I Love You Too, Mama.

Things are pretty much as can be expected around here. Ben's rash is just about gone. His stomach has a giraffe spot pattern from skin growing back darker and his face has a white spot pattern where the skin grew back lighter. Amazing really, but he is healthy and happy and that is all we could ask for. The weather has been pretty nice so that means good times in the backyard.....and also means that my two little bundles of energy can wear themselves out throughout the course of the day. They have been busy playing with their new basketball hoop, digging in the dirt, kicking the soccer ball, playing with the foam swords that Nonny and Papa brought for them......
In fact, Seb loves to put a bucket on his head and march with his sword. He calls himself, "Good Knight," when he does this. Of course, with the basketball hoop they are more into dunking than shooting, but it is hilarious to watch Seb dribble. He gets a few good bounces in and then the ball scoots away and he falls to the ground as if his balance was attached to the bouncing ball. Ben loves to investigate everything in the yard as if he has never seen it before. He collects and counts rocks. He checks out the many different flowers and trees and things falling from the trees and plants. He can spend hours shoveling rocks or digging in the dirt. He transfers dirt from the ground to the dump truck and then to various parts of the yard. Ben loves to be outdoors and will stay there long after his brother has decided to go inside.

The boys' new favorite movie is the Mickey Mouse version of "The Three Musketeers". And, when I say favorite....I am talking obsessed! I am talking all day long, if they are watching something......it is that movie. Help me!!! I tried renting something else and putting it on the big TV in the front room (an enticing ploy... I thought). They watched ten minutes before Ben promptly led the charge into his room and demanded his movie. Of course, it is a crack up to watch the movie with them (the first 2-3times a day). Seb has to talk throughout the whole thing. He is like the second narrator. In books and movies he loves to point out the characters. "Ohhhhh, the bad guys. Where did the bad guys go?" He flips the page. "There the bad guys. What they doing? They jump big." or whatever the page shows. This goes on with any movie or book about all the characters. Of course his favorite is Pete which is one of the reasons why I think he loves the Three Musketeers. And the funny thing is, he loves Pete so much he will not classify him as a "bad guy".

Both boys are loving the traffic signals while driving. Where before they would get excited helping daddy navigate and screaming "Go!" with the green light and "Stop!" (insert obligatory stop hand motion) with the red light, they have now added the "Slow Down." for the yellow. Of course they say the words so that they are drawn out very sllloooow. It has really stuck with them and even in their gingerbread man book where the gingerbread man's chest buttons are those traffic light colors.....they talk about the colors and what they mean.

Also, when they watch their TV shows, they have been participating more. They answer the questions asked by the cartoon character and Seb will add to it even.

TV: Is this the sound of the tiger (audio of a bee)?

Ben and Seb: NOOOOOOOOOO!

Seb: A Beeee! A Beee!

TV: Is this Goofy's tie?(pointing to one of three ties)

Seb: Too tiny. (pinching hand gesture)

TV: Is this Goofy's tie?(again pointing)

Seb: Too big.

I am still loving our nighttime ritual. We have the TV off, music in the background and we just talk to each other and cuddle. Ben always tells me I have to sit with him first and Seb is usually okay with that. This is the time I get the most love from my Benny. He is a busy dude and although very loving......he is completely different then his brother. Nighttime is when he kisses and cuddles and tucks in his favorite stuffed dog by his side. He likes me to rub his back or his head and would like for me to never leave his side. At bedtime, Seb goes down the list of all the people he loves. He always starts with Mama, Daddy and Ben and then adds in whoever we have been talking about or visiting lately. Whether it be the dogs or Nonny and Papa or GG and Steve. His new thing though is after he declares who he loves, he turns it around. "Mama loves me. Daddy loves me. Gung Gung (Ben) loves me." and so on.

What is really special to me though is that Seb always makes time to tell me he loves me. Not just in a list of names. At random points throughout the day, he comes to me with a big smile and hug and says, " I love you too mama. I love you too." That just melts my heart. I love that Seb can express himself now. Yesterday I had accidentally bumped his head while cleaning the room and he said,"Mama, you hurt my head." That killed me. Also, whenever I steal away to get my chores done Seb says,"Mama. I help. Me clean too. I come." Outside Seb will motion to me,"Mama, sit with me." I sit and he motions to the dogs. "Jagr sit with me." Miraculously she comes over. Seb will look at me and say,"Mama, you love me this much." (he reaches his arms as far as they can go. I say,"Seb I love you this much." I reach my arms too. "Mama, loves me in heart." Touches his chest. I answer,"I love you in my heart." Seb replies,"I love you too mama, in heart too."

