OK, so that old theme wasn't working anymore. I want to add more videos and pictures and found that the 2 column layout was squishing everything together, so I picked this plain theme for now. Might have to think about moving to WordPress or something -- not liking the choices on Blogger:(
The Holiday Show - The Performance!
Can you spot Bennett? Here he is during the Holiday Show last week. All his practice paid off!
The Holiday Show - Sneak Peek
Bennett has been practicing for the big holiday show at his school this week. Here's a sneak peek at one of the numbers. Go Bennett!
Lions and Tigers and....Anteaters? Oh My.
Do you know what this is? Me neither.
Today we decided rather spontaneously to make use of our annual pass at the L.A. Zoo and go for a visit. For the past two days, Bennett has been asking to go on a vacation. To China. Yes, China. He wants to see pandas in China. We figured the zoo would be the next closest thing - although we later found out there were no pandas at the L.A. Zoo. Still, we enjoyed a lovely Saturday strolling around checking out all the animals
We approached the section with the animals pictured above and Bennett asked me what they were. I of course had no clue. Anteater I said? He smiled and said "Noooooo....they're tapirs!" I couldn't see the sign so I said "I don't know, let's go find out." But a smart looking dad standing next to us turned to me and said "Actually, he's right. Those are tapirs."
Smartie pants!
I've been schooled by Bennett. Tapirs. Who knew? Thanks Go Diego Go for educating our child so well!
Today we decided rather spontaneously to make use of our annual pass at the L.A. Zoo and go for a visit. For the past two days, Bennett has been asking to go on a vacation. To China. Yes, China. He wants to see pandas in China. We figured the zoo would be the next closest thing - although we later found out there were no pandas at the L.A. Zoo. Still, we enjoyed a lovely Saturday strolling around checking out all the animals
We approached the section with the animals pictured above and Bennett asked me what they were. I of course had no clue. Anteater I said? He smiled and said "Noooooo....they're tapirs!" I couldn't see the sign so I said "I don't know, let's go find out." But a smart looking dad standing next to us turned to me and said "Actually, he's right. Those are tapirs."
Smartie pants!
I've been schooled by Bennett. Tapirs. Who knew? Thanks Go Diego Go for educating our child so well!
Happy Halloween!
Bennett is FINALLY into Halloween! Yay! This is the first year we've ever seen him so excited about dressing up in his costume and going trick or treating. He picked a dragon costume (though I think it is actually a T-Rex, but if you tell him it's a dinosaur he gets very upset. So it's a dragosaur:)) His pre-school had a Halloween parade on Friday and they got to trick or treat from class to class. The costumes were all incredible! The costumes we wore as kids (plastic mask and costume that made you all sweaty in about 10 seconds) are so pitiful when you compare it to the costumes they have today for kids. Bennett was a little grumpy that morning, and wasn't sure what he was supposed to do when he trick or treated for candy. By the end of the hour he got the hang of it....
And then he turned PRO. This evening we went trick or treating with all the cousins in the O.C.! He loved it. I mean really, really, loved it. He roared like a dragon all night long and he ran from one house to the next. Not walked. Ran! He yelled out "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet!" when they opened the door and would come find me to open up his homemade Halloween candy bag and show me what he had collected. Some houses were a little bit too spooky for a 3 year old and he would turn back to get his Dad before going to the door. But then afterward, he would say "I wasn't scared. I'm brave."
Happy Halloween everyone!
And then he turned PRO. This evening we went trick or treating with all the cousins in the O.C.! He loved it. I mean really, really, loved it. He roared like a dragon all night long and he ran from one house to the next. Not walked. Ran! He yelled out "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet!" when they opened the door and would come find me to open up his homemade Halloween candy bag and show me what he had collected. Some houses were a little bit too spooky for a 3 year old and he would turn back to get his Dad before going to the door. But then afterward, he would say "I wasn't scared. I'm brave."
Happy Halloween everyone!
Time for a Check Up
Brrrrr. Rainy day in L.A finally. Love it!
