The Early Days of Benjamin Jack Williamson

Share This Album

2009-11-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

Share This Album

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving 2009. Steve ran a 10K, I cooked the turkey, and Ben watched Buster when he wasn't watching Madagascar.

"November 2009 Fun!"

2009-11-14T11:13:00.000-08:00

"November 2009 Fun!"

Check out our most recent pictures!!! Ben is quite the little boy.

2009-11-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

Ben on Halloween this year was never short of having fun! Although there was no nap involved throughout the day (we tried for 2 hours to lay him down) Ben still managed to participate in the neighborhood carnival, hayride, and he even lasted well into the night to pass out candy to the around 200 or so trick or treaters we had - no kidding! We had so much fun! Ben at the end of the night! He was just so tired he passed out on the dining room floor.

Ben passing out candy!

Mommy in her pink lady outfit!

Mommy and her T-Bird ben passing out candy.

Papa and his fellow T-Birds.

Ben and Papa on the hay ride!

Close up.

Our family...this was pre-pink lady for me. I actually had a mask and called myself a mom gone mad. That's seriously the truth.

Ben playing musical dots at the neighborhood carnival.

The cutest T-Bird ever!!

Ben's first costume - Thomas the Train.

Making a bag for the pinata candy!

Sweetie pie.

Our house all decorated for Halloween!

2009-09-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Three years-old and the cute-ness doesn't end! Ben continues to grow exponentially - both physically and mentally. While he hasn't gained any weight - he stays around 40 pounds, he continues to grow taller and he's about 3 and 1/2 feet tall. He has an amazing vocabulary and can explain to us how he feels using so many descriptive words. This is very helpful to all of us! Ben is sleeping through the night and usually sneaks into our bed very early in the morning. It's fun to wake up to him - he's like a little heater. That's it for now! Enjoy...

Incredible Young Boy

2009-06-11T10:08:00.001-07:00

We had a fun week visiting with Auntie Rachel and Baby Taylor aka T2! Ben and Auntie Rach...so sweet!

We visited lots with the greatest new Mommy: Maikke and her 5 -day old girl Mira and super chihuahua Cocolee...we need some pictures of Papa Lukasz too...

Ben celebrating the big 3 with mama and papa at home.

Ben is growing up so quickly. As a mother, this fact is bitter sweet - probably the same for all parents. It's bitter because that once so helpless infant is no more; but sweet because he's asserting himself as an incredibly capable, independent, and strong boy. I am in awe of him and want to take in these times as much as possible.

Ben looking like a big boy....

Ben playing with Taylor. Ben says Taylor is good at sharing. :)

Baby Mira! She is so beautiful...

I thought these flashback pictures of Ben were so interesting! Take a look back and think about how far he's come! After seeing our great friends Maikke and Luk become parents, selfishly - I know, it's made me reflect on Ben. Baby Mira was born on June 1st around 3 pm - almost exactly 3 years after Ben. It was hard not to look at sweet Baby Mira without thinking about how fast the time has gone!

Check out the changes below!!!

Ben right after the birth - giving the lungs and vocal chords a test.

When I was still able to smile instead of groan in pain or hallucinate. :) Point to note: Ben wasn't out yet!

Little wrapped up button brain.

Ben has had a hard time adjusting to his new classroom at his montesorri school. But who can blame him for that? He's been in a toddler classroom for the last year with his teachers Lia and Claudia. He loves his teachers very much but because of his age, he is moving to the next class - preschool one. His teachers say he is more than ready. There is more space in that room and its more for kids his size. In our teacher conference, Lia said Ben is very smart, and very outgoing. I know he'll get used to it but it's difficult to watch how difficult the transition is for Ben. He's otherwise one of the happiest children I know.

This video shows how much fun Ben can be! He is so fun to be around.

Ben playing with newspaper.

Ben is Three Years Old!

2009-06-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

Ben with mama and papa at a celebration for his number three! We had many little parties to celebrate this momentous birthday!

Ben with Papa cheezin' for the camera!

Ben being goofy!

Looking very serious!

With his friend Taylor!

Ben at the San Francisco Discovery Museum...

Ben is three years old today! We are delighted to see Ben growing. He is the master of gross motor skills: this kid would probably skate board right now if I let him. He loves to stare at skateboarders for hours and watch with true fascination and envy. We have asked many skateboarders when they started and 5 years old seems like the earliest. No way to the skateboarding says this mom! For now, Ben shows great athletic potential. He is super fast on the bike and very daring. He truly has no fear! Ben speaks so many words. He has amazed us with the words he chooses to use; saying such things as, "This is delicious," and, "Please can I have more broccoli." Seriously! Ben melted my heart when he said, "Mama, you're the bestest friend ever!" He has repeated this and even told Steve it too. We'll take it because it just melts my heart! He is fascinating to watch and I fall more and more in love with him everyday. He is a great son. His "Papa" and I feel truly lucky. What else can a mother say.

