Life of Benjamin Bay

Special Thanks for the Birthday Gifts

2009-04-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

Benjamin had a great party in Minnesota and then came home with new clothes and new toys to play with.

Here is Benjamin playing with his new "Lock Puzzle"

Here are Benjamin and Timothy with birthday gifts from Aunt Shelley, Nana, and Grandma Joy. Benjamin and Timothy LOVE the Thomas the Train books. They ask to read them several times a day. The good part is, they actually sit still for the whole story.

Fun In Minnesota

2009-04-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

Benjamin enjoyed the trip to Minnesota. We celebrated his 3rd birthday there with some friends. He did well in the car. On his way back to Thompson he played with his new toys. His favorite car toy was the "Robox" aka a robot and the lizard he got from the Sherman family. When we got home, he played with his "lock puzzle" and watched the Thomas the train DVD. He would watch it all day every day if we let him. Here are some pictures of his journey.

Here is his birthday cheese cake with three candles.

Benjamin and Josh from Worthington, Minnesota

A different nursery for Benjamin means new and exciting toys!

Benjamin does a good job of keeping himself entertained during a car trip.

Here are Timothy, Benjamin, and Emily Pearce. By the end of our stay, Benjamin had a good system worked out for playing together: Emily tells Benjamin what to do and Benjamin follows Emily around. They did watch movies together in peace.

Life in Canada

2009-02-05T09:58:00.000-08:00

I have made several new friends while here in Canada: Charles (Chewsie), Kia, Gabe, Isaac, Russel and Wesley. I play with Russel and Wesley at their apartment almost every week. I see them all at church and I have lots of fun.

I am good at telling Mommy what Timothy is doing, and of course helping him do all the things he shouldn't be doing.

I like playing with my fisher price garage and my Tonka dump truck I got for Christmas. My favorite toy is a helicopter that Jeremiah (he's 11) gave me from his toys. I request to sleep with it almost every nap and every night when I go to bed.

I am still working on the potting training business, much to Mommy's dismay. I hope I figure it out before I get married!

Busy, Busy, Busy Summer

2008-08-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

I spent the summer at a very big playground. Mom and Dad called it Camp Victory. All I know is there were swings, slides, horses, and a golf cart for me to ride. Here are some pictures of me enjoying all these fun things.

Here I am on the Tire fwing (aka tire swing)

Here I am with my riding buddy Ms. Landa Gail. I let her do

the driving so she thinks she is in charge, but I know better

Here I am with Isaac on the horse. I also got to ride on the saddle by myself while one of the workers led the horse around. I love the horse.

This is my buddy Jon. He played with me and let me help him while he worked. One of my favorite things to do with Jon was to "work." This means sweeping in the dining hall after the meals were done.

Thanks for reading about my summer. Life is good when you are 2.

Make new friends

2008-03-17T19:58:00.001-07:00

Timothy of course is my very best friend, but traveling to other churches means I make lots of new friends on Sundays.

Here I am with my friend Nathaniel in Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He is about 14 months and walks on his knees.

Here I am with Timothy, Evelyn and Caleb Hawn in Minnesota

This past weekend I met these fun friends in Portage La Prairie in Canada.

Timothy, Holly, Angie, Benjamin, and Benjamin (me)

7 mos ; 10 yrs ; 3 1/2 yrs ; 5 yrs. ; and 23 months

Canada Craziness

2007-10-04T14:12:00.001-07:00

Here is Benjamin in all his toddler adventures:

Helping Daddy move things with the two-wheeled cart.
I found some really cool blue stuff to eat. I found out it was chalk for pool sticks.
Here I am helping Daddy to tape the church door before it was painted.
Daddy let me ride on his shoulders while we visitied Pishew Falls. It was really pretty. Notice the cool shoes in these pictures. . . I sadly parted with them because Mommy accidently left them in Canada. Maybe in future pictures you will see my new pair of shoes. Here I am after one of my rare naps in the car. We were on our way back to the States. Don't you love the hairdo?

Benjamin loved being in Canada. He had lots of Daddy and Benjamin time for two weeks. He went with Gregory on lots of little errands and has become more of a Daddy's boy.

A Whirlwind of a Trip

2007-07-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well, we all survived the trip to VA and back. This is how it went:

Friday: 5:00 p.m. we left

1:30 a.m. we arrived in Indianapolis to stay at the motel

Saturday: 9:30 a.m. we left the hotel to head to Pennsylvania

3:30 p.m. we arrived at our destination in PA: Camp Canaan

Sunday: Gregory ended up preaching both services since the Pastor was in the hospital

8:00 p.m. we leave for VA

12:01 a.m. we arrive in the driveway of Nana's house

Monday-Wednesday:
We slept in and ate lots of good food. Benjamin had his first experience in a pool:

Here he is before the first dip in the pool.

The sun was out, but the water still felt a little chilly. Mommy enjoyed the swim too.

Benjamin liked the water and playing with the balls.

