The snow is melting... Finally!

This was an interesting week.  More specific reasons as to why will be in a different post, but Bennett had some quality Mum and Dad time this week, staying home on Monday and Tuesday, and then again on Friday when he had a couple of appointments.

On Monday he was home with Daddy.  They watched some Curious George, and this was the position he sat in to watch.  (Not the best picture, but it was a cell phone self portrait, so what do you expect?)  I guess being draped across Daddy's legs is comfortable?  He sat in a similar pose for me on Tuesday as well.

I made Bennett a couple of pairs of pants.  Here's one of them.  I was trying to use fabric I already had, so some of the fabric choices are interesting, to say the least.  These almost look like PJ pants.  Finally I gave in and went to the fabric store.

We had lots of fun playing with Duplos.  I keep wondering if Bennett would do ok with regular Legos (or at least the larger blocks- not the tiles or plates) but then we break down and buy him more Duplos.  But we all had lots of fun playing and building.  We made lots of stores, houses, etc.  Bennett still likes to destroy our creations more than build them, but he does do some building as well.

This pile of snow looks huge here, but as of this morning, it's much smaller and I imagine it will be all gone either today or tomorrow.  What a difference a week makes! 

At any rate, on Tuesday after Daddy got home we went out to play for a little while.  Bennett found a stick and thought that poking and stepping in the snow was fun.  And seeing my garden reminds me that soon I should get out there and plant some peas and maybe some other early things like lettuce.  (I think it's still a little early for broccoli.)

It's a little small and hard to see, but here's another pair of pants I made.  These are striped fabric.  I like them, but Chris thinks they look like prison pants.

As I mentioned here, Bennett had his first visit to the dentist on Friday.  He did awesome!   In the afternoon he saw his pediatrician, just to touch base and see how he's doing.  (I have no idea with what frequency most kids see their doctors, but I think we get extra appointments due to his heart and speech delay.)  His stats are that he now weighs 28.2 lbs (30th percentile) and is 37" tall (80th percentile).  I had thought he weighed a bit more, but I guess I was wrong.  He also got measured on the big boy scale and his height was taken standing up for the first time, rather than laying down as has been done in the past.

Saturday was skating and errands and then in the evening Bennett went to a seder with Nana and Grandpa while Mummy and Daddy went to OSV for Dinner in a Country Village, a program "where costumed interpreters oversee the preparations, but the guests do the roasting, baking, and mulling. Participants roast meat using a tin reflector oven, fire a brick bake oven, and mull spiced cider over the hearth before sitting down to enjoy the results, all by candlelight."  It was a lot of fun and we would love to go back again.  Although we are thinking it might be more fun to go with a group of friends.  They are already booking for next year (and some dates are sold out) so check your calendars and let us know what might work for you!

Here's Chris skewering the chickens to prepare to roast them.

And here I am whipping cream with a twig whisk.  This was a group project since it takes a while and your arm quickly gets tired.

On Sunday Bennett woke up to see that the Easter Bunny had visited!  The Bunny knows Bennett well and he got some play eggs, stickers, a Curious George book, Curious George puzzles, chapstick, and M&Ms.  He also got a toothbrush, which is still pretty exciting to a toddler.

Here he is looking at the puzzles.  You can see some eggs on the floor at his feet.  And why yes, he is wearing Christmas PJs on Easter. 

After getting dressed it was time to search for eggs.  Most of the eggs were empty, but a few of them had some small plastic dogs inside.

After church Uncle Andrew and Aunt Gentry came over.  They had fun playing with all the Easter grass.  Luckily it was made from paper, so it didn't make as much of a mess as the plastic kind would have.

After lunch we went to visit Mimi, and then it was home for a late, and much needed, nap.  What a busy day!

And now for a couple of videos.

We had no idea that Bennett knew this word, but he started saying it all on his own!

Lots of friends and family had March birthdays, so here's a rendition of Bennett singing Happy Birthday.

