Happy 3rd Birthday to Benjamin!!

Benjamin turns 3 today! Birthday excitement has been building for weeks around here. It basically starts right after Christmas and continues until Julia's birthday in February. And while I don't think that Benj's excitement level is quite as high as J's he has definitely been looking forward to it!

We kicked off the day with his favorite breakfast - donuts from "Allie Oops" or Allie's as everyone else knows it. Benj's had pink sprinkles! yum! We spent the morning at a science class for him and Julia where they learned about dissolving things and then we came home to lunch with Dad and presents!!

His presents this year are a plasma car of his very own, an Angry Birds game, and the book Alpha Oops. (Apparently he has thing for "Oops"!) We're having a quiet afternoon at home and he has requested pancakes for dinner (we'll be having a sugar detox tomorrow!!).

At three Benjamin is an amazing kid. He makes me laugh every single day. He can still make any anger or frustration with him disappear with one look. He is a happy kid who loves to have fun and cannot sit still. He is constantly moving around, moving other things around, taking things apart, and basically wreaking havoc (in the best possible way). He challenges everything and will always choose the exact opposite of what we or Julia would like!

But he also is still most comfortable with me and Andrew. He will not leave my side in new situations and prefers to stay with me rather than even go off with his sister and her friends. He loves to cuddle on couch with Andrew first thing in the morning and with me in the afternoons when we're reading. He asks me to lay down with him each night when he goes to bed and begs to "kiss me everywhere" before I leave the room. He doesn't often stop during the day just for a hug but when I catch him and tell him that I love him he always responds with a huge smile and throws his arms around me.

Benjamin loves books. He loves being read to and he loves looking at books on his own. He knows all the letters and is working on letter sounds and writing. He enjoys being part of Julia's school and always asks for his own work to do while she is doing hers. He is currently obsessed with Olaf from the movie Frozen and he loves music of all types. He is always the one who asks for me to put on a cd or play something in the car. Usually it is Frozen or The Lion King, but other favorites are "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel and "Proud to Be an American" or "This Land is Your Land" by Lee Greenwood. But really, anything with music suits him. We just started learning Spanish using a program called Song School Spanish which uses chants and songs to teach the language and I think he's picking it up faster than Julia and I!

As for other activities, Benj is getting better and better on his balance bike... although when we're outside I think it's hard for him to decide whether to ride his bike or play in the mud - there's such appeal to both! He also enjoys going for walks around the neighborhood, playing t-ball, and just running around. He is definitely the type that needs to get outside whenever possible and it's tough on him when we're cooped up for awhile. But this year he has also liked going ice skating and going bowling (he bowled an 83 the other day - beating both Andrew and Julia!) so at least there are some options for when the weather is not cooperating.  

I have to say that Benjamin has (and I'm sure will continue to) challenged me in ways that I never imagined but on the flipside he has also brought more joy than I ever imagined. I am so thankful that we were blessed with him!

So that is Benjamin in a nutshell from my perspective and here is what he has to say on the subject:

• What is your favorite color?  pink
• What is your favorite toy? 2 things - Lincoln logs and rocket ship
• What is your favorite fruit? grapefruits
• What is your favorite tv show? Jungle Junction
• What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni and cheese
• What is your favorite outfit?  Pink shirt alex gave me
• What is your favorite game?  Hoot Owl Hoot
• What is your favorite snack?  cheeseballs
• What is your favorite animal?  Giraffes and elephants
• What is your favorite song?  Let it Go
• What is your favorite book?  My World and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
• Who is your best friend?  Sarah
• What is your favorite cereal? Oat squares
• What is your favorite thing to do outside? play
• What is your favorite drink?  Pink drink (I think this is sparkling water and cranberry juice)
• What is your favorite holiday?  Halloween because you get candy
• What do you like to take to bed with you at night? blankie
• What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Granola bar (noga bar)
• What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? pizza
• What do you want to be when you grow up? the Nesquick bunny
• How old are you? three
• What makes you happy? All my stuffed animals and my olaf
• What is your favorite animal? bunny
• What is your favorite thing to eat? Macaroni and cheese
• What is your least favorite thing to eat? I don’t know
• What is your favorite thing to do? Go outside
• What are you really good at? games
• What is your favorite movie? Frozen and lion king
• What do you and your Mom do together? Hang out
• What do you and your Dad do together? nothing
• What is your favorite sport? Baseball
• What is your favorite place to go? The Zoo

Julia Milestone - Reading!!

Christmas Eve was a very big day at our house! There are the obvious reasons, of course, but it was also the first time that Julia picked a book (Max's Chocolate Chicken by Rosemary Wells) off her bookshelf and read the whole thing all by herself!!

She was in her room for quiet time when all of sudden she came bursting into my room so excited to share her accomplishment! It was a fantastic moment and I could not have been prouder of her. It's an amazing feeling to see her finally realize that she can do it and to take the initiative and start to read on her own!

She amazed me even more and showed me that her confidence is really growing when she brought the book to Grandpa Rick and Grandma Lesley's that night and read it aloud to everyone (probably 15 people!). Way to go, Julia!!

