banksy birthday

Surprise visit to ABQ jump! They now ask every day if we can go back.





Waiting for Daddy to come home to open presents is always so torturous, but makes for a happy boy when the time finally comes.

Brothers.

Sailboat for the bathtub. He asks to take a bath 3 times a day, so it's really perfect for him. And it's not plastic so I love it!

Famous "smile, Banks" pose.

Somehow we don't have a picture of the cake which is really too bad since it was one of my greatest masterpieces... ha! I made marshmallow chocolate cake (which tastes amazing) but Banks wanted a t-rex on top so I washed some of his plastic dinos and plopped them on top. Poor kid! Next year I'll have more energy. He didn't eat a bite of it anyway, he was too busy playing with his toys. Overall, despite my lack of energy, I think he had a very happy birthday. Kids are really pretty easy to please.

Happy birthday to my sweetest little 3-year old muffin. You are an absolute delight and I just love you to pieces.

It is such an interesting experience to be the same amount pregnant with this baby (their due dates are one day apart), and knowing that I was exactly this far along when Banks was born. Funny thing too, is that this baby is already nearly twice the size Banks was at birth. He will always be my tiny little snuggle muffin, sweet and small but so strong. I can't help but wonder if I will start to let him grow up more when I have a new baby to care for.

oh, hello there!

The kids cried for a tree house recently, so we improvised (having no trees in our yard). This picture will sort of tie in later. Oh and Benson is dancing and that face is a happy one, believe it or not.

I'm pretty sure I completely forgot I have a blog this week. So sorry, little blog. You have been so neglected.

Remember how I'm going to have a baby? He's supposed to make his appearance in 3 weeks. And because those three weeks are just sooooooooo not tiring, I think I'm going to move before then. Yes! That's a great idea! Let's pack up my house and move it in 2 weeks, just for fun!

Really hoping some extreme nesting kicks in pretty soon and I can get going on that whole putting the entire house in boxes thing.

But all complaining aside, we are really excited. Benson wished for a tree for his birthday and he's going to get it. There's even a lilac bush for me. Ben will bike to medical school, and I will only be 9 minutes from the fabric store, instead of 26. We will be a bit cozier than we are now, but I'm hoping the whole zen, uncluttered, essentials-only picture is really as lovely as it sounds.

So, big changes ahead for us, blog! Which probably means that you will continue to feel the sting of neglect for a bit, but I'll try to pop in more often.

xox, Cat

i forgot to mention..

that Ben got accepted to medical school!

You know, at the beginning of the application cycle (clear back in June of 09) I tried to convince Ben to not even apply to our state school because at the time I was so lonely for green I thought I might die. I thought he would surely be accepted to at least 3 schools and that we would have our choice of green locales in the East. And all of this would happen by November.

ha.

Life doesn't always go as I plan, and I guess this was a good lesson. We have been waiting for months and months and months for word of acceptance and it has been a very annoying time for us. I can't say it was challenging, because really it's just a career and we have all been healthy and happy and this pregnancy has gone SO much better than anticipated so I really cannot complain, but it has certainly been annoying to wonder what our future holds.

BUT now we know and we must say ten thousand times a day, "I'm/you're going to be a doctor." I'm just so excited that I can have a plan now. I'm such a nerd... nothing makes me happier than a life plan. And so we are now (genuinely) excited to be citizens of New Mexico for 4 more years.

And how nice of UNM basketball to get really good just in time for us to be really proud of Ben's alma mater. :)

waiting

(Benson at the front door, asleep in Daddy's jacket and hat, waiting for his car to turn the corner)

There is no one in the world these boys love as much as their daddy.

All day long they wait

and wait

and wait

for the garage door to open so they can greet Daddy with hugs and stories, and "come see this!"es.

I used to feel a little jealous, but now I just feel lucky.

Lucky my kids have a dad they love so much, and who loves them back even more.

And lucky that I feel the same way as they do.

There is no better sound than the low rumble of the garage door opening.

brought to you by sunday afternoon naps and guard duty

2 types of popcorn + one really terrible movie somehow still = the perfect friday night in

Have you seen Where the Wild Things Are? Worst. Movie. Ever. More than once I wanted to just turn it off and just read the book already. Maybe you liked it better than I did, though?

little perch

Thanks so much for all the nice comments and constructive criticism. We would have never noticed that hand cut off (although the elastic bugged me too), the bathroom flooresqueness (wow, good word!), and even the overexposure. And if you feel the need, scroll down to number seven and notice the absence of a particularly annoying light and banner. I'm learning.

Number 2 is the winner (which, for the record, was my favorite) and will hold its place of honor over to the right on ye olde profile.


We've had some rather murky weather of late and I've taken advantage by cozying up by the window and feverishly working on a little something for the wee one. I have to get it done before he comes because after he's outta there I'll lose my little perch for the cable stitch holder, and it's ever so convenient to have it so close at hand, resting comfortably on baby's bummy.

let's take a vote

EVEN though I promised my friend Alison I was not going to put pictures of my pregnant self on my blog, here I am. We took the photos after we realized the other day that I don't have a single photo of my belly when I was pregnant with Banks. And although I felt a little weird pretending to be a model in front of the whole downtown crowd Saturday night, I know someday I will be glad I have something to document this time in my life. Anyway, Ben and I cannot agree at all on which I should choose for my new profile picture. So I leave it to you, dear readers, to vote! And do vote so we can settle this. Ready, go. Oh and if you have a good reason for your choice, do share.

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.

Oh and for those of you keeping track, I am 34 weeks pregnant or 8 1/2 months. Only 6 weeks to go!

big 5

Started the day with a surprise trip to to the dinosaur museum (called NUseum by Banks)... Here Benson is showing the effects of bounding into his parents room at 6 am. My siblings will now insist that this is my payback for waking everyone up at 3 am on Christmas morning every year. Ha. This kid is my clone.


Five seconds later, he discovers where we are and cannot believe this awesome surprise! Seriously woke up in sheer disbelief that we weren't at Walmart or Target, but the DINOSAUR MUSEUM! Best mom moment ever.


Finally opening the presents that have been taunting him all day. He got a t-ball stand and bat from dad and legos with wheels from mom, and after opening he immediately forgot about his cake and ran upstairs to put the truck together.


His favorite dinosaur is the Argentinosaurus. He wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up (right now anyway).


Pretty much summarizes the day. And then the camera ran clean out of batteries. Dang it!


And this little gem is brought to you by the letter h. For how HUGE my belly looks in this dress. And don't worry... We relit the candles and tried again. Want to know Benson's wish this year? To move to a new house with a tree he can climb.

5 year olds are so fun. I can't believe I'm the mom to an almost Kindergartner. Benson woke up the next day and picked up his basketball to practice dribbling and said, "Wow, Mom! This is so light now! I guess I got bigger last night because I'm 5 now." I guess you did, buddy. I feel it too.