Ben riding his bike in the neighborhood.

2009-04-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

Ben getting angry at almost 3! Notice the smirk as he's gliding backwards on his tricycle. So sweet! We love him so much and can't get enough of him. Thanks to Uncle Luk, Auntie Maikke and Couin CoCo-Lee for coming over and helping us load these videos! They are awesome.

Ben and Mommy singing a familiar tune!

2009-04-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

Ben's favorite song with Mommy and at school...

Ben at the Park!

2009-04-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of Ben at the park throwing the frisbee! He almost hits Uncle Luk in the face. Yeah! It works.

Ben at Christmas in 2008

2009-03-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

Ben on a Hike after Turkey Day!

2008-11-29T15:38:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving but Ben demanded going on a hike to burn off some of that extra turkey he ate! So, we went on a hike and had lots of fun with Auntie Luk and Uncle Maikke. :) We certainly had a melt down, as two year olds usually do, but we still had a blast on the trail.

2008-11-29T15:36:00.000-08:00

We figured it out!!!

2008-11-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

We finally figured out how to get the new camera's pictures to upload correctly so we can

upload them to the website! I am so excited. You may have seen these pictures already --- but if not, here are some pictures from Halloween: spiderman was the coolest, the fall season, school, and other good times. Our little man is growing exponentially! The doc said he is in the 90th percentile for everything!!! He's continuing to amaze me with his speech. Even saying such things as: Mama, I'm angry with you. SO CUTE!!!! Though, there was nothing for him to be angry with me for, I figure this is just a taste of what's to come! He also knows all of his colors and occasionally counts - 1, 2, fee, for, 7, 9. We're getting there. :) Enjoy!

Chocolate: It's something the whole family loves!

2008-09-05T22:41:00.001-07:00

Yep. Chocolate is clearly a hit around our house and Ben loves it too! We got a kick out of him running around on a sugar high with chocolate all over his face and pretty much up his nose. It was so funny. Recently, we went to the California State Fair. It was fun, but very hot! Ben had loads of fun but showed us that he "talks" a lot, but can't really "walk the walk" when it comes to animals. He loves to read about cows and pigs and chickens and horses and more cows; but then when he finally gets to see some, he gets scared and timid. Apparently, animals are a lot more scary in person! We had a great time regardless of Ben's timidness around the animals. Plus, due to being a mom I am a germ-o-phobe now so I'd rather he not touch the animals anyways!

So sweet!

2008-08-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Ben continues to show that toddlerhood is a terrific time of discovery in life. He is starting to collect things and shake his head fearlessly and say, "NO!" if you try to take away his things. "Things" can be anything: blocks, trucks, cars, spoons, bark, to name just a few. We continue to be amazed at his personality. He really is so sweet and just wants to play whenever he's awake. Here are some very recent pictures. Enjoy!

Possibly the best pictures ever!

2008-08-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, so seriously. Does every parent think their child is the cutest thing ever? Well, if so, then I am with the norm because check out the pictures of him in his Spiderman helmet and elbow/knee pads! He is the sweetest thing this side of the Mississippi! Of course, the next cutest kid is the one brewing in Auntie Ju-e's belly! Yes, she's expecting her own little one! Ben will be a cousin. I can hardly believe it still! Well, these pictures are are from us just hangin' out over the latter part of the summer. Ben certainly loves corn on the cob! We've had some changes lately...Ben's no longer on summer break! He started Montessori school and is doing really well. They say he's always "so good" and "on his best behavior." Hmmmmm....what happens between school and home, we'll never know! But, we're glad he likes school. Mommy is back to work with a job teaching 7th grade Language Arts, Social Studies, and Journalism. To my delight, the school I am at is AWESOME! I really love it and I am very thankful to have gotten a teaching position during this rough time for public education in California...pass the budget, would ya?!?! Well, enjoy these pictures because I think they are some of the best! More to come soon because my goal is to update the blog more often....like at least once every 2 weeks! :) Gotta start with something realistic.

Ben is 2 Years Old --- and he gets a visit from Auntie Judy and Uncle Larry

2008-06-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Ben is a terrific two-year old! Constantly moving and talking when he's awake...and even in his sleep! You can tell that his memory is growing because he likes to tell stories that he remembers from a while ago! Such as, when Papa stepped in poop and at the baseball game when the ball hit the television in the box seats. It's amazing to watch him learn and be able to communicate so well.

