Well, these past couple of weeks have been very busy for us again. Ben got his labs done last week for the Endocrinologist visit in December. ("Mom, I went to doctor, an he POKE me!! I cry.") Claire managed to get roseola, which was not diagnosed until it had completely run its course. It is contageous, so we were concerned we may have to postpone Ben's surgery. Luckily, he didn't show any signs of getting it, so the surgery went ahead as planned yesterday. It went really well-- our ENT's comment was, "After removing the world's largest tonsils, Ben is doing well." Once we got him calmed down and everything, he has been just his usual self. Instead of letting the nurse wheel him out to the parking lot in a wagon, Ben pulled the wagon himself. After that I knew he would be just fine. Keeping him relaxed, and keeping him from doing too much physical activity will be the real tricky thing!

Ben is getting too smart!! A few days ago I was trying to tell Josh a story, and Ben kept interrupting (and poking me. . .), so I asked him to please let me and daddy have a conversation for just a minute. He replied, "MOOOOOOOM, have con--ver--sation wif ME, pwease!!!!!" A couple of weeks ago, he asked Josh if we could get a tractor at our house. Then, Josh said, "What do we need a tractor for, Ben?" Ben thought for a minute, and then he said, "If we get twactor at our house, it would put break on our house. Don't get me twactor, Daddy. We don't need twactor." He's incredible! I love that I'm starting to be able to reason with him. The other thing that I love that he does lately, is when I lie down with him for a couple of minutes at night, just before he goes to sleep, he rubs my back like I do to him when I'm trying to get him to relax. It's the sweetest little thing! Except when he does that to your face. :o)

We finally figured out how to speak Claire, as well. For the last month or so, she would say "Awu", and I didn't figure out what she was saying until last week. I was rocking her to sleep, and I said, "Love you, Claire." She responded with, "Awu." Then it all clicked!! That has got to be the sweetest first EVER!!!! I was just amazed. What a little sweetheart. Claire is getting braver, when it comes to standing up. She's walking along furniture a lot, and she's starting to try to stand up in the middle of the floor.

Another update to come forth soon. . .