Ben (sort of) hearts a cardiologist

At his two-year check-up Ben's pediatrician noticed he has a small heart murmur, and she suggested we visit a cardiologist to make sure his heart is okay. That concern had been a back-of-our-minds worry for the last month, but we finally got to put it to rest.

Yesterday I took Ben to see a children's cardiologist, where Ben had a major meltdown while they were trying to measure his height and take his blood pressure. Luckily I'd remembered to put the "magic/toddler crack" iPad in my purse with the even more "eliminates-all-interest-in-everything-else" Adventure Time episodes on it. After I put that on, the nurse and doctor even complimented on how well he cooperated (the cardiologist thanked me for bringing it!). I always feel like a bit of a terrible, I-don't-know-how-to-entertain-my-own-kid mom when I whip the iPad out, but whatever.   :)

They gave him an EKG (sticking little electrode stickers all over his chest), which showed the heart murmur. The cardiologist said on a scale of 1-6, with 6 being most severe, Ben's murmur was between a 2 and a 3. So then they did a sonogram on his heart just to make sure everything is fine (which it is). "He has a very healthy heart" according to the cardiologist, and the murmur is an "innocent murmur," won't affect anything he might want to do in life, and he'll grow out of it. Hurray for one less thing we need to worry about!

In other news, today Ben and I had a lovely lunch with some of our around-the-corner neighbors who have two adorable scottie dogs (one of my favorite breeds). We met this couple back when we used to take the Colonel on walks, and it was great getting to see them again. Although Ben wouldn't leave the "safety" of my arms while we ate, he soon warmed up and was trying to get them to run up the hill in their backyard with him.

Here at home Ben's imagination is soaring to new heights; lately he will crawl across the floor to Clay or I saying, "I dragon! Roar! Chomp! Chomp!"  He has taken to saying "Someone! Door!" and when we confirm there is no one at the door, he says, "gone!" Sheesh. He's also experimenting with emotions saying, "I'm sad!" (in the most pathetic voice possible), but before I can comfort him or ask what's wrong, he grins and yells "I'm happy! Smile! Mama happy?" Oh my little boy.

Stroller-less happi-ness

Over the last month or so, Ben has become increasingly insistent on being carried (instead of walking) in public. While this is positive because it will keep him from running away from me or running into traffic, I feel sorry for his intense fear (when I set him down next to the car in a parking lot and try to hold his hand, he will jump up and down and yell, "Hug! I scared! Scared!") 

So this week Clay and I experimented with helping him overcome the worst of his fear by having short hand-holding walks around our neighborhood in the evenings. He's always been hesitant to hold our hands, but it is a non-negotiable on these walks (and many other places). He's loving the walks so much that he's (mostly) happy to hold both of our hands, and even sets the pace on walks by yelling "fass! fass!" and then "slowwwwww!" 

a (better) view of the rhino

"agida" (alligator) in the background

In fact, I felt like he had made such good hand-holding strides over this past week, that I took him to the zoo for the first time... with NO STROLLER. He was scared and wanted to be carried the first 1,000 feet or so, but then was totally okay with walking around the zoo with me. I feel like he got more out of the zoo than ever before. And, he was nice and tired out when we were done at the zoo, too, which isn't always the case when he's in the stroller. 

Hurray for small strides with an awesome toddler!

Our new fish, named "Feather" by Ben

Ben's new most favorite game is to "build animals" with me. He tells me what animal he wants, and I have him direct me as to its "tummy," "legs," etc. 

Tears for teething

I thought teething was bad before, but wow, two-year molars... tears and more tears and even more out-of-the-blue-screaming-over-everything tears!

I took Ben to the Japanese Tea Garden this morning to let him run and climb and look at the koi fish, but there was a construction crew working on one of the pools. Ben refused to let me put him down (even though we were really far from the work crew), and he sobbed when I sat down (holding him) to try to let him get used to the noise. However, when we got back to the car he repeatedly shrieked "Fish! Fish! Back!" 

"happy" train face

I then took him to another part of Brackenridge Park where there was no construction, but he wanted to be carried the whole time (thus defeating the purpose of taking him to a park to run his toddler-energy out). When I tried to put him down so he could look at the ducks and turtles near the river, he wailed again. He only allowed my arms to take a rest from his 27-pound-self to sit next to me on a park bench (luckily shady). 

