An Update of Sorts

Wow it's been a long time since I have done a real update on here! I guess it's hard sometimes to find time to actually write and then think of what you all want to read about! I guess I should find the time though.

So what have we been up to?! Well obviously Bennett and I were in the States for about 7 weeks total with travel time, which was quite the adventure! Since we have been back it's been a busy time but we have done a few fun things!

Also the weather here is starting to become 'summer' here! So it's getting pretty warm here most days, although it's been raining the past week. I can't wait til' we can get out to the beach and let Bennett get in the water! Last summer B was still too small to actually get in, so it will be fun this summer!

We are looking forward to Bryan's family coming and visiting in May! We are the 'need to clean and organize' so they have room for their stuff phase now. After my family left in August we started using our 3rd bedroom/guest room as storage again so I guess we need to get that cleaned out again so they have somewhere to sleep!

Other than that we don't really have anything new going on right now. Easter is this coming Sunday and that seems crazy! This year is going so fast already! We actually hit our half way mark of our tour here in Okinawa! Which means we have 18 months left here on island! That may seem like a long time, but I have a feeling it will go fast, hopefully at least!

Gosh I hope to start keeping this up better, I'm sorry it's kind of lacking. I'll include some recent pictures so it at least seems interesting!

Bennett is EIGHT Months Old!!!

Today Bennett is 8 months old, that means in just 4 VERY short months he will be a one year old. Insane. Completely baffles my mind. I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with him like it was yesterday, and the day we brought him home from the hospital like it was this morning, how is it he is already 8 months old?

Stats at Birth:

Weight: 7lbs 110z

Length: 21"

8 Month Stats:

Weight: 21lbs (unofficial)

Length: 27.25"

Diapers: Size 3

Clothes: mostly 9-12 months

Shoes: Size 3

Bennett is growing like a weed! He seriously has changed so much, and not just in weight/length but he doesn't look as 'babyish' anymore. He is maturing and I think that is what makes it kind of sad. He's not a 'baby' anymore! He can hold his bottle, he can 'talk', he doesn't sleep all the time, he doesn't have a newborn cry. He's growing up!

On March 2nd, the day we arrived back in Okinawa Bennett said his FIRST word! He surprised both Bryan and I and said 'da da' when Bryan picked us up from the airport! It was the sweetest thing in the world! He still doesn't say 'ma ma' but that's okay, his 'da da' is much cuter anyways =) He is also saying 'ba' I dont' know if he is trying to say Bella or Bottle, but either way it's something with a 'b', I guess time will tell.

No crawling yet, he wants to soooo bad, but nothing! He pushes himself up and then kind of 'swims' around but no official crawling movement. Also the 'army crawl' (maybe we can call it the Air Force crawl?) he kind of does that movement as well. If he wants something he will move himself from a sitting position to a laying down position and roll to the item! So at least there is some movement!

Bennett is eating a lot more lately! Growth spurt, alert! He takes about 4 bottles still for a total of about 32oz sometimes a little more if he wants a bottle before bed. He eats 'real' food 2 times a day at lunch and dinner, and is always at the dinner table with us so sometimes he gets food from our dinner if it's 'baby friendly'.

Now for some pictures! (also I will note that Bryan dressed him I wasn't so fond of his outfit but oh well, gotta let the daddy's win sometimes!)

Bennett is 7 Months...a little late

**This is a little late, with traveling and not getting home til' the 1st of March and then 'misplacing' Bennett's monthly stickers, I am so far behind! But at least I got it up, before his 8th month post!**

OMG how is Bennett seven months? How is it that in 5 months he will be a ONE YEAR old? This year is just flying by! I can't believe that last year at this time Bryan and I were busy planning out the nursery and just one year ago on the 25th we found out that our little baby was a boy! How has it already been that long ago?

Seven Month Stats:

Weight: 20lbs 11oz

Length: 27 1/4 inches 

Diaper Size: Size 3 Pampers

Clothes: He is wearing mostly 9-12 months he can fit in some 6-9 months still but not alot

Shoes: 3 however 2's will fit but I think they are a little snug for comfort

This past month has once again been busy and fun filled! We have spent the last month in the States finishing up our visit with family! It was such an awesome visit, and Bennett met so many family and friends who love him so much! It was such a great time introducing him to all those people, and seeing him interact with his cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles he loved them all!

Also on the 18th Bennett's first tooth started popping through! It was his bottom right front tooth (not sure of the 'actual' name). So exciting! I was sure that we would be returning to Okinawa with at least one new tooth, and what do you know our 2nd night stuck in California and it starts to pop through!! So far he has been an awesome teether! No really whiny or anything, so nice I had heard horror stories about babies teething, and thankfully Bennett does not fall into that category! He is just as happy as ever! On the 19th, the very next day his second tooth pooped up right next to his first one!

Bennett's 7th month also included trying new foods! He is a fan of french fries, well sucking on them anyways! He also tried Baby Mum-Mums and loves them! I also love that I can put him in his high chair and give him one of those things and can make dinner or eat dinner and not have to be trying to feed him with one hand at the same time! They keep him busy for a good half hour. He also tried those Puff things...not a fan of those yet, but at least he understood what to do with them, his 'pincer' grasp is really good! He did somewhat like the Yogurt Melts, but I'm not so sure they melt too well so I'm going to wait another month or so before we do those again, but he loved the strawberry ones!