And another plea for donations as we walk to raise money for Boston Children's Hospital.  Here is a link to the team's page. We would love it if you would sponsor Bennett or Fiona (or really any of us, as the adults are required to raise a minimum of $150).  No worries if you can't, but even $5 or $10 can help make a difference.

A visit to the dentist

On Friday Bennett had his first trip to the dentist, and he did awesome!  He probably should have had his first visit a while ago, but I put it off because we weren't sure if we wanted him to go to a pediatric dentist or to the dentist we see.  I often say that I've been to my dentist since I had teeth (not entirely correct since my dentist passed away and someone else took over the practice, but it's the same building and some of the same people) so I felt a bit guilty for wanting to take him elsewhere.  But Chris and I thought a pediatric dentist might work better for him since they have more experience with kids.

We started to prep him for his visit a week or two in advance.  Nothing major, just reading a couple of books we have about teeth/ the dentist and letting him know he was going to go and that he'd have to hold his mouth open for them, etc.  And I guess it worked, because he was fabulous.

Here the hygienist is showing Bennett her special "tickle brush".  She showed it to him first on his finger so that he could get used to how it felt.

Then she showed him her mirror and let him look at himself in it.

 

Then it was time for the cleaning.  He did well with the brushing and polishing, but when she started to scrape the tartar, that's when he got a little fidgety and wanted to hold on to me.  About a week ago we noticed some discoloration behind his bottom front teeth, so she worked on that to scrape it off.

While we waited for the dentist, Bennett got to pick out a couple of stickers, and they brought over some crayons and a coloring page to keep Bennett entertained.  Then the dentist came in.  You can tell how at ease Bennett was during the whole thing by how he's sitting here!  When she started doing more scraping he did need to hold my hand again, but that didn't surprise me.  

The dentist mentioned that the discoloration looked like iron stains to her.  Not sure where that would have come from.  But it's just on the tartar/plaque, so not anything to be too concerned about.  They got most of it off.  They probably could have gotten more, but since Bennett was squirming they didn't want to push him too much.  If in 3-4 months we notice it's getting really bad she suggested we come back in, but otherwise there's not harm in waiting 6 months until his next appointment.  And coming in earlier would just be to make it a little easier to remove it.

And when he was all done he got to pick out a prize.  He loved looking at all of the choices.  Pencils, erasers, poppers, bracelets, animals, etc.  In the end he chose a red plastic platypus.

Happy Spring?

A couple of mornings this past week we've gone into Bennett's room to wake him up and found him in interesting sleeping positions.  Here's just one- diagonally across his bed, with his head underneath the pillow.

The boy loves pancakes.  We eat them at least once a week for dinner.  We now need to make a double batch.  This gives us a few leftovers that we freeze and then bring them out for breakfast at some point.  Bennett was particularly messy on this occasion.

On Tuesday it snowed.  (What?  Isn't it just about spring?)  At school they went out to play and his teacher sent me this picture.  She said that right after she took the picture she threw it at one of the other teachers, who just happens to be her mom.  So where's the fine line between "don't throw things at people" and "snowball fights are fun"?

After school Bennett helped Daddy finish shovel the driveway, but I think he had more fun playing in the giant pile of snow from the plow (we still have snow from the storm in early February) sliding down it, etc.

Wednesday was Grandma Tedford's birthday, so we Skyped to with her a Happy Birthday.  I can't even begin to imitate how Bennett says "Happy Birthday" but it's pretty cute.  A couple of his cousins were visiting Grandma and he suprised us by being able to recognize them.  I guess looking at their pictures every day on the wall has paid off!


We stopped at the grocery store after school one day.  While we were in the check out line one of the cashiers gave Bennett a sticker.  She kiddingly told him to put it on his nose, so he did.  :)

Since St. Patrick's Day was over the weekend, they've been celebrating it all week at school.  On one day they received these rainbow headbands.  We had it sitting on the table in the front hall, so Bennett grabbed it and put it on.  (FYI- that's the expression that he makes when he says "cheese".)

