HALLOWEEN COSTUMES!!January 16, ’08 almost 2 yrs.
2006: Poor Bear 8 months
2007 Poor Bear 1yr. (20 months)
2008 Big Bird 2yrs.
2009 Fireman 3 yrs.
2010 Darth Vader 4 yrs.
Well Benjamin. You’re finally here! The whole process has been full of ups and downs. Good news is I got 3 bathrooms and your bedroom painted while I ‘nested’. For about 3 months I had my sciatic nerve problem but prayer, blessings and a chiropractor fixed all of that (mostly). I also had cramping at the beginning but that eventually went away too. They’ve done several ultrasounds to look at your ‘slightly enlarged kidney’ so they told me you were a girl until the next look. So we planned on a girl for about 8 weeks. You should have seen (though you may have heard from inside) dad when he saw the pictures on the ultrasound confirming you were a boy! He’s quite excited, to say the least. He glowed for the next 2 weeks with a broad smile on his face. Your due date was officially March 4th, then February 23rd, the February 16th according to the ultrasound dates. I went with the earliest so that they would induce ‘one week late’ which would put you ‘on time’. Since all my babies are late and BIG! All in all it was a pretty good pregnancy (compared to your big brother.) You were doing huge summersaults at the end of the pregnancy, so you were still floating and bobbing around during labor. Speaking of which, that was very long when it should have been short. I experienced an epidural for the first time, 3 different tries. Without my moving and standing, you just weren’t coming.
They told me I could be induced according to monitoring Wednesday. They sent me home to come back the next day. Thursday, we called 6:30 am to tell them we were on our way. Mom had the kids and I had my packed bag. The hospital told us they were too busy and to call again the next morning. We did and they told us to call back at noon. We did and they told us to come in at 2pm. We finally got called from the waiting room at 6pm. During all this stringing me along, mom helped me out emotionally by coming over while the kids stayed with Grandpa and painted your bedroom with daddy. She’s been such a super help with this whole thing.
Friday, 24th 6pm. Pitocin started. Labor begins.
9pm 1st epidural took to the left leg only. 3hrs. later.
Sat. 25th midnight. 2nd epidural worked on both legs for 2 hours. 6hrs later.
3am took ultrasound because of not progressing. 9hrs. later. Noticed you were in a pike position with feet and head down. I had to make the choice between immediate C-section or stopping the labor to try to start again in the morning. I cried.
4am Doctors unplug me from epidural, pitossion, monitors, and give me drugs to stop labor. They turn the lights out and leave the room, planning on returning in the morning. My natural labor contractions still continue. Dad’s asleep on the couch and no one else is there. 10hrs. later.
7am Labor is intense. I call out in pain. “you’re engaged, they tell me” I ask them to please break my water and try a 3rd epidural. It only takes to the left leg again but I have to labor lying on my left side to keep you from flipping again. 13 hrs. later.
Now I’m progressing. Had 3 different doctors for 3 shifts working on me, oxygen mask, catheter, internal monitors, and a possible C-section. It was long and emotional. Epidurals do not work on me.
12 pm 18 hours later. I called out I have to push. They check me and tell me about ½ a centimenter left. Her hand stayed in me waiting for 1 more contraction to do it with all the nurses and doctors there waiting to catch you. After 10 minutes with nothing, she left to go get Pitocin to start me up again. As she walked out of the room, there was the last and biggest contraction. They come running in again with a, “what the heck was that on the monitor?”
12:12pm It only took 2 pushes (1 min) head and shoulders- easiest and shortest push –longest labor- you were just too comfy and didn’t max out your living space like the others. You look tall and skinny though you are 9lbs. 3.6 oz. You’ve got a nice strong low pitch cry. It’s loud and all-or-nothing. We think you looked like an old man when you cried because of your wrinkled forehead.
June 6, ‘06 (4 months)
You’re so cute! You suck your middle 2 fingers with the pointer and pinky finger sticking up. We call it the ‘I love you, suck’. You’ve also found your thumb on the same left hand but you prefer your fingers.
September 22, ’06
7 months
After you drink your bottle before bed (I pump completely so you’ll sleep longer) which you frantically love, I pat you on your back and walk around the room with you singing “Oh I love. . .Benjamin, yes I love. . .Benjamin (to the tune ‘Hello Dolly’). You lay your head on my left shoulder, suck your 2 fingers and ‘sing’ with me. It’s so precious to me and I’ll miss it dreadfully when it’s gone.
In one day you learned how to crawl on all fours and pull up on the couch. Before you were doing the army crawl for a long time. You still do when you want to get places fast.
January 2007
You have learned how to walk and you’re only 11 months old!
February 2007
You’re 1 yr. old! I took you to Target get the ‘traditional 1 yr. old portrait’ – but you wouldn’t have it! You clinged to me like the photographer was going to attack you! I wasn’t mad. I laughed and thought, How funny you are.