I brought Ben to the pediatrician for a checkup. Stats: 35 pounds and 39 inches tall! I always thought of Bennett as being really heavy and solid but he's actually a little on the skinny side. His new pediatrician, Dr Wang was wonderful (thanks Normia for the referral!) and although Bennett would not say a word to her, he couldn't help but bust out a giggle or a smile here and there. I was hoping to get Bennett his flu shots but apparently the cough he's had for a week is not so good. He's wheezing again (it's that time of year) which means he needs to use his inhaler for the next week until he gets better. Then he can get the flu shot. I just pray he doesn't get so sick that he ends up in the hospital again this winter. Fingers crossed.
I brought Ben to the pediatrician for a checkup. Stats: 35 pounds and 39 inches tall! I always thought of Bennett as being really heavy and solid but he's actually a little on the skinny side. His new pediatrician, Dr Wang was wonderful (thanks Normia for the referral!) and although Bennett would not say a word to her, he couldn't help but bust out a giggle or a smile here and there. I was hoping to get Bennett his flu shots but apparently the cough he's had for a week is not so good. He's wheezing again (it's that time of year) which means he needs to use his inhaler for the next week until he gets better. Then he can get the flu shot. I just pray he doesn't get so sick that he ends up in the hospital again this winter. Fingers crossed.
Fall is here!
It's pumpkin time again! We happened upon a Pumpkin Festival over the weekend and got our yearly Bennett-in-a-Pumpkin-Patch photo. The weather has been so cool and crisp -- postively autumnal! Bennett is very, very excited about Halloween this year. He has his costume all ready to go so stay tuned for some scary pictures.
Milestones: Age 3.5 (almost)
I haven't done a milestone check in a long while so thought I'd take note of all the super-human things Bennett can do and things he loves at age 3 and an almost half:
- Numbers. Bennett has been counting to almost 20 for a long time now. He can even count in Spanish up to 10. But this weekend was the first time I learned that he could understand simple addition and subtraction. I held up one finger on my left and one on my right and said what is 1+1? He shouted out "2!" Then I tried holding up three fingers and asked "What is 3 take away 1?" And he shouted "2!" Did that with all different combinations on our fingers and he could count them!
- Spelling. So far he can only spell his name by memory but he can read letters everywhere including "T-A-R-G-E-T" and he likes to spell on the computer. He will ask me how to spell it and he will type. He has also started to sound words out. So if I ask him "What letter does Tiger start with?" he will go "Ta, ta ,ta ,ta .....T!!!!!!!"
- Puzzles. Bennett has always been pretty good with puzzles but lately he just seems so much FASTER at doing them. I think I will need to buy the 1000 piece United States of America puzzle one day soon.
- Video Games. I know, I know - bad mommy! I let Bennett play video games on the computer. I am amazed at how good he is with navigating around the computer. It makes me want to buy a separate computer just for him and one of the ball chairs that you see at the Apple store for kids and just let him have at it. But then we may never see him again and he may grow up to be a teenage gamer with no social skills, so I will likely keep it at a minimum.
- Trains, trains, trains! This kid loves his Thomas trains. He has collected Thomas, Stanley, Harold and the Chinese Dragon so far from the Dinosaur Farm toy store here in Pasadena. And he doesn't hesitate to tell me the ones he is still missing. "Trains" are also the number one reason he loves his new school. They have a ton of them there and I have trouble getting him to come to me when I pick him up to go home.
- Santa - I don't know how or where Santa suddenly seeped into his brain, but a few weeks ago he woke up and yelled "I hear him! I hear Santa on his sleigh!" (it was the garbage truck outside.) He knows that Santa is watching him and that he has to be good to get presents this year. If he is ever misbehaving, all I have to do is grab my phone and say "I'm calling Santa" and Bennett becomes a perfect little angel once again.
- Storytelling - After coming home from school, Bennett is often alone in his room playing with his toys. I hear him talking though and I should really start recording his stories! Sometimes he's an astronaut flying in space and falling to the earth into a puddle of HOT LAVA! Sometimes he's Sir Topham Hatt directing his trains to the Works. I love it. I love his imagination.
