Week #5

Our little tiny baby isn't so little tiny anymore! Nate took these two pictures yesterday afternoon. Benson no longer fits into Newborn sizes, and fills out his 0-3 months clothing very well!

Benson had his first bath in a bathtub last week and rather enjoys it. He smiles in the tub and smiles afterward, too. He just might be a water baby (which would be just fine with us!!!). He likes to squirm down in and hang a foot into the water. We enjoyed another hike, campfire, and some hang out time before Nate left on his first business trip away from us. He flew to Mississippi to do some work getting stuff ready for projects in California and other places....

And... We survived our first week away from Nate! It wasn't easy, but we learned a lot! It was always a bit rough when Nate left for work trips, but a whole new dimension was added when Benson came around. God protected me from too much fear (just a couple of short spurts at night) and taught me many lessons of His love during the trip. Nate's first plane was very late landing in Atlanta, well, actually it was diverted to SC and I didn't hear from him until well over 1.5 hours past when he should have landed, which resulted in me praying for peace and calling my friend Kent (I was with his wife Erin) and asking him to check online. Kent told me about the diversion and told me that his flight would be landing soon. I learned to try to hold my thoughts captive in a new way as my imagination not only affects me now. I talked to Benson about trusting God, having faith, and finding peace in Christ when things are unclear. We prayed together.

I also got to grow this week in believing God's promises to me. I really feel like God has a special plan for our family and that includes Nate being around to help raise our kiddos. So in that, I have to believe that He will keep him safe on these work trips (why is it so easy to fall into forgetting God's promises???). And also remembering that nothing on this earth is as important as God. It's hard to hold the ones we love so much in an open hand, isn't it?

For all these reasons, it was a wonderful week. I love growing in trust and faith, don't you?

Last evening, Benson experienced his first Penn State game, and also his first attempted mauling by his friend Owen. Owie was recently introduced to solids... Do you think Benson looks delicious? Apparently Owie did! Benson didn't seem too nervous, though. And we all got quite a laugh out of it. I love this sequence:

Mmmm... You look like a tasty morsel...

Let me just taste and see...

Okay, my mom told me not to eat him, but I still think he look yummy... Can I maybe just take a little nibble??? Please???


And how about this adorable Nittany Lion???

We've been so blessed by wonderful family and friends! Benson is a lucky little guy!

Thank you for your prayers and love!

We love you,

Jenny for Nate and Benson, too!

One month birthday hike :)

We decided to celebrate Benson's One Month Birthday, we should get out in this gorgeous weather and get out in nature. We went to to the central park and got on the wrong trail, but it was still beautiful!

He's Already ONE MONTH!?!?!?!?

Okay, so I've become "that parent". You know the one that says, "time sure does go by too quickly with these little ones"??? Yep, that's me. I've loved being mom to Benson and I've loved parenting with Nate! We're enjoying everything about our son and this wonderful journey we're on together. Nate's an incredible daddy and I love watching him care for and love on our son!

Don't you just love how they fall asleep sometimes?




We had our one month well-visit today at the pediatricians office and well, our son is GROWING very quickly. For a recap on his stats:


Born August 19 and weighed 6lbs. 14oz. (in the 15th percentile), was 20.25 inches long, and his head was somewhere in the 13 inch area... Before he was discharged from the hospital, he had lost 6 oz.

At his one week visit, he had gained 5 oz. back and his head grew a bit, and I think he was about the same length.

At his two week visit, he had gained 1lb. 1oz. which put him at roughly 7lbs. 14oz., up one whole pound from birthweight and into the 28th percentile.

Today, he had grown to NINE POUNDS, FOURTEEN OUNCES (into the 54th percentile) and well, that's averaging a pound a week. I just hope he doesn't weigh 50+ pounds at one year old ;) **Check out his sweet chub in the pic above

Let's see, his head is now 14.76" around and I'm grateful it was 13" just a month ago :)

And he's now 21.75" tall, which means he has grown into the 60th percentile for height. Still looks long and skinny like daddy. We are so grateful to God for continuing to grow him and keep him so healthy!

