Another Weekend::came&went::

Hard to believe how fast the weekends go. I feel like having Fridays off makes them go even faster.

Friday morning we planned to sew with Tiffany & Charley. We ran some errands first and started our sewing. My needle broke and I didn't have anymore so that didn't last too long.

Charley just loves Bentley. They played in the living room together for quite a while. She would bring him toys and then take them back as she realized maybe she would rather play with them; specifically her favorite baby doll. She climbed in her car at one point and was yelling "Bentyeeeee." Tiff and I could not figure out what she wanted, but soon realized she wanted him to ride with her. They didn't quite fit all the way in there with the 2 of them, but they didn't seem to mind and Charley was just happy that he was next to her.

Here a few pics. They were so intrigued with eachother I had a hard time getting good ones.

We left around lunch time because Brandon called. He has been working very hard all week last week on putting together a bid for a big job, and found out friday morning that they had the lowest bid and were awarded the job. He was super excited so we went out for a celebratory lunch with Jake, Andrea and Wesleigh.

Saturday Bentley and I hung out at home with Auntie Jenna. Brandon and Robert did a rabbit hunt with some other buddies. We pretty much laid low all day although we did venture out to Meijer in the afternoon. Bentley's bottom teeth are super close to poking through; we can even feel defined bumps on his gums now. He is putting anything he can get his little hands on in his mouth. Jenna had bought some melon so we put it in his little mesh food thingy and he went to town. He would get excited about chewing on it and flail his arms and then cry cuz it would fall out of his mouth. What a ham!

We are all relaxing today. I have done a bit of sewing, and we are watching NASCAR at Phoenix.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and has a wonderful upcoming week!

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley

::Practicing::

Bentley is starting to master the ever so lovely art of fake. He's got the fake cough down pat, and is now working on the fake cry. He has a really really rediculous whine when he doesn't want to be set down or wants to be picked up - and if he gets mad enough, he is mastering the fake cry with tears and all. We know its fake cuz as soon as we pick him up he smiles. STINKER!

Here is a video of his whine. We are sure he is just practicing for when his Grandma's and Great Grandma get home, he is pretty positive it will work on them! :)

(ps, watch his face when Brandon coughs - he is starting to startle alot more at different noises - kind of cute!)

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley



tHanKfuL*

I was gently reminded today how fragile life can be, and how often we take simple things for granted.

We had a customer bring in a newborn onesie (which to me seems really tiny) for her new niece who wasn't born yet. She knew that her sister and brother in law were going to name the baby Mia, so that is what we embroidered on the onesie. At 27 weeks, the mothers water broke, but the doctors thought if she stayed on bedrest, she would be able to go another 4 weeks or so.

The auntie of the baby was in today to pick up the onesie, and said that the baby had been born. She is TWO pounds, 11 ounces - but breathing TOTALLY on her own! She still has a feeding tube, and an IV but they are hoping to have the IV out in the next few days. She will be at Spectrum for another 6 weeks they think.

What a miracle - GOD IS GOOD!

It made me stop and realize how lucky we are to have had a perfectly, normal and totally healthy baby boy. Never once did we have to worry about his breathing, his wieght, or having a feeding tube. We got to hold him as often as we wanted, for as long as wanted (they get to hold Mia for an hour a day).

What are you thankful for today? It is something you normally take for granted?

::almost::HALFWAY::

Hard to believe that in 2 weeks from Monday our little prince will be 6  months old!

Time has flown by, and we look forward everyday to new things to come. What a miracle and a blessing Bentley continues to be to us. He is such an amazing little person, it's fascinating to watch him grow and develop, and we look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for us over the next few months!

We are feeding Bentley by spoon, 3 times a day now. He just can't get enough. :) He really loves fruits the most: Bananas, applesauce, pears, peaches and he even gobbled up some prunes the other day! He likes green beans, squash, sweet potatoes, mixed veggies. He isn't so sure about avacados, and he gagged on peas. He is more like Brandon everyday, but there was no doubt in my mind he was brandon's son when he gagged on his peas! :)

We have recently stopped swaddling Bentley at night, because he has started to roll over.