April ‘07
14 months old
You’ve got the loudest, highest shrillest voice/scream out of all the kids!
You say “Uh-Ah” for Uh-Oh.
Your favorite thing is to knock over my fake tree and lamps. You also play piano well. You know the sign for ‘milk’ and enjoy your bottles even though it’s formula.
You’re loved by all siblings! Isaac’s always found in crib with you. Liza loves feeding you bottles, pretending you’re her baby. Emma ‘babysits’ you (as she calls it) after school each day looking after you following you around to make sure you don’t get into trouble feeding you finger food along the way.
July 2007
You’re 16 months and say “Ha” for “hot”. “Uh” for Uh-oh. You were so excited to say “Ha” when you pointed to the humidifier on the desk, you kept saying it and touching it. I continued to say no don’t touch but you burnt yourself anyway.
We were in the backyard eating dinner when you decided you were thirsty and drank a Tupperware container full of pond water with dead tad poles floating in it. 36 hours later you were puking with a fever. I think we’ll put you on a de-worming pill just in case.
Your temper tantrums consist of stomping your feet with this disgusted expression on your face. Sometimes you stomp your feet sideways right into walls or off the side-walks or even in circles.
When your done eating in your high chair, you’ve realized screaming doesn’t get me running but you’ve found out what does: Standing up, leaning forward, grabbing the edge of your tray with a forward thrust so that the back lifts up and down off the ground! Scares me to death that you’ll fall face first down with the whole high chair on top of you so of course I come running to get you out.
You can sign all done. You point when you want your crayon blankie and you fold your hands to pray when we say, ‘close eyes’. Wow, how observant you are. I wasn’t expecting that from a 1yr. old!
You love playing with Cookie our bunny, in the backyard. You run over to him, touch him with your pointer finger, then scream and run away.
You get the ‘chills’ REALLY easily. Something you don’t like with texture (like bananas) you get the chills. Or if someone screams, you get the chills. If we shout, ‘yucky!’ you get chills up your spine too.
September 10, 2007
18 months
Benjamin, you’re an easy baby at home. With siblings to entertain you, lots of toys, and constant stimulation with noise and action. But to take you any where. . . what a nuisance! You don’t like anything! You NEED to be moving always so church is a nightmare! You’ve gone to nursery and were my first child to cry when I left for the first three times. This last time you didn’t cry, but soon as I picked you up, you went into your whine again.
You’ll only eat: yogurt, peanut butter & honey sand., milk and juice. You are finicky about applesauce, cheese eggs, hamburger but you’ll eat those too. Still haven’t eaten chicken, plain bread, oatmeal, tortillas, fruits. You’re the pickiest when it comes to food that I’ve had yet in a child.
Your favorite toy are tubes. Tubes of medicine, toothpaste, desitine, list goes on. Once I found 5 tubes of toothpaste in one hide out that you had. It’s all over the carpet and in your mouth.
We couldn’t find the remote control to the VCR and tore the whole basement inside out. No remote. The next day I found you in the basement holding the remote.
I’ve got poison ivy for the 4th time this summer. I’ve got a huge blister on one toe that hurts. I had a bandaid on top of it with nylons over that with my church shoes off. Sitting there during Sacrament meeting on the very front row, legs crossed and you on the floor. You took one look at my foot swinging up and down and not being able to resist it (being on your eye level) opened your mouth and bit down hard right on top of my blister. I almost screamed out but instead clenched my teeth and grabbed your head to let go!
September 15, 2007
16 months
At such a young age, you’ve already begun folding your hands for prayer. Not your arms as all the kids have done, but your hands.
You can sign (and do frequently) ‘all done, cookie, food’ see a pattern? The food sign iis so cute with your pointer finger in your mouth and move it all around, ha ha.
At the golf course you stepped in the stream with your shoe and sock on. Then came home and sat in one of my mixing bowls. It tipped and you acted like you were stuck screaming your head off.
I think you finally ate your 1st piece of chicken tonight? Yeah at 18 months!
Surprisingly you are fearless at playground and go down any slide but are socially very nervous around other people. Babysitters in particular, so when a visitor comes over you come crying to me as if I’m going to leave. It’s been that way since dad’s heart attack in May.
October 2007
20 months
You’ve got some interesting habits lately. One is when the front door gets left open, you bolt down the sidewalk as fast as you can straight for the park. That wasn’t too odd but then recently you’ve been going to the neighbors front doors and putting yourself between their door and their storm/screen door attempting to squish yourself to see if you’ll fit. Then you ring their doorbell. The poor widow lady, Elaine, can’t keep hobbling to the door on an account of you stuffed between her doors.
