4 Years Old!
2013 went by in a flash! Strange how the addition of a baby brother led to a precipitous decline in blog posts! Perhaps this is the cause for your, uh, period of getting used to being buddies with Basil. But you are getting there! Your last night as a 3 year old ended by being sent to bed early for a body slam of him, but your first day as a 4 year old saw a new spirit of brotherhood!
We returned from St. Louis after New Year's with many great memories - and great gifts, like the Snow Man Kit from Aunt Christine. You used it to build "Leaf Man" in St. Louis but then put it to classic use on our arrival in South Bend to a Winter Blizzard!
January 9, 2014 also brought a 4th Birthday Celebration at home, with a very special gift from mama- your own UKILELE! You love it, and put it to good use right away with a concert starring you and Godmama Kathy.
And let's not forget that you also began life as a 4 year old with your first experience on skates! An a momentous one it was, just after watching dad in the famed IceBreaker Hockey Tournament - Over 40 Division. For the first time ever, dad emerged as a champion of the tourney. And you enjoyed your moments skating on the ice after the game... of course most enjoyable for you was watching the Zamboni, but you did just fine with the skates--a gift to you from Uncle Greg.
And 2014 began as a great year of friendship. Your pal Amelia Albarran came over with her mom and dad for a birthday meal... they brought yummy cupcakes, and you and Amelia played and played, using the playsilks Santa brought you to wrap presents and dress in various costumes. You two might even take a dance class together... or maybe you will join her in her Karate class, though mom is worried some of the moves might be used against your baby brother!
BIG BEN and BABY BASIL
On JANUARY 20, 2013, you became a BIG BROTHER! As some of the early pictures show, you were not won over immediately. Questions came from your mouth such as: "Can you take Basil to Grandma's and leave him there all day?" But now, three months in, you are a big fan. You know all of his favorite songs, most of which are from the Beatles. And you know our most common little tune of all in the house when we sing to him: "Razzle Dazzle, Benedict and Basil."
Here are a few photos from these first 3 months of 2013, some of you (like with the Easter Eggs you colored - note mama's artistic flair in the photos she took), and you at the St. Patrick's parade with Goofy Uncle Greg, but also of you and your new brother, plus even one video of little Bas as he first began to smile at us!
Here are a few photos from these first 3 months of 2013, some of you (like with the Easter Eggs you colored - note mama's artistic flair in the photos she took), and you at the St. Patrick's parade with Goofy Uncle Greg, but also of you and your new brother, plus even one video of little Bas as he first began to smile at us!
The Great Sledding Race 2012
Part of our Christmas fun was to go sledding. Here is a live highlight video from ESPN Sportscenter on the results of the great showdown: Uncle Peter and Aroja VERSUS Benny and Dada. Following it are post-game celebration and consolation moments. In the last photo you seem to think you have won the prize!
GRANDMA-RAMA!
Fall 2012 has brought so many things, including great times with your 2 GRANDMAS. Let's start with a rare pic with both of them!!
And what is that you are holding... yes, its a picture of the ultrasound of the new baby, due in January 2013!!! You are very excited to become a big brother. And the grandma's are, uh, a tad excited too!
Now here you are with Grandma Patricia on her birthday. Of course you are totally focused on celebrating her, and not the cake, right?
Next up is a very familiar pose for you both: doing dishes, a love you two share in common!
Speaking of Grandma Love, you seem to love the kisses you get from Grandma Peggy, except for the little ritual, shown in this video, which you always do right after she kisses you!
Here you are squirming away after a barrage of kisses from Grandma Peggy:
And all this Grandma Focus, let's not forget Grandpas. Grandpa Eugene, whose grave we visited in St. Louis, is as you "by the train tracks, under the grass, waiting for the Resurrection." Amen- good theology Benedict! And here you are in a Norman Rockwell Moment with Grandpa Gehred:
And what is that you are holding... yes, its a picture of the ultrasound of the new baby, due in January 2013!!! You are very excited to become a big brother. And the grandma's are, uh, a tad excited too!
Now here you are with Grandma Patricia on her birthday. Of course you are totally focused on celebrating her, and not the cake, right?
Next up is a very familiar pose for you both: doing dishes, a love you two share in common!
Speaking of Grandma Love, you seem to love the kisses you get from Grandma Peggy, except for the little ritual, shown in this video, which you always do right after she kisses you!
And all this Grandma Focus, let's not forget Grandpas. Grandpa Eugene, whose grave we visited in St. Louis, is as you "by the train tracks, under the grass, waiting for the Resurrection." Amen- good theology Benedict! And here you are in a Norman Rockwell Moment with Grandpa Gehred:
Thanksgiving 2012
For the first time in a while we went to St. Louis for Thanksgiving. You had a great time. Thanksgiving itself was at Uncle Tim and Aunt Susan's, and you did all kinds of other activities: a train museum, a Carousel Ride on what some in St. Louis say is a Carousel from the 1904 World's Fair even though it isn't, some Fair Trade Shopping, a GameWatch to see undefeated Notre Dame beat USC in football... and also plenty of time to hang out with some of your favorites. Here are some Thanksgiving pictures!
Halloween 2012
Okay, so maybe one day you will call your parents lame for having you wear the same Halloween costume 2 years in a row, but it worked! Actually, the costume was just an excuse to go to a special party at Mama's work: Holy Cross House, with the retired priests and brothers. With one of your favorite residents there, Br. James Lakofka, you were not as interested in the candy as you were his TRAINS!
