Benicio is 7 months!

December 22, 2014... Wait, what!?  I'm seven months old!  I actually turned the seven month mark while we were on our Christmas holiday to Berlin, Germany.  I may be a tiny tot, but I'm becoming quite the globe trotter like my older brother and sister!  My passport includes stamps to and from Majorca Island, Spain, Paris, France, and most recently, Berlin, Germany.  And of course all sorts of adventures within Ireland.  I am one lucky baby!  Rolling over is nothing new, but I now use rolling for a purpose.  I can't crawl quite yet, but I really want to.  In the meantime, I will role back and forth and use my arms to change direction so that I can get where I want to, especially for a toy.  One of my favorite "non-toys" are packages of wipes.  Gotta love that crinkling noise!  I also love little tiny board books, they are just the right size!  I have been experimenting and having a great time with foods.  My "meals" in the last month have included fruits, veggies, pasta, meat, and rice cakes.  I am getting better at grabbing food and using both hands to get things to my mouth.  A lot still ends up on the floor, but I have managed to actually swallow a few bites here and there.  Very exciting news-- I have my first tooth!  Right there in the front and it is sharp!  Thanks for tuning in and I'm sure I'll have lots more exciting updates on my 8-month birthday!  Slan for now!  Love, Benicio 

Lina's Christmas Play

December 17, 2014.  Straffan National School, Ireland.  Senior Infants class.

Lina was a narrator in the school's nativity play.  She worked hard practicing her lines for weeks.  "Robin and the flock flew, following the star which came to rest over a stable in Bethlehem.  There, lying in a manger, was a special baby with his mother and father, Mary and Joseph."

Isandro standing on a chair watching the play.

Lina saying her lines in the play.  I love the way she's a little shy and holding her shirt, but she did awesome and remembered her lines!

Dada got Lina some flowers for after the play.

We are very proud of our girl!

Train Ride to Visit Santi

We drove to Rathwood, Ireland for a fun Christmas experience in the woods.  Kids poured their own reindeer food, listened to a story read by Mrs. Claus, and boarded a train that drove through the woods to visit Santa.  While aboard the train, they were entertained by the antics of Mr. Jack Frost, seeing real reindeer, watching Santa appear from a cabin chimney, and seeing some of the cutest elf houses along the way.  Then they got their own private session with the big man himself, and a gift to take home.  They had a great time!!

Mailing her letter to Santa.

They loved the tea cup ride!

Adorable elf house!

Mr. Jack Frost entertaining the train goers.

Being bashful with Santa.

Gingerbread House Fun With Friends!

The kids had a blast decorating gingerbread houses at Maeli and Milo's house, and their friends Knox and Abram also joined the gingerbread party.  Warning: A few sweets may have been consumed during the making of the gingerbread houses. ;)

Can't reach? No problem, just climb onto the counter!

Benicio's Baby Led Weaning Adventures 6-7 months

I decided to go about starting solids differently than I did with Adelina and Isandro.  They were both introduced to "solids" through traditional weaning.  With Isandro I did make all of my own baby food, and with both of them we started with easy foods like avocado and banana.  This time I am skipping the traditional methods of spoon feeding and purees.  The first several months of BLW are mostly just playing around with the different shapes, tastes, and textures of REAL food in the form that we eat them as real people, not blended up in the same boring consistency like baby food.  Benicio thinks it's fun to slap his hand around on the tray and grab different foods.  He puts them to his mouth, but most of it ends up on the floor, which is okay since he should be getting almost all of his nutritional needs from his milk until the age of one anyway.  The book I read about baby led weaning mentioned not being afraid of a mess, especially for the first few months when baby is still learning how to manipulate food in his hands and explore this new world of the thing they call food.  It definitely is messy, but we're having fun with it!  

His first experience with food... steamed carrots, zucchini, and broccoli.

Squishing it in his hands!

A week or so into blw, he tried oranges for the first time....

and pear!

He loves banana!  He got a good grip on it by literally digging his fingers into the banana.

That foot!!

Moving on to the high chair that attaches to a regular chair... works great!

Toast... hmmmm.

bell pepper!