He's got a receding hairline (seriously, his hair is falling out like crazy only in the front) like his great grandpa and today is sporting a mohawk that Nate and I had nothing do with. Really, he did it all by himself, as you can see, as it's a little off-kilter. What can you expect from a one month old???


He's smiling more and more and well, we think that's awesome. We especially love it when he smiles at us in what seems to be response to us. He makes many faces, and we think he might be expressive like me. He's awake more during the day which I like and he slept five hours last night in a row (bliss!!!).

During tummy time this week, I thought he might roll over, but got stuck on his arm, which looked like a kickstand on a bike. Ha. I'm impressed with his strength and sometimes surprised by it, too.


Benson also enjoyed his first work meeting with mommy this week (mommy enjoyed it, too).

Nate was able to feed him his first daddy bottle and they did great!


We continue to be SO BLESSED by generous friends and family members and just enjoy visits, meals, and gifts for our little guy. We love the Body!

Nate and I get to go on our first date in a long time tonight - he's taking me out to Sight and Sound for Abraham and Sarah. I can hardly wait! Benson will be in good hands hanging out on the farm with grandma Hoover.

Thank you so much for praying for our little guy. It's so incredible to see the fruit of those faithful prayers and to see how healthy he is.

We love you,

The Hoovers

Three weeks with our blessing!

What an incredible week! Benson is three weeks old today!

Many, many firsts:

First pacifier

First pumping/bottle feeding - did a great job taking the bottle and I did a great job being a "cow". Thanks Erin :)

First BumGenius Diaper - It's HUGE on him, but through three different diapers held pee and poop. We're pretty pleased with this diaper! And we think Benson likes how soft it is :)

First and Second Campfire - Grandma and Grandpa Hoover had the first ever Labor Day Campout on the farm with the kids and grandkids... We were not brave enough to camp out with a two week old, but we probably should have :) Here Benson is with Aunt Sheila, Great Grandma Diffenderfer, and Great Aunt June who is, incidentally also celebrating a first - eating a S'more. She actually had to have two. :)

First shrimp - at our second campfire of the weekend, our friends Kim and Jared had us over, along with Brynne and Brian (see pic of the guys at top of post) for a delicious meal and a fun time of fellowship. We are so blessed with incredible family and friends!

First time I got to wear BOTH my wedding and engagement rings :)

And sadly, the first time Benson woke up in the middle of the night very fussy and in pain (gas?) and couldn't go back to sleep. Now that's a first we will also hope is a "last" :) we can dream, right?

Oh, we are enjoying this little guy so much! God has definitely blessed us and we couldn't be more pleased with our son! We feel a special grace in this role as parents. Nate has been such a wonderful husband and daddy. I love watching him interact with Benson.

Thank you so much for praying for us, for your words of encouragement, for your very generous gifts. We feel so loved as a family!

Oh, and one more first just now: Benson fell asleep with his Nuk in his mouth and his right pinky up his right nostril. Ha ha ha

Two Weeks!

Two weeks (as of Wednesday) have already slipped past, and we are in awe of God's blessings to us! Our little boy is so dear to us and has captured our hearts. He's so much fun, smiling, moving around, and generally spoiling these first time parents. At our two week pediatrician appointment, he had gained 1 lb. 1 oz. in ONE WEEK. So, now he's up to 7lbs. 14oz. Here's a picture of him in his chubby glory at the Dr. Office. Sometimes we wonder if his belly is going to pop.


We feel so incredibly blessed to parent this blessing from God. Nate is an incredible father and husband and I'm so glad to be on this journey with him. He loves to spend time with Benson and loves to help out. I'm definitely not in this alone.

Thanks for praying for us - we can tell people must be - this is such a gift!