Boo at the Zoo

Tonight we went to "Boo at the Zoo"...a family event that the Birmingham Zoo puts on the three weekends before Halloween. It was just packed with people and thankfully we arrived right when it opened because people were parked all the way out of the zoo and down the road to Mountain Brook Village when we left. They decorate along the pathways of the zoo and offer a variety of things for kids: face painting, hayrack rides, haunted train rides, games, spooky carousel rides, etc. Some of the items were for slightly older kids, but Bennett enjoyed herself (and so did we).

They encourage the little ones to dress up and trick or treat at the zoo. So we put Bennett in her costume, not knowing how she would react to be dressed up...and our little monkey did great. She loved looking at herself in the mirror before we left, and once we got there she people watched and took it all in. She did a lot of pointing and staring with her mouth open. We were going to go into the "Planet of the Apes" exhibit where people are dressed up like gorillas and scare people, but the person outside of the door did a test with Bennett, and she failed. She didn't even get the opportunity to say "Boo" before Bennett grabbed me for dear life and was visually shaken. We quickly left for something more low key.

It was cute to see her trick or treat, and she quickly got the hang of it. I guess she is going to take after her mommy with her love of free stuff because Steve said she loved hanging her bag out and watching them drop the goodies in! Though she hasn't had candy before, she loved digging through her bag like she was checking out the merchandise.

Preston slept through most of it, but he awoke at the end for a couple of photo opportunities. They had an Alabama - Auburn photo booth, so we had to partake. Bennett enjoyed the huge blow-up of Big Al (Alabama's mascot). After an hour and half of fun, mommy and daddy had enough of the crowds, so we headed home.

Who Looks Like Who?

When each of our children were born, we primarily heard from Steve's family that the child resembled him, and my family felt that the child looked like me. Of course as we all know, babies change so much, especially over the first few months. I must admit though that I thought Bennett looked like Steve more so when she was first born, but she really looks more like me when I was her age now, but you look for yourself and judge.

When we were pregnant with Preston, we hoped that he would resemble Bennett, but when we first laid eyes on him, we didn't think he did. In fact, we didn't feel that he looked like Bennett at all, and we debated on who he looked like more. What do you think?

Beautiful Saturday

Yesterday, we awoke and started preparing for our first full day away from both kids. We were planning to attend the Alabama-Ole Miss football game in Tuscaloosa, and take in the sunny 70 degree weather! Except at 8:30 am we received a call from Shirley (our nanny) who was unable to come because she was sick. Myra offered to stay back from the game and watch both kids, but we didn't feel it was fair to have her first time watching both kids by herself be for 9 whole hours. So, we started thinking about alternatives....we could stay home and watch the game on TV (stay inside), or we could pack up the kids and go down and tailgate and watch the game outside.


Call us crazy, but we chose the second choice. We packed up the cooler, diaper bags, double stroller, changes of clothes for the kids and hit the road by 10:30. The drive down was pleasant...Preston slept the entire way, and Bennett sang the songs on her favorite CD and then fell asleep for the last hour. Steve looked over at me as we were driving down and asked me if I was happy that we were going and bringing the kids....I told him to ask me when we were on our way home.


As we pulled onto campus, into our saved parking space, both kids awoke. I fed Preston, and Bennett ran to her Uncle Dan and walked around with him for a bit. Steve got the stroller all packed for our walk across campus to another tailgate, and then we were off. We ate a heck of a meal there: shrimp and pork tenderloin sandwiches, had a few cocktails, and then headed back to our usual tailgate. There some of our friends had also saved us a parking spot, so we reparked and got settled in to watch AL beat Ole Miss. Preston was content, and Bennett was making friends. In fact, she ran around so much, she finally tuckered herself out and took an hour nap on a chair there.

The game started off the way we could have hoped, but as we neared the end....Alabama started making mistakes. Before the 4th quarter was even over, Steve suggested that we leave. You see this is what he does when he is upset...he just wanted to leave the campus and listen to the rest of the game on the radio because he was convinced that they were going to lose the game to Ole Miss in the final minutes. I kept telling him to have confidence, but he was silent. Thankfully, AL was able to pull it off in the final minute and half and Steve started talking to us again.