Plunging into 2015

I joined Steve and Dad this year in partaking of what has been their New Year's Day tradition for the past several years - the penguin plunge! January 1st was a brisk and windy day this year with temps topping out around 33 degrees.

I have to say when I started peeling off layers of clothing at the beach I really thought everyone there (myself definitely included) was crazy. I clearly remembered witnessing the event for the past few years and saying what an insane activity it was and I wasn't too sure what I had gotten myself into.

BUT, it turns out it was awesome!! Truly an invigorating, life-affirming experience. I loved it!

Someone was chilly!

pre-swim

Getting psyched up!

yes, it was cold!

post-swim! couldn't stop smiling!

Benjamin wanted to join me so badly he actually wore his bathing suit under his clothes!
Maybe next year Benj!

Happy New Year

We rang in 2015 with a little party along with Merrill and Alex. We had fondue for dinner, listened to the kids sing Frozen songs on the karaoke machine, and celebrated with a balloon drop! Our kids were in bed by about 8 and Andrew and I didn't think we would be far behind them but we ended up making it until midnight! We didn't see the ball drop though because our power went out at 11:59!! Happy New Year!

Fondue - YUM!!

Cheers!

What's better than a balloon drop?!?

Stompin' Fun

We celebrated Boxing Day this year by going ice skating and testing out Grandpa Rick's new stomp rockets! Fun for all ages!!

On the Ice

Winter 2015 may be the season of ice skating! Julia, Benj, and I went with friends before Christmas and while at first I was a little leery of taking them by myself we ended up having a fabulous time. I had forgotten how much I love to skate and both kids did fantastic on skates.

Julia had skated the previous year and had done pretty well but it was Benjamin's first real time on skates. It took a little figuring out for him and I, and a change from hockey skates to figure skates, but by the end of a couple of hours he was walking on the ice solo and even gliding a little bit.

of course, we had to watch the zamboni!!

We had so much fun we went back right after Christmas along with Grandpa Rick and Grandma Les and Julia skated for almost 2 hours! She was having a ball pulling everyone around the rink!

Heard Around our House

From the mouth of Benj:

• The other day he was singing "Do you Know the Muffin Man?" but his version is "Do you Know the Muffin Babe?"
• Andrew and I were cleaning up from lunch and Benjamin was playing on Andrew's computer when we heard, "ummmmm, guys? I have a little problem over here."
• Benj and I were sitting at the table eating breakfast this morning and I asked Julia to sit down and join us to which she replied that she did not want to. Benj's response? "It's just life, Julia."

also his vocabulary is becoming quite impressive. In the last few days he has (appropriately) used the words compromise, consequences, considering, categorizing, and complicated... I guess it was a "c" word week!

Christmas!!

We have entered into the peak time of Christmas fun in our household! Julia and Benjamin were both really into the holiday this year. There was much anticipation and excitement starting even before Thanksgiving. 

Their Christmas lists for Santa were short: a train for Benjamin (but one that he could ride on around the house) and a monster truck and pom-poms for Julia. Both of them got their wishes and a few other things and were thrilled! But the highlight of the season, for Benjamin, came a few days after Christmas when he received his gifts from Auntie Lyndsay and he opened a Nesquik chocolate milk gift pack! I wish I had a video or even a picture of his pure delight - it was priceless! 

I really didn't get too many pictures this Christmas. I just enjoyed the day with Andrew and the kids. So I'll end this with what has become our annual family picture with Santa (Andrew and I try to extricate ourselves each year but no luck yet!).

Christmas Fun - The Nutcracker

Julia and I had a special date in December to go see The Nutcracker at the Providence Performing Arts Center. The production was put on by the Festival Ballet and was very well done. We had terrific seats in the seventh row - perfect views and close enough really get wrapped up in the show. Julia  getting antsy right at the end (it's a long show!) but she really loved it! And I loved having some special time for just the two of us!

The Destroyers

This is a picture of what Julia and Benjamin's room looks like each day after they play in it. What I would like to know is this: if they can get the mattresses into these positions/states on their own why, oh why, is it impossible for them to restore them to their original states???

Oh, and in case you're wondering (because I was after re-making the beds for the 14th time in 5 days), they have to take the sheets off the beds so they can reach the handles on the sides of the mattresses. Imagine their surprise when I showed them a little trick of simply lifting the sheet up a bit to access those handles!!

Christmas Fun - LaSalette

Julia is at the age when she is mesmerized and in love with Christmas lights. I am too! Benjamin loves them too but he doesn't quite have the attention span that J does so a house or two usually does it for him. 

I love Christmas lights too (really, who doesn't??) and so a few years ago Merrill and I started taking the kids to LaSalette Shrine in early December. We have dinner at Bliss Creamery and then head down the road to the lights!

This year as we were driving up to LaSalette and started to see some of the lights in the trees Benj, with a little awe in his voice, said "they're so beautiful." It is a magical place.

Alex did a terrific job reading the story of Jesus to all of us

The star walkway which we couldn't go up last year because it covered in ice!

goofy kids!

Cuteness

My loves!