big man Ben is SEVEN!

Ben is seven.  Holy crap!  There really is a fast-forward button on life when you have children.  The moments you wish that could last forever a over in a flash.  Which is why I may be obsessed with taking photos of every moment we have. Maybe it's ridiculous, but I find that it makes me live more in our moments. I see something and it makes me want to keep it forever. I feel like that's what a picture does, it holds those moments for us a little longer.  Moments I don't want to forget.  

Ben has grown in so many ways this year and has come so far, it's one of those times I look back over the year and have that feeling of hope, because of where we were before.  We have our struggles every day, we even sometimes take three steps back at times, but he makes me remember that every step forward, no matter how small, is a good one.  It's something to be hopeful for.  

For his birthday, we went out to eat and enjoyed pancakes from IHOP.  I loved watching him giggle with daddy, it's one of his most endearing qualities.  I feel like I can just hear and feel his laugh in this picture.   

And the girls had to get some selfies in as well.  

This year was definitely different from the others because it was the first time Ben actually opened his own gifts.  I mean, like really opened.  This is probably no biggie for some people, but again, our steps are small here.  For all of his past seven Christmas' and six birthday's...we always had to prompt him to do this.  We would have to take his hand and guide him to open them.  Again, because he either didn't understand or just wasn't even remotely interested.  So this "opening up gifts"...was huge for us all.  It really surprised us.  Again, another pure moment of joy for us over here.  (And why I have a photo of every second, enjoy!)

Madagascar movies!!!

school clothes from Grandma

Transformer truck from Grandma!

Happy Birthday glasses are silly and make for a good time :)

And yet again...this kid loves to surprise us.  He blew out his own candle this year.  Seriously, kid!!  You are awesome and I love you to the moon and back.  Now mind you, this photo is hilarious because he doesn't really know how to blow.  Yup.  Another simple, mundane, every day skill that we all learn at a much younger age, and don't realize we take for granted.  And in Ben's case, just didn't have that skill yet.  But as we sang "Happy Birthday" and finished the end of our song, he sat up and made this face.  Ha!!  I wish I had video tapped it, it was the funniest thing.  It was exactly like it looked, a cough.  It was so cute and sweet, but he did it!!!  Haha!  Another big 'first' and I'm sure only a glimpse of what's to come this year.  

GO BEN!

Happy 7th Birthday big man!!

XO.