Natural History Museum

We went to the Natural History Museum Saturday. Before we left, we told Ben we were going to see dinosaurs and he was very excited. However, once we got there, he told us he was afraid of the dinosaurs and didn't want to get too close to them. Unfortunately, even though after a while he didn't seem to mind them, we had to spend about 30minutes before bed time reassuring him that the dinosaurs were too big to get in our car, the front door or anywhere else in the house.
I was excited to see a facial reconstruction exhibit. I think Ben was a little bored with it. This is where I found my boys.
Ben learned when his birthday is a few days ago and has reminded us many times since then. We usually get the full run down of how he'll get three candles, a birthday hat and cake etc. Last night while we were discussing birthdays, he surprised us by spelling his name for us. We spell it out all the time, but this was the first time we realized it stuck! Here's Ben showing off a few things and Sam getting in the way:

Sam is doing great with rolling all over the place, but every now and then he gets a little stuck!

Porky piggy

Samuel is 7months old. Last night we put him in pajamas that are size 12months. These were Bens pj's. He started wearing them when he was 10months and wore them well past a year old. I don't think they'll last that long on Sam.

Ben in May, 2007.

Sam (wearing the same shorts and a different shirt that came with that set) May, 2009.

Ben went to the Zoo and Rainforest yesterday with Papa. Before coming home, they had lunch with my mom. I'm not sure which zoo he went to, but all I've heard about for the past 24hours are the loud dinosaurs and the big green monster. He came home with a frog stuffed animal and a helicopter which haven't left his side. It sounds like he had a great time especially since he keeps asking to go to the zoo and look for Papa. Thanks Tony.

While they were gone, Sam and I had some time to play. He wants to get up and crawl, he just doesn't have the strength yet.

Ben showing off his new rock climbing skills at the park today:

Memorial Day

We had a great Memorial Day yesterday. We started the day with a walk to the park where we met Gram, Ty and Emma. The kids ran nonstop the entire time. Where ever Emma went, Ben had to go too.
We headed home for lunch and a nap for Sam then went to Aaron and Prastis for a cook out and to welcome Gibson home again.
Sam shares Bens fascination with fans and giggled for 10 minutes at one of Emmas toys.

We took the scenic route on the walk home. By the time the kids got to bed, they were exhausted. We didn't hear a sound from either one of them.

Wedding bells

We got a surprise visit from our friends Dave and Mary last night. They were "in the area" (good one Dave) and wanted to say hello. They also just happened to get engaged and wanted to share the news! We are so happy for them. They are a great couple and its clear they are going to have a happy life together. Congrats guys.

Gibson Marshall

I was finally able to get a picture of my new nephew. He's a handsome little guy with the longest fingers and toes I've ever seen on a baby! Unfortunately, he had to go back into the hospital Friday night to take care of some jaundice. He is making progress and should be released today. Despite him being in the hospital, he is doing well. I think Prasti is exhausted, but she is looking great.

Watch this

Ben: "Hey mama, watch this"
Me: "I'm watching"
Ben jumps up and down.

Ben: "Hey, watch this mama"
I look, but don't say anything.

Ben: "Hey, watch this. Watch this mama"
Me: "I'm watching"
Ben does a spin.

Ben: "Hey, watch this mama"
Me: "I'm watching"
Ben falls on the floor.

Ben: "Hey, watch this mama"
Me: "I'm watching"
Ben rolls around on the floor.


5 minutes later.....

Ben: "Hey mama, watch this"
Me: "Ok, I'm watching"
Ben runs across the room.

I would like to thank who ever it was that taught my son the phrase, "Hey, watch this."

Slumber party

We put the boys to bed last night and we heard Ben talking and singing as normal. Then, all of the sudden, we hear both Ben and Sam burst into laughter. When we went to explore this is what we saw:In Sam news, he has started rolling from his stomach to his back again. He stopped for a while and got very mad when he got stuck on his tummy. Just like that, he remembered how to do it and his life is good again!
As usual, Ben is all about pushing the hotel elevator buttons. Before we can all get out of the room, I usually hear him saying, "Come on guys, lets go push the elevator buttons" as he is running down the hall.

Swim time

Our vacation is almost over. I'll be sad to go home. Its beautiful out here and we're having a lot of fun, but we definitely can't wait to get back and see Gibson.

Tuesday we checked out Reston town Center. Its an outside mall full of shops and restaurants. Its like Crocker Park, but I think its slightly more classy. Not that its more upscale, its just cleaner and prettier. They definitely take very good care of the city. We went to a hibachi restaurant for dinner and by the time we got done it was late, so we just relaxed the rest of the night at the hotel.