Grandma got in the pool with Benjamin for a while too.

Thursday-Friday:
There was another birthday party for Benjamin on Friday at Great-Grandma Bowling's house:

Even on the second-go-round at the candle on the cake deal, Benjamin

was still a little hesitant to get near the candle

After blowing out the candle (with a little help) we discovered

why he was so upset: his long blonde eyelashes got singed!

Benjamin over came his fear of cake and indulged in a

whole piece of cake with lots of sugary icing

Our Return Home:

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. We left Grandma Bowling's house

Around 2:30 we stopped at a rest stop and had a picnic lunch (complements of Grandma Bowling).

8:00 p.m. We arrived at another hotel to spend the night.

Sunday:

We slept in, had continental breakfast, and drove from about 10:00 a.m. to about 3:30 p.m. Mommy was VERY glad to see the apartment. Bejamin went down for a nap and so did Mommmy. Daddy took the time to relax and catch a little nap too.

Walking Around

2007-06-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

I like to read and eat books. Daddy reads me a story

almost every night before I go to bed.

I haven't mastered the walking around bit yet, but I'm a tough

little boy. I pick myself up and keep going.

Birthday Bash-One Year Old

2007-05-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Here I am before the candle goes out. Daddy blew it out

and it scared me so I started to cry

Here I am waving to all of those people in camera land.

Thanks for all the fun gifts (Mom is thankful for the clothes).

Here I am with the other "kids" at my party.

It was a beautiful day.

The weather was very nice. Daddy smoked a turkey and we had potato salad, baked beans, and veggies and dip. Mommy made me a cake, which I was a little nervous to eat. I got lots of cool toys. I got these little rubbery cars that are the perfect size for my hands, and of course my mouth! I am excited to have another party next year. I will get to celebrate with little Timothy.

Growing Little Man

2007-03-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

The suit is what Grandma Bowling bought him when he was first born. The pants are a little long, but everything else fits just fine.

Benjamin loves "helping" in the kitchen. This pastry sheet kept him happy for a while one day.

This is what he looks like when you call him . . . if you don't you should :) He LOVES the phone. He doesn't say much, but he will listen and likes to push the buttons for you.

NOTE: Gregory is working on creating a family website. Then I can post my belly shots there and let Benjamin keep all the attention here:)

Benjamin Loves to Smile

2007-03-09T17:21:00.000-08:00

The sink picture is at Grandma and Grandpa Bay's house in January.

The other picture is of Benjamin at home helping Mom and Dad organize his clothes into the plastic bins. He is always the cheerful helper. He always gives a "cheese smile" when we get the camera out to take his picture.

All three of us are very busy.

Benjamin goes to the Sharpeta's every day while Mom and Dad are at work.

Mom and Dad get up M-F at 5:30 a.m. We get home around 4:30/5:00 p.m. Our days are long and tiring. Both Mom and Dad will be glad when Mom is back home instead of at school! I think Benjamin will like that too:)

Benjamin is crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything, getting into everything, and cruising (walking along the furniture). Benjamin also has discovered how to open the piano and plays a few notes on it.

Christmas pictures released!

2007-01-29T18:17:00.000-08:00

Benjamin enjoyed the gift wrapping more than the presents, but he was able to help tear into his gifts with a little help at the start from Mom and Dad.

Here's the deal

2007-01-27T05:41:00.000-08:00

I apologize for not posting in quite a while. We went to Virginia for two weeks. When we came home, we were home for four whole days and left again to visit family and friends in Michigan. We were supposed to be there for a week and had to stay a few days longer because of the weather. On Monday the 29th of January I start my student teaching. So far, Gregory has been unable to secure a job so he will be staying at home with Benjamin until he finds a job. When he finds a job, our pastor's wife and her daughter will be babysitting Benjamin while I am at school and Gregory is at work. My student teaching ends around June 8th or 9th, so I will only be away from my baby for around 4 1/2 months, which is quite a while since I have always been home with him for the past 9 months! I am looking forward to the ST, but I am also nervous about getting things right and having time with my family and doing the school work needed.

Pictures: yes, I know you want more of them. Yes, I have taken more of them. The problem we recently encountered is Benjamin pulled the cord to the external hard drive and it fell to the ground. We had all our pictures stored on there because we have been switching all our stuff to a new computer. When Gregory tried to load the info from the external drive . . . nada. We would have to pay $200 to have the information restored. We have all our pictures saved though . . . some on the old lap top, some on snapfish, and some on the digital camera. As soon as I get the time to load them from the camera, I will put up the Christmas pictures.

Sorry for the break in picture viewing :)

Thanksgiving Pics

2006-12-19T20:09:00.000-08:00

Here is Benjamin with L.T (Long Tail) the cat. Benjamin laughed and giggled when L.T. rubbed his tail in Benjamin's face.

Here is the adorable little man all dressed up in his winter outfit. He wanted to touch the camera more than he wanted his picture taken.

