Toys From Gram & Pap

The first fun thing the kids got from Grandma was a Slip 'N Slide Wave Rider. Ben wasn't interested in sliding, but did like playing in the "wave."



With a little help from Dad, Hannah slid down with enough speed to make it to the bottom.



And the best part, of course, was the big splash at the bottom.



The other toy came all the way from China... and not because they bought it at Wal*Mart. They actually went to Silk Street in Beijing. Shipping was a bit expensive, though.



Each kite is only about a foot tall with an 18 inch tail. There are ten of them strung together about 2 1/2 feet apart. They are so thin and light that you think they'll break at the slightest gust of wind, but because they're so small, they don't collect that much wind.



Ben had fun watching the kites, too, but looking up so high made him lose his balance. Dad actualy put them away without tangling them up, so we'll get to play with them at least once more.

100 Posts

This is the 101st post on Growing Pains and it seems like a good time to recap the two and a half years of blogs that got us here. The first post was in January of 2005 as a substitute for the Picture of the Week. There were many advantages to switching to a blog, the most compelling of which was reducing the picture frequency from weekly to no less than monthly.

This lasted a year and a half until I could hardly keep up with a monthly post; so I added Stacey as an author. She composed her first post almost a year ago.

In any case, the important thing is that everyone far away has been able to watch our kids grow. I know it's no substitute for seeing them in person, but I hope clicks make up for the miles.

Here are some highlights:
Hannah's 1st birthday, 2nd birthday and 3rd birthday
Ben's birth, Dedication and 1st birthday
A new cousin, Evy
Two Santa visits (2005, 2006)
Two Kennywood trips (2006, 2007)
And Steelers downs, ups, and loyal support

The Several Faces of Ben

This is the "grumpy face". In this instance, Ben is hungry. Never mind the fact that he's not done with the bite in his mouth; he's not happy unless he also has a handful on deck and another in the hole.


Here we see a slight transition as Ben just stuffed about five animal crackers in his mouth. He learned this from his big sister - if you can close your mouth, you've got room for more.


See, I'm much better now mom! Keep 'em comin'.

Kennywood 2007

It was a very rainy day in West Mifflin; but to the people like us who don't cancel our Kennywood visit, that just means shorter lines. The tickets were free, dinner was free and it turned out that preferred parking was free. We knew we wouldn't be back in town before the end of the season, so if there was even a chance that the weather might break. After watching the giant green blob on the radar all day, I predicted that the rain would quit around dinner time - and I was right.

Hannah picked the first ride, "I want to go on the roller coaster." The only one she's tall enough to ride is the Jack Rabbit, which she rode last year. The experience was pretty much the same as last year except she sat with Pap this time.

She also got to accompany Ben on his first Kennywood ride - the "Space Ship," not to be confused with the "Helicopter" ride (alternating cars). We showed Ben the steering wheel, but he thought it was pretty silly to hold on to something that moved. For the first 3/4 of the ride, he preferred the stationary bar that ran around the outside.



We played one game before we left. We each threw a whiffle ball onto a table with a grid of holes. If the ball lands in a colored hole, you get a prize. The only winner was Ben, who got a small tiger to add to their zoo stuffed animal collection.



It turned out to be a great Kennywood trip; as if there is any other kind.

Eventful Wedding

Congratulations to Ben's Godparents, Aunt Julie and Uncle Tim, who got married this weekend down in Pittsburgh. The ceremony was beautiful... or so I heard.



Aunt Julie told Hannah she was the "best flower girl ever." After all the coaching to not walk down the aisle too fast, she ended up getting passed by the Matron of Honor and Best Man. I think she was savoring the moment.



Stacey also fulfilled her duties as one of the TEN bridesmaids. She was escorted by my cousin Nick, as Ben and I were not present for the ceremony.



Instead, we took a trip to the ER to stitch up Ben's lip that he split at about T minus 10 minutes. With communications and logistical support from Aunt Steph's Dad, Rob, we made it back in time for pictures. We also got to enjoy the Molly's Trolleys ride - they don't make a limo for a bridal party that big.



Ben had four stitches put in at the hospital. He pulled out the middle two before we got back to the church and the other two at the reception. Fortunately they didn't pull out completely and held the deeper layers together until they started to heal.

We did our best not to steal the spotlight from the bride and groom and I watched the important parts of the ceremony the next day on my parent's digital camera. Now this occasion will be even more memorable.