Benny's B-day

Benny Boy is four!!  I absolutely LOVE this age!  This kid keeps us laughing all the time and says the sweetest and cutest things.  

Our day started with the kids coming to breakfast and finding the kitchen decorated for Benjamin's day.  This is a tradition we started back when Lucy was little.  We decorate the house a little to make it special.  Benny was impressed (even though we used the same banner from Graham's day).  My guy was looking sharp with his new haircut.  

In the morning Benny went to preschool and got to share his new favorite treat with his classmates.  There these little chocolate cookies that we get from the Motta market.  He was very excited to show his teacher, too.  

Benny wanted pizza for dinner and brownies and ice cream for dessert, so Jason obliged.  Love his expression after hearing me say, "Say cheese!"  

Jason and I decided that morning to make two big pans of brownies and have our neighbors over for to sing and enjoy the treats.  We just set up a table in our little carport and invited everyone over. We have lots of kids on our block that Ben and Graham love to play with.  It turned out perfect and Ben still thinks he got a party.  He talked to Grandma that evening and we heard him say, "I had a great party and everybody came!"  Go us!

His gifts this year were a hit.  He got a few superhero figures, AquaMan and Green Lantern.  Benny LOVES playing with his "guys" and has to take a couple everywhere we go.  He got a set of the Monsters University figures and a scooter with a helmet.  

In this picture he was trying to show us his "tough face".   This kids rocks the scooter all day long.  Any chance he gets he's flying around on it and everyone is impressed with how good he is.  

Stuff we want to remember about Benny at age four:

• We had a rough start with preschool.  I enrolled him in the one on base.  The first few weeks he cried all morning before I dropped him off and then didn't want me to leave when we got there.  The teachers assured me that he cheered up after a little while, but it still broke my heart.  Now the kids loves it and wishes he could go every day (he goes Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays).  I almost took him out all together, so I'm glad I stuck it out.  

• Benny has a bit of a German accent.  When ever he says the "L" sound, it comes from his throat. It's so darn cute and I'll be very, very sad when it goes away.  

• Our Benjamin is generally a pretty happy go-lucky guy, but he does have a bit of a hot temper lately.  When we ask him to do something, we usually get an angry, "OHHHHH!!  I don't WANT to do that!" or an occasional,  "I just hate this FAMILY!!"  The uppercase words are screamed.  And we have Graham to thank for the hating of our family phrase.  Awesome.  

• One of the things he is asked to do every day is empty the silverware container from the dishwasher.  When he's in a helpful mood, it goes well.  When he's not we have a few minutes of, "But there's so many of them.  I need Heeeeeelp."  Then I sometimes catch him doing little ninja moves with the butter knives as he puts them away.  

• My favorite thing about Benny at this age is the hugs and kisses.  I get at least a dozen hugs a day from my boy.  He always wants to give Sullivan a hug and then a kiss on the head, too.  He'll say, "I wanna gib you a hug."  Or just come up to me and hug my legs really tight.  I love it.  

• Ben is a foodie like his Mom and Dad.  I spend a large portion of my day telling him, "No, Benny, you cannot have another granola bar.  If you're still hungry, you can have some carrot sticks or string cheese."  This is usually answered with, "But I want something that I yike (imagine the "yike" being said with a throaty "y")"  or he'll say, "Please give me three choices?"

• He's still our early riser.  He comes into our room around 5:00 or 5:30 and wants one of three things: to sleep with us, one of us to go sleep with him, or breakfast. 

• His favorite person in the world is Graham.  This kills Lucy because she is super sweet to him and Graham is, let's be honest, kind grouchy towards the little guy.  

• We still get ninja moves and sound effects everywhere we go.  It's hilarious seeing him do little spin moves and somersaults all over the place.  

• This kiddo loves to play and play hard.  He jumps on the tramp with all his might, rides his scooter like a champ, and runs wherever he goes outside.  

  We love our Benjamin, Benny, Benny Boy, Ben-O, Bubba, Benito.