Bringing a Little Disney Home

Hard to believe that it has already been almost a week since we have been home from Disney. As you can see from the pic, Ben managed to bring some buddies back home with him. Even more important, we all have brought back many memories from such an incredible trip. That makes this blog even harder to write…I could probably fill a book talking about everything that Ben got to do and see while visiting Mickey. Instead, what follows is a rambling rundown of some of the images that stick out in our minds.

Ben got to meet many characters over the course of the week, but when asked for his favorite, he told me it was Mickey or Winnie the Pooh. He also was very excited to give Donald a hug, and Goofy made quite an impression by repeatedly poking Ben in the belly. All in all, Ben never seemed scared or shy, and was quick to run up and give and get hugs. One of the funnier moments occurred when meeting Buzz Lightyear and Woody. Even though it was a little chilly that night, Ben insisted on stripping down to his t-shirt so that he could show them that Woody was on it.

As for our hotel room, Ben loved the fact that our rrom had its own little refrigerator. He would eagerly pull anyone who came to our door inside to give them a tour of the fridge’s contents. He seemed very proud of this! Ben also didn’t seem to get the concept of a ‘hotel’. It was cute that he referred to it as our home, but he seemed confused that other people were staying in our room after we left. I had to laugh on the way home when he told us that he didn’t want other people in our room.

We asked Ben what some of his favorite rides were, and he listed: Winnie the Pooh, the tea cups, Dumbo, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the race cars. I think we rode Winnie the Pooh the most, and it never got old watching Ben point and smile at all of the characters as we rode through in our honey pot. Pirates was a surprise, as it seemed a little scary for Ben. But, he kept asking to go back on it, and was singing the song for us by the end of the week (Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirate’s life for Ben!). What cracked me up was every time we got off the ride, Ben spotted a closed door on the way out and came up with a very detailed story of how that was where the pirates lived, and that they had a key to get in there and that you could go knock and seem them. Quite an imagination!

Over the course of the trip, Ben got to ride air planes, trains, boats, buses, flying elephants, and monorails. I asked what was his favorite part of flying in a plane, and he told me that it brought him to Mickey’s house. He didn’t really seem impressed with anything about the flights, in fact he seemed much more excited to ride the monorail. Anytime one would pass us in the parks, Ben would stop, point and make you take notice, yelling “monorail!”

Overall, there were too many little memorable moments to recall. Disney World is a whole different experience when you are taking it in through a child’s eyes for the first time. Just watching Ben experience all of these new things and see his favorite characters come to life before his eyes was a truly awesome experience. On top of that, having Ben surrounded by so many of his family members for his first big trip made it even more special. I know I was constantly trying to take in every little moment and detail. We were all truly blessed to share this time together in this magical place. I know Ben will get back to Disney, but no one will ever be able to recreate his first adventure there.

And so now we are back home, already sliding back into our daily routines. It almost seems like a dream…were we really down there? Its back to work for Mommy and Daddy, and back to his toys for Ben. Every now and then, Ben mentions something about the trip, but for the most part he is on to other things (he is constantly on to other things!) I wonder how much of the trip will Ben really remember? It makes me thankful for all of the photos and memories that we brought back with us. In the weeks and months ahead, we can always use them to transport ourselves back to that special week together and remember all of the fun times that were had. And even if the details of the trip slowly slip from Ben’s mind, he now has a crib-full of new buddies to help remind him of his first trip to visit Mickey’s house.

It was hard to choose among the 1,500 photos that we brought home (yes, 1,500!) But, you can click here to see some of the highlights for Ben. Thanks for reading, see you next week!

Disney 2009: Live from the Magic Kingdom

Of course we couldn’t skip a blog post, so here we are reporting live from Mickey’s house. I can’t promise this will be long, because honestly, we are all exhausted!

So far, Ben’s first trip to Disney has been a memorable one. We have fought through sickness, some rain, some crowds, and some chilly weather (today), but nothing has stopped Ben from having a great vacation. He has had a bit of a cold most of the week (although so have a lot of us, but more on that next week), but Ben is a trooper, and even when you aren’t feeling 100 percent, its easy to get around the parks in a stroller or being held in Mommy or Daddy’s arms.

Ben was a natural on his first plane ride, and didn’t seem impressed at all that we were actually looking down on clouds. I think he even got in a good nap on the way down. Once here, it didn’t take him long to start referring to our hotel as our ‘home’ and he soon got accustomed to taking the bus to go everywhere. He is even doing a great job of sleeping in the big boy bed with Mommy and Daddy (in fact he is snoring loudly next to me here now).

