Eben is almost 6 months old already...wow how time flies! Since I just started this blog, I thought I need to post some younger shots of Eben and some of us anticipating his arrival...here goes (oldest pics on the bottom):
Eben meeting Santa for the first time. It went quite well. No fear at all. Eben also did a great job opening his own Christmas gifts this year!
And now Christmas time...in what we called his "elf outfit."
Just loves chewing on those fingers...
Another super funny rock star pic!
I think Eben will forever love this picture and use it for class projects, ect. I took it and didn't realize until weeks later that his hands were formed like that. Way too cool, Eben!
This is one of the cutest pics of Eben until this point. My grandmother made the quilt for Eben, so it is extra special. This is also his main "tummy time" blanket.
Nemo...a terrible costume once we got it in the mail, but it was kinda funny, so oh well. It just wasn't your adorable baby costume.
Pumpkin baby...
Our little frog...
This is one of 4 Halloween costumes Eben had this year. He is a zebra (Dane says) although I think it is actually a white tiger...
Eben looks like he is telling me, "Please stop taking pictures...I've had enough for now." I had taken plenty before this one :)
Eben just woke up the morning I took this picture. He was still wearing gloves to bed because he wouldn't stop scratching his face...no matter how short I got those nails.
This was the first picture I got of Eben after he started doing real smiles...such a fantastic milestone for a baby to reach. We felt like he was born all over again now that he could show us when he felt happy.
Getting bigger and more alert...
Eben is just chilling in this picture...also about a month old.
Eben was about a month old in this picture...we used to spike his full head of hair, but now it is way too long to do so. Have you noticed yet that I love dressing our boy in stripes?!
Eben attended his first wedding at 2 weeks old. This was taken right after we got home from the wedding.
This is one of my favorite pictures of newborn Eben...because this one is so darn cute and peaceful.
I love this picture...not because I think it's cute, because it's kind of a funny looking picture, but because it brings me back to this stretch he used to do a lot as a newborn. He would tuck both of his hands under his chin and scrunch his face up like this...it was just so cute.
Eben met his cousin, Logan for the first time when he was 2 weeks old. Logan was born exactly a month before Eben, but he had to spend 6 weeks in the NICU. They were instant buddies :)
Here is Eben in the hospital sleeping in his bassinet. He did a lot of this his first few weeks of life. Sometimes I miss this...not because he was easier, but because he would sleep anywhere and at anytime, so we could nap together easier than we can now.
Wow! A NINE POUND BABY! I NEVER would have guessed he was that big. I was thinking in the 7 pound range. My doctor was also surprised he was that big. Oh, and he was 21 inches long at birth. By his 4 month appointment, he had already grown 6 inches to 27 inches...the 97th percentile!
Eben is born! This is our first family photo...taken while I am getting stitched back up. I only got to see him for a few seconds before he got taken away with Dane to go to the nursery and do all the things the nurses do to newborns. It was sad that I had to wait about an hour to see him!
Here is my giant belly at 39 weeks. This was taken right before going to the hospital to have our little Eben.
I cannot believe Eben is already at the half way mark to one year old! Eben, you are the sweetest little boy in the world. You make me laugh hundreds of times a day with your developing personality and silly tricks. Your smile is heartwarming, and the way you look at me and Dad makes it so obvious that you think the world of us. You are learning new skills every day - recently you have mastered sitting up for long periods of time, though you still have to have a pillow around you for protection. Thank you for every moment so far and I look forward to millions more! 
