Ben turns 1.5

My baby Ben is 18 months old already.  I think I blinked and 18 months just happened.  Even though I was working full-time when Lukey was a baby, I was able to give him one-on-one attention as a mom.  But with Ben I am sharing time with both boys, and it seems to make the time go even faster.  Paul and I don't get too much one on one time with just Ben.  Each of Benny's "stages" have to share attention with Luke's happenings and stages.  This is neither good nor bad, it just is.  I just wish I could spend more time in each stage (i.e., slow time!).

I remember when Luke was in the womb (!) I was journaling for him and dedicated an entry to speak about the 2008 election.  I told him what a monumental election it was because for the first time in history a black man could become president of the United States of America.  And that is what happened.  Today, 4 years later, I am sitting by the computer (instead of having a pen in hand) and journaling about the 2012 election.  Mitt Romney versus incumbent Barack Obama.  As of now, it looks like Obama is going to win b/c he has most likely won the state of Ohio.  Benny and Lukey, it is a tough time for our nation.  Unemployment is around 8%, millions of Americans are getting federal or state aid, health care costs continue to rise and squeeze the middle class (forcing many to apply for Minnesota Care or other medical assistance programs...therefore increasing the number of people dependent on the government for aid).  Millions of people are on Food Stamps and almost 50% of Americans don't pay income tax.  Our national debt is in the trillions and continues to rise at a fast pace.  Gas prices are between $3.29 and 3.99 per gallon.  Food prices are continually rising.  A gallon of milk is roughly $4.00.  The economy is in a world of hurt.  Your dad and I were praying for this election, that there would be a new president who could turn this country around.  I wonder what this nation will look like in another 4 years.  We hope you will have another little brother or sister (or maybe more than one) and that we will be able to afford to have your mom stay at home with you.  What I am saying, we will make that work at all costs.

But now back to Ben at 18 months.  In just the past week his vocabulary has exploded!  It is like something just clicked in his brain and all those words he understood being spoken to him could now be formulated into words coming out of his mouth.  I turn on a light and he yells "ight!"  I ask him to say Pete and he says very slowly Beeee-tttt.  He points to my nose and says nose.  We tell him to say Dono (we were visiting friends Donovan and Chauntal) and he says Non-no.  He says milk and uke for Luke.  And so much more.  It's been so fascinating and thrilling to watch.  

Ben is starting to climb.  He loves to eat his meals on top of his little table.  See picture.  He flips around the little bench and climbs on up to enjoy his Lucky Charms (in this case.  Funny, this is the first time in his 18 months we've ever had Lucky Charms in our house).

Ben loves to run and he gallops like a horse really well.  He runs and runs and runs.  He will back up ever so slowly to a wall, so his back is fully up against the wall, and then he will yell GO! and take off running across the room.

In the morning or after naps I will hear him in his crib yelling Ma?  Ma-ah?  Maaa!  It's so cute to hear him yelling Ma instead of Mom.  He also yells for Daa instead of Dad.  He loves cars and trains and puppies and his blanket.  His eating has slowed down a bit, even though he's gotten some great teeth recently for chewing.

I have so much more about 18 month old Ben, but I think I will start a new post for both boys and let the pictures I've taken guide my writing.  As I skim through some recent pictures I realize there have been many activities that I haven't written about.  Those will come in the next post, as will Ben's 18 month appointment stats (any guesses for weight??  He was 29lbs 12.9oz at his 15 month).