I’ll have a more in-depth report next week, but here is a quick run down of some of Ben’s favorites, so far. In Hollywood Studios earlier in the week, Ben was very excited to meet Donald Duck (he is one of his favorites). He quickly got the hang of having the characters sign his autograph book (or as Ben calls it, drawing on his pages). Earlier tonight, the little guy also got to say hello to Buzz Lightyear and Woody. There weren’t a ton of rides his size at this park, but Ben had a great time watching Mickey in the big Fantasmic show, and he even got pulled out to dance in the street during one of the parades (unfortunately we couldn’t get him to break out any of his signature dance moves for the crowd!)

In Animal Kingdom, Ben got up close and personal with all kinds of wild animals (some of them of the human variety…there can be rude people even at Disney!!). He enjoyed riding a flying dinosaur with Daddy and cousin Ryan, and he got to go on a safari to see some hippos, giraffes, elephants and rhinos. His favorite at this park had to be the live Nemo musical show. He seemed very excited at the end when Nemo’s dad found him, and even more excited the next day when Nana bought Ben his very own stuffed Nemo! He even got his very own stuffed Monkey from Gram. Should be fun packing all of these new buddies for the ride home..I’m sure there will be more!

So far in Epcot, Ben is fascinated by the big ball (although when we rode it he slept through the whole thing, so we may have to do it again). Once again Nemo was a big hit here, as they had ride where you could travel under the sea with him. Ben also seemed to have fun at the Turtle Talk with Crush show where he sat right up front with Mommy.

Of course, the best park for Ben has been the Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, he was actually asleep the first time we walked through the gates onto Main Street. Since then, he has had a blast. He would tell you some of his highlights have been riding the tea cups (finally, he has been talking about them for so long!), Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh, and Pirates of the Caribbean. We were actually afraid the Pirates ride might be too scary for him (and at first he said he wanted to get out of there!), but Ben was soon asking to go on again. He was even looking for pirates on other rides (we could not find any pirates on the haunted mansion ride, and that one did turn out to be too scary for Ben…”I want to get out of here!”)

Obviously, there are SO many other stories to tell, and memories to write about, but Daddy is tired and the park opens early tomorrow. One thing I have to share, though, is how funny Ben has been with the crowds of people…he doesn’t like them! When we are in line, he tells us “Mommy, I want these people to move”. When we are on the bus and more people are trying to squeeze on, he tells us “Daddy, I don’t want any more people to come on.” But, the funniest happened tonight when I had to take him into the mens room with me to change his diaper. We were off to ourselves in the corner by the changing table, but Ben insisted on yelling “Everyone out! No more people!” as loud as he could to everyone else in there! I couldn’t help but laugh. He seems to like crowds just as much as his Mommy and Daddy.

We are going to save the rest for next week. Ben has one more full day and night of vacation tomorrow, and then it is back to home (the one that isn’t a hotel) later Saturday. Many more stories and pictures next time! Until then, have a magical day!

Pirates of the Caribbean, Here we come!

This past Saturday, Captain Ben and his band of pirates set sail for some Trick or Treating. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate this Halloween, but we were able to get out to see the parade on Main Street, and to knock on some doors and get some candy.

Ben started out the day having more fun giving out candy at our house. He would get really excited anytime he spotted some kids coming up our walk, but he would quickly hide behind Daddy when they knocked. After a little while, Ben started to get more bold, and was greeting people at the door in his pirate costume. (Although he looked a little concerned that we were giving away al of his candy!).

After a nutritious dinner (pizza!), we all piled into our pirate vessel (Gram’s mini van) and began our voyage for treasure (we drove a few blocks to a street where we could hit a lot of houses fast!) Ben insisted on walking, like his older cousins, and soon we were off…running up and down the driveways. Ben was kinda quiet, but he was all smiles as he held out his bag at each house. We even got him to say ‘Arrrrrrrr!’ on several occasions.

Soon, the rain starting coming down once again, and it was time to head back to our pirate hideout with our stash of candy. There was time for three more stops. First, we had to walk three houses down so Ben could finally get up close and personal with ‘Frank’ the giant 8 foot tall inflatable Frankenstein on our street that Ben has been talking about for weeks. I think that was a highlight for Ben (although he was concerned a few days later when Frank was replaced by an inflatable turkey!) Next up was Nanna and Poppop’s house. I asked Ben if he was excited to go say hi to them, and he gave me a hesitant ‘yes’. Then, after a short pause, he asked “Do they have candy?” He was definitely into the Halloween spirit. Finally, to end the night, we took a drive over to Aunt Devon and Uncle Richard’s for a surprise trick or treat visit. All in all, it was fun day (and Mommy’s costumes were a big hit!)

