Rainy Park Time!

We took the kids to the park this afternoon to let Hurlie swim... Bennett was way too interested in the water and got ankle deep with his tennis shoes on...

"Throw the ball, throw the ball, throw the ball...."

Another Day with the Cousins...

We went down and spent Saturday at Grandma & Grandpa Jones' house with ALL the cousins. Grandma & Grandpa got us these cool chairs to sit on the back deck with when it is finally sunny out this summer... but we took them for a spin in the living room. Everyone loved their chair but someone had to be bribed with a cracker to sit still for a picture (I bet you can guess who).

Little Evie practicing "Hey Reece, can you pass me a juice box?"

Little Miss Evie...

Our friends Erin & Jason brought their two little ones, Claire and Cole. All the kiddos played so well together.

Bennett sure loves chasing Grandma & Grandpas kitty... And they meet again....

Childrens Museum

Bennett and I took advantage of this rainy Friday and spent a couple hours at the Olympia Hands on Childrens Museum. I think a lot of other families had the same idea because it was pretty busy. Unfortunately almost all of the kiddos were older than Bennett and he was getting ran over quite a bit in the big kid sections. We spent most of our time at the toddler area. Bennett played with the boat of lentils, trains and the playdough. He met a few friends, some that like to share but most that didnt :) This place will be great when Bennett is a bit older.

We left the museum and got a bite to eat... just a Mama & Bennett day of fun... like most days :)

"Hat"

Bennett has been working a great deal on his language skills lately. He has successfully mastered a few signs including "more", "all done" and "book". His favorite and most over used sign is "more" he uses it along with yelling the "mmmm" sound if that is even possible. He expresses it to teachers, family and even people at the grocery store when they have something he wants... mostly food.

He has been using certain sounds lately that associate with the correct meaning. I say sounds because I am positive noone else would be able to differenciate these sounds from his normal babble. But I can hear "Dada", "Mama", "Doggie" and "Kitty". Even though he is a little bit behind we are so proud of him. It may be one of the most incredible parts of seeing him become the little person that he will be. Seeing him express himself successfully is amazing.

Today we had a fun new word... "Hat" He first said it at his speech therapy appointment this morning to our friend and speach therapist Nancy. He sure loved playing in Dada's hat tonight...

Our Newest Friend...

Our great friends Shannon, Andy & Hadley Block have a brand new addition to their family... Coen Andrew Block. He was born on his Mama's Birthday Saturday May 22nd at 7 lbs, 5 oz. He is absolutely adorable and quite a sweetheart just sleeping away his first few days. Bennett and I swung by to meet Coen and spend some time with one of Bennett's favorite gals, Hadley.

Hadley, such a sweet big sister

Bennett and Hadley... what a pair they are!

Being a Mama in the Moment...

One of my favortie Mamas and friend sent this to me in a forward... I know everyone hates those cheesy forwards but this one really hit home for me... and I know a lot of the mamas in my life would feel the same so I thought I would "forward" it on: (Sorry, not sure the writer or where it came from)

If not for the photographs, I might have a hard time believing they ever existed. The pensive infant with the swipe of dark bangs and the blackbutton eyes of a Raggedy Andy doll. The placid baby with the yellow ringlets and the high piping voice. The sturdy toddler with the lower lip that curled into an apostrophe above her chin. ALL MY BABIES are gone now.
I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief. I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like.

Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.

Everything in all the books I once pored over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete.
Along with Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, finally, and what the women on the playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations — what they taught me was that they couldn’t really teach me very much at all. Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything. One child responds well to positive reinforcement,another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. One boy is toilet trained at 3, his brother at 2.
When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome. To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow.
I remember 15 years ago poring over one of Dr. Brazelton’s wonderful books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month-old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk,too.
Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes were made. They have all been enshrined in the Remember-When-Mom-Did Hall of Fame. The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed. The times I arrived late for preschool pickup. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, What did you get wrong? (She insisted I include that.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald’s drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?

But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked bout, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.
Even today I’m not sure what worked and what didn’t, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I’d done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be.
The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top. And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the world, who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity. That’s what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me a while to figure out who the experts were.

Ever since I found out I was pregnant with Bennett I have been waiting for the next thing. I actually had little countdowns to each Ultrasound. Even when he was finally here I counted the days until I could bring him home from the hospital. Then when he got sick all I wanted was a happy healthy toddler, one that seemed "average" and in the hospital I would think "I can not wait until this time next year".

We had a white board in the nursery that counted down to each one of his surgeries and finally to his Trach removal. Since then things have become more "average" and I still catch myself thinking "I really wish he could listen better, I cant wait until he understands me and we can talk things through" or "I can't wait until this summer when we can go outside"

It is so easy to forget how wonderful right now is.... every day I am thankful for our little guy and I pray that I can memorize every second I spend with him ... right now.

Bennett reading to me, "blah blah blah, ya ya, nah, ba", Joel and I laugh that this is what we sound like to him too... 