A Hot, Smoky Weekend
The weather has been out of control for the past several days, with the weekend hitting over 100 degrees in Pasadena. Fires are burning everywhere, from La Canada and Azusa (which are both right next to Pasadena) and Hemet (which is near Bennett's Grandma and Grandpa). Still, we all managed to have a fabulous, sweat filled weekend.
On Saturday, we finally got to meet up with John's cousins Kara and Mary and Mary's two kids, Marley and Mason. We went to the Pharmacy, of course and had some banana splits.
Today, we thought we would have breakfast in Pasadena, but we literally couldn't breathe. So instead we trekked out to Santa Monica, hoping for clearer, ocean air.
Here's what downtown L.A. looked like on our way there.
Here's what the Station Fire looks like from the freeway.
We enjoyed an awesome breakfast at Cora's in Santa Monica. John's friend Fern, who also moved here from the Bay Area, joined us for a bite. Bennett was eager to go the beach, and even though we did not bring any beach gear - no swimsuit, no shovel or pail - we went anyway and had a really good time. The sun was still soooo hot though that we could stand it for only so long.
Next up was the pier. Bennett loved riding the train.
On the way home, Bennett and his Dad got their haircuts. I decided to have Bennett's head shaved since it is so hot. Before you all gasp in horror, he actually looks really cute with a shaved head. Kind of like a little bug. No pictures yet though. Will take some tomorrow.
On Saturday, we finally got to meet up with John's cousins Kara and Mary and Mary's two kids, Marley and Mason. We went to the Pharmacy, of course and had some banana splits.
Today, we thought we would have breakfast in Pasadena, but we literally couldn't breathe. So instead we trekked out to Santa Monica, hoping for clearer, ocean air.
Here's what downtown L.A. looked like on our way there.
Here's what the Station Fire looks like from the freeway.
We enjoyed an awesome breakfast at Cora's in Santa Monica. John's friend Fern, who also moved here from the Bay Area, joined us for a bite. Bennett was eager to go the beach, and even though we did not bring any beach gear - no swimsuit, no shovel or pail - we went anyway and had a really good time. The sun was still soooo hot though that we could stand it for only so long.
Next up was the pier. Bennett loved riding the train.
On the way home, Bennett and his Dad got their haircuts. I decided to have Bennett's head shaved since it is so hot. Before you all gasp in horror, he actually looks really cute with a shaved head. Kind of like a little bug. No pictures yet though. Will take some tomorrow.
Bennett D Photography
As the son of a photographer, how could he not have his own work out there to show? Bennett takes SO MANY pictures that I decided he needs another site, devoted to his own art work. Enjoy!
Bennett D Photography
Bennett D Photography
B-E-N-N-E-T-T
Bennett is learning how to read letters in school right now, as well as write them. He is pretty good at identifying all 26 of them and is working really hard on tracing letters so he can write them too.
At home, we supplement with a digital education - a computer! It's kind of hard for him NOT to be good at using a computer since his Mom and Dad always have one open. I know thats not really a good thing, but it does have its benefits. He loves to play games on all the pre-school kid sites and his most recent accomplishment is...ta da! He can spell his name all by himself!!!
At home, we supplement with a digital education - a computer! It's kind of hard for him NOT to be good at using a computer since his Mom and Dad always have one open. I know thats not really a good thing, but it does have its benefits. He loves to play games on all the pre-school kid sites and his most recent accomplishment is...ta da! He can spell his name all by himself!!!
Weekend Fun!
We had some very special visitors this weekend. Bennett's Lola Muriel, Tita Chris, Uncle Mike, Uncle Albert and Auntie Des were all here! It was great seeing everyone again. Bennett couldn't have been happier with all his Aunties and Uncles and his Lola here. We hung out at the house, played with iPhone apps, walked around Old Town Pasadena, sat in the jacuzzi (in spite of the hot, sticky weather) and ate at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. Good times!!!!
A Lesson for Mom
Yesterday, while picking up Bennett from school, the following thoughts ran through my head:
*It's a half-day at school, so that means he did not eat much
*Hmmmm, bet he did not take a nap
OK this should give you a clue that I was already anticipating his state of being when I picked him up.I was right to do so, but as I am always good at anticipating but not so good at having a plan, we sure enough ended up in battle.