But now, as this week’s title suggests, we turn our attention to another journey…Disneyworld! In just over 24 hours we will be on our way to the airport to go see the big Mouse. Ben has been pointing at planes telling us that is the one we are going to ride on. As of this writing, we are mostly packed and getting more excited by the minute. I’m hoping to give you a live blog update from Florida for next week’s installment. I’m sure there will be a lot to write about!

 

Trick or Treat or something

Ahoy! Here is a sneak preview of Pirate Ben! Give him some candy or walk the plank! I’m not sure Ben really has any idea what to look forward to Saturday, but I know he is going to have a great Halloween. Ben and his band of pirates (cousins Ryan and Emily, plus Mommy) will be out knocking on doors looking for chocolate pirate treasure. He is also asking to have his pumpkin painted, so Daddy better hurry up and come up with some ideas for this year. Maybe we will follow the pirate theme there too.

Ben got to show off his costume a little early this week when he took a trip down to visit his Mommom. He was very proud of his fancy outfit, and insisted they walk around the building looking for more people. Needless to say, he drew smiles and attention down every hallway. And to top it all off, as is the routine down there, Ben got some ice cream from the dining room before leaving.

The title this week refers to a new saying that seems to have just popped up in the last few days. The other night while Mommy was trying to put him to sleep in his room, Ben was having a hard time settling down. As he stood, leaning back against the corner of his crib, Ben looked at Mommy and said “Can I have a TV in here or something, so I can watch Dora?” Two and a half and he feels the need for television in his room!

The next day while in Mommy’s car, Ben was telling her all about the mix CD I had made for him to listen to in my car. I put all of his favorites on there (although Ben tells it like he was the one to actually make the CD and pick the songs). Ben has even been singing a long a lot more lately. We noticed that he knows the words to more songs than we thought. Well, Mommy’s car doesn’t have a CD player, so after riding quietly for a few minutes, Ben questioned from the backseat “Can’t me watch a movie or something in here?” I finally got the phrase directed at me on my day off. We had played with his toys all morning, and as we sat around the living room, I guess Ben was growing bored, so he called me over and asked “Daddy, can we go to the mall or something?” And of course we did.

Speaking of trips in the car, Ben continues to ask us to drive by the inflatable Halloween decorations that are in front yards all over town. His favorites are still Snoopy in Gram’s front yard, and the giant Frankenstein just two houses down from us. Ben now calls him Frank, they are on a first name basis. Ben also says he is going to see Frank in Disneyworld, so I hope he isn’t too disappointed. As for Halloween decorations, Ben brought home his very own while shopping with Mommy and Gram this week. He calls it Snoopy, but its really a plush dog dressed as a witch in a boiling cauldron. The fun starts when you squeeze his paw and he starts to dance and flap his ears to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” You can be sure we will have video posted soon of Ben dancing to this!

So this promises to be an exciting week, and next week’s blog should be full of fun stories. Not only do we have Halloween this weekend, but we are also busy packing and getting ready for Ben’s big Disney trip which is only eight days away! There is a lot to do, so I am going to cut this off here and go get some sleep. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween and gets lots of candy…or something!

High-tech Ben

This week’s photo is brought to you courtesy of Ben himself. While saying goodnight to him, I asked what I should write about in his blog this week. While he didn’t have any suggestions for a subject, Ben did tell me that I should show a picture of him and his juice. So here you go! (He then went on to demand that I take several other photos of him in his crib before I could convince him that I had enough shots for the blog!) Also a quick note, there are new photos and video links at the end of this write up.

The fact that Ben is aware of his blog, and knows enough to tell me to put a photo of him up here made me stop and think about all the technology that he is growing up with and already leaning to use.

I thought it was cool when I was little to play games on the Atari, or later, my Commodore 64 with the big floppy discs. But in both cases I was much older than Ben is now. Already, the little guy has his own iMac, and knows how to pop CD’s in and out, and how to work the mouse to play his games. And instead of Atari, Ben has been known to grab one of the Nintendo Wii controllers and try to join in. Its a long ways from the Space Invaders that my family and I used to play (and still do on those rare occasions that Poppop breaks out the old Atari system!)

But, its not just the big computer. Ben has also developed an interest in Daddy’s iPod Touch. He knows he can touch the screen and use his finger to do things. Recently I downloaded some games for him to play and he has a blast. Some of his favorites are the animal matching game (complete with animal sounds), another game Ben calls Toilet Paper where you toss a ball of paper into a trash can, and a drawing program. I was most impressed with how he worked the drawing program. At first he was happy to just scribble lines on the screen, but then he wanted to change the color he was using. The first few times Daddy did this for him, but yesterday I watched as Ben navigated through the controls of the program and changed the color himself!

