b e n j a m i n f a l k e n b e r g

Updates from October, 2009

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  Pumpkins and Llamas and Hay, Oh My

  Stacey and Alex 12:43 pm on October 12, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cousins (6), grandparents (9), playing (30), Pleasure Valley Llamas, pumpkin farm

  

  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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  Zachary's Now Two

  Stacey and Alex 3:06 am on September 24, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: age (20), birthday (13), party (8)

  The title says it all. He’s two! Congrats, little dude.

  

  We would also like to thank everyone for coming for his birthday party last week. Everyone here had a great time!

   
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  Three. Already.

  Dad 8:05 am on February 20, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: age (20), birthday (13)

  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:

  http://www.benjaminfalkenberg.com/2007/02/20/the-big-one/

  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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  Zachary Sheds His Cast

  Dad 20:40 pm on January 8, 2009 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: bone growth, broken (2), broken bone (2), cast (2), cast removal, eating (16), fall (2), forearm (2), fracture (2), gore-tex, guarding, handedness, healed, healing, no fear, radius (2), recovery, saw, shedding bone, ulna (2), waterproof, x-ray (2), xray (2)

  Zachary went in earlier this afternoon to get his cast removed and have another x-ray to verify his arm has indeed healed correctly.

  Bone growth was excellent, and he’s well on his way to full recovery. No second cast needed. All clear, he’s OK, and we can go home and be normal again!

  

  Though his radius still looks crooked in the x-ray, we’re told that it will straighten back out fully on its own, growing and shedding bone as necessary to adjust to the correct positioning. At his age, we’re told that takes 3-4 months or so. The bone growth is very obvious in the x-ray; you can see a large mass of new growth covering the areas where the break occurred.

  The skin on his arm is a little bit chapped and dry, but that will resolve itself in no time as well with a bath and some lotion.

  One other thing we’ll be watching is whether he goes back to being a right-handed eater like he was before the cast; he’s gotten pretty used to eating as a lefty lately, with both his hands and with utensils.

  We went out to eat after his cast removal, and he kept raising both arms and dancing to the music. I think he’s happy to have his arm back. He’s still being a little bit guarded with it, but it’s just become habit these last few weeks from not using it fully; he’ll get over that quickly. He was giving high-fives and scratching his head and ear at dinner… and quite pleased with himself. Yay!

   
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  Happy Holidays!

  Stacey and Alex 8:00 am on December 25, 2008 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: 2008, Benjamin handwriting, Christmas (6), letter, Santa (3)

  

  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 11:00 am on December 21, 2008 | 0 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: angel, imprint, snow, snow angel

  

  Benjamin’s first snow angel, created 20 December 2008, in our front yard.

  Image manipulated slightly to enhance the imprint.