Life.

for the record: This blog serves mostly as a journal for me to look back on later and see how things were going at this point in our lives. Since it's online and public, and I choose to import my blog to Facebook, you're free to read along. No hurt feelings if you don't ;)

I was reading through me old bloggeroo here and realized I haven't really blogged about Ben much, nothing too much on him since I posted he turned 11 months. To be honest, there isn't much new to report on him. I was going to try this week and wean him off the last feeding of the night (I go in to his room every night and do a "phantom" feed before I go to bed - I just get him out of his crib, give him a bottle and put him back down for the night; he never fully wakes up from that) but last night was not so fun (he woke up crying hysterically at about 4:00 and that's no fun for anyone). I don't believe I'll try it again tonight.

I am trying to get him down to 20 ounces of formula a day by the time he hits the year mark. At his 9 month check up, the doc said that's where he should be, so that's what we're aiming for. At 9 months he was eating a solid 30 ounces a day and now he's down to 24. She also told us that a few days before his 1st birthday that we can start adding milk into his formula so that when he turns 12 months, he's solely on milk. I figure I'll start that next week - I'll start adding milk to one of his bottles and see how he likes the change. If he's okay with it, the next day I'll change it to two bottles and keep diluting the formula til he's completely on milk and off formula.

He's starting to get a bit more picky on what he chooses to eat and some meal times are a bit of a battle. I have a love/hate relationship with him dropping food on the floor. When he's tired of eating, he'll pick up a handful and deliberately drop it on the ground - which on one level completely cracks me up and totally annoys me on another. He didn't care for turkey at Thanksgiving, but I honestly didn't think he would. He doesn't care much for chicken either. He does love ground beef and pretty much every veggie we've given him (minus peas - he's never liked peas and still doesn't and potatoes...he just isn't a fan, I think it might be the texture). I had a goal a while back of being completely off jarred stuff and I'm 99.9% there. I do buy baby prunes for him but that's it!

I'm busy planning away on his party. I decided to do a little circus theme. I know it's not entirely original or awe-inspiring but I thought it was fun. A found a seller on Etsy that does customized party printables for a pretty affordable price. I know I could have done all the things she created for me, but I'm not sure I ever would have gotten around to doing it, so it was worth the investment. I have so much to do between now and then - time is really getting away from me. I have plenty of time to do things, I just find myself NOT doing them. But no worries cuz Susan will be here a week from today and she'll help kick my rear in gear if I haven't accomplished much between now and then!!

I've been in a terrible funk slash borderline depressed recently. Lots of things happening in my life, both in and out of my control and it's all adding up. So many things aren't turning out the way I'd hoped and I feel often that I'm just on the sidelines looking in at every one having a good time. I try to find the rainbow in every day but some days it's quite a struggle. Like anything, this too shall pass. I do have a good life. Though we may not be in the financial position I wish we were in, I get to stay home with my baby; and it's a nice home. It's big enough, we've made a good investment in it and it's comfortable for our little family. It can even accommodate another lil one if we're still in this house by the time we're ready to expand again (which, depending on the day you ask, may or may not ever happen HA!).

Oh wow I'm jumping all over the place on topics. Back to Ben. :) He's safe to talk about. I'm positive that he's finally cutting a tooth. I wasn't going to say anything til it broke through because I feel like I've been saying he's been teething since he was 4 months old. But there is a definite white spot and a definite bump on his gums. I'm not making it up or imagining it - but you just watch. Now that I've put it out there, his elusive teeth won't make an appearance for months longer.

We took him to see Santa today. I wasn't sure if it would be a good day, he's been kind of a Senor Crabby Pants recently and today was no exception (he isn't sleeping so wonderfully recently and I'm wondering now if the aforementioned white bumpy on his gums has anything to do with it and the resulting clinginess during the day). I figured the worse that would happen is that we'd get there and come home empty handed (which is essentially what we'd be getting if we just stayed home). It went pretty much the way I expected. He bawled. It is the mostly classically priceless picture ever and it's probably one of my favorites. Santa looks absolutely delighted and Ben looks devastated. As my mom pointed out, it's quite similar to all of my childhood pictures with Santa - in some state of distress or another. Poor kid (she says as she giggles).

Speaking of my mom - thanks to all of you for your kind words over our latest news. Her doctor isn't finished fighting the fight and my mom hasn't given up yet either. If any good can come out of all the bad, it's that it's forcing us to remember to embrace the happy joys of every day. To truly enjoy every moment.

School started back up today. Nick got the same schedule he had last quarter: class on Tuesdays & Wednesday's with one online class as well. Not too shabby! I'm glad we're seemingly done with the Friday and Saturday classes (for now... we'll see what happens next quarter). He's almost done! He has this quarter and the spring quarter to go and FINISHED!!!!! We. Cannot. WAIT. It's been a long 3 years, but I'm incredibly proud of him for plunging in and sticking with it (and sticking with it with fabulous grades).

So that's it. I think. That's the news from the Idaho Beesley Household Chapter. Aren't you just so thrilled (ahhh I know some of you are ha ha)??