Merry Christmas Everyone!

My junk food junkie.

Well, he likes apples too.

Levi got a "big boy" bike from Santa.

Poor Eden has been sick but she liked her gifts too.

A very Merry Christmas!

Well, another Christmas has past. We have the pictures to last a lifetime though. This Christmas has been an especially good one for me. We spent as little money as we could and I have to say, Jeff and I enjoyed this Christmas even more than years past. Last night we went to my dad's house where we each received a small gift that suited each one of us. Well, Levi and Ben got the biggest gift, a 3 foot interactive dinosaur that you can sit on and feed, etc.... needless to say they were in hog heaven! I was touched to be given a gift from my step-sister, Stefani, that was originally meant for our little Ava Kaye but would be passed on to Eden. The quote at the bottom of a beautiful pink plaque reads "Twinkle, twinkle in your eyes, are you an angel in disguise?" It will hang on the wall in Edens room and will always remind me of the pleasing day we have yet to enjoy, when we will be able to know the little girl that has left such a big impact already in our lives. We ate and shared laughs and had a good time.

Christmas day came and the kids loved their gifts from family and of course, Santa. As a matter of fact, Levi seemed to have so much fun with what we were afraid would be a mete ocher year for him. We played the games together and hung out outside almost all day. FYI for you people that had snow outside your homes today.....we had our doors and windows open to enjoy our mid 70's weather! Even turned on the A/C for a little while. But I digress. Benjamin plays with almost anything but was most interested in what candy he had in his stocking. He showed little interest in opening his presents but had no trouble figuring out how to unwrap anything "candy". Eden liked the doll and taggie that Santa left for her. It's funny to see how she naturally seems to like girlie things already. She slept a lot today but when she was awake she wasn't satisfied unless she was in the middle of all the action. She wants to be on the floor with the boys and the toys. Today was really a GREAT day at the Blanton home. The meaning of Christmas really hit home for me. It's not what you give but how you give it. We spent all day together as a family and we loved every minute of it. Our happy family is the most precious gift we will ever have. Each of our children is different in their own way but bring equal joy into our existence. I have been blessed to share an eternity with a man that wants one thing..... a happy family. And that, we are. I am so thankful for the knowledge of our Lord and Savior and for all he has set forth so that I can be with my family for Time and all Eternity. May we be reminded of our purpose here on earth, not only during this Christmas season but every day for the rest of our life here on earth. This life on earth is but a stepping stone to an eternity of love and happiness. And what a great time it is!

Eden getting ready to crawl!

Eden is getting herself ready to crawl. She has been rocking back and forth like this for about two weeks now. She will be 6 months old on the 13th of this month! I can't believe how fast it has gone. For the most part, I am enjoying a full nights rest now. Between one of the three kids, someone wakes up on occasion. Benjamin is the best sleeper of them all. He sleeps 12 hours at night and takes a 2-3 hour nap every afternoon. He is eating much better lately. We had to get hard core with him. He is pittiful, walking around sometimes after his nap pouting "cookie, cookie". We only allow him to eat meals at the table. Well, I do give in at times when my will isn't strong enough to watch him pout. Levi has been such a good boy. The 1-2-3 Magic has really changed our lives. We react differently to him and he has responded well to the simple changes we have made. Jeff and I wonder why it took us so long to seek professional advice. I would have never guessed two visits to a Play Therapist would accomplish so much for our family. However, we have been discussing which two kids should share a room and Levi wants to share a room with Ben until he's 33......we do hope to have them all out of the house by then. When we told him that he's better have his own house by the time he's 33, he made it clear that Ben and Eden could live with him so he can have some children to raise. We'll see how he feels about that in ummmmm.....27 years. Until then, we will enjoy them at their present ages. I hear it goes by fast.

Next up, Green Belt!

Levi received his Gold Belt on November 25,2008. We are all so proud of his accomlishments. In this video, he is doing the Kata he had to learn in order to earn his gold belt. He is now ranked high enough to help teach the less experienced karate students, which he really enjoys doing. He catches on pretty fast with learning the steps for the kata because he is such an analytical thinker. If I even do something that is out of his normal routine he is quick to let me know and I WILL suffer the consequences! I wanted to show off my little Karate Kid. Enjoy the video.