Of course, Ben already knows he can play more than games on the iPod. He loves to go onto Facebook with Daddy and browse through our friends photos, especially our friends who have pictures of their pets posted. Ben even knows how to scroll from one photo to the next. And in the true spirit of multimedia, Ben also knows he can play music on their, and often asks Daddy to find and play his favorite, I Like to Move It Move It. Something tells me this iPod is going to end up as Ben’s eventually.

Ben also likes to play his own CD’s, and has already learned how to eject them from the radio and take them in and out of their cases. He knows which button to push to start the music, but before it starts, Ben must turn off the TV, which he can do by himself using the remote. Speaking of the TV, Ben has also already gotten used to having video On-Demand. This might possibly be the best thing ever for parents, as we can pull up episodes of Ben’s favorite kid shows anytime he wants. Its really amazing to see how comfortable he is with all of this technology already. Most of it is stuff I never would have dreamed of when I was little.

And that’s just the high-tech stuff. Ben is also comfortable walking around with my cell phone on his ear, having imaginary conversations. He also is used to talking on the speaker phone to Gram, or scanning his groceries at the supermarket with Mommy. Ben loves the ATM machine and like to help Daddy get money out (i’m sure this will only get worse as he grows older!) He takes photos with the digital camera, and he is used to watching movies in the backseat of Gram’s van.  Its crazy how much technology is a part of Ben’s life, and how much he already understands and uses it! When i think back to how much things have changed since I was his age, I can’t imagine the types of things he will be playing with as he grows up. He is definitely a high-tech kid…and Daddy is proud!

Well Halloween is quickly coming up. Mommy has been sewing like crazy to get everyone’s costumes together. Last weekend, Ben got to wear his costume to a birthday party for his friends Ally and Lexi (he even got to decorate a pumpkin there!). Next week we will post some photos and talk about getting ready to go trick or treating!

As for this week, I got my hands on some more pics of Ben from Aunt Devon and Uncle Rich’s wedding, which you can check out here.

Also posted is a new video where Ben shows off more of his unique dance moves, which you can view here. Enjoy!

Where the Fire Engines Sleep

This photo is actually from a couple weeks ago, when Ben got to go to the local fire station and ride on a real fire engine for fire safety week. (I think that story had to get bumped for Aunt Devon and Uncle Rich’s wedding). But, this picture was too cute not to show, and I knew hot to tie it  into this week’s ramblings.

The other night, after a night out with Daddy, Ben and I were on our way home, but we had to make several detours first. The first stop was to drive by Gram’s house so Ben could see if Snoopy was still awake. Snoopy is the 6 ft. tall inflatable Halloween ornament on Gram and Gramp’s front yard. Ben was happy to see that Snoppy was indeed still awake (according to Ben he goes flat when he is sleeping). Of course Ben had already had us check in on Snoopy several times earlier that day by driving by.

That wasn’t our last stop however, since Ben decided we needed to also see Tigger. After driving aimlessly for several blocks Daddy luckily came across a Winnie the Pooh and Tigger lawn ornament which put a big smile on Ben’s face (and checked off two characters with one stop!).  Still, Ben wasn’t finished, and from the backseat I heard him ask me where Dora was? Since I had never seen and inflatable Dora the Explorer, I told him it was time to go home.

Ben still had other ideas, and asked if we could see where the fire engines sleep. The firehouse was only a couple blocks away, and it was on our way home, so Daddy caved and we drove by. Ben waved and said goodnight to the fire engines, which he could see lined up through the big glass doors. It was at this point that Ben finally declared it was ok to head home. (But only if we drove by the ‘big man’ on our way…the big man being the giant 8 ft tall inflatable Frankenstein that is two houses down from us. Ben says he is exercising because he is holding his hands over his head.)

The whole point of the story is that while Ben doesn’t act spoiled, he wants what he wants, and often we give into him because it is just too hard to deny that sweet little voice or that glowing smile. Ben definitely knows how to work it, but, Daddy has to admit, he did have fun searching for inflatable lawn ornaments and checking out the sleeping fire engines. And that was just the end of the night.

Earlier in the evening, we decided to stop in at Wendy’s for something to eat (with Ben’s approval). But Daddy had barely pulled into the drive thru line when Ben decided that he would rather go inside and sit down and eat. Of course there was already a car behind us, so when asked to order at the speaker, I had the pleasure of telling the woman that my son had changed his mind and that we were coming in. (I really am a push over for Ben, but again, we did have a fun time eating inside.)

Ben’s powers of persuasion work on more than just Daddy, though. Mommy gives in to him, too, although she seems to be able to put her foot down more often. (I think it’s a mom thing, because they know the kid will love them no matter what.) There have been many meals where Mommy has adjusted the food to fit Ben’s cravings. She may try to feed him apple sauce, but he will only take it if you put little fruit chews in it.  Or he will say he wants one of his pasta dinners, but you better make sure you get the right shaped noodles. If he says dinosaur noodles, don’t even bother trying the football-shaped ones! Mommy has it down to a science,and is pretty good at getting Ben to eat what is made for him.