Since we beat the traffic, we made it home in record time and went to bed early (all of us were asleep before 10 pm). All and all it was a perfect day....the weather was great, the kids were well-behaved and Alabama won. What more could we ask for on a Saturday?

One Month Already!

Today Preston is celebrating his one month birthday! We went to his pediatrician yesterday for his one month check-up and all was good. He has grown in length 2 inches, and is now 22.5 inches long, and weighs 10 lbs 9 ounces! He is in the 75% percentile for both. His head measured at 15 inches, which is average. The doctor said he is on track and he looked perfect!

Of course to us, he is perfect too! Preston is starting to become more aware of his surroundings. At times he will track an object in front of him, and he loves to look at lights and bright objects. He is also doing well holding his head up. He is so much bigger than Bennett was at this age...in fact he is almost where Bennett was at 3 months...she weighed 12 lbs and was 23 inches long then. Due to his appetite being so great, he doesn't usually make it much past 4 hours before he is just starving, so I doubt he will be sleeping through the night at 6 weeks like Bennett, but I am remaining optimistic!

Adapting

Okay, okay...I know it has been forever since I last posted....sorry! We have been busy...creating our new routine, celebrating Steve's 37th birthday (Oct 8th), trying to work from home during this INSANE market and hanging out with my parents before they left for Illinois (again this past weekend). It is still difficult with two little kids, but things have definitely been getting better for us.

I am actually walking the kids most mornings, playing with Bennett before her afternoon nap, tending to Preston and then cooking during their naps for my hard-working husband! I am actually starting to feel quite domesticated, and am enjoying it!

The most challenging part of my day is almost always right after Steve leaves for work when I am watching Bennett and trying to feed Preston. It is as if she knows I am unable to move because that is when she climbs onto the chairs and stands up and then tries to crawl across the glass top table to me. Though she is typically an easy child, she has become quite the little monkey lately. In addition, she loves to test her limits....from turning on the oven (which she learned to do recently), to hitting the dog and shouting "no" at him, to opening up the one cupboard she is allowed to play in and throwing every item onto the kitchen floor....there is always something!

Our one saving grace has been our daily walks. Thankfully Bennett loves to go for stroller rides, and it appears that Preston will too. That is the one time of the day I can count on him to be awake and wide-eyed. One day this past week it rained on and off and we couldn't go for our walk in the morning like we usually do. Not only was Spencer pacing in front of the door, but Bennett kept climbing in and out of her stroller and crying at the front door. It really was pathetic.

As I said before, Preston really likes to be outside too. He still sleeps the majority of the day, but he is always awake when we are outside. He just looks around and takes in the fresh air. For the most part he is a good baby, but he loves to be held and knows when we put him down. All of the books say you can't spoil an infant, but I think we may be. I am trying to break the habit, but it is tough. When he falls asleep in my arms, I don't want to put him down because I love kissing his chubby little cheeks over and over again, and I love to listen to him coo in his sleep. Bennett is still really sweet around him too....always giving him kisses when she leaves or before she goes to bed, and she too loves to hold him.

All and all there is nothing too exciting to report. Again, I apologize for the long delay in posting, and hopefully I will be more diligent about getting photos and stories up in the future! Don't give up on us and keep checking back.

Henley Lynn Banta

Welcome to the world Miss Henley! Today Shannon got her wish...she was able to deliver early, and she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy little girl. She was born at 7:15 am and weighed in at 7 lbs 9 oz and was 21 inches long. She is just perfect and has a head full of the softest hair! It is so nice to finally meet her and try to determine who she resembles. Steve thinks she looks like Shannon, but I think she just looks like a baby. In fact, she has a similar nose to Preston with a slight crease across the bridge of her nose...too sweet. She is already nursing well and has a set of lungs on her!

Shannon is doing well too, but of course that has something to do with the morphine pump she has at her side! Christian appears to be adapting to his new sister, but of course it is still early and she isn't home yet. Only time will tell how his little world will be changed by this newest addition. Since Henley arrived a week before her scheduled c-section, my poor mother had to immediately turn around and fly back down. She and my father will be here later today to meet their new grandchild!

What a whirlwind for the Banta Family!