Christmas in South Carolina

This year we went to South Carolina to spend Christmas with Papa and Mimi. It was so much fun switching up the tradition and of course being where it was a bit warmer than home. Benjamin loved to look out the window and was such a good boy on both flights.

On Christmas Eve, Mrs. Claus left Benjamin a gift box with new pajamas, popcorn, hot chocolate and a movie to watch that even to get ready for Santa Claus. well, let's just say that I have seen Polar Express probably seven times since then. Christmas morning he was over unwrapping gift after about four, but loved all his new toys he got.

 This is such a great train book!

Other things we did while we were there was ride the boat and Benjamin even got to drive it, take a walk and help Papa push the wagon, visited the Zoo again to see the animals and lights and even rode a little train.

Granddad

For those of you that don't know here is a little update on Granddad. He of course has cancer and Parkinson's disease and recently he has been put on home hospice care. The doctors tried all kinds of different medicine and the last medicine he tried was almost like sending him into chemo which they thought that he wasn't strong enough for. Once he started taking the last round of medicine he got really sick and the doctors told my grandma that there was nothing else to do except put him on home hospice. He was not doing well at all and we didn't even think that he was going to make it to the holidays, well the holidays are here and I think he has turned around. In the past three days he has shown a lot of improvements. He has requested to sit in a chair (they didn't allow it), read his book, watch TV and yesterday he wanted to eat what we were eating (before it was applesauce and pudding) which he had small portions and last night he even had pumpkin pie! Yesterday we got to spend most of the day with him since we celebrated Christmas with my family and the look on his face when you walk in just melts my heart. Benjamin loves Granddad so much and was talking up a storm to him yesterday and Granddad just listened away. Here is the best photo we got of him and hopefully it is not the last...staying positive and sorry his eyes are closed :)

Christmas Sabatini Style

Yesterday we celebrate Christmas with my side of the family since we will be in South Carolina visiting Papa and Mimi. If you ask him if he has been a good boy or bad boy this year he will tell you a good boy and yesterday proved it. He is one spoiled little boy and got so much fun stuff that he wanted to play with it all and was IMPOSSIBLE to put him to bed last night however was really easy to get him ready for school.

Winter Wonderland Party

Benjamin's classroom hosted a winter wonderland party on Friday and David and I were able to attend. All the kids got a special treat for snack and then they got to do some fun activities like decorate paper mittens, snowball toss and snowman beanbag. He was having so much fun he didn't want to leave so we had to bribe him with the magic house which David ended up taking him so I could wrap gifts.

Gingerbread House

Last night we decided to make a gingerbread house, however Benjamin kept wanting to eat all the candy so we had to stop decorating a little early.

 He was so happy!

Literally couldn't keep him away from the candy, but here is our finish product!

 

 

Afterwards we had a dance party and he had enough sugar to make it worth it :)



Santa's Magical Kingdom

Last night we went to Santa's Magical Kingdom and they changed things up a little this year. You now can take a train or wagon ride through the park for a small extra fee. I signed us up for the train ride but they had mechanical issues so we ended up with the wagon ride. We had nothing to compare it to but really enjoyed it. I have always loved this place and will keep going for many years...

Our Family is Growing

 

Love Him!

Family Photos

We got some Fall Family Photos and they turned out the best I think. Benjamin was being so adorable and good that day that it only took us 45min to collect them all. You can go to Rikki's page to see the rest, but below are a couple of my favorite.

Kimberly Rose

I am an aunt again!!! Kimberly Rose Sabatini was born on Friday, December 5th at 6:15pm. She weighed 7lbs 10ozs, measuring 21inches long. He is perfect and has the cubbiest cheeks I have ever seen, but so adorable!

Guppy

We enrolled Benjamin back in swim classes at Little Fishes since they had such a great deal. I am one proud mommy here because the teacher said on the first class that he was "too good" for the class and that he needs to be in the next class where I wouldn't have to get in the pool with him. I was like sign me up, but they can't move him in that class until he is two and half which was yesterday so tonight we will be discussion our options, will keep you posted!

Little Monkey

Benjamin has been climbing out of the crib for a couple weeks now. He is so proud of himself when he does it that he announces it to you as if he accomplished a huge milestone. One morning while David was out of town, he opens the bathroom door and says with the biggest grin on his face "Mommy, I climb out of my crib and close door, can I watch Madagascar?" As if he deserves the reward! Guess it is time for a big boy room...

David and I actually went shopping for all the stuff so this coming weekend David has a lot of work to make it a very special room so it hopefully will be an easy transition.

Oh Christmas Tree

The Friday after Thanksgiving the Carlson's went and cut down their 8th tree together. This is by far my favorite tradition for Christmas. We went to Eckert's this year for the second time and was impressed again with the tree selections. We ended up getting the first one I saw.

There are always bumps in the road while getting a tree and luckily this year they weren't that bad. We got to take a tractor ride over and I felt that Benjamin was so cold that we decided to take the bus back and it ended up getting stuck in the mud. SO, we got to take another tractor ride back but ended up waiting close to 30 minutes to get our tree and the very top was missing. David was really mad, but I think that it looks just fine!

Thankful for...

Before Thanksgiving all the kids at school were asked what they were thankful for and most kids were thankful for their toys or their mother/father. Not my Benjamin, he was thankful for his ABC's. He is so goofy, but loves his ABC's. If I ask him what letter something is his response is "ABC".

We were getting ready to watch a movie the other day and he said "oh, I see white ABC's mommy". If only he could start saying the letters...

Halloween Fun

A little late, but that is alright!

We kept it very traditional, but we love tradition especially when it is with good people and fun. It started of with Grant's Farm Spooktacular with my friends. Couple days later we went to the Haupt House and carved our pumpkins ( the Carlson's pumpkin came in second place!). Benjamin's school had a PTO Trunk or Treat (don't think we will go to that again)

 Grant's Farm

 Kiddos waiting in line

 

Pumpkins, ours is the spider (second from the left) 

 

 PTO Trunk or Treat, first tattoo!

 At the school parade

Activities during the school party

On Halloween, Benjamin's school had a parade that David was able to attend and then a little party that we all attended. After that we went to my parents house to have some chili and a little trick-or-treating. It was cold, but fun!

Fireman!

Pumpkin Picking

On Sunday we took Benjamin pumpkin picking at Stuckmeyers. We went on a tractor ride, eat hot dogs and popcorn, picked out pumpkins to carve at Megan's in a couple weeks and Benjamin got to drive a cozy coupe (he loves those things). It was a little cold and sprinkled on us a little bit but that didn't stop us from having fun!