Ben Riley

It seems that I'm going to have to learn how to always keep my eyes open, because whenever I blink, even just for the slightest quick second, I open my eyes to find that time is passing me by ever so quickly. And Ben, who keeps ignoring my "stay little" messages that I whisper in his ear at night, is changing, transforming, awakening to his world, and itching so bad to be a part of the hustle and bustle and not just a spectator waiting on the bench to get in the game.

December 23rd was the 6 month mark for Ben Riley. Six months since the moment I first held his slippery little body in my arms. Six months since my heart grew to a size that I didn't know it could. Six months since I realized that siblings are the best gift a mother could ever give to her child.

1 month 6months

I can close my eyes and go back to that very day, the feelings, the tears, the smell of a brand new baby resting on my chest. Magic, pure magic. And he has lived up to that magical first meeting every day. He is the picture of content. A quiet observer. Happy to just be.

With Ben I have something that I never knew I was missing, cuddles. Wyatt, much like myself, wasn't and still isn't big into cuddling. Wyatt would never just sit and rock and be held, even as an infant. But Ben, my heart feels such a strong ache when I hold him. An ache that tells me it's being stretched to it's limits and is just on the brink of exploding with happiness. When I hold him in my arms, his little body relaxes into me and he lays his fuzz covered head against my chest, and gazes with those piercing blue eyes, right into mine. I could get lost in those eyes. Those eyes, I am quite certain, are home to some old soul, happily residing inside.

He's raring to go, trying to crawl, eating whatever he can get his hands on, toys included, and teaching us all just a little about what happiness really is.

Happy half a year Ben Riley!