25 July 2010

23 months mine




my darling benji boy. today you are twenty three months old. and you are getting bigger by the day. i recently realized we were cramming your little hobbit feet into sunday shoes that were a whole size too small! you're growing into big boy clothes which is crazy to me. i already have mounds of tiny clothes stored away for a hopeful someday sibling. your personality is as sunny as ever (especially now that those two year old molars are in). you are a big helper around the house and a silly monkey at playtime. you have mastered twisting door handles to open and shut them; which is now your favorite game. you know itsy bitsy spider and love to clap along to when you're happy and you know it. you love your naps and your little cars. your floppy stuffed dog is your best pal, kissing it and snuggling it to sleep. you like to help fill up and swim and kick in the bathtub. you enjoy shuffling items about and putting them back in their spot. clean up is still a game to you. you like to reach up and open the junk drawer and pull out the playdoh, letting me know you're ready to play.

you are beginning to copy me and papa and it never ceases to make us smile. your favorite words are 'yep' and 'wha's that?' while pointing at something that seems to be a mystery to you. you enjoy an egg every morning for breakfast. folding your arms for the prayer while eating the food on your plate is a new talent. last monday you climbed into your booster chair after grabbing grapes out of the fridge, all by yourself! it took me by surprise and made me laugh. you know your animal sounds and learn more every day.

despite your limited vocabulary, you are learning to let us know what you want with persistence. you are trying hard to have manners. this is especially difficult while in the grocery store, browsing the bulk foods. you've inherited my love for all things sweet. your favorite treats are the frosted pink and white circus cookies that sit atop the refrigerator. you had your first big tantrum on the way out of barnes & noble the other afternoon. they've introduced an educational toys section (oh goodie) and you were determined to become educated with the help of a new toy including all sorts of loud noises and lights. in fact, you wanted to camp out and make this toy section your new place of residence. you played and pushed buttons for awhile but then when it was time to put it away and go home, you screamed the whole way out. it was quite a sight to see. thankfully you calmed down soon enough and i couldn't help but chuckle as we buckled up and the book on cd continued playing in the car. i was listening to Parenting with Love & Logic. it is supposedly giving me tips on dealing with situations like that one. i think i flunked my first test. i tucked you in that night and you blew me a kiss, another new skill. that was better than anything. i figure you forgave me for not purchasing the toy for you. i can only hope you're this easy going in a few years from now.

i love hanging out with you and listening to your little chit chat. i enjoy serving us picnics on the floor and picking out rocks in the yard. your size five summer feet are striped with a sweet sandal tan. i watch how you marvel at the knots in the wooden fence and the blades of grass 'tween your toes and the snaps on your jeans. i relish in reading you stories and smile when you pick out a few and line them up on the cushion before storytime. i can hardly believe you are almost two.

i love you for being you.

16 comments:

[eeny] said...

Marta, it is a delight to read your Benji posts. They are so full of your love for that little cutie. Thank you so much for sharing. I hope one day I will be an amazing mama just like you are.
xo

crissy // mama boss said...

We had a similar situation with shoes recently. I could tell Ellie's favorite shoes were too small, but I was blown away when her foot was measured at a size and a half bigger. Same thing with my son a couple of months ago, but he was only one full size bigger than what he'd been wearing. But, golly, isn't it crazy how fast these kids grow?
p.s. Love Benji's shark towel!

Erin {pughs' news} said...

Marta,
I loved this post. The way you describe your little boy is just so lovely. My littlest is three now, and I still can't believe what a big boy he is, how huge his vocabulary is, how grown up he's become already!

Happy 23-month birthday to Benji, who by the way, looks A LOT like his mama!

Justin + kelly said...

So cute!! He has gotten so big! I cant get over the fact that his feet are size five, Rhys is bareling down on a solid seven soon... They grow way to fast!!

chris said...

I so love your posts for Benji, because my little one is only a month older. Their skills and vocabulary parallel each other, and I joy in your delight with your son.

anna jo said...

Marta, I was blown away by how old benji looks--especially in that first picture. Like he's turning into a regular kid. Did he grow a lot since the last time we saw you guys?! What a cutie.

Anneliese said...

i bet that sandal tan is about the cutest thing ever!

Anonymous said...

Marta,

I love reading your blog, and it's so much fun to see pictures of Benji. My youngest is one month older than Benji (and his name is Benajamin also) so it's fun to read how similar they are in development. He just turned two on July 22nd. Such a cute age!

And I, too, unfortunately had a miscarriage in June.

You're a fantastic writer, Marta. Thank you so much for sharing your life with us.

CAC muffin said...

I can't believe how big he is getting!!!!

Audrey said...

Lovely... this post will be a nice memory for your little boy when he will older and reading is first steps in life written by his mum... lovely :)

Travelin'Oma said...

I love the tantrum story! What a doll he is.

Dawn said...

Oh Marta, you have described everything I long for. Bless you and your family. It's such a good one.

Thank you for sharing Benji's childhood with us, it's always so wonderful to hear what he's up to, what he's learned, and especially to hear the love-soaked words of a mother.

I still think of you and your star-baby daily, and I'm sending strength your way.

xo Dawn

summer said...

blowing you a kiss.. and a sandal tan! oh for cute. love this memory-in-a-post, marta. and i just think it's so cool that you are there for benji, seeing all of his discoveries and talents as they emerge. that's just the kind of mom i want to be.

ps. is benj holding a 23 in that last photo?! because that is genius.

Jenni said...

I have a 17 month old and love these posts. I go back and read the old ones when my son hits that mark. It is fun to see where he will be in just a few short months.

You did not flunk your first Love and Logic test, I promise! You passed with flying colors letting Benji pitch a fit on the way out. I have done something just like that more than once (and once was at Barnes and Noble) and I know I will have to do it again.

Senja said...

Oh, Benji is soooo cute!! He will be such a heartbreaker when he is older. I bet he already is! :)

Miranda said...

Your posts about Benji are some of my faaaaavorite! I love hearing mom's talk about how much they love their kids and the joy they take in being mothers...of course you do it so eloquently.

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