Happy 18 month AND 19 month Bday Benjamin! 18 months is a big deal, you are closer to 2 than 1 these days, so as late as this post is, it is a must!
But for memory's sake, I will just have to clump in 19 months too, since I can't seem to distinguish between the two!
Didn't get a picture with your bear this time, mama forgot, but these seemed to turn out alright.
This pic shows your independent spirit these days ( except at night when you are sleeping!). You prefer to eat your grapes from the stems, in the bowl, on the floor!
Oh and another thing mama did not do was schedule your 18 month ( and your sister's 4 year old) well check up WAY in advance, so I am not sure about your stats. I called a week before Bekah's birthday ( hers is on the 2nd and yours is on the 4th, so pretty close) and they told me they could not get y'all in until SEPTEMBER! To which I calmly told them, that would not work, because we would be MOVING! Really, I was going to have to wait 5 months for a well check up? Ridonkulous!
I told them that was not acceptable and why, and it took them a week to reschedule y'all for JUNE!
Better I guess, but still!
But, you eat good, and look good, so I am not worried!
You love to eat, though now you getting picky. I have found that it's best to put your fruit and veggies on your tray first, and then, give you the main course, like pasta or pizza or chicken, otherwise, you may not eat them.
Your constipation issues are better, as long as you get your daily dose of prune juice, it seems to not be a problem anymore. I still do have to watch your banana and macaroni and cheese intake, as those two do not help the situation, poor guy, they are some of your favorite foods!
Your hair is getting so think, and very blond! We've been watching alot of family videos, and looking back, I giggle at how stringy it was, and how we wondered if you were going to be a Blondie like daddy or heck, have mommy's gene's kick in! Silly me for thinking so!
Always wanted a little Zack, and I think I got him! : )
You now really want to be engaged in everything sissy and I are doing, especially cooking. It was cute, the first time I saw you pulling up a chair to join us at the island to make some cookies : ).
And ever since then, you hear mommy cooking, and you come 'a runnin! : )
Makes the messiness factor more interesting, mommy already is a messy cook, but it's been a good thing to do on those cold and rainy days (STILL!) : ). You follow directions really well actually : ), sign of a good cook : ).
Your Favorite Things
One of your favorite things in the world would have to be the vacuum cleaner! YOU LOVE IT! Wherever we are, you can spot 'em! : ) Funny how every time we got to a friends house, you do just that, and the moms always make some sort of comment like "Wow, Benjamin really likes vacuum cleaners!" I would buy you a toy one if there was an occasion for it bud, but until then, you get your kicks from mine : ).
Another fascinating object that one can maneuver, the rolling suitcase! You go crazy for them, and once again, can spot them anywhere, like in a store or the kind girls at dance class who let you drag their rolling backpacks up and down the waiting room : ).
You have really appreciated the visitors lately, for they always come prepared! : )
(MayMay and Granmommy)
Vacuum Cleaners and Rolling Suitcases:
I guess the common denominator between the two is, they have wheels and you can manipulate them?
The guitar is also high up there on the list, especially with daddy playing his at night,
per your request : ).
"U-tar!"
I will be sad the day you say "guitar."
You also get so excited when we go somewhere and they have a tricycle!
It really needs to be your birthday, like now, so we can get you this stuff!
TRACTORS!
I joke that taking Benjamin to Lowes while Bekah is in school is like "girl world detox."
Here, he can climb from one tractor to another, for oh, 30 minutes or more . .
. . . checkout the grills . . .
. . . . and have fun with flashlights! None of which are pink or princessy!
Rumble Tumble time is another absolute must in a day in the life of Benjamin. If daddy gets home before you go to sleep, this activity is the highlight of your day, with both of you begging for daddy's attention to turn you into a "sack of potatoes" and throw you on the couch. Or daddy will be a horse and gallop around with you on his back. You usually are saying "shoders, shoders!" I think riding on daddy's shoulders is the ultimate for you.
