I'm Stuck, Help Me & a Haircut

I wanted to show off some new pictures...

My new phrase is "I'm stuck, hep me!" Which means, I'm stuck, help me.



This is me. Stuck in the swing, pleading for help. Cute, no?



This is me with a new haircut. I wouldn't sit still long enough to get the front finished. But it looks AWESOME from the back!

Kisses and Cuddles

My Mom just adores that I am in an affectionate phase. The Tuesday before she went to camp I finally puckered up for a kiss. Something that until now I turned away from; I was only too happy to oblige with my cheek, but never the lips. Tonight, I just let loose though. Since Tuesday kisses had only been for my Mom, but I gave kisses to Grandma, Grandpa and Daddy tonight. Also, I've been generous with hugs lately too. Grandpa was at our building today for church because he had to give a high council talk and I greeted him with a hug. This is all new for me, but I get lots of encouragement and people seem happy when I do it, so perhaps I'll keep it up. Good night!

O-Wunge

It's a funny thing. I am starting to talk more and more, and everyday my Mom is trying to teach me new words. Today I REALLY wanted a "ball" off of the kitchen counter. My Mom told me it was called an "Orange." We went back and forth - "ball," "orange." That must have lasted five minutes. Then I said it, O-wunge. But not just orange, "owunge ball!" I threw it around the living room and then decided I should try to eat it. The peel sure was yummy!

Future Rock Star

Yesterday Mom and Sofia and I were dancing around the house and singing waiting for Daddy to get home from work. My hair is getting LONG, and since I was wearing my new t-shirt that says "future rock star" on it, Mom decided I needed a rock star hairdo. A little bit of water, some hurried styling and I am rocking the mohawk. The best part was Mom trying to teach me to do air guitar. I was strumming my shoulder and patting my belly. Mom was cracking up!

Yes, I do.

My Mom cracks me up. She swears she was never going to be one of those Moms who kept tabs on milestones and would be anxious if I hadn't met one. I've met them all, so I don't know why she doubts me. Lately she is nervous that I still take a pacifier. She is afraid that I won't talk, or that I won't say things because I have a plug in my mouth. I can see how this is a realistic fear, but today I proved, AGAIN, that my Mom has nothing to fear.

I woke from my morning nap binky-less. When my Mom came in to get me I was pointing at a binky on the floor. She asked me, "Do you want that binky?" To which I replied, "Yes, I do." For those keeping track, those three words form a complete sentence. With appropriate punctuation. Yes (pause), I do. Sure, it's more of a yesh, but I said it, and my Mom thought I was cute. I got a big hug and a kiss. And then, embarrassingly, my Mom said "yes, I do" over and over and over again. You gotta love her. She is so funny sometimes.

The other sentences that escape every so often are: "What dish?" (What is this?), "What dat?" "Go tee Dok" (Go see Dominik), "I like dish" and "Wii Daddy." So, I like playing Wii with my Daddy and seeing Dominik and Jackson. Lately those are the highlights of my life, though I have been shopping a bunch in the last week - thanks largely to the IRS who finally sent an economic stimulus check, and per my Grandpa's advise, we are having fun with it.

I had a fun 4th of July and LOVE being with my friends and family. It has been so much fun in the last little bit. I don't get out of the house as much as I'd like, but the times I do get out are packed with fun, so I won't complain. I'll write about more adventures soon.



Love,
Ben

Latest Stats

So, for those keeping track, here are my latest statistics:

Height: 34 inches - 95th percentile

Weight: 24 pounds, 5.25 ounces (they sure are precise) - about the 50th percentile
Head Circumference: 47 centimeters

The doctor told my Mom and Dad to watch out for accidents. Hehe. Like I'll let them know before I am going to get into trouble. My newest phrase, "Uh oh," is sure coming in handy lately.

The Misadventures of Benjamin Royal

So it has been a busy couple of months. I feel bad about not posting, but I am moving so fast these days I hardly have time. I've been working on new skills like, jumping, spinning, running and CLIMBING! Climbing is one of my favorite things to do. I am fearless and have a bump on my head to prove it! I move objects around the house (or other people's houses) to make stairs that enable me to get places I normally wouldn't be allowed to go - like the tops of cabinets, entertainment centers, or couches. I am also tall enough now to climb the toilet and empty cabinets. Needless to say, my Mom is plenty busy cleaning up after me all day long. She calls me Hurricane Ben because of the trail of debris I leave behind.