Bed time is a whole different adventure, which Mommy usually bares the brunt of. Ben is usually pretty specific about which books he wants to read, or which buddies end up in his crib. Daddy has even heard Ben request that Mommy sings certain songs for him during bedtime. It all sounds very demanding, but at the same time, it is fun to see what he comes up with, and how well his memory works when he asks for things.

And last but not least, Ben knows this works best with the grandparents! One night this week Ben declared out of the blue that he wanted Gram to come give him his bath. We thought this was funny (and very unlikely to happen), so we had him call her to tell her. Well sure enough, 20 minutes later Gram was over washing Ben in the tub! And just tonight, Ben had been asking for donuts a lot, so when Gram stopped in on her way to the store and asked if we needed anything, Ben blurted out ‘Donuts!’ You know how this ended, the box of Munchkin are sitting over on our dining room table.

I don’t even want to know what goes on over at Nana and Poppops house…all I know is that Ben has them wrapped around his finger! Ben always comes home from their house happy, and Nana and Poppop look exhausted, so I can only imagine what he convinces them to do or him. I have heard stories of them pushing Ben on his swing for over a half hour, and I know there is a long list of little play rituals that the little guys insists on going through on his weekly visits. They have a hard time saying no to him, too…but they also have just as much fun putting a smile on Ben’s face.

So there you have it, maybe we are heading for trouble down the road by catering to the little guy like this. At the same time, Ben has a really great disposition, and it is very rare that he throws a fit or gets out of control if he doesn’t get what he wants (most of the time it is when he is over tired). I think the real secret, at least for Daddy, is that by giving in and going along with what he wants to do, it makes you feel like a little kid again too. After all, I would never think to go see where the fire engines sleep by myself. Maybe we would all be better off if we did more things like that.

Ben and his Buddies

This week’s photo is almost like one of those ‘Where’s Waldo?’ books…can you find Ben? (You can find Ben in a new video post at the end of this entry, just wanted to throw that in here!) This was Ben one night before bed, playing with his buddies in the crib. You can even see the newest addition, Ring Bear, down in the lower left with his bow tie. (Before we get reported for bad parenting, I’ll let you know that they do not all stay in the crib all night long, although I’m sure Ben wouldn’t object to that). Ben’s buddies are very important to him, and he makes sure that they are a big part of his whole day, not just bed time.

In fact, we usually start off the day with a head count of the buddies. Once he is awake, Ben likes to gather them all in a big pile on his floor, and then have Daddy carry them all out to the couch for some early morning Disney TV. It is always a surprise to see which buddies got to keep their clothes on through the night. For whatever reason, Ben often ends up undressing them (maybe they are too warm?)  Steelers Bear in particular always seems to be losing his pants!

Depending on the day, different buddies may be chosen to tag along. If Gram comes over to watch Ben, she will almost definitely be introduced to several buddies who will then share breakfast or join Ben on his travels throughout the day. If it is a day to visit Nana and Poppop, there is always some excitement as we wait to see who Ben will choose to take with him. (Or in some cases, how many buddies he will try to take. Some mornings we have to get Nana a bag to help carry all the buddies who are tagging along). And if someone gets left behind, Ben makes sure he has somewhere comfortable to sit, or some other buddies nearby to keep them company until we get home.

Recently, Tigger seems to be a favorite. I went to pick Ben up at Nan and Poppop’s house and found him with  big Tigger (little Tigger stays at our house) in a headlock, squeezing him tight. Apparently Tigger went everywhere that day, in the car, to the store to go shopping, in the crib at nap time. Ben gave him a big hug and declared that he loved Tigger, and that he had Mickey Mouse at home. (It took a little convincing to leave big Tigger with Nan and Poppop). Then, back at home tonight, Ben and I had made a mess of the living room, leaving toys everywhere. When it came time to clean up, Ben grabbed little Tigger and excitedly told me that he could help us. He then proceeded to go around and try to pick up the toys between Tigger’s stuffed little paws, which was very slow going. I’m still not sure if this was just a really cute thought by Ben, or an ingenious way to stall cleaning up and going to bed. I think he knew exactly what he was doing!

Everything comes full circle back to the buddies at bed time. Most nights, mommy gets to witness quite a show in the crib as Ben plays and pretends all kinds of games and scenarios with his buddies. The sweetest is when he takes care of his little baby doll, Baby Cousin (he got this name because Ben said he is the little cousin of his Cabbage Patch Kid, Jeffery). He will cuddle the baby, feed him a bottle, read him a story, or just lay with him and try to get the baby doll to go to sleep. When Ben finally drifts off himself, its time to pull as many buddies out as we can so that he has room to sleep (we also try to fish out all of the clothing that was removed!)