Can't wait to get you and daddy in a pool where he can throw you twice as high!
Rumble tumble time certainly has been a key to getting through this silly spring that still keeps us inside many days!
Your energy level is high and we do our best to meet them when the weather is not permitting, somehow one day we found ourselves playing on the stairs, as safe as that sounds!
Oh and you loooove pillow fights! They make the whole family giggle, especially when daddy or mommy actually uses some real muscle to "get" the other one!
You love your gymboree days and we are so grateful to Pops and Granmommy for making them happen! Such a great way to get your energy out, and sissy has really been able to get in touch with her artsy side, by attending art class at the same time : ).
( When you enroll in a class, you also get to go to their open gym days, which is what we were doing here)
At this point, your passy is still a must, but just recently, within the past 2 weeks, I have not allowed it in Gymboree and other fun activities, hoping this sticks!
It coves up too much of that face I love!
This is your good friend Nate that you met at Gymboree! You talk about him all the time and I am so happy that we met him and his sweet mommy.
Doing whatever your sissy is doing is certainly the name of the game these days, requiring that mommy both remark on it's greatness and intervene when necessary to promote sharing.
Funny to take the same pictures of Bekah that I took when we first moved here, but, now you are in them too!
Dinosaur exhibit at the Children's Museum:
You want to wear whatever she is wearing as well. This picture is possibly the most forgiving of the examples, as you have been found wearing various items such as high heels, tiaras, purses, headbands, and my favorite, a purple tutu leotard!
I hear this is not so unusual for those little brothers out there! : )
You now join Bekah in loving our excursions to PBK, your reward for being good while mommy shops : ). You have always enjoyed our toy kitchen at home, so when you get to the magical world of pottery barn, even you can't ignore it's wonderfullness!
I will always appreciate PBK for how much fun we had there in Indy, on those cold winter days!
You enjoy going on all of Bekah's playdates, sometimes making it seem like you are the one having the most fun! It's so cute watching your personality come out in times like these. It's also interesting, watching you share, or NOT share : ). You are quite possessive at times buddy!
Our two favorite families here, The Sorgs and The Woodwards.
They have been such an answer to prayer this year : ).
Because Bekah likes art, so do you.
You and Bekah come up with great games together, such as "riding the magic carpet" another good one for those cold springtime days!
Bekah has taught you alot, one being, how to get in touch with your sweet tooth!
Bekah got this chocolate filled streetcar as a souvenir and learned to put it up high so you wouldn't get into it, well, you did! : )
And now, she happily shares some with you every day : ).
You might not be amazing at sharing right now, but let me tell you,
your sister IS with you, so I know you will like her too, one day!
On those spring days I bundled you guys up to go to the park, Bekah was always "done", 10 minutes later, as for you, you were just getting started! It was hard knowing what to do, y'all both wanted different things ( motherhood!) but if I let you pull Bekah back home, it often times, lessened the blow , sweet boy : ).
More art, playdough this time!
Wouldn't you believe that the first time both you and your sister had the courage to climb to the top at chick filet would be the SAME year?? You, 18 months, Bekah, 3 1/2!
"Self!" is your new favorite word, you want to do everything by yourself, much more than your sister, so it's been very amusing to me, to watch this independent spirit come out so soon!
Now, when it comes to Independence, you do have more of it than your sister, BUT now when it comes to sleeping! Your sleeping makes me and your daddy marvel at how we did not give Bekah enough credit for her "independent sleeping!" I would say, at least 4 nights out of the 7, you need me to come in and rock you back to sleep. It's such a routine now, that when I do walk in, you smile and then, point to the chair, and simple say, "chair!" Teehee! You know the routine!
But, I really am not complaining, I know there will be a day when you don't need me and you needing me fills my heart up with so much joy, I just roll with it and thank god for the nights I do get to sleep all the way through : ). I would be lying if I didn't say, I love those night time cuddles, absolutely love them!
