We are going to miss our Carters . . . thanks for loving on our kids . . . and on us so much!
Our cutie, she is growing up way too fast, I think that her vocab is bigger than either of ours now!!

Sharing some laughs with dear friends . . . we are going to miss you guys!! Andy and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in Missouri . . . it was hard to leave. We are looking ahead though, to our great adventure!
Another family picture . . . Gabs is being a goof in this one, we are having so much fun being a family of four!
Our good friend Tim is giving Andy some guitar lessons here . . . Andy keeps saying something about needing a new guitar, I keep telling him that the one he has is just fine . . . I don't know what his problem is =+)!!

Family picture time . . . we are going to print this one out as our card to send to all of you so that you can remember us as we leave for Southeast Asia.

Here's the big guy with his sear sucker suit . . . our little man! He even has a bow tie on, though it is hard to tell with that big jacket.

This is the Gabster hard at work watching her t00ns. She has her routine every morning which includes a light breakfast and a couple of toons. She has the same request every morning, it is really cute.

Our little man is getting cuter by the day . . . he has been less fussy these past few days and we are really enjoying him. It is so fun to know that we have a son now too . . . we can't wait to watch his personality develop!

This is Aunt Jen, Bethany's sister, posting this time (don't worry, I got permission). When I saw this pic of Eli, I thought of a picture I took of Gabby when she was about that same age. I wonder what made me think of it? I couldn't believe it when I saw Eli's tongue hanging out of his mouth in the same adorable-but-glad-you-grow-out-of-it way that Gabs used to do it. Are these 2 siblings or what? And I think this particular trait must have come from the Benezette side, but we are all very glad that Andy has outgrown doing this when he smiles. It is one of those many things that is cute with babies but not so much with adults. 'Course, Bethy, now you know what your next post has to be - we all have to see this Benezette trait in action one generation up... :)

I know that this picture is blury, but it is Eli's first smile that we have gotten on camera. He moves so much, and it is really hard to get a pic of him that is not blury! It's not one of his full smiles, and his tounge is in the way, but you can sure tell that he is happy boy (for the moment). I'll keep trying to get a non-blury smiling pic but this will do for now. Eli has turned out to be quite the little cryer . . . A LOT fussier than Gabby, we still love him dearly, but you can bet that we are asking for patience a lot these days!

Gabby found this sticker in her Dora and Diago sticker book, she decided that she wanted to use the "noculars". What a goof!

I like this picture of Eli . . . It's kinda like he's saying "ya, whatever". He is starting to be really expressive with his face now, it is fun. He is starting to smile at us every now and then . . . we love it!

This is how Eli felt about being left out of the fun!! We tried to explain to him that there wasn't a lifevest small enough for him, but he wouldn't hear it!!



We left Eli with some friends (thank you Kevin and Meredith) and went tubing with a couple of our other friends that live here on the lake. Gabby had a blast, it was her first time tubing . . . she couldn't get enough! Andy went wakeboarding too (something he just got into this summer, he wakeboarded for the first time this past May . . . he really enjoys it), he jumped the entire wake for the first time . . . go Andy!! We had a picnic on the boat too, it was a beautiful evening . . . a lot of fun!

Here are some more pictures of our "little" Eli (per aunt Jen's request =+)) . . . he is 10lb 80z and 22 inches long as of this past monday. He is growing up to fast . . . already over 5 weeks old. We think he is a cutie!!

Now here's a funny story, I was sitting in the dining room and it was really quiet, I thought that Gabby was playing with her toys in the other room. All of the sudden Gabby came into the dining room looking like this and said "mom, I need some help". She had gotten into the desitin rash cream and had been finger painting the living room with it. Wow is that stuff hard to get off of skin and sofas =+)!!! Kids are definitely not born with common sense. Oh the adventures of having a two year old.

Our friends Meredith and Megan tag teaming Eli on a poopy diaper change . . . what good friends =+)!! We love you guys!

Andy and Gabby mowing the lawn together. I had left her on the porch while Andy was mowing the lawn and told her that I would be right back and that I had to get something from inside. When I came out she was having a blast "helping" daddy =+)

Andy and Eli, just snuggling =+) . . . fun times.

A little sibbling bonding, Gabby loves to hold Eli. I can't say that he always enjoys it as much as she does. He'll grow into it I think, if he doesn't get bigger than her before that happens =+). For how much he weighed at birth and weighs now, he really isn't fat, I think it must be that he is growing lengthwise mostly.
Daddy and Eli taking a little nap together . . . Andy is having fun with the fact that he has his boy! We are both looking forward to watching Eli's personality develop, right now there is not much personality =+). We love him dearly and are having fun with both Gabby and Eli now.

Here are some recent picture of the little one . . . cutie pie!! We love our Eli.

I just thought that this was a cute picture of Gabby, such a sweet smile while she's holding her little brother . . . soon she'll be the little sister when it comes to size though I think . . . he is a big boy, and growing fast.

Here is our little guy, this picture is actually a week old, that is how long it has been since we took his picture . . . I know, we are horrible parents!! I will try to get some pics this weekend to publish here on the blog. I want to get some with his eyes open. He such a cutie, we think so anyway. We were trying to fugure out who he looked like, and we discovered that Andy's baby pics are identical to Eli. I am so glad that he is going to look like his daddy . . . What a handsome guy he'll be!!

Gabby and Eli . . . quite the pair, it is so crazy to think that we have two kids now. It still seems funny to me when I say to Andy "you got the kids?" I am so used to just asking about our Gabs. We are thrilled and excited though to see what is in store for these two precious gems!

Here is the proud big sister and mommy, her pin says "I'm the Big Sister" . . . at first Gabs didn't really quite know what to think of her new little brother, but she is growing fonder and fonder of him every day. She loves to put a binky in his mouth when he cries, and she talks to him all the time.

A few more pics of our new son, Eli Joseph.

Gabby is a very happy and proud big sister.

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Eli Joseph Benezette. He was born on Tuesday the 11th at 9:22am. He weighed 9lbs 8oz, and was a little over 20 inches long. Even though he was so big, the labor went quickly, and Bethany and Eli are both doing great. Thanks for lifting us up before the Father!

Well . . . I'm getting induced tomorrow, so I thought that I would post one more pic of the huge belly. We'll let you know the news as soon as this little one get s here!!

Here are some pictures of the fat belly, I am 40 weeks now and will be induced on Tuesday the 11th if nothing happens before then . . . I am sooooo ready to meet this little guy. Thanks for all your love and support during these last few weeks!!

Happy Fourth of July!! Gabby loves fireworks . . . she has so much fun doing the sparklers all by herself. Hope you all have a good Holiday (if you are in the U.S. and actually celebrate it) By the way, the picture below is the a baby chick, not duck . . . I realized that when I looked a little closer.

I thought that this was a cute picture of Papa and Gabby playing with a duckling that one our friends had brought over to show her. She had so much fun with them (there were a few ducklings and a few chicks). Some other news . . . I am only 5 days away from my due date!! I have a Dr. appointment today (July 3rd) at 2:30pm, I am pretty sure that my Doc wants to set a date to induce me then . . . I can't wait to meet this little one!