New Hair Do

In December, I decided that it was time to let Ben's hair grow out. I got lots of great advice from friends and amazing people at Ben's daycare. I was given tips, hair care lessons, and various products.

Ben's new hair do was shaping up well and looking cute. Everything was going right except for one thing....Ben HATED it! He hated the daily ritual that is involved in the upkeep of an Afro. He hated the picking the most.

Finally one morning, after an all out fight to do his hair, I decided that it wasn't worth it. The clippers were taken out and Ben's hair was cut short once again. For now, I will keep Ben's hair short. If he decides later that he wants to grow it out, then we will try again!

So here he is in all his cuteness...with short hair once more!





Memorable event for Ben to remember: You typically count like this: two, five, two, five, ten! Today you counted all the way to ten spontaneously!

A Letter to My Son

Ben,

Tonight I am once again so overwhelmed with the love I have for you. You are everything I ever prayed and dreamed that you would be. You are an amazing, loving, little soul who brings nothing but sunshine to my life.

Everyday I watch in awe as you grow and change. The baby I brought home is gone and in his place is a brilliant little boy. I wish that time would slow down and that you would stay little for as long as possible. I look back at pictures and videos of you and am amazed at the difference. The time has gone by too quickly!

You are now such a talker. You tell me what happened in school, why you had to go to time-out, what you ate, if you napped well, that you used the potty. You now refer to yourself as "I" and love to use the word "yike" aka "like." You will say "I yike night night books!" or "Mommy, I yike purse!" (I got a new purse that you have decided is quite fashionable). The other day you told me "I look good!" Where do you come up with these things? You now say "What happened?" and "What is that noise?". One night after a time-out, you told me that you were sorry and then said "I love you, mommy" clear as day. You still usually say "Ayah" for "I love you," so I was completely surprised.

You have discovered the movies "Cars", "Nemo", and "Toy Story". We have watched them so many times that I can quote most of them. You have also discovered "Max and Ruby." How you love watching Max get in trouble! You are as bossy as Ruby is and fuss at Max throughout the show.

I am praying that our condo sells soon. It has been on the market for 9 months now. I so want to buy you a house with a nice yard. I want you to have a neighborhood to grow up in and kids to play with. I want you to be able to play outside in a fenced yard. I want you to have a playroom for your numerous toys. You deserve only the best, and I am trying my hardest to give that to you.

I pray that you feel my love. I hope it is something tangible and constant for you. You are my life, little man. Because of you, I strive everyday to be a better person and a better mother. You are so entwined in my heart that I wonder how I ever lived my life without you. You are constantly on my mind and in my heart!

All my love,
Mommy

The Greatest Show on Earth

Today was a magical day...Ben's first trip to the circus!

I made the mistake of telling Ben before lunch that we were going to the circus after his nap. So, he refused to eat lunch and decided it was nap time. He only slept for an hour, got up, and told me "Mommy, bye-bye circus" (meaning let's go to the circus)! We had to wait for Auntie Buffy to come over, so I tried to get Ben to eat some lunch. He would have none of it and told me "I eat at circus."

We arrived an hour early to the show because there was no more holding Ben off. Luckily there was a pre-circus show. We did the circus right....caramel apple, cotton candy, S'more pop, popcorn, and a prize for Ben! The food alone was almost enough for Ben! He was in his own little heaven even before the circus started.

When the circus actually started, Ben was amazed! He loved the music to which he danced and drummed his popcorn. I think his favorite things were the train, motorcycles, elephants, tigers, and trapeze artists. Throughout the show, he clapped, laughed, sang, and made friends with all of the people around us. At one point, he was watching the show in my arms with his cheek pressed against mine. Without any warning, he leaned in and gave me the sweetest kiss and then resumed watching the circus. That boy knows exactly how to melt my heart!

There was an 18 month old girl sitting next to us who Ben was quickly enamored with. He danced with her, hugged her, taught her "High Pive" (high five), and even smootched once. He allowed her to play with his prized motorcycle and tried to force feed her his popcorn. It was really cute to see him playing the big boy role and helping out a baby.

