Man Vs. Wild

So, Matt has been working some crazy shifts and we have been spending a lot of time not at home on the weekends. Add to that the exorbitant amount of rain Tennessee gets and one can quickly grow jungle in the backyard!! I don't mow, I just don't. So, poor Matt on his one week off had to tackle our jungle with a push mower!! The grass had gotten SO long that the morning after a good rain storm and it laid down! and poor Buford was SO glad to have open space again he was trailing Matt as he mowed! I am happy to report, though, that Matt won this summer's episode of Man vs. Wild!!

New toy!! 2

Cousin Brayden also let me have this one. I a think Mom and Dad might like it as much as I do. It is like the coolest Magna Doodle Ever!!! It has purple jell that you push around the screen to write and draw pictures and it plays music!! I love to write my name, that is when I can get it away from Mom or Dad!

New Toy!!!

Aunt Melissa and Cousin Brayden gave me some of his toys last week! I have to say, Cousin Brayden had good taste in toys!

Captain Underpants!!

Right in the middle of our house cleaning last week Captain Underpants made an appearnce! and he had an amazing new flying machine!!! There is a really cute video of this that I will post asap. For some reason my blog is not letting me post the video. But enjoy the pics!

Out like a light!

Man What a Day!!! My boys were both wiped out after a hard day at church! Nothing lulls you to sleep quite like a good Nascar Race!

Beads! Beads! Beads!

Some of our friends gave Ben some Mardigra Beads to play with when we were over visiting the other day. He loved playing with them soo much that they sent some home with him. He throws them, swings them, puts them in and out of blocks and other toys, and of course chews on them. I put them on him for some pics and he promptly started pulling them off!

Ben's Books

Ben is quite the little reader. Well, okay, he is more of a book opener and closer with an occasional pause to check out an interesting picture. And more often than I care to admit, he thinks they make lovely chew toys!

But we usually have a good stack of books around at home or on the road, they keep him busy for long periods of time.

Ben Helps in the Kitchen

I was cleaning up the kitchen when I was joined by a little guy investigating things. I have heard you should not stifle their natural curiosity. So, while I don't think letting him taste the dish soap is a good idea, I figure Tupperware is pretty harmless. He sure seems to enjoy pulling it out of the cupboard and spreading it around the kitchen, at least when I am in there I know exactly were he is and what he is into!!!

Mom becomes suspicious.

We have been working on different sign language words with Ben over the past few months. Some we have been doing since he was very, very young (like milk).

We have been told by friends and books we have read that often around 9-10 months a baby will begin using signs he has been shown consistently.

As of yet Ben has not done any of the signs we have been consistently using with him. At first I just told myself he was watching and be patient he will do it when he is ready. Then I began to wonder if we were being consistent enough. But now I am beginning to wonder if I am already being duped by my son.

Matt- "Daddy" Ben- Nothing

Matt- "Mommy" Ben- Nothing

It took him approximately 5 days of Matt doing High 5 with him before he started doing it himself. With out any specific help at all he has begun waving good-bye and hello. And out of the blue one day he started giving kisses!

Matt- "High Five" Ben- "High Five"

Matt- "YEAH" Ben- "YEAH"

One must ask herself, "If the boy can do similar hand/mouth actions, why then can he not do the simple sign for milk? or Mommy? Or more?" I could be wrong here, but it feels allot like won't not can't. To add insult to injury my Mom apparently noticed this before I did and yesterday decided it was time to gently let me know, I had come to this realization just the day before! Thanks Mom!

More Bath Fun

Ben sure enjoys his baths! He was being such a ham this morning that I took a few shots. He has three little plastic turtles that he loves to play with. He puts one in each hand and one in his mouth!