Dinner at the Showalters

The Showalters had us over to hangout and celebrate Jeff's birthday. It's amazing how much fun (and CRAZY!) these get togethers have become now that we're all having kids.

Will playing at the sand table. Every kid loves sand!

Jeff blowing out his candles with the help of his favorite girls

Will (digging into his food, Mel & Neely, Becky holding Harper, Megan (Milla in the belly!)

The "Dub-yas".....Will and Wade

Caroline showing off her skills

IRONGIRL TRIATHLON

My mom and I did it!!! We're officially TRIATHLETES :)

I know I haven't blogged about the training since first announcing that I was doing the Irongirl Sprint Triathlon, but we went through with it and had so much fun. My training was slow because I'm having some trouble with an old knee injury (after a cortizone shot I was as good as new :) Not really, but it worked). I went into the day hoping to just finish and not make a complete fool of myself. Luckily, I realized at the pre-race meetings that there were a lot of first timers out there and we weren't going to be the only ones. The triathlon was at Lake Lanier, so mom and I stayed in a hotel close by, enjoyed a big pasta dinner the night before, and tried to get to bed early for our 4:20 wake-up call. It was a little nervewracking making sure you had all your supplies ready and in order for the big day. I didn't get much sleep!(pre-race setting up. still dark outside)

We had surprisingly cool and overcast weather to start the day so we didn't die in the heat. Swimming with that many people in a lake is definitely a frantic experience. It makes you swim faster because if you slow down you might get run over (or swam over?). Then on to the bike. It was an 18+ mile bike route through hills and flat roads. I knew Beau, Wade, Greg and Megan were waiting for me at the end and it really made me keep going!

(Wade waiting for mommy. He looks like he's ready to jump in the bike race!)

(Beau doing a great job with my usual tasks - holding Wade & taking pictures)

We finished with a 5K run. For me it was more like a jog-knee pop-walk-hobble-jog-knee pop again.....but I made it!!! I was proud of myself, but even more proud of my mom! She was committed throughout the entire process and ended up enjoying it. She even pulled a "Beau" and signed up for another one as soon as she got home. GO NONNA!!

(Sweet Megan (8 months pregnant) came out to see us. Not only was it Sunday, but also her & Brandon's 6 year anniversary!!! What a trooper) (Mommy's biggest fan :) Notice his tshirt "My Mom's a Triathlete")

Summer Fun

We've been so busy enjoying the summer, I haven't had much time to blog about it. My camera's overloaded with pictures and I just can't keep up! But have no fear, I'll do my best to catch up. We're at the beach, but I'll see what I can come up with......

(for any malicious blog readers out there waiting for me to post that I'm out of town so they can rob my house....not so fast. Beau's at the house and we have very dangerous watch dogs. so there)

Meanwhile, look at these eyes. Does this little boy mean business or what?? He's being stubborn about something, but I don't remember what. Cali was probably trying to steal his ball.

Where's Wade?

You know your beach bag is finally big enough when.....

Father's Day

In addition to celebrating Beau on Father's Day, we are very blessed to have a few other important fathers to honor in our families.

We started the day with lunch at Poppa and Dede's. Poppa always makes sure the pool is perfectly set-up (with umbrellas, toys, extra towels) when Wade's coming over. He wants to maximize his Wade time. Father's Day was no exception! They played in the pool and had a great time.

As soon as Wade went down for his nap, Beau and Time took the opportunity to catch some Z's too. There's something in Benich blood that allows them (and I mean ALL OF THEM) to be able to fall asleep wherever, whenever, and with the tv at any volume. I don't understand it and at times I'm a little jealous. I can't nap (or go to bed early). I digress...
Then it was off to see my family to celebrate my dad (Larry/Enzo), stepdad (Greg/G.G.). and brothers (Shawn & Nathan). Enzo live on Bishop Lake here in Marietta and hosted the crew lakeside! The afternoon was full of fishing, swimming, boat rides, mojitos, and a yummy dinner. I'm exhausted just thinking about all the fun! Wade personally enjoyed the game room in the basement where he chased ping pong balls for hours and turned up the volume on the stereo. Enzo has a floor speaker and Wade would turn the volume up really loud and then shuffle over to the speaker and dance in front of the booming sound. We all went a little bit deaf. Wade was in heaven....music, buttons, buttons that control music, balls that bounce, AND all of his Reuter cousins 2 days in a row???? What more could a kid ask for?

Enzo teaching Wade how to play guitar...

All the kids helping Enzo fill his wine jug with corks...
Wade thinks the corks are a little too fun and camps out in the box. Lauren wants a turn, but Wade is being a bully and won't let her in the box... The feast!
Leaving on a boat ride. Wade not too happy about his life jacket...
G.G. and Cae
Shawn, Angie & boys
Shawn and his 3 sons (Caleb, Cae & Colt)

"Dada Bohw"

Beau is an amazing father. From the first day Wade joined our family, Beau has been ready to jump right in and do whatever needs to be done to make his baby (and baby's mama) happy. Father's Day 2008 (Wade 3 months, notice Beau & Wade have the same color hair)

Fathers Day 2009 (Who's that blondie in Beau's lap? Wade's eyes are saying, "hey lady, leave us alone. can't you see this is a guy's moment?" Couch disclaimer: I realize that in my pictures it appears that all Beau & Wade do is lay on the couch and watch tv together. But actually, it's just close to where I keep my camera so when they're laying there all cute, it's easy for me to take a quick picture. I promise they do other fun/active/educational things!!!)

