Chapter 2: Lettie. This way I can address each child and the stages they are in without having a massively long entry.
So, here are some of my favorite pictures and outings with Bennett over the last 66 days.
Wearing his safety glasses. They are so tight and always leave a red ring on his face but he likes to keep them on anyway. I believe kids are immune to certain discomforts that would drive us adults crazy.
Mike set up his track that he had as a little boy. They got out all the old Matchbox cars and have played for hours together. Mike even purchased additional track and accessories from EBay! I just noticed that they are sitting the same way...
Bennett's first booster seat so he can sit at the table with us! We had trouble finding a seat that would fit under the edging of the table but this one fits perfectly. Like the Karen Kingsbury book "Let me hold you longer," (which always makes me cry), lunch on this day was the last time he used his highchair.
B is able to focus on activities for long periods of time. Like here, when he watched and played with a ladybug for over 10 minutes, letting her crawl over his arms and closely studying her shell.
We made a trip to Marquette mid-March to introduce Lettie to Jeff and family. Mike and I stayed with Lettie at a hotel and B stayed at Mimi and Papa's house (they were renovating their bathroom and kitchen so it was easier for us to stay at a hotel.) This allowed us to have great fun in the pool!! B especially liked the hottub which he adamantly called "the lake."
Riding on Connor's Firetruck
Playing in the gym at the YMCA. It was great to have him run around and get some energy out. B really likes to watch other kids and take in a situation before joining in the chaos. We built an obstacle course and B was able to follow and lead me through it to the end.
The pool at the YMCA has a graduated entrance which is great for little kids. There is a water slide too and B was very interested in it -- He watched the other kids having fun and got in line to go down the slide. We twice made it to the top of the stairs but both times B dug in his heels and began to squirm/fuss/cry when I suggested he actually go down the slide. He is very interested to look at things and watch how something works but at this age of fierce independence does not want us to help him or show him how to do things.
Reading about diesel and steam engines with Papa
At the lower harbor in Marquette. Another "last/first" moment as Bennett went down all of the slides without hesitation.
This is how Bennett looks in my mind. Big eyes, smiling, his hair wild...he's such a beautiful child.
Loving the sunglasses as he plays the piano at Mimi's. We had to constantly ask him to turn the volume down!
When Papa drove B, L and myself to the bridge (Mike left Sunday and I stayed until Friday with the kids) we saw a diesel train and just had to stop for pictures and video.
I love the way the light is glowing off of his face. I always thought..."I never had DVD's during my car trips to grandma's....my kids don't need it either!" Then I realized how much smoother and quieter a trip can be when we watch Disney's Cars back to back. My parents probably wished they had this!
We purchased a John Ball Zoo pass this year so we can go anytime we want and stay all day or until we need a nap! I planned a trip last Thursday so that B and I could have some time together without Lettie (she went to Nana's). It was a good plan but Bennett had some toddlerhood moments and spent almost half the trip crying or whining for me to carry him (which if you rememeber it was 80 degrees -- too hot to carry a 30lb child). I think he misses me more than I realized. The next couple of days were blissful however and I was reminded what a loving and playful little boy he is!
We went for a walk at Nana's after the zoo.
We had an Easter egg hunt in the living room after dinner with Nana and the Tober family.
Easter morning. We have been collecting the Disney Cars Matchbox cars for Bennett and he got four new characters!
Easter outfits. Bennett loves his leoaprd.
Playing with Addi in Papa and GB's backyard. They used a hula-hoop to lead each other through the trees.
These two were in constant motion together...it's so fun to see cousins playing together. (Jaxson was in the driveway playing with a remote control car).
"Help, help!"
Yesterday was another beautiful day and after a trip to the library, we had a picnic lunch on the front lawn. Bennett likes to wear this cap (which says "Wynn," his middle name, from the Wynn casino in Vegas courtesy of Nana) and I think it makes him look mcuh older.
Here he was studying a rock and I just thought he looked so child-like and innocent -- just enjoying a spring day and the world around him.
This looks exactly like a picture of Mike that I have seen...I will have to hunt it down for a side-by-side comparison...
Some would pay $$$ for these curls!
This is exactly the face I expected when I poured water and it splashed his face! I love capturing the expressions that remind me of him!
Bennett is still watching his reading videos and can now read over 100 words. He brings us books to read together but my favorite thing is to watch him reading aloud to himself when he doesn't know I'm watching. He skips over words and basically has each page memorized often saying the next sentence before turning to the next page. I should get some video but every time I see him I want to watch and soak in the moment.
As I mentioned he is definitely into a stage of stating his independence. He wants the exact opposite of what is offered or requested of him. We are learning as parents how to guide his decision making and still give him choices so that he does have some control in his life.
This is an interesting and enjoyable time as B also learns to use language in more appropriate ways. For example, after our picnic we were walking back to the house he said to me, "that was a nice picnic." I thought, "yes, it was." It is fun to have conversations and role play -- yesterday we went grocery shopping (in the basement), cooked a spaghetti dinner, ate together, and then washed the dishes (in the play oven). Then we went upstairs and had a real spaghetti dinner and we talked about what we did during the day.
As much as a love watching him learn and grow, I don't want him to get any older!!!
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