Benjamin is sleeping in his Great Grandpa Randolph's arms. Grandpa seems to enjoy having a baby around again.

Benjamin at 6 Months

2006-11-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

He is such a happy baby. He is getting into more and more trouble since he can cruise in his walker and roll all over the floor.

I will put his 7 month/Thanksgiving pics on the site a little later.

To My Faithful Viewers & Prayers

2006-11-04T18:57:00.000-08:00

I wanted to say, "Thank you" to all the people, whether you view this site or not, for praying for us and Benjamin. Please know that as you are excited to see the progress Benjamin is making, I am encouraged by the amount of people who care about him and want to know how he is doing.

I am a mom who is very thankful to God for all he has done for my family thus far. I know some people use God's name when it is convenient, but I know through all that has happened, God is real and cares for us. My mom will attest to the fact that God gave me strength to hold my son, and strength to survive with very little sleep.

Gregory took this picture just as we left the hospital. I feel like the women at the empty tomb . . . The garment is empty and my son can come home.

NOTE: This is a special note for Jen S (You know who you are). I don't know your e-mail address, so I could not give you the invite to view his pictures. Here is my e-mail: godzgal2002@yahoo.com

Eyes Open--for Brianne :)

2006-10-24T17:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the puke on his outfit . . . I didn't see it until I loaded the picture on the computer! Then I went over and cleaned him up . . . what a great mom, huh.

Pictures of Surgery

2006-10-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the incision the doctors make from ear to ear. This was taken on Thursday I believe. He was semi-happy and playing with his monkey rattle.
This is the evening of the surgery in PICU. Notice his eyes have not yet swollen, but he has all the tubes and wires for monitors.
Here is a picture on Wednesday evening of his swollen eyes. He looks sooooo pitiful.

Please Note:

If any of you would like to see more pictures, please e-mail me and I will give you an invitaion to view our pictures online at www.snapfish.com

The Post You Have All Been Waiting For . . . Surgery Update

2006-10-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a run down of last week:

Monday:
Mommy and Daddy took Benjamin to the hospital to have his blood drawn.

Tuesday:
Mommy, Daddy, Grandma Bowling, and Benjamin woke up at 5:30 a.m. to drive to the hospital. This would not have been so bad except Mommy went to bed at 10:00 p.m. and woke up at 3:00 a.m. to give Benjamin his last allowed feeding before surgery. At 6:15 a.m. we all arrived at the hospital. Mommy, Daddy and Benjamin waited in a room in the First Day Surgery Clinic. It was very hard to just sit and wait. It was hard not to cry as we watched our son playing happily with his rubber ducky with no idea of the impending doom that lay ahead of him. Pastor Sharpeta came and prayed with us. The hardest part was when the nurses finally came to take Mommy and Daddy's little muffin from their hands at 7:40 a.m.We left the First Day Surgery Clinic and head down to the surgery waiting area on the second floor. Everyone dealt with stress differently. I know we all prayed a lot that day. After coming out of surgery Benjamin was taken to the Pediatric ICU. He stayed here all night with Mommy by his side hooked up to all sorts of machines and tubes. Needless to say Mommy didn't get much sleep. Daddy stayed in a "sleep room" provided for family members of PICU patients. Daddy didn't get much sleep there either. About 4:00 that night Mommy noticed Benjamin's eyes starting to swell and turn purple.

Wednesday
Benjamin got moved to a regular room on the Children's Hospital Floor. This meant Benjamin got to have all of his heart monitors taken off. The only thing he kept was the catheter type insertions where IV's could be hooked back up if needed. Benjamin wanted to be held all the time because he couldn't get comfortable on the hospital bed with the sides of his head all swollen. Mommy got about 3 hours sleep that night. Daddy slept at home to get a good night's rest. All day we had to change his diapers and have the nurses weigh them to make sure he was having enough output of urine. Wednesday evening while the Grandmas and Daddy ate in the cafeteria, Benjamin had a bit of excitement. One of the nurses came in to give him Tylenol and he had just eaten. His stomach was upset and so he spit up all over Mommy, her pillow, her blanket and his gown. We tried to give him some medicine a little later and the same thing happened except this time he spit up over Mommy's shoulder and SPLAT onto the floor! After this the nurses decided to give Benjamin his medicine in suppository form . . . yuck. I forgot to mention that this day Benjamin had to have a new head bandage on 4 times because he kept wiggling and pulling it off. The last time it was wrapped by Brandon and he wrapped part of the bandage around Benjamin's chin so this one lasted until we got him home on Friday.