The first thing out of Wade's mouth in the mornings is "Dada? Bohwww?" And when he realizes Dada's already gone to work, he starts asking for the dogs instead. But as soon as Beau's car is back in the driveway (you can hear it coming a mile away), Wade is so excited and just wants to love on his daddy. They play, wrestle, torture the dogs, watch tv, go for a run, whatever seems fun at the moment. This may seem like an easy thing to do, but I know Beau has stressful days at work. He spends all day grinding in people's mouths, listening to their complaints, and knowing he's the last person anyone wants to have to see in a day (who really likes going to the dentist anyway?). It's exhausting for him. So it means so much to me (AND WADE!) that he can leave work behind and come home ready to be daddy.

In Wade's world Daddy = fun, cheese puffs, lots of ketchup, special time in the couch nook, getting muddy in the backyard, splashing in the puddle, tickle time, and anything Mom won't normally let him do. I've already accepted the fact that I will have to be the disciplining parent and Beau gets to be the fun one. I'm okay with that. I know Wade will still love me too :)

Thank you Beau for working AND playing so hard for Wade!

Cousins at the Pool

Wade had all of his Reuter cousins at the pool with him this weekend (and Nonna, G.G, and aunts and uncles too). He was sooooo happy to share with them all the fun he has at the pool. He could barely keep up with all the activity. The kids (and Nonna!) were all over the place jumping off the diving board and going down the slide. The perfect summer evening!!!

(well almost perfect, Aunt Sheesha was working at the hospital and couldn't be there)

The whole fam-damily

Lauren & G.G.

Wade splashing...

This is how he "struts" his stuff

Lauren and mommy Michelle
Nonna & Cae going down the slide
Baby Colt, the newest addition to the clan

Caleb taking the plunge off the diving board

Sweet Wyatt
Nonna, G.G. and all their grandkids

Wade is 15 months old

My baby is quickly slipping away from me and being replaced with a rough and tough little boy. I do get fleeting moments with my "baby"......he still reaches for my hand when he knows he can't do something by himself. but most of our days are full of playing, wrestling, exploring, dirt digging, and BALLS. Every round shaped object must be a ball and must be played with. We were in CVS and they had all these beach balls hanging from the ceiling. Wade could not understand WHY he couldn't play with each and every one. It didn't go over well.
(My little Swiffer helper. He always likes to carry around the Swiffer, so I've started just keeping a pad on it so he can "earn his keep"...like Annie)



(Orwell, such a good sport)(Orwell: "Mom, seriously? put down the camera and GET THIS KID OFF OF ME!!!")

(The ice cream truck came by, so we had to get a tasty treat. Wade preferred daddy's ice cream sandwich to his boring popsicle. )

The pool is definitely his favorite place to be. He's mastered the baby pool and he now struts/swims around playing with bigger kids acting so cool! He's become so independent and luckily the baby pool is safe enough that he can really enjoy himself.

(He REALLY had to pee. :) Actually, he's just sitting on the fountain. This reminds me of the Huggies commercial where the dad take off the diaper and his son is spraying the walls like a fire hose. Anyone seen it??)
(Wade isn't complaining to be in a pool full of blondes!)

He's still an eating machine. He's taken an interest in anything we eat and last week he fell in love with bruschetta. Go figure. He dips, spoons, and slurps down and entire bowl in one sitting. I guess he likes the salty flavor? At least he seems to like tomatoes unlike his daddy. Spoons and forks are a must at every meal, even if he never uses them on his food. They're more like weapons to throw at the dogs. Watch out Cali! That will teach you to stand so close to the highchair. He loves to dip everything he eats too. I'm not surprised because I'm the same way, but I can actually say this habit is not my fault. I purposely did not give him ketchup with his fries, but the first time daddy did....Wade was hooked. Now we're lucky if he eats some fries WITH his ketchup. Heinz and Hunts, if you're reading....create a healthy vitamin enriched ketchup for kids. I'll buy it. I promise.

(Notice ketchup all over his face. This is a new trick daddy taught him: "earmuffs")

We're definitely down to 1 nap a day. It's still questionable if it's going to be enough to make it through the day, but that's all he'll take so it doesn't really matter. He has been going to bed WAY too late, but we're just having too much fun! When the sun finally sets, that's the only time we can play outside and not die of heatstroke (unless we're at the pool of course, see above). I'll have to him back on schedule in the fall. :)

Still no definitive "Mama". He can make the "M" sounds and definitely mumbles jibberish to me, but I'm holding out for the look you in the eye and call you mama experience. Good things come to those who wait. On the other hand, he can say dada and "Bohw" for Beau. Totally not fair. We thought he was just saying ball every time but recently he'll say "dada....bohw...." when he's looking for Beau. But his favorite new word this month is "duck". He love to see ducks, say duck, and quack like a duck. It's a ducky world these days. Our night time routine now must include at least one book with a duck in it.

Wade has officially mastered the temper tantrum (cousin Ellis thinks he sounds like a dinosaur when he screams). He knows just how to thrash around enough to make you do whatever he wants (or at least dad anyway) and has even perfected the pouty-lip-i'm not happy-threat of a temper tantrum. This boy is stubborn and he wants what he wants when he wants it.We're in big trouble.

(His favorite spot in the whole house....cuddly with daddy on the couch)

As you can probably tell in all the pictures, his hair is practically blonde. It's been a gradual yet drastic change from the almost black hair he was born with. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm using Sun IN to bleach it, and the answer is yes. :) just kidding. Beau noticed he's getting taller and losing a little of his chubby leg look. NOOOOOOOO! I love the chubby baby legs, but I guess all the running around will thin them out, huh. Wish that trick worked for me. We did just go for his 15 month check-up and he's in the 75th percentile for height and only 25th percentile for weight. Who would've thought Beau and I would have a tall skinny child?

Wade is hilarious, a total handful, and even with skinny legs....he'll always be my baby! We love you Wade!