Geddessentials

"Wizzy," as Bennett so affectionately calls her, has been here to visit and we're all more than happy to have her around. Benito adores the way she's always willing to play with him, whether it be chasing, wrestling, or reading books, and Eli loves having someone to smile at him. Here are a few shots of where our drive through beautiful Woodside (Liz served part of her mission there) lead us: an idyllic little beach called San Gregorio, about 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay. We picnicked and hiked and played on the beach, the boys happy as clams all the while! Needless to say, Liz will be missed around here . . . sniff, sniff . . . If only we could get her to move out here!!

You can tell I'm the mother of two from how completely different it's been with Eli's introduction to solid foods. Not only did I delay it as long as possible, considering the doctor gave us the green light at his 4 month appt. (most babies start at 6), but I also haven't fed him anything homemade yet. Gerber all the way. With Bennett I bought only organic fruits and vegetables, I pureed everything myself, I froze the purees in freezer trays and conscientiously stored them away, and I religiously followed a very specific feeding schedule for a nursing baby who's starting solids. Eli gets whatever I have in the cupboard whenever I happen to have time for it!

I couldn't resist a few shots of the boys (the awake ones, that is) coming home from church. Bennett looks so sweet and innocent next to these flowers, doesn't he? You'd never know that only minutes before he was terrorizing the younger kids in nursery . . .

I daresay even Electric Boogaloo would be proud of Eli's breakdancing skills, as showcased here in his Sunday afternoon performance. (What a great way to unwind after all those church meetings, right?) The kid can catch some serious air as he hops from "down dog" yoga pose --the one with his booty up in the air--to his knees, all in an effort to grab whatever toy he has in his sights. And while Ei's determination and breaking skills are highly entertaining to me and Stephen, poor Bennett's frustration continues to mount as more and more of his toys are hijacked by the drool king. If you set something on the floor, Eli will move to it and have it in his mouth within mere minutes. Yes, that includes your favorite pair of flip-flops that you wear and leave by the front door every day!