The pictures in this blog entry are from his birthday party, fun in the hot summer sun, and from Auntie Judy and Uncle Larry's visit! We had so much fun!!!! We went to Napa, a baseball game, and got to hang out by the pool. Having them here was so much fun that Ben still talks about them! He says, "Aunt Ju-e go bye-bye." It's so sweet...

Ben at Nearly 23 Months

2008-04-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

Ben is certainly a little man. There's no stopping him now and you better not try or there'll be trouble! We're extremely happy that he's taking a liking to baseball but watch your knees because he'll wack you hard with that swing. We've been kept busy lately but have been having tons of fun. Some of these pictures are from when we went to the Children's Museum; hanging out more with our nearest Wisconsin neighbors: Maikke, Luke and Coco (Ben is crazy about her! He's very good at saying her name.); and hanging out at home. Enjoy!

Ben at Nearly 22 Months

2008-03-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

Ben is almost 22 months! I know I say it every entry, but seriously, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!! He is going to be 2 soon and I am not ready to say his age in actual numbers. That's ok because I'll just continue to say his age in months and confuse everyone! Well, my sadness over his growing older is natural, so I hear, and it's actually very fun and incredible to watch him figure things out. He climbed out of his crib a few times so we had to put together the toddler crib. He loves being a big boy and got used to the bed right away. He is so independent and such an individual. He doesn't like to be told what to do AT ALL. I don't know where he gets that from. :) As you can see from the photos, we've been having lots of fun playing with yogurt, toys, tummies, sitting like Mommy and Papa on the couch, wearing sunglasses like Mommy,playing footsie with who ever is willing, hanging out in Maikke and Luk's new backyard in Palo Alto where he managed a big ol' bruise on his head (that was quite a fall...I'll never forget the sound of that "ker-plunk"), and generally growing up so big and strong. Lately, his favorite thing is a "mogey" a.k.a. a popsicle. Those 2 year old...excuse me...24 month old molars and coming in so the mogies feel good! Enjoy the pictures!

Ben at 20 Months!

2008-02-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

Ben is starting to say things clearly enough that we know he's copying every word we say! Time to clean up the language or you owe a fee to Ben's college fund! As you can see, Ben has discovered my shoes. He is definitely my son! We've been doing lots of things during this winter season including: watching lots of football, reviewing the election returns, doing the dishes, playing in the backyard and at the park with Buster, trying to run Buster over with as many mobile toys as possible, reading books, saying the word FISH, going for walks, mopping the floor, and growing bigger and bigger everyday! Enjoy the pictures of Ben at 20 Months...

Ben is busy at 19 Months!

2008-01-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

Ben's a very busy 19 month old! It's amazing watching him grow and learn to speak more and more everyday. He says things like: da ball, milk, eat, you. He even pointed to my bag and said, "you milk!" to tell me I had the milk bottle in my bag! As he grows taller, his weight remains steady at just under 29 pounds. He's such a sweet little guy whowants to play with things that make noise and talk on his new cellphone! Yep. He has his own...toy of course! We've been getting back into our schedule and trying to get healthy after the holidays. Here are pictures from our Christmas celebrations in California and Madison, as well as pictures from New Year's with the Chester-Billings clan. We had so much fun over the holidays!

2008-01-14T16:09:00.000-08:00

2008-01-14T11:07:00.000-08:00

2007-12-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

Ben's officially 18 months old! He's also officially 29lbs, 4oz and getting taller everyday. We are having so much fun with him and time goes by way too quickly. Here's what we've been doing: Visiting the zoo, standing on the dishwasher door, redecorating the house, pulling on Buster's tail, coping with MRSA, writing lesson plans, taking depositions, cutting teeth, playing with friends, going on walks, standing in the grocery cart, throwing tantrums at any restaurant, eating lots of goldfish, veggies, and peaches, and much more I'm sure! Here are some pictures from our Adventures with Ben! Enjoy!

It was "Ninja" Ordinary Halloween!

2007-11-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

Halloween was so much fun this year! Ben dressed up as a ninja for halloween and was quite the escape artist! He ran away from everyone during the daycare Halloween parade around the block and tried to evade us while in the haunted house at the Children's Museum that very same night. Such slick ninja moves! Nonetheless, we had a blast watching him take in all of the Halloween hoopla. Some of the pictures are of him in his ninja garb complete with weaponry. Other pics are of Ben hanging out in the backyard after school one day and us just before we left for school one morning.

Ben is now nearly 17 months old. He's starting to point to things and say what they are called....as far as he can tell. Therefore, most things are called, "DAAAA!!!" Too cute! Last at the doctor, he weighed 29lbs,9oz and was 30 and 1/2 inches long. He's fitting into 12-18 month clothes and you can tell it won't be long until he'll need 2t! I can't believe he's a REAL toddler now! Hope you llike the pictures.