I just had a really fun week. I helped to celebrate my Daddy's birthday and he got a Wii, so I haven't put down the remotes since Saturday. I also went to SeaWorld with my cousins and LOVED to play and watch the dolphins and watch the 4-D Sesame Street movie. Today I went up to San Clemente to see my Uncle Steve and have lunch and tomorrow I am going to a wedding. I have only been to two other weddings in my life and I was way too young to eat cake then, so I am really excited.

I wish there was more to report since it has been so long, but really I have just been busy growing and playing. I will try to write again soon.

Love, Ben

MY SISTER IS HERE!

Well, the biggest update is that my little sister Sofia Katherine Jackson was born on Monday, March 31st, 2008 at 4:07am. I was at home sleeping, but once I woke up Grandpa got me dressed, took me out for breakfast and we went to the hospital so I could meet my "girl." I was SO EXCITED to get to hold her. I kept pointing at her and saying "girl." I can't say her name yet, but I do know who she is and I love her to death. I like to give her hugs and cuddles and kisses, and sometimes I scare my Mom because I squeeze her hard and my pats on her head are a little more like slaps - but she puts up with me.

I am saying more and more words everyday: ball, dog, cat, Mom, milk, Dad, girl, go, down, car... I am also learning how to run, which is a struggle as I sometimes get ahead of myself, but running is really convenient when I have something I shouldn't, like a fist full of cat food or the end of the toilet paper roll. The best part is that I laugh the whole time I run away from my Mom.

Last night was a first. I slept through the night again - something I haven't done since Sofia has been home from the hospital, and my girl slept from 9:30 until 5:00 this morning. Let's hope we both keep up with this schedule so that Mom and Dad can get some good sleeping in at night. Everything is going well with our little family. I am so glad that my Grandma has been coming over this week to help take care of me and my Mom and my Sister. She has been a lifesaver. I think sometimes I wouldn't get lunch if Grandma wasn't here.

I love you all, and will post more about Sofia and how to get to pictures of her soon.

Hugs and Kisses,
Benjamin

Only one week until the big day!

Can you believe it? Just one more week until my first birthday!

I have been busy mastering walking and getting more teeth. I now have four front teeth on the top and two on the bottom. It is painful, and I have a hard time sleeping when my teeth cut through my gums, but otherwise I am still my happy, giggly self. I don't drink from a bottle anymore - just a sippy cup, and so I've also started drinking milk, which I LOVE. My days pretty much revolve around sleeping, eating, being chased around the house by my Mommy while I get into things like trash cans, the toilet paper roll and my diaper bag. Sometimes my Mom calls me "Hurricane Ben." I leave quite a debris trail, but I love learning about everything and discovering new toys (like my Dad's phone).

Next week I am going to get my picture taken and we are going to work on my birthday party - we have the sandbox, but we need to go and get the sand, so that will be fun. I am also going to a shower for my Mom and my new sister. I love to have a bath or a shower, so it should be fun.

There isn't much left to report. I hope everyone is doing great!

Hugs and Kisses,
Benjamin

Greetings from the world's messiest eater!

I LOVE to eat! What can I say, I am the product of my Mommy and Daddy. Sometimes, though, I find that it is just as much fun to wear my food as it is to eat it. Take today for example... My Mom was making lunch for Trav and Heather and herself and I was STARVING. So I got to sit in the highchair and eat a nana (banana), some cheese and turkey. The nana is sweet, so I get that down, though I did squeeze a few pieces in my hands, and you can't waste good cheese, but the turkey looked great in my hair. By the end of the meal I had about 6 pieces of turkey placed strategically all over my head. Good thing it wasn't too hard to clean up. I did a real number at dinner though. I got ravioli, cottage cheese, beans and cantalope. By the end of the meal I had ravioli and beans mushed into my hair and covering every speck of my face (including my eyelids). I also managed to get cottage cheese and ravioli down my shirt and in my pants. My Dad ended up carrying my high chair into the bathroom so it would be easier for someone to transfer me into the bathtub. Sure, I am messy, but I am so darned cute that I don't get in trouble for my antics. I thought it was funny that my Mom and Grandma were laughing at Zoey. She stands under my high chair during dinner to catch my crumbs - tonight she had chunks of ravioli and beans in her fur and she couldn't reach to eat them off of herself. I like to feed the "gog" (dog).