Summer Days

Here are a few pictures of how we've been spending some of the hot summer days.  Katie and Ben love icy pops and the fun elephant sprinkler we set up in our backyard.  They like to fill up little tea cups and water the plants. 

We're leaving for a few weeks to go to the beach with my family, Maine with Andrew's family and then to Lancaster for a big family reunion.  It should be fun but it will be a LOT of driving.  I'll post pictures when we get back.  Hope you're having a fun summer!

Katie's 1st Haircut

Last Saturday we walked down the street to have Katie's hair cut by a professional for the first time.  I've cut it a few times but it really needed an expert's touch since I have no idea how to care for curly hair!  She was perfectly patient and sat very still the whole time.  It's not very different but she shaped it nicely and it's beautiful!  We can't go anywhere without people stopping her to tell her what pretty hair she has.  Here are the before and after pictures, and some silly ones that resulted from the sugar in the lollipop they gave her!

Pinkalicious!

Last Thursday, Katie and I went on a special mommy-daughter date.  My dear friend Sarah and her sweet 4-year old daughter Ava picked us up and we drove about 1/2 a mile down the road to JMU's beautiful new performing arts center, The Forbes Center, where we watched the JMU Children's Playshop present Pinkalicious.  It was a musical about a girl who loved the color pink so much that she turned pink!  Katie enjoyed it a lot and sat quietly through the whole thing, even though, (as she tells me about 15 times per day) her favorite color is purple :)  We topped off our evening with some yummy frozen yogurt.  It was a fun girl's night out!

Ben's Birthday "Party"

We have had a really rough spring here in the Witmer house.  One or both of the kids have been sick almost every week.  We wanted to so something special for Ben's birthday so we planned a very small party with a few friends, neighbors and my family.  Everything was all ready and then 2 hours before people were supposed to come, Ben got sick.  Everyone who had kids didn't come but my parents and our neighbors were here to have a little celebration.  Ben was a good sport and even ate some cake (he was a little tentative.  Had he been feeling well I know he would have dug into it immediately!).  Thanks, Mom and Dad, for making the trip and for all you brought, especially the beautiful cake, and thanks everyone who called and/or sent something.  He was still feeling well when we opened the gifts and he loved it!  Hopefully he'll be feeling well on his 2nd birthday!

Telling Stories

Andrew is part of a digital storytelling workshop at JMU and he produced this sweet little video in a few hours on his ipod touch.  Don't you just love Katie's expressions?  She's very animated these days.  Enjoy!   

Let The Fun Begin!

To Ben, On His 1st Birthday

My Dear, Sweet, Benjamin,

Has it really been a year since you were born?!  I can hardly remember a time when you weren't a part of our family.  The year has flown by...probably partly because we've been chasing around your big sister too.

The first few weeks of your life were rough for all of us.  You cried all the time and couldn't be comforted.  We were moving to a new house and your daddy was working so hard to get it ready for us.  But then, when you were about 8 weeks old, something changed.  You became a happy, good natured, easy-going little baby.  And you (thankfully!) have been that way ever since!

There is so much to love about you, dear boy: how you wake up (a little early for me, but that's okay :) ) in a great mood, ready to play, how friendly you are to everyone who passes by, your awesome blonde hair, how you delight in everything Katie does, how consistent you are with your naps and nighttime sleep, how well you play by yourself, how your first word at 10-months was "hi", how active and yet snuggly you are, your adorable smile, how you play the same game (throwing your pacifier on the floor) every night (in true Witmer fashion) before bed, cracking yourself up, and I could go on and on.  I must note, too, that you are a terribly impatient eater, so much so that I had to stop nursing you at 10-months because you weren't getting your milk fast enough and you started biting.  Now you grab the bottle from our hands and start drinking immediately, before we can even sit down.  You love your food, especially avocado, and get cranky when you're hungry or don't get it fast enough.  I understand; I'm the same way :)

I hate to admit this, but when I found out I was pregnant with a boy I didn't know how I was going to handle it.  I only had sisters, and have mostly all girl friends.  But you are a boy, through and through, and I LOVE it!  I am so glad I am your mommy.  We love you so much, my joyful, sweet, fun, ridiculously cute little man.  Happy 1st Birthday!