On Friday he turned two and a half years old!  It also is Alexander's birthday.  On the way to school I had Daddy text Alexander's mom to wish him a Happy Birthday.  Then Bennett heard us and started singing Happy Birthday.  At first we thought he was just singing, but then he said Alexander's name at the end- right before he "blew" out the candles.

This weekend was spent at home, free of activities.  To break things up a bit, I brought up this Vintage Fisher Price Little People House that had been in the basement.  (We bought it at the church rummage sale when I was pregnant, so it's been sitting around for a bit now.)  Bennett LOVED it!  He pretty much played with it nonstop for 3 hours.  The next day I tried putting it away since we didn't have a good place to put it.  After his nap he started walking around the house asking about his "house".

We also had fun with fruit this weekend.  This all started when Bennett gave me a bowl of fruit to eat.  I thought it would be funny to just put my head in the bowl and have the fruit go everywhere.  Well someone thought that was HILARIOUS, and then we had to play this game numerous times for the rest of the day.

We also got a new set of Duplos.  It's a construction set and it has an axel that holds the scoop part of the front-end loader.  When Bennett first saw it he started using the axel as a trumpet.  When we put it to use as an axel, he looked all over saying, "where?"  (Only he says this in a Boston accent that sounds like "way-a".  Super cute!)

These next pictures are from Alexander's birthday party last weekend.  I can just imagine Bennett thinking, "I have no idea what this Star Wars thing is, or what exactly a light saber is, but playing with the big kids is fun!"



Food, a plea for donations, and a week of fun

This week was amazing in terms of Bennett eating foods that he normally wouldn't eat! 

• Chicken is one of those hit or miss foods.  Normally it's a miss.  But on Sunday we roasted a chicken and Bennett kept asking for more that night and he ate it later in the week as leftovers as well
• Wednesday, after months of offering and Bennett refusing, he ate broccoli!  And he kept asking for more.
• Thursday he ate scrambled egg, after rejecting it on previous attempts.  He tried a bite and although he didn’t spit it out, based on his facial expression I don’t think he liked it. He later piled it on top of his toast and ate a lot of it that way. After the toast ran out he tried another plain bite and spit it out.

Since we have amazing friends who also have great appreciation for Boston Children's Hospital, we've decided to form a team!  Please consider donating to Bennett or to any of the other team members (especially Fiona).  If you want, you are also more than welcome to join our team and walk with us.  The more the merrier!  (But be forewarned, if Bennett walks the route, which we hope he will, we will be moving at a snails pace- or maybe even slower!)

And now for the photos!

Ever since last week's giggle-fest video where we played with the puppet and the doll, Bennett has been playing with them a bit more.  On this occassion we were reading to the doll. 

And here's a video of us reading.  Towards the middle I try to get Bennett to say "horse".  He refuses.  For some reason, this is one animal he only makes sounds for- he won't say the name.

One night he decided to draw/write in this notebook that had been on the table.  All of a sudden we heard, "B-E-N..."  He then kind of trailed off a bit into indistinguishable letters.  We tried to get him to do it again on video with less than stellar results.  Apparently at school, every time they write his name on something they spell it out, which is where he's picked this up.  I think we need to work on letters a bit more at home, now that he pretty much has all of his colors.

Saturday was a busy day.  We had skating in the morning.  Chris realized he distracts Bennett way too much, so he can't watch anywhere near him.  Instead he came down to my end of the rink and watched the adult class.  He did happen to see when Bennett fell and hit his face on the ice (good thing he was wearing a helmet).  Luckily Bennett is fine, although I think the teachers were a bit worried.

After nap we had friends come over so that we could pass along some outgrown clothes and a few toys.  Jack is 14 months old, so this works out well to pass things along.  Not too much time between Bennett outgrowing things and Jack needing them.  And who doesn't like free clothes!  Bennett also did well sharing his toys.  We weren't sure how he would do- the last time other kids were over he was a bit possessive.  And lately Bennett likes to say that everything is "mine".