First, never argue or reason with a hungry, tired child. He wanted a cookie and come to think of it woke up that morning asking for of all things, cake. I knew he was hungry so I told him we would pick up some noodles from the Chinese resto (one of the few things he will eat) but that he could not have cookies until he ate his dinner. This of course resulted in the first phase of loud, toddler-tantrum hysterics.
Then he wanted chocolate milk. Note to Chinese restaurants: Please stock chocolate milk! Of course they had none, so I managed to walk down the block to Koo Koo Roo, Chipotle, Wahoos and Rubios in search of it, all with Bennett hanging onto my leg screaming about cookies and now chocolate milk. No dice.
We drove home and I was still very firm about no cookies before dinner. He proceeded to throw himself on the floor and spit. Yes, spit. Everywhere.
That just about did it and I fully admit here and now that I totally lost my cool and went ape s*** on my darling baby, put him in the corner and said under no circumstances would he get a cookie before dinner. Back and forth, he stepped out of his corner and kicked and yelled and spit some more. I responded by putting him back. Again and again until finally, he stopped me cold in my tracks.
"Mommy! Why won't you be nice to me?"
It took that one sentence for me to suddenly become aware of how poorly I was responding to the situation and that rather than match his level of frustration, I needed to step back and just, well, be nice.
And so I gave him a hug and apologized and asked him NICELY if he would please eat his dinner first so that I may give him the cookie he so desired.
He smiled, said "sure" and ate a big helping of noodles while sitting on my lap.
Oh and finally got his cookie.
*It's a half-day at school, so that means he did not eat much
*Hmmmm, bet he did not take a nap
OK this should give you a clue that I was already anticipating his state of being when I picked him up.I was right to do so, but as I am always good at anticipating but not so good at having a plan, we sure enough ended up in battle.
First, never argue or reason with a hungry, tired child. He wanted a cookie and come to think of it woke up that morning asking for of all things, cake. I knew he was hungry so I told him we would pick up some noodles from the Chinese resto (one of the few things he will eat) but that he could not have cookies until he ate his dinner. This of course resulted in the first phase of loud, toddler-tantrum hysterics.
Then he wanted chocolate milk. Note to Chinese restaurants: Please stock chocolate milk! Of course they had none, so I managed to walk down the block to Koo Koo Roo, Chipotle, Wahoos and Rubios in search of it, all with Bennett hanging onto my leg screaming about cookies and now chocolate milk. No dice.
We drove home and I was still very firm about no cookies before dinner. He proceeded to throw himself on the floor and spit. Yes, spit. Everywhere.
That just about did it and I fully admit here and now that I totally lost my cool and went ape s*** on my darling baby, put him in the corner and said under no circumstances would he get a cookie before dinner. Back and forth, he stepped out of his corner and kicked and yelled and spit some more. I responded by putting him back. Again and again until finally, he stopped me cold in my tracks.
"Mommy! Why won't you be nice to me?"
It took that one sentence for me to suddenly become aware of how poorly I was responding to the situation and that rather than match his level of frustration, I needed to step back and just, well, be nice.
And so I gave him a hug and apologized and asked him NICELY if he would please eat his dinner first so that I may give him the cookie he so desired.
He smiled, said "sure" and ate a big helping of noodles while sitting on my lap.
Oh and finally got his cookie.
Safety Lesson
This morning while working in my office, Bennett decided he wanted to play Hide and Seek. He was just in the other room (our apartment is about 1100 sq feet) so I let him go off and try to hide. When I got up to look for him, I could hear giggling. Except instead of finding him under the table or under a blanket, I noticed that the refrigerator door was slightly open. I ran to the door and opened it and sure enough he was standing IN the fridge. I was all at once horrified and scared and angry and mystified that he could get inside the fridge that I started to cry and yell at the same time. I don't think Bennett will ever do that again after seeing me in hysterics. To think that he could just climb into a refrigerator is so scary and I have made a note to buy a safety lock by the end of the day. While I'm at it, I'm going to get one for the oven door too.
I should have kid-proofed this place the minute we moved in.
I should have kid-proofed this place the minute we moved in.