Your other habit. Climb up on to the toilet onto the water tank, crawl across to the sink. Plop yourself in the sink, turn on the water with a toothbrush and toothpaste in each hand. You act as a clog so the sink fills up with water so I have to change your clothes 5 times everyday from your soaking your entire top and bottoms in the sink.
By the way, I was wrong. You still don’t eat chicken.
October 2007 20 months
You’re keeping me so busy with what you get into! You are a climber for sure! I found you on the counter popping metal utensils into the toaster, then pushing down the ‘on’ switch. After I got you down to fix and put away your mess, you just moved the chair over to our toaster oven to do the same thing again.
I pulled you out of the sink soaking wet from your fun time and into the tub. I stripped off your wet clothes, and turned around to get your dry clothes as you turned on the bath water and proceeded to sit in that.
You got into a can of paint. Spilled a puddle on the carpet basement floor, walked through it and up the stairs (after you played in it wearing your church clothes) Time to leave for church in 10 minutes. . . . Daddy is gone and had to work today.
You know how to pop the lids off sippy cups so you did that in the car on the way to Harper’s Ferry West VA. I had to take you all around wrapped in a blanket since you clothes were soaked.
December 2007
22 months
Still no words but you sign frequently ‘food, shoes, more.’
You enjoy Nursery
You have the habit of unplugging anything or throwing anything in your path . . .out or down. Serves no purpose other than to make a loud noise, a mess or attention.
Dad was playing baseball with Isaac and spit on the ground. Isaac immitatied a spit too. Then you attempted but couldn’t get anything out but just made the sounds with your face looking to the ground with a smile.
January 2008
23 months
When you’re mad at me because I won’t give you something. . . since you can’t say a word, you throw a fit. If I’m holding you and that happens, you pull my hair. On the ground you’ll lay down on your back and kick both your legs while screaming!
You like going to bed with a bottle of water. . . but then you wake up soaked (bed and all) in the morning if I don’t take it out when I go to bed.
When I’m putting you down and you don’t want to get down (which happens just about every time I hold you) You wrap your legs around my waist tight and scream. When that wasn’t working you’ve evolved to pulling my hair or hitting me in the face or on the head too.
You said your 1st word!! It’s ba-ba. But it means ma-ma.. It’s a sound that means a first word. Therefore, it’s a 1st word. Horray! Before the age of two! Better than “uh-uh” for everything!
You love playing cars and know how to also. The race track that has the cars shake and then go crash. . . your favorite! You don’t use the track of course, just carry the cars everywhere!
March ’08 2 years
You’ve haven’t been hitting me anymore since. . .you know how it feels now. Saying “no!” wasn’t working. Sorry!
You’ve been very frustrated with your lack of words that at one point you were screaming at my legs in the kitchen for something I didn’t know what. I asked “this?” and apparently it wasn’t because you began slamming your head into the oven glass door over and over. I grabbed you and picked you up. Then I filled out an application for “Child Find” so they could start speech.
You can say “ma-ma” perfectly now! None of the other kids referred to me as that so young. “Na-Na” for nana when she comes over. And “Ga-Ga” for daddy” You always want to go bye bye, read a book or eat. You haven’t been one to play with toys as much as the others but have made big things fall boom like chairs and such.
At the home school co-op they have tea/coffee and co-coa. You anticipate your co-coa when we get there and today you downed 2 cups full in about one minute per cup. The ladies were blown away at how fast you downed them! They were all laughing and you dribbled all down your shirt too.
You can say ma ma, dad a. No bottle of water to bed now and no more sucking 2 middle fingers. You scream if I put you to bed but not for daddy. You love going outside. Immediately after breakfast you sign “shoes” and fight for it until nap time. I take you home after dropping the kids off at school kicking and screaming. At least you go to babysitters and Nursery easily with no fight.
You threw down a play rolling shopping cart and smashed a big hole in the wall at the bottom of the stairs.
You carry a stool all over the house but mostly back and forth from the bathroom to your high chair because you like getting in your chair yourself and out when you want even when I don’t think your done eating.
Today you unrolled all the paper towels into the sink.
The things you eat: PB honey, strawberries, grapes, watermelon, hot dogs, cereal, rice noodles, but not meats! You’lll even reat refried beans out of a bowl. No chicken, ham, sausage. I might be able to hide hamburger in tiny pieces. Picky! Not as picky as Emma of course. On the Disney cruise you only at mac and cheese and pizza for dinners!
Pretty dependent on your sign language:
Food, juice, shoes, horse, book, lawn mower (I made up ‘cause you took my hands and wanted to know), car, cracker, bird, fire truck, cookie, cat, light, water (thirsty), dog, bike, milk, cow, mouse, cereal, bread, meat, more, please, blanket, candy, apple, orange.
May ‘08
Took you to Borders Book store to get mom’s bday gift, read to you and got you an airplane sticker book and an icecream at mcD’s. Dad took you out last month too somewhere so when he took your car seat out of the van to put into his car you bolted after him so fast and happily. I guess you know.
