Friday, April 30, 2004
Okay so I've been waiting for the opportunity to blog the two examples of Benny's embarrassingly low self esteem and now Dan is putting Benny to bed and Sadie's asleep in her bassinet so THIS IS MY CHANCE!
#1: We were at the playground which is divided into two areas by a small (fake) hill. Benny launched himself into the first part of the playground, and I, peeking around the hill, saw that there were some kids on the other side. "Benny," I said, "There are kids on the other side." So he went straight up and over the hill and I went around. As I came around I saw that the kids I had seen were actually three girls, probably about 10 or maybe 12. In short, not exactly perfect playmates for Benny. They were kind of lounging around on the playground equipment and talking. So I looked up at Benny who was cresting the hill, expecting him to be shy around these older kids. Ha. "HEY!!! KIDS!!!! HI KIDS!!!! I'M BENNY!!! I'M HERE!!!" This as he is hurrying anxiously down the hill with the air of one who has been long awaited and will be received with flowers and music. And you know... those girls played with him. He didn't give them a choice. It was EXTREMELY hilarious. He had them running up and down the ladders and sliding down the slides... and he was always in conversation -- "OH ARE YOU SLIDING? OH DO YOU LIKE THIS SLIDE? OH HI KID! YOU GO FIRST AND BENNY IS NEXT! OKAY!" Etc.
#2: I was trying to get Benny's pajamas on and he was flitting around his room like a little moth, not listening to me AT ALL. I finally got him to come to me and I was getting his pajamas on and saying, "Why do you ignore Mommy when I'm asking you to come here? You may not do that! When Mommy asks you to come, you come right away! You may not ignore Mommy!" We have discussed the meaning of the word "ignore" and I've been trying to impress upon him that it's not a good thing to do. So I was pressing him as to WHY he would ignore me, WHY he didn't come to me when I asked, and he said, "BUT MOMMY!!! There are all these PEOPLE here and they are WAITING to hear me READ!" And there WERE. There were about 20 pretend people who were all clamoring for him to read, and when given a chance to read, themselves, they were fighting over who would go first, and having to be stifled, and instructed on etiquette, and they were all VERY appreciative of Benny, and his instruction, and his reading, and everything about him. Amazing. He's imagined himself a fan club, and they have come to his room every night for three nights now. What a child.
#1: We were at the playground which is divided into two areas by a small (fake) hill. Benny launched himself into the first part of the playground, and I, peeking around the hill, saw that there were some kids on the other side. "Benny," I said, "There are kids on the other side." So he went straight up and over the hill and I went around. As I came around I saw that the kids I had seen were actually three girls, probably about 10 or maybe 12. In short, not exactly perfect playmates for Benny. They were kind of lounging around on the playground equipment and talking. So I looked up at Benny who was cresting the hill, expecting him to be shy around these older kids. Ha. "HEY!!! KIDS!!!! HI KIDS!!!! I'M BENNY!!! I'M HERE!!!" This as he is hurrying anxiously down the hill with the air of one who has been long awaited and will be received with flowers and music. And you know... those girls played with him. He didn't give them a choice. It was EXTREMELY hilarious. He had them running up and down the ladders and sliding down the slides... and he was always in conversation -- "OH ARE YOU SLIDING? OH DO YOU LIKE THIS SLIDE? OH HI KID! YOU GO FIRST AND BENNY IS NEXT! OKAY!" Etc.
#2: I was trying to get Benny's pajamas on and he was flitting around his room like a little moth, not listening to me AT ALL. I finally got him to come to me and I was getting his pajamas on and saying, "Why do you ignore Mommy when I'm asking you to come here? You may not do that! When Mommy asks you to come, you come right away! You may not ignore Mommy!" We have discussed the meaning of the word "ignore" and I've been trying to impress upon him that it's not a good thing to do. So I was pressing him as to WHY he would ignore me, WHY he didn't come to me when I asked, and he said, "BUT MOMMY!!! There are all these PEOPLE here and they are WAITING to hear me READ!" And there WERE. There were about 20 pretend people who were all clamoring for him to read, and when given a chance to read, themselves, they were fighting over who would go first, and having to be stifled, and instructed on etiquette, and they were all VERY appreciative of Benny, and his instruction, and his reading, and everything about him. Amazing. He's imagined himself a fan club, and they have come to his room every night for three nights now. What a child.
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
For the record: Benny is THE most adorable little boy EVER to walk the face of the earth. He is just really gripping at my heartstrings today. :) What an awesome little boy. He's going INSANE with the anthrocyanin pigment experiment. He wants to do it every day and he's getting very good at it. Everything he does just makes me laugh and smile or tear my hair out and weep. Hehehe. And we really have to work on his self esteem. I have some examples but I have to go.
Monday, April 26, 2004
Benny was having a slow meditative time in the bathroom and I was on the phone. When I was getting off the phone, I said, jokingly, "GODSPEED, FRIEND!" and hung up. Well, Benny heard that and was chuckling and saying "Godspeed, Friend!" I told him that's what you say when someone's leaving on a journey, you say "Godspeed!" to wish them speed and good luck. So he turned to the toilet, looked down at what was in it, and said, briskly, "GODSPEED, FRIEND!" and flushed the toilet. That was just one of those moments.
