A Little Boy Story: by Bennett

Here is a Little Boy story straight from Bennett as accurately as I can remember it. We told these during what was supposed to be nap time. It is important to note here, that anytime you see words in ( ) that is me speaking, and anytime you see Bennett quoting "Mommy," in his story, it is in a very deep, man-like voice.

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Once upon a time there was a little boy named (Mommy). And Mommy had a friend named (Bennett). And one day...oh! Wait, I can't tell you that story yet because it's not nighttime yet. See? See the sun is still up outside? You have to wait until the moon is up, and then I can tell you that story. It was a train story, but you can't hear it yet. It is still too daytime. Sorry Mommy.

(OK, so can I hear a different story instead?)

OK. Once upon a time there was a little boy named (Bennett) NO Mommy! The little boy was named Mommy! (Oh sorry. A little boy named Mommy. And...) and Mommy had a friend named (Bennett). And Mommy told Bennett "Bennett, it's time for nap time." So Bennett ran and ran into his bed. And Mommy said, "If you stay in bed, I will give you a surprise when you wake up." But Bennett didn't want to. So Bennett played with his color blocks. And then Mommy came back and said, "Bennett! What you doing? You better get in bed right now!" And Bennett went, "WAAAAAA!" and ran and ran back to his bed. But when Mommy came back what did she see? Bennett got out of bed again and played with his blocks. Bennett was making a bad choice. So Mommy said, "Now you can't have your surprise." The end.

(Wow. That is sort of a sad ending.)

OK. But then Mommy and Bennett played and played with the color blocks. And Bennett was so happy. And Mommy was so happy. The end.

(OK. Good story. That Mommy sounds mean.)

Ya.

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Can you tell what happened at our house today?
(And by the way, Mommy was actually very nice, all things considered.)

A Little Something

Bennett is building with his blocks right now (something he could do literally for hours) and talking to himself. He keeps saying, "My name is Bennett, and I go to Primary! I lived with Heavenly Father." I would usually assume this sentence came from the lesson in Nursery today, but since he went to Primary with me instead (and was sincerely very reverent the entire time) I really am not sure what spurred this knowledge. I do know that he is ready for Sunbeams, but he'll just have to wait until January to move up. He will be an old Sunbeam.

Griffin and Ashland came to visit with Zoey and Baby Girl #2 this week. We had a great time staying up waaaaay too late chatting every night, hiking up the mountain near our home (not really a mountain, but about as close as you can get here in Texas) going to Combat class at my gym (I couldn't stop laughing) and going to visit Matt in San Antonio.

Matt has spent the last three weeks or so in San Antonio at a Hospital Administering course (more or less). We have gone to visit him on the weekends in his tiny hotel room and Bennett is thrilled he gets to sleep in Daddy's special room (aka: the closet). Last weekend we went to the temple (separately, I watched Bennett while Matt went, and then we traded) and this weekend we hung out with Griffin and Ashland and attended the funeral service of one of Matt's cousins while Griffin and Ashland went to Natural Bridge Caverns.

Since Matt has been gone I have had fun keeping myself busy with the baby's room. It is a project I will be both sad and excited to finish. It is ADORABLE!!!

The weather is gorgeous. It is already in the mid seventies most days. I fear for my poor pregnant body once summer hits. However, we are loving it for now. Baby #2 is growing up a storm. I am officially in maternity clothes and have a hard time fitting into anything that is not specifically created for a pregnant woman. However, I was pregnant with Bennett in the winter, so since I am too cheap to buy a completely new wardrobe to wear for only three months, and that is all the clothes I have, I am being very creative. We shall see how long I can hold out for. Other than that, I am having little to no pregnancy symptoms, except for the ridiculous number of times I have to go to the bathroom both day and night. I am eternally grateful this is the only thing I have to deal with. MUCH different than the first magoo who managed to keep me at least mildly sick for all nine months.

Bennett can ride his "Big Boy Bike" now, and is very good at it. He is also potty trained day and night to the point where I really only know he has gone to the bathroom once I find him running around with his underwear inside out and backwards. We are still working on the whole, "lines in the front" thing. At least they are dry :)

Bennett's birthday is this weekend (although we won't be celebrating it until later due to Conference) but he has a very clear idea of what is going to happen when he turns three. Here is what he tells me almost daily. "Mommy, I am two! I am not three yet, I will be three on my birthday. On my birthday we are going to have ice cream and wear party hats. And all my friends are going to come over and give me presents and they will be a surprise. But not yet, because I am still two. I need to wait this many days (holding up any number of fingers) until I am three. And then it will be my birthday!!!"...So I guess we are going to have a party whether I plan one or not. :) It is also going to Matt's birthday this Tuesday. Since he is still in San Antonio though, we will celebrate it when he gets home. Matt will be 31 and AWESOME!!

