I wanna hold your hand

Ben is developing all sorts of interesting and slightly frightening talents lately. His newest favorite words are "elfint" (elephant), "arpane" (airplane), "cumber" (cucumber), and "move" (which he tells to our cats all the time). He no longer uses a high chair at home, and at restaurants he can use a booster seat just fine (especially if the food doesn't take too long to arrive!) He is FINALLY getting compliant with holding my hand when we are out and about, so now he walks (very proudly) from the house to the car, the car to the store, etc. I keep having to adjust how fast and where I walk with him though because "obstacles" like curbs are exciting challenges he wants to stop and conquer with joyful zest. 

Speaking of challenges, Ben loves climbing play equipment ladders and often wants to climb much higher than I am comfortable with (for example, the other day he climbed to the top of the red ladder in the playground picture below--with me standing underneath and trying not to have a heart attack). Another not-so-happy talent he's developed is often refusing to nap during the day and then being very cranky when when Clay gets home from work. I'm hoping that is just a phase! However, over all he's such a pleasant, happy little guy these days.

the scary red ladder Ben climbed

artful madness

first time sitting in a booster seat

dapper Ben

wanted his "baby" to eat breakfast too

floor nap 

Recollections: real & rose-colored

As Ben moves further into a more delightful and happily-independent little-boyhood, I've been thinking a lot about the different stages he's already gone through, as well as his birth. I've been feeling pretty sad that his birth was so far from the "ideal birth" I'd imagined, and worrying about what I was eventually going to tell him about his birth. I want his birth story to be joyful and magical, but I also want to avoid out-right lying to Ben, ever. 

The other day I looked back over my early blog posts about Ben's birth, and I was reminded of some of the facts that I'd mentally tucked away (or completely forgotten). Not only did I have a unwanted, frightening C-section (because labor did not progress after 16 hours post induction), but I also developed Preeclampsia during birth (where blood pressure sky-rockets to seizure-dangerous levels). The hospital gave me magnesium sulfate for the preeclampsia before the birth and for at least a day after the birth. No wonder I felt like everything was a scary, blurry haze until about a day after Ben was born. It helps to be reminded a lot of that was drug-induced!

Anyway, after being inspired by reading some beautiful stories other c-section moms told their children, I decided to see what I could do to make ben's birth story happy AND true. Writing, thinking, reconsidering, and re-writing about his birth was one of the most healing experiences I've had. (Plus, I love painting and crafting!) 

Now I have something special to read Ben about his birth that makes me think of it in a new perspective too! (see video link below for whole book)

Ben's birth book

... On another topic, Ben has been learning to blow his nose. He's trying it out on tissues, the couch, and (my "favorite") on his boiled eggs from breakfast!

Indiana Ben and the Temple of Lost Toys

wanted to try a big-boy swing; a little unsure about the actual experience

no need to go to the real rodeo when you can ride a cat for free!

my two favorite people

coloring "with" mama

Shorty?

monkeying around

Ben's physical growth has slowed a bit, according to today's 18-month check-up. In the last 3 months he has grown half an inch in height, and put on 1 pound, 9 ounces in weight. At his 15-month check up his height was in the 76th percentile, but now it's only the 50th percentile. (His weight remains at the 25th percentile). 

playing with Grandpa

reading with Gramma

I guess most of his calories these days go to brain gymnastics and feats of physical prowess (like executing two-feet-off-the-ground hops and swinging from toddler-sized monkey bars). Some days it seems like Ben acquires at least two new words a day, and is constantly delighting me with new connections he is making.

In a way I'm glad he hasn't grown too much taller this winter, because it would be a shame to have to buy him all new winter pants when warm weather (and shorts-only attire) is only a few months away. In fact, the pants that fit the best in the waist are his 12-month pants. At this rate, maybe he can wear some of last summer's shorts for a while!

This past week Ben and I had a lovely three-day visit with my parents in El Paso. Benben loves reading with Gramma and playing with "Papa". We took a late flight back to San Antonio, and Ben really enjoyed having the whole mostly-empty airport as his playground. (See video below).

making some (not too sweet) music

snugs

dashing through the empty EP airport

tomatoes are finger food, right?

