Ben v3.5

Yes, in what seems like the longest (many days) year of his life, Ben has hit the half-way point.   What I can say after half of this third year is that the trying times are more trying than I dreamed, but the fun times are exponentially more amazing.  When I taught preschool in high school and college, the three-year-olds were always my favorite and Ben reminds me it's because they were such amazing little sponges of words and knowledge and opinions.  I will say not keeping them through the dinner hour probably helped in my adoration of them.

Ben's latest obsessions are helping us cook, playing for long periods with Play-doh, and per my last post, taking pics.
One day Ben drug his bed stool to the kitchen to help me cook and he's done the same for nearly every meal since.  He helps by "cook, cook, cooking, " which involves banging a plastic utensil repeatedly next to whatever is cooking and be being in charge of the spices.  In fact, I can stand him with salt, pepper and a bowl and he entertains himself for long stretches.  While I'm absolutely thrilled with his help, it does make cooking lots more stressful in terms of keeping him safe and maintaining safe food-prep standards too.   I'm learning how to make it fun for both of us and to allow some extra time when he is helping.

Ben also has a new-found interest for playing with play doh. I will say he needs a little help with the imagining what to create and he does love to repeatedly attempt to eat the play doh until I give him the look.  I love that it gives us a fun activity to do together that I have the energy for post-dinner.  Any activities that keep us away from the TV in the evenings make me happy, especially in these last few tough weeks of winter.

This Cheerio stacking project I found on Pinterest has been a god-send.

Ben still LOVES to "go sleeping, take naps, go under(the covers) or snuggle," which all mean snuggling in mom and dad's bed with Jelly and usually someone else.  This is actually still the activity that entertains him for the longest stretches and I almost never mind settling into bed for 20 minutes at 2pm. :)  He has also recently started asking for kissies on his owies and though I'm sad anytime he's hurt, I don't mind the sweet requests and how quickly my kisses make everything better.

Our musical monkey is being more aware of particular songs and finally expresses opinions about them.  He also requests I do or don't sing regularly while we're in the car though I've yet to find much of a pattern to his opinion.

Everyday he seems to make new connections from observances in his world and just today said, "Mommy we have a really big big problem (from the show Peg and Cat,) there is no Christmas Spirit! (Elf.)"  He followed it up by letting me know he didn't have any Christmas spirit today either.

Basketball rules this kid's world and his dribbling skills are really improving.  I fear the next visitors we have might be awakened with his early morning bouncing on the hardwoods.  Any visit to the playground must also include a visit to the basketball court and we don't dare leave the house without a ball.  I am admittedly happy to say he's been playing soccer with the boys at school and really enjoys that too.

Ben's favorite foods are definitely mac and cheese, pizza, and burritos.  He would eat burritos for 3 meals a day if I let him and with whole wheat tortillas, black beans, and just a little cheese, it's a favored food I can keep pretty healthy.   He does still love many veggies and every single fruit.  Fruit is definitely rationed around here and is typically dessert.  We have also moved to a point where if Ben gets too picky and refuses to eat something we think he should like, he can have whole-grain bread instead but nothing else. I refuse to be a short-order cook and Ben is clearly not starving.

The biggest challenges in parenting Ben right now are expending ALL HIS ENERGY which keeps him happy and keeping his clothes on.  Did I not mention above that his preferred mode of dribbling is naked?  I'd let him run around in his underwear if that would keep him happy but he demands total nudity.  While the appropriateness of this must vary from house to house, this germaphob mama demands undies!

Ben is continuing to love school and between school and home is showing great competency with most age-appropriate concepts.  Writing continues to be a struggle and is something Ben has absolutely ZERO interest in, but we keep practicing everyday.  I know he's only 3 but when kids in his class can write sentences, it's hard to keep perspective. He has shown growing interest in painting and other art projects lately so maybe the writing will follow. 

Their latest unit was on reducing/re-using/recycling.  This is re-use art. :)

I absolutely adore how out-going Ben is and he frequently asks strangers, (usually men) after patting their leg (and once in Home Depot a pot-belly,) "Hey Big-guy! How ya doing?" Yesterday after a young man nearly mowed over him in the mall, Ben patted his leg, said his usual and kept walking as the man responded.  Ben looked back and said, "It's ok, It's ok, but I just gotta get to the playground." It was such a grown-up and hilarious exchange.  

Three has been the year of greatest delight and entertainment but also DEFINITELY the hardest.  In recent weeks I've described Ben to Ryan as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," and "a loose cannon that can start firing at any moment." While Ben's language skills have improved by great strides, I do sometimes wonder if they tough moments are fueled by frustration in communicating.  Although, based on what I hear from other parents, Ben is "just being 3."  On most days he leaves his listening ears in his bed but that makes the days when he remembers them all the more delightful.  And while he tests us and his boundaries at every possible opportunity, he is quickly learning that mom and dad mean business and that we will indeed follow-through on loss of activities or objects.  He is also benefiting from short rests on some school days and I quickly realize which days will require said rest.

As trying as many moments are, I always...well, almost always, know a great snuggle or belly-laugh is just around the corner.  I am continually blessed to spend my days with my little prince and the knowledge he'll be gone from me all day all-too-soon motivates me to make the best of our time together.