Blog Worthy!

I included the picture of Eden just for you, Cynthia! Love you guys and miss you very much.

So, anyone who knows my little Benjamin knows why this photo is "Blog Worthy"! Yes, Ben is actually eating AND he is feeding himself! At 19 months old, this is the first time he has taken an interest in sitting down to eat with a spoon going into his mouth. Now, I know him much to well to think that this is going to last but I am enjoying this moment, none the less. Ben not only ate oatmeal, he fed it to himself! This is a milestone, for sure. Enjoy knowing that this night he went to bed with more than liquid in his stomach.

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween! We had a good time trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. Levi went as a Warewolf, which was a big hit with all the little boys. Benjamin was supposed to be a Lion, although he kept saying "Meow, meow". He was so cute and was talking to everyone as we passed by. Eden went as herself with a cute hat to keep her warm. We got lots of candy. Levi got some "Warheads" candy, which is super sour! It is so funny to watch him eat them. My computer wouldn't let me turn Ede's picture the right way, for some odd reason. Don't hurt your neck looking at her picture! She is growing so fast. Ben is still up to his old tricks, getting into everything! Levi is doing good in school and just loves learning. We will try to keep you up to date as life is SUPER busy these days!

Pathetic, or What?

No pictures this time. Sorry, grandparents. I just wanted to post some new information. Since Jeff and I moved to Surfside Beach we barely get to go out on dates anymore. We have been out only about five times in three years. Thanks to my mom and Manfred when they come to visit. Thanks also to Greg and Brenda, we were able to go out about a month ago. We went to Outback and as we talked over dinner we realized that it had been three years since we had even eaten at Outback. Last night we decided to get a babysitter and go out for dinner and a movie. For all who may worry about who is watching our kids.... her name is Emilee. Emilee is a member of our church. She is 17 years old and did a wonderful job with all three of our precious little darlings. Now, back to my story. So we went to eat at Red Lobster and while we were talking over dinner we realize that it has been over six years since we have eaten at Red Lobster! As a matter of fact, it was the night before I delivered Levi, so that makes it August 5th, 2002. Now considering that there are thousands of restaurants out there, this is not so outrageous but take into consideration how many times we frequent places like McDonalds and Papa Johns. We have had McDonalds probably twice in the last month and pizza twice as well. We have officially fallen into the Parent Trap!
The moral of the story....get a babysitter and go have adult conversation over an adult meal! The food and the company is GREAT!

Guess Who's Rolling Over!

Guess who is on the move? I got her on video this time. It was the third time just this morning, but for some reason it scared her this time. No pretty smiles on this video and it's kind of short but you get the idea. Benjamin is constantly trying to comfort Ede in some way when she is on the palate in the floor. He is either getting a blanket to cover her up or putting her passy back in her mouth, when he's the one that took it out. Levi likes to talk to her because she is always smiling at her brothers. She is so alert and I'm pretty sure we won't have to wait until she's 17 months old before she starts walking!

Levi is doing so good in karate! His next promotion will be to his Gold Belt! Sensei Mike was even impressed with how quickly he learned his last kata and his execution of it on promotion day. He loves school and his teacher says he is such a good and smart boy. He is reading in level 4 already. The goal for most Kindergartners is level 5 by the end of the school year. He really loves learning and it seems to be happening so fast.

Benjamin is 18 months old. What else can I say. He and Levi got into their first little tussle and believe it or not, Ben came out on the winning side. Levi's face looked like he got into a fight with a cat! Ben is sooo laid back ...until you cross him. He is into everything!!!! I'm already doing a version of 1-2-3 Magic with him. He's pretty smart himself and even though you're not supposed to start this until they are 2 years old, he seems to be catching on already. I just now counted him a 2 and he closed the drawer and walked away! :) I love this stuff!!!