Thursday:
Grandmas and Daddy arrived around 8:45 a.m. to stay with Benjamin. Mommy and Daddy went home to nap and rest. Mommy and Daddy came back about 2:00 p.m. Mommy couldn't stay away from her baby that long. The grandmas and Daddy stayed until visiting hours were over at 9:00 p.m. (which they did every night Benjamin was in the hospital). Benjamin was fussy for Mommy and refused to sleep anywhere but in my arms with his head on Mommy's shoulder. Benjamin finally fell asleep around 2:00 a.m. and we slept for a while in the recliner (a hospital recliner that Daddy helped to get put in our room). Mommy had a blowup mattress in the room as well, but the only time I was really able to sleep on the mattress was in the evening hours when Benjamin would sleep in the arms of one of his grandmas. Dr. Iskandar told us that we could go home when Benjamin could open his eyes . . . Mommy asked how far he had to open them and if it would count if she "helped" Benjamin to open them.

Friday:Dr. Iskandar came around at 7:00 a.m. to check on Benjamin (everyday both the plasticsurgeon Dr. Mount and the neurosurgeon Dr. Iskandar came to check on the bruiser . . . that's what the nurses were calling him). He asked Mommy if Benjamin could open his eyes yet and Mommy had to say, "No." He then asked if we wanted to go home . . . what a silly question! He said, "Then go home, you can go home." I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. Mommy waited until the family arrived at 8:00 a.m. to let them know we were going home. The grandma's had come prepared with soup for lunch since I had asked them to stay with Benjamin for the day so I could go home and get some sleep. We were back home by 10:30 a.m. Benjamin was so much happier. It was amazing how he changed. He started talking and laughing when he was on his changing table and when we put him in his saucer. Benjamin recognized all the things that make our apartment his home.

Saturday:
Saturday evening we saw Benjamin's blue eyes through the slits he had in his swollen eye lids. It was the best thing ever! We were all so happy and excited.

Tuesday-One week later:
Benjamin looks more like himself. His eyes are more open and his stiches are starting to dissolve. His eyelids are a little red and puffy, but not like they were.

Future-Recovery
Benjamin has a follow-up appointment on the 30th of October and then another appointment 3 months from the surgery date. After this he will be seen once a year for 5-7 years. He still is swollen, but we have our baby back safe and happy.

Pre Surgery Stuff

2006-10-12T14:25:00.000-07:00

Today Benjamin had to have a CT Scan. In order for this to happen, he had to be sedated which meant no mommy milk past 8:30 this morning and then he had to take medicine. First, we visited with Shona and Dr. Iskandar(the neurosurgeon). Here he was examined, the surgery was explained and Benjamin was given a urine bag (a little bag with sticky around the hole to keep it from falling off). After this we headed to the sedation clinic. Here he had to be given the medicine. He zonked out and was wheeled to the CT room. He was rather pathetic looking on the bed. After the medicine wore off, he woke up and they had to poke him to get blood for some tests. Well, Benjamin was hungry and cranky so he tried to eat and then spit up all over mommy and himself . . . twice! Well, the nurse was not able to get enough blood the first time because the needle moved when Benjamin moved. The second time the nurse stuck him in the arm instead of his hand and missed the vein and she kept having to move the needle around in his little arm to find the vein! Benjamin and Mommy were not happy. I am not sure how I am going to do with my little baby all hooked up to machines and tubes going in him.

Monday we have to go into the hospital and go to the lab for more blood work before surgery.

Tuesday we will be at the hospital before 7:30 a.m. The actual surgery will take upto 5 hours. Dr. Iskandar said Benjamin won't be out of the operating room before 3:30 p.m.

The Three Musketeers

2006-09-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

I decided to put them together so we could see any family resemblance. They are all cute so it must be from the common genes!
T

Exhaustion Takes Over

2006-08-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Here is the drool smile

"Reach for the Stars"

This is his new thing . . .reaching for everything. It is funny because he reaches for things like lights and other objects that he can't reach.

I took this to show you two things: 1) You can see the shape of his head from the Craniosyostosis, and 2) You can see how he laces his fingers and sucks BOTH thumbs. He likes them both at the same time.
Another shiney drool smile . . . the blue makes his blue eyes shine :)
This was taken just about 10 minutes ago. His 4 month mug shot :)

This morning after feeding Benjamin, and getting ready, I left for town. We left about his nap time so I thought he would fall asleep in the truck . . . not to be. We went the Sharpeta's to feed him and then to the DeForest Collision Center to get an estimate for the dents in the truck. While we were there the owner Todd came and talked to Benjamin . . . Benjamin just laughed and laughed no matter what Todd said. He was so tired everything was hysterical to him. I have never heard him laugh so much or so hard at me or his dad ( I was excited, but a bit jealous, which you can understand)! I told them he thought everything was funny because he was so tired. Todd jokingly asked if I could bring him by a couple times a week to play with him. We left the collision place and drove maybe a mile and Benjamin was down for the count. He slept from noon until 2 p.m.

4 Month Check-up

2006-08-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Everything went fine today. Benjamin got three shots again. He was a trooper. He did cry, but after cuddling with Mommy for a few minutes he was okay. He actually weighs less than I thought he would. His naked weight is only 17 lbs. and 12 oz. I still think that is heavy enough. His length is 26 1/2 inches. He has a small head, which the doctor said probably won't change a lot after the surgery. He is in the 90-97 percentile for his weight and length, and the 25th percentile for his head.