He did perk up a bit when we heard the Brackenridge Park train whistle, so I took him to ride the train. However, the poor boy had another sobbing melt-down when we had to wait in line to board the train. So much fun.

I guess a smart, knowledgeable mama would probably have just gone immediately home after the first out-burst.

I think I have really taken Ben's usual sunny, happy disposition for granted.   :(

You may not be able to tell, but he's screaming "coffee! coffee!" here because I won't let him hold the expensive bag of coffee I'd bought for Clay (& didn't want him spilling!)

We took a guided preschool tour of the SA Museum of Art yesterday... that was "interesting," too

my usual sunny boy

Happy Birthday TWO Ben!

Ben's birthday was Friday, and we've been partying like two-year olds for the past couple of days. On Friday both sets of grandparents drove in to SA, along with his Aunt Sandy, Aunt Kate & Uncle Eric for a family celebration (complete with Earl Abel's fried chicken and two kinds of pie). Then Saturday some of our fantastic friends joined us for Ben's wild animal-themed birthday party. The tropical bouncy castle we rented and all the fun time with friends gave Ben such a wonderful birthday!

On Friday he had his two-year check up at the doctor's office. His height is now 34.25 inches (45%) and he's weighing in at 27 lb 2 oz (40%). So he's not as tall for his age as he was a while back, but the doctor thought he is probably going through a growth spurt right now (given that he just needed bigger shoes and he's been waking up and wanting milk in the middle of the night all of a sudden). (Fun times for mama.)

Ben's also been making all sorts of mental leaps too. The doctor even called his vocabulary "amazing" (specifically all the animals he was showing her in a book and all the Star Wars characters he knows in their Star Wars-themed exam room). Of course I think he's amazing, but when the pediatrician says it, *mama glows*.

Ben is now remembering words after only hearing them once or twice, and he is also putting words together in funny new ways (like telling me how his Pappy and his grandmother Irene drive a "big ol' truck".) There is SO much going on in his little head, and it's incredible to get to share his thoughts!

Ben got (& needed) a lot of help with gifts

For example, the other day, Ben and I were pretending to play an imaginary piano, and he said "piano Grandpa" (his grandparents have a piano), then "far airplane" (we have to take an airplane ride to visit Gramma and Grandpa). I found it pretty awesome that he's understanding that concept and wanting to talk about it. (Previously I sort of worried that he thought we didn't see his family much because we (or they) just didn't want to. It's nice to know he's starting to understand that distance is the only thing keeping him getting constant cuddles from family.)

Oh, and as of yesterday, we're trying a great-and-terrifying (for me) experiment: NOT putting the baby gates back up in the kitchen and bathroom. Which means he is currently a free-range toddler, having access to the cat's food and water, the kitchen trash *gross*, the kitty litter box *yuck*, and *ick!* the toilet. Ben did great with the gates down yesterday and today, so I'm hoping hoping hoping we can keep the gates put away.  Clay and I have lived with baby gates up in our house for 8 years now (since we needed them for our dog, too). How fantastic it'll be when there won't be multiple hurdles around the house!

Aunt Sandy & Gramma

I feel like sometimes I don't even notice how so many of the not-so-pleasant habits Benito used to have, have slowly melted away. For example, we rarely have to catch mouthfuls of spit out food as he aims them at the floor anymore, his former exquisite joy in destroying everything seems to have ebbed a little, and he can even manage to sit on my lap at the computer and NOT pound every key on the keyboard. I need to stop and appreciate these things more often, I think. Especially since his "tricky two's" have already set in with yelling "no!" about things he really does want, or shoving his best friend, Auden, and then saying, "I sorry!"  Oh, and (my new favorite): needing constant verbal attention when Clay and I just want to have one short conversation over dinner.


That's okay though. Most of the time, Ben is an extreme joy to be around. I am so so so so so happy that I get to be his mom!

Okay, boys, tell us how you REALLY feel about bouncy castles!

One year ago... what a difference 12 months makes!

birthday gifts from Mama and Dad

take THAT LeBron James

figured out how to put his sandals on all by himself on Friday!

ALMOST a smile at the doctor's office