And just like that, we have a four-year-old. He’s come a long way, our oldest baby. Low-res proofs from his fourth-birthday photo shoot:
Updates from March, 2010
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Four - He's a Jolly Good Fellow
Stacey and Alex
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Pumpkins and Llamas and Hay, Oh My
Stacey and Alex
Spent the afternoon this past Sunday at Pleasure Valley Llamas (and Pumpkin Farm) with Stacey’s parents and Stacey’s nephews Owen and Alejandro. It was our second year visiting. Zachary was too little to really enjoy it last year, but he really made up for it this year. Benjamin had good time again this year, too.
A few pictures have been uploaded to Flickr if you’re interested:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexfalkenberg/tags/pleasurevalleyllamaandpumpkinfarm/
It’s well worth the $8 per wristband to enjoy all of the various activities there. Each wristband also includes a 20-pound pumpkin of your choice–picked from their patch yourself, or taken from carts near the entrance/exit. Larger pumpkins are $2 for every additional ten pounds over twenty, so a $40-lb pumpkin would only cost you an extra four bucks; a pretty good deal in the grand scheme of things-pumpkin. It’s located about 20 miles or so west of Random Lake, near Adell/Batavia. The farm’s website (linked above) has a map.
We hope you enjoy the pictures.
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Funny The First Hundred Times... Maybe More
Dad
Update: Just in case you can’t see the embedded Vimeo video below, here’s the direct link to it on the Vimeo website:
Our apologies to anyone that had trouble!
So I cracked this joke at dinner last night, and Benjamin thought it was pretty funny, so he kept repeating it. And of course, I made him repeat it again for a quick little video. His fake-laughing really is super-funny, though maybe you have to be there to appreciate it. ;)
The joke, in case the audio’s as poor as the video (recorded with my crappy cellphone camera), is “Is your nose running?” “Yes.” “Better go catch it!” followed by his classic fake-laughing and a request to watch the recording we’d just made. Enjoy!
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Three. Already.
Dad
So hard to believe it, but Benjamin’s three already. It’s just insane how fast time is flying!
He really is a fantastic kid. We’re so very proud of him and how nice a job he’s doing growing up, even if it seems like it’s all moving way too fast. He’s a great son and an awesome big brother.
If you’re at all interested in a shot from his past, here’s a post from his very first birthday that includes a pretty cute picture of him:
We’ll have some three-year portraits here to look at, soon, so keep an eye out for those.
Benjamin’s transformation so far has been amazing, and continues to be amazing. And not just the changes in him, but also the changes in us as adults and parents; Stacey and I have also really grown tremendously since he was born; it seems like he teaches us as much as we teach him. And it all feels very, very right.
Love you, buddy!
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Happy Holidays!
Stacey and Alex
Benjamin wrote his first-ever letter to Santa to put out with the cookies and milk last night on Christmas Eve. Or, rather, Dad asked Benjamin what he wanted to say to Santa, Benjamin told Dad, and Dad wrote most of it, except for a couple of bits Benjamin insisted he write himself; he focused so very hard writing the bits he did, and it was incredibly cute…
Dear Santa,
Merry Christmas!
Hi. I’ve been a good boy this year. My brother Zachary was a good boy this year, too.
[Benjamin scribbles, saying each word out loud as he slowly, carefully writes...] (”It’s a good cookie.”)
Mommy has been a good girl, and Daddy was a good guy. Owen and Ollie and Laura and Lydia were good, too. Nana and Papa were good, too.
Merry Christmas.
[Benjamin scribbles, saying each word out loud as he slowly, carefully writes...] (”I was a good boy.”)
Santa, thank you for the presents.
We love you, Santa.
– Benjamin, Zachary, Mommy, Daddy and Yoda… (and [long list of cousins, aunts and uncles here])
Bye!
Awesome, right? :)
We hope you had a great 2008…and we hope you have an even better 2009. Take care, everyone–we love you all.
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An Angel Was Here...
Stacey and Alex
Benjamin’s first snow angel, created 20 December 2008, in our front yard.
Image manipulated slightly to enhance the imprint.
