Spinny Park!

We just arrived home on Monday from a nice trip to Grandad and Grandma's house in Oklahoma. Well...nice except for the fact that Benjamin decided to give up on sleep the whole time we were there, but we made it through. I was a little apprehensive about flying alone with a toddler but Ben is a good traveler. I'm still exhausted though! 

I just got off the phone with the preschool director at First Presbyterian Church and I'm going to observe their two year old class on Tuesday. I had always said that I would wait until Benjamin is three before putting him in preschool, but for a variety of reasons I feel like it will be good for him to start this fall. I'm a little worried about this but I'm hoping to quell my fears with a visit. I know the teachers are kind and knowledgeable, but I'm hoping they don't impose too much structure on the two year olds. Schedules are fine, but I don't want Benjamin to feel like he needs to conform to a certain way of drawing or coloring, or even playing. Does this seem ridiculous? Probably. I would hope that any educated teacher would be pretty hands off when it comes to creativity in children, but I know that all adults (myself included) can confuse helping with smothering.....like telling kids a horse has to be black or brown or white, but not purple, or that they are singing too loud and need to be quiet. A friend of mine loves to show off a picture he drew in kindergarten; he was told to draw a pig, and he did so, but VERY tiny and in one corner of the page. His teacher told him he needed to make it bigger, so he angrily scrawled PIG in big letters across the remainder of the paper. I love it! It makes a funny story now, but I don't want that to happen to Ben....at least not this year! Anyway....I may seem a little over anxious but it helps to write about it. My hunch is that Benjamin will really enjoy preschool. 

I uploaded these pictures before our trip and then never got around to publishing them. We met with some friends at the "spinny park" a few weeks ago and had a blast! Basically, everything at this park spins around. Ben thought it was hilarious to climb off the playground equipment and fall down from dizziness.

I love this! Ben sees the merry go round from across the playground and starts running. See him next to the slides?

"Hey guys! Mind if I jump on?"

SNOW!

I had big plans to make a really cute Valentine photo card (and totally copy cousin Sarah's idea) and send it out to everyone. Benjamin's reluctance to look at the camera combined with my disorganization means it didn't work out.  Don't take it personally. We still love you!

And it snowed!  It only lasted a few hours but Ben had a fun time.  He and Daddy basically used up all the snow in our front yard to make a LARGE snowman. 

There was also an attempt at making snow angels.

And just general good times, until Mr. B. realized that he was cold, tired and wet, at which point the snow wasn't as much fun. He also added a new word to his vocabulary. Sssssssnow! It's very dramatic when he says it.
Aunt Laura came to visit. We love Aunt Laura! Benjamin showed off for her every single minute of every day. I've never seen him act like that for anyone, and it was a little shocking. The moment she walked in the door he was busy showing her all his toys, books and drawings, plus all of his "talents" like opening the door, running up and down the hallway, playing the recorder, pratfalls and his favorite schtick; pretending to eat an object and then shaking his head and saying "NOOOOO!" as if he's really saying, "What! That's crazy!" 
She got many kisses and cuddles, and Benjamin cried when we dropped her off the airport. Come back soon Aunt Laura!