Big Moments

Jackson turned 8 months on the 27th and Ben turned 30 on the 28th! Huge moments- and I was so busy packing for Gualala and trying to get Livy's fever down (she had a 106 fever the night before we left) that I didn't even record anything.

But better late than never, Right?

Jackson is still the smiliest little guy! He grins all the time. And he is so handsome. he really does get more handsome every day.He is still a big eater. 2 packs of baby food at each meal. (Or two whole pieces of fruit or big spoonfulls of veggies in the babyfood grinder). He weighs 25 lbs. (I know he is huge.) He is starting to scoot in circles on his bum. He still has no interest in crawling. He just started liking standing while you hold his hands. He laughs when livy tackles him. He smiles when Brooke carries him around, even when he is practically slipping out of her arms. He has a great belly laugh. He has the two bottom teeth, but no others have come in. He loves to swing, especially at gualala! He loves to nurse. He pulls on his ears when he is tired. It used to make me nervous that it was an ear infection, but after getting it checked a few times, i realized that is just what he does when he is tired. He likes to blow rasberries as soon as you put a spoonful of food in his mouth. We cannot be more in love with him. Brooke still brags about him to her friends and family, it is so cute becasue I thought by now the "newness" would have warn off, but that little girl still can't get enough of him. Brooke and Livy talk baby talk to him in his face while shaking their heads, (hmmm, wonder where they get that from? :)). I wish the time would slow down so I could soak his sweet smiles in even more each day!
And for the Big Moment....Ben started a new decade!

Thirty things I love about the old man, Ben! (in no particular order)
1. He is tall.
2. He lights up the room with energy, love and fun when he walks in.
3. His red hair.
4. he loves playing sports, especially basketball.
5. his hands
6. how much he interacts and plays with his children
7. how much he loves me
8. how he doesn't care at all what other people think
9. that he loves to read the scriptures
10. he is such a great role model to his seminary students
11. that he tells stories to his kids every night, even when he is tired and still has to finish his seminary lesson. (we love the magic fruit tree stories right now.)
12. How he builds confidence in anyone he comes in contact with
13. what a great worker he is
14. that he never, never, never speaks unkindly about anyone-even when they deserve it.
15. that he loves to have fun
16. he is so smart.
17. he is ambitious
18. he isn't afraid to try new things
19. he forgives people instantaneously
20. how much love and effort he puts into making his family his first priority.
21. that material things don't matter to him.
22. he supports me in everything, and encourages me in everything (even when it takes up a lot of his time)
23. that he always came to my volleyball matches
24. he genuinely loves to share the gospel
25. he loves to travel and see and experience new things
26. he is proactive in teaching and guiding his family
27. He makes goals and sets out to achieve them.
28. that he is an incredible writer (i keep telling you, ben, that you should write a book-maybe by the time you are 40?!)
29. He is incredibly patient
30. I love that he chose me!

I love you Ben! I could go on FOREVER With things that I love about you! Thanks for being so Awesome! We love you! Happy 30th birthday! Can't wait to go to Monterey!