I am excited about the beginning of the football season. There are several Byrnes boys playing for Clemson this year, so that makes it even more fun to watch. Benji will be gone to all the home games and the game this weekend in Atlanta, so Ben and I will be decked out in our orange and cheering for our Tigers!
I am always, and always have, talking to Ben. Mostly about random stuff, in the car we discuss the color of the lights and the other cars, at home we discuss what he did that day and what we are going to do tomorrow. You know I like to talk, and now it is not just to myself. Anyway, here are a few recent discussion with Ben.
Me: I think it is time to go night night. We can play up stairs for a few minutes
B: Actually, mommy I play downstairs
Next night:
Me: I think it is time for sleep. Mommy is tired and has to work tomorrow.
B: That is my favorite job.
Me: What is B?
B: sleep
As we are walking up the stairs that night B mentions that Newa (??) is scary and he does not like her. I cannot figure out for the life of me who he is talking about. He says it is not a new friend at school or on his movies. He said it is on the computer. I still have no clue what he is saying. I start to put him in his bed and he is still talking about Newa?? He proceeds to start singing..."I'm back in the Newa groo and plays air guitar on his belly. I called Benji, the master music man, up there for some clarification on the song. Ben is still singing and talking about the scary lady. We finally realize after a few minutes that this is what he is talking about. Benji was watching the video on you tube last week and was singing along and playing his own air drums. Ben was watching and singing along. I have no clue what reminded him of it, but it was so funny...and smart. Of course, Benji is proud of his 2 year old music prodigy and I am proud that I can honestly say that he is smart. He is a 2 year old who knows his entire name (first, middle, and last), the alphabet, his numbers to 10, most shapes, most opposites, the kinds of cars that his family drives, he has a great memory and now knows 70 's classic rock. Aren't kids amazing???
Well, I have been contemplating a hairstyle change for a while. I have been satisfied with its simplicity. However, having a fabulous hairstylist now makes it easier to try something new. Of course, I will not be able to make it look as good as I want it, but I will make it work. I LOVE the colors that she used. Here is a before and after photo.
Before- All pretty much one length and one color
After- Shorter with more layers, bangs, dark underneath and highlights around the face. I call it my Rock and Roll style. Too bad I am way beyond and over the Rock and Roll lifestyle.
Uncle Marcus and some friends have been going camping a lot this summer. Uncle M wanted to show Ben all about the big tent. Ben had to help put it up and get in and see if there might be room for him on the next trip!
As I write this to update some pictures, Ben is going through the house singing "me is chi-a-ne-ese if you ple-ease" over and over again. His new favorite movie is "Lady and the Tramp", i think he has only watched it a million times. He normally watches it during the day at Big B's house, but today wanted to bring it home. At least it gives me an excuse to watch some of the cartoons that I have not seen in years. Thank goodness we do not have a VCR and we only have Fox and the Hound on VHS. "Mommy, why are you crying...it's ok mommy" Anyway, here are a few pictures from last weekend. We took a small and inexpensive tour of the town. We started out at our favorite mexican restaurant where Ben continued to ask, "Where's Chica" since his spanish girlfriend had the night off. We then left there and went to the park. We were having a good time (no bugs this week) when "those kids" showed up. You know the ones where the mother lets the children run wild while she sits on the bench oblivious to the fact that they might get hurt. As she proceeded to talk on the phone, her children were going up the slide (while Ben was trying to come down), running and spreading the neat mulch that had been layed down, throwing sticks and talking WAY TOO MUCH to me. Now, I like kids, most kids, but these were the ones that apparently no one talked to because they had a lot to say to me and their mother was none too worried that we were a bunch of crazy kidnappers hanging out at the park. "Did you know..."-yes, I do and that is why we do not do that, "Don't go down the pole you will get blisters"= really??!!, "Did you see how fast I can run"- I could not help it since you about plowed down my child. How fast can you run as I come to whip your butt for not letting my child play? Needless to say, we left the park and proceeded to the next cheap outing, the duck pond. Do you know how much fun you can have there with a $2.00 bag of bread and some stale goldfish?? As we were being run off at 8:00, thanks to the shady characters who like to hang out after dark, Ben informed us that he wanted a doughnut. I told him that we did not need a doughnut. Ben said, "uncle Scott took me to get one." Guess who went to Krispy Kreme? We were just in time to watch the magic that is doughnut making, and after waiting so patiently, the doughnut maker pulled a hot one off the belt and gave it to Ben. Ben also got a hat and felt very important. None of the other kids watching got a free doughnut, and I bet it is because their mother forgot to put on their pants and shoes. Maybe it is because she also forgot to wash them. Well, that is ok, with another one on the way, maybe she will get it right. UGGGHHH!!!
Remember when you were younger (probably a teenager) and even though you loved your parents, you vowed not to be like them or do the same things with your kids as they did with you. Well, I do. Fast forward to adulthood and parenthood. A few weeks ago I was my mom all over (I love you Pat). We were heading out the door to go somewhere and I put Ben in his carseat. It was hot, very, and I had my hands full with his bag, my bag, toys, etc. I finally got the wiggle worm strapped in his car seat when I noticed he had some red sticky stuff on his face, I think it was ketchup. What did I do? Without even thinking, I licked my finger and proceeded to wipe it off his face. I caught myself in mid-clean and realized I was doing the exact same thing I disliked my mom doing. Arggh!!! I also realize that I sound like my mom a lot of the times (still love you Pat). The last week or so, Ben has wanted to play before going to bed at night. Since most of his toys are in his room, it is difficult to convince him that he does not need to play, but sleep instead. I have caught myself taking him upstairs for bed and saying "ok, you have 5 minutes to play". Of course, he has no concept of time and I wonder if that 5 minutes actually means something or if that is just the universal time all parents give their children. Anyway, after several nights of "You have 5 minutes", last night after his bath he had a choice. He could watch a movie, play downstairs or play in his room (all for 5 minutes :)) He chose to build a fort and cut grass (hardwood grass). After playing way past his bedtime, I told him it was time for night-night and what did he do? Yep,he said "No, mommy, no I got 5 minutes..." I love him!
There is not much going on this week in the Lineberry household. Mommy has been working, alot, and daddy has been Ben's favorite fort builder. Ben has been enjoying the lazy days of summer at his Big B's and Nanna's house and has definately kept them busy. He will start back to preschool in a few weeks, so they are enjoying the time together. Speaking of preschool, for the last 2 years Ben has gone to preschool and stayed later in the day until Big B got out of school and was able to pick him up. This did prevent Ben from having to stay until 530 when I could pick him up. Well, Big B and Nanna finally retired, and so this year Ben will get picked up at 1145 each morning. Ben misses his friends, he talks about them every morning when we pass the school, so I know he will have fun at preschool this year. He will still get lots of Big B and nanna loving too, until mommy can get there after work. We are working on potty training. Any hints or suggestions are appreciated! He was doing well back in the winter, and we thought that it was going to be easy and he would be trained by 2. Wrong!! Since then, he has been wearing pull-ups, but I might as well go back and buy diapers. He can tell me while he is doing it or afterwards, but not before it happens. I may be the guilty one and probably have not put him on the potty like I should. I bought some cute Mickey Mouse underoos as a bribe, so maybe those will work. All I know is that I am looking forward to some cooler air. I normally love hot weather, but lately I have been feeling like we live in the Sahara. Also cooler air means my anniversary (5 years), trips to the moutains, my birthday, Halloween and the pre-holiday moods. I am giddy with excitement! That is all for now. I will update later and add some pictures. Ben really needs a haircut and I could use some color, so we must get those required items before taking new pictures.
