Superbaby!

While in different rooms of the house, I often find Ivy Kate's head appearing around the door frames, courtesy of John, of course.

Tonight before bath time, I caught them in action! I love watching them interact. She is definitely going to a Daddy's girl!

Happy 3 Month Birthday!

Dear Ivy Kate-

Happy 3 Month Birthday! We just wanted you to know how much we love you and we can't remember or imagine what we did without you.

Some of the things we love about you, are:

your pretty blue eyes

the way you smile at us :)

your CRAZY hair

how you talk to us

We could go on and on, but most of all, we just love you for you!

Love-

Mama and Daddy

Oh How We Love the Bumbo!

Even though she isn't looking at the camera...I love this picture because it shows off her crazy hair! We just got the Bumbo last week and she isn't too sure about it yet. There is a new accessory for the Bumbo... a tray for toys! I also think it would be great for feeding too!

My 1st Blue Jeans

Ivy Kate modeled her first pair of blue jeans the other day and no they are not Sevens! She is spoiled, but not that spoiled!

Visit from Aunt Morgan

Morgan came to visit this weekend since she is spending a month in Hattiesburg. Ivy Kate (and poor Wilson) enjoyed all the attention and Mama enjoyed catching up with a great friend! :)

Come back soon...we miss you!

I am about to get tickled...

First Pedicure

While we were in Starkville, I got a pedicure at my mom's salon. Ever since Ivy Kate has been born, the girls at the salon have been dying to paint her toenails, so I finally gave in.

John is going to be doomed since she started getting pedicures at 2 months!

Neshoba County Fair

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. We just got home from the Neshoba County Fair and a trip to Starkville. Ivy Kate and I stayed at the Fair from Thursday until Wednesday (John was able to stay on the weekend). It was actually cooler than most Fairs in the past which was great having a baby. Ivy Kate slept from 10 to 7 every night (not sure how through all noise from the bands)!

John, Ivy Kate, Bailey, and Paul Kosko

Ivy Kate was so excited to meet Bailey! She thought he was so cute!

Ivy Kate's 1st Kademi Fair onesie!

Ever since Ivy Kate has been born, we have been on the go. She isn't quite 3 months old and we've spent 30 nights away from home...so we're staying home until football season!

Cute Idea

The last time I was in Starkville I took Ivy Kate to Dandy Doodlez on Main Street to put her footprints on a plate for her room. The sweet girl that worked there helped me get her feet painted and put the footprints on the plate.

For all of you creative people out there, you can paint the plate yourself, but I just let them do it. I think that it turned out so cute!

Shots and Bling, Bling Band-Aids!

We just got back from Ivy Kate's 2 month check-up and she is asleep. It went good. John was able to meet us there, so he got to help the nurse hold her legs while she gave her the shots. :(

She screamed, but she was okay after the initial shock wore off. They put these shiny silver band-aids on her legs.

Bling, bling!

(If you look close, you can see the shiny band-aid on her thigh!)

Her check-up went well. And she now is:

10 pounds 9 ounces

23 inches long

Mohawk or Rooster?

Ivy Kate's hair just keeps a growin' and will not lay down. I took these pictures this morning as she was playing (before getting dressed and combing the hair). Although combing the hair does not help!

So the question of the day is:

Does it look like a mohawk or a rooster?

Our Favorite Thing

This play mat by Fisher Price is the best. It folds up so nicely that you can take it anywhere. We took it over to some friends' house for dinner, so Ivy Kate would have some place to play. The toys are connected to the mat and you can take them off and wash the mat if you have to.

It is our favorite and she plays on it all the time!

(Actually, Wilson loves it too! If I don't put it up after Ivy Kate gets finished playing, I find him messing with the toys!)

Ready for Bed...Bunny Slippers and All!

Someone gave us these bunny slippers as a baby gift and I think they're adorable. I put them on Ivy Kate for the first time last night right before bedtime. She is still doing great sleeping (anywhere from 7 to 8.5 hours)! We are truly blessed with a great sleeper.

We go Monday for Ivy Kate's 2 month check-up and shots. I can't wait to find out how much she weighs and how tall she is, but I could wait on the shots parts. :(

First Bow!

Shout out to Heather for making us a new blog header...we LOVE it! You're the greatest!

Ivy Kate loves her Aunt Heather (so does Mama)!

Look What I Can Do...

Mama and Daddy make all kinds of crazy faces for me to do this!

You should see them!

Swimming with Daddy

We took Ivy Kate swimming while we were out of town. She loved it. Her eyes are closed in all the pictures though

(I guess it was too bright).

She was pooped after swimming and took a really long nap!

I love my outfit...can't you tell?

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

Ivy Kate slept for 7 hours straight last night. Ever since we brought her home from the hospital, she has been a good sleeper. She usually sleeps anywhere from 5 to 6.5 hours straight. She has had another 7 hour stretch, but I thought it might be a fluke.

We are so thankful for a good sleeper.

Mama does not do well without sleep!

Father's Day

John's 1st Father's Day turned out to be quite eventful. After we heard the sweet sound of our baby girl on the monitor at 6 o'clock in the morning, I went in her room to get her...only to be horrified that she had thrown up (not spit up) in her crib.

I was going to scream, but I remembered the baby monitor was on as high as it would go, so the neighbors might hear if I screamed.

So, at 6 o'clock in the morning, we were bathing the baby.

Ivy Kate and I had all the intentions of cooking John breakfast, but after all that excitement, we quickly fell back to sleep.

Poor Daddy had to cook us breakfast on his special day!

We then drove to Jackson for my cousin's, Thomas, 2nd birthday party!

