The Ballet

For an early Valentines, John took me out to dinner to the Tiaphoon and to see Ballet Wests rendition of Swan Lake at the Capitol Theater. He planned all this out on his own and kept it a secret from me for a couple of weeks. He told me he was making up for past last minute failures of gifts and planning (I can vouch for those like the farting Ren dog he gave me one year for my birthday). I think he is definitely on the right track now. It was a very nice evening and one I won't soon forget. I asked him if he was shooting himself in the foot because he was setting the "bar" a lot higher. He replied no.

(Pictures are not mine, but I found them online under Ballet West. Ballerina is Christinia Bennett who played Odette & Odelia in the production we saw. I also found the picture of the Capitol Theater online, when we were there it was at night and was all lit up.)

6th Grade Dance

Punch, cookies, donuts, chips, and veggies for the sixth graders to snack on.

The gym

Ethan & TarynEthan & Sydnee

Ethan & Keely

Peanut Butter and cats

So today, as I was making some lunch, our cat like always was meowing, rubbing against my legs then trying to climb up my leg to see what I had. Now of course this is a common occurance that I would normally just lightly push him away and continue on with what my task at hand is.
Well, not today. I had some peanut butter (just a teeny amount) on my finger and thought, "do cats like peanut butter, like dogs do (at least our dogs while growing up did)? I bent down, let him sniff. He didn't seem to interested, but he sat there staring at me and meowed again. So I took my finger, with the peanut butter, and placed it in his mouth wiping it (the peanut butter) on the roof of his mouth.
It was quite funny. I don't think he enjoyed it and I thought, "now he will leave me in peace". I was wrong. Once he was done he came back meowing. Did he want more? Or did he just want an ice cube to play with (yes, my cat loves to play with ice cubes and tries to climb the freezer to get his own).
So I pose this question do you have a funny experience with peanut butter and a cat?

Ben turns 5!

Where has the time gone? My baby is five today, which means come August he will be going to kindergarten. I can hardly believe it. I remember his birth clear as day and I swear it wasn't all that long ago. His birth was a bit hard, he was breech and after an hour of trying to turn him (I don't recommend, talk about painful!) it was clear that a c-section was the way we were having to go. I was really nervous and very scared. I hadn't needed a c-section with my other kids and I had only a hour to get okay with it. I was so glad that John would be at my side the entire time holding my hand, helping me do this. He had to leave for a minute, to change in this silly looking white jumpsuit, and of course that was when they started "rolling" me down to the OR. I was so nervous that he wouldn't get to me, but suddenly he was there and my fears were put to rest. In all the commotion, he forgot the camera but at that point I didn't care. I needed him with me more than we needed the camera.

After many "drugs" later, and still being able to feel pain Jacob Bennett was finally born and the anesthesiologist gave me something that knocked me out while they stitched me up (yep, stitches not staples). I don't know how long I was out, but I woke up as they were taking me and my baby to my room (yep, even had baby in my arms and had no clue). He weighed 8lb and 3oz and was 20 inches in length. That was a big baby for me, in fact he was my biggest.
Ben developed a touch of jaundice so, he had to be wrapped up in a billi-blanket. He looked like a little glow worm. Once we were released we were very fortunate that we didn't need the billi-lights anymore.
Recovery was long and painful. I couldn't lay down with out it feeling like I was going to rip apart. I slept sitting up for a long time. It really was horrible. It was hard. It was all worth it. To this day every now and again I get phantom pain at my incision site.
Ben has always been my most cuddly, and a big momma's boy (still is). We used to call him my little shadow. John would tease that the umbilical cord was was never cut.
Now, five years later, my boy is still a sweet, loving momma's boy, who has brought so much love and happiness to our family. I wouldn't change a thing. Happy birthday Ben! I love you!