I was a little caught off guard by how big he seemed. I know it's cliche, but it does really surprise me how fast he changes. He moves faster, I'm sure, because he has a big brother helping him along. Nevertheless, I want to make sure I remember this stage, before he runs off to tackle another.
More than anything, I want to remember how forcefully he moves through life. His energy and curiousity are endless, and I'm always thankful when we end a day without any major bruises. He's a climber, a jumper and a runner. The rest of us are just trying to keep up. So few are the times that he is still, that I took this photo the other day just to remember what it's like. He had woken up from a nap but wasn't quite ready to tackle the afternoon. I think he was about 3 months old the last time he sat still and let me hold him for that long.
Oh how I love those long blonde curls. John is dying for me to cut them, but I can't. The curls are perfectly paired with his piercing blue eyes, but few will let me claim his as my own. I still remember the first time I took the boys to Nashville after Ben was born. Pat started crying, overwhelmed by how much Ben looked like John as a baby. A mini-John, my friends call him.
When he's not wooing you with his looks, he's biting me or Jack -- especially when he isn't getting his way. Thankfully, my little selective vampire baby only bites me and his brother. He likes to push too, and I'm always unsure how to coach Jack to handle Ben's constant assaults. Mostly, Jack just looks at him and moves on.
When Jack does move, Ben is right behind him. This little brother is genuinely joyful to see Jack in the morning, and waits patiently for him each morning. "Shh, Jack sleeping," he tells me. When Jack does join us, Ben can't wait to play with every toy Jack picks up. When Jack heads upstairs to play Wii, Ben will follow, pick up a remote and wave it around. Sheer adoration.
His favorite phrases these days are:
"You did it, Mama!"
"I drop it."
"Shh, Daddy sleeping."
"I hold it."
He doesn't have a pacifier or a blanket, but is attached to his nighttime bottle, something I think I was supposed to wean him off of a year ago. He also provides nightly comedy at the dinner table, when he sits down to a hot meal. We've almost trained him to be too cautious. I caught the act on video a few weeks ago.
Some of my other favorites: He'll dance at the drop of a hat, loves to pull his diaper off and pee in the carpet, and hates to wear shoes. When we're out, I'm always looking around for his shoes and at Target, he likes to settle in, pull off his shoes, and then throw them in the back of the cart. He loves to watch Little Einsteins and Cars, and some Wiggles every now and then. Without Little Einsteins, I'm not sure how we'd all have a chance to get ready in the morning.
At school, Ben's teachers call him the Enforcer, because he's constantly reprimanding his classmates if they don't listen. If it's Circle Time, and Ms. Sheena asks you to come sit down, you better move it before Ben comes to find you.
He is a force. And just when you think he's going to slam into you, he'll lean in for a kiss. Just don't let him catch you off guard. He'll smile sweetly and then cut his eyes just enough that you know he's thinking about what's next. I pray he keeps that independent, fiery spirit forever.
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