2007-10-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

2007-10-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we had an interesting trip to Chicago for Grandma and Grandpa Graetz's 60th Wedding Anniversary. I wish I could use a different adjective like wonderful or exciting, but it was interesting and certainly memorable. Ben ended up catching a virus that landed him in the hospital to be treated for dehydration. Here are some pictures from that experience. It was very scarey and something I never want to do again. I have even been hesitant to post these pictures, but it was an experience we'll never forget and therefore, I'll never let him forget it! I ended up catching the virus too so I can attest to it's icki-ness. The good news is that we're back in Cali now and we're all getting better. More coming soon...

Ben...the dancer?

2007-08-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Ben is such an incredible joy lately! He's starting to speak a language. Not english, but it's certainly a language with inflections in his voice and hand gestures to make his points. It's really the cutest thing ever. He's becoming such a little man now. I can't believe how time flies! We're finally getting adjusted to all the new changes in our lives. Mommy is now working full time as a teacher (8th grade) and so he's at daycare for long hours during the week. But, he loves his Nana and is always so happy when I pick him up! We're enjoying our time together now so much more since we're apart during the week days. As you can see from the pictures, his hair is getting lighter as he gets older....and lately his eyes look a little darker! It makes me wonder if he's going to be a blond with brown eyes! It's the craziest thing I've ever seen! I guess all things are still up for changing. But, even though no one believes me, I was a blond as a youngin' so who knows what'll happen. Well, that's it for now. Hopefully I'll figure out how to upload a video onto here so you can see him dance! He loves to dance and is so good at it. You can see him warming up and stretching in one of his pictures. Yes, he's a natural. Definitely a trait from his mom! No offense Steve! :) I know we haven't been in touch lately so Email if you get a chance: daniellewilliamson2003@yahoo.com. Love Ben's Parents

Entering Toddlerhood....

2007-07-29T12:24:00.001-07:00

Our little Ben is definitely a toddler now! He's running us ragged and at the end of the day is even exhausted himself! He sleeps through the night now and takes a good nap during the day. It's hard to believe but I can't remember the last time he woke up in the middle of the night. Amazing! We've been doing so much lately so I haven't had much time to post. These pictures are from various activities that we can do with him now that he's a big boy. We went to the Stockton Children's Museum a little bit after his 1st birthday. He loved it! There is a ton of fun things for kids there including a real, live police car and motorcycle. He loved those! And, a big play house where kids can play with real, live house hold items like stoves and refridgerators. He had a great time there. Then we went to a wedding in L.A. for our friends Pete and Gwen. That was so much fun and Ben was quite the ladies man! He even took spoons on the dance floor and showed people how to use them in a dance routine. He's really innovative. At the end of the night, he fell right to sleep in Uncle Son's arms. So cute! Then we have pictures of him in his favorite green pj's (thanks Jami!). So sweet! I've got more pics to upload and then will be coming soon! Stay tuned...

Big One Year Old Boy!

2007-06-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like the early days of Benjamin Jack are becoming the later days because he's ONE YEAR OLD! Ben turned 1 yesterday and he is certainly becoming a little toddler! He's starting to walk and is able to stand on his own for a long period of time. He's also able to communicate with us using his voice and the baby signs we've been diligently trying to teach him. All the while we thought that the sign language was a flop. However, Ben knows the sign for dog (panting loudly) and he even did the sign for bottle or milk yesterday! It's amazing to watch him learn.

We've been very busy lately so that's why it's been a while since the last post. We went to Eugene, Oregon for Auntie Rachie and Uncle Shane's baby shower. We drove with Ben and Buster and to our surprise they both did wonderfully on the car ride. There was no whining despite the long drive. We had so much fun there! Then we went for a visit to the Mad-town where we saw lots of family. He did so well on the plane ride. It was awesome. Here are some great pictures of our adventures lately and the big boy growing up! Happy Birthday Baby Ben!

So sweet!!!

2007-04-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

What a sweetie. I couldn't resist taking some pic of him just wearing his onesie that his Auntie Judy got him! Look at those legs!!!! We're still into crawling around , pulling up, and banging on stuff but lately we love to look at ourselves in the mirror. He must know how cute he is!

A Little Man

2007-04-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

Ben is becoming such a little man! He's really into anything that is electronic and the dustier or dirtier the better. I've even caught him with his little hands in Buster's food. Hmmmmm...sounds pretty manly to me! :) Ben loves to smile and show off his seven teeth - four on top and three on the bottom. I believe that more on the horizon here as we are having some teething symptoms today. He's not walking yet, but he's getting his center of balance even standing on his own without holding onto anything. It's pretty cool to watch him practice his balance.

