Our Little Family Christmas

Drew, Benjamin and I just gave each other stocking stuffers for Christmas this year. Benjamin was SUPER excited about new toothbrushes, bubble bath, sticker books, a flashlight, and a recorder (we might regret that last gift...it is high pitched and he can blow it LOUD.) Kids are so easy to please. Drew didn't act nearly as excited about his new toothbrush. :) Anything else in there???

My two sweet boys.

Merry Christmas! Next Christmas we'll be a family of five! Yikes!

Our Little Man

Benjamin sang in his first children's Christmas program tonight. I would post a video except the three songs that he was a part of another child decided to stand directly in front of him. For his main song, they lined all the two and three year olds up across the stage so they could all be seen but one little girl was apparently shy and so she stood directly in front of Benjamin facing him the whole song instead of the audience. By the third song when a child three times his size decided to stand right in front of him, our whole row was laughing. He peeked out from behind her and did a motion every once in awhile. Christmas is not about being the star of the show right! :)

Here are some pictures from tonight before the show. He looks so grown up in his little sweater from Grandma Pam. Practicing his song.

Strike a pose!

Rychener Christmas

"It's CHRISTMAS!"One of 20 pictures Benjamin insisted on taking with Aunt Julie.

Trying to get Benjamin to smile and be normal for a picture is about as impossible as getting his Uncle Josh to be normal for a photo. This is his mean face and Uncle Matt's totally amused face.

Benjamin insisted on wearing one sock all night. Just because.

Benjamin likes to hold your face in his hands when he is telling you a story. Here he is jabbering to Grandma Ruth.

The boys are totally impressed by Drew's story. Ha! Fourth attempt at a group photo.

Chatting with Josh, Janelle, Johanan and Sofia. The grandparents could not wrap their mind around the Webcam. They were totally amazed by it. We missed you guys tonight!

Cookies and Candles

What are two of Benjamin's favorite things...Christmas cookies and birthday candles! Therefore, it was a good week in his book. He had a blast making Christmas cut outs. He ate way too much dough and used way too many sprinkles but it was worth the mess according to all the special people who got a delivery from Mr. Benjamin. Drew's secretaries at church melted at the site of Benjamin carrying his cookies into their office saying, "Merry Christmas. Thanks for taking care of my daddy." (I had to interpret of course because the last sentence came out quite jumbled.)And Grandma Pam had a birthday Friday so Benjamin anxiously waited all day to help her blow out her candles. And of course we had to do it, "One more time!"

Beautiful Colorado

We had the blessing of spending this past weekend in Colorado with precious college friends. We love you all and miss you.

We stayed in this HUGE cabin and had such a wonderful time.

Ah the Aspens. So gorgeous.

The boys.

Benjamin and Mama.

Benjamin LOVED the snow....making snowmen, throwing snowballs. His boots were way too small and he could barely walk so he spent most of his time doing these activities from the step.

Being silly. We were blessed to spend two days with our dear friends, past co-workers/business partners, and Royal Manor neighbors...the Newtons. Benjamin has a new best friend, Anna. Goodbyes are so hard. :)

Our little painter

Benjamin's new favorite activity is painting. (Tai, have you ever tried to convince a two year old that 'less is more' when it comes to paint? His paper gets so soggy within 5 minutes and he still wants more paint.) Most every painting ends up looking exactly the same because he mixes all the colors together to get the perfect brownish color that he is looking for. (He is really into Drew's hair paste except he won't let me help him put it on so it all ends up in one spot on his head, hence the little patch of hair sticking up in these photos.)

Thanksgiving in Texas

Enjoying sweet Sofia. Benjamin kept imitating all of Sofia's little noises which was quite funny. Johanan is so stinking adorable. Drew had just pulled his pacifier out of his mouth for this picture and the little Houdini pulled another one out of who knows where before I could snap the photo.

Early Christmas presents from Aunt Janelle.

Sweet baby.

Johanan in his daddy's hat. This kid is such a daddy's boy.

Cute little comb over.

The boys being boys.

Johanan in his Pops' hat. I'm ready for Alaska!

More sweet Sofia.

When is cousin Benjamin leaving again? Why does he keep putting stickers on my face?

Ooooooooklahoma

Benjamin kept stealing my neck pillow on our road trip. Every time he saw me with it he would say, "Mama! Benja's neck pillow." (He can never quite say the 'min' in Benjamin)

Benjamin had a blast picking up pecans at Grandma Babe's house. He didn't want to stop.

Drew, Benjamin and Grandma Moser (a.k.a. Grandma Babe)

Exploring Papa Bill's farm. Benjamin saw 'baby cows' that he talked about for days.

Grandma Peggy and Papa Bill

Benjamin was so tuckered out on Monday right before we left for Texas that he fell asleep like this while we were all in the kitchen talking and getting dinner ready.

Baby

Benjamin has been talking to, patting, and kissing my belly ever since we told him there was a baby inside, but his fascination has tripled since he saw the ultrasound on Friday. The whole way through the ultrasound he whispered, 'Baby...Hi Baby...love you Baby...Baby brother.' (No, we did not find out what we are having but he thinks it's a boy.) He is so excited about this baby, probably since we have been prepping him for a sibling for a year and a half now as we wait for Eloisa to join our family. (When we first told him there was a baby in my belly he thought the baby was Isa. So confusing. Poor kid.)
Now, when we are watching a video, he has to have his head resting on my stomach and his skin has to be touching mine or else I get in trouble for pulling my shirt back over my stomach. Every so often he will turn his head and whisper, 'Hi baby' and then pat my belly.