Rattlesnake Park

We went Rattlesnake hunting.  Just kidding (for those of you who know of our past encounter with a real rattlesnake)  This park doesn't boast of snakes, but of precipices and limestone, of repelling and hiking, of root and bark (leashed and wooden). 

Daddy carried me in the backpack, YAY, and mommy carried Xanna in the snugli, his first hike, at 5 weeks old.  He wore the outfit Me-am-me bought for him (3 months) and mommy takes full responsibility for my wardrobe, which consisted of three different plaids, within inches of each other.  And that includes a ball cap, a dress shirt, jogging pants and then neon blue socks.  Mommy held her head in fashion shame. (really, it was horrible)
That being said, we passed a family with the same backpack and when we saw the little boy inside, he had the same hat as me.  They didn't remark on the rest of my outfit, it's because I'm so cute.

After this lovely, deep breathing hike we met up with Gampa (my words are changing) D at Kelsey's and had lunch with him.  Then mommy made us do a little shopping and we headed home. 

Daddy and mommy are still trying to figure out how much is a big day for us and what is not. I was pretty tired once we were home and I slept twice in the truck.  They haven't planned any over night'ers yet just because they seem to think I need my naps.
Xanna's been staying up from 3:00am to 5:00am these past few mornings, so maybe it's them that need the naps!  (Auntie Samantha, mom thinks of you a lot)
Nanna, we hope you settle in, and make a few friends soon enough to keep you as busy as we know you like to be. 
Auntie Wendy and Uncle Cam, we called tonight to say hello, we LOVED talking to you when you were in Scotland.  That was such a gift.
I'm going to go to bed now, daddy and mommy have bumped my bedtime up half an hour seeing as I nap less in the afternoon. 
Mommy's going to go see Xanna, and daddy's going to design a house with tall ceilings so he won't bash his head against lights anymore.  Just kidding, he's doing some work.
I love you all
Will write again
Benjamin

one pair may not be enough

Hello my family,

Xanna and I have been conquering the world these last few days.  Xanna has been giving mommy 20 minute happy times in his bouncy chair, before he 'asks' her to rock him to sleep, she is catching on to his schedule (he plans on changing it tomorrow).  I call Mathey "Mastiff" all the time. So daddy hears things like "Mastiff come!" and "Mastiff _it (sit)" and "doon Mastiff (down)".  I also have good conversations with mommy, she'll say "When you're finished your soup, you can have a big cup of milk, is that a good idea" and I'll respond "sounds good". 
Xanna looks when mommy or I come and talk to him or scream in his ear.  He gets kisses from me lots and lots still.

He is practicing standing, and his head is very strong. 

He has set a good routine, up at 7:00 or 8:00 (not that I sleep in, just him) then
20 minutes of happy bouncy chair time for mommy and I to have waffa and mup
then two boys get a change and we all dress up

then he snoozes in the snugli as we go for a walk (it's really lovely out, and we saw our first RED leaves today!!) then home and he snoozes while mommy and I play.  then happy bouncy chair time for us to have lunch then mommy and him talk while I snooze.  The rest of the day gets fuzzy, but mommy is glad to have routine in the mornings, and Mastiff is happy too, going for a walk and being included.

With the nice weather, I try and bury my shoes in the dirt (among other things) at least once a day.

Mommy and daddy are so happy to be at home with us boys in the evening, they are still tired a bunch, but every day shows more energy.  Mommy and I chased Mastiff around the yard today, and that hasn't happened for a very long time.
I love you my family,
Oh I'm so glad you're back Auntie Winny and Uncle Camra.  Mommy says to tell Uncle Camra that she's experimenting in P mode on her camera.  The dial says P, she hasn't a clue what that means, but she likes it.
And Nanna, please send us the address of the person's yard your crashing on so we can send you photos, and let us know as soon as you have email established and are settled.

Love you all

Benjamin and baby Xanna.

weekend at home

Hello family that  I love,

Alexander wants me so I'll be quick.  I'm over my cold, mommy suspects it has something to do with my teeth because I kept my hands in my mouth the whole time.
I am in a big boy bed now! 
The crib is in mommy's room (i never call it daddy's room, no matter what he says about it) and I'm on the floor, which is good because when daddy comes and checks on me, often I'm half way across the room, snoozing away.
Alexander is almost too long for the bassinet.  He is already wearing 3 month old clothes (and he is 1 month old) and he has this funny sense of humour that whenever mommy puts on a clean shirt, he absolutely must spit all over it.
Daddy put Alexander in one of my diapers the other day and he looked like a sumo wrestler, mommy couldn't find his legs.We've gone for some good walks, and mommy took a picture of how much daddy works to make it a good walk for everybody, and here's the photo

Mommy says daddy looks like a caravan.  Alexander snoozes the whole time, Mathey watches for squirrels, and I point out water drains, apple trees, bees, squirrels, mommy, other people, and stones (for throwing down water drains)


Ok. off I go, I love you all.