The pictures are from us hanging out lately. We had some visitors over the weekend - some old friends from Madison, Uncle Son and Uncle Dan. We had fun when they visited - Ben loved hangin' out with the guys. Well, Ben wants to bang on the laptop here so I better go. More to come soon.

Crusin'

2007-03-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent photos of Ben doing all of the things that grown up babies do! He's walking along furniture, feeding HIMSELF things like cheerios and bananas, and he likes to bang his hands against everything. I think he likes the sound it makes. A couple of the pictures on this post are from when his friend Issac came over one night to play. It was really sweet to see them together and I think Ben was a bit jealous at first. He didn't know what to think of his parents giving attention to another baby! But he got over it and they played well. Some of the other pics are of Ben with Buster before we went on one of our daily walks to Victory Park here in Stockton. The three of us walk every morning after Steve leaves for work. It's been beautiful here, especially in the morning so it's fun to enjoy it with Ben and Bus. I think Ben really likes the walks. He uses the front tray of the stroller to pull himself forward as we walk and his hair always catches a little wind. I always shout to him, "I'm the king of the world." He looks at me like I'm nuts. But it's very Titanic like. He's so cute when he does it I just melt! Yep, I am officially a dorky parent. Well, enjoy the pictures. They are some of our favorites!

Ben On The Move

2007-02-22T15:47:00.000-08:00

Ben's been on the move. Crawling everywhere and following us from room to room. It's really weird that he can move on his own now! We've been fighting the flu this week but we're getting through. Starting from the bottom up, we've got some pictures from when we visited Grandma Laurie, Auntie Debbie, Uncle Bob and Matthew and their newest addition Rusty. Others are of us just hangin' out day to day. Enjoy!

8 Months and Growing Strong

2007-02-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Ben will be 8 months tomorrow! It's amazing how time flies. We are having so much fun with him as he's growing. He's very independent and enjoys playing very much. He loves music and even rocks back and forth to great hits like, "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and, "The Rainbow Song." He'll even beat any object that's around him with his hand to capture the beat of the song. What a rockstar! He's crawling around now so we really have to watch him! At first he crawled backwards and scooted his cute little butt around. As of yesterday he started moving forward and discovered that the hard wood floor is easier to maneuver on than carpet! He'll do his best to get to the hard wood floor now! It's so cute.

These pictures are from various things. Starting from the bottom, we have Ben with his Auntie Noopie when we hung out one Saturday. Next we have a few pictures from our trip to Monterey one weekend. We had such a great time! I took him for a long walk while Steve was in his Conference and we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There's a picture of us in front of the Deep Sea Tank! He laughed very hard at the Sea Otters and tried to eat seaweed. All in a day's work! Next, we have pictures of us just chillin' at home. He loves to play with his Dad. It's so sweet to watch. Finally, the last few pics are from Super Bowl Sunday where we got all of the kids born around the same time from Steve's firm. Lots of pics and lots of fun! Enjoy!

Pictures from My Trip to the Mid-West for Christmas and New Year's!

2007-01-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

We had a blast during our trip to Chicago, Madison and then back to Chicago over the holidays! Ben met many, many people and was really happy the whole time! He is such a good baby. There was hardly any crying on the plane. We discovered that he likes rhythmic noises. For instance, when we tapped the window on the plane he loved it! He seems to love music so we try and sing and dance as often as we can. The picture at the top of this posting is of our family reunited and in California after we returned from our trip. Well, Steve's taking the picture, but Buster, of course, couldn't come with us, so we missed him very much! We had a great time reuniting with him and it was fun to see Ben's reaction. He was trying to pet Buster as best he could which basically meant banging on his head. Buster doesn't seem to mind! The other dog in this set of pictures is Winnie, our newest doggie niece who resides in Washington, D.C. Winnie really liked Ben's carseat so he let her hang out in there. He didn't seem to mind. He's pretty easy going. There are so many pictures of people that it will take too long to describe them all. So, email or call me if you have any questions about people. We had so much fun seeing everyone and can't wait to do it again!

Pictures from My Trip to the Mid-West for Christmas and New Year's

2007-01-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Pictures from My Trip to the Mid-West for Christmas and New Year's

2007-01-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

Pictures from my Trip to the Mid-West for Christmas and the New Year!

2007-01-10T10:49:00.000-08:00

Ben's First Pictures with Santa and Santa's Helper, Ben at Daycare, Ben Being Cuter Than Ever!

2006-12-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

Mustaches, Snow Suits, & Teeth

2006-12-11T09:24:00.000-08:00

6 Months!

2006-12-06T07:56:00.000-08:00

Ben is turning 6 months on Friday! He had his 6 month check up at the doctor where he weighed in at 19lbs 9oz and measured 28 inches. This kid just keeps growing! He's so healthy and is starting to squeak randomly. If he feels like squeaking, oh, he will! It's so fun to watch. The pictures below are some random ones. Some pictures that probably didn't get posted when the blog site was down. Auntie Katie came to visit and we just loved having her! Hope you enjoy!

