Growing Up.

We are loving the teases of warmer weather and longer days!  It is so nice to come home from Bennett's evening t-ball practice and still have an hour of sunlight and warmth to play outside before heading in for bedtime routines.  Now if we can just convince the warmer days to stick around...

 

It is difficult to believe we are in the home stretch of Bennett's first school year.  He has grown and learned so much over the past year - makes us excited for more!  We are looking forward to his Spring Sing and Artist Showcase in early May before moving on to JK Bike Day and Field Day to round out the school year. 

 

Elly Rose refers to gymnastics as "school" and inquires about going nearly everyday.  Last night daddy and Bennett joined us as spectators and she was SO excited to perform for an audience.  In other "big girl" news, over our stay-cation spring break, we potty trained Elly Rose.  She was more than ready for the task and has yet to look back. 

 



 

 If Elly Rose spots a camera or phone (especially Papaw's phone...he loves snapping pics of his grandchildren), she immediately says, "Cheese!" giving us the most interesting face to photograph.  I caught this one about half-way in to the full expression with my phone...

 

Bennett's bed finally arrived over spring break!  He was so very excited to have multiple possibilities in sleeping arrangements (includes a trundle) and he loves that his mommy and daddy (or both!) can lay next to him before bed.  He still calls for us when he wakes from nap or in the morning...I keep waiting for an unexpected Bennett appearance downstairs...

 

 Funny (or sad) story from the other day - Zach and Bennett upstairs picking out clothes to play outside...Bennett selects his t-shirt for the day and says he will also wear it to school the next day.  Zach encourages him to pick a different shirt to play outdoors because it is likely this one will get dirty and be unavailable the next morning for school.  Zach exits room, but hears some loud shuffling...Bennett followed Zach dragging his laundry basket explaining that all he needs to do is place the shirt in the basket after wearing, then it will be clean.  Hmmm...I might need to teach Bennett the next 5 steps required before his shirt is actually clean.

 

 

We enjoyed a super fun visit from Charley this past weekend!  We were lucky to celebrate her 2nd Birthday while she was here with her mama!  It was such a treat to spend some time together.  We really enjoyed watching the cousins play, and I hope we never go nearly a year between in-person visits again.  Elly Rose keeps asking, "Where is Charley?"

 



 

Lucky for us, we will have the opportunity to have the whole crew together for some extended time this summer.  Looking forward to more park, swim and playdates then!

Spring?

Thought it was time to sneak in a quick post before March gets away from me!  It is difficult to believe that Easter is one week away, spring breaks begins today, Bennett is all set for t-ball, Elly Rose has completed week 2 of gymnastics and the weatherman is predicting SNOW for the weekend...

 



 

While spring officially arrived yesterday, we have long been ready for it in our home.  Each time I hear the 5-day forecast my patience is tested a little more.  Not much we can do to change the weather, but goodness are we ready for spring.  Actual conversation today with a colleague concluded with, "Well, if we do get enough snow, lets meet here on Monday morning so our babes can sled together....over SPRING BREAK!"

 

 

Otherwise, we really are cruising along- thankful for our healthy family and hopeful to begin enjoying quality outdoor time together soon.  I am looking forward to the break with my babes.  Elly Rose and I had a nice morning together for a quick visit to the pediatrician for her 2 1/2 year well baby visit.  She continues to be our little spark plug and experienced a little growth spurt since 2 year appointment.  She is 35.5 inches tall (2 inches taller) and 26.4 pounds (1.4 pounds more).

She loves gymnastics, playing cars with bubby, watching the IU song on you tube and playing in her new little house.  For Bennett, the academic piece continues to evolve.  He is sounding out first letter sounds in words to try and understand spelling/reading, he loves to clap the syllables in words, and after a long, cozy 4 years in his crib/toddler bed is pretty excited about the upcoming transition to his big boy room.  I am so fortunate to be a working mom who is able to be on the same campus as Bennett.  This provides me with so many little opportunities to see him and for us to spend a little time together.  After a big bump to the head on the playground yesterday, he spent the afternoon hanging in my office...so incredibly thankful for this!

 



 

 

I can't leave out a big, "GO IU!" as march madness is in full swing as of yesterday and today!  This photo was taken exactly one year ago (notice the bare legs!?) as we watched round 2 of the tournament with family.  We are hoping to spend our next few weekends doing this same thing!

Details



Watching Bennett progress through this school year has been such a gift.  While still primarily focused on play, he has been showing us more and more how eager he is to learn and understand the world around him.  This progression has primarily been slow and steady, but something amazing happened upon his return to school following winter break.  It really was one of those light bulb moments.  And it caught the attention of all of his teachers (in a good way)!

 



Bennett is so aware of detail in all of his drawings, coloring, and craft projects.  He talks about it daily...constantly telling us about the detail of a picture book he has created at school (literally...a book - stapled and several pages long - leaving no creative detail uncovered).  He continually tries out his french and spanish and even asked Zach and I to ask him questions so he could answer us in sign language. 

