6 months!

Benjamin James - 6 months old!

Half a year old already! I cannot tell you how much happiness this little guy has brought to our lives for the last 6 months. Life just gets more fun every day with our Benjamin James! 

The cutest thing that Benjamin has learned how to do this month is blow raspberries! He loves to stick out his tongue and puff out his checks and make the funniest sounds, over and over! It is too adorable, especially when he grabs your cheeks and blows big, slobbery raspberries right against your face!

His new favorite toy is definitely Daddy's Intel badge that he takes to work every day. As soon as Benjamin spots it, he will do anything to get his hands on it. And once he has it, there is no getting it back until he has completely sucked on every last inch. Most days, Ammon ends up finding it dripping with drool. What a silly boy we have! :)

Benjamin is becoming quite the little eater! He is not picky at all and loves to try everything, but his favorite, by far, is mango applesauce. I barely have time to scoop another spoonful before he's diving toward me, mouth wide open :)

 This has definitely made it more difficult for us at meal time. Before, Benjamin would just sit calmly and quietly while we ate our food. But ever since we let him taste a few things, meal time has become his favorite time! He grabs at our food and grabs at our forks and wants to try everything we are eating.  One time, Ammon was holding Benjamin on his lap and eating his dinner, when suddenly, Benjamin's hand shot out like a flash of lightening, and he grabbed a fistful of Ammon's rice and gravy! You have to keep a close eye on this boy!

Unfortunately, eating all this solid food has been a little hard on his digestive system. Benjamin has been getting really constipated lately and having tummy aches. We have had to help him poop the last few times with a Q-tip, because his poops are so hard and big. Not fun for the poor little guy! :( Hopefully we can figure out how to help him!

I have also realized this month just how much Benjamin loves music! There is nothing in this world that calms him as much as singing him a song. Whenever we are in the car and he gets grumpy in the back seat, I just have to turn on the baby music app I have on my phone, and he is entertained for hours! Or sometimes he can be restless or playful in church, but as soon as the congregation begins to sing a hymn, he immediately sits still and listens quietly throughout the entire song. At night, we like to turn off the lights and lie him down between us in bed and sing lullabies until he falls asleep. It usually just takes a verse or two to turn a fussy, tired boy into a peacefully sleeping angel. Our favorite songs to sing him are "Eu Gosto de Ver O Templo" (I Love to See the Temple in portuguese) and "You are My Sunshine".

One day, our neighbor's baby, Alexis, was crying and crying so we sat her down next to Benjamin. Immediately she stopped crying, cuddled up to him, and grabbed his hand! It was so sweet! Benjamin looked pretty pleased with himself too. He definitely knows how to get the lady babies!

Benjamin still isn't very mobile....unless there is an iPhone within reach! He will stop at nothing to get to the bright screen!

I just love life with Benjamin James!