Just Hangin' Out in My PJs!

2006-11-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hoping this works! Baby's First Thanksgiving!

2006-11-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

This Posting is Way Overdue Part 2

2006-10-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures from our adventures with Ben lately! I don't know why I couldn't get anymore pictures on the last post...oh well! We climbed the Buttes near Eugene...a butte is not quite a mountain but bigger than a hill...yes, it was awesome! When we got to the top I was exhilarated and Benjamin was hungry. Yes, I am breast feeding at the top of the butte! The other pictures are of us just sitting around and when we caught Buster on the couch. Bad Doggy! I think he's finally had it and is starting to act out a bit. We've been giving him extra good loving to make sure he's happy. The pictures of the three babies are at a law firm picnic. Remember the picture from way back of the three of us pregnant at the baby shower for Steve? Well, these are our three babies. Rowan on the left, Ben in the middle, and Issac on the right. Give me a break! How cute are they???

This Posting is Way Overdue!

2006-10-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted on the blog! We've been busy but that's no excuse! He is getting bigger everyday and doing new things. It's so much fun to watch. He rolled over today from his belly to his back! I was so excited then I realized that he's becoming mobile and this could be bad...he's about to be on the move! He also likes to smack his lips together like he's eating. So I imitated him and he proceeded to laugh and laugh. We played this game for about 20 minutes!

We went to Eugene, Oregon a few weekends ago and had a blast! We visited our friends Shane, Rach and Maikke and Luk! And of course, Coco, or as I like to call her, Coco-Ro!!!! She is so sweet. Oregon is GORGEOUS!!!! We went via airplane! Yes! I did it! He did it! We succesfully flew. The hardest part was getting from the car to the airport as we parked in overnight parking and didn't have Steve or anyone around to help us! But, I managed. People are pretty nice to you when they see a baby it tow! Here are some great pictures from our recent adventures....And some just from home.

The Black Hole

2006-09-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since I've put new pictures on the blog! We've begun a new chapter in our lives with Ben in day care and me back in school, I guess I forgot to blog! Whoops! Well, he's growing exponentially and is turning into a REAL toddler right before our eyes. It's really an amazing and undescribable experience to watch him grow. He LOVES daycare and Nana (the wonderful lady that watches him) so much. Everytime I go in to pick him up he's smiling away and being adored by all! We are so lucky to have found such a wonderful daycare for him. Even though it's hard to be away from him, I am really enjoying school and can't wait to be a teacher in the real world. Ben is already 16 pounds....and he's only 3 MONTHS OLD!!! To give you a little perspective, I was 17 pounds at a year old! He's our linebacker...our little monkey...our Stewie (as in the Family Guy)...our little wonderful man! He's starting to grab onto things with a fierce grip and is just about to roll over from his back to stomach. He lifts himself up to a 45 degree angle when on his stomach. It's so awesome to watch. And, he drools all over the place and is constantly putting his hands and whatever comes in contact with his mouth IN his mouth! Even my earrings have gone into the 'black hole!' Enjoy these pictures!

2006-08-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

Another Baby Shower?!?!?!

2006-08-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Gregg's family threw me another baby shower...even though I wasn't there...neither was my Mom and Dad! Wanna know how? They sent me a video tape with the whole shower on it. They decorated with balloons and banners and opened presents and had cake! It was all on the video tape. My mom and dad opened each present after the person giving the present wrapped it on the video...without giving away what it is! We had a great time at the shower. Check out the pictures! Steve got a little tired from 'muscleing' through all those gifts and it seems the family knew that he would so they sent us a paper fan! It went to good use. Buster even opened a present; with his teeth of course. Gotta go, I have to eat now. My mom will type now.

Thanks for letting me take over Ben! We've all been pretty sad around here as our great friends Rachie and Shane have left chaotic Cali and gone to Eugene, Oregon. I know I can speak for Steve too, when I say that it SUCKS that they left. But we're proud of both of them and happy that they get to leave the constant traffic and 'busy-ness' of the Bay Area for a more sane kind of lifestyle. And, it helps that I know we'll see them soon. We spent lots of time together before they left. I even took Ben and Bus down to spend the night last week...without Steve! It was a fun adventure for just Ben and me. It' the kind of thing I would have been so afraid to do when he was first born, and now I am enjoying more and more taking Benjamin places. We captured lots of great photos from our time with Shane and Rachie (Rachel is the pretty girl with Ben in the hat!). If they are reading this, which I doubt they are, WE LOVE YOU!!!!

