A Ben-jammin' Post

Does this guy ever stop moving?  Only if you put a screen in front of him.  Otherwise, he is a busy boy.  

The biggest Ben news is that he is all registered for Kindergarten.  The days of hanging out with mom are soon to be over.  He goes back and forth about this.  On days where I have clients and he gets to watch the iPad, he'd rather not go to Kindergarten.  But on days where he is playing by himself most of the day, he is getting bored.  He is also starting to write his name well, along with other letters.  He knows all the upper and lowercase letters and (I think) the sounds they all make.  I really felt strongly that it was time for him to start school, so HERE WE GO!  

Although, I want to do reading lessons with him and the other day he told me, "Mom, reading just isn't my talent."

And, the other day Libby told him something about when he started piano and he said, "I'm not going to play piano.  I'm going to play violin."  WHAT?  Not sure where that came from, but Grandma Debbi is going to be really happy if that comes true!

Ben has a few favorite games right now.  One is that when I ask him to get on his pajamas or clothes, he wants me to guess what he is going to wear and tell it to a 3rd party.  Then, when he comes back, if I have chosen correctly I get to give him a zerbert or a kiss, or something.  I am unsure of what because it hasn't actually happened.  He has like 15 pairs of pajamas (mostly hand-me-downs and gifts), so I can never get it right.  If I get it wrong, he gets to give me a zerbert and a kiss.  I think it is a WIN WIN.  He changes his clothes with happiness and excitement, and I get a kiss either way.  

His other favorite thing right now is to ride the "elevator."  I am the elevator.  This elevator lifts him into bed at night.  My hands are the buttons and he pushes the buttons so I will pick him up and deliver him into his bed.  Creative bedtime helps me with my frequent single parent nights.

Ben took an early lead in the marathon on the treadmill, and ended up being the one to finish first.  It is a great thing for him to do when he wakes up early and I'm not ready to start parenting yet.  He gets a mile or more in before his sisters (especially the eldest) even wake up.  

Ben watches such a variety of shows it is hard to keep track.  But this week he fell in love with "Scooby Doo."  This lasted about 2 days until it made him so scared he couldn't sleep.  Funny boy.  He ended up in bed with me again last night.

Ben has been my favorite during whole30.  Early on he told his uncle Clark, "I cheat, I cheat all the time (at preschool or friends' houses)."  But I think he actually got better about this as time went on.  He was always asking me what was in certain foods that made it so we couldn't eat them.  It was like a running quiz to see if I knew what was in food.  Ben stayed alive eating fried eggs and bananas.  He probably ate a dozen eggs a week.  And at least 6 bananas.  He also ate boiled eggs, all the permutations of potatoes in olive oil, watermelon, apples, lots of veggies, and 100s of fruit leathers from Costco.  He is very excited about the reintroduction of tortilla chips and peanut butter.  He has eaten 1/2 of a giant bag of chips himself.  His bedwetting that occurred early in whole30 stopped once I stopped letting him have OJ for dinner.  

Ben can't wait to start wrestling in the fall.  I am not really looking forward to having to get another kid to another place, but that's the way it goes!  

Ben's quick smile and laugh make our house a better place to be.  I couldn't imagine life without this amazing boy.  I love you Benny!  

Taking pics of him is, well, interesting right now.  

But if I can get him to hold still, adorable!

Wearing his hat like Uncle Clark

Ben with a fruit leather in hand.  

Mom and Ben at Districts

Ben with his buddy school crew.  We learned about P for Post Office.  They all got postal hats and bags.  They delivered valentines to each other's mailboxes.  It was a chaotic but fun day.  And, possibly the last buddy school I'll ever teach.  Crazy.  

Marathon finisher!!!

I've been wanting to do fun things with his hair for ages and he usually smashes them down.  So when he asked for spikes, I delivered!  I've been letting the top of his hair grow out so I can do something kinda stylish with it.  So, it was a good day (and the hairdo lasted for 3 days!)