Ben, June 2012

He's a total planner, always thinking of what he'll do next, and explaining how he'll build whatever it is. He still lives, eats, and breathes legos. He loves his cactus and succulent collection, and is giddy about the fact that he can keep them for his very own his whole life... and they may get really big and tall like ones at the arboretum. He laughs, a lot. Like all day. And talks constantly.

He has the biggest goofiest grin that warms my heart.
He's nosey as sh*t, looking over my shoulder right now, and always trying to eavesdrop of me. I rarely get a moment alone, including bathroom time, when he tells me what he's doing through the door. Describing every single block and scribble in his every move.

I get random hugs all the time. Nice tender embracing hugs.

He blushes when we talk about girls. Of course, we still tease him.

He writes me notes and makes me pictures telling me how much he loves me everyday. I get a constant flow of artistic creations from him, always included. "You're the best mom ever."  He found out you can take art classes in high school and beyond and now has plans to take sculpture and drawing.  Sculpture, because it is like legos, of course.

We talk about college and career options, and college more often than we should for a 7 year old. His best friend is always included in his plans. He wants several jobs when we grows up, and asks if he can do one in conjunction with the others... planning. Architect, construction worker, engineer, always included. But he doesn't want to "work." He wants tons of money. He loves money, and worships every penny. Like his mom, when he spends money he often expects it to still be in the bank.
He is about to finish reading the first Harry Potter book. He's insanely concerned with what page is he on. We hear constantly, "Mom, I'm on page 200! I have this much left!" Followed by rambling about how he's ready to get on the next book, and how long it will take him to complete each chapter of it... If his brother wasn't around to pull him out of the books I think this summer would have a lot more of Ben on a quite chair in the garden, reading.

He still fills a room with train tracks, legos towns, building in whatever he can get his hands on. He's been doing this since he was 18 months old or less.

He likes shopping with me. We walked into Home Goods last week and when he saw the huge garden bench, reptile ceramics, and huge gazing balls he gasped and said. "This is heaven!" He wanted to buy this massive spanish style painted frog planter. He has a bit of a fascination with the southwest and would like to live somewhere he can plant cacti in the ground. I keep trying to tell him he can always have cacti, no matter where he lives.

When we put in our pond this week he decided it was so nice he'd be spending a lot more time out there, having snacks and sitting on the rocks. He said the water was relaxing. He loves rocks, shells, snail shells, and insects. I get bugs shoved in my face with a loud, "Look!" all the time.

He's a dreamer. He's always coming up with wild and crazy things you could build. Sentences start with "What if..." and "I wish" flood the day. Sometimes he critiques Disneyland, because he could do better. 

He growls when I ask him to help with me. He thinks he's a slave when he has to do chores. He sighs deep, talks back, and sometimes flat out cries when I ask him to clean up. Despite hours without having done a "job," I hear, "All I do is jobs!"

He constantly thinks about candy. He asks for it between meals (usually denied). He is adamant he gets a treat in his lunch on Fridays. Once Theo forgot, and when I was making his lunch on a Monday he made sure to remind me a hundred times that he get it then. He thinks all meals should have a dessert, even if it is just a starburst. "Hey mom, since I was really good for a couple hours, do you think I could have some candy?"

He eats his sandwiches dry, like I always did. Just ham/turkey/chicken and bread. He gags when he tries new things, like I did. He's all drama, like I was.

He's finally finding his athletic stride; he enjoys soccer and is playing great baseball this summer. Much improved. He's riding his bike, and upside down on the swingset every time I turn around. So glad he's figured out how to use the brakes on his bike- he was just flinging himself off! I could barely watch. He skid out a tire the first week he learned to ride.

He loves to climb trees, and uses his arm strength to get himself into them. I can barely watch him hang upside down from the limbs- I just see broken bones and falls.

We are truly lucky to have such an awesome kid.