Dad was taking one of the other kids somewhere and putting their car seat in the car when you came running to him thinking it was your turn.
June‘08
When you see me come home or in the morning you melt my heart as you run to me with “ma-ma, ma-ma!” Just like you did today after church was over and I picked you up from Nursery. You still go to Nursery no problem.
You love your Thomas the train P.J’s. I’m glad I got them for you while I was getting everyone summer PJ’s. You didn’t need any new one’s but you felt special as Isaac has “cars” pj’s and you get “cho-cho” ones. I would have regretted it if I was hadn’t.
August ‘08
You’re 2 1/2 yrs. Dad gave you a father’s blessing to start out the new school year. He said, “You have a stron talent in art. You have a mission in this. You will learn to talk and blossom rapidly under mom’s training as you only have 3 words right now. You will have a big impact and bless other lives in art.”
9-1-‘08
You’ve been getting the freeze pops out of the pantry so they’re not frozen yet. I told you no of course, so you’ve been cutting them open yourself, spilling sticky juice on the kitchen floor and then lying belly down slurping it up.
Emma went to throw moldy bread to the birds. You followed her along picking each piece up from the side walk and eating them. I kept screaming out “no!” each time to no avail.
It’s easy to pack you up in the car but when we come home you never want to get out of your car seat. You scream and I have to bribe you. “Want a snack? Want to watch baby signing time?”
Sept. 4, ‘08
You love kissing! You take my face into both of your hands and lay your mouth on our mouths with your mouth wide open. You’ll do it again and again for a long time until we need to divert your attention elsewhere.
I’ve been working with you now for 2 weeks since school started for the kids, with your speech. You’re 2 ½ yrs. old and can only say ma-ma, da-da and na-na. Since therapy with you, you can now say mom, dad bubbles, baby, raining, cookie.
I picked you up from Nursery at church today and the leaders asked, “What’s going on with Benjamin?” I thought they were referring to all the marker on your body. The told me you were laughing and talking all over the place. I’m so glad your babbling now. Good improvement from being silent. BTW you’ve always loved Nursery. You’ve never minded being left with a babysitter if she has kids too. You just run in ready to play. If I leave you with a sitter at home though, your way more apprehensive and cry sometimes. You want to come with me.
10 ‘08 2 ½
You’re speaking has improved highly. You’re speaking 2 worded sentences now. “Dad’s home” “Hi dad” “mom, hey!” You’re going to need some work articulation down the road but for now we’re just happy you’re making noises!
12-‘08
Since you kept climbing out of your crib into Isaac’s toddler bed we got Isaac a single bed so you could have his toddler bed. You love it and take naps in it occasionally. Where as you never would in your crib. But now you are still getting out at nights and sleeping with Isaac in his bed.
December ‘08
You got a parking garage with elevator with the “disney cars” toys. Flip flop books, bath toys: fishing poles with fish and boats, puzzles.
January ’09 almost 3 years old
Everytime I say it’s night night time you think you need cookies and milk before bed. Then you say, “First wake-up, okay ma-ma, okay? Okay ma ma okay? Every word ends with ma-ma.
You still sleep with Isaac. First you would get out of your crib and would both sleep in his toddler car bed together. So we gave you the toddler bed but you get into the single bed with Isaac now. Either way or place you sleep doesn’t matter- as long as it’s with Isaac.
Feb. ‘09
You’ve been conpletly undressing to use the toilet whenever you’re in the mood. I’ll have to dress you about 5 times a day. One day during your naked episode, I stood in the family room when you straddled your legs around my calf then stepped back, pointed at me and with a big smile said, “Pee on mommy.” I didn’t even know what was happening until I heard you say that and I looked down to see my pant leg soaked. The girls friends were over and saw the whole thing. They were laughing so hard as I left to go upstairs and change.
June ’09 3 yrs. old
I dropped the 3 kids off at the church to ride the bus to bar-T summer camp. You tried getting to the bus, p.j’s and barefoot. You were holding back tears as they left saying you wanted to ride the school bus. Finally when you had calmed down you said, “Mom, I ride school bus when I 5 years old and Isaac is 3, then my turn to ride school bus, okay?”
Your favorites: Curious George books, Goldie locks and 3 bears tape, color green breakfast bowl every morning. Hmmm. All G’s?
Your favorite friend is Bailey Butler. You talk about her and want to play with her on a daily basis. Also, the neighbor girl Brianna you play really well with. You get along really well with girls more than with boys.
Potty training you isn’t as easy as Isaac’s was. Once you screamed out, “I’m tired, mom!” while dancing and holding your crotch. I think you’re recognizing the feeling. I rushed you to the bathroom and suddenly you didn’t feel ‘tired’ anymore.