So, I know.....I could go on all day. I look at this picture and think.....what are they cooking up next? It is exciting to see them grow and learn. I am so proud of both of my boys. Their birthday is coming up in a couple of months as is our Famiversary. Happy times every day and celebrations to come. I love you too, Ben and Seb. I love you too. With all of my heart.

Who Knew??

So, who knew? I thought I was lightyears away from seeing a picture of my kid at a party.....a party I did not attend......on someone else's myspace page, haha. Double take....is that really my Sebby? That must have been some Superbowl party kid.

Here is a big high five to my Seb though. He has been talking up a storm. For example, he'll see a monkey on TV. "Ohhh, monkey. Me love monkey. Daddy love monkey too. Mama no love monkey. Gung Gung (that is Ben....don't know how, but it is) loves monkey too." And then it starts all over with the next thing whether it be Mickey Mouse or a banana.

Seb has been working hard on his potty training too. Ben refuses to even begin and I am giving him slack partially because of his rashy mood and partially because it is easier for me to focus on one kid at a time in that arena. He sits on the potty once every hour and is doing quite well. He gets a jelly belly treat for going which he loves. Now he has taken to sitting Sally (the stuffed Porsche car) on the potty next to his. "Sally go Pee," he says. Then he sits and goes and exclaims,"Go Pee, Me go Pee." He gets his treat and says...."Sally candy too." I say that Sally has to share with him.....not falling for that one.....no way.

Super Bowl Sunday

So, yes, we are still unable to attend such events as Super Bowl parties as a family because of the rash that just wouldn't leave......you can't see it that well from the pictures as thankfully the head and back regions are only like former white blistery dust. That is very much welcome compared to the big red leopard spots on the chest and belly and those now spreading from the shoulders down the arms. When reading up on this stupid rash we did learn a couple things that explained some changes we had seen. The rash causes fatigue and headaches along with its obvious itchy nature. Bingo....after so long of no nap taking, Ben has been putting himself to bed mid afternoon for a little nap or falling asleep on the couch while watching a movie or TV show. He has been more irritable than usual. He has wanted to be held more, babied more and has decided that he does not want to bugger with using the big boy potty anymore and he used to be the star in that arena. Poor sick guy.....hope you get well soon kid.


Because of the dreaded rash and people's very dare I say racist or is it just anti- African view of what that rash must mean, after much deliberation we decided that Ben and I would stay home from the annual Super Bowl party. We figured Daddy and Seb could party down and Ben and Mommy would have some much needed one on one time at home.....the boys wouldn't notice.... right? Plus, Ben is a bit antisocial and doesn't usually enjoy a huge party of strangers while Seb basks in it. Ben loves alone time.....he wouldn't mind right?

Daddy had gotten his hair cut and so we figured the boys were about due for one as well. They both hate it, but I had the lesser hater of the two, Sebby, come to me first and Daddy told him that we were cutting his hair so that he would be ready for the party and ready to see his main squeeze Cassidy. With a little protest and a few tears we got Sebby's hair cut. The big surprise was to see Ben run over to me, plop himself into my lap and demand his hair cut too. Now usually Benny is a two man job because he hates it......with a capital H, Hates it. Writhing, screaming, crying, bending, moaning, freaking out.....absolutely positutely HATES HIS HAIR CUT! But, hearing that brother was getting ready for the party......Ben wanted to get ready for the party too. He sat without batting an eyelash through the whole thing. I praised him all I could, but knew he still couldn't go to the party. It really made me sad. Poor kid.

But, the boys still had some time for some fun. So, the brothers took their baths and got dressed up in their Raiders jerseys (as if the Raiders would ever make the Superbowl) and played for a while. Racing around the couch by foot, by hop and with the ever popular crawl races.

The boys were so cute, I couldn't help but take a couple of pics with them. And in the end, it wasn't so bad. Seb and Daddy went to the party until half time. Seb played with a gaggle of girls who carried him around and dressed him up in various outfits. He let all the mommies at the party dote on him. He even refused to let Mike feed him and insisted on sitting on our friend's lap and eating from her plate.....silly boy.
Ben and I ordered pizza which made him feel right away that he was getting the better deal. We did all those things that are impossible to do with brother home....we played with the train and Benny could build his own track and not fight over the tunnel piece. He got his doctor's kit out and I was his patient. He also enjoyed beat boxing into the stethoscope. We played golf in the house. We sat together and watched the game and he got all of mommy's undivided attention. Yes, mommy and Ben had a fabulous time. Although.....mommy was more tired after this day than any other in a long time. It is hard for me in my old age to run races around the couch in every manner possible and give into a toddler's every whim. But, I think Ben was happy to have the time alone and I was happy that he was happy.