The Benny Boy

Finally! A picture of me and one of my children that I actually don't mind!!

Thanks, Reagan, for taking this!

Strike One!

Guess who bowled a strike on his first try ever? My little Benny. Looks like Daddy's a good teacher. I can't believe how quickly he's growing up. We were at Preston's 8th birthday party, and this little man insisted on getting his own pair of shoes and going right out there to the lanes with all the big kids. He's getting pretty good at holding his own. We're so proud of our Bowlin' Bennett!

Go, go, go!!

Bennett's favorite thing to say in the car, whenever we're stopped at a red light, is, "Go, Mommy, go!!" To which I always reply, "Benny, I can't go. Do you want me to crash into all these cars in front of us?" This is immediately followed by howls of laughter from the older brother, and then Reeves says, "Yeah, Mommy, crash into them!!" This, in turn, brings about a second round of hysterics from both boys. And so on and so forth. (We have a lot of monkey see, monkey do around our house.)

Now, Bennett has brought his car talk out into other areas of his world...

Daddy on the golf cart. "Go, Daddy, go!!"

Daddy and Reeves on the boat. "Go, Daddy! Go, ReeRee, go!!"

Even poor William on the tricycle. "Go, Willy, go!!"

Looks like this one inherited my impatience for slow drivers. Poor Bryant, now he'll have two of us telling him how to drive!

Bennett's First Haircut

I was trying to hold out until his second birthday, but the wings (when dry) and the rattail (when wet), finally took their toll on me and I gave in. It’s not that I didn’t want to cut his hair out of some fear that it would make him look too old, it’s just that, even though it was such an disorderly mess, it was my baby’s disorderly mess, and I was afraid I would miss seeing that toeheaded rat’s nest every morning, miss trying to put his hair in a ponytail or pigtails, or miss having people mistake him for a girl just because he happens to have on something smocked and have longish hair. OK, maybe I wouldn’t miss that last one too much.
Anyway, we finally bit the bullet and made the appointment. Bryant met us there. Reeves was thankfully at the beach. Sometimes, despite their best intentions to make the little brothers happy, big brothers create nothing but a rambunctious child and a stressed out mommy. Bennett did a great job masking his immense nervousness about going under the scissors. He drank his milkshake, talked on the phone, and played right into the hands of all the grannies waiting their turns along with him. Finally it was his turn. He sat right up there on his daddy’s lap and let Ms. Cindy do her thing. He didn’t squirm too much, didn’t cry, and didn’t get distracted by all the hair falling around him. He was very focused on the task at hand.
When it was all over, he got his obligatory lollipop and went at it with gusto. He was definitely ready to leave. Little does he know he will be back in just a few short months to repeat the whole process. And no, I do not take for granted the fact that my children only need haircuts every few months. It’s nice to be able to have at least one thing we don’t have to do too often!

At Least He'll Have Good Benefits

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

Here's my little Benny, practicing to be a mailman. Who knew he would make a career choice so early.

Benny and the Shoes

As soon as this boy gets up, he heads straight to the shoe basket and pulls out his blue crocs for us to put on him. It's not that he doesn't like being barefoot, it's just that I think he has an insatiable love for these shoes. He never pulled out the Scooter Reds for us to put on him, he's not all that concerned with socks, he just wants his crocs. If we don't put them on him, he carries them around, silently, until one of us finally gives in.

Of course, there is also the obsession he has with other people's shoes. He loves, loves, loves to walk around the house in Daddy's shoes. Occasionally he'll put on mine, but he usually goes only for Daddy's. Maybe he likes that they're roomier. Then there are the ties. When Bryant walks in the door, that is the first thing to go, thanks to Bennett's Tie Removal Service. This used to be Reeves' job, but I guess by the time you're three, you're way too old for silly things like that.

"Is Anybody Out There?"

I'm sitting here at my computer, and I have just jumped because I thought someone was breaking into my house.

Nope.

It's just Bennett rattling his cage. Apparently he's awake now and ready to get out. I think I'll toss him a metal coffee cup for effect and tell him to keep it down in there.

Look Out World!

I can now say with confidence that Bennett is a walker. He has been wearing Robeez for a while for those rare occasions when I would put him down to "walk" outside the house. Once his walk to fall rate dropped below 80/20, I decided he could do it. I took the plunge a couple of days ago and put the Keds on him. I am still having trouble believing that he's a walker now. Where did the baby go? I think the biggest change is that now when we go to a playground, he is free to move about as he pleases. No more will he be confined to the stroller, the swing, or my arms. This will make both Mommy and Benny happy.

