Bennett turned 4!!! I will take a moment to describe Benny as a 4-year-old. Bennett has turned over a new leaf and actually REALLY likes to color. He is extremely good at staying in the lines, and will do it for at least an hour straight. He also has really taken to building with Legos. He builds very symmetrical and interesting "space ships" that always have some kind of gun attached to them. He likes to sleep with his latest creation by his bedside. Bennett still loves his blanket and his thumb, and still wets the bed (ugh). Haven't had the heart yoink the blanket and thumb yet. He only uses them for bedtime. Maybe we'll make the cutoff his 5th birthday. He will hate that. He is a hardcore napper still, and gets super crazy right around 4 PM if he hasn't had a nap. Thank my lucky stars he's still a napper!
Bennett is 42.75 inches tall (87th percentile) and 41.7 lbs (93rd percetile). He is an observer and takes stock of social situations thoroughly before joining in. Once he feels comfortable, he turns into Goofy McGhie. Just silly as all get out. He avoids eye contact with adults, both familiar and not, at all costs. He relates better to Eldon more than Lincoln much of the time. He loves doing silly stuff with Eldon, and they make each other laugh constantly. He is very good with symbols and makes amazing connections. I took him to a used car dealership and told him what all the different car insignias were. Then he proceeded to tell me what kind of cars all his friends' moms had now that he knew the names of all the car brands. Bennett is quite interested in all things educational. He is always asking me what things are and listens very intently to grown-up conversation. The other day, he asked me what Kurdish fighters were. Too much NPR in the car, perhaps. He's a really good eater, and tells me all the time that he loves onions.
Bennett also likes to play helpless and if he finds tasks, especially physical ones, somewhat challenging, he throws his hands up in the air and immediately starts with the crocodiles tears. He detests cleaning up the playroom with all his little heart. He claims that he needs an adult to help (cause Lincoln's help isn't good enough). I tell him he didn't need an adult to make the mess, so he doesn't need one to clean it up. He doesn't like that very much. We have a "gunny bag" who, after a certain time, will come eat all the toys that haven't been picked up. I think part of Bennett sincerely believes that Gunny Bag is alive, and he is terrified his toys being eaten up. He breathes out threats all sorts of really hysterical threats against Gunny Bag as he resentfully throws his toys into their place. "I'm gonna grab him, and crunch him and then tear him up into pieces and then throw him away so the garbage guys will take him far, far away, and then he won't get my toys any more!!"
Speaking of fears and threats, Bennett is a nervous sort. He isn't afraid of monsters or scary shows, but he is terrified of REAL threats. I taught his little preschool class about different weather patterns and natural disasters. Bennett then asked what natural disasters have happened in Houston. When I told him about the hurricanes, he said he wanted to move to Utah, and then for many nights afterwards, he asked me if a hurricane was coming. He also asks if there is going to be a war in our country. He brings these types of things up very frequently and out of the blue. Wheels are always turning in that kids head.
Bennett came as a bit of a surprise for us, but I can't imagine our family without him. It has been such a pleasure to watch him grow and develop. His darting eyes, sheepish smile and curly hair just make my heart melt. What a sweetsie face (most the time). Happy 4th Birthday, Benny Bear!
Bennett decided on a Wreck-It-Ralph birthday. Everyone seemed to have a good time.
I made Matt dress up like Ralph. They played Wreck-It-Ralph vs. Fix-It-Felix
The piñata. A birthday must at our house.
Some Fix-Its
A Wreck-It
Wreckin' it.
Another Felix
Turns out, the kids were more excited about being Felix than Ralph.
Candy car construction.
Colt Williams, Ellie Williams, and Rachael Williams with Bennett
More candy car construction
And some more.
Candy Cars
Candy Car Race. Turns out, many of the kids were upset when all the candy fell off their cars when they flew to the bottom of the track. Didn't foresee that, but I should have.
Pre-Pinata
Post-Piñata
Looks so nice before the mayhem.
Thank goodness Amazon had these plates, cause no where else did.
Around the table clockwise: Olivia Willams, Jill Stewart, Sydnie Strader, Donavan Strader, Emyrie Strader, Eldon, Charlotte Herscher, James Gregory, Garrett Cluff.
Clockwise starting with Lincoln: Lincoln, Lydia Stewart, Ellie Williams, Eli Stewart, Bennett, Isaac Stewart, Emmett Ekstrand
The medals for racing the candy cars
Should have put Bennett in the front, but here are all the racers
Opening presents
The haul.
Wreck-It-Ralph wrecked his cake.
Blow!!!!
Bennett was too busy chewing his gum to blow the candle, and Matt was too busy singing to focus the camera. Turned out anyway.
Love you, Benny!
