March 21, 2018

happy first birthday, benjamin!

Happy first birthday to my baby boy Benjamin Robert. I cannot believe we are celebrating one whole year with him today. I thought this milestone might be easier after my first baby, but it’s not. It’s still the strange mix of excitement for what’s to come, pride for all they’ve accomplished and nostalgia for those sweet newborn cuddles.

I know I have said this before, but I always thought I’d be an ‘All Girl’ mom. When we went to our ultrasound to find out the gender of Baby Peterson #2, they took Blaire out of the room to give her a pink or a blue balloon. I was sure it would be pink. Their birthday would be just about a month apart. We’d be able to reuse all of her clothing. Girls would continue to outnumber Jason in our house.

When she walked into that ultrasound room with a blue balloon – I am sure my facial expression was such disbelief. I just couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have a baby boy in my arms. But from the moment I met that tiny sweet face, we immediately locked eyes and he looked at me in a way that still makes me cry when I think about it. He KNEW I was his mama. He was the baby boy I didn’t know I needed to make my heart swell with even more love than I ever knew possible. He has loved his mama so much, from the second he was born. (Blaire was a C Section. I got to see her a few minutes after she was born, but didn’t get to hold her for about 45 minutes. The experience of having a VBAC and having Ben laid right on my chest was just the happiest moment for me.)

Nicknames: Ben, Benny, Benji, Benny Boy

Weight/Height: 20.9lbs (18%) / 29″ (25%)

Wearing: Mostly 12 months – but can fit into 18 months

Saying: dada, mama, mom, hiiii, thank you, and trying hard to say Blaire.

Favorite Things: Remotes! Reading books by himself (he loves to turn the pages), cuddling, following sis around, being outside and being worn by mama

Favorite Foods: Oh, this boy and food. He LOVES something the first time he tries it. Then I serve it to him again the next day and he acts like it’s the worst thing ever. Things he ALWAYS loves are crackers, chicken, yogurt and pizza crust. Lol! Things he sometimes loves and sometimes despises are strawberries, waffles, pancakes, pizza, and cheese. Things he always dislikes are bananas and scrambled eggs.

Biggest Milestone: Starting to talk!

Biggest Challenge: Walking and sleep training. He still doesn’t like going to sleep without being rocked. He is also very cautious, so he is just beginning to be interested in walking. I remember Blaire would reach for the couch, thinking she could make the few steps there but then would fall. Ben thinks about, then crawls the foot to the couch. When he does fall, he gets right back up. But, he would just rather not fall.

My Favorite Part of This Stage: His personality. Seeing him grow and learn something new every day will never get old.

So much has changed since he was born last year. I went back to work full-time after my 12 weeks of maternity leave. I made it a whole 3 months before I decided I needed to be home with my babies again. Being home with them every day has been the biggest blessing. The first five months home have been challenging, but so rewarding. We are really finding our groove and I think I’m balancing work, housework, and playing with these babies pretty well now. You know when I posted his gender reveal back in 2016, one thing I was worried about when it came to having a baby boy was being able to find cute clothes for him. I have always been able to find more than enough clothing but Blaire, but wasn’t sure what it would be like to shop in the Boys section. Thankfully Carter’s keeps that side of their store stocked just as well, because dressing this little boy up is one of my favorite things. He looks so stinkin’ cute in everything. I love that we have had Carter’s along to celebrate all of the firsts for each of our babies… and any future Peterson babies. ;) Be sure to check out Carter’s With You From the Start video here!

Seeing how much Ben adores Blaire brings tears to my eyes. He just thinks the world of his whole family. He is such a happy guy and his laugher is so contagious. He makes all of us so happy. We prayed for this baby to join our family for more than one year. And every tear, heartbreak, disappointment and worry was worth it. Benjmain, you’re healthy. You’re happy. You’re the perfect fourth to our family.

Benjamin, you are the sweetest, most outgoing baby. You love to meet new people. You love to be carried and cuddled. You also love to get into trouble and think it’s funny when we call you naughty boy!

This first year as a family of four has been so full. Definitely stressful at times, but so, so full of love and happiness and craziness. Lots of craziness! We are so lucky to have been blessed with this sweet baby boy. I can’t wait to see his personality continue to grow and change.