When Jack and his parents left Bennett played with the rice bin and then playdough.  Plus he colored with markers.  Wow, three of his favorite things!

Sunday was another jam-packed day.  We started off at Sturbridge, getting there right when they opened.  A lamb had been born this week, but I think they must have been keeping all of the ewes and the lamb somewhere away from the public, because all we could find were the rams.

Before we went into the village we looked through the visitor center.  Here's an early potty chair, complete with chamber pot.  Later when we were on the farm, the interpreter mentioned that babies would start sitting on the potty even before they could sit up on their own (high back, high sides on the chairs to keep them upright).  Washing and changing diapers is too much work!

Since it was St. Patrick's Day there was extra music, dancers, etc.  We listened to this group for a while, but then Bennett wanted to keep moving.

Bennett was eager to try this out.  He walked behind it on his own, but then needed Daddy's help to reach the opening.

The stilts were out at the schoolhouse.  When Bennett saw Mummy using the stilts he wanted a try.  In a couple of years I imagine he'll be using them all on his own.

  

After Sturbridge we headed off to Alexander's 6th birthday party.  We were later than anticipated since it took us longer to get there than we thought, but after acclimating to a new place, Bennett had fun playing lightsabers with the older boys.  They had the "real" lightsabers, and Bennett used a foam one.  He also tried out the hula hoop.  Playing with new toys is lots of fun!

Then we headed home, exhausted with just enough time for some books and toys before dinner and bed.

Fun around the house and in the snow

 Thank you to those who have sponsored us already in our walk for Boston Children's Hospital.  If you haven't yet but still plan to, there is still plenty of time!  The walk isn't until June.  (This likely means that you will be hearing from me until then asking for donations.)  You can sponsor Bennett, me, or Chris.  Just click our names to take you to the donation pages.  If you are trying to decide who to sponsor, our preference would be for you to sponsor Bennett.

And now for pictures and videos from the past week.

You may think that Bennett is eating toast in this next picture, but you would be wrong.  What looks like toast is actually a pancake, possibly Bennett's favorite food (other than fruit).

Someone had a major case of the giggles!  He was laughing even more before we started recording!  He thought that the puppet drinking from the cup was the best thing ever!

 

On Tuesday Daddy had to work late.  When we were mostly done with dinner we video chatted with Daddy.  And then Daddy started making funny faces at Bennett, so of course then Bennett had to make silly faces at Daddy.

Here he is from Daddy's point of view.

On the way home from school one day Bennett wanted to sing The Wheels on the Bus.  I tried to record him by holding up my phone from my seat in the car (Don't worry, I wasn't driving.) which is why it's kind of jerky and not great quality.

Friday we had another snow storm.  Luckily our plow driver cleaned up most of the snow while we were at work, but we had a bit of cleaning up to do when we got home.  Bennett got a bit better about not shoveling snow back onto the driveway.  Even if he had though, we wouldn't have cared because he was happy and he was letting us do what we needed to do.

And here's a quick video of him shoveling.

Bennett has always been interested in what we are cooking.  He'll ask to be picked up and we encourage him to get in his tower.  Sometimes he moves it closer to the counter (especially when he wants to sneak food) and we often have to push him back a bit for safety reasons. 

On this occassion he was very interested in the nachos that were been prepped- but probably because of the chips and the cheese.

After nap on Saturday we went outside to play in the snow.  Bennett wasn't too interested in making a snowman, but Chris and I had fun with that.  Unfortunately, about a half hour later it toppled over.  And although Bennett didn't play in the snow too much (although he did play more than we thought he might) he did have fun going down the slide and playing on the swings.  The swingset has been pretty neglected this fall/winter due to cold and darkness. 

Here we tried having Bennett stand next to the snowman.  I think he thought we were trying to get him to measure himself against it or something, which is why he backed up to it.

