Benny's backpack

Ben had been asking me for a spiderman backpack. I wasn't sure why or even where he came up with the very specific idea of a "spiderman pack-pack". I kept telling him that we'd see.


A couple of weeks ago we were headed to Walmart and he said to me, "Mama, you pease buy mine spiderman pack-pack today?" Oh, so very polite and sweet. I told him that we would look and see if they had one. Plus I hoped we may find it on clearance if we did see one since school is back in full swing.

Sure enough they had one! It wasn't just spiderman but he didn't care, he was sooooo excited to have his very own "spiderman pack-pack"! He put it right on and it was so big on him but he loved it!

Then he commented about me dropping him and Maggie off at school. I said, "yep, we are dropping Maggie off at school now."

He said, "Mama, you drop me off at school too." I said, "No, you don't go to school yet." He, in his most serious way said, "Yes mama, now I have mine spiderman pack-pack so my go to school too!"

I told him that he wasn't big enough to go to school yet and that even though he has a pack-pack he can't go to school.

Oh, he cried, his heart was broken. He was so very sad. He really thought that once he had a pack-pack he could go to school. That was why he had been asking for one, but I didn't realize that.

Poor guy... He did get over it and still loves his "spiderman pack-pack"

However, he has not given up. In the past couple of weeks he has come to me a few times and said, "look mama, I bigger, now mine ready for school?"

Soccer

Fall is here, which means soccer season is here! Actually I am so behind that now soccer is half way done! But can you really blame me, I am busy?!?!?!? Soccer is three nights during the week and pretty much all day on Saturday.
Poor Maggie, I signed her up for a different league and they cancelled the team the day before it was supposed to start. By that point it was too late to sign her up for the town league so she isn't playing. Which is such a bummer because she was so excited about it!

So far the season is going very well. We have had lots of great weather with just a few days of not so great weather.
Look at these skies, oh, soccer days don't get better then this!

Katelyn is on a U10 team for the second year and is having a lot of fun. Her team is pretty young. It's nice to see her so confident.

Connor's team is also young but he is having so much fun and is playing really good! He has the same coach as last year which is great for Connor. He is a very devoted coach and doesn't coddle Connor which is just what he needs!

I got to cuddle with this kitten at the soccer field a couple weeks ago! Oh she was so sweet! The family was hoping some one would fall in love and take her home as she was the last of their cat's kittens that needed a home. Nope, she didn't come home with us although if it was up to the kids she surely would have. With Ben's high probability of severe allergies we won't get any more furry pets before having allergy tests done at four years old or older.

Even though Maggie isn't playing she loves to go watch whenever she can. She would go to all the practices and games if we would let her but too many nights out late don't do her mood very good so we have to limit the night games.

Of course Nana goes whenever possible!

Yay for Connor and go England!!!!

And yay to Katelyn and Crew!!!! I look forward to the second half of the season! I love soccer!

Man vs Food

Have you seen the show "Man VS Food"? It's on the Food Network.

Chris really likes the show and watches it often after the kids go to bed.

Connor came down a couple weeks ago after he should have been sleeping and caught a glimpse.

He is now slightly obsessed with the show.

And, although this isn't the greatest picture, I was impressed with his lego rendition of the show! If you know the show you will understand.

Our newest pet

This is the whooley bear caterpillar that the girls found a couple of weeks ago.

He has been named Mischief and has been living in his new home since the girls found him.

We planned to keep him for a short time until he spins his cocoon and turns into whatever he will turn into. However, in our research of what food he needs we discovered that he won't change until next spring. And the website we were looking at said something about "rescuing a whooley bear caterpillar and keeping him safe through the cold winter".

Great! Now we have a new pet! And we will need to some how get him some grass to eat during the winter. Luckily we have some expertise on this, hopefully JJ doesn't mind sharing.

So, we have a new pet and his name is Mischief.

And Ben makes me laugh, again...

Ben yells from the other room in a voice of disgust: "Mommy, I have mine booger on mine hand! Can you come get it from me?"

Me, yells back in normal voice: "Oh, you have a booger on your hand and you want me to come get it from you?"

Ben: "Yup."

I get up and walk in there. I grab the boogers off the fingers he is holding up in the air with a look of absolute disgust on his face.

I say with sarcasm that is completely lost on a two year old: "Oh, thank you, Mommy just loves boogers."

