Swimming on a Sunday

Since we've already showcased Sunday's low point, I thought the highlight of the day should get some mention too. After a few unsuccessful attempts at a nap, we headed out to Oak Mountain state park so that Ben could continue his car nap in the stroller as we hit the pavement and then we could all cool off in the water of the beach.

"Yaaay! I love sand!"
(actually he's roaring like a lion here "aaaaaa!")

"No time for pictures, Mom. There's water to explore!"

Good times! A slightly funnier parenting story than others I've shared recently happened when Tyler took off Ben's swim diaper to change before getting in the car, and I realized I'd thrown away the only normal diaper I'd packed. So Ben went commando all the way home (including a stop at Moe's) and then straight to the kiddie pool in the backyard! Should I be relieved or worried that he didn't have any accidents?!

party in the park

Let's get that scabby kid off the headlining post!

On Saturday (pre-tumble), we celebrated Nick and Susan's daughter's 2nd birthday at Veteran's Park. What a cool place! The ground is spongy (wish ours was), and the playground equipment is really accessible and fun. Ben would've had a ton of fun, however his sunscreen got into his eyes, making his eyes run and his face puff up. (who put me in charge of this person anyway?!) Once we wiped the sunscreen off and moved to the pavilion, he was much happier.

After all, there were plenty of "bah" (balloons) to play with.

and "bahbo" (bubbles)

Birthday-girl Kaitlyn got lots of loot!

"Uh, guys? Is that for me?"

Travis offered to hang on to her sunglasses.
"Hey babe. Yeah, they're pink - what of it?!"

Hope and Ben got in the festive spirit with party hats.
For one minute exactly.

Ben chatted it up with a hot chick,

(loves Miss Anna)

and hung out with T and Miss Amy.

I'm sure Ben's not laughing at your pink shades, Travis.

"Mmm, undiluted apple juice. Nectar of the gods!"

And everyone enjoyed lots of pizza and cupcakes.
Exhibit A:

And B:

The two-handed cupcake smash!

Thanks for inviting us Kaitlyn! We had a wonderful time. :)

I was right there...

You know that sound a cantaloupe makes when it hits gravel and brick? Well I do. Sounds just like my baby's head when it hits gravel and brick after taking a tumble down the steps on our back porch. First of all, he's fine - just some scrapes and bruises. I was right there, even helped him down the first two. And then his foot must've gotten caught and (in horrific slow mo, naturally) he bounced leg over arm down to the ground, landing - in all places - on. his. face.

At first I didn't think it was so bad...after all, he went down so slowly. I just don't know how I couldn't catch him. I was right there. But then there was blood, dirt and lots of tears. And at first they were just Ben's, until Tyler asked what happened. Then a pathetic scene unfolded in our backyard of Tyler holding Ben in one arm, the other arm around my shoulder as Ben and I let it all out.

At that point, Tyler suggested we post pictures of Ben and me and get votes to see who looked most traumatized. I declined (mascara-stained and splotchy as I was, at least I wasn't bleeding...from the head.).

Obviously, I'm still working out some guilt (and blocking out that cantaloupe sound). But an icepak, popsicle, tylenol squirt and peroxide-cotton ball later, and Ben was happily splashing in the kiddie pool and playing in the recycling bin as usual.

Um, we feel it's important to teach Ben about both sides of his heritage...that and he needed a red shirt to go with his consignment sale swimtrunks. Oh, and the frohawk? Sunblock in the hair for an afternoon in the sun - fun posts to follow soon.

So we've encountered the first of many bumps and bruises to come, but Ben is resilient and quick to forgive both his mama and those tricky stairs. And next time they try to trip him up, I'll be right there...from the bottom this time!

Fifteen months old!

