Ben just turned 17 months last week and will be 19 months when the baby is born. It will be a busy time of life but we're looking forward to the adventure. Jane completed her first year of school. Kindergarten! I am so sad that she'll be going to all day school in just a couple months she is my right hand helper and such a sweet girl (even though we bump heads a little) there is no doubt she has a heart of pure gold and just wants to be helpful. She is still our happy girl- always has been.
I was lucky to be able to help in janes class at least once a month, usually at Janes table (center group). She loved her teacher, Mrs. Archibald, and so did I ! She was very organized and structured which Jane and I need. Jane is looking forward to first grade although I know it will be a long day for her.
Jane also completed her second season of soccer! She is a goalie champ (even though they aren't supposed to guard the goal) and plays defensively without anyone having taught her how. She naturally defends the goal and stopped many goals from going in. Her team was almost undefeated and her daddy loved being her coach
Ally is a good little helper- she does a really great job of picking up the living room and her bedroom when motivated. She loves playing with Ben, especially if she can get him to chase her around the house. She was also the first to go down the slide in our backyard with him, although, Jane will claim she taught him how to slide.
Ally used to be a mommy-exclusive girl, but so far this summer as soon as daddy gets home she is vying for his attention and begging for him to work in the garden with her. Here is a picture of them right now, as I write.
Jane loves daddy time too, but usually begs him to play steamroller on the tramp.
Ally is obsessed with finding soda cans. She and Jane recently spent a fewontha collecting them from nearby fields and park garbages and turned them in to earn over $5 each! They used the money to purchase two bouncy slides that were put up in the mall parking lot and the rest went into their piggy bank- they will be paying their tithing on it this Sunday. Jane wanted to give ALL her piggy bank money to the church but we settled on $3. She has a generous spirit. We haven't gone out collecting since because it's gotten very hot but she still spots them on the side of the road and checks the garbages whenever we're at the park. Her best friend is still Lucy Brandt. They are bosum buddies, but she has also become good friends with Leah Francis who moved in across the street on the corner.
Ally loves being outside. She goes out first thing in the morning to pick a baggy of peas that she will usually (sometimes begrudgingly) shares with the rest of us. She and Jane have days (more often then not) that they wear their "twin swim suits" all. day. long. Wednesday, irrigation and flooding of the yard day, is one of those days. Jane and ally love to pretend play and run and jump in the water. Ben loves to watch and tries to play along too.
Ben is my buddy. Ok, he's daddy's buddy too, but I get to have him all to myself while Rich is at work. We spend a lot of time watching the girls play sitting in the shade on this bench.
I treasure his sitting still because I know those times are getting fewer are farther between. Rich recently got the fence back up which makes it easier to keep Ben (and the dogs) in the backyard. Ben would spend all day, everyday, outside. His new obsession is going down the slide, although he gets discouraged when the slide gets hot during the day.
Bens favorite person is definitely daddy. He wants his attention whenever daddy is home. Monday mornings are the hardest as he's had daddy all weekend and then scream-cries when daddy walks out the door to head for work Monday morning. But then I take him back to bed with me and we enjoy our morning ritual of snuggles. It doesn't get much better.
I'll have to write more about Ben later. One thing for sure is he loves his drink (dee) and loves being outside. He loves his daddy and only recently started saying "maamuh" on a more consistent basis and I know he is talking to me when he says it. Before you would ask him to say mama and he would say "daaduh." We sure love this little man.
