so much BenBen!