Story time

We go to the local library almost every week. Benji enjoys choosing his own books, using the mini-computers, doing the puzzles, and generally running around in the open spaces there. Though he loves reading at home, he normally doesn't have the patience to sit still and listen to a book at the library - too many other fun things to do there! I started taking him to "Baby Bookworms" (a baby story time) at 6 months old. Ever since he could walk, he would run out of the story time room to explore the library. I recently decided to give it another shot for the preschool story time, thinking the extra activities (songs and crafts as well as book-reading) might be more interesting to him. However, he still doesn't care for it. I finally asked him last week why he didn't like it, and he told me, "too many people." (It's great that he can start expressing himself through words now.) Though he can be very sociable and friendly one-on-one or in a small group, he doesn't care for crowds - which incidentally is the same as his Momma. I have decided that I need to honor his preference and stop pestering him to join the group. Every person has a different personality, and it's our responsibility as parents to learn our child well enough to help them thrive. Therefore, we will give story time a rest for at least a few months. If he is interested at a later time, fine. If not, also fine.

I hope my kids can say this about me

I remember my mother's prayers and they have followed me always. They have clung to me all my life. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Frustration

Overall, we have been pleasantly surprised in how Benji has responded to Zachary. I would say half of the time he is a super-sweetie to his brother. The other half he just ignores Zachary, doing his own thing, playing with his own toys. That's fine too. However, there's about two percent squeezed in there where Benji is suddenly, for no apparent reason, mean to his brother. At first I thought this would fade with time after he realized that his baby brother is sticking around - not just here for a short vacation. But it's now been more than five months. And we're still getting hits and bites. And Benji is not a normally aggressive kid. He doesn't bite anyone except Zachary and very rarely hits. It makes me sad ... and it makes me mad.

The reason why I do not buy too nice clothes for our sons

At least not too nice light-colored clothes.

Today we got professional pictures of the two boys (the first time for Zachary). I got Benji dressed in his khaki sailing overalls and light blue sailing shirt as soon to the time of the photos as possible, hoping to avoid any huge stains. However, merely crossing the road from our car to the photo studio was too much time lapse to keep the light-colored overalls clean. He decided that his feet didn't work any more - in the middle of the road. Oh well, we were shooting for reality in this pictures - and the reality of a 2 1/2 year old boy is that most of the time there are stains on the knees of his pants.

Children

"Children change us in a way we desperately need to be changed. They wake us up, they wet their diapers, they depend on us. Willy-nilly, they knock us out of our selfish habits and force us to live sacrificially for others; they are the necessary and natural continuation of the shock to our selfishness which is initiated by marriage itself." - J. Budziszewski (from the foreword to "Open Embrace")

I wholeheartedly agree with this quote. Enough said.

Some new pics of Zac

Fort Worth Zoo

One of the highlights of our weekend trip to Dallas was the trip to the Ft. Worth zoo. Benji enjoyed feeding the birds (see picture above) and watching the flamingos stand one leg, but ask him what his favorite animal was ... and it's the wart hog. The reason? Because we got to see the wart hog going poo-poo. Nothing can beat that for a 2 1/2 year old boy.

New tricycle

As you can see, Benji is very happy about his new tricycle and helmet.

Old glasses

A few nights ago Shearn Yoong and I had dinner alone (the boys went over to Nona's for dinner), so I used our fine china and nice glasses since any meal alone is romantic in one sense or another. The next morning the two glasses were on the counter still waiting to be put away. Since Benji has memorized ever item in our house, any new thing immediately stands out. He immediately pointed to the two glasses and questioned me about them. I told them they were very old glasses, passed down from my grandmother. He repeated old and then asked if we should throw them away. Yes, we do throw away many old things (food, clothes, etc.) but not antique glasses from your great-grandmother. Old vs. antique - a tough concept to explain!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year from all of us! We were sick over the weekend so we missed the party, but we still had our own miniature sick-party with Benji in appropriate attire and yummy food provided by Mama. Blessings for the new year!