I wish I had gotten pictures of it, but on Sunday, Judy and we headed to Wagner for a family reunion/monument dedication ceremony. It took place in the Tyler cemetery which is in the rolling hill country up there. Mr. Bennett, who up till then, thought he was hot stuff, couldn't quite manage the uneven terrrain. He did pretty well going uphill, but sideways or downhill was not so successful. As unstable and wobbly as any toddler looks who is just figuring out the walking thing, Bennett was falling down drunk on this uneven ground. Not that it really even fazed him. He just hopped back up and tried again - and fell again. The only worrisome part for us was making sure he didn't hit any of the stones. So we just ran interference and kept him safe, and he was happy and so were we. Benny Boy, the world is now yours to explore. Enjoy!

Baby Steps

Bennett has been toying with the ability to walk for some time now. He is still a hard and fast crawler, but a few weeks ago at Doro's house, he up and took 4 or 5 steps across the floor. Since then, he has been diligently practicing and is slowly perfecting his technique. He hasn't been able to piece together more than 6 or 7 steps at a time, but he always tries to walk before falling down. I think watching his brother carry things around the house is going to be his biggest motivation to strut his stuff. He is beginning to get frustrated with wanting to have a toy with him in some other area than the one he is currently occupying.He's content to hold your hands and walk forever, at least it seems like forever when you're only slightly hunched over. You have to pry your fingers from his grasp, and before he realizes it, he's taking steps. We have learned not to applaud while he is walking. Rather than encouraging further forward progress, when he hears the clapping, he stops and starts clapping himself. This, of course, only leads to a breakdown in the precarious balancing act he is preforming, and he topples.
We're really trying to treasure these teetering moments because, although we look forward to the day when he is officially a toddler, we will miss the unmarred softness of the bottom of his feet - that kissable, delectable spot reserved only for those few precious months before a child takes off running, and the soles of his feet are never the same again.

You go, Benny Boy!

It's Fun To Stay At The...

If It's Not One Thing, It's His Brother

Now that we're looking back on two weeks of gastrointestinal mayhem with Reeves (I'll post more on that later), we figured it was all over, from both ends. Looks like (knock on wood), it is. So tonight, after a big dinner and playing outside with Daddy, I took Bennett in, gave him is kisses and nestled him soundly in his crib. I headed outside for more kickball with the big boys. We finally went in and put Reeves in the tub. Suddenly, uncharacteristically, Bennett started wailing. Normally I don't jump to get him at night, but this was one of those cries when you know something is wrong. It was. He had thrown up all over his crib. Great! Of course, Bennett had just had one of his twice or thrice weekly baths, but since Reeves was already in the big tub, we figured why not throw Benny Boy in too. So Bennett got his first bath in the big boy tub tonight. Reeves was a little unsure about sharing his treasured bath toys with his little brother, but ultimately relented as long as Bennett didn't play with any of his "my favorite color blue" toys. It really was too cute, and despite the reason behind the necessary second bath of the night, I'm glad it happened. Bryant got the camera to document the occasion. It amazes me looking at these pictures now, how big Bennett looks. He's not an infant any more. I can't believe it. He really did a good job in the tub, sitting up most of the time, only slipping a couple of times.I just hope we haven't created a monster who doesn't like his baby tub any more. Unfortunately, I've never seen him have this much fun in the tub on the kitchen sink, even when his big brother gets on the counter and washes his toes. I think Reeves liked having a buddy in the tub too.
The good news is, I think the throw up was just caused by post nasal drip and not a tummy bug. He seems to be fine now, but I've turned the monitor up way loud just in case.

Give Peas a Chance

So, maybe going out of town the very day I resolved to get Bennett eating solids wasn't the best parenting decision, but the trip was already planned, and it's not like I was expecting a major breakthrough immediately. I tried getting him to eat bananas in the hotel room, but I might as well have tried feeding him in a funhouse. Despite the fact that it was only one room, there were so many new distractions, including his brother, that Bennett's focus wasn't really on the task at hand. I do think a little bit made it into his tummy, but it certainly wasn't like real progress. Fine. Thursday morning we hit the ground running. I had a whole smorgasboard laid out - rice cereal, applesauce, bananas, carrots, and peas. The jaw clamped shut. What little bit was actually able to make it past his lips came right out. I finally got to the peas. He started screaming. Undaunted, I shoved a teeny spoonful in midscream. He stopped, looked at me, and opened his mouth again. I couldn't believe it. He liked the peas!! Hey Mikie!! To be sure it wasn't a fluke, I put more peas into the open mouth. It worked. Oh joy! I added a little rice cereal to them to give them a thicker consistency with equal success. Maybe this is the breakthrough we've been needeing. He's not inhaling them, but he's at least amenable to the idea that all of his nourishment doesn't have to come from me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more success today. If motherhood has taught me nothing else, it has at least made me realize that what works one day doesn't necessarily work the next, but you can always hope.