He seems to be most comfortable on his belly - face down. I had to sneak in the other night and snap a few pics. We are thankful that he is a good sleeper, but face down has been a bit of a test for us - well should I say Me. He doesn't usually wake up at night anymore, not even a wimper for his pacifier. I, on the other hand, am awake about every hour, trying to turn his head and making sure he can breathe. No matter how many times I turn that little noggin, he turns it right back: nose in the mattress. Brandon reassures me that he is strong enough and big enough to move if he can't breath; I guess the mother in me wants to believe him but just can't quite yet. Maybe another month or so and I will be ready for him to be face down. In the meantime, I guess I get a bit less sleep! :)

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley

Contagious

 

what a contagious little laugh! :)

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley

Happy Valentine's Day!

This afternoon, Bentley and I decided we better make some Valentine's treats for Daddy! :)

Since Bentley isn't much help in the kitchen yet, he played with his toys in his high chair.

 He is learning how to take his pacifier out and put it back in; but usually it doesn't go back in the right way. It's funny to watch him struggle with it, he is very persistent.

 Our cookies for Dad, before we put them in!

We had some leftover dough, so I thought I would make some extra heart shaped cookies...well needless to say, they got a little big and lumpy. It is the thought that counts, right?

 Happy Valentine's Day, Daddy! :)

This mommy is super lucky to have the two best Valentine's in the whole world! :) Words cannot begin to describe the love we share as a family. We can't wait for many more years together and to watch our love grow more and more each year.

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley

Like father...like son...

We had another great weekend, spending time together as a family. We didn't do a whole lot, but staying home and playing with our boy is all too fun and rewarding! The more time we spend together as a family, the more similarities I see between Brandon & Bentley. They are more and more alike every day in their actions, they're reactions to things, they're likes and dislikes. It's almost scary that such a little person can be so much like his daddy at such a young age - but scary or not, I wouldn't have it ANY other way! :)

Friday morning we played in the tub for a while. We are ready for him to sit up on his own so he can actually play with his toys and splash around more. He is getting reallllllly close, but once in a while he faceplants. Hopefully soon!  

I had to work Friday afternoon for a bit, so Bentley came along until Brandon finished up some stuff and he came and picked him up. When I got home, they were sitting on the couch telling each other stories. Bentley smiles the biggest when his Daddy talks to him - they are gonna be best buds, I can tell.

This picture couldn't be better proof of how much these two are alike: full bellies means its time to get horizontal and relax. Of course about 5 minutes into it and they are both snoring away. Precious.

Saturday we ran a few errands and Bentley gave us our Valentine's Day gift a few days early: a 3.5 hour nap! Brandon and I took full advantage of it and took a nap too! It was amazing.

We had made plans to go for dinner with Jenna & Robert at Salt & Pepper, but we got there and they had a 50 minute wait. So we ended up at Bdubs. Bentley sat by Auntie Jenna for a while, and tried to grab at everything within reach. When our food came, we put him in his carseat and he cashed right out.

 When we got home he got his second wind and thought maybe Dad should help him practice his "driving".

 Being a goof in his exersaucer

 This poor little butterfly bends, therefore she gets chewed on alot.

 Mmmm, nummy!

 So Happy - and way past my bedtime! :)

This morning we went to church and came home to relax. After lunch, Brandon decided he should have some ice cream, and of course, he had to share. But only a little bit. He's not a very good shar-er, but he is always the first to ask for a bite of whatever I have if he thinks he might like it.

P.S. - notice Bentley's belly...again...just like his daddy! :)

 "where ya goin with that, Dad? I wasn't done!"

 Someday, Bentley, you will learn, Daddy does not share his ice cream. :) If you are anything like him, I am sure you won't share yours either!

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley

[moms]

A friend posted this link on their facebook page...and I found it very interesting, and encouraging so I thought I would share...

http://www.incourage.me/2011/02/the-why-of-encouragement.html

Have a great rest of your Thursday. Tomorrow is Friday! :)

Making Progress...

Well, last night was a bit better than the night before - YAY! Bentley was fussin around a few times in his crib, but nothing like the night before. He did get up to eat once, which isn't normal for him, but after that he went back out and slept the rest of the night. :) Hopefully tonight goes even better yet!!!!

Like I mentioned, we think he gets pretty spoiled at daycare with Ms. Vickie! :) Tuesday morning I was getting ready for work and he just wanted to be held so he could sit up and see what was going on. Well, as usual, I was running a bit behind on getting ready and holding him was not an option. I was forced to get creative - and boy did it work! :) He LOVED the sink, and smacking his hands on the faucet had to be one of the funnest things ever! I texted this picture to Brandon and he said: wait till he turns the faucet on!! Well, hopefully I can get a few more mornings out of him before that happens.

