Catholic Bling Yo!

A Delicious Slice of Life

Bunny Wabbit

This huge bunny was a gift to Ben on his first Easter. He lives on the rocking chair in the basement and lately Ben has been dragging him up the steps for a snuggle.

This picture I asked Ben to not look so serious and to smile for the camera...LOL

Imagination

Daddy and Ben playing lego before Church.

Ben's sweet little imagination has been blossoming. He will often come to me to show me a lego creation and tell me it is a tree or he will draw a scribble and tell me it's an alligator. It is amazing to see his mind developing.

Another interesting development is he is recognozing songs on the radio and trying to sing along. And the other day Lady Gaga came on and he said, "Gaga!!" We found this amazing, but, unfortunately, it also lead to daddy putting an end to Ben listening to Lady Gaga.

Sesame Street Meets Passover

We have been eating matzo for breakfast the last several days. Ben calls anything small, round, or crunchy a cookie....so cookies are cookies, crackers are cookies, chocolates are cookies, etc. So he when he wants some matzo he will ask, "cookie?" So Claudio said to Ben the other morning, "This is called matzo. Can you say matzo?" Ben replied, "cookie?" so Claudio says, "No, it's matzo." Ben replies, "montsna?" Claudio says, "Right! matzo!" Ben looking perplexed, "Cookie Montsna??!"

Bedtime for Benjamin

Just a little glimpse into bedtime for Ben. We have said our family prayers, gotten a new diaper and some pajamas. Then Ben picks out a bedtime story. He almost always picks "Engine" which is The Little Engine That Could. This is currently Ben's favorite book.

Once the story is done Ben puts the book back in the book basket and collects his little travelling companions.

He has three main stuffed animals: Froggy, Foofy, and Kitty. Kitty is a recent addition. He used to live at Grandma's house but Ben just could no longer bear to leave it there so he has become a permanent fixture here.

As you can see tonight Ben also wanted TWO Elmo dolls in bed.

So he piles them all up in his arms and then waits for me to come carry him upstairs for bedtime.

Stupid flash prevented mefrom getting a picture with his eyes open!

The interesting thing about these stuffed animals is that he only seems to have an attachment to them during the time it takes to go up to bed and come down from bed. He does not hold onto them in bed and he almost always brings them all down in the morning and after naps, but then doesn't give them a second glance all day.

Here is Ben losing his patience with me taking pictures instead of taking him to bed! But the rest of the routine is pretty boring. We go upstairs, I lie him in bed, I tell him I love him, and stroke his hair for a moment, then I shut the door and it is off to dreamland for little Ben.

Freecycled Sand and Water Table

I got this sand and water table from freecycle during the Fall sometime and so today was the first day warm enough to use it. We haven't gotten the sand yet so I just put some water on each side and Ben had a ball. He probably spent about an hour and half playing at the table. And then he only stopped when the neighbor boy came outside to play. He always distracts Benjamin...and then we had to come inside to get Anna who was waking from her nap.

In the background you can see a little Benjamin style picnic table that I also got from freecycle.

Here is the little bead toy I got for Ben at the consignment sale...guess it isn't too clear there on the chair, but Ben loves it and played with it all afternoon (before and after the water table)

You can see on Ben the shorts and sandles we got today....looks nice right?....

Hmm, is that a little bit of diaper I see?

Perhaps a little droopy?

Ohh yeah...this is what you get when you have a 2yr old that weighs only 23lbs. These shorts are size 18M.......and literally fall off him. I have to take them in obviously.

It is hard to hear Ben's responses here, but when I ask, "What does mommy say?" he responds "I love you" and when I ask, "What does Annabella say?" he says, "wahhh wahhh" and when I ask what Bunny says he says, "meow meow".

And lastly, I would consider today a perfect day.....My house is a mess and my laundry is still unfolded and there are dishes in my sink and toys on the floor, but while we played outside Ben turned to me, came over with a big smile and gave me a kiss. Kinda puts life in perspective.

Consignment Sale Fashion Show

Anna truly loved this! Some of her faces LOOK distressed but I swear to you that she was literally posing as soon as she heard the camera come on! It was hysterical. She would hear the lense come out and she would put on her camera face. Sometimes posing her hands etc. We couldn't believe what she was doing!

All of these outfits were bought at a local semi-annual consignment sale. Also got Ben a pair of shorts (you will see them in another post), a pair of sandles, one of those toys with the colored beads that you move along twisted wires (also in a later post), a cd of children's songs, and a small storage shelf system.

I love this little pear outfit with the contrasting shorts underneath. The shorts are attached. So it is all one piece.

Ingenuity

If you get tired of sitting up....just lay back and play with your feet!

Sibling Rivalry

Anna loves to sit at the piano and play the songs but if Ben is around he can't bear to let anyone touch the toys that were once his alone. In fact he even has trouble sharing the toys that are actually Anna's LOL.....such is life with a 2 year old. Luckily the 7M old doesn't care...she is just happy to get attention from Ben even if it is bad attention.

So Ben plopped himself down right next to Anna on the boppy so he could dominate the piano and when he got tired of that he grabbed a book to read, but when she tried to touch it he kept jabbing her with his elbow....which only encouraged her. I find it hysterical that they are already bickering in their baby way!

In the video Ben had skootched far enough away from her so that she couldn't touch his book but you can see her bopping around trying to figure out how to get to him. And if you turn up the volume you can hear him say, "boogy?" as he touches his nose LOL. LOVE these two critters!

I Just Couldn't Resist..

Taking this series of pictures of my little apple dumpling. Her little personality is blossoming everyday. She is such a girly girl....I can't even put my finger on what makes her so girly compared to how Ben was, but there is just this quality of girly sweetness and then also the way she will whine and complain if you are not looking at her and giving her attention, but if you DO give her attention she will just shine and smile until you just about die from the sweetness.

Anna almost always sits up the counter like this in the Bumbo while I make dinner. As I said as long as she is getting your attention she is happy...so she will sit up there grabbing for whatever she can happily playing with a clothes pin which is by far her favorite toy! When she spots a clothes pin her whole face lights up. Perhaps a future in laundry?? LOL

Precious

Who Needs a Floral Centerpiece??