Jail Break

Bennett &I haven't left our house in 2 days. We came home from church on Sunday morning, and we haven't left since. I mean, I've stepped outside three times, I think. Twice to take out the trash &once to help a friend carry some things to her car. Bennett- not at all.

I'd like to leave, but I honestly have no reason to go anywhere...&I won't until Friday morning. We drove to Altoona or Des Moines every day last week but Thursday, so my gas tank is glad to be sitting cozily in the garage for a few days. My bank account is thankful, too.

At lunch on Monday, I found a face in Bennett's Spaghettio's. A face. &I took a picture of it. It was exciting. I mean, I was excited to find a face in Spaghettio's. I think I need to get out of this house, &quick. If you see the face, you may need to get out as well. Please take me with you.

22 Months!

Bennett,

You have become such a big- little boy! When I look at you, I no longer see a baby. You carry on conversations with me now & that is definitely not a baby thing to do. I can't believe that you will be two in just a few months!

You are still pretty picky about what &when you want to eat. We've had several battles over this. My least favorite thing is when I ask you to open your mouth to eat &you put your hands over your open mouth. You're too smart for your own good!

You love cars. Toy cars, Cars the movie, actual cars. Love them. You point out every single semi-truck on the interstate on our frequent trips to Des Moines. You spend most of your day running around the house with your toy cars, humming the theme song from Cars 2. You also rather enjoy putting your toy cars in my drinks. It doesn't matter if it's water, pop or a smoothie, if I leave it where you can reach it, you will put a toy car in it. I'm pretty sure it stems from a few scenes in Cars 2.

While we aren't really potty training yet, you like to tell us when you have gone poopy. You run up to us and yell, "I did it! I went poopen!" We get really excited, even though that means we have to then change your poopy diaper.

You've been pretty clingy the last week or so. I can't decide what the problem is, but I guess there doesn't have to be a problem. I'm trying to keep my patience through the crying and enjoy the cuddles.

You love to wrestle with dad & I. Anytime we are on the floor, you run over and tackle us, yelling "TACK!" I'm a little worried that you'll do that to some unsuspecting child someday, but until that happens, we love it.

You will let your dad give you a bath, read you books & brush your teeth, but if I am home, you want me to put you to bed. We rock for a few minutes, listening to your new scripture lullaby CD, pray &then I lay you down in your crib with gobs of stuffed animals &often times a car or two. Sometimes you like to snuggle while we rock, but more often than not you will sit on my lap &talk to me about our day. Tonight, you wanted to cuddle and insisted on giving me tons of butterfly kisses. "Eyes, Mama!" You make me take off my glasses & smash your face into mine until we rub eyelashes. &I don't mind it at all. Not even a little bit.

You know what your name is &can tell me with a little bit of prompting. Sometimes you'll tell me that your name is "You". I love it!

You love it when we go to your grandparent's houses. You know exactly where they keep their toy cars. Which is good, since that is apparently what you spend the majority of your time thinking about. You love to play with your aunts & uncles &are always sad when we have to leave.

Bennett, when people told me how fast you would grow up, I believed them. I guess I didn't know just how fast they meant. I love you.

-Mama

Winter Who?

The weather here has been ca-razy! We've had several days in the 50's in the last week, which is super unusual for winter in the midwest! We've definitely taken advantage because the snow and frigid temps are inevitable.

Bennett &I have taken a couple of walks to the park near our house. Well, I've actually been jogging part of the way. I am absolutely not a runner. I have never enjoyed running, but recently, I've had several dreams where I've been running just to run and it felt awesome. So, with this inexplicable urge I've had, I've put our jogging stroller to use and it actually has felt good. I dunno...

Annnnyway....normally when we go to the park there's hardly anyone there. It's not a very big park, really, so a few kids feel like a lot. Apparently the whole neighborhood needs time in the sun as much as we do because it's been pretty full the last two times we've gone. Last time, Bennett didn't even want to get out of the stroller until most of the kids left. I guess they're super intimidating.

Today, there was one woman there with what I can only assume were her 9 daycare kids. While they were there, Bennett would only wander as far as the little slide so he could throw rocks on it. There were a few older kids who asked him if he wanted to play with them. He said "ok", but totally didn't have anything else to do with them. When they left a little while later, he yelled "BYE!" to them about 15 times and headed off to explore by himself. Well, until another little girl (who I'd guess to be about a year older than Bennett) came. I was expecting the same reaction that he had to the other kids. She came up to him and asked if he wanted to play and he said, "yah, ok." and hurried to go down the slide right after her. 21-month-olds are not predictable.

There was, of course, a huge fit thrown when it was time to leave. He got over it fairly quickly, but I felt a little bad dragging him away knowing that it will probably be a while before he gets to play outside again. Those cold temps are supposed to be here tomorrow.