Bennett's Six Month Stats

Weight: 13'6"

Height: 27 1/2"

Head: 17"

Well, he's done it. He's off the charts - on the downside. He was 15th percentile at 4 months, and now his weight has dropped him below the chart. Dr. G said she wasn't terribly concerned, given that his head and height are growing, and he has gained a pound since last time. And since he has been revolting against food, that may play into it as well. She suggested going to Stage 2 baby foods and just to keep trying. If I am still concerned in a week or two, I may give him a bottle a day of formula in addition to everything else. She also said that based on his brother's small size as a baby, she wasn't too worried either. Other than the weight issue, he is doing wonderfully. He is active, babbling, laughing, reaching, kicking, even sitting up unassisted for about 10-15 seconds.

I know in my heart of hearts that his weight is really nothing to worry about. The "charts" are based solely on averages. But still, you always want to walk out of the doctor's office feeling like all's well, so this little thing is nagging at me. We'll just have to redouble the eating efforts. What fun. He did get three shots plus the Rotovirus oral. He cried a little but quickly consoled himself when I picked him up. I didn't even nurse him till we got home. He is now sleeping peacefully. Enjoy it, Bennett Boy, because when you wake up, it's chow time!

By the way, his cousin, Caulder, who is 4 months younger than Bennett, now outweighs him by a pound!

Moving Boulders May Be Easier

I feel like Sisyophus every time I sit Bennett down to feed him. Try as I may, I simply cannot push food into this child's mouth. As soon as I get everything ready to feed him - the bib on, the food mixed, the distractions to a minimum - he clamps his mouth shut. We have gone from plain rice cereal with breastmilk to rice cereal, breast milk, and syrup to rice cereal with applesauce to rice cereal with applesauce and sugar. I feel terrrible adding sweeteners to it, but at this point I'll try anything. I've let him get super hungry. No luck. I've fed him after he's nursed. I've tried right after he wakes up. Right before he goes to bed. With a bib. Without a bib. Clothed. Naked. This is really beginning to drive me crazy because I am not a mother who wants to cater to her child's every whim, but there must be something that will make him eat. What little bit does make it in is either spit right back out or chipmunked, only to reappear the next time the None-Shall-Enter-Jaws open.
I remember Reeves not being a terribly avid eater at the beginning, but Bennett's stubborness seems to have surpassed his brother's two-fold. I am at a loss.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

Well, the milestone I'd been looking for finally happened on Friday night. We were at the Bair's. I had put Bennett down in the crib. He had fussed a couple of times, and Julie had checked on him. I, of course, the dutiful mother, had put him down, and down he would stay until I was ready to get him. (Yes, he is happy, but I can also assume he's happy when I can't hear him. What a wonderful parenting secret.) Anyway, when I went to get him up to go home, he was on his tummy. Julie had already gone home, and with a fussy infant of her own, I didn't want to hazard a call over there on the off chance that she was grabbing a few blessed moments of sleep. The next morning we confirmed that she had not rolled him over because he woke up in his own crib on his tummy. I can't believe it. I knew Reeves had already rolled over by this age, so I was getting a little concerned that not only had Bennett not done it, but he had made no indication that he was even remotely interested in it. These poor children. Bennett's not even 6 months old, and I'm already comparing them.

Caroline and I had discussed this, and she had mentioned that EFR had had a problem with M rolling over in his crib, and then crying because he was not able to roll himself back over. Poor EFR. Reeves had never done that, and I could only imagine how frustrating that would be. Stupid me. Now I don't have to imagine. For the past three days and occasionally for naps, Bennett has greeted the day with maddening screams. He's stuck on his stomach and is not happy about it. Luckily, it's not at an ungodly hour, so it's not that bad. Why I keep wanting this child to hit all these milestones, I'll never know. I guess it's just one of those silly maternal instincts where the well being of your child wins out over your desire for peace and quiet.