Skating, cooking, and everyday life

Once again showing how thankful I am that we live in the greater Boston area, here's an article about advances being developed in the Cardiac ICU at Boston Children's Hospital (where Bennett spent the first 2 weeks of his life before being downgraded to the regular cardiac wing).


To help give back to Children's for all that they've done for us, we are walking to help raise money. Initially we hadn't set up a fundraising page for Bennett, but now we have. Please consider supporting one of the three of us. (But if Bennett meets his $500 goal, he will be considered a "Miracle Maker".  Here are the links to sponsor us:

Bennett
Mummy
Daddy

And now for some pictures!

Bennett is pretty awesome.  Well, we knew that, but in this case I was meaning that he's pretty awesome about showing affection.  I know this won't last forever, so I'll take it while I can.  Pretty much any time we ask for a hug or a kiss, we get one. And this boy gives awesome hugs!

I think we may have figured out Bennett's favorite food.  Pancakes.  When he sees us getting eggs out of the fridge he thinks we also need a bowl, a whisk and the cookbook.  These days we have to make a double batch because a single batch isn't quite enough.  Leftovers get frozen and make a quick and easy breakfast.  Eating (and cooking) pancakes is serious business!

Trying to get the bag in the trash can.  This requires lots of shaking of the bag and then shoving it into the trash can.  Folding the edge over the can, however, is optional (to Bennett).

The train fairy came to visit!  We've had the train table put away since before Christmas.  I brought it up from the basement one night and Chris and I set up the track.  Bennett was so excited when he saw it the next morning.  He saw it when he was halfway down the stairs and started exclaiming about the choo choo.  A friend of mine passed along some trains from her son as well as some clips that hold the tracks together.  They worked awesome on the elevated sections- especially since we don't have enough risers to hold it all up otherwise.  Bennett is loving this, and playing with it multiple times a day.

We've given Bennett an old cell phone to play with.  The other night he was "talking" on the phone and trying to rest it on his shoulder.

I know this will come as a shock to you, but we went to Sturbridge on Sunday.  We mixed things up a bit and Bennett rode in the Boba on Daddy's back.  Here we are checking out the "ocken".

Every weekend in March OSV is having "Maple Days" where they boil the sap, cook with maple sugar, etc.  Towards the end of the visit we were at the fire where they were boiling the sap.  We were talking (and admiring the inside pockets on the woman's cloak) and Bennett had obviously had enough.  He kept asking for the oxen, the horses, etc.  Anything to try to get us to leave.  And then he asked for the "ock-neigh".  Hmm, I guess that's a combination of oxen and horse (Which he never says horse.  He always says "neigh".).  Then as we left that camp Bennett starts shouting, "BYE"  over and over again.  Luckily no other visitors were over there being disturbed by his shouts.  But the cute part was when the interpreters then shouted "bye" to him as well.
We also lucked out as we were leaving.  There's a patch of plants growing near the oxen in the center village.  And every time we walk past them I wonder what they are.  And every time I comment that I need to remember to ask someone.  As luck would have it, someone was walking by just then who overheard me and told us that the mystery plant is teasel.  Teasel is a biennial (takes 2 years to grow) and was used in the textile industry (and was still used fairly recently as a man-made version wasn't the same quality) to comb fibers in finished cloth- mostly for flannels, wools, etc.

Saturday was the start of a new skating session.  Daddy decided not to take lessons this session which means he gets to take pictures and videos.  Unfortunately he's a bit of a distraction to Bennett, although in this video he's distracted more by the other kids.  It's also nice though to be able to better see his progress than trying to watch from the other end of the rink.  He also lucks out and gets a teenage helper for pretty much one-on-one assistance during the class!

Bennett loves breakfast, in particular, pancakes.  And lately, he always wants a "nice" (knife).  He has a couple of play ones that he loves to use, and he likes to go into the silverware drawer and get us knives to use for dinner.  (Don't worry, they aren't sharp.  The sharp knives are all out of reach.)