Summer Favorites

Although we are just in our second week of summer, Ben and I have found a few favorites that are extra special this summer. First, and foremost, is the park. In particular, slides and swings are our favorites. A playground was recently built in our neighborhood and it is wonderful to have somewhere to walk to. Ben could swing all afternoon, whether at the park or in our backyard. Last week, I also discovered his love for the slide. He sits on my lap to go down and wants to go over and over again. There is always a little squeal of delight at the end. Not only are we now regulars at our park, but are making the rounds to many other Ankeny parks as well.

The second summer favorite is ice cream. After a trip to the park a few days ago, Ben and I met my friend Heather at Dairy Queen to have ice cream. I bought a dish thinking Ben and I would share it, but my bites seemed minimal. The kid loves ice cream! We will definitely be doing that again!

The third summer favorite is music class. We go to music class on Monday mornings. Since starting music class in January, it is fun to think about how much Ben has changed. He has certain activities and songs he loves. He loves Ms. Tina's (his teacher) finger puppets, loves the peek-a-boo song with scarves, and loves some of the dances we learn. We have a CD of the songs to listen to at home, which is also great.

The fourth summer favorite is simply the great outdoors. We have learned that Ben is a child that loves to be outside. In fact, sometimes he cries when we have to go back in. He explores the grass, enjoys walking up and down the sidewalk, points at all the birds he sees and says "buh", checks out all our trees and bushes, and even likes to sit on our porch chair. I'm so thankful that he likes being outside so much, as I get a bit stir-crazy being inside too long myself.

The fifth summer favorite is a selfish one of my own. It is nap time and bed time. I love spending my day with Ben, but I also thoroughly enjoy a little summer time to myself when he is sleeping. I look forward to summer to have some time to read or do little things around the house. The peacefulness and quiet that nap and bed time bring is so, so sweet and never unappreciated.

We are hoping to add another favorite to our list soon, if the weather will warm up a bit. That favorite will be the Ankeny Splash Park and the baby pool in our own backyard! Hopefully, those adventures will occur soon.

Oops... apparently I forgot one thing. As I was sitting here on the stool at our breakfast bar, I looked down to see Ben holding his current favorite book. He was looking at me with pleading eyes, so I had to take a break to read it to him, followed by quite a few other favorites. Reading would not just be a summer favorite, but an all-the-time favorite for Ben! I wonder where he got that?!?

Big Discoveries, Part 2

We really have a mini-man on the move. Here is the latest:

1.) Hats. Ben has discovered a recent love for hats. Hats worn backwards, gangster style, worn over his head, or simply carrying the hat around. He especially loves Grandpa Dave's farmer hats because they are so big and easy to put on. And really, Ben simply loves anything he can put on his head.

2.) How to "talk" on the phone. Ben loves to play with cell phones and regular phones. Recently, he has been seen holding the phone to his neck or the back of his head and jabbering very loudly. Every time he does this, he seems to say the same thing and in the same way. Although you can't really understand it, it is clear he thinks he is talking on the phone.

3.) Finishing the sentence in a book. Mom sings: "Five little ducklings went out one day, over the hill and far away. Mother duck said ___________" Ben says. "Cack." Mom says, "You're right, quack, quack, quack." Mmmm, priceless.

4.) Styling Mom's hair. Usually I've tried to keep Ben away from my hair, as in the past it has led to getting it pulled. However, last week while playing on the floor, Ben walked up behind me and started gently petting and running his fingers in my hair. And, he loved it when I shook my head and my hair would brush his face. He'd giggle and giggle.

Big Discoveries

It's been a big week around the Ausenhus household. Ben has made some wonderful new discoveries! They include:

1.) Belly buttons. It all started with a little flip book we read every night before bed. One of the flip pages lifts the flap to find the baby's belly button. Last night, we were all playing outside in the grass. Brant was laying on the grass and Ben made the big discovery, eager to poke as much as possible and even attempting to play peek-a-boo with it by covering and uncovering it with Brant's shirt. Today, when asked, "Ben, where is your belly button?" he eagerly lifted his shirt and pointed to (or in) his own.

2.) How to wear a box on your head. Oh, the thrills! Ben learned that it is fun to look at yourself in the mirror with a box on your head, to walk around with it on your head, but that it doesn't work so well to wear it on your face.