We're in full toddler swing at the Prentice household! Here's a rundown of all things "Ben" this month:

Stats:
24 pounds, 31 inches (50% for both)
head circumference is 18 in (75%, explains a lot of those falls I think...)
3.5 top teeth
2.25 bottom teeth
size 4 diapers
12- 18 month clothes...leaning towards the higher end of that spectrum lately
Sleeps 10 - 11 hours at night, 1.5 - 2.5 hours mid-day

New words:
Clearer variations of "Dada", including the Roman "Dadus" and the affectionate "Daddee"
"hah" (hi)
"bub...ah" (byebye)
"buh" (bird)
"bah" (ball)
"babo" (bubbles)
"boo" (balloon) seeing a pattern here?!
"Dizi" (Zoe or doggie) this hasn't been officially confirmed, but it's what I think he's saying!
And finally....."mama"! Wahoo! Granted, he only says it in times of stress (hungry, needs something), as in "mama, mama, momeeeeee," but I'll take it!

Sounds:
Doggie says "woofwoof"
Lion says "aaaaaa"
Cow says "ooooo" or "mmmm" (so close)
Car says "vrrrmmm"


Personality:
I'm still learning the difference between "Ben" and "toddler behavior". He's shy with new places and faces and clings to us or the most well-know person until he's determined the situation as safe to unclench in.

Speaking of recognizing people, this has definitely happened with my family. He literally lights up when my mom, dad or sister come to visit. And we look at pictures often of our Canadian family in hopes he'll be ready to light up when we see them this summer!

Even after relaxing, he typically maintains a reserved demeanor in unfamiliar territory. This makes him pretty easy to tote around to the grocery store and friends' houses (which I really appreciated during my baby-showerpalooza weekend earlier this month).

He is a pretty sensitive soul, I think. The gentlest "no no, Ben" can reduce him to a puddle of tears on the floor. He will give us kisses when asked, and they're usually open-mouthed and aimed right for our lips, requiring a last-minute turn of cheek. And he always starts laughing whenever we do (or when we're practicing self-defense moves in the kitchen). As sensitive as he is, the kid enjoys some tactile engagement! Here he is on the receiving end of it at school:

Classmates vs. Ben - 2
Ben vs. classmates - 1

My heart just keeps growing for this little boy as I watch him "becoming." And even after we've had a long, hard day of putting out seemingly endless fires, I often find myself missing him soon after he's gone to bed.

love you man.

How was your weekend?

Great, I hope! For two out of three in our household, this weekend was pretty low key.

We jumped (pumped legs up and down, while maintaining full contact with the ground) outside...

did some chores...

had a playdate with Carter...

...and Zoe...talked to Papa on the phone...and went to the park!

Best part about that was Daddy got to come take a much-needed study break.

So Ben and I enjoyed a relaxing, non-scheduled weekend. Tyler, not so much. He spent it working and studying for his orthodontics boards - which he takes tomorrow. We're praying for the "sound mind" that God has given him and for wisdom to remember and apply all that he has learned. I know that he is prepared, and I know that he will kick some teeth on his test!

Easter Extravaganza

I like to drag things out. For instance, my birthday celebrations just ended this past weekend, although my actual birthday was weeks ago (Thanks to Kelley, Jess and Tyler for wrapping up the festivities)! So it should come as no surprise that Ben participated in not just one, but four egg hunts this year and wore his Easter outfit at least 10 times - which called for overnight washings on two occasions.

On Good Friday, Ben stayed home with my sister, visiting from San Francisco. They had lots of QT together and then met me at his school for the annual Spring Fling. The teachers really had put a lot of work into the event which included an egg hunt, sac races, cupcake walk, pin the tail on the bunny - and every kid got a personalized Easter basket and lots of prizes to put inside. Somewhere between the first egg hunt at Dawson (where he was flattened by the stampede and managed to put one solo egg in his basket) and this one, Ben picked up some crazy egg-hunting skills and charged out of the gate like a pro! Doubleclick the slideshow to view all captions

Immediately following the Spring Fling, the three of us caravaned to Nashville to spend Easter weekend with our parents. (Tyler takes his orthodontics boards on the 22nd, so he spent the weekend locked inside our house with his books and flashcards.) Ben got to discover my parents' house for the first time as a mobile person, and just wandered from room to room taking it all in. And then he took over - always leaving evidence of his tornadic presence in his wake.