Happy Birthday, Thomas!

Wilson's and Sophie's Playdate

Heather came by for a visit on Friday afternoon with lil' Miss Sophie. We were not sure how Sophie and Wilson would react to each other since the last playdate did not go so well (Sophie still had the cone on her head from surgery and Wilson was making fun of her). Well, the playdate went great. They were running all over the house. I was trying to take their picture and I came out with lots of pictures with no dogs in them because they were gone by the time the flash went off!

Wilson and Sophie kissing!
Sophie cannot jump, so Wilson is trying to coach her to jump down out of the chair!
Ivy Kate enjoyed all the lovin' she received from Heather!

Happy Father's Day!

Daddy-

Thanks for being the best Daddy in the world. I love you lots! I get so excited when you come home from work everyday. Sorry for crying last night when you had to keep me while Mama was gone.

Hope you have a great 1st Father's Day!

XOXO- Ivy Kate

Hi! My name is Wilson and I just found out...

I'M A DOG!

Ever since they brought her (they refer to her as my "sister") home, I haven't gotten much attention except when I mess something up. I don't hate her, but I don't exactly love her either. I mean come on...she is stealing my spotlight. I've seen other "dogs" in the neighborhood, but I never thought I was one of them...I thought I was a human. I couldn't figure out why I had to use the bathroom outside, but I got over it. After finding out I'm a dog, I might need to go to counseling.

I got in trouble yesterday because Mama put "sister's" Moses' basket on the floor and I proceeded to take a nap in it. I mean it was a bed on the floor for crying out loud! She got mad because she is going to have to wash all the blankets in it because I have germs. Mama is a germ freak!

Well, sorry for boring you with my problems...I am going to lay on the couch and watch The View while "sister" is asleep!

Peace Out- Wilson

She Wore an Itsy, Bitsy...

This is the cute bikini onesie my Aunt Deb gave Ivy Kate. John and I think it is hysterical, but Ivy Kate does not seem to find the humor. She was being a wiggle worm during our photo shoot, so this is the best picture I got.

Thanks, Aunt Deb, for lots of laughs!

Four Weeks Old

Ivy Kate is four weeks old today. It has been the best four weeks of my life. Being a mother is the best feeling in the world. She brings so much excitement to every moment of every day.

Thank you Lord for blessing us with such a sweet little girl!

Weekend in Starkvegas

This past weekend, Ivy Kate, Wilson (the dog), and I headed for a long weekend in Starkville with my fam. John was out of town. Ivy Kate slept all the way from Gulfport to Starkville and back. Thank goodness!

We spent the weekend hanging out with family.

John's parents, Gramme and Papa, drove to Starkville to see Ivy Kate.

We also got to go to my little cousin's, Lawson, 5th birthday party. He was dressed as Spiderman, but he had a Pirates of the Carribean cake.

Happy Birthday, Lawson! We love you!

When we finally got home, Daddy was happy to see his little girl. He thinks she changed so much in 4 days.

We had lots of fun eating out, shopping, and getting to see so many family and friends, but we're glad to be home!

Oh My Gosh...Our Daughter Has A Mohawk

Ivy Kate's hair just keeps a growing and with the cowlick in the back...it looks as if she has a mohawk. I tried to take some pictures this morning to get the full effect. She was chillin' in her frog pajamas in her Boppy!

Hopefully, the rest of her hair will catch up, so she won't have a mohawk in kindergarten!

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend was lots of fun. We went out to eat 4 times! We went to two cookouts! We had company in from out of town! And we got to hang out with Daddy for an extra day!

I was trying to take a photo of Ivy Kate's dress before we went to the neighborhood cookout, but I wasn't successful. So, this is the best I could get.

I hope everyone else had as a great of Memorial Day Weekend as we did!

Luke's High School Graduation

This past weekend my little brother Luke graduated from Starkville Academy. We're so proud him! Here is a picture of my family. Luke was trying to pick up chicks with Ivy Kate!

Congrats, Luke! We love you!

New Pics of Little Miss Ivy Kate

It is hard to think that Ivy Kate has been here for almost a whole week. We've had so much fun and have enjoyed all the family that came to meet our little sweet pea. Ivy Kate has also enjoyed all the loving she has gotten while everyone was here. I just wanted to share a few pics, but don't worry...there will be plenty more to come.

One of the few outfits that will fit her little self right now, but isn't she the cutest "sweet pea"!

Her coming home outfit. It is the same Feltman Brothters dress I wore home from the hospital. Thanks, Mom, for keeping it all these years!
Ivy Kate and Mom at the hospital.



Our first pic as a family!
Ivy Kate and her proud Daddy!


Hope everyone has a Happy Mother's Day! Will post more pictures later!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IVY KATE!

This is Heather. Ashley asked me to post the exciting news: Sweet Ivy Kate has arrived!

Here at her stats:

Ivy Katherine Benjamin (I hope I spelled everything correctly)
May 7, 2007
11:25 a.m.
6 lbs, 2 oz.
20 inches

Ashley called at noon to tell me the good news. She sounded GREAT! Ashley said she is precious with a head full of brownish hair.

She went in this morning at 6:30 to get induced. Last night she told me it would probably be later this afternoon, so when she called at noon I was not expecting Ivy Kate to already be here!
I am going to the coast sometime in the next few days to meet her...I can't wait!

CONGRATS ASHLEY AND JOHN!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, IVY KATE!

Baby on the Way...

We just got back from the doctor and if Ivy Kate doesn't come by Monday...we are scheduled to induce that morning. It is finally setting in that she will be here next week.

We're so excited!

Please keep us in your prayers during this truly exciting time as our family is about to expand!