To which Ben replies, "Oh, Mommy loves boogers? Yuck, my don't like boogers!"


This is just one of the two hundred times that little guy has made me laugh today!

Maggie's adenoids are gone!

A couple weeks ago we headed to the hospital nice and early for Maggie to have her adenoids out. She has needed them out for a while as they were pretty big. She snored louder then a bulldog and during the winter pretty much breathed through her mouth all the time because her nose was always full of gunk. Not to mention, she was the loudest breather ever.



She kept busy looking at pictures while we waited for it to be her turn in the OR. She was much more relaxed then I was. Although I was hiding it pretty well to keep her calm.

Chris stayed at home to get the kids on the bus and get Ben settled at a neighbors and then he came to the hospital. We figured he would have no problem getting there in time. Yep, we were wrong. Which was a problem because Chris is always the one that brings the kids into the OR.

Well, I had to pull up my big girl pants, and this lovely sterile outfit, and take her back because Chris hit traffic and didn't get there until a little while after Maggie went into surgery.

Surgery went great. No surprises. We like no surprises in this situation! Maggie woke up pretty upset but since we have done this before we know to expect that.

She was promised as many popsicles as she wanted for the whole day! When she found out that after she ate two with no problems she could go home she wanted to get started right away.

Daddy went down to get Maggie's medicines filled and came back with a cozy and snugly horse just for her. Which, not surprisingly, Maggie loved!

That afternoon Auntie Stephanie stopped by with roses which were BEAUTIFUL and Maggie thought she was just the princess to receive such a surprise.

Our sweet little neighbor girl, Christina, picked these flowers and gave them to Maggie! They were beautiful and so thoughtful.

After surgery we were given orders to keep things "low key" with Maggie for a week. Yep, obviously the doctor doesn't know our Maggie very well! It was all I had to keep her from climbing trees that afternoon!

Oh, and as a side note, probably a week after the surgery Katelyn said one morning, "Oh wow, I haven't heard Maggie snoring at all!" Looks like it was successful!

Tid-bits about Ben

For starters this guy is now over 2 1/2! Oh my, where has the time gone! He is so much fun and I just love this age.





His language has just exploded and he is talking in full blown sentences. We can have full conversations and I just love it. I seriously could listen to this guy talk all day. The things he comes out with are so funny.

Like when he is doing something, almost anything, and I ask him why, he answers, "Because my two!" Like that should be a reason to be going into the fridge and eating a stick of cream cheese.

When it's time to go somewhere or stop doing something he will say, "pay few minutes?" (Play a few minutes?)
Or when he says, "Mere a sedon pease" which means "Come here a second please"

"Gooboy, gooboy, gooboy" when he rubs my face to his is a favorite of mine! Especially since I have no idea where he came up with it.

He has such wonderful manners, almost always saying please when he wants or needs something, and "welcome" when he gets it. If he does say thank you it's pronounced, "Daapoo" but he hasn't quite figured out when to use thank you and your welcome. Which, honestly, I love, because it shows me he is still little!

He has had eating therapy now for a year and is doing AMAZING! He is down to once a month visits now!!!! For the first few months it was once a week so that really shows how far he has come. We have even discussed having him discharged but want to wait until we wean him off his appetite stimulant. We gave that a try this past spring again but failed pretty bad so I am hoping this try will be better!

He sleeps a lot less then he used to but I think he is more on a "normal" toddler sleeping schedule. He used to sleep so much it concerned me. Although, I won't lie, him sleeping late in the morning made getting the other kids out the door for school a lot easier!

Oh, and two and a half weeks ago we made the big jump to big boy undies! Yep, potty training and it has been going really well. Some days he still has accidents, like when he is so busy playing he doesn't stop, but most days are accident free.

He absolutely LOVES playing hide and seek but hasn't really figured it out yet. It is just hilarious and I LOVE to play it with him! He hides in the same place every single time. Oh, and he tells me where before he hides. I walk around, loudly saying where I am looking for him, and after a minute I say, "Oh, let me check in the closet". When I open the door he is beaming and laughing and is so excited I found him! Oh, it's such a moment. We can do it 15 times and it still makes me laugh every single time!

Now that school has started Ben and I have some mommy and Ben time every day. Although he spends a chunk of it napping. I think we are both cherishing the quiet times. I know I am because it won't be long before he is climbing on that bus too!

He is doing great!

He is so much fun!

I LOVE this boy!