You did finally consolidate those naps though, so I can expect at least a 2 hr nap from you these days. I appreciate how flexible you are with them too, 10:30 on school days, so I can wake you up by 12:30 to go get Bekah, and 1ish on other days, so you can go down at the same time as Bekah.
Other things I want to remember about you sweet boy:
- you love taking walks and looking for cars or dogs. But if I go without Bekah, ( because we have a visitor like MayMay or Granmommy to stay back at the house with Bekah) you want to go inside only 5 minutes later! I thought you loved being outside, but you love your sister more I suppose! I'll even take you to the park, and you request to leave! "Bekah! Home!"
- your favorite color is yellow, you say everything is yellow, and with alot of confidence at that! maybe we have mrs. amy to thank for that one?? : )
- you enjoy telling stories about your experiences, you use the main words, and expect others to fill in the gaps. One day, you went on a walk with MayMay and you gave a dog some of your cheese stick, so now, randomly, you will start this conversation:
"Walk!"
"Did you go on a walk?"
"MayMay!"
"Did you go with MayMay?"
"Doggie!"
"Did you see a doggie?"
"Cheese!"
"Did you give him some of your cheese?"
With a big smile, "Yes! Share!"
Benjamin, I love talking with you, it's simply amazing to me to hear what is on your mind!
And Benjamin, you are such a chatterbox! Talking all the time now! First thing you say in the morning is, "Morning!" And then, "Bekah?" You hit the ground running from that moment on!
I always thought your sister was pretty verbal, and I think she was, but looking back at her 18 month post, I read about how eager I was to hear her put two words together, when, you have been doing that for over 2 months now!
When you find your passy, you say, "ere it is!"
When anyone of us says, "I love you!" You say, "ove you too!"
Whenever you want something, you politely say, "more please!"
First time you put two words together was when you wanted to watch another video on my phone, and you said, "more show!" I had to laugh that it was the TV that motivated you on that milestone, but really you could care less about TV the way your sister did at your age!
You say long words like helicopter and construction worker pretty darn well! You are persistent about making me repeat after you say such words, to know that I understand. If I do not understand, you will go and get the object or point to it, which I appreciate!
You now say, "umm" when you are thinking about how to answer my question, and "oh!" when you hear my answer and may be surprised. These conversational words make you seem so old! You try to sing your ABC's with me and often times get many letters right, as well as "Jesus Loves Me!"
Finding out what you know and what you can say is more of a surprise with me than with Bekah because I feel like I "direct taught" her, when you, have her to teach you and you just soak so much up with out me knowing!
( I asked Bekah to try to get a picture of me giving Benjamin a "warm hug" after bathtime)
Wow! This post is getting so long, and I really should end it on more of a positive note, but, I have to record it somewhere, that you had your first time out this month! I think it is just a precursor of the months to come, as you approach 2, so maybe it is appropriate to end the post on what I can feel to be a new, more passionate, more expressive period of your life! Ha! You will always be one ready for a laugh, but man, you like to test those boundaries as well! You get that sparkle in your eye and you do NOT back down to me saying no or distractions! So, after pulling your sister's hair for the 3rd time that day, you went to time out! I put you in the bathroom and you cried the whole time saying "hold you!" You said sorry and gave her a hug afterwards, and I was pleased with how it went. Bekah is so sweet and patient with you Benjamin, we have to teach you how to be the same with her : ), and I know you will be! : )
So, to end it on a good note, I will include a precious picture of you sleeping. I don't get too many of these, the way I was able to with Bekah, you wake up at the drop of a dime if I go into your room, but I had to wake you up anyways, so thought I should take the opportunity to capture it!
I love you dear boy! Just the other day I had a thought, I don't think I have ever laughed so much as I have this year, because of you! And then, combine that with the laughs of you with your sister and better yet, if daddy is home laughing with us too??? Oh, it's just the best and I thank you for being such a pivotal part of the joy in our family!
No comments:
Post a Comment