Monday, September 29, 2008

Disney Studios- Day 1 (Revised)

Here are couple pictures of our fully furnished cabin where we stayed! It was a really nice cabin....which included a full kitchen where the housekeepers even washed your dishes for you! The back wall with the quilt houses the murphy bed....where Caleb and I slept.
This is the bathroom....Ben slept here! It was impossible to sleep in the same room as him, so we all compromised our middle of the night bathroom runs for some peace and quiet!
We got to see the Beauty and the Beast show!


Below is a picture of MeeMom and PopPop:

Uncle Andrew:
Quick stop to visit Loria on the west coast:

We ended the night with the Fantasmic show- a must-see! It is a huge lights and laser show to classical music (hint: Fantasia, anyone?) My favorite part was when they lit the water on fire!
(Ben slept through the entire second half- fireworks and all!)

AUNTIE DAWN!!!

Let the Disney Posts officially begin!

As most of you know, we just got back from our Disney World trip with MeeMom, PopPop and Uncle Andrew (My mom, stepfather and brother). We started the trip last Thursday and made it back home the following Thursday. We were able to break up the trip by stopping at Jacksonville, FL to visit my best friend from high school- Auntie Dawn!

This was her first time meeting Ben....but she was a natural and Ben instantly LOVED her. She is only about 2 1/2 hours tops from Orlando, so it was a perfect place to stop going down and returning.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! We had not figured out how to sleep in the same room with Ben, yet....so he was a little LOUD the first night. Also, on the return trip, little grabby hands got into Dawn's cabinet and broke her toothbrush holder. We still need to super-glue that for her =0)

I was also able to pick up pictures from Dawn that were taken when we were in high school. They are coveted pictures and I can't wait to get them scanned in so that I can take a trip down memory lane with my friends!

Hope you enjoy the pics!



Welcome Haydn Lane!

Our friends Stephanie and Chris had their little baby boy while we were in Disney World.
He was born Monday, September 22 and weighed 7 lbs, 15 ounces and was 20 inches long.
HE IS SO CUTE! I can't wait to meet him Wednesday!



Congrats! You guys will be AMAZING parents!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Sneak Peeks!

So many pictures left to download or to get from my mom. But, I thought it would be a good idea to upload a couple of pictures from our trip to Dsiney World. We just got back this afternoon (and we're all getting over a nasty cold). We had a wonderful time and will be forever grateful for this experience. Ben was a wonderful baby the ENTIRE trip. If his little personality was any different, there is no way we could have gone on a trip like this! The weather was beautiful and the food was delicious. And what's even better.....we have a three day week-end where we are ALL off so that we can have a vacation from our vacation!




Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Broken Toe?

I just about broke my toe this past week-end.....right before our trip!

I was literally running around the house, singing and dancing, cleaning one bathroom and then the next, when my singing turned to screaming (and a little cussing!). I ran full force into the wall....don't ask! I really thought my little toe was broken. It is bruised and hurts, but I think I made it out alive with all ten toes!

Ben has started to eat more and more "table food". I pulled out the food processor that I have had since our wedding (4 years ago) but have never used. My friends Chris and Kristin had to show me how to use it....again, don't ask!

Ben has a "gag" reflex. We're working on that....but he is getting SO much better at eating chunky food! No teeth yet! (My dentist said he was still considered "normal") hehe

We've been really busy lately....packing and cleaning and holding our breath. Ben was exposed to Hand, Foot and Mouth last Monday but never got it (See! Daycare pays off sometimes!) The doc said the window was 3-6 days after being exposed. We're past that. YAY! (Knock on wood!)

Getting really excited about Disney!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Bee Keeper Hat Sent Back!

We sent the "Bee Keeper" hate (as Caleb likes to call it) back because OBVIOUSLY it is too big. I don't know what I was thinking when I ordered the 6-24 month hat. I should have bought the infant one to begin with!

But, I couldn't resist posting the pictures of him in it....because he is just too darn cute =0) to me!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I Don't Care What You Think About My Hat!




His smile is contagious!

Not Enough Time In One Day....

I've been a little "busy" lately.

I started my new position at work (which I love) because the days are just flying by (even during the not-so-busy time of year).

