Instead of

Today, instead of getting stuff done, Ashley came over and we went shopping. She told me to post these pictures with a special note to Nicki that says, "haha, I'm hanging out with Ian."

Ian loves that Aunt Ashley's hair is so easy to get to.

Yesterday I learned that Ian isn't very good at sharing, yet. Just after this picture he started screaming.

He and Atticus kept themselves busy while Melanie and I made bebe food.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! WE LOVE YOU.

Elephant walk

Today we went to see elephants walking through our neighborhood. The circus is coming to town and they dropped the elephants off about three blocks from our house and then let them walk 15 blocks to where the circus will perform.

Atticus and Melanie loved the elephants.

Ian would have loved the elephants if he had been awake to see them.

When we got home I told him all about it and he was really sad he missed it.

For Nicki at work

Because she would rather check the blog than do other people's taxes.

Ian meets the lake

Today it was in the 60's here and I took Ian down to the water to see the lake for the first time. It was so beautiful. I can't wait until summer time.
He also sits up all by himself now. And chews his tongue and eats his toes.

Lisp

Devon has lost three teeth in the week I have been at my parents house, including his front two teeth. Now he talks funny.

Here are some more cute pictures of Nicki's kids...

Upper State New York

This weekend we went to my parents house in upstate NY for a visit. Ian met his Great Grandparents, Ray and Barbara O'Neal.

He loved charming Grandma Barbara.

We also got to see Aunt Cami star as (naughty girl) Ariel in the musical Footloose. She was really good - but the 80's costumes were especially impressive.

Here she is in her HOT vest (red cowboy boots not shown - but definitely the best part)

And here she is in her maroon, velvet, puffy sleeved prom dress with my parents...

My favorite lines from the musical:

1. The girl gets around
2. I get the feeling you've been kissed by a lot of boys
3. My daddy invented the word curfew

Near the end of the play she sings a duet with Ren, and they kiss. My six year old nephew Devon was really upset that he saw her kissing a boy. It was so funny.

On Sunday we celebrated my mom and my sister's birthdays.

Aidan, Connor, Ashton, Kathy (50), Nicki (forever 29) and Devon

We got my mom a mother's ring for her 50th. (Do you like it Ash?)

Here are some more pictures of the weekend:

Grandpa Clay feeding Ian brownie batter...

Ian bein ian

Tonight Ian ate sweet potatoes for dinner.

He liked them, but only slightly less than he liked eating his dirty sock.

He pulled his sock off and ate it about a hundred times today. It isn't like he walks around and gets them dirty, but he kind of has spicy feet.

Ways Ian is like Amy:

1. Not picky about food (we are 3 for 3 so far - cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes)
2. The Bennett chin
3. Blonde eyebrows

Ways Ian is like Curt:

1. Handsome
2. Funny
3. Really smart
4. Likes music
5. Fast Runner
6. Spicy feet

Today we had play group at our house and all Ian's friends came to visit.

Here is Penelope teaching Ian how to use a cell phone....

Ian and Eli Tilleman chillin on the couch.....

Ian's girlfriend Isabel Marchena and her mom Suzi...

Daniel Cook and Penelope Degn looking cute.