Ben - my buddy - my heart

This kid has my heart and melts it on a daily basis.

I really don't even know how to put into words how much love I have for this fun, crazy, energetic, intelligent, funny, and so-much-more 5-year old of mine.

Five is a great age.  I'm sure I have said that about all of the ages and stages Ben has gone through (minus those horrible three's!), but I just can't believe how much older and more mature he seems these days.  Don't get me wrong - we still have meltdowns and struggle nightly with dinnertime (and other times too), but for the most part, Ben is so much fun to be around.  He listens well most of the time, enjoys helping out around the house, and is still such a great sleeper for both naps and bedtime (he has never gotten out of bed once we put him down).

His imagination and creativity are on over-drive these days.  Ben and I went to the park last weekend and he had a whole world developed there that involved his home and a school where he worked as the painter, but it had secret rooms and treasure and he had recently stopped going there to paint - they now come to his studio to buy his paintings.  It was so fun to pretend with him.

Ben is super friendly and is always saying "hi" to anyone we see on walks or meet at a park.  All of his teachers tell me they have a special place in their hearts for Ben - even when he's getting in trouble.  That there's just something about him that you have to love.  He has lots of friends at school and it's sweet to see them playing and interacting at school and birthday parties.

Ben is super into Star Wars these days.  It started when he received some action figures at his birthday party and since then, he has collected many more figures and he's actually watched all 6 movies!  He loves it.  We always bring his guys and X-wing fighter up to Grandma and Papa's house with us. :)  Some other favorite movies right now are Mary Poppins, Monsters Inc, Dispicable Me 2, The Nut Job, and Wreck It Ralph.  Favorite shows are Handy Manny, Princess Sofia, and Wipeout.

And let me just say that Ben has been an even better big brother than I ever imagined.  This is exactly what I was picturing all those years we struggled to have baby #2.  I worried the age gap would be hard, but so far it's the sweetest little bond.  Oliver is obsessed with Ben and Ben is so sweet with Oliver.  He always sings "You are my sunshine" to try and make Oliver happy when he's fussy and grabs Oliver's hand and makes little noises.  Oliver loves it.  Whenever Oliver is napping, Ben always asks where he is and if he's almost done napping.  Every night he gives him a kiss and says "Goodnight O-li-ver" (dragging out the 3 syllables) and when we come home each day from school, he rushes to the bathroom to wash his hands and then immediately goes over to Oliver to say hello.

Ben has a great memory and has pretty much every commercial memorized.  He can say the entire State Farm commercial (Jake from State Farm) from beginning to end and it's hilarious.  It's crazy because we don't have the TV on with commericals all that much, but he just soaks them in. 

Some other things I love about Ben at this age:

*  he loves to say "Adios Amigos"

*  he sometimes speaks in Minion speak from Dispicable Me ("yato") - his buddy Reed at school might have started that one

*  he's obsessed with peanut butter bars (the Salty & Sweet ones)

*  he prefers to shower at night now (and always plays with the shower wiper - to wipe and as a gun of course!)

*  during the week he's always so tired in the morning, so we think he'll sleep in on weekends but NOPE - he's usually in our room around 6.30am

*  he likes to pretend he's not going to come with me and Oliver to get the mail, but then he always runs out after us and thinks it's so funny that he "tricked" me

*  he's getting so much better on his bike (the training wheels are set higher) and his scooter (he can use the back break with his foot)

*  he's finally starting to swim better (more to come on that soon)

*  his writing and drawings are getting SO much better - he used to only draw spiders (which looked like smily suns), but now he's drawing people and things, and he likes to section off his drawings and color each section a different color - it takes forever but he loves it and it looks great when he's done

Ben riding his scooter

Ben on his bike and some construction equipment

An airplane with passengers and construction equipment again

Our family - Ben, Daddy, Mommy & Oliver & the sun is out with rain, so it made a rainbow

Ben & his BFF's - Kasen (Heil is his last name) & Reed (and another sun, rain, rainbow)

Ben and I still sit and eat breakfast together every morning before school/work and I cherish that time.  I hope he never stops giving me huge hugs and kisses when I pick him up at the end of the day and always wants me to lay in bed with him at night right before he goes to sleep to talk about his day.