First off, the boy gives the best hugs ever. We tell him that, and tell him always to hug family members because he is the best. Everyone loves Ben hugs. He squeezes tight, he wraps his arms around you, and melts. Lately, he has been quite a Mama's boy. So in addition to the hugs, sometimes while he is squeezing, he will tell me, "I wuv you Mommy. I wuv you so much". He twirls his hair (he has always twirled his hair), but he also twirls mine when we are snuggling, or when he is upset. He has been quite the loverboy lately, calling Ernie his honey, talking about loving Mia, and Mommy and Daddy and Maggie. For a long spell, he only loved Mommy and told everyone that. But it seems like he has recovered and is ready to spread the love around.
Ben has the funniest expressions. He has always had a knack for the pouty face. He has a good mad face. I see it quite a bit. He is either getting in trouble for something, or wanting to get someone else in trouble for something (usually Maggie) all the time. Now, I'm not the perfect parent, and as a former teacher, I think the value of raising my voice to make a point sometimes comes out. I don't know if I would realize it as much if I didn't hear it echoed back in Ben. He will get mad about Maggie doing something and start in this very angry voice "You need to go stand in the corner RIGHT NOW." He likes to answer reasonable parent requests with "No, fank you." or "What?" when he doesn't catch something. He can do all of these things with totally different expressions, for a totally different reaction he has. This is hard to describe :-)
He is getting better and better at being a big brother. Last week we had a day where we babysat my nephew who is two. Apparently when I ran upstairs to put away the change they had snagged from our room, Ryan hit Mia. We have no idea why, but she was wailing, and Ben was standing there next to Mia, glaring at Ryan. As soon as I came downstairs he was reporting what had happened, sending Ryan to the corner and telling him he was going to get spankings because we are not allowed to hit. All in very dramatic Ben fashion. Ryan had his time out, and I sat and had a talk with Ben. We talked about how he had a job to watch over his sister. To make sure that nothing happened to her, because Ryan didn't know how to be around a baby yet. He listened very seriously, and still, a week later, will talk about how he is a good brudder. (Ben, more than Maggie, still has some speech quirks I hope he grows out of. It took me forever to translate this when he last told me, I thought for sure he was asking for a brother, and I was concerned).
No one messes with Maggie either. Well, except for him. One of my favorite things to watch is how they stick together. We had gone to a local outlet mall and played at the playground. He would climb up and wait for her to get up behind him before moving on. There were a lot of kids, and I think he was worried about her. The end of the playground time though happened when they came down the slide together and he didn't let go of her ankles when he got up. She slammed down behind him onto the ground, another mother rushed over to see if she was okay, we started scolding but realized he didn't know what would happen if he didn't let go, and while Maggie was being comforted, I watched his little face crumple up and start wailing. There is this different cry, this different reaction when he feels bad about what he did. In this case, for sure, he was worried about Maggie and what had happened. He felt horrible, and just bawled and bawled. I kind of felt worse for him than I did for her.
He is a smart boy. I don't know if it is just because I am their mother, but we meet other kids out and about at storytime, or on the playground, and I am surprised to find out they are their age. There is a spark behind my kids' eyes, and Ben is catching up with Maggie in the talking your ear off department. He has a LOT to say. And he emphasizes his points with his finger in the air. I need to try harder to get a picture. He will point his finger up, shake it for emphasis and make dramatic statements. Like an angry old man. Or a Mommy who talks with her hands.
He likes puzzles and cars and choo choo trains. All of a sudden, they can build their own tracks, and he loves the trains. He is obsessed currently with Lightning McQueen (thank you Disney for your excellent marketing of a boys movie) and Bubble Guppies. Apparently, yesterday morning at breakfast, Nonny had called, Ben answered the play cell phone, told him that he had to go because he was eating breakfast, and then he finished the call with a bye, see you later. Too funny. I think, if we were to take a trip to Disney, that he would be surprised that there weren't dressed up cars right alongside all the Princesses.
When he grows up, I know he will watch over his sisters. He will love his family, hopefully love to read, and love to learn. I don't know what I see him being when he grows up. He certainly loves order, loves to argue. Maybe a lawyer. Maybe a Businessman like Daddy, an accountant. A doctor, a nurse, and Indian Chief, whatever he wants. As long as he still hugs his Mama tight, comes to me when he is sad or hurt, and loves his family no matter what.
Happy Birthday Benjamin Andrew. I do love you so.
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