EIGHTEEN

clown car

Today Ben turns 18 months; he has been the center of our universe for exactly a year and a half. In celebration I've written 18 tidbits about my incredible son.

1. He is scared of the (sound of) the garbage truck.

2. He says "frrrrr" (frog) whenever he sees a pic of Yoda (in his Star Wars ABC book).

3. He does a little Gangnam-style skip-hop when he's dancing (or when he's especially happy).

4. He will sometimes sit for more than half an hour silently "reading" his books.

the stair Master

5. He takes anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours every night to fall asleep, but then wakes up only once (or not at all) until morning.

6. He loves the power of naming as many things as he can, starting as soon as I get him up in the morning with "nose" & "moufth."

7. He has been on an airplane more times that I can count (mostly to El Paso to see my family).

8. He uses words to describe the world, and not just to get his basic needs across (for example, the other day he pointed at a yellow-headed woodpecker in the backyard and said "hat," and then said "eat" as it pecked at the bird feeder).

climbing to worrying new heights

9. He often gets apprehensive when he gets to the top of a slide, and decides to go back down the way he came.

10. He consumes anywhere from 30-50 ounces of whole milk a day/night.

11. He has crazy morning bed-head (just like his momma).

12. He can climb ladders with almost no help and can sometimes climb up stairs without crawling (if he's got a running start).

Benben's best friend

13. He loves throwing balls, but they usually go behind him instead of the direction he's aiming (I think he gets that from his momma also).

first train ride

14. He understands what the phrase "What is this book about?" means, and can tell you that the book with the teddy bear in a towel pictured on the front is about "bath."

15. He can climb onto the dining room chairs (and table!) with no assistance.

16. After I made such a big excited deal about him calling broccoli "brock-o-lee-uh," he started adding "o-lee-uh" to the ends of a lot of words, like "milk-o-lee-uh."

17. Speaking of food, he will often joyfully eat sardines, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and all sorts of meat; and other times he acts like they are poisoning him.

18. He gives the best starfish-clingy hugs imaginable.

(HUGS)

A Ben climbed over the mountain

We spent a super fun weekend with my brother Matt, and sister-in-law Sandy trying out several rock climbing spots in the area. Ben definitely enjoyed his own style of "bouldering" at McKinney Falls (near Austin), but we were a bit too apprehensive that he'd fall to let him explore in Cub Cave (here in SA).

I'm afraid he's going to be quite bored with flat terrain in my house today.

it's hard work keeping up with Auntie and Uncle carrying the crash-pads

Uncle Matt @ McKinney Falls

family fist-bump

Ring! Ring! Water bottle phone!

You gotta have fwends!

All of this past week Ben enjoyed the company of my friend/ex-coworker's little girl, Grady (her usual babysitter was out of town). It was fascinating to see how the two of them interacted with each other and how similar and completely different two toddlers can be. It also give me hope that I will one day be able to manage having two kids of my own (although I'm am extremely thankful twins don't run in the family!!).

peek-a-boo!

In other Benben news, he is no longer drinking any formula at all (although he still drinks 3-5 bottles of whole milk each day/night). Not having to mix up formula each night, and saving $120 a month is pretty nice! Another pleasant new development is that this past week Ben slept 4 nights in a row without needing me to get up with him at all. Since then he's gone back to needing me at least once a night, but I can see a glimmer of hope for restful nights in my future now!

kitty snugs

a two-toddler Walmart adventure

Ben continues to amaze and delight us with his new communication skills. I can't think of all of the additional words and concepts he has down now, but some of the newest ones are "toyeeee!" (toy), "mouf" (mouth), "eyeeeeee", and "poke" (for his porcupine puppet). He also handed me a yellow block this morning and said "yellu".

He makes the most interesting connections, too: the other day he held up a square of cardboard and said "hat", and I said something like, "does it go on your head?" But instead he placed the cardboard on top of a box and repeated "hat".... so in his mind "hat" is something that goes on top of something else... a "box hat". Which makes perfect sense, of course.

Of course, with new communication also comes new issues, like saying "hug" and "diap" (diaper) when we're trying to put him to bed at night so that he prolongs having to go to sleep.

shape toys I made Ben from an old cutting board

look, Ma! One foot!

first time correctly stabbing and eating food with a fork