We are STILL waiting to hear about Matt's potential command slot at the Hospital. The date they are saying now is April 15th, so cross your fingers until then.

Most nights after Bennett and I say our prayers and read a story, we will cuddle in his bed and tell "Little Boy Stories." Usually I will tell him one, and then he will tell me one, and then it's time for bed. Each story starts like this, "Once upon a time there was a little boy named ____. (The story listener will fill in the blank. If Bennett is telling the story, the little boy's name is Mommy. Go figure). And ______ had a friend named, _____ . And one day, ____ and ____ did blah blah blah." Bennett's story telling abilities are seriously awesome. He should write a book. One day I will write some of his stories down for him, but not today since I am considering myself good for even writing this.

Life is good.

Stake Fair Day

So Killeen Stake put on this huge "Ready 4 Tomorrow" fair last Saturday and I had the opportunity to help out a little bit. It was pretty awesome they had everything from the Police, Food Storage, Meat processing to Gun Safety, and everything in between. Bennett and Haley really enjoyed the face painting and balloon making. All in all it was a pretty fun day.

As you can see this kid never does the "simple" face paint jobs he always has to be a little extravagant! (he is the sky by the way)


I volunteered to teach the Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge.

Little Bear meet Big Bear!

Bennett and Mommie just hanging out.

Bennett man hanging out in the Killeen SWAT assault vehicle!

Of course you cant finish the day without getting inside a big red fire truck!


Just thought I would throw this devilishly handsome guy in here. I'm currently interviewing for some command slots at the hospital so they made me go get a "Command Photo" done in case I get the job. Cross your fingers.

A Potty Story

Here's a quick story instead of a full blog post. Maybe next week...

After church is crazy time. All the primary kids are running around the room, I am trying to clean up from sharing time, teachers are asking me questions, parents are getting reminders, etc. etc. etc. Usually either Matt or I will pick Bennett up from Nursery and then let him join the chaos that is the Primary room until all the kids get picked up and we are ready to go.

So yesterday was such a time. I was simultaneously trying to pull teachers aside, while answering a million questions, and monitoring boredom-driven children who could almost taste the freedom of the outside world. Right in the middle of all of this, Bennett came up to me and said, "Mommy, I have to go potty, please." Now, when Bennett says these words, it means we usually have about a three minute window to find that kid a toilet or a bush. Unfortunately, I was going to be pre-occupied for the next three minutes, so I told him to go find Daddy. I had seen Matt poke his head in from the hall earlier after he had picked up Bennett, and I knew he was probably in or near the Primary room waiting for me. So Bennett left to go find Daddy.

A few minutes passed, and I was almost done with my meeting in the corner, when all of a sudden I heard yelling. Not angry yelling, or scary yelling...it was the desperate yelling of a child in distress. "MOMMY!! I NEED HELP!!!" When I turned around I saw our little boy, with his pants and underwear around his ankles and his little bare bum exposed to the world. Needless to say, I totally forgot about Primary stuff. I quickly scooped him up (ignoring the hoards of adult laughter surrounding us) and rushed him to the bathroom across the hall, where he had waddled from.

When we got there, Bennett told me in the most pathetic voice how he had tried to go potty all by himself but the toilet was too big. I actually figured most of this story out before he even told me, since there was a trail of pee-pee from the door of the stall to the toilet, and the entire front of Bennett's pants were wet. He kept saying, "I so sorry, Mommy! I try so hard!" Poor guy. Apparently Matt had had some of his own church business to take care of after he dropped Bennett off, and he had left the Primary room. Which is why Bennett figured since both his parents were to busy to help him, he would just have to take care of things himself. We felt horrible that we hadn't been there to help him, but in a weird way we were pretty proud of his determination, too. He really does try so hard to do the right thing...even if it means I have to borrow equipment from the janitor's closet and spend the rest of the week listening to people tell me how cute Bennett's bum is.

What a good boy.