Throw the ball...

Hurlie has learned that Bennett will throw the ball for her. This is good news for all of us because she is a true lab that will drop a ball at your feet all day long. So both kids are completely entertained by this new game...

My week with B

Bennett and I have had a pretty boring week due to some pretty crappy weather out. But he is still being funny and keeping us busy as usual. Here are some of my favorite moments of the week... He sure makes me one happy mama even when we are stuck inside.

Good morning sleepy head...

His newest thing... his cheesy smile, it is like a fake cry but a fake smile, he thinks it is funny because everyone laughs at him.... oh it begins...

Petting the Doggie from the bath tub

Bennett has figured out that he needs his shoes to go outside. This is him begging to go outside, after he finds his shoes he has no idea what to do with them so he just screams until I come and put them on... looks like we might be skipping the outside this evening though... it is cold out and Bennett doesnt have quite a good enough outfit on...

The Olsens Love Fords...

Grandpa got a new old Ford. Bennett and his Daddy love checking out Grandpas old cars and he got a new one this week. Grandpa Olsen has two Model As and one Model T... We celebrated three birthdays this week and the arrival of this new Model A. They are pretty fun to look at and we always get a trip around the block in them.

Swimming with Hurlie

Bennett and I were playing outside and our dog Hurlie looked a bit warm so I thought I would bring out her pool and cool her off a bit. As I was filling it I didnt think that Bennett would be at all interested... man was I wrong. He jumped in with his clothes on belly laughed for an hour. He wanted to be in control of the hose at all times and loved feeding Hurlie some water. I see some sprinklers in our future this summer!
Bennett you are so much fun! You bring so many smiles to everyone... WE LOVE YOU BUDDY!

A couple short videos of his fun:
Fun in the Pool
More Fun in the Pool

Happiest place on earth...

We are not attempting to potty train Bennett already. But, because he happens to pee on the floor before the bath I decided it was a perfect excuse to go buy an adorable Big Bird potty seat!

He has had a difficult day today battling the end of a cold but as soon as his little cheeks hit the seat he was glowing... He laughed and played up there proudly... He may have even tinkled a bit but I am pretty sure he doesnt even know what that is, so it is all in good fun.

Gardening with Bennett

Today was spent gardening... which has proven to be a little more difficult with a very curious playful little buddy. We planted flowers, starberries, herbs and ate some dirt... A great mothers day!

Bennett taking a well deserved water break

Best Mothers Day Ever.

Ok so I know this is only my second but so far it is the best ever!

We had a wonderful weekend at Grandma & Grandpa Jones' with the Aunties Uncles and cousins! We had a big slumber party on Friday and Saturday night and spent the beautiful days out on the back deck enjoying the sunshine and hottub!

We all realize how lucky we are to be enjoying our babies together. I know that we will all look back at this time in our lives and smile with soooo many memories! We cant believe there are three under the age of 17 months and one more on the way! That's right.... Cousin Reece is going to be a BIG BROTHER! Bring on more cousins!

We are now at home enjoying some sunshine, yummy french toast and my two favorite guys that make me the luckiest mama in the world!

Blowing bubbles with Grandma Ruth

Now that all the babies are sitting up we couldn't resist to put all of them in the tub for the first time.

All this fun makes for one tired boy... ready for cousin bath time to be over!

Happy Early Mothers Day Mama!

We are spending the Mothers Day weekend with the Aunties and Cousins down at Grandma & Grandpa Jones' house... already having fun!

200 Days Later

Bennett has been trach free for 200 days!

We had another check up on Monday this week at Childrens Hospital in Seattle. It was his first follow-up with the Cranio-facial and ENT team since before Christmas. We are officially not going in for another clinic check up with this team for a YEAR!

His main physician at the Cranio Facial Clinic said "I am shocked with how he has excelled since he left the hospital, this is not the typical outcome for a boy in Bennett's position when we first saw him" and I reminded her once again that "Bennett has never been typical"

To break up his time in the car and to avoid a bit of traffic we hung out in the lobby and played around the Giraffes. It was nice because this area is about 20 feet from where he lived for 6 weeks and many nurses and hospital staff that helped us a year ago came by to play with him.

Sunshine medication

The Olsen family took a short break from the tissues and pajamas of our living room in hopes of some sunshine medication. We took a quick walk down our road and visited Bennetts favorite place to walk... the Horses! We bring them carrots and they are usually pretty happy to see us.
We are all on the mend and can hopefully have a healthy sunshine filled Mothers Day this time next week.

The view from my favorite window...

For countless hours last summer I would rock Bennett and watch out this window. I would be waiting for Stacey our nurse to arrive, Joel to get home or just for Bennett to finally fall asleep hooked up to all his equipement. As spring moved into summer and then fall these lillacs bare of any blooms got huge and eventually blocked my view of the driveway.

This spring they finally got their first bloom. As Joel and I continue to consider moving, I know we will always take these lilacs with us.