Great Grammie's Mat

Ben loves his mat that his Great Grammie hooked him when he was born...this is the first time he has actually slept with it though!

"Big Big Corn"

 "Ohhhhh BIG BIG CORN, Mommy!" Jacob squealed in the grocery store. He rarely makes a fuss over buying things at the store so this request and excitement was unusual.
"You want the corn?"
"YIPEE (his adorable cheer at anything that goes his way)!!!! Big-Big Corn!"

In the cart it went and down went two pieces for dinner. He is a boy who knows what he wants!

Made Me Smile

 Ben is my helper...I count on him a lot. Mostly when it consists of bending over these days...or running up the stairs, or stopping Jake from maiming himself...I sometimes forget he is only 4.
But then when I check on him at night, "I'll Love you forever" style...he looks so little in his big bed. There is usually evidence of what he has been up to before he went to sleep and often a drawing or love note for "Moomy" left on his dresser. On this particular night, he has not only cleaned up his room, turned off his own light and pulled his blankets over him just so. He also picked out his clothes and laid them carefully on the bed...complete with a bow tie.
That little bow tie...it made me smile and smile bigger and harder until it came out in tears...because he is still my little boy even though he is big in so many ways...

Growing Up!

We took the boys to a local park for the long weekend that had some carnival games, car show, face painting and children's entertainment. When asked for volunteers to come up onstage Ben's hand shot up. This boy is more of a watch and observe for awhile before dipping a toe in kinda guy moreso than a dive right in kinda guy. I wasn't sure if he knew what he was volunteering for and tried to warn him what that meant but before I could get a word out he heard "Boy in the white!" and he ran up onstage! I could hardly believe it! He took his role as egg shaker very seriously and has his reward button proudly displayed on a shelf in his bedroom. He has become so confident in his abilities, responsible and capable. If four year old Ben has been such a joy I can't wait to see what five brings!

Bliss

There is nothing that makes this boy happier than water, some grass, a little dirt and his lawn mower.

The Little House

Grammie and Grandad gifted the boys with a house warming gift...their OWN house of course. My dad was going to put it together for them but when my engineer minded husband saw the 10 000 pieces it came in, he saw the worlds biggest puzzle and so they waited for a day that he felt up to tackling it. Ben sat on a chair and watched, ready to run and grab anything they might need for no less then three hours straight, amazed the the contents of one box of wood could build him this house! He is his Father's son!
Jon added the deck a few days later and I must say...it is awfully adorable and the boys LOVE it!

Baby Jakey

Seeing as I will be 37 weeks this Friday (officially "full term" although I tend to bake em up to a month longer...just too see how big the human ankle can swell...) so I want to have everything ready should there be a miracle and Little Miss makes an early debut.
As soon as "Big Guy" Jacob got wind of these baby preparations he abandoned all current independence and has adapted his days to give me some practice. How thoughtful. "Baby Jakey" as he insists on being called carries his bottle, soother (until now something he only used for a couple of minutes before he went to sleep and we thought was on the way out...) and this ridiculously huge fleece blanket (in 30 degree heat) that he is carrying around with him everywhere and calling his "baby blankey". He wants to be wrapped up in it on my lap (did I mention the 30 degree heat?!) We have decided to go with it. The more we fight the "baby" the more he is going to act like a...baby. So we indulge baby Jakey... and we DO NOT call him a big boy. That makes him scream and sob. I understand this paradox of excitement of welcoming his baby sister but also fear at the displacement he feels at losing his role in the family. I can't reassure him enough that once a Mommy's baby...always a mommy's baby...I don't mind holding, rocking and cuddling this little guy for a little longer one bit...but the lap? It is quickly disappearing.