They are actually starting to talk a little bit more. Of course, it is the toddler language that is best understood by me being that I am with them 24/7. But, it is coming along and they are making progress. Ben has added a very convincing "no" to his bag of words. Before, it was just Seb who asserted his opinion at every turn. Now, Ben is the naysayer. I put in the wrong movie......the sweetest little montage of no's comes out. I make the wrong food or pick the wrong book, and it is, "no, no, no". I love that he is finally expressing himself and now I have taken to creating questions just to hear his little no. "Ben, are you done with your food?" "No, no." "Ben, can I take your plate yet?" "No, no." The only time that I have been the least bit annoyed with his no is yesterday when the DVD player wouldn't work and they couldn't watch their favorite movie. I tried everything on TV to replace it, but it was a futile attempt. I think that there was a steady stream of head shaking and increasingly louder no's until we went outside to play before lunch. Of course, many of you may think that the word no is no big deal or that a bigger word would be more attention worthy. The boys have plenty of words or version of words that they say. Ben somehow even managed to say dinosaur the other day. Both routinely tell me to "sit, sit down" when I am buzzing around the room. Or they tell me to t-ckle or "again book" for reading another book before naptime or bedtime. They can recite almost any Disney character and have added Buzz and Woody to the cast of Cars. But, why I love the word "no" from Ben is that he was one never to give his opinion through a word and do it so well. Tantrums yes, but actually expressing himself before frustration is a new thing. 
Besides their constant need to climb to new heights.....I don't know how Ben scales some of the surfaces he does including closet walls and toy chests, the boys have discovered a love of scaring mommy. Not just giggling when they are doing something dangerous mind you. I have a very real fear of snakes. Usually amid a night terror where I am thrashing around in the middle of the night, running here and there and waking my poor husband up.....he will try to settle me and ask what it was this time and it is usually snakes on the floor or in the bed or whatever. (The last time, it was actually barbies everywhere, but that is for another post.) Anyhow, on our last vacation, the boys got wooden snakes. Somehow knowing, or perhaps my dh put them up to it, they got it in their head to chase mommy with the snakes. Now, I realize they are wooden and cannot hurt me, but they still give me the creeps. So, the boys make the ssssssssssss sound and think it is great fun. Okay, I let it be fun for them with exaggerated squalking and running around in circles.....but I know that it is only a matter of years before those wooden snakes are replaced by their real life counterparts. That is what is really scary.
Watching Cars everyday is now a distant memory. I am lucky to convince them to watch their extra Einsteins, Manny, Cars, Rats etc. at all. There is a new love in town. It is Barnyard. With Seb being so crazy about Cows, we got the movie in the off chance he would take to something new. Little did we know it would consume our lives. Everyday, I try to slip in something else. I offer suggestions to the sweet little no's that I love. It always ends in, "Cow, Cow!! Mmmmmmm!" They love that movie. We even bought the compilation of TV shorts of the same Nick series that the movie is based. This didn't leave the DVD player for a week straight. Not even the old Cow movie was allowed to replace it. I couldn't believe that they knew the difference. What do I expect with how well Seb can act every scene. Seb in his quest for perfect reenactment of every scene has even begun to set up props.....moving the toy chest and turning over a crate to make an ideal replica of the cow's computer work space. He mimics everything from their actions to their emotions and is starting to mix in some of their words. I am amazed by what he can glean from cartoon animals in the way of direction and facial expression. A very talented youngster indeed.
Another cute little story which I hold close to my heart occured the other day after giving the boys a bath. We have those sliding glass doors on the bathtub and it is always a struggle to keep the boys from sliding them back and forth when they bathe together. Seb is more private and always wants the doors closed. He is a crack up with other people in the room. We call him Mr. Modest because he will close his knees together and hide his privates if anyone but myself is in the vicinity. Ben on the other hand loves to be free. He will run naked with reckless abandon, letting it all hang out so to speak. He prefers the doors open. So, when I bathe them together I try to put my hand as to block the doors from sliding back and forth. One day, with my grandmother visiting and the boys playing with no thoughts of the doors, I let my guard down and although my hand was up there, it was not at ready position. All of a sudden, my grandmother's rogue boob accidently pushed one of the doors open, trapping my fingers in between the doors. Ouchy....to say the least. I got my fingers out and couldn't help but cry....yes, I am a baby. Ben concerned, wanted out of the bath. I picked him up to dry him off.....thinking he just wanted out. Instead, he gave me the biggest hug imaginable. He reached behind me and grabbed a tissue. He then dried the tears on my face. This melted my heart. Ben who is usually not a big hugger/lover type....usually just on his terms and with reason......took care of his momma. 
Here is a picture from the boys first trip to a GG's pool. Ben was terrified most of the time and had the death grip going on. He finally relaxed a little by the end, but had to be in my arms at all times. Seb was like a fish in water. He loved it and got the kicking down right away. He even blew some good sized bubbles in the water.
And for all those interested, Seb is still traveling everywhere with his plastic cow. The cow even had to alternate bites of spaghetti with him at an Italian restaurant. Although very cute, it took forever to finish dinner...although they finished every bit of food on the plate. Ben sucks those noodles like lady and the tramp and Seb took a spoon and cow and himself didn't leave a drop of meat sauce. Seb can be quite the caretaker when he wants to be. Many a time during lunch he will feed his brother applesauce or whatever is on the menu and Ben opens up like a little baby bird. I much prefer this to when Seb is trying to abscond with the last cookie to an outcry of, "YaYa YaYa Ya Ya," by Ben. Of course, Ben is in to asserting himself now. The last time this happened I heard a deafening scream by Seb and turned to find Ben biting the offending finger and not letting go. I was afraid that it would be bitten off....but he released to my scolding and Seb was left with a swollen purple fingertip for the day. I don't think he tried to strong arm another Lightning McQueen graham cookie away from his brother after that episode. Now he knows he has to be a little more slick and shifty. Of course, when I wanted to relay this story to my mom with Seb in the room.....he was embarrassed. He wouldn't let me tell it. He said,"Nah, nah, nah," waving his hand at me with a very stern look on his face. He then put his hands on his hips and shook his head. I wonder where he gets that from.
Hopefully the month of September is not too hectic. I am in need of a little monotony. Then, maybe I can keep up with my blogging.
