A nice little list of ten things about Ben

1. Ben got his VERY FIRST HAIRCUT last Friday night.  I said I wouldn't do it myself, but then I did it anyway.  I also said I would wait until he started to look like a girl, but I gave in early because he looked too much like a street urchin.  Here he is before, during, and after:

Can you see that?  MULLET.

Notice how I am attempting to wield scissors, and he is completely rejecting me.

I keep forgetting to take a good AFTER pic, so here he is at the zoo with our friend Jenna.

2.  Speaking of the zoo, we have gone a LOT lately.  I used some of Ben's Christmas money to buy a zoo membership, and we've already gotten our money's worth several times over.  If the temperature is above 40 and we don't have plans, we go to the zoo.  It's awesome.

My dad visited a few weeks ago.  Guess where we took him.

Ben got to touch Timmy the "tow-dis."  He talked about it all day.

3.  Again speaking of the zoo, Ben talks about the zoo ALL THE TIME.  Last week, Daniel took him to the park.  When they got home, I asked Ben where he went.  He very excitedly replied, "Zoo!!  Daffs (giraffes)!!  Monkeys!!"  He totally lied to me.  In detail.

4.  Ben wants to count everything.  He points to things and tells me, "Tount!" a million times a day.  He fills in two, three, four, six, and ten.  Occasionally at the right time.  He can also tell you what comes after uno, dos... "tres!!"

This picture has nothing to do with anything, but look at that cute face.

5.  When he is feeling silly, he says, "Get you!"  Translation:  "Say, 'I'm going to get you!' and then tickle me."   He requests to be chased fairly often, too.

6.  Ben is growing the last half of his last molar AND two canine teeth.  AT THE SAME TIME.  Not cool.  This results in some interesting diapers.  Two weekends ago, he had the worst diaper blowout I have ever seen, and we were at the zoo (seriously, we love the zoo).  To give you the full picture:  Our zoo is on the side of the mountain.  We were at the grizzly bear exhibit, which you access by going to the highest point of the zoo and then taking an elevator up a little farther.  This blowout soiled both shirts Ben was wearing, his coat, his jeans, and later MY jeans.  And I quickly realized that I had ONE WIPE left.  So I got to clean him up with toilet paper.  In the smelly zoo bathroom.  Joy!

The ride home after the worst diaper of all time.

7.  Recently, he started holding out his hand to Daniel and/or me and saying, "Pay!" (pray).  He usually cuts us off mid-prayer by saying, "Men!"

8.  I'm really not sure where he got this, but when I'm in his way, he pushes me and says, "Way!  Way!"  I'm pretty sure this isn't something he has observed from me or Daniel?  Who knows.

9.  We had our windows replaced about a year ago, and one of the workers dropped a window and took a chunk out of our wood floor.  Ben has become obsessed with that spot.  He goes over to it and says, "Happened?... Window... Dwop... Bummer."

10.  A couple of weeks ago, Daniel and I took Ben to the Bass Pro Shop in Denver.  We told him beforehand that we were going to see buffalo and fish.  He fell asleep in the car on the way there, and he woke up saying, "Zoo!  Buffo!  Fish!"  He, of course, loved all the animals there, but his favorite part was the elevator.  He asked to ride it over and over - "Vator!  Up high!"  

Check out those disgustingly huge fish.

This age is SO MUCH FUN.  I am so lucky to spend my days with my sweet baby Ben!