Obsessed with the Vacuum

Ben has always really loved the vacuum.

So when Dad trotted it out Sunday, it was no surprise that Ben perked up and followed after him to watch. He followed Mike from room to room, and I often heard Mike call out "Ben, no. Ben, let go of the cord." Hmm, perhaps we won't win parents of the year. Some might frown upon allowing your child to play with vacuum cords. (Don't worry, we had an eye on him at all times.)

As soon as the vacuum was left unattended, Ben made his way over and inspected it.

He liked what he saw! He is quite a fan.

Tupperware or Hat? You Decide.

Ben discovered the kitchen cabinets about a week ago. Mike promptly child-locked most of them to keep little hands off my vases and cleaning products. But we left a few cabinets unlocked (the ones with tupperware and kitchen towels) so that Ben could have a little fun.

And boy, did he...

I have to admit, the tupperware looks pretty good on him. He is stylish, no?

RSV

Ben had another fever on Thursday afternoon, so Friday I took him to the doctor to see what was wrong with my Chub-Chubs.

Turns out, he had not just a double ear infection but also RSV, a respiratory virus.

He has a cough and a seriously runny nose, and he is wheezing a bit. But besides the physical symptoms, you would never know he is sick. He is playing and laughing just like always.

He got an antiobiotic for the ears, and we are doing breathing treatments with a nebulizer for the RSV 3 times/day for a week. Let's just say getting a baby to sit still for almost 10 minutes with a mask over his face is not the easiest job in the world.




But after a lot of struggling, he finally acquiesced.

As you can see, he is still his happy-go-lucky self...as long as the nebulizer is nowhere to be seen.

Rearranging the Furniture

Ben must take after his Gammy, because at just 11 months he is already rearranging the furniture.


Pleased with a job well-done, he gives a satisfied grin.



Yes Ben, that configuration will work much better. Well done!

Baby Frankenstein

For the past few weeks, Ben has been taking a few steps here and there. Usually 5 or 6 steps. But in the past few days, he's started walking greater stretches. I wouldn't say he is officially "walking," but he is pretty darn close.

I must admit it is quite a thing to see your baby walking. He is growing so fast. It just blows me away. But as touching as it is to see him walking, I am usually laughing too hard to shed a tear, because he looks like Baby Frankenstein when he walks. Check him out!

Sorry, I don't know how to rotate this video. If anyone knows, please fill me in!

Foot Fetish

Ben really loves socks...and shoes...and feet. For some reason, he finds my slippered foot fascinating and hilarious.

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Where's Ben?

Ben loves to play peek-a-boo by hiding behind a blanket. Only he thinks that as long as he is holding up the blanket, he is hidden. He hasn't quite figured out that we can still actually see him. But it is a fun game nonetheless.

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These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

At 10 1/2 months, Ben has lots of favorites, but here are a few at the top of the list:

1. His walker. He loves to push this thing around. He also really loves to play with the toy on the front. The phone and the door that open and closes are the top items.


2. Dee, of course!!! He loves his doggy. Here Dee is "hiding" her treat in Ben's new chair. Hmm, clever Dee; I'm sure no one will notice it there.

3. "Eating" faces. Here he is just after putting his mouth over my nose. Oh, the drool!

4. Riding around on Dad's shoulders. He really likes being carried in general, but up on Dad's shoulders is best.

5. Riding on his new firetruck. He loves to be pushed around. If you stop, he rocks back and forth trying to make it go.

6. This little farm toy. He loves to open and close things and put things inside things, so this toy does double-duty. He dumps all kinds of things inside, opens and closes it, then takes them all out and starts again.

7. Dropping things. Here he is dropping a toy from the side of the chair. He also really loves to drop/throw his sippy cup from his highchair.

8. Socks and laundry. So here we've combined his two loves, as he "helps" me put away the socks. Notice he is wearing only one sock, as he took off the other and was carrying it around all afternoon.

Walking the Dog

Hey Dee, wanna go for a walk?

Okay, let's get you leashed up!

Hmm, these leashes are so complicated...

Alright, I think we're ready to go now!