Right now he is napping. I had to wake him up from his morning nap to go to the doctor and then he started to fall asleep on the way home around noon, so I am hoping he will sleep until about 2 or so.

It is a beautiful day out, not too hot and not raining. Enjoy the day.

Changes Always Come

2006-08-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Mr. Benjamin has been waking up around 6:00 a.m. for the past week or so. I want him to sleep until 7:00 a.m. Some mornings I give in and feed him at 6:30, some mornings he fusses and goes back to sleep until a little after 7. This morning I gave in. Nearly every morning Daddy goes in to look at the baby. Lately Benjamin has been awake and looking around when Daddy goes in. Greg comes to tell me the baby is up. Most mornings I say, "Too bad." This morning he was awake and being so sweet I couldn't find it in my heart to leave him there and wake up to a unhappy baby if I went back to bed.

Miracles of miracles I have not taken a nap like I normally do when I get up that early. This may be because I didn't stay up as late as I normally do working on my correspondence class. Last night Gregory went up to bed and left me listening to my class. The next thing I know, I wake up, the c.d. has finished playing and it is 10:00 p.m. I got up and fixed Greg's lunch and put it in the fridge, went upstairs to give Benjamin his last feeding, and went to bed.

POTATO PATATO
Today I fixed potato salad (the way Greg's mom fixes it-except I had no sweet onions so I left out the onions). I never knew fixing potato salad was such a long process, or maybe I did and that is why it has taken me until today to make it. The last time I tried making potato salad was last summer and I had too many onions.

GOOD READS
I am currently reading Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl. It is a good book and very challenging. I am also reading the articles from the No Greater Joy magazines, also published by the Pearls.

Tonight we are going out calling for our Wednesday night kids program, so I will end with this . . .
I Corinthians 4:2
"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."

Many Thanks to Jason's Computer Saviness

2006-08-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Happy 4 Month Birthday to Benjamin!

Here he is celebrating with all the animals :)

Here is a cool shot Gregory took while Benjamin was standing up on my lap.

Look at those strong fat legs

Please, enough with the pictures Mom

2006-08-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody

A "Fountain" of Joy

2006-08-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Benjamin was in three different outfits in half an hour's time. He is spitting up a lot more than he used to. I put him in the swing and he spit up in the tray (very convenient). I pick him up and he wants to stand and sit, stand and sit. This does a number on his stomach, so up comes his meal.

We have his 4 month check-up on Tuesday. I am sure he is close to 20 lbs by now. He is almost needing to wear his 6-9 month clothes, but I am holding out for as long as possible. He is in size 3 diapers. Speaking of diapers, yesterday the little angel peed right out of his diaper while I was burping him which resulted in an outfit change for the both of us.

He is doing much better holding his head up and getting objects to his mouth on the first try. He likes to naw on my fingers. I try to give him teether keys and he makes a funny face and spits them out. I guess skin tastes better to him.

Benjamin has started wanting to eat every three hours instead of four and has started waking up at 6:00 a.m. (which I am not so happy about). Benjamin may need to eat some cereal in addition to nursing, we shall see. Since he is getting up at 6:00 a.m. I am taking a nap when he does around 8:30. I don't understand how a person can be soooo sleepy.

Daddy is being helpful: he was willing to take on a stinky diaper and change Benjamin's clothes last night. Daddy likes to hold Benjamin when he can sit in his lap contentedly.

Today we went to the post office, pharmacy, library, bank, and gas station and made it back in a little over an hour! yeah!

2006-08-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

Benjamin and Daddy in pjs

2006-08-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

Benjamin with a smile for you

2006-08-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

Here is the cute little boy

2006-08-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

I am working on figuring this out, so have patience

2006-08-09T08:40:00.000-07:00

Here is the whole family at church

Benjamin's Surgery

2006-08-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have not heard, Benjamin's surgery is set for October 17, which is a Monday. If he should get sick and cannot have it that day, he will go in on October 31st.

When we went to the doctor on the 24th he weighed 17lbs! He is a very heavy boy for Mommy and Daddy to be carrying around.

Mommy and Benjamin plan on visiting VA sometime around/after Christmas. We look forward to seeing the VA family and new cousins :)

Benjamin and Mommy's Day

2006-08-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Here is the typical day for the two of us:

5:50 Daddy and Mommy wake-up & Mommy packs Daddy's lunch

6:00 a.m. Daddy leaves for work (most days) unless he is starting work earlier and then he leaves around 5:00 a.m. Mommy goes back to bed :)

7:00 a.m. is our wake-up time
Benjamin eats his breakfast, gets a diaper change, and outfit for the day.

7:30 a.m. Benjamin lays on his blanket in Mommy and Daddy's room while Mommy makes the bed and takes a shower.