My favorite buddy moment came one night last week, when Ben woke up crying in the middle of the night (apparently he had a dream that he lost his ice cream cone). As I laid on the floor of his room, trying to help him back to sleep, Ben whispered from his crib “Daddy, you want a buddy to keep you company down there?” I laughed, and before I could answer Ben said “Say yes Daddy…” (Apparently I didn’t get a choice). The next thing I know, Baby Cousin landed on my stomach, entrusted to me for the night by Ben. Curled up on the floor with the Baby doll, I quietly said ” I love you Benjamin.” After a moments pause, Ben whispered back “I love you too Daddy. I love Mommy, too. I love all you guys” And soon we were both asleep, surrounded by out buddies.

Last week’s post talked all about Ben at Devon and Rich’s wedding. Unfortunately we were too busy dancing with Ben to get much video of  the little guy getting down. But, for your viewing pleasure, I have video posted here of Ben dancing to one of his favorites, Cotton Eye Joe. Enjoy! See you next week with more photos of some of the other fun things Ben has been up to recently.

Did someone call ring security?

After all of the planning, all of the stressing, all of the rehearsing, and all of the waiting, Devon and Rich’s big day finally came last Saturday! And of course, this was also a big day for Ben and the rest of us. (So get comfortable, this is going to be a long one, with photos linked at the end as a reward for reading the whole thing!)

Things got started bright and early since Mommy had to go get her hair done and Ben was to go spend some time at Nana and Poppop’s house as everyone got ready. (Little did he know that he would be in for such a long and exciting day!) Ben just figured it was like any other day at Nana and Poppop’s and went about his usual routine there as they waited for the girls to get back from the hair salon. Before leaving to go get ready himself, Daddy made the mistake of telling Ben that a little later a bus was going to come take him to the big party. Needless to say, Ben spent the rest of the morning telling everyone that he was going to ride on the school bus to the church!

Now Daddy didn’t get to see Ben all morning, but was told that he was the center of attention with all the bridesmaids that morning. Especially once he slipped into his sharp little tux and bow tie! We joked about it, but he really did look like some little mini secret agent, or like a tiny Jack Bauer in that outfit. And he definitely hammed it up, almost knowing that he looked good! Ben made instant friends with the photographer when he showed up, and we can’t wait to see some of the shots. But soon the limo bus arrived, or as Ben called it “the big black school bus”! He was so excited he had to have someone lift him up so that he could get a peek at the bus out the door. Everyone piled in and it was off to the church!

Daddy got a quick smile and a knuckles from Ben once everyone was at the church, but before we knew it, it was time to get down to business. Ben had been told all morning to just smile, hold Kyla’s hand (the flower girl) and walk down the aisle to Daddy. As an extra incentive, we told him I would have Tic Tacs waiting for him. I waited anxiously in my place at the front of the church as the girls came down the aisle one by one. Finally it was time for the flower girl and ring bearer, and I couldn’t have been prouder as Ben and Kyla turned the corner to come down the aisle. Pretty much everyone in the church turned at once to get a look, and it was fun ti hear the ‘awwwws’ and giggles as the two of them high-tailed it down to the front of the church. Ben did great and came right to me without needing any bribing. But sure enough, after standing with me for a minute, I felt him tug on my pants. He stared up at me and said “Daddy…where are the Tic Tacs?” That kid remembers everything.

Ben sat in the front pew with Nana and Poppop for the ceremony, playing quietly and taking everything in. He even managed to play a little hide and seek with those sitting a few rows behind him. He was especially excited to line up outside and blow bubbles and Devon and Rich made their exit from the church (although Ben got to make his own rock star exit a little earlier, coming out the church door to a crowd of friends and family waving, snapping photos and calling his name). We had a very minor meltdown trying to take some photos, but Ben’s buddy the photographer got him to smile and standing next to the flower girl also put a smile on his face. Next it was back on the black school bus and off to the big party!

I was excited to ride the bus with Ben and see his reaction, but it was at this time that Ben decided to take a little nap (which was really a good thing! This would be a long day.)

We had to wake the little guy up to take a few more photos and then it was off to cocktail hour and the reception (although Ben wanted to take a ride on the golf cart to go take some more photos). It was right around this time that Ben finally got to meet the Ring Bear! You read last week about how all along Ben believed there would be an actual ring bear somewhere during the day (not completely grasping that he in fact was the ring bearer). So we couldn’t disappoint him, and Gram made a special trip to Build a Bear that morning to make Ben a little bear in a black tuxedo. I can’t describe how big his smile was when we gave it to him, but I can tell you that he is sleeping in his crib with that bear as I type this!

