I can't believe it has been six months since I last updated on Ben. The months have flown by and with that Ben has changed so much. We actually had Ben's 2nd birthday party today with family and friends (and Santa!) and it was a thrill to celebrate his little life with so many close to us. He is such a little boy now versus a baby and I love watching him grow and learn. Although there is still some baby chub to love on still! So here is Ben in a nutshell at the fun, crazy,
exhausting age of two:
Ben at his two-year check up
1. At Ben's two year check-up, Ben weighed in at 37.5 pounds (100%) and was 37.5 inches (99%) in height. The boy is very tall and very heavy, but I didn't need the pediatrician to tell me that. He is wearing 3T or even 4T in all of his clothes. He shoe size is about a 9.
Being silly (or maybe he was screaming at me) at his two-year check up!
2 His hair is still curly as ever! I can always tell how humid it is outside by Ben's hair. The curlier, the more humid. I frequently trim his hair because it can get a bit shaggy, but usually it does ok because of the curls. But as soon as it gets a bit colder and dryer and his hair is a bit more straight, I can tell when he needs a trim! We still get asked all the time where he gets the curls from and the answer is always the same...We have no idea!
3. His eyes are pretty much green/hazel. They used to have lots of blue in them, but that is really pretty much gone now I think. He is still very tan even though we are in the middle of winter.
4. Ben loves Mickey Mouse, dinosaurs, planes, helicopters, drawing and cooking (with me!). It is fun for him to be into things like this because I have only experienced Luke and his love of trains (and only trains!). So I have a ball spending time with Ben and these new interests!
The boys helping me cook pies!
5. He loves to read...LOVES it! We read so many books at night before bed. He likes new books that he doesn't read all the time and he really likes books that have more of a story. Surprisingly he really pays attention.
6. Ben's favorite song is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. After we read books at night, I turn off his light and we rock in his chair for about five minutes. I sing to him during this time and I try to sing different songs. But it always comes back to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Over and over again!
7. Sleep has been a bit of an issue over the past several months! Starting maybe three months ago, he started having trouble falling asleep. I would put him down and he would sometimes cry for an hour or two in his bed. It was so hard for me to hear. And it didn't matter what I did, the same thing happened almost every night. We really struggled for a few months, but recently I tried something new. I had a pretty good idea it was separation anxiety, so one night as I put him down I asked him if he wanted me to leave his door open. He said yes, so I did. And we haven't had issues putting him down since. It has been about two weeks and things have improved dramatically! During all this, we did go ahead and buy a toddler bed. We were going to try that and maybe even put him in Luke's room to help him. Luckily this 'door open' idea worked so we are holding off on that. But I did start putting him down for naps in it this week. And so far no problems! I do think this kid is going to have to drop his nap in the next couple of months. If he sleeps a wink past 3:00 pm, he is up late. I guess he is just one of those little ones that doesn't need quite as much sleep as the next one!
The first trial run!
8. Ben still loves school, but doesn't like the initial drop off. Starting around when he had sleep issues, he also started sobbing when I left him at school (and church). So this was a huge shock to me since he used to be the little boy that would be helping soothe the other kids in the class when they were crying. Luckily it only lasts for a little bit and then he has a good rest of the day. I can't wait for this stage to be over though. It is never easy hear your baby boy cry.
9. The boy has an opinion still and expresses it loudly. In simple terms, Ben gets really pissed off. Ha! When he is mad, watch out! But he still has such a sweet side and such a lover. Luckily he still shows that side even through the terrible twos. So we have a little bit of a Dr. Jeckll and Mr. Hyde situation going. I always joke with our pediatrician that he is bipolar. He is either lovin' or hatin'! But he can also be very sensitive. We have started 'time-out' with him and he gets so sad. If I get upset with him and raise my voice, I end up having to console him because he is so upset.
My sweet boy
10. We found out that Ben in fact is the strep carrier. So we have started him on some AWFUL antibiotics that we have to give him three times a day. I dread these times because it is horrendous having to give him these meds. The smell is awful and it almost has an alcohol smell. We have to pin him down and practically choke it down him. It is really awful and I just can't wait for these 10 days to be over.
11. On a brighter note, Ben has had no wheezing/asthma issues since last April. Woohoo!!! I am so so so happy to report this. We have had so many scares with this kiddo and I am just so happy that his breathing issues seem to be improving. We still have several more months of flu/rsv/cold season to get through, but the fact that he hasn't been on an inhaler yet this season is AMAZING!
No wheezing!
12. Ben is super verbal! Another difference between Luke and Ben is when they have decided to start talking. Luke was a late bloomer and Ben seems much more on schedule with his words and sentences. He is definitely already talking in short sentences and will try to say everything. He is a big repeater which Luke wasn't, so I think that is really helping move things along.
13. Ben is what I call the family "instigator". Which apparently I have said a lot lately because now Luke calls him that. And he tells everyone he is that (oops!)....even strangers like the cashier at Target. The boys are always fighting and wrestling and it is because of Ben! He goes up and pokes, hits, instigates all of the craziness between those two! You would think it is Luke, but nope, it is the crazy two year old that can't keep his hands off of his older brother. But oh man, does he look up to Luke. He follows him around and mimics everything he does. He loves him so much.
Brotherly love.
14. Ben loves him some babies. Whether it is his new cousin Jack or his new boy baby doll he got for his birthday (which the boys have named baby doll Jack), he loves babies. Whenever he sees Jack, he always sits and stares at him and pats his belly. He also asks to hold him all the time. He loves his baby doll too and we will find him holding him around the house day to day. It is so different than Luke. Luke didn't even notice Ben for the first six months we had him, and Ben is so in tune when babies are around. It is absolutely precious.
Ben sitting in his baby doll's stroller
15. Unfortunately I have given Ben something...a little road rage I think. Every time we are in the car now, I hear Ben from the backseat yelling, "Come on! GO!". He has heard his mama say it one too many times I guess!
16. The boy loves his sweets! He loves anything with sugar and can eat a ton. He also loves his applesauce pounces and eats probably around eight a day. I always feel guilty for this, but then I figure it is better than eating a bunch of crackers or sweets. At least there is a little bit of nutrition in them! He also loves macaroni and cheese, bananas, broccoli, spaghetti, pizza, oranges, grapes, cheese, yogurt, sandwiches (or at least my sandwiches), strawberries and much more. I love that he actually eats or will try things I make unlike his picky big brother! He drinks some milk, but not nearly the amount that Luke drinks.
Caught red handed!
17. Lastly, Ben loves to swing still. We got a new swing set in the back yard and we spend so much time out there swinging away. I push him and he yells "higher!" over and over again. It makes his day to swing!
Ben has taught me so much as a parent. I never knew I could love two children as fiercely as I do with my little men. I have two boys, but two VERY different boys. And I love it. I love that Ben is his own person with own interest, but is also very connected to his older brother. I think this is just the beginning of some amazing (and exhausting!) years!
Ben blowing out his candles on his actual birthday
