catching up with bennett

It's been a while since I wrote anything about Bennett's development, so here goes! It's really astounding how much happens week-to-week.




Right now, I'm pretty sure Bennett understands like 75% of what I say. If I ask if he wants to go outside, he runs to the door. If I ask if he wants to take a bath, he runs to the downstairs gate, climbs up the stairs, runs into the bathroom, and tries to throw his leg over the side of the tub. If I ask if he's hungry, he goes into the kitchen and pulls on his highchair. Bennett still doesn't have many words himself, but he points at everything and says "Mama, wass dis?" He also says Mama and Dada, uh-oh (soooo cute), and I think he also tries to say dog (da) and outside (outss). And I'm sure he says much more that I just don't recognize.





He's pretty into finding bellybuttons (adorable), and can point to several of his other body parts correctly - like his nose and feet.



We are letting him watch a TV show here and there, usually when I need to get dinner ready and Dan isn't home, and he likes the Baby Einstein videos about animals, the Wonder Pets, and Yo Gabba Gabba (our personal favorite for all the dancing and ridiculousness). If I ask him if he wants to watch a show, he runs to the couch and finds the remote. Maybe that's NOT so great...!



He has learned to drink from a straw and has been absurdly excited to have a few juice boxes. He loves smoothies and homemade popsicles - especially since he's been cutting his last three first-year molars.

Bennett loves to "talk" on the phone - but he holds the phone to the back of his neck. And he YELLS at the phone like an angry businessman.



He's definitely learned to whine a bit, and crinkles up his little nose to let us know he's not happy. But he throws pretty tame tantrums - if he's frustrated, he might gently lay himself down on his back (wouldn't want to get hurt!) and then whine a bit. Knock on wood. Bennett is not the best at sharing--which seems pretty normal for his age--but he definitely struggles a bit when other kids are at the house and play with his toys.



Bennett has shown himself to be a flexible little kid. While my mom has been gone sailing, and while I went to Montreal on a business trip for 5 days, Bennett bounced around from caregiver to caregiver, spending a couple of days with my dad, a few days with my mother-in-law, a day with my neighbor, a day with Julie and her kiddos, a couple of days with Mariah, a day with my Aunt Betsy, and a day with our other neighbor and her kids across the street. I'm incredibly grateful to have so many family, friends, and neighbors that are willing to help us out, but also very lucky to have a kid that seems to roll with the punches so graciously. He's learned fun little things from everyone he hangs out with--Julie taught him to sign "more," which he now uses all the time, and Betsy had a little kitchen floor picnic with him on a dishtowel and now he pulls down the towels, lays them out, and sits on them!




He is very into his toddler work these days, moving collections of tupperware from the basket to my lap, or moving rocks from the garden to his water table, or moving his seashells from the steps to the sidewalk and back. It's so purposeful, you just have to wonder what's going through that little head.