But, I haven't had time to think or plan about much else. We are supposed to go to Baltimore this week-end, schedule phone interviews, pack for Disney and get the house on the market....among many other things....and within the next 7 days! Yikes! Fingers-crossed...

Saturday, September 06, 2008

New Blog Friends

Our really good friends Chris and Kristin FINALLY have a blog! Kristin is pregnant and Due February 2009. Check it out when you get the chance!


Countdown to Baby Ertel

Isn't Mom so pretty:


Portrait Time

We got portraits taken at JC Penney for the grandma's.

Ben was 7 months old when these were taken last month. We just now hooked the scanner back up after painting the office:




Friday, September 05, 2008

Nothing Special In This Video- Just wanted the Grandma's to see how much Ben's grown!

GUESS WHAT I FOUND!!??!!

The cord to connect the camera to the computer! YAY for new pictures!

Ben's THAT Kid...

...He's THAT kid that spashes everyone at the pool! He LOVES to splash. Splash Splash Splash! (Thanks, Aunt Juju and Uncle Frank for the baby pool!)


I still can't believe Ben turned 8 months old this past week-end.

I love him!

Campbell Football...

We stayed home this Labor Day and worked on the final touches of the house. On Saturday, we met up with our friends Crystal & Lee and Matt & Jennifer for the first Campbell University football game of the season (and in the past 50 years).

Crystal posted pictures! I'm sure her commentary will be MUCH better than mine, so I will let her explain what it was like. (Still going to the Homecoming on Nov 1, though!)

*Edited- Crystal left out the part where Campbell ran out of water at half time! And....they wouldn't let anyone leave and come back into the "stadium". In other words....they tried to fry us all! Luckily, Ben and I LEFT and watched the game on TV at the good ol' Oasis. If I had known they were going to show it there, I probably would have never ventured to the field!

Ben's Ready For Some FOOTBALL!!!





Thanks Beach Grammy for the Jersey! Ben will be wearing it to church this Sunday (and probably every Sunday after that when the Panthers play)!!
We're not expecting anything spectacular...actually, we're all pretty nervous about the season....but don't forget Ben's lucky onesie for the superbowl. You never know...

Daddy's Helper or Hindrance??

Caleb has been very busy around the house. He re-painted our yellow room (Don't ask....it was a good idea at the time!) and finished the hardwood flooring in the living room.
Ben was afraid of the plastic drop cloth because it made different sounds when he crawled over it. It took him a while, but he figured out that the noise was not going to hurt him. Here are some pictures of Ben "stranded" in the sea of plastic:


Monday, September 01, 2008

Temporary Bad News....

We're painting the office. We had to move a lot of things that were in the office......to make a long story short: I don't know where the cord is to connect our camera to the computer.

Pictures coming soon!

Mystery Solved??

After 3 crazy weeks of Ben being sick, I had an epiphany.

I can't believe it took me 3 long weeks to figure out what was making him so sick!

I was at a play group with the girls from my Bradley Method birthing class. Stephanie was telling me about how she learned that her daughter has food allergies. Did you know that if your child's nose is running, it may be a food allergy?? I thought it was just a very long cold. It all makes so much sense now. (I put two and two together....Caleb and I did not get sick this time...we usually ALWAYS get sick When Ben is sick!)

We switched Ben's formula about 3 weeks ago. We switched to the Target Brand of Enfamil Gentlease. All along, he has been on Carnation Nestle GoodStart.

Needless to say, we SWITCHED back. Wouldn't you know, his nose stopped running, his eye gunk is back to its "normal blocked ductage" state and his poops have regulated. (I'm sure this all more than you wish to know). I just hope that this realization will help someone out in the future.

We did take Ben back to the Doc on Friday....he suggested switching to soy. I thought he contradicted himself since Ben is FINE on breast milk which is 10x more potent than regular formula. I think the logical step it to go back to what worked before. We are back to the expensive formula and I stopped taking my magnesium, vitamin B-6 cocktail. The doctors swore this shouldn't affect him, but we all know how Ben reacted to other herbal supplements (i.e. fenugreek).

I had a headache Friday night, so the cocktail obviously wasn't working anyway....not sure how to fix the monthly migraine. Open to any suggestions....