Life is pretty normal here, for a family with 3 kids anyway. They all get fed, read to, and bathed. The rest gets done inbetween. If I feel like it. :) Jeff and I are glued to FOX news. I am even dreaming about some of the strategists changing their minds and coming over to the Republican side! I really can't wait until this is over. Well, that's all for now. Hope you enjoy the picture and video. Love to all!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Shew! Has it been a month already? Levi is adjusting well to school. He has told me that "it's a long day at school to try to be good". His teacher says he is doing really good in class. He is about to get another black stripe on his belt for Karate. We are so proud of him! Benjamin is starting to run now. We can hardly keep him still anymore. We went for family photos last week and it was such a disaster, it was laughable. Ben would not sit still and if he happened to be still, he was crying. Well, if Ben wasn't crying, Ede was. I was sweating by the time it was all over. We managed to get a few good shots of the kids. Ede is smiling all the time and cooing. I can tell she has a lot to say, if only she could speak. I often wonder what she could tell me about Ava. She loves to watch her hands and her mobile in her swing. We are all doing well. I'm back to work now. My two nights a month! I have plenty to do here to keep me busy in the mean time.

What the other two are up to.

Sometimes Ben is so quiet you don't even know he's in the room.

Ede loves her swing. I love it just as much because she will sometimes fall asleep all by herself when she is in it.

So far my mornings are still starting around 4:30. I am now changing my strategy, "Go to bed by 9:00pm". I have a hard time doing that because I enjoy my "alone time" so much I want to stay awake while the kids are asleep. But something has to give and I'll have to find my quiet time at some other point in the day. Ede won't be 11 weeks old forever. It's a bitter-sweet thought buy my brain power gets weaker and weaker with each sleepless night. It's 8:30pm and I plan on getting off to a good start with my new resolution.

Night! Night!

Good 'Ol Golden Rule Days!

We started the morning with some "brain food". Eggs and cheese with jelly toast and OJ.

I didn't have any problems with him getting ready. Isn't he handsome?

Outside his Kindergarten class. Ready, set, Go!

Hopefully this morning wasn't a sign of life to come. I have been awake since 4:30am. I fed Eden and she didn't get back to sleep until 5:10. Benjamin woke up crying at 5:20 but got him back in the bed by 5:30. I decided to go ahead and take a shower because the alarm clock was set to go off at 6:00. By then I was cooking breakfast for Levi, who woke up at 6:15 because he heard me in the kitchen. I had no problem with him getting ready for school though. He was in his new classroom by 7:20 and was ready to get started. No tears were shed, though I was a little sad when I got home and couldn't wait to find out about how his day had gone. He rode the bus home. I picked him up at 3:00 at the bus stop which is right above our house. When the baby is a little bigger I plan on walking up there to pick him up with the little ones in the double stroller. Believe it or not I am looking forward to the "schedule". I can already tell it will help me organize my day. However, I do hope it starts a little later in the morning than it did today.

I couldn't be more proud.

I finally got to be in the picture instead of behind the camera. Look at my children! Aren't they beautiful? Levi starts school tomorrow. Benjamin is WALKING all over the place now. Eden holds her head up so good when she is on her belly. They are growing so fast. Having three children has proved to be quite the challenge for me. Two I can handle, and it doesn't matter which two but throw the third in there and I don't know which way to turn. Ben is a sneaky little fellow. He literally waits for me to get busy with Eden and goes straight for trouble. In one afternoon I had to wash his hands at least five different times. I found him playing in the toilet water once, the dirt from my plants twice, the trash can twice and inbetween he was into the pots and pans and pulling out cans of soda from the cabinet. Levi asking 1000 questions and wanting his time with mama. When Jeff got home I took an hour long hot bath behind a locked door! I never thought I would feel so good after only 5 hours of straight sleep. :) Life is good and full of surprises. We are so thankful for all the blessings in our lives.

Thank you to my Family and Friends

He shouldn't be too boastful, because as you can see he ONLY has two!

Eden in her blessing dress made by her Grandma Martin (my mom).

At least he found something productive during his "unsupervised" time.

Levi being a super big brother. He already loves to make Ede smile.

