Happy 1st Birthday Bennett!

Wow - has it really been a year already! I now have a toddler instead of a baby :-/ So much good has happened during Bennett's first year for us and so many family and friends! There were lots of babies born (7), lots of babies we know of waiting to be born (4), proposals (2), weddings (1), good health and lots of happiness!

This afternoon we had Mike's mom Leann, sister Sarah, cousin Devon & Grandma Mimi come see us. This was our Christmas/Birthday get-together with them. Bennett got a really cool basketball hoop that he'll have lots of fun with this summer and also the ball popper toy that Devon and him are playing with and a boat for the bathtub.

Then tonight my Mom, Jon, Josh & Kristen came over for cake. Bennett got his very own cupcake which he loved! He also got some new clothes for this winter and upcoming spring.

Mike & I gave him a talking Elmo doll which was also a pretty big hit.

He of course tried to shove the whole thing in at once! (Elmo bib courtesy of Uncle David!)

Here are the monthly highlights:

- He learned to Walk!!! He is taking anywhere from 5-10 steps by himself but prefers to walk to someone. Crawling is faster though so he still does this most of the time (which is fine with me!)

- 2 more teeth which brings his total to 12. (I hope this is done soon, we had about a straight month that he didn't sleep though the night)

- He's saying new sounds all the time with his latest being the G sound. He says Mama alot but Mike is reallllly trying to get him to say Dada though.

- He's eating more solid foods lately and one of his favorites is hotdogs.

(next week we have his 1 year checkup so I'll get you his "stats" then)

Bennett was very ready for bed tonight (in his new pj's from Grandma)