Mulberry Street

I took this video of Genevieve, Emory and I riding down Splash Mountain on our first day and it truly captures their feelings about all the rides.  We had so much fun and hope to go again when Benjamin is big enough to ride the roller coasters with us. Magic Kingdom The highlights for Genevieve and Emory were Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Eric and I loved riding with them and hearing their squeals!  The parades were great, especially the Maleficent dragon from Sleeping Beauty and the bright lights in the electrical parade.  Emory got to meet Jack Sparrow and join the ranks of pirates.  We explored Tom Sawyer Island and scared the kids at the Haunted Mansion.  Genevieve met Rapunzel and Cinderella who complemented her on her own braids and sparkly shoes. Animal Kingdom We were surprised by how much we enjoyed this park and what it had to offer.  We arrived early to get on the safari ride and were rewarded fo...

Ben has taken his time learning to speak. We tried speech therapy, daily one-on-one sessions, and just waiting it out. In the past two weeks he has taken huge strides - consistently using his words. We still have a long way to go, seeing as he is speaking like a 15 month old and he turns two next month, but I'll take it. He said mom back in February, but only when quizzed to say it. Yesterday, he said it to get my attention. I was floored and so happy! Hooray for progress! YouTube Video

Ben.  What do I say about this child?  He was a fantastic baby, easy and happy.  I didn't know he was saving up for his transition into a kid.  He now keeps us on our toes by his incessant desire to get into things and his growing reach is definitely a negative feature right now.  Benjamin is still learning to communicate.  He has over 20 words now, but doesn't use them regularly.  The more time that goes by, the more Eric and I anxious get about his development, but his personality may be the number one hindrance to his speech progress.  Just the other day we had a battle of the wills - I was willing to give him exactly what he wanted, as soon as he used his words.  When I finally made him sign the word "please" and gave him the cracker, he flung it across the room.  Stinker!  We still love him though.  His coy behavior puts a smile on everyone's face and we can't imagine our family without him. ...