Benjamin

upside downside

It's been that kind of day.
I've had a cold yesterday and today, so to celebrate, I only sleep an hour at nap time, and then get up whenever I feel lousy throughout the night.  Mommy just keeps wiping my nose.

I thought I would therefore, (yes, I said therefore, I'm over 2 years old you know) show some Alexander pictures today, seeing as I love him so very very much.  And he's gorgeous, as much as me, yes, but in such a different way.  He has daddy's eyes, gorgeous.  He has grampa's toes, gorgeous.  He goes Ha! when he yawns, gorgeous. He puts up with my bonking him on the head....most of the time.  He is my brother and therefore is gorgeous like me (and I'm teaching him all I know, even how to say therefore).

We're all so in love with Alexander, who I call Annr.  I now call mommy, Mommeece  It's her cool dude name, she says. I just started doing this a few days ago, but now it's all mommeece mommeece mommeece.  And mommeece told me not to tell that before Alexander was born she bought a pink diaper in case he wasn't Alexander, and today she put him in it, and it looked very pretty.  HA HA HA.

I think I'll get a photo.  HA HA HA (still laughing about the pink diaper)

Love Benjamin-who-needs-a-kleenex

I'm keeping busy

Daddy's been walking on air this weekend, and for once mommy can't complain.  He finally has springs for the truck, and I helped him put the bushings in, and then promptly ran up stairs to tell mommy all about it!

Alexander's been perfect as usual, mommy says she's the most blessed person on earth with him and myself for company.  She tells me we're 'mommy's boys' all the time. We even went to see great grandma Bethune today and I kept daddy busy playing with all sorts of things he thought I shouldn't.  I just wanted to see if great grandma's remote fit in her VCR, or if the buttons on her stereo all work, or what her medications all do, just keeping tabs on her, you know.

When she held Alexander she said to mommy "you sure were carrying a load".  Then we went to mommy's Aunt Cathy and Uncle Roberts and they had us IN FOR LUNCH and everything!  We had Yinn's Chinese food, and I played with toys Aunt Cathy showed me, and we were able to spend almost two hours with them, mommy and daddy were so so so so grateful for the time they were able to be there. 

And I've been checking crops at Boppa and Tattoo's.  We went down to celebrate Great Grampa D's birthday, he tells us he's 39.  It was a very full weekend, and I was an angel through it all. 

Alexander just fits into our house like he was made for it.  He likes people to hold him, and lets us all know when he feels he's had enough 'bouncy chair' time.  Mommy checks on him and on me when we sleep sometimes because she wants to make sure we're covered up all nice and warm, and sometimes just because she loves us so much.

I've had such a good weekend with seeing family, I know I'm blessed like crazy to have all of you in my life as Alexander and I do.

Love Benjamin

Working days.

He tore a house down, so I thought I should too!

Hello my family I love,

HE TORE THE HOUSE DOWN! 
I just had to get that out.  The house across the street from us (which looked very similar to ours....very similar) is gone.  A great big 'hoe' came and took it all down, and yes I watched it all.  We went outside and sat under our tree (i picked leaves to throw at mathey), we watched inside up on a chair by the window (mommy insisted on feeding Alexander inside...I eat outside and she doesn't complain).

Daddy is home now too, and I showed him all the work going on next door.  We were biking earlier

and would check on the progress of the hoe and red dump truck. 
Did I mention the hoe TORE THE HOUSE DOWN????

It's been an exciting day.  Alexander was very excited too.

I love you all, Benjamin

We found Winny & Cama!

Hello family I love,

We have had a big weekend we yes I was perfect the whole time.  So was Alexander!  We went with mommy and daddy to Pembroke, a fantastic 5 hour trip through Canadian Shield, past lakes and swamp (No moose, mommy says they don't exist) and trees already turning lovely pinks and reds and yellows, and small outfitter and lake towns selling blueberries, baking and honey.  We didn't stop but we drooled!

We stayed outside Pembroke in a cabin that was old but clean, and had lightning and rain both nights and lovely warm days. We were there to celebrate Daddy's grampa's 90th birthday, so there were loads of people that I am related to all under one roof, and all wanting to hold Alexander.  Don't know why, he just kept sleeping the whole time, I at least had a moose T-shirt to roar at them with. Winny and Cama (Auntie Wendy and Uncle Cameron) brought us all gifts from Newfoundland and now I really want to go, but mommy says not this weekend, she's traveled out!  Amateur.

The photo above was taken at Boppa's Grampa's homestead.  There are Lobacks everywhere, so much this homestead is on Loback road. I'm famous!  I had no idea.  And as Boppa's dad built a few roads over, Boppa's uncle stayed on the farm and his name was Alexander, so maybe it's my Alexander's road now. 

Now we're home and back to low-key things. 

Daddy has today (Monday) off and then back to work tomorrow, and we also lose Me-am-me and Boppa tomorrow, they go back home, so I don't know who will sleep in their room anymore.  We have had such fun with them.  I love them so much. 

I love all my family so so much.  write hello's if you can.

Love Benjamin and my favourite Alexander