HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEN!

The baby of the family turned TWO today! How is it possible that my little,tiny 10 pound baby boy is already running around the house, getting into things and giggling all the while? We were excited to celebrate his special day with him. We started partying a day early with Grandma and Grandpa's presents and then a trip to Baskin Robbins while we were still in Phoenix.He had a little clown ice cream cone, the same thing I had for one of my birthdays when I was young! Usually we decorate the birthday kids bedroom after they fall asleep so when they wake up, their room is full balloons and streamers, but this year we were delayed overnight in Denver. We were all still awake when midnight rolled around so we started wishing him Happy Birthday right away!
We arrived home before lunch so we ate at Pizza Hut, one of Ben's favorite places. I made him a white cake with white frosting and puppy paw prints all over it.Nick and I hung streamers and set out puppy plates and napkins. We sang Happy Birthday and I was surprised that he knew just what to do after the song...blow out the candles and then lick the frosting off the bottoms of them! Chris had picked out a new basketball hoop and two new balls for him and he was THRILLED!

Ben is a busy little boy, but he couldn't be any sweeter or more entertaining. The whole family adores every little thing he does. He is such a ball boy. And a dog boy. And a climber. There isn't a ball he doesn't want, a dog he won't approach, or a bar stool he won't scale. He is into everything-cupboards, toilets, purses, you name it. Nick calls him "curious" and I think that's a good word for the little guy.

Chris is proud to call him a rocker. He has crazy curly hair that hangs in his eyes and down his back. He loves Ozzy Osbourne and plays his air guitar to any song with an electric guitar. His favorite song is "Iron Man," and often I hear him walking around the house singing, "Du Du DuDuDu Du-Du Du-Du Du-Du Du DuDuDu." Chris is currently shopping for an AC/DC t-shirt for him...

Ben picked up sign language at about 15 months but, just recently, started to really talk. I am sure that he would have started talking on his own soon enough, but his pediatrician wanted him evaluted by a speech therapist. We had him evaluated and now there is a therapist that comes to the house each week. They play speech-related games with together,which he loves, and it gives me new ideas of things to do with him so it's been a good thing. Here are the words he says at two: momma, dadda, hi, "ta-da!", uh-oh, bye-bye, dog, "Arlie", be-boll (basketball), come, "it" (sit), "cuck" (truck), "be-beep" (bird/tweet tweet), "boop" (boot), "shoo" (shoe).

Ben, I feel so blessed to be your mommy! You make me smile every day with the cute things you do and say. I love it when you take my hand and lead me to where you want me. I love how you always need a good-bye kiss and then blow kisses and wave until I am out of your sight. I love when you wrap your arms around my neck and rub your nose on me. I love your little teeth and your beautiful smile and that mischievous giggle I hear so often. Thank you for being so perfect and wonderful and for picking me to be your mommy. I love you birthday boy!