Big Week for the B-Bear

No...he still isn't walking so don't get that excited. However, he has had a lot of big things this week. Ben really is growing up. Joe and I went to visit our friends the other day. They just had a baby (or rather she did) so we brought them some food and a baby gift. I had forgotten just how tiny they are and how newborns know absolutely nothing. It made me realize how far we had come.

So anyway, on Monday Benjamin said his first word. It was "dog." To be honest, I think he said it a week prior, but it did not register until later. But this time I had a witness and the dog wasn't even Bastian. I also think he may have said "kitty", but since I have no witnessess I won't count it. I told Joe about it and, of course, he did not believe me. Joe claimed he did not know what the word dog meant. So he asked Ben where the dog was. Benjamin looked under the table at the dog. I love that boy.

He is also getting in his first molar. That will be tooth #9. Fortunately, he hasn't been too fussy. The only reason I noticed it is because he had his mouth open screaming. Apparently, getting one's diaper changed is very stressing. Maybe he could just learn to use the toilet then.

Lastly, he is officially pulling up on things now. He pulled up using the tub in the bathroom this morning. I tried not to get too excited, but then he has done it several more times in different locations. It wasn't just a fluke!! I have also gotten a bit more relaxed on the tough love policy. The truth is that if I walk him around more often, his confidence grows and he starts to test the boundaries. However, if he gets into an uncomfortable position, he just screams and gives up. I would much rather would leave him and see what he comes up with. Unfortunately, what he has come up with is me. It is actually kind of clever. One day, he'll let go. But today, he pulled up and I think I had something to do with that progression.

On a different note, I bought Bastian a dog treat from the market. He acts like he is sorely neglected so I thought this would cheer him up. At the market, they sell all kinds of pig parts for dogs to chew on. I thought I was doing a nice thing. What a mistake! I wasn't planning on it coming inside, but it started pouring so the dog (and the pig hoof) came inside. The hallway stunk for the longest time! It smells like what you think a dried pig's hoof would smell like...only six times worse. Poor Bastian really loves it. I feel so bad for kicking him out all the time. I'm just glad I did not get the entire leg (yes, that is an option).

Here is a video of Ben. He's crying because he can't get down from the stool. I think you just click the play button icon on the picture.

New car seat

Big day for the B-man. No, he's not walking yet. However, he's still pretty pleased. Today, I installed his new car seat, facing forward. I had been wanting to do this for a while, but I waited until I got my car back. As you can tell from the picture, he looks pretty happy. Maybe this means the end of screaming everytime I put him in the car seat. To be fair, he had outgrown the other car seat. He looked a bit like a turtle with a shell that is too small.

Updates

Our family is always doing so much that I feel like a lot gets left out. So I'm going to give you some recent highlights:

1. Ben's helmet is apparently working. At his last appointment, he was down to 19 mm of assymetry. (He started at 22 mm. Normal is 0-10 mm.) The best part of the day was the BBQ restaurant we went to beforehand. Nothing fancy, but the food was great. Turns out, Ben likes brisket and spicy beans.

2. I got a new kitchen island for my birthday. We had seen it at this fancy furniture store called Habitat. (Think Crate and Barrel at UK prices.) Joe and I both really liked it, but it was way too expensive. However, the last time we went, the price was down 30%...just enough to be in the affordable range. As luck would have it, the RAF owed Joe a large sum of money. So half of that money went to my island and half went to paying off our plane tickets home. Everybody wins!

3. Joe got a bike seat for the B-man. He LOVES it. Apparently, the other day, he actually fell asleep in it. Every time he takes him for a ride, I think Joe is a hero.

4. My computer has found the internet again! But the dishwasher is being funny...

5. Ben is working hard at being mobile. He leans forward like a baby who crawls, but he still won't. He gets on his tummy and yet he cannot go forward. He is also trying very hard to stand up somehow. I'm trying the "tough love" approach by trying to help less. Yesterday, we spent a lot of time in the grass. We would be walking around and I would let go of his hands to see what he would do. Mostly, he sits down because he doesn't want to fall. He wants it so bad and unfortunately there is nothing I can do for him.

6. Ben's new trick: sharing...sort of. He is always offering me his food or his toy, but of course he does not let go.

Well, now the bells are tolling, which means it is late. I must go pick up the B-bear from school. :)

Castle and Folk Day

Yesterday, we took a trip to Framlingham Castle in Suffolk. All that is left of the castle is the outer defensive wall, but it is still a beautiful site. It was interesting to learn about the history and Ben seems to enjoy our trip to the English countryside.

Inside the castle was a series of lawn games for people to play. In addition to the chess game, they had Chutes and Ladders and some other game I couldn't identify. Benjamin loved playing with the big chess pieces. Joe and I played a quick game. I won! Joe contests it, but I think he is just a sore loser.

Yesterday was also Ely's Folk Festival. Joe and I walked outside to the sight of people in strange outfits dancing with flags and such. Ely is great place for people watching. The best part was the drunk onlookers who were trying to copy the dancers. Very entertaining.

Summer in Ely

Greetings everyone! Summer is now in full bloom here in the UK. Everyone I talk to seems to complain about the weather and the news is full of stories about the "heat wave." The temperature has been in the 80s and while it certainly has been warm, I really wouldn't call it hot. After all, it is summertime.

Ben and I have been having a lot of picnics lately. It can get a bit stuffy in the house, but the shade of the park is always quite nice, even in the early afternoon. While I can't get him to eat pieces of fruit (only puree for me thanks!), I have discovered that he likes to gnaw on the cores. Sometimes I think he just wants to eat like a proper adult. He won't feed himself anything that isn't grain based. I used to think he just didn't like the texture of actual fruit and vegetables, but then I realized that he will eat them off of a fork or spoon. But I bet it is more of a case of laziness than proper table manners.

This picture is from a playground in Cambridge. Joe got home early the other day so we decided to drive to Cambridge for a trip to the mall and dinner at Chili's (something we have not done since Thanksgiving). Well, we were in for a surprise. All the stores in the mall close at 5:30 pm!! (Except on Wednesdays when they are open "late"...8 pm) We strolled to Chili's to find that it had gone out of business. I was so sad. I had been planning out my dinner for a while at that point. Plus, I was looking forward to an American family restaurant. Family dining just isn't something they do here like they do back home. So we found a Subway and wandered around aimlessly until we found this park. At least Ben had a good time.

I had to put up at least one non-helmet picture. He had an ear infection last week so we had to take off his helmet for a few days. I forgot how cute he was!