Farmer's Market Fun

Jeff had last week off of work so we decided to surprise Ben at the Farmer's Market on Friday. He goes almost every week and has his routine down pat... He always goes to the local cheese maker for samples, the juice man, the cookie baker and the nectarine lady. When Ben saw his us, he literally ran at full sprint thru the crowds and jumped into Daddy's arms. It was probably the cutest thing I've ever seen... ever.

Bro Time

Ben has been doing really well with Brody in the house... I hate to say that out loud and jinx anything but we've been really proud of him. Granted, we are doing whatever we can to keep him busy and having fun but all in all, he is doing a great job.

The other night before bed, Ben wanted to show Brody all about rocket launches on You Tube... for anyone that knows Ben, they know he is OBSESSED with NASA rocket launch videos on You Tube. Brody wasn't as into the launches... yet. I have a feeling with Ben's grooming, we will have two budding astronauts in the Bolger household soon enough.

Scavenger Hunt

Pinterest is this great website where people share all sorts of ideas from cooking recipes, to party ideas to ways of entertaining your kids etc etc. Before Brody arrived, I searched the website for fun, easy and quick things we could do with Ben and Brody that would entertain Ben and get us outside for some sun and fun. Hence, the scavenger hunt! Another Mom had uploaded this scavenger hunt she made where you walk around your neighborhood and find certain items like a stop sign, squirrel, blue car etc etc. Ben loved it and looked pretty darn cute while scavenging in his sunglasses, if I do say so myself!

Cute Pic of Daddy and Brody Leaving the Hospital

Sprinkler Fun

Since we've been home from the hospital, the weather has been fabulous and warm. So what better way to enjoy the weather than to turn the sprinklers on and run thru them?!? Ben got these cool hose attachment sprinkler-things that when water runs thru them, they wiggle and go all over the place. Ben loves them! This is one way to keep the new big brother happy and jealousy-free while we make the new transition in our family :)

Our 1st Family Picture as a Family of 4!

Guess Who Is a Week Old Today?

That's right, Brody! As of 8:23am today. We go to his first 'well baby' check up today and will post the goodies from that appointment. But until then, we celebrate as a newborn celebrates... long naps and milk! Cheers!

Brody's Arrival, Part II

Brody and Papa on Brody's birthday...

Ben wasn't all that into playing with or meeting Brody. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't nasty or mean, he just wanted to play with people that would play back with him... Until Anne the nurse came to take Brody's vitals and asked Ben to help. Ben got to use the stethoscope to listen to Brody's heart beat and also take his temperature. That was a fun way to get Ben involved with his little bro.



On his second visit, Ben decided he wanted to get a closer look at Brody... It was a very touching, sweet moment... that lasted about a minute... but still touching and sweet, none the less...



Welcome Brody!

Welcome Brody Patrick Bolger, born Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 8:23am.

9lbs, 5oz; 21.5inches long.

(Yes, that qualifies as a big baby!)

We were scheduled for a C-Section on the morning of Wed, July 18 but Brody had his own plans. Around 2:00am on Tuesday, my water broke putting all our plans out the window. Gommie and Papa sped over since Ben was asleep, the toilet overflowed in a major way just before leaving for the hospital so Jeff had to clean it up, then when we got to the hospital, they wanted to wait until 7:30am for the C-Section because a majority of the staff would have been 'on call' doctors.

Long story short, Brody arrived at 8:23am on Tuesday. We spent 4 days in the hospital (with horrible wi-fi hence the blog update now) and are now home attempting to come up with a new routine and schedule.

Ben is doing pretty good with the transition but doesn't understand why Mommy can't pick him up like she used to. Brody is a real angel, he is as sweet as can be. Jeff is super Dad in a major way taking care of Ben and helping me since I am a little out of sorts physically after the C Section.

Part I - Pics of the big day...

Arriving at the hospital at 3:30am Tuesday. This was before we found out the C Section would still be another 3-4 hours away and Jen would get to go thru some contractions. Fun stuff.

Gommie and Jeff scrubbing in for the C Section...

Jen meeting Brody for the first time!