The other pretty lady in the pictures is Auntie Christy was here to visit from New York! She was so good with Benjamin, and even though he spit-up all over her, you can see the love on her face. So sweet! We miss her too!

Mostly, I enjoy being a mom so much. It is the most amazing, challenging and important task I have undertaken in my life. I enjoy sharing this journey with everyone in my life. Whether or not they are a mother or father themselves doesn't matter; everyone we know has been incredibly supportive. I had no idea what an incredible journey motherhood would be. I am so lucky and so very happy with my family.

Smilin'

2006-08-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

Benjamin is so incredibly sweet and adorable! Just look at him! We are so in love, it's incredible. He gets bigger and bigger every minute and it's truly amazing to watch him grow. He's been smiling more and is so alert at times you can almost see his little brain working through his big eyes

We've been busy with visitors and visiting people ourselves! Benjamin had a blast meeting Grandma and Grandpa Williamson (Marc and Marcia...steve's parents) and Steve's niece, Amanda. We were sad to see them go, but I think they were glad to leave the 'desert.' We sweat blood and tears trying to enjoy each other's company in the record breaking HOT weather at 113-115 degrees outside. But we managed! It was a great time. We went to Berkeley and San Francisco to visit for a couple of days and escape the heat. Benjamin had his first experience at Union Square. We sat in the park and took in a little breeze. That's where you'll see him on a black mat on the grass. He makes the most hilarious faces. Check out the pictures with the Williamsons. We miss them!

The next pictures are of when Benjamin went to his first professional baseball game and if Steve has anything to say about it, it will be the first of many. The next pictures are just some best of the best pictures I've taken lately. He's so photogenic! :) More pictures to come soon!

Mommy...why do you keep putting me in the bouncer?

2006-07-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

Benjamin is 6 weeks old tomorrow and I CANNOT believe it! He is starting to grow quickly and I am really trying to take in these times when he's just an infant because of how fast it's already gone by. However, just because he's growing big and strong doesn't mean he likes the bouncer or swing yet. The two pictures of him in the bouncer are when I put him in there against his own will! You can see on his face that he is glaring at me and asking me why I keep putting him in the bouncer even though he yelps and cries everytime I do! I am holding out hope that he'll get used to these devices someday. We had our 4th wedding anniversary last week which was wonderful. My mom came to babysit while Steve and I went out to dinner at a yummy restaurant in town called Alder Street Market. It was so yummy and the wine flowed very easily down my throat! We had a blast and found ourselves talking and thinking about Benjamin the entire time. We couldn't wait to get back to him and see him. It's funny how parenthood completely changes what you discuss with your spouse! So, the pictures of Ben with Steve and me are from the night of our anniversary celebration and the sweet picture of Ben on the couch just in his diapie is from when we were chillin' out from the heat yesterday. It was 110 yesterday! Well, more pictures to come soon...

I met my Wisconsin Family!

2006-07-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

Benjamin had a busy week last week! He met his Bumpa (my Dad), his Grandma Libby, Auntie Judy and Uncle JB (who wishes to be called Unc). We had so much fun with them and we didn't want to see them leave! In fact, the night before Judy left, Benjamin was so upset he cried for about two hours straight. Thus began the crying spells he has at night, but we are able to calm him down for the most part and help him go to sleep. Benjamin also had his first bath...the official bath in the sink. He is so cute and I don't have to tell you that certain parts of his body are just the sweetest things you've ever seen! You can see that from the picture! The other pictures are mostly self explanatory. There's my bro, John or Unc, and my sizzler, Judy or Auntie Judy, my mom, Libby or Grandma Libby, and my dad, John or Bumpa. And the newest roommate who needs no introduction and is in ALL the pictures, Benjamin!

Benjamin is now five weeks old and is getting bigger every minute. Last doctor's visit he weighed 11 lbs 9 oz and was 23 inches long! What a sweet heart he is!

He keeps on growing!

2006-07-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some really cute pictures of Benjamin. We have been having so much fun with him. And, lucky for us he's starting to sleep more steadily...from 11-3:30 and then from 4:00-6:45a.m. It's quite nice! He's becoming more and more aware of his surroundings everyday, even looking at us in the eyes and responding to the sounds of rattles and bells. He still really likes lights! He's not so fond of the swing chair or bouncer, but hopefully he'll like those more when he's older!

Most of the pictures speak for themselves, but the ones that don't: A picture of my friend Carol's son Luke holding Benjamin, Auntie Rachel and Benjamin and then Auntie Rachel holding Benjamin while Buster peed on her foot (Where did that come from? But it was hilarious!), and Grandma Laurie holding Benjamin while she stayed with us and helped us out! Thanks Grandma Laurie!