You love going to the gymnastics free time gym. No Fear! You never ask for Help! You do high balance beam and do flips into the pit. I’m always loosing you in there and have to go looking for you every few minutes.
Your favorite food: cold cereal
You’d have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, snack. . .you can get it out yourself so I have to bribe you “eat this first then you can have cereal” Oh. . and it has to be the “green” milk. (2%)
I think that’s 4th child syndrome. When Liza was that age she didn’t even know what cold cereal was.
May ‘09
Dad took you out last month somewhere so when he took your car seat out of the van to put into his car you bolted after him so fast and happily . I guess you know when your car seat gets taken out of the van it’s icecream fun time!
Dad was taking one of the other kids somewhere for their daddy date and putting their car seat in the car when you came running to him thinking it was your turn. Imagine how sad you were when you realized it wasn’t.
June 20, 2009 3 ½ years old
In my bedroom I was changing and you looked over at me and said, “Mom! You have big ones! My shirt was on by then but you persisted with, “Let me see your big ones . . .” while pulling on my shirt. Of course, I had to redirect your thoughts asking you if you wanted a “go-gurt” while I laughed inside. BTW Mine are not big in the least.
July 1, 2009
We left from Fitness first to go to Bar-T. You saw McDonalds and got excited. I figured, why not? I have only you and you need something to tie you over through Bar-T. In the drive through I asked you, “What do you want to eat, Ben?” You replied, “Ummmm. . An apple” We backed up and went home and got you an apple instead.
Your favorite story to listen to on CD is the Velveteen Rabbit.
Your favorite song: Old toy trains, little toy tracks, little toy drums coming from a sack. . .
Your favorite books: Goldilocks, Curious George, Going on a bear hunt, Bears in the night.
July 16, 2009
We were driving this morning in the van when a loud engine roared past us. “Oh! A hot wheel!”
August 2009
You were in Liza’s top bunk and I told you to get down and jump to me. You weren’t obeying so I counted to 3. You still didn’t move. I climbed the ladder and told you that now you get a spanking. I rolled you over to your tummy and whacked a small firm one. You looked at me and pointed saying, “Mommy, don’t hit! It not nice!” I said I didn’t hit, it was a spank. You didn’t believe me and said it again. Later that day in my room I dropped some laundry on the floor in the middle of folding it. You said, “Ohhhh, mom, now you get a spanking” as you concentrated on how you would do that for a while then did it. I asked you if you like spanking and you said no. I said okay I won’t spank you ever again if you always obey okay? You nodded yes. Now that I think of it you haven’t been spanked before now.
I jumped in the shower after the pool and you came in and saw me and told me, “mom, your hair is covering your penis.”
You love to play “alligator.” You come and sit next to me sometimes and say, “mom, it’s alligator time. That’s when we pretend that an alligator is on the carpet and we have to jumped from couch to couch or run to the bed. I scream and it freaks you out but you laugh and laugh.
Father’s Preschool School blessing: 2009
“Benjamin. . .” dad starts, “what” you reply
“You have immense talents hidden from the world. Let them flourish as they will blossom this year such as art. You’ll learn to socialize with others and learn to trust other adults such as teachers as well as your daddy.”
September 2009
You started your preschool class with Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Brown. You bring your red bucket and your Lighting McQueen lunch box every Tu/Thurs. You eat your whole lunch and I’m amazed if you don’t your sandwich is gone first. You feel so old you tell me, “I’m as big as a grown-up!”
When I tell you, “I love you” you reply, “I don’t love you mom” with a smile you’re trying to suppress.
October 2009 3 yrs.
“Mom, I am sooo strong. I can climb on everything! Trees. . . mountains. . . you. . .”
You’ve had such an ordeal this month. All of September you had a thick runny nose. I took you in because it was lasting too long, they assumed you had a sinus infection so put you on augmentin. It cleared up in less than 2 days. Then about a week later, Isaac was swinging you around and let go sending you flying across the room. You hit your head on wood and knocked yourself out. You woke up dazed and the pediatric neurologist told us to either watch you for the next 8 hours or come and get a CT scan right now. Well, since there was a 1 in a 1000 chance to get thyroid cancer with a CT scan we decided to watch you. So. . .finally at 3am you could go back to bed and stay there with no problems. 3 days later you came down with the swine flu so I had to cancel going to the Chesapeake bay with Liza’s field trip today. Hopefully, no more adventures for the next month at least. When you were lying on the couch you wanted you Lightening McQueen car but I couldn’t find it and you had no energy to look so I went into the Christmas bin and opened up a new future gift. Pathetic or endearing? You were amazed how ‘shiny’ it was and told me “it must me the Mayhews car.” I told you it’s yours, a new one and you were so happy holding on to it all day as well as when you slept.
November 2009
You’re teachers are Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Gray in preschool. You asked, “Where’s Mrs. Yellow?” and “is Mrs. Gray a boy or a girl?”
