7 Weeks

Ben's 7 week picture is in KC this week. He has been packing on the pounds since we got here last week. He now has chubby cheeks, a double chin, a cute belly and chubby thighs! He has been eating like crazy! He is starting to track Vince and I as we come in and out of a room and his smiles are more and more frequent! And he loves to "tell stories". Morning time seems to be when he is in the best mood.

Great Grandma Werner

Monday my Grandma, Great Aunt/Godmother Dorie, Aunt Susie and Cousin Mary came up from Oklahoma to meet Ben. We had a great visit and my mom made an amazing tasty lunch for all of us!

Ravioli Dinner

Ravioli dinner is a traditional meal with all the Piane family that happens after Christmas but before New Years. Vince's grandma, aunts and uncles all get together and make homemade spinach ravioli, meatballs and sauce. This year it was the day after Christmas and it was a full house! We did miss having Vince's brother J and the Bairringtons there but maybe next year we can all be together! We had 3 tables in 3 different rooms to fit everyone-the adult table, big kids table and little kids table. This was Ben's first time at ravioli dinner and he was the hit of the day. He got to meet a lot of his great aunts and great uncles, his great grandma and second cousins! The dinner was amazing as usual and when we left I didn't think I needed to eat for another few days! Ben will have so much fun next year when he will get to actually eat the ravioli!

Vince's Aunt Debbie made him this onsie at my baby shower!

All of Baby Ben's Cousins

4 Generations of Piane's

Little Kids Table

2 Amazing Cooks

Big Kids Table

Ben's First Christmas

Ben's first Christmas began at Mom & Dads with the traditional banana nut bread and presents. Ben is so spoiled he had so many presents! Grandma & Grandpa gave him his first little people farm! Uncle Patrick gave him a drawing. Uncle Matty gave him some books, a pound puppy (his fav toy) and a KU football jersey!








Then we headed over to Carol & Jimmy's for a nice visit and lunch.




Mid afternoon we headed over to Aunt Becky & Uncle Mike's for Christmas dinner. They were so excited to meet Baby Ben! We had a very yummy dinner and a great time hanging out with the family!

Christmas Eve

Ben's 1st Christmas Eve started at mass at Our Lady of Sorrows. He did great during mass-not even a peep out of him! Then we headed to the Thornhills for dinner. We had a great Northern Italian feast! After dinner we headed to Vince's Uncle Stan's house for the annual Rupp Christmas Eve gathering! Ben was the hit of the party! (We sadly didn't take any pictures so if anyone has some send them our way please)

Ben & Ryan

I have been waiting since we found out that Ben was a boy and that Natalie was having a boy for the new BFF's to meet! Thursday we finally got to have it happen! We went to Winsteads (a tradition for me & Natalie) for the boys first meeting/first Winsteads experience. I am so excited to watch these two boys grow up together and hopefully have just as great as a friendship as their Mommy's have!



Carseat to Carseat


Hi my name is Ben-Hi my name is Ryan


Mommy & Ben's first trip to Winsteads

Rupp/Katzer Family

Wednesday night we were lucky enough to get to meet up the the Rupp/Katzer Family. Baby Ben got to meet his Godmother/Aunt Angela, Uncle Kurt, Paige, Lakin and Reece! It was so nice to see the girls falling in love with their new cousin! We had some very yummy pork burgers on the grill for dinner! And the kids got to open up their Christmas presents!


Aunt Angela & Uncle Kurt


Cousins


Paige

Reece

Lakin

Meeting Grandpa Rupp & Grandma Marq

Ben got to meet Grandpa Rupp on Tuesday and then Grandma Marq on Wednesday. Grandpa ran past me and Vince as he headed for his first grandson Baby Ben!


Proud Grandpa




Grandma Marq


Ben made a pretty good Christmas present!

Meeting Grandma Rupp & Grandpa Jimmy

Ben got to meet Grandma Rupp & Grandpa Jimmy on Tuesday night! Grandma was so excited to meet Baby Ben! We had a great visit and a yummy lasagna dinner!


Grandma couldn't wait for him to get out of his carseat!


Grandma & Baby Ben


Happy Grandparents