5 months old already - can you believe it??

ready to head over to Ms. Vickie's for another day of fun! :)

We have no weekend plans, so far. Hoping to find something fun together to do as a family. :) And hoping to maybe take some 5 month shots of Bentley. Stay tuned...

Love, Brandon, Kelsey && Bentley

ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZ......or not...

It's nights like last night that I wish sooooo bad that grandma's and grampa's were in town. And it's night like last night they are probably so thankful to be gone! :)

Bentley must be teething, because he has not slept for more than an hour or two at a time in the past 3 or 4 nights. He cries to go down at like 7ish, but when we put him in his crib, he screams bloody murder. This lasts for a few minutes, and then he falls asleep. Last night this was not the case though. He was awake screaming about every hour, hour and a half and would have to be rocked back to sleep. Finally at 5, I brought him in our bed, and what do you know- once he snuggled up to his daddy, he slept for 2 hours!! I know this is a habit we don't want to get into but at this point, if he sleeps in our bed, I am willing to have him in there, for a bit at least.

I dropped him off at daycare this morning and warned Vickie that he may be quite a fuss. As I am saying this, he opens his eyes and starts smiling and laughing out loud at her. I am starting to think he likes her more than me! She didn't seem bothered one bit that he might be a fuss, she scooped him up, kissed him and told him how excited she was to have a great day with him. I am so thankful that we found her - he really does well there and even goes down for naps in his own pack n play and without crying! (Again, another reason I am convinced he likes her more.)

We are keeping on the tylenol every 4 hours, but please help us pray these teeth come thru soon...if that's even what it is! A few more sleepless nights like this and I am going to be ready to admit myself to the looney bin... :) On the other hand, I did feel pretty "put together" this morning when I was dropping Bentley off and another Mom showed up with her two boys and told Vickie and I that she had driven all the way to work this morning only to realize the kids were still in the backseat! OOPS! I guess as Moms, we are entitled to space out once and a while. :)

Hallelujah this looooooooooooooong week is half over!!!!!!! HURRY UP FRIDAY!

SuperBowl Sunday!

What a fun, relaxing weekend with my boys! We didn't do much at all, in fact, only left the house once on Saturday and never left once today, but it felt great! :) Bentley has a bit of a cold so he seems to be a little bit under the weather, so it was nice to just stay home and let him relax too.

Saturday we did sneak out for a bit and have lunch at Logan's with Dad and Uncle Alex. This is a normal Saturday thing for Daddy and the boys...but Bentley thought maybe he should attend this week! :)  

Who knew pulling on Uncle Alex's beard could be so entertaining? Well, at least for Bentley, I am sure Alex didn't think it was very entertaining! :)

Of course, Uncle Alex can't hold him without teaching him at least one thing that might make his mom cringe. I think this picture explains itself!

Woke up this morning HAPPY HAPPY! :)

Watching the super bowl with Dad! :)

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley

Snow Day!!!

On Wednesday we had quite the snow storm and I didn't go into work. Bentley and I relaxed and cleaned the house all day - and of course played quite a bit! Here is a video and some pictures of our day!!!

Bentley's new "word" - almost every morning when I go to get him out of bed now, this is how he greets me!

this was the drift out our front door on wednesday morning. unfortunatly I had to shovel it so Tanner & Jayda could get out. It took me about 35 minutes.

playing in his high chair while mommy does some baking! always always happy!

quick catnap in my swing while mommy cleaned.

Ms. Vickie (the new darycare lady) must spoil him rotten because he doesn't nap for us anymore. Unless we drive him around we can only get about 45 minute naps out of him at a time. I won't complain though, at least I know he getting spoiled at daycare! :)

Love, Brandon, Kelsey && Bentley

A Visit to Grammy and Grampy's!!!

A few weekend ago we took a quick long weekend trip to Florida so Grandpa & Grandma Slagh could see Bentley! :) It was Bentley's first time flying - and of course he did GREAT! He slept a little while on the way down and a little while on the way home, but he had much more fun playing with Daddy and laughing at the people across the aisle. Here are some pictures of our wayyyy too short weekend, although we did have a fabulous time!

Bentley with Grammy & Grampy

 testing out the pool - grampy had the heater on, it was warmer than the air!

on the way home we had all 3 seats, so Bentley got to sit in his own for a while

And here is a video that I got one day of Bentley while he was supposed to be napping. Of course, since he was at Grammy's, it was laughed off! :)

Love, Brandon Kelsey && Bentley