Before long, it was time to line up and make our grand entrances into the reception hall. Ben and Kyla got the honor of being the last to enter before the new husband and wife. Mommy and I watched excitedly from the dance floor of the two of them came through the doors to the music ‘Linus and Lucy’ from the Peanuts. Too cute! And Ben nailed it, smiling and strutting his stuff! From this point on, things kind of turned into a big blur of dancing, laughing and sharing with our family and friends, but there were a few Ben moments that stood out.

For one thing, I can say that Ben was the first person out on the dance floor after all of the speeches (nice jobs by Mommy and Byron!) and the blessing (yay Poppop!) were out of the way. He just kind of wandered out there and started looking around, swaying to the music. It didn’t take long for his cousins Tess and Lilly to join him, and then Kyla the flower girl joined in. Such a little ladies man! Soon, he was surrounded, dancing with the girls and ringed by relatives trying to snap photos. My son had his own paparazzi! I couldn’t have been prouder.

After a little while, it was time to change out of that vest and jacket, and slip into his official Ring Bearer t-shirt (complete with a badge on the front and the words ‘Ring Security’ largely printed across the back!) Ben danced and danced. Mommy and Daddy took turns taking him out on the dance floor. He broke out some of his dance moves, including the sprinkler, the robot, and the lawn mower…and even some others that we don’t even have names for yet. We got the DJ to play his favorite song, “I Like to Move It”, and he even got to join in on Cotton Eye Joe (Ben loves that song because his toy truck plays it and he dances like crazy to it. We love that song because my friend Ed always puts on a good show when it comes on at these weddings! Neither disappointed that night!) Ben was a little ball of energy, stopping only for a short while to put on pajama pants and watch a movie with Gram and Gramps on his portable movie player. He really partied hard and we were amazed that he lasted as long as he did!

With about a half hour left in the celebration, while on the dance floor with Mommy, Ben finally put his hands over his ears and declared he had  had enough. Mommy took him out to find a quiet room, and I assumed that was the last we would see of the little guy for the night. And of course I was wrong. Turns out, Ben wasn’t tired, he just was tired of the loud music. He continued to play out in the hallway, and entertained the guests as they slowly started heading home and the evening wound down. And once the music stopped and the lights came up, there was Ben, running back into the room for a final appearance. He finally passed out in the backseat about halfway home.

All in all, it was an awesome, fun-filled day. We are so happy for Devon and Rich! But we were also so happy that we got to share Ben with a lot of friends and relatives who don’t get to see him to often. He definitely put on a good show. I got countless comments about what a cute little guy he was, and that we better watch out because of what an adorable little flirt we had on our hands. I was just glad to see Ben enjoy himself and have so much fun. To us that was nothing new, just Ben being Ben…except this time in a tuxedo! What a memorable day!

As promised, click here to check out some pics of the little Ring Bearer himself (and one of the Ring Bear too!) I hope to have some video up as well in the coming week. Thanks for reading! It was fun for me to re-live the whole day all over again and write about it.

Off to see the Ring Bear!

Sometimes, kids will do something smart that makes you stop and praise them. And sometimes, they may do something really bad, and it makes you stop and wonder. Other times, they may do something incredibly cute, and it makes you pause and smile. But sometimes, kids may do or say something so off the wall and strange that you can’t help but either laugh out loud or just shake your head and giggle. That last one pretty much sums up where Ben is at these days. There doesn’t seem to be a day that goes by where he doesn’t say something hilarious that makes us wonder how his mind works! (And yes, that is a swim diaper on Super Man’s head in the photo this week. Ben tried it on himself!)

The title this week comes from just one of those silly moments. Every one around here is excited because Ben’s Aunt Devon and Uncle Rich are getting married this Saturday! (Yay!) We have been trying to explain to Ben how there will be a big party, and we will all go to the church, and that he has a very special job to do that day. You see, Ben is the ring bearer, and we told him he gets to walk down the aisle and smile at all the people. He seemed a little unsure of this concept at first, but Ben quickly warmed up to the idea, and would smile and tell people he was the ring bearer if you asked him what his job would be.

So last night was the rehearsal, and as we were getting ready to go and explaining to Ben what would be happening, the little guy starts looking a little concerned and runs to grab his stuffed lion. He hadn’t had this lion out in awhile, so we were curious and asked Ben why he picked him. With a straight face Ben replied that we were going to see the Ring Bear at the church, and he wanted lion to meet him. I’m not sure what was funnier: the fact that in Ben’s head there was an actual Bear that had something to do with rings at the church, and we were going to meet him. Or the fact that Ben had carefully thought about this and decided his lion was the best buddy to bring to meet the Bear! The whole drive over to the church, Ben was in the back seat shouting “Here we come bear!! We’re coming to see you!!” Needless to say, the rehearsal went smoothly and Ben did a great job, although I think there was a little disappoint when he realized there was no bear anywhere at the church.