8:00 we head downstairs for time in the bouncy seat or swing while Mommy eats her breakfast. Benjamin gets a bath if he needs one.

8:30 a.m. Benjamin goes down for a nap

9:00 Mommy takes time for praying and reading the Bible

9:30-11:00 a.m. Mommy does laundry or other cleaning that needs to be done

11:00-11:30 a.m. Benjamin eats his brunch
Gets a diaper change and we head back downstairs

11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Mommy eats her lunch

12:00-12:30 Free time with Benjamin

12:30-3:00 p.m. Naptime

3:00-3:30 Benjamin eats and gets diaper change

3:30-4:30 Mommy works on Dinner for Mommy and Daddy while Benjamin is in the swing or bouncy seat

4:30 Daddy gets home

4:30-6:00 p.m. Benjamin gets a nap

6:00-6:30 p.m. Benjamin eats dinner, Mommy or Daddy changes diaper and puts PJs on Benjamin.

6:30-8:00 Time with Mommy and Daddy, ride in swing or in bouncy seat.

8:00 Mommy rocks Benjamin while listening to Baby Lullabies.

8:15 Benjamin goes to bed.

9:00 p.m. Daddy goes to bed

9:15 Mommy wakes Benjamin for last feeding

10:00 Mommy goes to bed

Great Grandpa Bay

2006-07-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Grandma Bay's arms are comfy!

2006-07-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

He has changed sooooo much. He is still as cute as can be.

2006-07-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

Benjamin in his pjs

2006-07-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

The blue bear and Benjamin

2006-07-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

The big boy in the big boy tub

3 Months Old

2006-07-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was the big three month marker. We are going to get pictures taken tomorrow. I hope it all goes well. Today was a day to remember: Benjamin rolled over from his tummy to his back for the very first time! He gets upset because he can't roll back over onto his tummy. He is getting so big. Mommy does not carry him around much since he is so chuncky.

The post will be updated next week after the doctor appointment on Monday.

I will put more pictures up next week.

To All Visitors:

2006-07-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

Leave a comment at least saying, "Hi." I want to know people visited. I get plenty of comments when it is not updated . . . I want to hear when I do post too :)

Update on Mr. Smiley:
He laughed for the very first time this morning. Daddy and Mommy got to hear it. We also captured the moment on video.

2006-07-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Mr. Chunky Monkey at 2 months

2006-07-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

Snoozin' with Grandma Bowling

2006-07-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

Alleged Crime: Lookin' too cute

2006-07-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

Smiling at Nana

2006-07-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

This is Mr. Smiley today!

Long Awaited Update

2006-07-05T13:26:00.002-07:00

Pictures:

I will try to add some pictures from all the travels we have done in the last month some time this week . . . no promises in stone :)

Benjamin officially had his first cold which he got over Father's day weekend. I took him to the doctor on the Wednesday after Father's Day, and of course it started to clear up on Thursday morning . . . better safe than sorry, I guess.

Bigger and Better:

On Benjamin's two month appointment he weighed 15 lbs. 4 oz. and was 25 inches long. He is still in the 97th percentile for both his weight and length. He got three shots and took them like a little trooper. He cried of course, but later that day he was his smiley self. I think I heard a bit of a giggle from him earlier today. He had started to swat/ bat at things more now with a little more control. He is also working on perfecting the art of blowing spit bubbles.

Travels:

In the last month, Benjamin has traveled to VA, IA, upper WI, and Missourri. He has taken his first airplane ride. He visited family and friends in VA and IA. We went for a 4 day weekend with Daddy and friends of Daddy in a cabin in upper WI. While visiting family in Iowa for 4th of July he went to a restaurant called Keith's on the Iowa Missourri border. He still does not like being in his car seat when he is getting sleepy.

Surgery:

The only update I have for the surgery is that we will be seeing both the neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon on the 24th of July. Daddy wants to get a second opinion before we make any concrete plans for the surgery at 6 months.

Well, Until next time that is all.

2006-05-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hand in Hand with Mommy

2006-05-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

Snoozing with Daddy after a long day at work

2006-05-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

I caught a Big Yawn from Benjamin

2006-05-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Here big Benjamin is at 4 weeks

Benjamin Needs Surgery

2006-05-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Benjamin has a condition called Craniosynostosis. What is that you ask? I did not even know how to pronounce it correctly, but that is what he has. I am including an address where you can find out more about what it is and what it causes.

Address for more info:
http://www.healthbanks.com/PatientPortal/Public/ArticlePromoted.aspx?ArticleID=HW5hw180325

On Benjamin, his right eye and right side of his nose looks scrunched; this is caused by the cranium bones needing to expand on one side to compensate for the lack of room on the left side for his brain to grow.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR BENJAMIN?
Benjamin will need surgery around 6 months of age (October). Before the surgery we will meet with the plastic surgeon and neurosurgeon. He will have his head scanned so the doctors know exactly what position his bones are in and how is brain is.

