"all by myself!"

"I do it aw by myseff!" This is has become one of Ben's fav phrases lately and is usually shouted triumphantly after single-handedly opening a lollipop wrapper or climbing into his booster seat. But it also holds another meaning to his mommy who is, eagerly anticipating the growth of our family, but also hanging on to these precious days with our first baby, turned boy, while he's all by himself.

Reading books with his flashlight - pointed everywhere but on the pages!

Ready to help Daddy put his bed together

After a wonderful weekend away with the girls, I was greeted at the front door by Ben and his craft that he'd been told we'd do together when I got home. Five minutes later, we were crafting it up!

Getting extra comfy in his chair, parked in the kitchen

Chatting it up with Grandma on Skype

And finally, here he is, singing "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. They learned it in his classroom by listening to the song and reading this book. (Insider trick: It helps following along with him if you sing the lyrics to yourself!) His teachers sent me a video one day from school of him performing an impromptu solo, but said that by the time they got the camera out, his motions had fizzled a bit. Well, here they are...in full volume again! Also on the video is some chatting, kiss-blowing, and enthusiastic counting that his Daddy and I are pretty proud of. (but can't take credit for!)

Even with his independent spirit, and definitely sometimes moody 'tude, Ben continues to be such a sweet and funny little boy. One quick example - we had a bowl of jelly beans on the counter, and Tyler offered him one as a "special treat" after dinner. The next day, he starts dancing and jumping around the counter yelling "bepuhl teet! bepuhl teet!" It took me forever to realize that he thinks jelly beans are actually called "special treats". It's been weeks now, and we can't convince him that they have any other name or that a "special treat" can take on other meanings. Just this morning, he wanted a "bepuhl teet" for helping me make coffee...another project he adores.

There are so many more things he's doing and saying right now that I could go on and on. And while I know he won't really remember this time in his life, when he was "all by himself", it will forever hold a special place in my heart that I will remember always.