Growing Up In Fits and Starts

I went roller skating today for the first time in about 20 years! Katherine had a birthday party to attend, and of course, I tagged along. I was a little nervous about it since she's never done it before, but she did well, all things considering. "All things considering" means that since the poor kid is saddled with my un-athletic, un-coordinated, non-graceful genes, she handled herself well despite the fact. But enough about us. This is Ben's blog. I don't have any big news to report about my favorite little guy, other than his new passion for peanut butter has led him to acquire new skills. Now I have to keep it up on the shelf, because Ben will fish it out from my lazy susan, and somehow he managed to get the top off (his motor skills must be improving) and dig his hand in it before I found him smeared in peanut butter. As he grows, we are faced with the realization that the challenges of raising Ben will intesify on some levels. He's so big and tall now that he can reach an amazing amount of things that we don't want him to reach. In a perfect world, he really can't be left alone for a minute. Time and time again he's proven to us that if there is trouble to be found, he'll find it in the time it takes to make a telephone call. He's a pleasure seeking machine. Even if he perfectly understands that he's not to do something, if we're not around and he wants to do it, he will. He'll eat a crayon, bite the hands and feet off of his sister's dolls, GET INTO PEANUT BUTTER! Sometimes he even watches us to see how close we're paying attention. I never know what to expect with Ben. Life is sure interesting with him around. Until next time!