WHY WAIT UNTIL HE IS SIX MONTHS OLD?
The plastic surgeon explained that this is the best time; the bones are still easily molded, but will not as easily go back to the original position as they would at an earlier time.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO BENJAMIN?
Benjamin will go in for a 4-5 hour surgery. When he comes out, he will have to stay in the hospital for 3-5 days. Of course, I will be staying in the hospital with him. There will be some swelling after the surgery, but that will go away and Benjamin will be on his way to recovery.

WHAT ABOUT AFTER SURGERY?
Benjamin will have many follow-up appointments until he is 5-7 years old and then the doctors will see him every 2-3 years to make sure his cranial bones are not shifting as well as his nose and jaw.

Don't worry, for right now he does not seem to be in any pain. He is just a typical infant wanting to eat, sleep, and occasionally stay awake to check things out.

You can ask questions, but the best way to get them answered would be to look it up yourself since Gregory and myself don't know a whole lot ourselves right now.

2006-05-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

Look at the baby belly at bath time!

2006-05-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Snoozing on the belly

2006-05-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

Here Benjamin is at three weeks old

2006-05-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Jen and Ash with Benjamin

Three Weeks Old Today!

2006-05-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

WOW!

I cannot believe it has been three weeks since that wonderful (and long) day I became Benjamin's mommy. It is amazing how much you love the little gift from God even when I have known him such a short while. Some people search for love for an entire life time and in nine months God allows a mother to love a child more than her own life.

How are we coping?
Well, Benjamin has a hearty appetite. During the day he eats every one and a half to two hours. Last night was a night I needed: he fell asleep at 8:30 p.m. and I got to bed a little after 9:00. Benjamin didn't wake up until 11:45. He went back to sleep a little before one, and didn't wake up until 3:45 a.m. It was wonderful. I was sleeping so nicely that Gregory actually heard him crying at 3:45 before I did!

How much am I getting done?
Well, my project yesterday was to clean the kitchen. I did get the counters wiped down, the disheds done, and the floor swept and mopped. Next is the refridgerator which needs to be cleaned in a bad way. I am slowly learning to be quick in the few minutes of quiet I have while he is napping.

How is Gregory?
Gregory is a proud daddy. Of course, anything good Benjamin does, or any good looks he has Gregory quickly claims came from him. Right now Gregory is on mandatory overtime. For me this means packing his lunch at night and then putting it in his lunch box in the mornings before he goes. Gregory gets up a little after 5 a.m. to be at work by 6:00 a.m. and work until 4 or 4:30 p.m. The extra money from overtime is nice, but we miss him. He is tired when he gets home so he doesn't get much done that he wants to do and he is beginning to go to bed earlier. Last night we had a few minutes together while Benjamin took a nap.

The Baby Awakes so I must go for now. I plan on posting a three week old picture later today.

Until the next moment of silence . . .

2006-05-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Look at these gorgeous eyes

2006-05-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Benjamin with his 2 Week old sign

2006-05-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

The Pirate Look

2006-05-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

Sleeping on Grandpa Bay

Two Weeks Old

2006-05-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

Bejamin is almost two and half weeks old; it doesn't seem like he should be that old. Grandma Bowling is leaving tomorrow, which means she has been here for three weeks and two days . . . the time has flown by. Grandma Bowling has been a very big help and blessing since I have had such a long recovery.

Bejamin had his two week check-up on Tuesday. Here are the results: 9lbs 14oz, 21.85 inches long and his head circumference is 35.9 cm. He is in the 90th percentile for his weight and length and the 25 percentile for his head. His head is still a little funny looking and the right eye does not completely open. We discussed our concerns with the doctor and we have another doctor appointment on the 19th of this month.

We will be making our way to VA in three weeks! Daddy will have to stay behind and "bring home the bacon." We have pictures from the Picture People . . . of course he looks adorable :)

2006-04-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

Benjamin in his swing

2006-04-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Chubby Cheeks on day 2

2006-04-22T16:07:00.000-07:00

Tosha and Amber with baby Benjamin

2006-04-22T16:05:00.001-07:00

Grandma Bowling with baby Benjamin

2006-04-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

The Proud Parents

2006-04-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

Mommy after the 30 hours of labor (three hours of pushing)

2006-04-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Mommy on the birthing ball . . . what a relief.

2006-04-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

Daddy taking a rest before Benjamin's arrival.

Waiting Game

2006-04-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

Today is the day before the due date and nothing exciting has happened to hint at his coming birth. Greg's parents and brother are planning to come to WI on Wednesday to be here for Greg's ordination. I hope the baby comes while they are here so they don't miss it and have to come back later.

My mom made it in safely on Thursday. We've been shopping and she bought a couple church outfits for when he gets older. I have everything ready and set up except the crib. The crib I just got on Saturday and Greg has been too busy to set it up. The baby will be in a bassinet for a month or so anyway, so I'm not all that worried about it.