Though you liked the trains, you did also get quite a bit of candy. Now, your Mama is not the biggest fan of high sugar foods (except for the many which she likes to eat), so in this video we see you trying to enjoy one little piece of candy--your FIRST piece of Halloween candy EVER!
Though you liked the trains, you did also get quite a bit of candy. Now, your Mama is not the biggest fan of high sugar foods (except for the many which she likes to eat), so in this video we see you trying to enjoy one little piece of candy--your FIRST piece of Halloween candy EVER!
May 2012
Well, May 27, 2012 was your parents' 5th wedding anniversary... and we celebrated not with a cruise or European jaunt, but with what any sane person would want: a trip to Missouri and southern Indiana. We began, of course, in St. Louis....
You were greeted by all your cousins, especially doting Lucy and Annie, who were very excited to see you.
Grandma Peggy hardly let go of you in our time...except to cook you up great food, especially "poached eggs on toast."
One of your highlights was the trip to "the Grant's Farm" where we saw animal shows, and you helped Aunt Colleen feed milk to the goats, though she was more into it than you!
For the second time in your young life, Aunt Christine took you riding on the horse carousel. You were less scared than last time!
After St. Louis, we went to Indiana and saw the famous Benedictine Archabbey of St. Meinrad... or as you called it, "St. Meyer." Here we all are in front of the huge mosaic of St. Benedict.
We were at St. Meinrad partly because we were visiting the family of Cyndi and Kyle Kramer. They have a family farm where we stayed and Kyle works at St. Meinrad.
Our final destination in southern Indiana was Brown County State Park. We did a hike around Ogle Lake. Here is the trail. You had a great view in dada's special backpack, which was pretty heavy for him, and you were able to point out natural features, like "the tree that looks like a lizard."
You were greeted by all your cousins, especially doting Lucy and Annie, who were very excited to see you.
And here is the young monk in one of the actual choir stalls where the Benedictines pray seven times a day!
You really hit it off with the Kramer children. Here is Clare, you, Eva and Eli. You loved playing with them and are asking to go back and visit them often!
After our stay with the Kramers, you were pooped! This is like 14 seconds into our car ride north.
Our final destination in southern Indiana was Brown County State Park. We did a hike around Ogle Lake. Here is the trail. You had a great view in dada's special backpack, which was pretty heavy for him, and you were able to point out natural features, like "the tree that looks like a lizard."
I wish we also had a picture of the Brown County Inn, where we stayed. Make sure to look it up, if it still exists. It should show you what the best little hotel of the 1970's looks like! After Brown County, we visited our friend Bomani and then headed home to South Bend, where we were greeted by a very happy GRANDMA, who had also prepared for us a great welcome home meal! We are so glad you joined us on our 5th anniversary victory tour!!!!
Easter 2012
Here are some pics from you at our Easter celebration. We had a great time, with friends and family. You were able to raise victoriously your first Chocolate Bunny, and then eat some of it! And the "Grandma-mita" even got to wear an authentic Mexican sombrero from our friend Jim Lodwick, who had just returned from Guanajuato, Mexico, where Pope Benedict visited the week before Easter. She is almost as impressed with Pope Benny as she is with you, especially in your Easter duds!
Doctor Benny
Grandpa is very pleased that you seem to be taking this noble practice very seriously... at least in this photo! Granda Gehred is okay with this, too, since she knows that monks can be doctors too!
A favorite song
In the early months of this your second year, you are loving to sing! In addition to giving a great rendition of U2's song, "Love and Peace or else," you are learning some of the old Catholic classics, like this one, Regina Coeli, which you performed when our good friend Fr. John DeRiso was over. You got a little distracted, but all in all a winning performance!
The Benedrew!
Its February 2012 and you have just had a great visit from Aunt Meg and your cousin, Andrew. You two became buds, so dad gave you one name: The Benedrew. Here are the two of you at Grandma and Grandpa's...
These two years!
Well, Benny Boy, you are fast approaching your second birthday! Just looking back on all the pictures from the past year makes it clear that we have been a busy family, and you have shared in some great times! Summer saw us traveling to Canada for Aunt Teresa's final promises at Madonna House. That was probably among the last of your classic "Benedict Sleep Disasters." You had us (your mama and grandma mainly) up good portions of the night.
But your sleeping has improved. Is it to the point where we can now smile at your sleep antics of years one and two? Well, maybe not yet! But one thing is for sure: aside from sleep, you have been a total delight. This Fall has been a time when talkative, social and sweet personality has really emerged. One of the greatest parts of your life to watch is how totally devoted you are to Grandma Gehred. You two are quite the pair. Sometimes, after a day spent at their house, you will see us and say "go home!!!" Not as in "let's go home," but rather, you go home and I stay with Grandma! She is, as we like to say, "Benedicted."
Thank you, Benny, for two amazing years of life and love. You are a total gift to us! And even despite many hours of sleep deprivation, you have been--in Grandma's words--"perfect"!
But your sleeping has improved. Is it to the point where we can now smile at your sleep antics of years one and two? Well, maybe not yet! But one thing is for sure: aside from sleep, you have been a total delight. This Fall has been a time when talkative, social and sweet personality has really emerged. One of the greatest parts of your life to watch is how totally devoted you are to Grandma Gehred. You two are quite the pair. Sometimes, after a day spent at their house, you will see us and say "go home!!!" Not as in "let's go home," but rather, you go home and I stay with Grandma! She is, as we like to say, "Benedicted."
Thank you, Benny, for two amazing years of life and love. You are a total gift to us! And even despite many hours of sleep deprivation, you have been--in Grandma's words--"perfect"!
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