Benjamin's 2-year stats

Weight: 26 lbs. - 25th percentile

Height: 36.25 inches - 90-95th percentile

Head: 20 inches - 90-95th percentile

(In other words, he is a living bobble-head doll! I think he is the cutest!)

His current favorites are bugs, trucks or trains or cars, his dog costume, Elmo, books, football and basketball, bathtime, balloons, and anything he does with Daddy :)

Right now, he is eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, yelling, "Sawah! Sawah!" to get me to turn around and say "What?" He figured out my name a few weeks ago and when he is very insistent that I listen he will use my first name. The funniest instance of this was when he was supposed to be sleeping one night (even after I had gone to bed) Bram heard him yelling, "Sawah! Sawah!" Bram went in and found him standing in his crib, completely naked, smiling and laughing. Oh, this is truly my child :)

He is a joy to be around. I can't believe he is already 2-years-old!

As he would say, "Oh Happy Day, Benanin!" (That is, "Happy Birthday, Benjamin!")

Life as we knew it...

...has changed forever!

Snapshots of life around here...

The last few weeks around here have been interesting. Between first trimester sickness for me and snifflies for all of my guys, we have been fighting cabin fever! I have felt a little more like a human being today than I have in the last 6 weeks, so I guess that's why I felt like blogging :)

Christopher is 7 months old today. He is making a lot of developmental changes of late. I wager he is about 2 weeks away from crawling. He gets up on all fours whenever he's on the floor and now lifts one hand to reach for things without falling to the floor. He is realizing he can communicate with us. The last few days he has mastered the art of laughing to get attention. He also exerts his will in eating. If he doesn't like what I'm feeding him, he will say "rah, rah" with a very disdainful look on his face, then refuse to open his mouth. I shouldn't laugh, but I do :) He also continues to grow in his love for Benjamin. Whenever B comes around, Christopher lights up with a smile and has a ready laugh for the simplest effort on Benjamin's part.

Benjamin also continues to grow in kindness towards his little brother. He now tries to make Christopher laugh and if Christopher drops something, B will run over to give it back to him. I am encouraged by even the smallest form of affection that Benjamin shows to Christopher...this is an answer to prayer! Benjamin has been making many developmental changes, as well. He talks up a storm, though only about 50% is intelligible to anyone other than Bram or I :) His first 3-syllable word was "upside-down" which comes out more like "ut-side-doon." He is still working on saying the "k" sound, so words like come and cup are pronounced pum and pup, respectively :) He is able to identify about half the alphabet by saying the sounds of the letters thanks to the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics toy. But if you ask him to find any given letter he almost always can pick it out. He is learning how to jump and one of his favorite activities is to run around the house and announce "I fast!"

I have to pass on one funny story. The other day Bram came home early from work to help me with the boys and make dinner. He arrived before Benjamin woke from his nap. We usually have to wake him up - he is a prolific sleeper! - at 4:30. Bram went up and called to me, saying, "Sarah, you have to come and see this. Bring the camera!" I went up and this is what I found:

Yes, that is Benjamin in his crib stripped down to his diaper with his PJs on the floor. 

At least he kept his diaper on...Thank God!

Baby Lillard #3!

The big brothers!

Yes...we are expecting our 3rd blessing from the Lord sometime in August! We will have a busy house with 3 little one's under the age of three. Benjamin will be 29 months old and Christopher will be 13 months old when the baby is born! I will be a very busy momma. 

Here's a question for everyone. Should we find out the sex of the baby? I have always been the hold out for it to be a surprise and Bram has been very gracious to go along with me, but he really wants to find out this time. What does everyone think?

Christmas decorations

Hi all!

Sorry about the blog silence for the last month. As most of you know, I have been dealing with some health issues, and though I'm still in the midst of the trial, I am dealing with the pain and fatigue better. Thank God!

For the past few days  I have been buzzing around the house decorating for Christmas. I have heard myself explaining that this is for Benjamin, who this year is able to comprehend what is going on. To be honest, though, it's as much for me as it is for him. I love this time of year. Every time I look at the tree or the other decorations around the house, I am reminded to thank God that He sent His Son to earth to live a perfect life and die as the atoning sacrifice for sinners like me. This entire month is an outward celebration of that glorious truth that we live in each day! I hope that God gives me the grace to not just pass along a love for a season, but a love for the savior this season celebrates. Amen!

Christopher's 4-month check up!

Here are Small Fry's stats:

Weight: 15 lbs. 9 oz. (75th percentile)

Height: 25.5 inches (90th percentile)

Head Circumference: 16.5 inches (50th percentile)

He is growing beautifully and developing a little ahead of schedule on some things :) This child wants to sit up so badly that he will try to do a sit up anytime I lay him on his back. He is almost rolling over, so I have to keep an eye on him all the time. We are going to try some rice cereal tomorrow, so I will post photos soon!

The past month

The blog has been the last thing I have thought about all month. Between two teething children and my own health issues, it's been very difficult to get even the most important work done around the house. It hasn't been all whining and grumpiness, though :) Here are a few highlights!

This videos is my favorite from the month:

Here is Christopher (or Small Fry, as he is known around here) having a deep conversation with Aunt Jenny and Auntie Chloe!

We also took the boys to the Harvest Party (our church's Halloween alternative) and had a good time despite the tears at the beginning of the evening :) Benjamin was a little freaked-out by seeing the kids he knows in weird costumes...hehe! Here are some pictures:

(Our little Puppy!)

(Playing the matching duckie game!)

(Trying to climb into the game!)