I want to thank my family and friends who have given me so much help in the last 2 months. Believe it or not, today is the first day I have had all three of my children all day long! I survived!! It got a little strained a time or two but we all made it out alive and well. I even managed to cook dinner. It wasn't Hamburger Helper either. We had Ribs, coleslaw and baked beans. Levi has been so well behaved and helping me keep tabs on Benjamin, who is into everything! Eden hates to sleep on her back so I have to stop what I'm doing to rock her to sleep after she has decided she's been awake long enough. Sorry, but mom, she has done a lot more crying since you left. Jeff has managed to stay calm in all the stresses of our life and is a WONDERFUL husband and father. He takes pride in his multitasking abilities. There are very few pictures of me because I do good to just get out of bed in the morning right now. :) I've included some odds and ends pictures of my wonderful little family! Enjoy! I couldn't have remained sane without all of you!

Happy Times!

Eden Rose Blanton was given a name and blessing on Sunday August 3rd, 2008. The day of her blessing she started sleeping 6 hours at night! Had I known that, she would have gotten her blessing a month ago!

Levi turned 6 years old on August 6th. He got this kick bag for his birthday. He is getting really good at his Karate! We are so proud of him. Oh! He has lost a total of two teeth now. More are soon to come.

FYI: Benjamin has decided to go back to crawling. :)

And they all keep on growing!

Eden is 9 and 1/2lbs. now! She is smiling and cooing a little. I tried to get a picture of a smile but my timing is off. :) She's cute no matter what!

Levi lost his first tooth two days ago! He is so proud. The one next to it is loose too! My little Snaggle Tooth. Isn't he cute? :)

Ben is still very cautious when he walks, so he doesn't go far. He is finally on the right track though. We pick him up as little as possible. He could go a mile on his own if he wanted to.

Deep Sea Fisherman

Jeff went Deep Sea Fishing with long-time friend Brent Bishop. Pics posted as evidence of how big a fish he really caught! He had so much fun he was even fishing in his sleep that night.

Eden goes to the Doctor

Eden had her first Well-child checkup today. She now weighs 8lbs 3oz and is 21 inches long. She "checked out" just fine. This little girl won't be little for long! Isn't she cute!

Benjamin is just now showing an interest in walking at 15 months old. He still needs to hold on to something or he sits down. Levi loves his little brother and takes every opportunity to assist.

Just wanted to put a small clip of Ede up so everyone can see how alert she is now.

Levi's karate promotion

Levi was promoted on Thursday night and got his first black stripe on his belt. He will begin learning his first kata next week to earn his gold belt maybe before the end of the year. Levi really enjoys karate and has been taking it for about a year.

Levi's first steps

This was levi's first steps and he hasn't stopped moving since. I believe he was about 12 to 13 months old when he did this.

Blanton Family Pictures

A picture of Eden Rose after birth at 12:31 pm on 06/13/08.

One happy family!!!!

Our two little boys!!!

With Eden coming into our lives we started looking back at some old pictures. We found out very quickly that all of our kids look so much alike. We can easily see Benjamin is some of Levi's old photos and so far Ede seems to resemble Ben in so many ways. The two boys have such different temperments though.

Levi is our analytical thinker. If it's out of order Levi takes note. He will talk your ear off about anything. Levi loves to be in the middle of it all and comment or inquire about what he sees. He loves to read, or should I say, be read to and we are all excited about him starting Kindergarden in the Fall. Levi loves being a big brother!

Benjamin is our love bug with an Irish temper. He loves to hug and kiss on you but you better not cross him or he lets you know it. He can already throw a good temper tantrum. We are practicing just getting up and leaving the room when he does it. Ben is so laid back, he's almost 16 months old and is just now taking an interest in walking.

Eden is too little to tell much about her yet. I can say that when her belly isn't bothering her she is the perfect little baby. She eats, sleeps and dirties diapers. She is only 11 days old and we have gone thru over 100 diapers!

We are so blessed to have each one of these special spirits in our home. We look forward to watching each child grow and learn. We also look forward to being reunited with Ava and learning all about her as well.

Keep up with all the milestones here on our Blanton Family Blog!

Here are all our babies as Newborns. See anything in common?

Benjamin

Levi

Eden