3.) Hide and seek. We have been enjoying and still love the all time favorite game of peek-a-boo. However, peek-a-boo has become more advanced with him giggling while waiting to be "found" or with Ben coming to find me. The trickster even changed spots today in mid-hunt! Of course, the hiding places consist of the closet and behind the bed... that's it.

4.) Where mommy keeps the bananas. Ben love bananas. There is no doubt about that. They sit in a bowl on the counter and this week, he discovered he can see the bananas in the bowl from his high chair and that he can point to them and say, "Na" while rejecting any other food offered. We are learning some difficult lessons in eating what is offered.

5.) How to brush his own hair. Ben loves to try to brush his own hair. Of course it requires re-combing, but it is adorable to watch!

Here are a few pictures. Some document some of his new discoveries and others are just plain cute!

Mother's Day

Although this Mother's Day wasn't anything out of the ordinary, it is nice to have a day of our own. My favorite part, as with any day, was doing something or going somewhere with my favorite boys. My day started by getting to sleep in a little longer than usual, which was a treat. Brant and Ben surprised me with flowers and cards and a new outdoor chair to lounge in this summer. We went to Ames to walk around Reiman Gardens before going to Great-Grandma Anderson's for lunch. Grandma enjoyed seeing Ben and we had a nice time catching up with her for a while.

It seems to be a continous process of organizing and using space efficiently around our house, so we picked up a new cabinet to put in our entryway on our way home from Ames. Sometimes I think working on dealing with the "stuff" we have acquired over the past few months from my dad's house, which has then uprooted some of the original stuff, is the biggest treat of all. It seems to be something that gets put off and put off again. When it is actually addressed, it is important to jump at the opportunity!! I detest clutter and junk and I'm hoping that someday... someday it will no longer be an issue. I should have asked for that for Mother's Day!

I am a mother myself and should relish in the day of appreciation, but Mother's Day is also a blatant reminder of the absence of my own mother. It will be three years in June and although the really hard days are fewer and far between, and now sometimes augmented by the loss of Dad, they still happen and I have to continue allowing myself to have them. Yesterday was a very hard day. I suppose it may have had to do with Mother's Day or other reminders, or maybe it didn't, but I was reminded that even though time goes on, it still hurts. So, on this Mother's Day, I send a tribute to my own mother. I love you, Mom, and miss you dearly!

Ready, Set, Go!

The word "go" is one of Ben's newest words. Although it sounds more like "guh" at this point, he loves to get on his giraffe scooter, have me say, "Ready, set..." and then he finishes with "Go," and off we go. We continue with me saying "Stop" and Ben saying "Go" to have me push again. It is a great little game to play!

What a glorious spring day! Today was the first day of the Des Moines Farmer's Market downtown. I think the Farmer's Market is one of Des Moines' best kept secrets. Brant, Ben, and I spent about an hour strolling around amid the crowds of people. We have the best baby backpack that Ben rides in on Brant's back at events like this. He can get a better view and is perfectly content to simply gaze around, which makes it even more enjoyable for us! I love the atmosphere of live music, food stands, and all sorts of odds and ends, from homemade salsa to produce to food stands to homemade jewelry.

To continue with our great spring day, Brant mowed the lawn for the first time of the season and I cleaned the house. Normally, that wouldn't be too significant or even noteworthy, but there is something just perfect about the smell of fresh cut grass and a clean house on a spring day. I love having the windows open on days like today.

And, toward the end of our spring day, we headed to Toys R Us to look for some outdoor toys for Ben. We walked away with the classic Little Tykes plastic slide and a baby swing. Brant is planning to build a little swing set for Ben. After that, we had supper out together at Granite City and then went to pick up spring flowers and pots at Home Depot, which I plan to plant tomorrow!

Finally, to cap off the day, Brant went on a bike ride on his brand new road bike. Once he returned, I went on a great run. We are now content to take a break and watch the extra innings of the Twins vs. Royals game. Like I said, what a great spring day!

To finish tonight, I'll leave you with another precious Ben moment. Once he and I finish his bedtime story, we say his prayers. Typically, I either fold his hands in mine. However, for the first time last night, I folded my hands and he put his little hands together too. It was one of those near-tears, always-to-be-remembered moments.