“Ben, why do you have a runny nose?”
“Because I sick.”
“Why are you sick?”
“Because I have a runny nose.”
“Well, I have a runny nose too.”
“Then wipe it and you won’t anymore.”
I couldn’t figure out why my alarm clock wasn’t working when it was plugged into the wall. Then I realized the cord was cut with the kid scissors lying right next to the crime. Good thing dad knew how to fix it or I would have thought to throw it away.
December ‘09
“Mom, I need Ice cream now or else I going to die!”
February 7, ‘10
So it’s been you all along notorious for giving me your germs which gets me sick. It all started in Oct. ’09 when you had H1N1 flu. You had a very high fever and very laying there on the couch very lethargic. I was feeling your hot head when all of the sudden you sneezed on my face. With my eye squinted there I was with liquid in my eyes, nose and mouth dripping. I knew in 48 hours I was doomed. I jumped into the shower but to no avail. I couldn’t go on Eliza’s field trip that day you were sick and ended up with the swine flu 2 days later. It lasted a full week in bed sleeping and then weeks after that with sore muscles. Why do kids get over illnesses so much easier and faster? Adults don’t handle fevers very well.
A week ago, I went on a women’s weekend trip with Terilynne and Chaoyi. Terilynne ended up puking in the car and I went through extremes not to catch it including getting my own hotel room. We were doomed anyway as her family was babysitting you on Friday. Sure enough Sunday night you threw up 5 times every hour! 48 hours later Isaac and I were throwing up on the same night within 15 minutes of each other. Everyone else in the family got it within the nex 5 days. You sure know how to spread your love around to the family. Good thing we love you so much. A week later you have a fever that has lasted now for 3 days. We’re also snowed inside as it has snowed 25”. I’m glad Dad go you some Amoxicillion the night it started snowing as you had an ear infection. I wonder if this is contagious too.
Your not too thrilled about Primary. You keep telling me, “no sumbeams, Nursery! Primary is too long and Nursery is short.”
You pointing to a car on the street: “I’m going to have that hot wheel when I big!”
Isaac: “You mean when you’re a dad?”
You: “No. When I a mom.”
April 2010
We’re staying at Nana’s house while ours sells. In the morning at 8am during breakfast we hear the church clock go off. Then you say, “now the big clock will. . .” sure enough the grandfathers clock struck then you said, “now the cootie clock” 4 minutes later the cucu clock went off. “Now the bird clock” you say. 2 minutes later I hear the basement bird clock sounds.
You fell and bonked your nose with a nose bleed yesterday. It formed into a scab under your nose. Today you came to me and said, “look it came off” While you show me a large long scab that you had evidently pulled off and you nose was bleeding away again. You know not to pull it off again because it was hurting again tonight.
Mom: “Eat your asparagus.”
Ben: “That’s not my asparagus, this is my asparagus,” you said pointing to your throat. (esophagus)
Aug. 18th 2010
You’re growing up age 4. I can’t believe it. We took a maze at the Dole plantation which is 2.5 miles long and you kept up the whole time gladly and even understood the stations we were trying to find on our cards to end the maze.
We were baking our annual summer bake sale today (Wed) and it’s our first in Hawaii. The wheel cart was sitting on the front walk with all the treats on plates ready to go. You wanted to push the cart around the neighborhood and instead of pushing it forward at a vertical motion, you pushed on it horizontally which tipped the whole thing on the sidewalk. Cupcakes, brownies, cookies, rice krispie treats everywhere. Isaac was close to tears and Emma was screaming your name. It made you cry too. We picked it all up and I asked, “Would you guys eat this?” You all answered a surprising yes, so I said then I think I’d feel fine selling it. I overheard Emma leading you all in a prayer that no one would get sick from eating the food and I had to smile and think, someday it will be funny that we sold dropped treats to our neighbors. You guys make me proud that you work, play, bake, sell and pray all as a team.
Last night at dinner Emma was giggling so hard about nothing so of course she was tired. I looked at her and saw her tired eyes and said, “Emma your eyes look tired.” You, sitting right next to her widened your eyes with your eyebrows up as wide as they could go as you looked at me. Apparently, you didn’t want me saying the same to you.
I was lying on my bed tired. You were in my bedroom lying on the floor moaning about your stomach hurting. I assumed it was because you had just come from the kitchen downing chocolate milk. You woke me up again a few minutes later repeating, “Oh, my stomach hurts” Again, I knew it was the chocolate milk overdose. A third time you woke me up by whining about your tummy hurting. I finally said to you, “Ben come and lay next to me on my bed and rest your tummy, okay?” You gladly climbed up and laid on your back next to me. I noticed you patting your groin so I looked and noticed it being a lot thicker than usual. You asked, “mom will you take off my underwear?” I answered no as I was observing and noticed you had an exuberant amount of underwear on. I suddenly changed my mind and said okay, and counted as I took off each one. We got to number 23 when I asked you ‘does your tummy feel better?’ You answered yes. You were also wearing 3 shirts.