I don't have my bag packed for the hospital yet either, but I don't plan on going very far from the apartment so I'm hoping I'll have time to pack it before I go! The baby's diaper bag is packed with clothes, a blanket, and a few diapers.

I will provide an updated picture soon of either just me, or both the baby and proud family members.

2006-04-09T13:34:00.001-07:00

Without the stretched shirt:)

2006-04-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

Less than two weeks to go

2006-04-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

Baby's changing table, dresser, and music!

2006-04-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

Rocker and Guest bed

Two Weeks 'til the Due Date

2006-04-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

We have successfully moved into our new abode. I like it better because things are a lot more quiet than at our old apartment. Also, we are 2 miles from the grocery store, library, cafe, Ace Hardware, Walgreens Pharmacy, and about 4 miles from our pastor and church.

I will post an updated picture of me and Benjamin as soon as I can get Gregory to take one. Today is the first day with internet access at our new apartment. The guy who hooked up the internet weirded me out a little.

Anyway, Benjamin now has a room of his own thanks to Mrs. Sharpeta and Auntie Melissa (or whatever she wants to call herself:) The last few things to be done are to go buy the crib and put the padding and blankets in the bassinet. Benjamin has tons of blankets which will not all get used right away since Spring is here and Summer will soon follow.

Thank you for the nice comments about how I look. I cannot believe how much I weigh . . . I will have to make sure it all comes off! I have a new skirt from goodwill that I want to be able to wear when all is said and done.

I apologize to those of you who have not been able to view the pictures from Picture People. I don't know why you can't look at them. I will try to figure out the problem later this week.

We do not have a "land phone" at the new apartment, only cell phones. My mom has the number as well as Brianne, so they can give it to you if you need it. I have most of the numbers I need programmed in the cell phone so people will know when the baby has arrived.

I love and miss all of you in Virginia. I will be coming to visit with Benjamin sometime near the beginning of June. I promise to share the baby with you all :)

2006-03-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

A normal shot.

2006-03-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here I am with 5 weeks to go!

Internet Family Members

2006-03-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

Here is post number 3. I am not sure how many family member will get a chance to get on this site and look around, but I thought I needed to leave another update.

I am trying to get pictures on the site, not yet successful. I have only 5 weeks left until the baby is due. I have gained enough weight, but I still have more to go . . . ugh.

A new home has been found and we will be moving into the apartment on the 24 of March. This leaves enough time for the "nest" to be fixed up a little before the baby comes. We will be closer to our church, and in a more central location for Greg's work.

The baby is very active. People can watch my stomach change shapes as he moves around. Sleeping is more of a challenge. I have to sleep propped up since I can't get too comfortable laying on my sides. I am trying to eat healthy, but it is hard when I want lots of sweet stuff.

That's all folks.

An Update

2006-02-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

It is now February and I am making only my second posting . . . sad.

We now know that our first addition will be a little boy . . . Benjamin Randolph Bay (brb. . . I just thought about that, haha).

I went through all of Benjamin's baby clothes to see what I have enouhgh of and what I still would like as gifts. I have plenty of 0-3 month stuff. Mostly the 6-9 month pile is lacking. I love looking at all the cute clothes. Soon I'll have a little boy to play dress-up with. I figure that I should probably take a picture of him in each outfit so I can say he at least wore the outfit once. Everyone says they are not in the 0-3 size very long. I still can't decide on an outfit for him to come home in.

Mommy Bay and Daddy Bay are still searching for a new home. Our current residence is not a place we want to stay for another year. It is hard to find a place we can afford and one big enough for all of our stuff.

Benjamin's 3rd cousin (my cousin's baby) is going to be Leslie Nicole Altman. She is due to arrive around June 6th. Benjamin's other 3rd cousin is due to arrive around August 7th. We do not yet know if the baby is a boy or girl.

Grandma Bowling is coming to stay with Mommy and Benjamin for three weeks. I am sure Benjamin will be given lots of love.

Please pray for Benjamin's Uncle Michael who broke his ankle. He will be in a cast for about 6 weeks. Grandma Bay says Uncle Michael is very excited to come see Benjamin when he is born.

All Jen's Fault

2005-12-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

I am not sure how active and up-to-date this site will be or stay, but I thought it was a good idea so I can post pictures and comments about Baby Bay. Jen sent me a link to her blog and since I should have time to keep up with it, I figured, "Why not?" Tomorrow is the day we find out if we are having a boy or a girl. Daddy Bay has his heart set on a boy and the name Benjamin. If we are having a girl, I would like Olivia Joy. We shall see what the name will be.

I am very excited to be done with school, at least at Maranatha. I do not have to sit in the classroom and stress over project due date. Now I can spend time learning about child care (this is our first) and reading books for pleasure.

I am also excited because two of my friends and one of my cousins are expecting to have babies as well. I can't wait to go back to VA and see them!