Update on the boys

* Ben and Hugh playing today

We're still here, hanging out at home, trying to recover from this latest bug. Ugh. I can't believe after ten days we're still sick. Wellness has to be around the corner soon.

During our quiet afternoon today, I decided to take a few photos, since it's probably been way too long. I'm stunned at how fast they are both growing. I'm constantly getting the "enjoy every moment because it goes way too fast" talk, but while enjoying it it's still going way too fast.

Ben, now 13 months old, seems more and more like a little boy rather than my baby. He's becoming so independent - when he plays, when he eats, when he sleeps. At his doctor appointment yesterday (for his one year visit - one month late), Ben is now weighing 22 pounds (30th percentile) and is 31 inches tall (80 percentile).

When the song "If you're happy and you know it" comes on, he claps his hands without any encouragement from us. He gives kisses, but only if you're standing under some wind chimes that are ringing (random, right?) or every once in a while when I sing "You are my sunshine" as I pull him out of his crib in the morning.

* doesn't he look much too small to be standing???

Hugh, it seems, is feeling the pressure to keep up with his big brother. He just refuses to slow down. A month and a half ago (at his last appointment, which was a week before his 7th month birthday), Hugh weighed 18 pounds 14 ounces (60th percentile) and was 27 3/4 inches long (80th percentile).

About a month ago I went to feed him in the middle of the night and found him standing up, screaming. During the day we'd seen him trying to stand up, but he couldn't quite do it on his own. Somewhere in the wee hours of the morning, he figured it out without an audience! It is too cute for words watching this baby, my baby, standing up on his own. The funny thing? He hasn't figured out how to go from standing to not standing... for now he either falls over without any grace or he cries until someone rescues him. But, while he has spent so much time just standing, he has started to cruise a little, too.

Oh, and good news in the food department. I started being more consistent and creative in trying different tastes and textures. The result? Hugh is eating so much better now! It's been amazing. His main staple is avocado, but he also likes squash and bananas. But, avocados are clearly his favorite... you can tell by the low satisfied moaning he makes while he squishes it around his mouth. It's really cute!

As these two get older, they're starting to interact more. Right now that mostly consists of Hugh smiling at Ben in complete and utter adoration and Ben patting Hugh on the head with his hand (or whatever happens to be in his hand at the moment), which I'm sure doesn't translate to love on many occasions to Hugh. We're trying to teach Ben to be gentle, but he hasn't quite picked it up yet.

Life is so good. Even though we've been sick for ten days. These two boys, and of course my Marc, make my life so bright and happy. I feel so blessed.