Thank You Sign

This is for you Ray. And, if you ever try out your newly learned signs, don't blame Ben when they aren't exactly right. He adapts them a bit. ha.

Ben has thank you and blowing kisses combined as one thing. If you ask him to say Thank You he signs correctly, but makes the kissing noise with it too. Super cute!

Can't Get Enough Outside

Ah, we love this weather and love our new fenced-in yard. We spend lots and lots of time outside. Have I mentioned this in previous posts? Oh well, more outside pictures are coming your way! This weekend Ryan and I both picked the chair we wanted to lounge in on the patio and got a little table and some chairs if we ever want to eat out there (thanks Mama-D). I think the difference in our preference of chair is kinda funny.

I can not keep anything alive, but I have some perennials all around the front and back yard and they are gorgeous. Thank you previous missionaries that lived in our house.


As a kid my sisters and I had a dirt box, as opposed to a sand box. We spent hours out there making all kinds of things. So naturally, Ben needed a dirt box. Ryan cut some scrap wood and ta-da! We have a dirt box. Now, we just need some dirt :) Ben loves it already.

Don't ya just love the Charlie Brown onesie? haha

He found my water bottle. It was great fun to try to drink and spill down his front. Then he realized he could shake it and the water would go everywhere. Just about 10 more degrees and we are busting out the sprinkle park I got on clearance at Target last year. woohoo.

Dirt Digging

I am not sure which of us likes being outside more, but we have spent a few hours in the backyard every day since we got the fence and we still love it. I even talked Ryan into grilling and eating at Ben's tiny picnic table last night. Ryan told me it was my way of trying to get some patio furniture sooner rather than later. Maybe?!

Evidence of some good dirty fun!

Never too early to start.

Ben can climb in these chairs by himself. He was doing all kinds of crazy acrobatics in them, all without dropping the baseball.

More Video by Demand

My mother is demanding a video of Ben signing more and hungry. I didn't get hungry, but he signed more for the camera at breakfast this morning. Enjoy mom!

And, he is such a little helper. Thanks Ben.

Our blue jay is eating the bird seed. So pretty. Now if I can only teach Ben not to bang on the glass in excitement and scare him away.

The Great Outdoors

This past weekend we received (we only had to pay for the supplies) a new backyard fence. It is fantastic. Now we no longer have to look into our neighbors yard when we are outside. Ben absolutely loves being outdoors and has loved that I will take him out there now. Yesterday, he and I were looking out his bedroom window into the backyard and he began signing please over and over. I asked if he wanted to go outside and he about knocked me over jumping into my lap.


This afternoon I took him out after lunch and after some good playing he ate his first snack on a picnic table we bought last fall at a World Impact yard sale.


His signing has really taken off lately. He uses them very well. He has a runny nose right now and hasn't been eating as well at meals which means he is hungry at times I am not usually expecting him to be hungry. He has been able to sign hungry so I know what he wants. He also knows the signs for please, thank you (newest one), all done and more. Whenever he wants something he uses a sign. The hard part is trying to decide what that sign means. Sometimes more means he wants more to eat or more play time or more _____ (who knows!).

He's Walking

Today, Ben finally proved the theory that Ryan and I have had for a few weeks now. He has the developmental skills to walk, but is too lazy to do it.

I babysat an adorable little 3 year old girl today and suddenly Ben decided it was time to show his skills. He can stand up in the middle of the floor, holding nothing, and take off. He is very slow and deliberate, but very steady. We will see if he reverts to crawling now that the fun little friend is gone.

(All videos are 1 minute or less)

Walking Video - Charlotte and I were highly encouraging him to walk. Sorry about the bright sunshine in our living room, but I am loving it!


Weak: He is stronger than I ever give him credit for, but he does this every time he wants one of the bags of blocks out of his toy box. Total faker!

Lemonade Please: He knows how to use his signs when they most benefit him. I should have never introduced him to pink lemonade.


Gymboree - He loved playing all over the couch cushions, but the best part of this video is all his gibber-gabber (how do you spell that?). I really think he has full conversations, but nothing is intelligible.

Vitamin D

Ryan spent 6 hours golfing 100 holes today! He said he had a fantastic time. He even got a bogey on one hole. Thank you to everyone that made pledges and sent money for this fundraiser! There is still time if anyone wants to give a tax deductible gift!

Ben and I got a little Vitamin D while waiting for Ryan to come home.
Yes, there is a busy street there, but he isn't walking yet and is scared of the grass so I can keep him close.

Up and down the step to get more weeds and pieces of dirt.

Bad idea. I gave him a sip of pink lemonade and he signed more over and over again. I couldn't catch the signing with the camera, but it was super cute.

Something caught his attention UNDER the bench, so he crawled right under there. And then got stuck. This pic is very blurry, but it is still cute.