Back in our room, Daddy and Brody bonding time...

and Mommy and Brody bonding time, too!

More Pics to come in the next few days...

Last Weekend Before Baby Boy 2

This was the last weekend before Baby Boy 2's arrival and Ben's last weekend as an only child so we devised a fabulous plan of going to the beach, a festival and tons of other fun and fabulous things to do with our little man. Only problem was that his Mom couldn't hang. I still have yet to 'get' that I can't keep up with the boys (right now) and that I have limitations on what I can do. So... we called in reinforcements...

We started out with brunch and Jeff and Ben split a Bolger Boy fav, a club sammy... always a crowd pleaser...

Then Ben went to see a movie, Madagascar 3, with Gommie and Papa and ran in their backyard and launched rockets and all in all, had a great time. What was really nice was that  Ben spent the night at Gommie and Papa's so Jeff and I actually got a decent night's sleep...

Now we just wait for Wednesday AM to roll around to meet our second little man...

Ben's 3 Year Stats

With the impending arrival of Baby Boy Bolger 2, we are getting all of our annual appointments done now in hopes of making life a smidge easier when he arrives. We went to Ben's 3 year appointment this past week and here is the latest and greatest on our 3 year old dude!

Weight - 30.4lbs (35% percentile)
Height - 38 inches (65% percentile)
*Dr speculates that Ben will be somewhere around 5"11' once grown since he is trending around the 65-75% percentile in height since birth.

A few of Ben's Favorites :

Food - Tuna Sandwhiches, Watermelon, Grapes, any kind of chips or crackers, Corn on the Cob is a real Ben pleaser and then any form of berry, especially strawberry. His most recent love is apricots and nectarines but this is based on Jen's pregnancy cravings, we think...

Toys - Anything rockets or planes. The kid is literally obsessed with anything that flys including helicopters and if it flies to the moon or outer space, even better. Bunster is still Ben's favorite 'friend' but Dorothy the sting ray and Big Brother Bunster run a close second and third.

Activities - Trampoline, swimming, gymnastics class, petting the sting rays at the Aquarium and anything that gets him really messy especially rolling in sand at the beach.

Our Little Rocket Man

Probably Ben's best Elton John Impression to date.

Bussi Time

Our friends, the Bussi Family, drove from San Rafael to Ben's birthday party and decided to make a weekend of it. They were going to get a hotel but we figured Ben and Maxine Bussi would have loads of fun with a sleep over.

We were very right that Ben and Maxine were just as tight as peas and carrots and got along beyond famously!

Playtime with the rocket sunglasses has begun...



After a long afternoon of playing, Ben insisted on reading Maxine a bedtime story. That didn't pan out so well so Paul read both kids 'If You Give a Pig a Pancake.' They still both refused to go to bed even though it was waaaay past their bedtimes...



We woke up on Sunday morning, the morning of Ben's actual 3rd birthday, and went on a quick hike to the 'lake' by our house. (When we say lake, it really is more of a watering hole/pond)...



The whole purpose of going to the lake is to throw rocks into the lake. Ben is a boy which means throwing rocks is in his DNA. Maxine being a girl... not so much... until Ben showed her how. They both have a pretty mean arm on them!



The rock throwing was over and the sun was out so we went to the pool...

Apparently the parents were taking too long to get ready and pack up so Maxine and Ben had a milk cocktail and played in the pillows...



Paul, Nicole and Leo Bussi in the kid pool...



After a long day and a half of celebrating in the sun, an exhausted Ben nearly fell asleep in my arms at the pool... until his grilled cheese arrived... yes, he is a true Bolger boy!



Full bellies, tons of play time done, warm sun... yep, they both took a little cat nap by the pool...



With the 3rd birthday festivities behind us, now we have a week and a half until Ben's little brother arrives... so... we get to wait... wait... wait... try to be patient (which Jeff is good at but not his wife)... spend as much time with our little dude while he is still an only child...

