About a boy

Two reasons for this post tonight.  One, because this blog has seemed a bit Maggie heavy lately, and second because I keep finding new reasons to fall a little bit more in love with my son every day. 

When I was first pregnant and we found out it was twins, I was convinced it would be two boys.  Even after our first gender ultrasound, I was convinced it would be wrong and we would have two boys.  I sighed about it, and told Andy I was sure that would be it, and they would be thick as thieves, we would have nothing but sports in our house and I would always be on the outside looking in.  This pregnancy again, I was sure that I was having a boy.  Today we got the confirmation that yes indeed, we are having another girl.  And unless things majorly change in the future, Ben will be my only son. 

Boys and girls are different at this age.  I realize we are not raising them in a totally non-gender role environment, I admit we like to put Maggie in pink and bows, and give Ben the trains to play with, but still, I think that even in a perfectly balanced environment that Maggie would be nurturing and verbal, and Ben would be physical and enjoy things like trucks and puzzles. 

He is a lot of work.  He runs around, he falls down, he gets bruises all over and he doesn't like to sit still.  But he snuggles with his mommy, gives the best bear hugs in the world, and has lately done some things that have practically made me cry they were so sweet.  I pulled a few pictures for this post, and I want to take some time to tell you about a boy. 

Benjamin Andrew was born sleepy.  He was the quietest, sleepy baby in the beginning.  He would cry when he was hungry, or dirty, or awake and needing us, but most of the time he was just a sweet, content, relaxed baby. 

Way more than his sister, this little guy was always a Mama's boy.  It seemed so much easier to make him happy in the beginning, and he just was easier to love on as an infant.  I started enjoying more and more, being the Mommy of a little boy. 

Fast forward to my two year old son.  He's a charmer, that Ben.  What a flirt with the ladies, he enjoys all of his girlies that are his friends, and flirts with waitresses and old ladies shamelessly.  But with a smile like this?  How could you resist?

He is on the move.  Always.  To get from point A to B, unless he is holding your hand, he almost always runs.  Or hops.  Or dances.  He runs with this little hopping kind of motion that Andy really hopes he might outgrow.  It is such a mix of toddler and little boy, and he gets faster and faster everyday.  You ask him what he is doing and he will answer "Benny running!"  "Benny hopping!"  "Benny Dancing!" 

For awhile now, even while being this whirlwind of energy, he continues to be my snuggly little boy.  He loves to curl up with you to read a book, or to sit on your lap and lean back.  I think he is a little annoyed that mommy's lap is shrinking, and will wiggle his little butt backwards trying to get more room.  At bedtime, he is the main reason I keep getting conned into more and more books.  I started trying to tell them "okay, last book.  Last book and then we go brush teeth."  Ben will nod, snuggle up with me to read and then get up, grab another book and come back to me with a smile.  "Last book Mommy?  Last book."  So we read another. 

What can I say, I'm a sucker to that face too. 

Maggie has always been so nurturing, and so concerned about Ben that one thing lately really surprised me.  I really think that he is the first one to develop empathy.  Maggie has been. . .touchy lately.  She has these meltdowns where she sounds as if the world is coming to an end over big huge tragedies like. . .Mommy said no.  Or Ben sat on her blanket.  Or the dog sniffed her.  Being very verbal, she is never afraid to tell me exactly what is ticking her off.  But the thing is that while I know she is being a drama queen, her brother does not.  Two things recently that I wanted to write down, because it is something I want to remember. 

Maggie was in tears in her booster chair, just sobbing and sobbing.  Ben had already been playing in the living room and came in to see what was wrong.  He looked at me and said "Mommy, Baby crying.  Baby crying."  He turns to Maggie.  "It's okay Baby.  No cry." which was sweet.  But then he ran back in the living room, grabbed his beloved Ba and brought him back into the kitchen to Maggie.  His lovey, his friend, and he gave it to her because she was sad.  He even went and found Ernie, so she had both of his favorites. 

Another crying episode yesterday where she wanted her monkey blanket (which was in the closet) and he brought her his special blue blanket.  The one that is THE blanket, and tried to cover her with it.  Now, if only I could teach her to be grateful for these things he does for her.  For all that they squabble, they really are best friends. 

Beyond the general regret of not knowing enough about my camera to have had accurate settings on my camera the night of this wedding reception, I do apologize for not editing it before posting it.  But, well, I'm not a great editor, and I haven't had much time lately.  This one really is about the story behind it though.  Ben is quite a bit more social than his sister.  She prefers to observe and to stay close to Mommy and Daddy when she is unsure.  Before dinner while the music was playing, there was a bit of a toddler/child dance party going on out on the dance floor.  We brought the babies over to go dance and Ben was pretty quick to join in after spotting his cousin (the flower girl).  Maggie hung back around the edges of the floor, literally like you would expect a wall flower to act.  Spinning with us a little, holding tight to our hands.  At one point, Ben came running back over to us, and we were encouraging her to go with him to dance.  He reached out, grabbed her hand, and walked her over to the other kids on the floor.  My heart melted. 

It's not just his sister.  He will bring his friends their cups or their lovies if he finds them on the floor and tonight, after Andy jokingly said I couldn't have another piece of pizza, he offered me his. 

We have these really pretty flowers in our front yard right now that the babies are really enjoying.  They go over to them, squat down and sniff at them.  They also like to pick them.  I try to discourage this, but the thing that makes it hard to scold Ben is that the first flower he always picks?  He brings it over to put on my belly for baby sister. 

He likes trucks.  Everytime we are out, he looks for them and points them out on the street.  School busses and trains are a huge hit.  Animals outside, the birds at the birdfeeder. . .he is just so interested in everything around him. 

My little boy still loves little boy things like swinging.  And ice cream.  And the dog.  All in all, quite the little boy, who I'm afraid is going to grow up right before my very eyes way too fast. 

Benny, my Benny.  Mama loves you so much and I am so proud to be your Mommy.  I see signs now of how I think you are going to be a great big brother when your new little sister arrives, and I hope they will know how lucky they will be to have you as a brother.  You are concerned, caring and protective of Maggie, and I know that you will do the same for both of your sisters.  You are going to grow taller, you are going to grow stronger and you will have bruises on more than your knees.  You will love, you will lose, you will want a tattoo or a silly adolescent boy hair cut.  You may go through that boy stage of mumbling under your breath and acting like you don't care about anything. 

But I'm your Mommy.  And I'm going to remember other things.  I'm going to remember the boy who will sacrifice special things for the people he loves, and who gives hugs and kisses to the dog.  I'm going to remember the sweetness of how you play with your hair when you are tired, or the silly "bite Mommy's necklace" game we started on the plane that still makes you laugh.  I'll remember you singing and dancing to Dancing Queen and giving me Eskimo kisses.  Asking repeatedly for more more episodes of Bear, and your deep belly laugh.  You are sweet.  You are loving, and you are more than everything I will ever need in a son.   

I love you, my Benny Bear.