9-18-10
It’s been Isaac’s bday as well as Emma’s. You are insistent that it’s your next. You asked, “how many more days until my birthday?” I kept trying to tell you that it’s in a long time, after Christmas,” thinking 100 is the biggest number you could think of I said, “like 100 days!” You got excited and I thought that was the end of that. The next morning you informed me it was 99 days until your birthday. Huh? You couldn’t count backward so you just proceeded to count from one up to a hundred and just stop right before you got to it. I didn’t even know at age four you could count to a hundred! I didn’t teach you that. We are on day 88 until your bday now and I am just waiting until you stop counting because it’s more like 200 days until your real bday.
“Mom, I wish you were a boy.”
“I love this game! (cootie bug game) I rock!” (wock, still don’t pronounce your r’s)
You are a very bright kid and now that I’m homeschooling Isaac you are catching on. You can count by 2’s up to 100! You know the US states song, you are even learning your math flashcard addition facts. So far you know all the doubles up to 10+10. Amazing for your age. You also have your writing book which is teaching you phonic sounds and you are writing lowercase letters correctly in the lines! That was usually accomplished by 1st grade with the rest of the kids.
“Mom, I just wish Jesus could make cookie alive again” you said sadly. It’s been about 10 days since his death, which you didn’t seem fazed by. . . until today. When I realized you really were sad I had to hold you on my lap for a while.
“If you eat and don’t poop then you become stronger. Because you don’t get rid of the food”You are so great at your art projects Ben. Any cutting, drawing or thinking skill in an education book delights you and you have the focusing capability of an adult.
11-30-10
You are homeschooling with Isaac and at first I didn’t give or teach you anything specific. I made sure I read to you the scripture readers and had a sit time read with you at night but other than that I have just been giving you coloring books. I didn’t realize what you were capable of. You have all the states memorized and where they are. You are doing math and have all the doubles, 1’s and 0’s memorized in addition and subtraction. (Remember you’re 4!) Typically the concept of this math and the format with no pictures is too abstract for your age but you’re doing it! You are also learning how to read and write. You love doing it too. I just look at your detailed in the lines coloring and the fact that you can sit for hours doing it (and I am not exaggerating. . .I mean hours) and I think about the blessing dad gave you years ago about you having a talent in art.
I gave you your December advent calendar with the chocolates and you are the only child in the family that has the self discipline to eat one chocolate per day. It’s Dec 2nd and you’re doing great. You stare at the calendar all day. The rest of the kids. . .well that’s a different story.
This morning we got back from dropping off the girls at school. You were grumping around the house throwing stools on the floor, but attempting to tear my couch was the last straw. I had attempted to scold you imploring you to use your words because I didn’t know what was wrong. The spanking did it. I asked again why you were mad and you burst into tears and said, “I have nothing to do.” I took you on my lap and gave you some suggestions. You painted for a while, play dough, then marker coloring. You traced some letters then did some pre-k games on the computer. I wish I could devote more time to your learning but I’m torn to have to focus more on Isaac’s education at the moment since he’s older. Don’t worry. . .when it’s your turn to be tutored you may not enjoy it so much. Isaac tells me all the time how much easier you have it. “He just plays all day.” You’re a good boy Ben with an inquisitive mind. Keep up your love of learning and you will go far in life.
Well, you made it to December 3rd before you ate every last advent calendar chocolate. You made it 1 day beyond all the other kids. Way to go!
This morning you and Isaac were playing with play-do. You stood on the bench to push it on the table to get more leverage. You fell off the bench 2 times! By the 3rd time you fell, you hopped up with a big smile on your face and exclaimed, “That was a good one. I only hurt my underwear.”
12-8-10
I’m sure the neighbors can hear our quarrels with all the windows open. I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately. You’ve always been so compliant and a delightful momma’s boy. Dad has been gone for only 10 days now and you’re taking that to your advantage. Very defiant in most areas relating to obedience. Today you wouldn’t come to dinner or do your zone and you even took a good swipe at my nativity set causing some glass figurines to fall. Destroying property around you when your mad seems to be your way of coping. You won’t talk to dad on the phone when he calls. When I sit and talk to you about any of these issues you perk up and do so well. I don’t know what the underlying issue is. One time during another sit down talk asking you what the matter is, you burst into tears and said, “I have nothing to do.” I’m wondering if it’s because dad’s gone or if it’s because I devote more time to Isaac during home school listening to him read. I really don’t know. You tend to like consistency and maybe your don’t have that in my crazy life.
Christmas 2010
You got: a remote control helicopter, nerf gun, ninja costume, legos, lighteen mcqueen remote control car, watch and coloring book.
January 2011 4 yrs.