3rd Birthday Party, Part 2

When an active little man turns 3 but his mom is 1 1/2 weeks away from having a baby, what sort of birthday party can you expect? Well, one where Mom doesn't have to run around (since that doesn't really happen at this point) or stress (there is enough of that in the house right now getting ready for baby 2). Hence, Gymnastics! Ben goes to a gymnastics class, or 'nastics' as he calls it, every week and loves it. So... after lunch and play time at the beach, we all caravaned to his gymnastics studio a few blocks away for an hour of nastics and cake. At nastics, the parents had an hour 'off' to chat with the other parents while the kids jumped on the trampolines, played in the foam pit, balanced on the balance beams etc etc etc. All in all, a really fun way for the kids AND parents to spend an hour!

Cake Time is literally the highlight of all parties for Ben so we had a rocket shaped cake made for his big day. He loved it and the fact that it was cookies n' cream flavor didn't hurt!

Ben's 3rd Birthday Par-tay! (Part 1)

This past Saturday was Ben's 3rd birthday party and boy did he have fun! All of his friends came to help him celebrate and by the time 3:00pm rolled around, Ben was beyond exhausted from having had so much fun.

The day started at the Del Monte beach for face painting, lunch, playing in the sand and all in all, *somewhat* organized chaos. But honestly, all 3 year old birthday parties seem to be in some stage of chaos and our birthday boy was having the best time so we were fine running after him (well, Jeff did the running) while he explored, played and hammed it up with his friends.

Here the party is just getting started at Del Monte Beach...

Tiny, the clown, did face paintings and balloon animals. Brace yourself for what Ben got painted on him... if you guessed rockets and planets, you are very right!

Who goes to the beach without rolling in the sand and throwing it on your friends? Here, Ben, Hayden, Jakey and Lauren are doing the 3 year old version of building a sand castle.



Handsome boy, beautiful day and awesome view...



Benny and his BFF Jakey along with the Dads having some bro-time.



Ben and Jakey were literally inseparable the entire party... it was pretty darn cute. When asked the next day, he told his grandparents that Jakey is his best friend. Melted my heart just a little bit.



Party Part 2 to come next...

Happy 3rd Birthday, Benny!

Today, our little man turns 3. We are both beyond flabbergasted that we have a 3 year old because it seems like just yesterday he was an infant. What we can say is that Ben, at the ripe old age of 3, is the most wonderful son we could imagine or ask for. As we get ready to meet his new little brother within the next week and a half, we've found ourselves literally just sitting and starring at our big guy who has captured our heart and continues to amaze us each and every day.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Benny! We love you more than you can ever know!!

'Catch Up' Pics

Here are a few 'catch up' pictures from June that I haven't had a chance to post...

For Ben's birthday, Grandma and Grandpa sent him a tent. He loved it! When he opened it, he and his Dad put it together immediately and Ben went to get everything he could possibly find from thru out the house and put it in his new tent. Fun was had but let's just say clean up for Mom was not as much fun.

Baby Gear - with Baby 2 coming in less than 3 weeks, we are testing out all our new baby gear including the new double Bob. Love it! Obviously snoozing Ben does too!

Yep, he is still obsessed with rockets and planes... Here Ben is pretending to be a rocket taking off on top of a box that is on top of our kitchen table. You can't fault him for being creative with his love of all things rockets.

All 3 of us went on a walk the other weekend on the rec trail because the weather was gorgeous. While Ben snoozed, we got a few pics together... which doens't seem to happen too often, for some reason...

Back in early June for my birthday, we went to a fun Swiss fondue restaurant to celebrate. Food was great but whoever had the genius idea (me, unfortunately) to bring a handsy toddler to a restaurant with open flames on the table really didn't think things thru very well...

 

Lunch at Original Joe's in down town San Jose. Jeff and Ben had never been to the institution and boy, what a fun lunch!

4th of July Celebration

This past Sunday, we went to a really fun 4th of July celebration... swimming, bbq, bounce house, face painting, live music and ice cream bar. These days, we take every opportunity for Ben to swim and get his energy out because that usually means he goes to bed easier for us.

 So... Ben bounced away for a really long time...

 And of course, when asked what he wanted painted on his arm by the face painter, he very quickly replied, 'a rocket!'