Benjamin has recently added a new word to his ever-growing vocabulary. It is two-letter word that I have been dreading, and now it’s here. “No,” he says more often than seems possible or healthy or appropriate. This phenomenon began about two weeks ago, but Benjamin has made quick work of incorporating it into almost every conversation. What a happened to my baby boy who never dared say “no?”
Perhaps that sweet little boy is hanging out somewhere with the Benjamin who is a perfect flyer. Remember the boy who flew to New York and back over spring break without complaint, garnering compliments left and right? Well, he has been replaced by a little guy who vomits all over himself and his mother. On our trip to Midland last weekend, we walked through the airport carrying our very large almost two-year old wearing his post-puke outfit of nothing but a diaper and sandals. After his great explosion, I realized that all his clothes were in our suitcase, so we had nothing to put on for the walk through the airport and out to Poppy waiting in the car. Where has my perfect airplane passenger gone?
There is a chance that my perfect flyer is spending time with the Benjamin who never did anything too daring or out of character. Yesterday that sweet image of perfection was replaced with a curious little boy who turned a quart of half & half upside down in the middle of the kitchen floor. He watched with fascination as it spread and splattered everywhere. Only when the carton was empty did the gravity of his actions hit him; then he began to bawl uncontrollably. I looked at him with shock and asked, “Benjamin, why did you do that?” I realize it was a ridiculous question. I imagine that if he could have stopped crying long enough to answer, he might have said, “Because it was there.”
Please don’t misunderstand, along with Benjamin’s new-found freedom of speech and action (sorry I can’t find anything good about the vomit on the plane) comes a capacity for learning and expressing himself that leaves Tim and I amazed. He continues to show his affection for our family and friends by constantly talking about them and all the fun he has had in times past. He rattles off their names in such a way that makes me wonder if he studies flashcards when no one is around. Another recent interest of his is the alphabet. He recognizes letters on signs, in books, on t-shirts, and even on his silverware, “Gerber.” For me, it’s a bit shocking to watch my baby boy studying the shapes of letters and searching his memory for the name of that shape.
Now at the end of May, Benjamin sits on the edge of the terrible two’s, and I must admit that I’m feeling a bit nervous. My reassurance is the journey he has taken us on so far. Surely this little person – who just happens to shriek “No” ten to twenty times a day – will continue to delight us.
Perhaps that sweet little boy is hanging out somewhere with the Benjamin who is a perfect flyer. Remember the boy who flew to New York and back over spring break without complaint, garnering compliments left and right? Well, he has been replaced by a little guy who vomits all over himself and his mother. On our trip to Midland last weekend, we walked through the airport carrying our very large almost two-year old wearing his post-puke outfit of nothing but a diaper and sandals. After his great explosion, I realized that all his clothes were in our suitcase, so we had nothing to put on for the walk through the airport and out to Poppy waiting in the car. Where has my perfect airplane passenger gone?
There is a chance that my perfect flyer is spending time with the Benjamin who never did anything too daring or out of character. Yesterday that sweet image of perfection was replaced with a curious little boy who turned a quart of half & half upside down in the middle of the kitchen floor. He watched with fascination as it spread and splattered everywhere. Only when the carton was empty did the gravity of his actions hit him; then he began to bawl uncontrollably. I looked at him with shock and asked, “Benjamin, why did you do that?” I realize it was a ridiculous question. I imagine that if he could have stopped crying long enough to answer, he might have said, “Because it was there.”
Please don’t misunderstand, along with Benjamin’s new-found freedom of speech and action (sorry I can’t find anything good about the vomit on the plane) comes a capacity for learning and expressing himself that leaves Tim and I amazed. He continues to show his affection for our family and friends by constantly talking about them and all the fun he has had in times past. He rattles off their names in such a way that makes me wonder if he studies flashcards when no one is around. Another recent interest of his is the alphabet. He recognizes letters on signs, in books, on t-shirts, and even on his silverware, “Gerber.” For me, it’s a bit shocking to watch my baby boy studying the shapes of letters and searching his memory for the name of that shape.
Now at the end of May, Benjamin sits on the edge of the terrible two’s, and I must admit that I’m feeling a bit nervous. My reassurance is the journey he has taken us on so far. Surely this little person – who just happens to shriek “No” ten to twenty times a day – will continue to delight us.
Banjo and Emma Rae strolling down Missouri Street
in Midland last weekend
