Big Kid.

Almost exactly a year ago:

A couple days ago:

Oh how time is flying.

Putting the toddler rail on felt a bit like putting the crib together all over again. Ben was SO excited about it, too. I wish I would have caught video of the 2314532 times he climbed in and out and in and out. He felt the big-kidness of it, too.

American Family: Updating a Portrait

This NPR piece really hit home...

The abstract:

"It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and waves of Americans across the country are surging toward family.Three quarters of Americans say family is the most meaningful part of their life. Eighty-five percent say the family they live in today is as close or closer than the one they grew up in.But that family – today – may look nothing like the one they grew up in. Family can mean all kinds of things in America now. And marriage? All kinds of change there, too. And kids? Well, we think the kids are fine, but we’re checking.We look at the changing American family.

-Tom Ashbrook"

I could go on and on and on about my thoughts on it but... I'll let you listen yourself if you feel like it.... y'know, while you quit procrastinating on the internet and finally fold the laundry or make dinner for your "family"...

Backwards Ben

I'm not sure where it started. But somewhere along the way, ben insisted that THIS:

is the proper way to wear his sweater.

Hey, as long as it keep him warm, right?

It is yet another sign of him becoming an individual. First with the refusal to wear tie dye, which followed of course the refusal to wear all pants, and now insisting that his sweater be applied backward.

I love it.

My little Weirdo.

Back by popular demand

Turns out. You can type big. But you can't big type.

Or can you?

thanks for not telling me i had crap in my teeth, Jared. Yeesh.

This just in: There are 16 days of class left to attend in this semester. Wow. Time flies.

This also just in: Ben is 17 MONTHS OLD!! jeepers. Time to start researching potty training?

Nah, we're not ready yet either, Ben. Maybe when you can say "poooop!"

Latest breaking news: someone's vocabulary is blossoming and I'm not talking about mine... although I can say benzobisoxc________ol. just don't ask me to spell it apparently.

The list thus far:

most common: "uh.... oooooh" ...for anytime anything falls.

followed closest by: "GOGA!" errr... dog. maybe dog mixed with "luda"

In competition with: "chooo chooo!" the train noise

And of course: "shhhhhz" for "shoes"

the funniest: "tickle tickle tickle tickle!"

followed closely by: "no no"

and: "move"

We count animal noises as words because... animals share conversation too SO:

Penguin: ah ah ah ah

Elephant: the elephant noise, quite impressive.

Tiger ...this one he does repeatedly and is the same noise as

every single dinosaur to ever roam the earth.

Dogs: high pitched ar ar!

ah crap... I'll just make a video. He knows a lot of animals. :)