Benjamin has a new imaginary friend. I feel partly responsible because he appeared after I was reprimanding Benjamin for his behavior. When I was done lecturing, Benjamin said "Jordy sits on his mat during lesson time" (what I was lecturing him about). I asked who Jordy was and he said Jord is his friend who is obedient. He hasn't left us since. Pinto and Kin Kin have been gone since Peter was born. We'll see what gets rid of Jordy! It's funny because when I was reading about 3 year olds online this is what was on the first site I pulled up:
Been asked to set an extra place at dinner for an imaginary friend yet? As many as half of preschoolers have a pretend buddy. These phantoms don't mean your child is lonely or maladjusted. In fact, kids with imaginary friends are more likely to grow up to be creative, cooperative, sociable, independent, and happy.
An imaginary friend can be human or animal and usually comes with a name and distinct personality. Part confidant, part playmate, part protector, and part scapegoat, they help kids practice relationship building and let them be in control for a change. A pretend friend can be a child's way of handling an increasingly demanding, expanding world.
Watching your child's interactions with her imaginary friend can give you useful insights into her fears and stresses.
It all matches exactly!
It was my year for our Anniversary surprise so I took Lamoni to Main Event and then to a local pizza buffet. I managed to keep it a secret til we got on the interstate and then he guessed it! Main Event was a blast and we were able to go in the morning when it wasn't busy so we didn't need to wait for things. I heard that during peak times you can wait about 3 hours for laser tag or the obstacle course! We were able to do laser tag twice. Super fun with two stories.
Hanging out with Aden.
We have a thumb sucker! He won't even take a pacifier anymore. He loves his thumb so much that he sucks it about half the time while nursing. I'm serious. I don't know how he does it but somehow he's able to get a suction.
Benjamin asks for Matthew park whenever I ask him which one he wants to play at.
A sign that Katheryn and Benjamin have been together - Screwdriver from Benjamin getting into Lamoni's stuff, and cooking utensils from Katheryn going through our drawers!
I can hear him coo just by looking at these pictures!
Hanging out after church.
They love each other.
Look at the rock wall he climbed all by himself.
I just love this cuddly boy! He is so soft and squishy and still melts when I hold him.
I have loved feeling like a stay at home mom since I cut my studio back from 30 to 11 students! It is so nice to have time. I teach 5 days a week but only a little bit in the morning OR the afternoon, never both. Before I was teaching 6 days a week morning AND afternoon. The first week with Lamoni at work I was out bringing product samples to some customers and Benjamin said "can we go to the temple?" That would have been out of the question before to have a spontaneous trip somewhere, but I just hopped on Paseo and drove to the temple. It was a blast.
One of Benjamin's favorite activities is to play Star Wars as a family - he plays the rhythm on his cello, Lamoni figured out how to play it on piano and I play violin. Peter sings.
I arranged for our play group to go have a tour of the fire station. It was a hit! In all of these pictures I had to say to Benjamin "show me you're excited." We literally practice having him show excitement because he has such a serious face when he is actually dying inside of how cool it is...
Here he is at cello group class. He participates great and is such a good listener when Miss Lisa teaches; he is still getting used to when the interns teach since he doesn't know them and prefers to watch from my lap so far until Miss Lisa comes up. He loves her! He told me after his second private lesson, "Miss Lisa is a nice lady." He is the far left one in these pictures. He fits in great in the class even though it's for ages 5 and up and he's 2! Every Wednesday he has a 15 minute private lesson and Saturdays are group class at UNM at 8 a.m.! Poor Lamoni. I have him go with me so he can attend the parent class (where he gets to learn the cello himself!) so I can stay with Benjamin and take notes so I can work with him better at home. Between work and 8 a.m. church he has a lot of early mornings.
Me: Are you a little boy or a big boy?
Benjamin: A big boy. Well, maybe a little bit of a big boy.
He told Katheryn out of the blue, "I just love you sooooo much!" and they gave each other a long hug.
He asks about everyone standing on street corners if they need "food or water or a home." He has so much empathy for them. I read their signs to him and if they need food we give them a bar from our stash. When I read to him that they are homeless he says in a sad voice, "Ohh, we should give them our home!" Once when I was trying to get him to happily go to bed I told him that some little boys don't have beds and have to sleep outside on the street (which he took literally as "on the street"). Later on he asked me if he could give his bed to the little boy who doesn't have one and asked where he was.
He has been getting really excited about Christmas and has me read him books about Santa already. He told me that he wants to play his cello for Santa. When I told him that Santa comes while we are sleeping he spent the next couple of days coming up with ways he could wake up when Santa gets here so he can play cello for him. So cute! He asked me in such a sweet voice, "Mommy when Santa gets here will you please wake me up?" Boy is it going to be fun getting him to bed on Christmas Eve!!
Benjamin is so good about not getting out of his bed. So good in fact that he had his first accident ever in bed (at least that I can remember) because of it. He had woken up with a bad dream during the night so Lamoni went in there to comfort him. Later that night he called out for me but I was in bed nursing Peter so I didn't respond. By the time I was done he wasn't calling for me anymore so I didn't go to him. That morning when I went to get him he told me he peed in bed and that he was calling my name to ask if he could get up. I felt awful and told him that he was allowed to leave bed in order to pee!! I have heard him twice since get up during the night to go to the bathroom. It's amazing what he listens to (when he wants too...). He used to wake up when Lamoni would leave early in the morning so I had a talk with him that he needs to fall back asleep after he hears Daddy leave and now he does.
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