Bennett's Four Month Stats

So, nearly a month ago, we took Bennett to his four month appointment. He weighed 12'13" and was 26 1/2" long. I have long since forgotten what his head circumference was, and I don't feel that I really need to go rummaging through my papers to dig it up. Let's just say it was 50th percentile. Anyway, we have all marvelled at how much bigger B is than R at this same age. This child has folds in his thighs. Reeves never had anything other than chicken legs (and even that is being generous. They were more like yardbird legs.) Apparently our accurate memory goes back only to about last week. Thanks to the blog, I was able to, amazingly, prove us all wrong. Reeves was not only heavier at his four month appointment, he was nearly two pounds heavier! He weighed 14'5". I can't believe it. Of course, Reeves was on supplemental formula at that stage, but still. Bennett is in the 15th percentile for weight. Conversely, he is in the 90th for height. Looks like B and I have adopted another one because these boys certainly didn't get those genes from us! We're holding off on starting his with food as long as we can. The thinking is twofold in this. First and selfishly foremost, it's so much easier to only deal with nursing him. I already carry around so much stuff that I'm not anxious to add to the load. Secondly, and in the interest of his health, given Reeves' allergies, it is best to wait as long as possible before introducing foods to Bennett. Siblings tend to have similar allergies, so maybe Bennett will be able to grow out of any sensitivities before we have to test them. He's still sleeping through the night, so there's no mad rush to add calories to his diet.

We go back towards the end of February. I'm interested to see where this one's weight will be then. I'm sure we will have started on some sort of food by then. Maybe he'll have moved up to 20th percentile by then!

Laugh Out Loud

Bennett finally gave us his first bonafide, all out laugh last night. He and Reeves and I were in his room. Bennett was au natural on the changing table; Reeves was playing on the floor. I kept tickling Bennett, running my hand across his belly, along his sides, and under his arms. There was a lot of smiling, but not so much noise. Finally, I went all the way up his tummy to his neck, and he let loose. (Tickle spots must be hereditary because this is right where Bryant gets ticklish. Who knew?) It was the sweetest sound in the world. He laughed for what seemed like an eternity, although, it was probably only about 2 minutes. Bryant wasn't there to hear it, and I kept hoping Bennett would keep it up, but I must have worn him out. By the time Daddy got home, a mere 10 minutes later, the laughs were gone. He was still smiling, but he'd gone silent again. Hopefully, Bryant will get to hear them tonight.
I just love these milestones!

And For My Next Trick...

When the fists come, can the feet really be that far behind? Nope. Bennett officially found his feet last night. People had been asking me if he was playing with them yet, and when I answered "no", it was all I could do to keep a straight face and not look at them like they were crazy because, hello, the child is two months old. Let's not rush things, people. And besides, it's been a while since I paged through What To Expect the First Year, but isn't it like, oh, 6 months before they play with their feet? Umm, no, you Blissfully Ignorant and Distracted Mother. It's only been two years since you last had an infant, and you've already forgotten all these major milestones? You're already skimming over things your second child does that, with the first, you oooed and ahhed over for days on end? Affirmative, Ghost Rider. But, luckily for Bennett, I have the blog for his early months where I didn't for Reeves, so, in the long run, he'll be able to look back on hard evidence that I relished and revelled in each of his baby breakthroughs while Reeves will just have to take our word for them. So, yes, Bennett, as much as I would like for him to stay little, this baby bundle is defying me and going ahead and growing up right before our eyes. The nerve!

Power to the People

I'm a bit behind in posting about it, but Bennett has become truly fascinated with his fists. Everyday, he is amazed by these odd things attached to the ends of his arms. He flails them and laughs when they come in and out of his line of sight. While he's in this position is when we usually break out into a chorus of "Everybody say 'Hhhooo, hhhooo'! Everybody say 'Hey! Hey!'" or "Put your hands in the air and wave 'em like ya just don't care!" Reeves loves to jump in on this too. I can only imagine how funny the video of us would be.He balls them up and stares at them as he slowly moves them back and forth in front of him. I think this is a really good thing for a second child to learn to do early on because it takes some of the parenting pressure off of me. I don't feel it completely necessary to wave a rattle over him to make him practice his tracking abilities. He can apparently handle it himself so I get to check that off of my list of milestones for him. I'm looking forward to the day when he makes himself practice the piano or tutors himself without forcing me to make him do it. Poor Bennett. He has set his personal bar way too high. Now I will expect him to handle a lot of his training himself.And if nothing else, I can rest easy knowing that if the time ever comes for him to "put up his dukes", he'll know what to do.

That Smile

That's the smile that makes me smile. That's the smile with the single dimple on the right side. That's the smile that I can get sometimes and Daddy can get sometimes, but Reeves can get all the time. Just this afternoon, he climbed into my lap and squished Bennett's feet. I was certain they were broken. But that's the smile that followed, so I knew all was well. That's the smile that Bennett gives whenever Reeves walks past or whenever Bennett hears his voice. I love that he already loves his big brother. That's the smile that he has perfected. That's the smile that I am always after. I finally got it on film.