Here are a few recent conversations with Ben that made us laugh or marvel at his intelligence! Some of these have been posted to fb, so they might be familiar.
December 9, 2012
Ben asked me if he could play with Nate's bday present and I said no.
He asked his dad and he said yes (not knowing Ben had already asked me).
Ben said to Ryan, "haha. You aren't on the same team now!" (dead give-away)
3 going on 13!
And no, he did not get to play with the presents!
January 7, 2013
Life lessons at the dinner table!
Ben: Mom, you're a killer whale.
Ryan: Son, if you want to save your life, never use the word "whale" when talking about a woman.
January 13, 2013
While looking through a book of creatures, Ben wanted me to name all the ones he didn't know.
Ben: What's this?
Amber: An angel fish.
Ben: Is he really nice?
Amber: Yes
Ben: Does he bring a message? (hint: he is remembering all our advent readings)
January 14, 2013
Ben: You're ah-stink!
Amber: What?
Ben: In Nate's computer it is 'which one is ah-stink?' And then says 'dinosaur.'
Since our boys' church life is not like the average American kid, we work very hard to teach them about Christ and his church in our home and through our various church activities at World Impact. As missionaries, our church is World Impact, when the missionary staff gather. Sometimes we are in a church plant and we meet weekly and it looks similar to the average American church. Right now, however, we aren't doing that so sometimes church is just a couple of people sitting around our living room singing along to youtube videos, sharing a word, communion and prayer time. We also meet monthly as a staff for worship, communion, teaching and prayer. Our boys have learned that church is the gathering of believers and we love that they will be open to what the church looks like. But, it also puts an even greater responsibility on us as their parents to make sure they are being taught. One small thing we do as a family is say the Lord's Prayer together before Ryan leaves for work. When we first started, the would dance around, pull their hands out of ours, make noises at each other, etc. We have been doing it for a few months now and they look forward to it! They stand (mostly) still, hold our hands and Ben says it along with us while Nate interjects a word here and there that he knows. Memories like these are the ones I pray that hold onto their whole lives! I know I will.
All the kid involved in our church planting got Christ the Victor Kids hoodies for Christmas, staff kids included!
A Happy Birthday card for his friend, Judah. This was the first time he had drawn a "person." (look to the right, just below his hand.)
No doubt Ben is a lefty. I found this on the frig. (See the numbers, in order, but backwards?)
The first time he wrote "his B" on his own!
Writing his name. The "n" is troublesome for him. He doesn't like that the "E" only has three horizontal lines. It feels restrictive.
More art. His stick people are already better than mine. Maybe he will inherit his father's artistic skills.
Taking our Big Wheels out for their first spin with our friend, Judah.
Almost reaches the pedals. Santa should have moved them up when he built it in his workshop!
They made a few laps and then decided this was a better thing to do with their big wheels! Ugh.
Ryan was kind enough to hose them off in the cold.
A few days later we invited more friends to ride with us!
Introducing the World Impact Big Wheel Gang!
We watched our friend's son, Judah, one night so they could celebrate their anniversary. The boys had too much fun at the dinner table. Judah is just three months older than Ben and lives across the street so we see him often.
I finally did it! I cleaned out all the baby equipment and toys that are too young for Ben and Nate (and pared down my purse collection). I love purging. I love minimizing. I did not love this! It was tremendously more emotionally difficult than I anticipated. A few friends came and took what they could use for their kids and I loved that! I have always shared the boys' things because we have been blessed with so much! But, then I took the rest to sell at a locally owned resale store I love and my heart was pounding. Toy by toy they put a tiny little price on my boys' first few years. It was awful. I cried the whole way home and then some. But, now it is done. Time to embrace the fact that my firstborn is writing his name, not rolling around on a playmat anymore!
Heading outside to take advantage of some spring weather in January!
The zoo with Daddy on his day off! Look, Grammy bought Daddy a hat just like Ben's!
My artists. They love coloring, cutting, and painting. I have yet to introduce them to pasting, but surely it is coming.
Nate has shown a little bit of interest in the potty. He sits for two seconds, says he peed, and is then done. He has only actually peed twice. But, it's a start. I won't really push it until summer unless he gets really interested.
Ben at 21 months.