He was really in rare form...probably a mixture of junk food for lunch and over-stimulation. I have never seen him show out so much in public. He had everyone laughing and watching him. In the line to potty at intermission, he was keeping the crowd entertained and myself. He was a total ham!!

We left the circus a little early. Ben decided that 4 hours of the circus was enough. He came up to me and said "Mommy, bye-bye!" until we left. It was a really fun afternoon!

When I put Ben to bed, I asked him if he had fun at the circus. He told me "Mommy, back to circus." He then had to run through his favorite things again...mainly the train and cars! I can't wait to do Disney World with Ben!

Thank you to Auntie Buffy for coming and taking these great pictures!

His royal highness...
First taste of cotton candy.

Ben's "cheese" face.
Ben intent on watching the pre-circus show. I love this little face!

Ben's first taste of a caramel apple.
Ben took one look at Auntie's S'more pop and had to have it. I'm not sure she was able to eat much of it!
Gotta love the junk food that only a circus can provide!
Ben would not relinquish Auntie's S'more Pop!

Let the circus begin!





Buffy was able to capture the tiger in mid-jump.

Ben's prized motorcycle.

Ben gave up eating popcorn by the fistful...
and decided it would be easier to drink it!
Auntie helping Ben wash some popcorn salt away.
Ben watching the motorcycles in the sphere.
This box has 3 adult women inside it!


Update on the circus: Just an FYI...no lunch + lots of junk food + over-stimulation + 2 year old = 11 AM vomit fest! Ben feels fine now but was miserable and covered in nastiness for about an hour last night! Poor thing...I think he would do it all again though!

My Bed Maker and Spaghetti Face

On Monday morning, Ben climbed into bed with me around 4 in the morning. He climbed in and fell right back to sleep, so I left him and enjoyed some more precious sleep. Ben decided to sleep in, so I got up to get some things done while he slept. I went into his room to open the curtains and clean up. I opened his curtains and realized that Ben's bed was made. His extra pillow was neatly placed on the bed. For a minute, I thought I put him to bed that way, but I know I put the pillow on the floor. It then occurred to me that Ben made his bed! He woke up, made his bed, and came and got in bed with me.

I guess that Ben has watched me make his and my bed for 9 months while we've waited for the condo to sell. He took it upon himself to make his bed. He neatly stacks his pillows, pushes the big covers to the end of the bed, and folds his little blanket. He has made his bed all week without any prompting from me. It looks as if he has chosen his first chore!

Here is how he left his bed this morning:


Ben really enjoyed his spaghetti dinner the other night. Here is the mess:

A Boy and His Chair

From the first time he saw it up to the present, Ben is constantly in his beloved chair. It was money well spent!

November 2008
February 2009
February 2009

March 2009
April 2009
December 2009
January 2010

Allergist & Huntsville Trip

We saw the allergist yesterday. The experience was long but much better than I anticipated. We were at the office for 2 and a half hours. Ben received 16 pricks to test for a variety of allergies. The results showed that Ben is allergic to dust and cats. The allergist feels that Ben's reaction to milk is due to severe lactose intolerance. He wants for Ben to remain off of milk but to reintroduce cheese and butter! Yay! This will make cooking so much easier. When we got home, Ben had a bowl of cheese cubes. He couldn't cram them in his mouth fast enough! I guess he missed his cheese!

The allergist also found that Ben's ear infection from last week has not responded at all to the antibiotics Ben has been on. He prescribed Ben a stronger antibiotic which results in loose stools. Poor Ben is beside himself. He is completely potty trained now but is having to wear pull ups for the occasional accident. He tries is hardest to make it to the potty and is devastated by the littlest accident!


Monday, we spent the holiday with Erin and the kids. We always have such a fun time just hanging out. Ben makes himself completely at home in Erin's house as well as in Erin's crazy (yet fun) neighbor's houses! One of the neighbors even had a bounce house blown up in her living room! Ben was amazed! It was a low key day and just what Ben and I needed! Go to Erin's blog to see the pictures she captured.

Here are the few pictures I was able to get:

Bath Time