Yesterday, the boys and I checked out the walking trails. Virginia has some great trails. They go from Leesburg to D.C. (I'm not sure how far that is, but it sounds far). Its not just one trail like the Metro parks. There are a ton of them that cross over each other in several places. We went four miles yesterday and headed back today to check out the other direction. We found a couple spots along the way to stop so Ben could run and we went to a farmers market today.
I think last night was the highlight of Bens trip. We promised him we could go swimming. At first, he didn't want to get in, but once he did, he was unstoppable! He loved watching dad swim and splash. Ben did a great job doing the doggy paddle. He'll be on his own in no time.

Welcome baby

This morning Aaron and Prasti welcomed Gibson Marshall into the world. He was born at 4am. He weighs 8lbs and 6oz and is 21inches long. We are so happy for them and we can't wait to come home and meet our new nephew!

D.C.

We headed to Washington D.C. last night. The traffic was awful but the city is amazing. I haven't been there since 6th grade. When you're 12 you don't pay attention to how beautiful things are around you so it was a pleasant surprise. We spent several hours walking the city. We got up close to the White House, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. We saw the Federal Reserve, the capitol and several Departments (of treasury, commerce etc.) either from far away or by car. Ben didn't quite get the significance of what he was seeing. He just wanted to run on the grass. We ended up having a late night so Sam slept through the last half of the visit.

Even though we were only there for a couple hours, it was easy to get caught up in the "magic" of the city. For a couple minutes, you forget about politics, the deals and the greed and you think about the hopes and dreams people had/have for our country. Being there made a lot of improbables seem possible. I was sad to leave.

Vacation, sort of

Jon got approved for a week long training class through work. We decided to pack up the entire family and make a little vacation out of it. Yesterday we left home and headed to Reston Virginia. We are right outside D.C. and are also pretty close to Maryland. The trip started with a pleasant surprise. PNC pays for a rental car so Jon ordered us a mini van. I do not want to become a mini van family (although the more Jon talks, the more I think he's leaning towards a mini van for our next car). The rental company offered Jon an upgrade to a SUV for a fraction of the cost so we avoided the mini van, at least for now. We ended up with a Ford Flex. The outside is absolutely hideous. The color is something I would never pick. Its long and just not my style. However, once you get inside, it's like sitting in a little piece of Heaven! Its roomy, has a ton of options like dual climate control, third row seating, leather seats and so on. It was quiet, comfortable and I must admit, the outside doesn't seem so bad now. The six hour drive was actually pretty painless.
We didn't get in until 9pm. We wanted to get the kids to bed so we didn't have a lot of time to explore. We all got up early this morning and after Jon went off to his class, the kids and I started to take in the sights. There are walking trails right behind the hotel and a couple shopping plazas right around the corner. The office buildings are beautiful and there are tons of townhouses around here. It has a D.C. feel to the city. I'm surprised to see such a diverse population around here. There is a huge Asian community here and there are just as many Arabic and Spanish speakers as there are English. We're going to have some lunch and head back out to another shopping area. We plan to see D.C. either tonight or tomorrow. We are excited to have a week away from cooking and cleaning even if we do have to give up Jon for a few hours each day. We'll post more through the week and keep everyone updated on our trip.


Emma cuddling with Sam yesterday at church:

Big imagination

A couple days ago we had a pretty big branch fall off one of our trees. As Ben went outside after it fell he looked at me and said, "mama, whats that?" I told him it was a really big stick. Ben replied, "no mama, its a rattle snake!" Since then every time he sees the branch on the ground, he comments on how the rattle snake is broken. In Bens world, if it doesn't do exactly what he wants, its broken.

Daddy taming the rattle snake!

Ben and his stick.

Ben showing off his cheeto fingers.

Sam wishing he could have a cheeto!

Family visit

My brother and his girlfriend came to visit this week from North Carolina. We had a cook out yesterday with the extended Swegle family to catch up and say good bye again. Ben (as always) was attached to papa most of the day, but managed to tear himself away for a few minutes to hang out with Uncle Tony.At lunch earlier this week:Today is Mothers Day. Ben and Sam painted picture frames for momo (my mom) and gram. Ben put in a painted hand print and Sam put in a foot print. Of course I forgot to take a picture of the finished product, but here are some in progress pics so you can get the idea.Ben and dad made me a picture. Ben seems very excited to point everything out. We might end up fighting over who actually gets to keep it! Along with my picture, Jon bought me new running shoes and he's cooking my favorite dinner tonight. Its turning out to be a great day!