February is the month where we celebrate love. For Valentine's day, we went to a movie, Lightning Thief, on Friday, then on Sunday we made Valentine's for friends and visited them. I was going to simply doorbell ditch their homes, and leave them wondering who left them a gift, but it turned out to be much more fun to visit. We spent 3 hours at various homes, talking, playing and having fun. I'd do it every day, but then it would get old.
Damon is painting a mural on Benjamin's walls. He started with "Where the Wild Things Are", and will move on to Peter Pan soon. On the other wall, he's putting a city scape. It should be amazing when it's done, and I'll have to move furniture out of his room so we can enjoy it.
I have decided to finally go back and complete my Master's Degree. I started a year ago, then quit so I could do family stuff, and now it is time. In six months Benjamin goes to Kindergarten, and then I'll be able to focus on school, and do more classes at once. For now I'll start with one class in April, and enjoy the chance to learn and work within a stricter schedule.
I have had the spring cleaning bug. In the last three weeks I've rearranged Benjamin's room, done our taxes, re-organized the kitchen, painted a couple walls in our room, gone through closets and donated or thrown out boxes of junk, sorted out all the past dated food storage stuff, shredded old documents that I don't need, rearranged bookshelves, and caught up on a bunch of little stuff that was waiting. It seems like a lot, but it really has only taken a few hours a day, as I am still parenting, teaching, and working at BBW.
Benjamin is getting so grown-up. He is super ready for school to start, but still loves to hang out with me. He can reliably write BEN, and he has gotten much better when it comes to creative play. He loves legos now and will spend hours building with them, and creating scenes. He sleeps with at least two-dozen stuffed animals. They are his friends, and at any given time can be found keeping him company, or roaming the house. He uses big words, and tries so hard to act grown-up, then breaks down and cries when things don't work out the way he wants them to. He finds pictures in clouds, the other day he saw one that looked like a dog, giraffe, or something else. He regularly asks me how I'm doing, and always needs hugs when I'm in the middle of something. He is also learning to read basic words, and I am teaching him piano now, which he is surprisingly focused and attentive for.
Benjamin'isms
"That's totally awesome."
"The white bird at the store was acting all spazzy."
"130,000." - the number he uses when he wants to describe a lot.
"I'm too tired."
"That was hard work." - Used when I'm doing most of the work and he just isn't interested.
"That other day" = tomorrow.
"Never" - Used whenever he hasn't done something, or seen something within the last 5 seconds.
"I learned how to do that." - used whenever he does something new, even if it's making a silly face.
There are countless more, but as most mother's do, I forget. He is a good kid and mostly is the joy of my life. I just need to teach him to stay close when we go to stores. He thinks he's like Damon and I and can go look at what he wants, and that we'll just find him when we're ready.
This month is busy, but that keeps us learning and growing, so we wouldn't have it any other way. Well, maybe better sleep would be useful. :)