Dad is back to work

2006-06-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

We're all a little bummed around here. Steve had to go back to work today. But it's been a wonderful 2 weeks with him around and he has proven that he is a wonderful Dad! Here are some great pictures from his last official day on paternity leave. Benjamin sure is going to miss having his Dad around 24-7 (and so am I)!

Father's Day 2006

2006-06-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Steve's first Father's Day was packed with fun...but we were exhausted! I was warned by a nurse at the hospital that I shouldn't have caffeine or chocolate while breast feeding and now I know why! On Saturday night, Benjamin was officially up all night. It was 'h-e-double-hockey sticks' on us! In thinking back I realized that I had ice cream with chocolate chips in it on Saturday night and that caffeine must have really gotten to him! So, I have vowed to live a life without caffeine, without chocolate and limited amount sugar for a while. I'll sacrifice those things for just a little more sleep! That way I can enjoy every moment with this squirmy wormy (second nickname). I am taking the advice of my sister Judy's boyfriend Larry and have started to drink mass quantities of chamomile tea. Larry's sister did it when she had her baby and apparently it calmed her baby down a lot and helped aide with sleep. Well, on Sunday night, Benjamin slept great! He slept for 3-4 hour stretches all night and I got about 10 hours of sleep myself. Life really is better when you sleep! And last night he slept well too! Thank you Larry for the chamomile tea advice!

Back to Father's Day...Here are some pictures from the special day! Here is the moment when Benjamin finally fell asleep after a long night of 'partying' at his crib. :) He fell asleep on his Papa's chest! How sweet. Later in the afternoon, Grandma Laurie, Grandpa Greggy, Auntie Krissy and Cousin Heather came to visit. Each took a turn holding him and giving him lots of love! It was so sweet. They are smitten with him! It was lots of fun to see them and Benjamin was really content! Of course, he slept the ENTIRE time!

We went to the doctor today and Benjamin already gained 1lb 2.5oz from the last doctors visit! He weighs 9lb 10oz....90z above his birth weight! He also grew 1/2 inch and is 21 inches long. No wonder my arms feel like they are gaining serious muscles. He is such a big boy and is growing everyday! We are so proud.

Benjamin is a Week Old!

2006-06-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

Wow...Benjamin is a week old! I can hardly believe it. He seems bigger already! He is very alert at times and sleepy at others and as far as we can tell, he loves daylight. He is already good at holding up his head when he's laying on his tummy for 'tummy time,' and he already rolls himself over to his side! We had to buy a styrofoam baby sleeping roll-over blocker to stop him from rolling over in his sleep! So, we are adjusting and things get better and better every day! We are having so much fun with this little man! Last night was the first night he slept for 3 consecutive hours a few times in row. He slept from 6:30-9:30p.m., woke up to eat, slept again from about 10:30-12:00a.m., woke up to eat, and then slept from 1:30-4:30a.m, and then woke up to eat. After that, Steve took over so I could sleep until about 8:00a.m. Honestly, what a blessing that was! So that means I got a bunch of sleep! I feel like a new woman!

Benjamin has had a few visitors already! Our friends were here to celebrate Rachel's graduation (she's Dr. Rachie now!) and they delivered us a mountain of food and had a great time meeting lil' Benjamin! The picture of him with three lovely ladies is him with his Aunt Nicky, Aunt Rachel and Aunt Maikke. They put a fake mustache on Benjamin and we came out with a 'gangsta' shot, complete with the east side gang sign...yes, we put the 'stache on him, but he added the gang sign on his own. Do I spy an improv actor in our midst? :) The other pics: Benjamin was jaundice when he was born so we had to put him on a uv ray light; that's the picture of him sleeping next to a glowing light. Then, we have him in his swing looking like a little munchkin! And last but not least we have him in his b-ball outfit that he got from his our friend Catherine and baby Jordan shoes from his Uncle JB; complete with the look of watching the ball go in the basket! Benjamin is a natural in front of the camera!

Benjamin is Here!!!

2006-06-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

As you might have noticed, I haven't posted anything for a while...frankly, it was on purpose because I had been waiting for Benjamin to come! And FINALLY, Benjamin Jack Williamson is here!!!! Benjamin was born on June 8th at 6:32 a.m. He weighs 9lbs 1oz and is 20.5 inches long and is just the sweetest thing ever. Here are some wonderful pictures for you to enjoy. More coming soon of course. We are getting along well with this new little guy and it seems everyday we are learning more and more about how to be parents. With VERY little sleep to account for in the last 4 days, we are all still making it! Hopefully as sleep becomes more abundant, I'll be able to tell a little more about the labor itself. But since Benjamin is sleeping, I have to go catch some zzzzzzz's. Enjoy the pictures! These are from his first moments out of the womb...we love our little alien-head (first nick-name)!