Today is Ben's second birthday and we are playing it low key since 1) Luke is at work today and 2) he really has no idea what a birthday is anyway. We're having a party for him next Sunday and then again at Gigi's house over Thanksgiving, so that's enough. It's been a quiet day, but we've had fun together, just him and me. This morning we met a friend and went for a looong walk around the baseball stadium and then went to storytime at the library. It was the cameraman's birthday and everyone sang to the guy but I let Ben believe they were singing it to him...because even though he's clueless about birthdays, he still knows enough to get excited when that song is sung. And I'm thinking that once his two parties are over, he'll be a lot more savvy about birthdays from then on. Yes, two cakes and two sets of presents ought to do it.
So Katie tagged me to do a thankful post in the spirit of the season, and I'll just take this opportunity to name 7 things I am thankful for involving Ben. Kill two birds with one stone and all that. Anyway, here goes...
1) I am thankful that Ben is bigger than his brother was at this age, because even though they were born in opposite seasons and are two and a half years apart, Ben is fitting quite nicely into clothes Patrick wore exactly two years ago. This is great because his wardrobe is ready and waiting for him at each change of season.
2) On the same note, I am thankful that Ben really looks up to Patrick but has never let his big brother push him around.
3) I am thankful that when the sunlight strikes him just right, it picks up the red highlights in his hair. He got that from me and I got it from my red-headed Irish grandmother, and I think it's a cool trait to be passed on through the generations.
4) I am thankful that he's a good stroller kid. I rely on my daily walks to burn nervous energy as much as I do to burn calories, and he makes it easy to fit them in.
5) I am sooooooo thankful that he got the whole nap thing figured out. The first five months were touch-and-go with my sanity, but he's been a dream ever since.
6) I am thankful that his blankie is made of sturdy brushed flannel, and there is slim-to-none chance that it will end up looking or smelling like Patrick's.
7) And finally, I am thankful that he's mine, and that he's happy and healthy. Children can be tough on a person, especially two-year-old boys, but there are times when I look at him and the world seems to stand still. When he laughs and throws his arms around my neck, or as we kiss goodnight and zip up his snuggly jammies, or when he and Patrick delight in the same activity, whether it be tossing a ball or the destruction of an unsuspecting toy...having him nearby, an extension of myself that I can hold and love, those are the moments when I know all is right in our world.
Ben with his family on November 13, 2005.
Ben today. Happy Birthday baby!
