These pictures are from just last Wednesday night. Ben Alex loves tomatoes. We were having Macaroni and Cheese and tomatoes for dinner. Ben Alex discovered that not only could he eat the tomatoes, but he could smash them too. At one point he would get a tomato in each fist, and squeeze so hard that his little arms would shake. It was hilarious. Quite a disaster to clean up. I lost a glass vase in the process, because while I was trying to clean up the dinner mess my little busy boy had already moved on the the cupboard at the other end of the kitchen and discovered the glass vase full of different colored glass bubbles that was "hidden" in the cupboard from him. Well, one mess, two messes, whatever. We just played in the other rooms of the house until Ben Alex went to sleep and I could actually clean. Daddy was out of town in Arizona.

I can't believe Ben Alex is about to turn one. Time has flown by. I haven't been the best at documenting his first year. But, these pictures below do pretty well at letting you see his personality. He is always so happy and fun! He's very busy. He can walk, say mama and dada, clap, and he's very good at throwing. When he gets irritated he throws his head back so far it seems his back bends both ways. The moments of irritation are few and far between though.

We put Ben Alex in swimming lessons at the YMCA at the end of July thru the early weeks of August. He loved being in the pool and it was a fun little familty bonding time Monday and Wednesday nights. But, it was a little disappointing because he really wasn't learning that much. Perhaps he was a little too small for that class? We made it half way through the class sessions, and then Ben put Ben Alex all the way underwater. He ended up "throwing up" and cleared the pool. Mostly he just coughed and water spewed out, but the instructor classified it as throwing up . It was pretty embarrassing. We didn't go back to class after that. . . Huh!?

This face says, "Hey Daddy! Look at me!"

Doing the hokey pokey in the swimming pool.

Here are the front and side view pictures of Ben Alex's hair just before his first haircut! Not everyone gets to have such a cool mohawk at just 9 months!!

And now, for the first haircut . . .July 24, 2009. Aunt Karri was the stylist!

Ben Alex says, "here, let me see that comb. I can do it!" Or, just eat the comb, like everything else.

Just a random shot of my baby boy sleeping. He's so funny. He moves around everywhere in his pack and play and his crib. Maybe that's why he sleeps for so long? He moves around so much he has to have time to move and to sleep!

I've recently discovered teeth marks on the inside rail of his crib. Apparently, he like to run his teeth along the wood. He even started doing it on the coffee table Monday night.

Ben Alex remembered how much he enjoyed the sand and sun. He was right at home at the lake. Just like in North Carolina, but without the ocean waves.

With Great Gramma Jones.

Some of the grandkids at the beach of our cabin in McCall. We were there for July 4th.

Just hangin out with mama, Taylor, and Kori.

Wednesday July 22.

On our way to North Carolina!! Just chillin with dad on the plane listening to his ipod.

The view from the back of the beach house! It's such a great house and so close to the beach. Ben Alex and I spent a lot of time out on the swing.

The tide pool was shallow enough that Ben Alex could just crawl around or sit in it. It was his own personal ocean! It was also nice and warm.

Hanging out at the beach with daddy.

Ben Alex and mama at the beach!

Playin in the sun and sand!

Yeah!! I'm havin fun!

We took time out from the beach and visited the aquarium! Ben Alex enjoyed it. I was kind of surprised at how well he seemed to see the different fish.

Inside a giant crab!

My first ice cream cone! I don't like it at all!

Give me more!!!!

That's right!

That was the best!! Thank you papi!!

Back to the beach!

Yes! I got Dylan's sunglasses!

Ben Alex loved playing in the sand

He didn't mind eating it either!

At the beach with daddy, Uncle Greg and my favorite NC playmate, Dylan!!

At the beach house pool!! Just lounging around!

Well, from the great photos you'd never guess that our little trooper didn't feel well for most of the trip. It's nice to see that he did have fun. Even with getting an upper respiratory infection that took mama three days of a fever until she took him to the doctor. But he was great! A little bit of a mommy magnet, but hey, who can complain about snuggling with that little guy!