Bath time is a new adventure for us! Since Bennett is sitting up all by himself now without falling over we are able to give him toys and he loves to splash and play with his little squirty toys! It's so much fun to see him play in the bath and have such a good time! It also involves us getting more wet though and usually having to change our clothes afterwards!

Now on to the pictures! Which is getting much more difficult since Bennett is more and more interested in his stickers and the things around him! But I still think they are cute =)

Bennett at SIX Months!!!

SIX Months, a HALF of a YEAR. I can't believe it. These past six months have flown by and I seriously can't even fathom that in six more months B will be a year old. It seems impossible. Some days I can't even believe that I have a baby let alone a six month old?! How did I get so old?!?!?!?!

This past month has been a busy, fun filled, full of new adventures and crazy time for Bennett! He has been able to experience so many new things and add so many FIRSTS to his 'baby book'! It's been a great time and like every month I think this one is the BEST.

Stats at Birth:

Weight: 7lbs 11oz

Length: 21"

Head Circumference: 13.5"

Diapers: Newborn were way too big!!!

Clothes: newborn were too small but 0-3 were too big

Stats as of NOW:

Weight: 19lbs 'unofficial' won't go to the doctor til' we get back to Okinawa

Length: 26"

Head: 15.75"

Diapers: size 3

Clothes: mostly in 6-9 and some 9-12 just depends on the brand.

Shoes: his Converse are size 2 and fit great but his Nikes are size 2 and they don't fit as of today...and shoes from Old Navy are size 3 and fit =) again just depends on the brand

This past month one of the most exciting things was B became a WORLD TRAVELER and got his first set of stamps on his passport!!! We left Okinawa and flew to the US on January 14th!!! He was able to meet so many family members!!! Such an awesome time =)

Bennett also is mastering sitting up and not toppling over, his big ole' head keeps weighing him down! But he is getting better and he loves to sit up and look around at everything! Bennett is such a people person and loves to people watch! He just gets a kick out of his surroundings and will laugh and giggle at anyone who walks by!

B is such a happy baby! Bryan and I are so thankful we have such a good natured, laid back baby! We seriously lucked out with one of the best babies in the world! B is such a joy and he brings smiles to everyone he meets!

Some of Bennett's favorite things include, laptops, iPhones, tvs, anything that sings or makes noise, books with colorful pictures, his doggy Bella!, being in his stroller, and holding onto something at all times! B loves to sit and 'play' on our laptop or phones, it is so cute he will start pushing the keys and he thinks it's so fun when things pop up on the screen! We downloaded a 'drawing' game on our phones and he loves to 'draw' things on the game he laughs and laughs at it! It's so very cute!

This past month B has started to eat 'solids' daily now. Before it was a hit or miss, but we have started them and been making sure he gets them at dinner time, and sometimes he gets them twice a day. Just depends on his eating schedule. He LOVES pears and carrots, he also really likes the baby yogurt, I give that to him sometimes in the morning if his morning bottle doesn't fill him up. B is still taking about 4-5 bottles a day, but he has dropped back to about 5-7oz. a feeding now, I am thinking the decrease in formula is due to the baby food he is getting.

Sleeping is still going awesome (well it was til' we came back to visit family, but it's starting to get back to normal, the whole time difference really threw him off), he sleeps around 9-10 hours a night straight through. He wakes up and then 2 hours later goes down for his morning nap which is about 45 minutes, he then takes about a 3 hour nap in the afternoon and depending on the day sometimes will take another 45 minute nap later in the evening. Bedtime is usually around 10pm during the weekdays and sometimes around 11pm on the weekends, but if he is tired he lets you know and will go to bed before his 'bedtime' some nights. B is currently still sleeping in the pack n play in our room (when we are home, when visiting family he sleeps in a pack n play in the guest room with me), but hopefully once we get back from the States we will be transferring him to his crib in the nursery.

Now for pictures!

This first one is just one of my favorite it's from the Saturday before we flew out of Okinawa so B was 5 months and 2 weeks old, but I love it and just wanted to share =)

Here are the pics taken today on Bennett's 6 month birthday! Can't believe how big he is getting!!! Also I love his outfit, I don't care if you are not into sweater vests, on babies they are adorable HA!

Already sticking his tongue out at momma!

Such a happy baby!!!

We Have a New Favorite Restaurant!

Well, in the last week we have eaten at the same little cafe TWICE. It is just that good! For us to eat at the same place more than once let alone twice in one week you know it must good, especially when it's off base somewhere!

I found this great little cafe about 20 minutes away from us down by a beach that we have gone to a few times, called Primo Kitchen, and let me tell you it is one of the BEST places to eat! It's a little quiet place located inside a little 'strip mall' type place, about 20 tables if that, and with about 2 waitresses. Even though it's small, the food is awesome!

The food is a wide selection everything from steak, pastas, risottos, doria, and soups. They also have an all you can eat salad, drink, dessert (ice cream) and scone buffet! The buffet of all that is very abnormal here in Japan, well any kind of buffet is not the norm. Most places you just order everything off the menu and that is that. 

Anyways, it's awesome food and if by chance you are ever in Okinawa make sure you find Primo Kitchen down by Toguchi Beach! You won't be disappointed!

Bryan had a doria dish with chicken and mushrooms

I had the creamy egg ham mushroom pasta

Daddy and Bennett

Cute little awnings over the salad and dessert buffet

we got a scoop of each icecream to share so we could try all the flavors!
there is winterchocoloate, caramel salt, muchi, lemon honey, strawberry, mint chip, and red bean

our Bill 2,636 Yen which is about $31