 



 

He now has such high expectations of himself that we are continually reminding him that he does NOT have to completely start over on a coloring project because of one small detail mistake.  It has been fun to see this side of him emerge.  All that said, we are SO looking forward to warmer weather and longer days to play outdoors.  Bennett is going to begin t-ball this spring, and while I am certain dandelions and dust will capture his time and attention, I am excited to see him begin to learn and understand sports and sportsmanship!

Our babes do love their doggy!  Doesn't the love look mutual?  Bennett is always asking us to take pictures of him and Fenny together - on this morning Elly Rose joined in for a snap with my phone.

 



 

Elly Rose is convinced that, and I quote, "IU boys take their pants off!"  I have had to clarify this statement that she proudly makes to others a handful of times!  Bennett has the IU candy stripe "tear away" pants and they both belly laugh if we "tear" the pants from him.  Plain and simple to Rose, "IU boys take their pants off." Oh, and she thinks every basketball team is "Yogi." (IU's freshman point gaurd.)

 

She continues her very best effort to keep up with Bennett.  Two things I really notice about her right now...she loves to sing and she loves to read books.  She will try to sing along with anything from toddler tunes to the avett brothers.  She asks us daily if she can go to school with Bennett - this little love is determined to learn and keep up with her brother. 



December Fun.

We started off the final month of 2012 right by going tree-hunting on the morning of December 1 and spending that evening with great-grandpa.  Living in Florida, it is not often that we get to see him in December - this was a special treat for my entire family.

 



 

Bennett and Elly Rose warm right up to him.  They, too, know he is special.  Just today, for one reason or another I stated to Bennett, "I am your mother." 

Changing the subject, he said, "Who is my grandma and grandpa?" 

Me: "Memaw, Papaw, Grams and Poppy are your grandparents.  Why?" 

Bennett: "You forgot great-grandpa.  He lives in Florida."

Warms my heart.

 

We finished off the first weekend in December with tree decorating.  Bennett was very focused on this task.  There was not stopping him until nearly every ornament was on the tree. 

Saturday-morning gingerbread house making. Both littles loved the task of applying (and eating) candy to the rooftop and sides.  We displayed them all month.  This year the holidays were just that much easier for them to comprehend and discuss...understanding the birth of Jesus, an Elf named Nick joined our family and we found ourselves able to attend holiday parties with greater ease.

We visited the gingerbread house display at Conner Prairie for inspiration and made a couple trips to the Winter Wonderland at the Children's Museum.  The slide was a favorite for both babes.

Checking out the big white beard and sharing their wish lists.  When asked,  Bennett always had the same answer, "Don Crumlin, Becky Wheelin and a flatbed truck with a bulldozer."  Elly Rose's answer only varied by type of food - you might get anything from fruit snacks to cheddar bunnies...

Bennett nose-to-nose with a horse following our carriage ride at the annual MHCC Christmas party.  Look at Rosie's expression - I don't even think she realized a horse was our transportation until we stepped off the carriage...

FREEZE!  Poppy and Elly Rose showing their dance moves.  Love her looking up at him!

Bennett modeling his snowman scarf.  He literally could not contain himself following the first snow fall.  We were staying at my parents house and he was a broken record of, "can we go play in the snow?"  It was so cold and windy, but we braved it so he could get it out of his system!

Christmas Eve at my parents' home.  We spend the entire day with my family and it is chaotic and magical all at the same time.  Both Bennett and Elly Rose adore their cousins and more and more often, we are able to relax and just let them play together.

The out-takes I have of this are hysterical.  All happy to sit (gift opening up next!) and smile.

Bennett and big Buzz.  A holiday favorite.

Elly Rose conning papaw into sharing his icy punch.  She conned anyone and everyone who had a cup into sharing.

 

Papaw playing santa while the three littlest grandbabies play in Juno's new dog bed (she joined the Prather family in summer 2012). 

 

More fun to come soon..... 

Bennett is 4!

Per usual...this post is running a bit behind.  About one month ago, we celebrated Bennett's 4th birthday...for an entire week!  Festivities began on Election Day.  The Ford Family turned our polling place into a temporary circus with B and ER doing their best to help complete the ballot and applying and re-applying stickers to any willing participant.  

...then off to school!  First time to celebrate his birthday with a class.  It was so cute.  Bennett proudly carried the earth around the sun 4 times, stopping each time on the month of November so the song could begin again.  Bennett's teacher is simply amazing.  

 

 

 After finishing the song and sharing with the class what he brought to share, all the children enjoyed a yummy treat and my little guy felt so special.
 

 

Blowing candles out of his iced sugar cookie with the Prather/Quinnette crew (plus firemen) later in the week.  Bennett was very specific about his dessert choice - no cake, no cupcakes.  Iced cookies...we obliged - 3x over.

 



 

...And finally celebrating with friends on the weekend.  Bennett's continued interest in firetrucks and firemen lead us to yet another fireman-themed party.   He had a blast!  It was an incredibly warm day for November and the festivities included time in a bounce house, along with face painting, "pin the hat on the dalmation dog" and more cookies!

 



Happy Birthday, Bennett!  We love you to the moon...and back.