Name 10...

Chuck was out playing church-league softball during dinner so he had to fend for himself when he got home. He was hungry and fussy so he when he found an empty butter box in the fridge, he lost it.

Chuck: I need marg-a-rine! (He seriously pronounces margarine like that.) Who put an empty marg-a-rine box back in the fridge?! I know you did it. (I, of course, deny it.) Oh, so Susanna did it?

Jackie: We have more butter, I'll get it for you. And by the way, we don't eat fake fats like marg-a-rine in this house.

Chuck: We don't eat enough lard in this house. (Seems like a pretty big jump, but I guess lard is a real fat that I don't ever purchase.)

Jackie: If you can name 10 foods you'd use lard in, I'll buy it.

Chuck: Icing.

Jackie: One.

Chuck: Frying.

Jackie: Two

Chuck: Frying burritos. Fried chimichangas. French fried fries.

Jackie: You're still at two. You can't just name fried foods that you like.

Chuck: Fried chicken. Fried chicken patties. Fried chicken nuggets. Fried chicken tenders. Fried chicken tenderloin. What am I up to now?

Jackie: Two.

Don't tell him, but if I counted his way, he'd only need one more.

Chuck only likes "Man-food". His perfect meal would
be steak with a side of bacon.

Proud to be an American

Today we're meeting Nanny Barbra at Coco Key and Benny was so excited he picked out his own clothes to get things moving. We think he really hit the nail on the head.

Excited!

Even though this doesn't technically "match", I'm going to let him wear it. Now everybody knows that he loves both America and Missouri - or at least the state fair. Way to go Benny!

I always enjoy letting Ben come up with his own outfits, not because I think it builds self-esteem or whatever else psychologists might say but can't prove - but because I think it's funny. I like to laugh at him.

Last summer, he picked out this "Going-to-Branson" outfit.

Sorry this is sideways - I was having technical
difficulties last summer :(

I think he just put on all this favorite things. Benny, I love your bright mind and enthusiasm. I love you!

Bracketology

I filled my bracket out this morning in about 12 minutes - it would have been 10, but I had to take Ben to the bathroom. Here it is!

Chuck took one look at it and said, "This is pretty funny."

Just in case anyone would like a glimpse into my thinking, here are the methods I used:

1. Evaluating ranking and regular-season scores.
2. Guessing.
3. Shout-outs to friends. Creighton is for you Christi.
4. Imagining what would be awesome. I'm really not that big of a MU fan, but this year the competition is fierce so... Let's go Missouri!

I only hope that my record is better than Chuck's.

First Soccer Practice

Even though it was a mild winter, it still seems like we've been waiting for spring forever! That's partly because three-year-olds have no concept of time.

We went to the very last Royals home game of the season last year - September 21st - and Ben has asked, "Yet go Ro-Ro game one more time," almost every single day since.

• He wrote a song. "One, two, bee. One, two, bee. Yet go Ro-Ro game."
• He asks if "Ro-Ro Stadium" is open every Wednesday when we pass it on our way to NAET treatments.
• He was briefly deterred by Christmas, but then my dad bought partial season tickets and rekindled both Chuck and Ben's excitement.
• Then Chuck told him spring training started. Sigh.

We decided to venture into league athletics, and basically started the same process with soccer.

• We decided to sign up with friends. "Where we going, Mama? Play soccer Ryder Weston?"
• We saw cousin Chaise play at the Independence Events Center. "Bean play?"
• I forgot to mail our check in, so Ben and I dropped it off the very last day. "Bean play soccer?"
• We went to buy cleats, shin guards and socks. "Bean play soccer?"

Today was FINALLY the day. He got up from his nap and got ready for soccey game!

The Cheetahs. Roar!

 

Ben waiting his turn.

 

Goal!

 

This is how Susanna spent the evening.

 

Ben sad his soccer practice is over.

 

In fact, he was so sad, he's currently sleeping with his new soccer ball. Here's to a fun season! Let's go Cheetahs!

 

 

The Beginning of the End

Today I took Ben to a preschool screening and found out that he qualifies for speech therapy. I can't say that I'm surprised. Yesterday a two-year-old told Ben, "It's not a taw-wee; it's a tower." But I am a little disappointed.

I'm not upset that my son needs extra help and I don't feel like we have a negative label, but I like his funny little words and I'm not ready to let go of them. (I know, this is super-selfish.) But once they're gone, they're gone forever and that makes me sad.

Even without speech therapy, I've known this day was coming. Lately, Ben's been calling himself "Bun." I laughed at first, mostly because he yelled it when he was crying, "Waaahhh! Bun!!"

 

Secondly, what's up with the food theme?

1. Bun
2. Bean
3. Beany Coco Chicky Nono

At first I thought Ben simply couldn't pronounce his name and that he's lucky his name isn't "Gabriel" or "Alexander." But it turns out that "Bun" is just a stepping stone to actually saying "Ben". Shortly after "Bun" showed up, he started saying "Ben" once or twice a day and I know it's just a matter of time before the "Bens" outnumber the "Beans". Then one day he'll just stop saying it altogether.

I won't even get a heads up to treasure the last time I hear his little voice call himself "Bean". We'll just realize that he hasn't said it in a couple of days, then it'll set in that he's growing up and out of that phase and I'll probably have an irrational meltdown.

I know I'm being silly, but I love his voice and language. It's a funny mix because he's so sure of himself and speaks with such conviction, but he's usually talking crazy.

Here are some "Bean" Examples:

1. Bean do it. (I hear this 50 times a day regarding anything from making coffee to putting on his shoes.)
2. Bean do it all Bean-self. (You get this little gem if you insist on doing something he said he wants to do.)
3. Bean need my work. (Work is pronounced "whork" and it's a little spiral-bound book in which he makes tiny squiggles with a Mickey Mouse pen.)
4. No kiss Bean! (I should know better at this point, but I don't.)
5. Bany (Brandy) licking Bean chair! (Well, you're the one who let's 30 percent of the food that touches your lips fall to the floor.)
6. Watch this Mama, 'Beany Coco Chicky Nono.' (Did you give yourself a nickname? Yeah. It's kind-of long, but I like it.)
7. Change Bean diapy. (We just sat on the potty!)
8. Bean all done. (Wait Benny. Please just try to go pee pee. I know you can do it. No! Bean all done!!)
9. Bean! (Usually used when he's picked up against his will.)
10. Watch this Mama, Bean touching my pee pee. (Uh... ok.)

"Mama, you need come in my op-ip."

 Beany Coco Chicky Nono, please don't grow up too quickly.