Big Changes

We transitioned Ry into a big boy bed in September. He started in the trundle in Ben's room. We decided to have the boys share a room so we could turn the other room in a playroom/guest room. Hopefully, this will help us to reclaim the living room. And, hopefully, they will enjoy most of the time they spend together in their room. Thus far, I think it's a success. They both manage to stay in their room until Travis gets up at o'dark thirty for work. And aside from the one biting incident (Ry really wanted Ben to wake up), it's gone pretty well.

Here are some pictures of Ry's first night. He was pretty excited.

Note: when taking Ry's picture, don't tell him to smile. It just makes him close his eyes.

Going, Going, Gone!

It was a regular school day. Travis and I picked Ben up at the end of the day. Travis waited with Ry in the car. I reminded Ben to get his stuff. We got in the car and started home. I attempted to pry information out of him about his day. Usually the conversation goes something like this:

Mama: Ben, how was your day?
Ben: Good.
Mama: What did you do today?
Ben: Nothing.
Mama: What did you talk about today?
Ben: Nothing.

But on this day, it was a little different.

Mama: Ben, how was your day?
Ben: Good.
Mama: What did you do today?
Ben: Nothing. Oh, I lost my tooth.
Mama & Daddy: What?!

Of course we were almost to the freeway at this point. It had happened first thing in the morning, so no one remembered to mention it to me when I ran in to pick him up from school. We turned around and picked up the tooth, which had been safely stored in a paper napkin inside a paper cup.

Ben lost his first tooth at 9:15 in the morning on September 29th, 2008.

Loose Tooth B

As yet another sign of Ben's impending adulthood, he got his first loose tooth. While he was not to keen on the tie-a-string-around-it trick I suggested, he was quite content to wiggle it back and forth. Constantly.

Run, Run, Run!

Ben's school participated in the Run for the Arts fundraiser to raise funds for art projects and fundraisers. Ben and the rest of his class did a great job. Ben completed 15 laps - the most in his class. Go Ben!

Sarcasm ... Check

First, a soccer update. At today's game, Ben scored THREE goals. One was a thing of absolute beauty. Ben had a free kick. He got the ball, checked out the opponents, and simply chipped the ball up over everyone's head and into the goal. Nothing to it. The other team just watched. Everyone cheered. There was music and confetti. Okay, maybe not, but there should have been.

Anyway, so the point of this post is to tell you about Ben's latest funny. In preparation for today's game, Travis ran to the store to get snacks. We bought apples (for the team) that no one ate. Travis was also supposed to pick up some licorice (it was on sale). He forgot (I didn't give him a list). Today, while loading up the car, we said "Ball. Check. Water. Check. Granola Bars. Check". Ben says from the back of the bus, "Licorice ... Uncheck".

Gosh, where could the sarcasm gene come from?

Oh Hoppy Day!

The boys handled this year's bounty as the hop growing season came to an end. We had a hoptastic crop this year - our Cascade, Northern Brewer, Magnum, Willamette, Nugget and Centennial all bore the smelly flowers used in Travis' brewing endeavors. Travis cut down the vines (the house looks a little naked), showed the boys what to do, and they took it from there.

Ignore the white stuff on the house. It's really okay - just needs a little paint.

Goal!

Well, Ben didn't actually score a goal at the first match, but he was AWESOME! He kept his eye on the ball, did a great job passing, listened to the coaches (and ref Daddy), and had fun.