I was teaching a lesson on the Restored Church of Jesus Christ and said, “no other church is the same as ours. None of them have the 12 apostles.” You replied, “Do they have eweven?”(11).
You memorized a scripture for Sunday today. It was “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.” You held up the microphone to your mouth and said it perfectly.
You are a CTR now. One of your favorite songs besides, “I am a Child of God” is Jesus wants me for a sunbeam. Now we sing, “Jesus wants me for a CTR” instead.
You are teaching yourself how to read and Isaac is your tutor. I taught you the sounds of the alphabet but you are sounding words out accordingly using the HOP set. You read the whole yellow book in a week. I don’t know if it was accurate but you were plowing along yourself for hours everyday that week. You also are memorizing math facts. You have the ones, doubles and the 2’s memorized for now. You may be ready for Kindergarten in the fall public school who knows?
January 2011 4yrs.
You bonked his head at BYU Hawaii and it was bledding. You asked Isaac, “Can you see my brain?”
Every Tuesday we go to the Rec center at the park where they have a tiny tot class 9:30-11am. You call it your Pre-K class instead. The teacher reads a book, does a craft associated with the book, a gross motor game and a math page. We pack a lunch for the playground afterwards, then go to the farmer’s market that’s set up there too. It’s all year round. . .just some perks about Hawaii. I do love how much sunshine you’re getting. Isaaac comes too and does his school work while your in class. Sometimes there’s enough stuff for him to do a craft with you.
Isaac got the Wii for his Birthday. You actually are very coordinated and look forward to doing it after your ‘school work’ is done for the day (about 2pm). You get grounded from it if you throw a fit when it’s time to get off. You learned pretty quickly not to scream/cry/pout when the hour is up.
January 25th 2011 4 yrs.
Since Isaac’s bday in September you’ve been asking everyday ‘how many more days until my birthday?’ I made up some number in the hundreds thinking it would distract you from counting down but you are better at number than I thought and each day it’s one day less. I’m so glad you stopped asking during Christmas break so you lost track and I could give you the correct number next time you asked. We’re back to counting down everyday now that we’re on number 30.
This last time way before dad went to CA we made sure we told you about it and kept reassuring you he will come back. You haven’t been acting out as much since he’s been gone this time. You acted up so badly last time, I told dad about it too. He prayed about what he should do and his answer was to draw a picture of a map. You were standing on Hawaii and Dad was standing on TX as you held hands together across the ocean. You laughed and giggled over and over about the drawing and would talk to him on the phone after that. I explained the drawing and was surprised you understood quite well the message of the drawing. You felt very special receiving it and reacted much, much better when dad left the next month for a month.
We wash our hands each time we return from the gym. I taught you to sing the ABC’s when you wash with the soap so you have time to cover all your hands with the soap before it goes down the drain. The other day while washing my hands you told me, “Mom you only went up to E!” You were singing the song to yourself while watching me wash. Aren’t parents always being watched without even knowing?
You are still Lighting McQueen everything. Bed sheets, blanket, toys, toothbrushes and your bicycle. You are so little flying down the sidewalk on your little red and black 2 wheeled bike. I’ve thought about getting you a bigger bike that fits you better for your 5th birthday in a month since yours is a toddler sized but I didn’t because you are so dangerous on it that it would be safer the smaller on the smaller bike.
Since we’ve moved here to Hawaii you’ve lost all your shoes. About 5/6 pairs!~ You leave and loose your googles, kickboard, and your shoes at every beach we go too. You kick them off at every chance. I’m not buying you anymore because you don’t wear them or want to wear them anyway. You kick them off when we get to the park, you ride your bike barefoot, you run outside in the backyard barefoot and the gym dare-care make you take off your shoes anyway before going in. You won’t miss me not buying anymore anyway. You are free spirited and love running around shirtless and barefoot.
I’ve never known you to be scared of any park slide or amusement park ride. I can remember those slides at Butler’s orchard. You climbing up that big hill at age 2 to get to the slide dragging behind you a potato sack to sit on. You’re fearless. Isaac had to follow your lead and example because he was scared to go down and wasn’t going to until he saw you do it. Even then I had to go down with him a couple times.
You do a very good job dressing yourself, brushing your teeth, cleaning your room, making your bed and doing your zone as the other big kids do. You are proud to do it too.
You wanted me to write this down verbatium:
"First I shared with Isaac, and then I shared with Eliza. And then I shared with Emma. I even gave the bigger piece to Eliza and the smaller piece to me. Jesus is proud of me!"
June 1, 2011
Isaac asked me what my favorite food was. I replied, "Grown-ups don't have a favorite food. They have favorite combinations. I like kalamata olives with a good cheese and red grapes together. I also like tomatos and avocados together. After a silent, thoughtful pause you piped in the conversation with, "I like a hot dog with bread together."