In the last couple weeks, it just seems that there have been more and more of these moments where you just have to laugh at how this kid’s mind works and what he remembers. A lot of times they are just little moments, like the other night while I was trying to get him to go back to sleep. Ben really wanted me to sit in the rocking chair in his room, but Daddy was tired and offered to lay on the floor instead. After repeatedly asking me to sit in the chair, Ben got quiet, then considered a new tactic. He told me in his sweetest voice “Are you sure you don’t want to sit in the chair Daddy, its REALLY fun!” (Of course I ended up in the chair, and it wasn’t nearly as fun or comfortable as Ben said it would be.)

Other moments are much more random. When Nana and Poppop took Ben shopping, they no sooner walked into Walmart. and Ben looked around and said ‘I was here before, Gram brought me here and we bought Ryan new underwear!’ And of course this was true, about 2 months ago! But Ben remembered the trip to get his cousin new underwear.

So, we really can’t wait to see what Ben makes of everything at the wedding this weekend. We are excited, because he looks like a little mini James Bond in his tuxedo. We are nervous, because who knows what the little guy will do on his way down the aisle in the church. But most of all, we are really happy for his Aunt Devon and Uncle Rich, and are so glad Ben gets to be such a big part of their special day. Ben is genuinely excited, too… although he may still be looking for that bear come Saturday!

Definitely check in next week for the whole wedding rundown and plenty of pictures (and maybe even some video!) I’m sure there will be plenty to write about!

Nothing gets by this little guy

We are quickly learning that behind this sweet smile, and those blue innocent eyes, Ben’s brain is constantly taking in every single little thing. I learned this firsthand last week when I had the chance to take Ben to the ‘Mommy and Me’ get-together over at the local mall on my day off. I was a little nervous going in, especially when I realized I was one of only two Dad’s to show up among all the Mommy’s. We quickly settled in as Ben and I did some coloring, played some bingo, and listened to some music with all of the other little kids. It didn’t shock me at all when Ben decided we needed to make an early exit…because he wanted to go get some candy!

I knew this would happen, because as we were getting out of the car to head into the mall, Ben asked if I had remembered my ‘money’. I said yes, gathering up change that I expected we were going to throw into the fountain. That was when he told me to make sure I had two moneys, because the candy machine takes two. Apparently, Ben has been going to the mall a couple times with Nana and Poppop, and they had stopped at the candy machine a few times. Well Ben seems to remember every detail!

So we left early and started wandering through the mall, he even helped direct me to the candy machines since I wasn’t sure where they were. Sure enough, it took two quarters, and out of the dozen or so machines, Ben knew exactly which one had what he wanted…M and M’s! So he hopped out of his stroller and held out his hand for the two quarters, then went ahead and put them in the machine right where they go. He even jumped up and down and yelled when he saw that the candy was coming. It was fun to watch, but I was also amazed at how he remembered all the little details about what to do.

This was a funny story to tell, but it came back again this week. Once again on my day off, Ben and I decided to take a trip to a different mall for some walking and shopping. We were barely out of the car when Ben started talking about getting candy again. I had to explain that we were at a different place, but I would keep an eye out for candy machines. As we made some laps around the mall, Ben continuously was on the look-out for those candy machines, telling me that he didn’t see them yet, instructing me to go in different directions to search for them. At one point he stopped me and asked if we could sing songs here? It took me a few minutes to realize that he was talking about the Mommy and Me event where we sang along to some kids songs. Too funny that he was thinking about all of this, and as we were leaving the mall I think Ben had finally gotten it into his head that there were two malls. He told me maybe we could go to the mall with candy machines tomorrow.

That’s just one story of many where Ben’s memory seems to have no limits. He remembers when his favorite clothes have been washed and will tell you he wants to wear them. He remembers if you promise him a snack in the morning, and will hold you to it even if it doesn’t come back up again until bed time. He even remembers where he puts toys when Mommy and Daddy can’t find them. Its gotten to the point that we just ask him where they are and he goes and gets them. For fun, Mommy bought Ben his first board game last week, and of course it was the Toy Story version of “Memory”. He is pretty good at it! The best part is watching him clap and exclaim “I win!” after every game. (Although the last couple days Ben seems to prefer playing a different version of the game, where Daddy picks up all of the little cards that Ben has thrown all over the floor).

He keeps us on our toes, especially since you never know what Ben is going to throw back at you… because he is definitely taking it all in!

I think I have some good video clips of some of Ben’s latest dance moves in store for you next week, so be sure to check back then. See you next time!