He slept wonderfully is his new-to-him crib at Grandma's house, and provided constant entertainment for all, including changing and feeding responsibilities, which I'm always willing to share. :)

And on Easter morning, he stumbled upon two Easter baskets filled with a cell phone, bubbles, sippy cups, a Cars dvd and matching diningware, and Cadbury eggs, which he graciously saved for his daddy.

We celebrated as we've done for 25 years, Easter brunch at the Head's. I hunted eggs here for years, later hid them for the younger children and really enjoyed having my own baby to participate in the fun this year. I do not however have video of the event b/c in the flurry of excitement, I brilliantly had the power turned off when I thought it was on and vice versa. So lots of footage of the eggs in the grass, not so much of the little boy who was hunting them. Tragic.

I was able to manage documenting the weekend in pictures at least:

And that concludes the Easter Extravaganza of 09. (But in case you just haven't seen enough, you can check out my mom's pictures here.)

What a good egg!

love this kid.

"It's over already?"

Ben had so much fun celebrating Easter this year (and so many chances to wear Grandma's outfit)! We will share the good times once I unpack and find the camera cords...not that they're lost or anything...

Hope your Easter weekend was special!

Random happenings

In attempts to make room on the memory card for our Nashville trip/Easter weekend, here is what's been on my camera from the past week. Enjoy!

I always find cute things at Target

Ben pulled his rocking sheep out from it's corner perch and climbed right a'board!

Happy guy - tylenol must've kicked in
(we're teething)

Eskimo kisses with Daddy...
or is he looking for a lost toy in that cavernous nostril?

You may have to listen closely for his "a-bye", but you can't miss the belly laughs

watching Sid the Science Kid a little too closely

Ben and the Popper of Destruction

I'll leave you with footage from a rare morning bath, featuring some signing and tongue clicking...

Somebunny thinks this is pwehcious...

Tyler, can we get a bunny?
...for Ben and Zoe?
...so they can cuddle?

And we don't need a kitty cat, but this is awfuwy sweet too!


siwwy wabbit.

Bubble overload

For someone who loves bubbles as much as Ben does at home, it sure didn't transfer to the Bubble Zone at the Dawson Memorial Church's Easterfest this weekend!

I, for one, appear to be having a ball.

more to come...

"All boy"

No doubt about it, Ben is "all boy." Something that causes this girly-girl's chest to tighten as he smears the mud that's permanently embedded underneath his fingernails onto my khakis, and develops that sweaty little boy smell at the end of a warm day. But he sure is fun to play with!

A few of Ben's telltale "all boy" traits and pastimes:

Playing with/tormenting the dog

Here he started flicking her ears and thought it was hysterical. Notice the desperate plea in Zoe's eyes.

Reclining in his chair

Is it me, or is he enormous in this picture?

Chasing and throwing balls

And this is where his form breaks down. He usually drops it right in front of himself...but I cheer and he claps anyway!

Getting mad when he doesn't get his way
"She's so mean to take pictures of him when he's crying." I was trying to capture how cute it was that he pulled out his placemat, spoon and food from his backpack this morning and tried to put his bib on himself. Then I made the fatal mistake of saying "eat" before walking away to get the camera... Don't worry, he recovered quickly once I gave him a little pre-breakfast snack.

Confused by flowers

Yes, technically a dandelion is a weed...but it's the only flower our yard can claim at the moment.

Playing in the dirt

Task-oriented lad that he is, he spent a good 20 minutes relocating the pine straw to various points along the sidewalk and stairs last night.
I couldn't even lure him away with bribes of food!