I could be Ariel

When I was in 4th grade Disney released The Little Mermaid. I must have watched it a lot more than I realized because, tonight, after years of not seeing it--I can still recite the entire movie.

And the singing. Didn't miss a word.

A note perhaps, but not a word.

It was amazing.

Motherly Duty

I took my first session of swimming lessons when I was 6 months old (it was a mommy and me class), and then took for the next 12 years.

As a kid I didn't realize that swimming lessons were optional. I thought it was a law that all children must take swimming lessons, and assumed that my mom was only doing her motherly duty not to have us taken away from her. It wasn't until later when I had friends that couldn't swim that I realized swimming lessons are optional just like piano, T-ball, karate, soccer, gymnastics, and dance.

But why?

Swimming will save your life and I can't say that about piano or gymnastics. Besides life is no fun if you are afraid of water.

I just signed Bentley up for his first swim class. I realize he is 2 and getting a late start, but I feel like I am doing my motherly duty.

What's for Dinner?

Growing up my mom was always glad when my dad was gone so she "didn't have to cook." I don't think I understood what she meant then, but I think I have it figured out now.

When Chod's out of town, Bentley and I share a bag of popcorn and call it dinner. We later snack on green beans and mandarin oranges so I feel like a better mom.

Why, when Chod is here, do I feel the responsibility to serve something that actually resembles a meal?

Easter Candy

The Easter Bunny brought Bentley all sorts of good stuff.

So why is he only interested in the Dove Dark Chocolate Eggs that I am pretty sure the Easter Bunny intended for me?

Family Movie Night: Take 1

I have read here about her family movie nights so, last night was to be our first.

I had it all planned-we would watch How to Eat Fried Worms and eat worm cups and I would win the mother of the year award.

I made the worm cups and sat off in search of the movie. I couldn't find it. We settled for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium and ate the worm cups anyway.

The treats may not have perfectly coordinated with the movie, but I think Bentley enjoyed eating dinner on the blanket with Mom and Dad while watching the movie. About a half an hour into it, he ran over and gave me a big kiss.

I'll take that any day over some cheesy award.

Clueless

In January I got my eyes checked. They had improved significantly, which was good, except the prescription in my glasses were too strong. They made me sick every morning when I put them on.

I bit the bullet and paid the $100+ for new lenses.

Then my sinuses started giving me problems. Every morning when I woke up they seemed to be draining, making me nauseous.

This lasted for 6 weeks.

Now?

I am pretty sure it was morning sickness all along.

Who knew?

Bentley's Been Tagged

I'm supposed to list 5 unknown things about Bentley...seeing how this blog is dedicated to documenting Bentley's every move, I'll see what I can come up with.

1. Bentley's new favorite treat from a store is the receipt. He likes to hold it and look at all the letters on it. A receipt will keep him entertained for about 10 minutes, which is a long time for a 2 year old.

2. Halloween may have been 5 months ago, but he still wears his turtle costume at random times. Like right now, in the middle of March, I have a turtle running around the house.

3. He is deeply attached to his Froggie, but Froggie no longer leaves the house. He likes to bite Froggie's nose, which may or may not be why Froggie looks the way he does.

4. Bentley will only allow Chod to read scriptures to him. He gets mad if I even touch his scriptures.

5. Bentley has to be one of the slowest growing kids around. He is still wearing clothes that he wore last spring. The pants have gotten a little shorter, so either he is growing, or I shrunk them. Chod thinks we need to start giving him human growth hormones so he can break the 3 foot mark sometime in his life.

Bentley now tags, Jane and Claire, Abby and Bryson, Hudson and Dalanie

Excited or Not, It's Happening

Going Green

I might not have served green pancakes for breakfast, but check out this green lunch we took to Chod. Celery (there's broccoli in there too), green jello, pistachio pudding, a sandwich on green bread and a Diet Coke with Lime.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sisters Weekend

The 4 of us got together for some sister time this weekend. There was laughing, ice cream, thrifting, shopping, and a little more ice cream. We went to the home and garden show, treated ourselves to pedicures and were supposed to make jewelry, but somehow never got around to it.

Thanks for the fun weekend girls!

(Tameka, admit it. It was fun.)

Quick recovery and a little memory loss, please

Ever since Bentley's two week appointment I have been concerned that his circumcision didn't look right, but I'm not an expert, just the mom. I asked the doctor then and was assured that everything was fine. I kept asking and at an appointment in December (2 years later), he told me that it was not alright. In fact it definitely needed to be revised. It wasn't even cosmetic at this point--it just had to be fixed.

Bentley had his little surgery on Friday and only spent that day walking like he had spent too long on a horse. He is doing much better now. The doctor said he would "heal like a gang buster".

Whatever that means.

I'm just hoping he doesn't remember much.

Rumor Factory

We were at my parent's this weekend and Bentley had a cough and a runny nose, so we stayed home from nursery. Chod and Deidra (her husband is globe trotting) went to church with my parent's, however, and apparently this is how rumors get started.

They sat next to each other in Sunday School and people noticed.

After church Mom and Dad were approached as to what was going on, "Was that Deidra at church today?"

"Yes"

"But I thought she was married to Chris"

"Yes, she is"

"But that wasn't Chris..."

"Right, that's Chod...Nikkala's husband."

This Face

The family photographer took some pictures of the little guy this weekend.

And see this face, this scowl?

It's one I am seeing way too much of lately.

Paper Towel Caper

I was upstairs yesterday afternoon when I noticed that things downstairs were awfully quiet.

The crime scene:

A chair pushed up to the counter.
An entire roll of paper towels unrolled onto the floor
A 2 year old standing in the middle of the paper towels.

But why?

He said he just wanted to color. Aunt Deidra gave him a roll of white paper that I keep on a shelf, and even with a chair Bentley still can't reach it. So the next best thing....paper towels of course!

Learned Behavior

I went to the dentist a lot growing up, and I think my body has a learned behavior to the smell and the yellow light they shine in your face.

The dentist I went to when I was little used laughing gas. The dentist I go to now doesn't.

But it doesn't matter, because as soon as I sit in the chair and stare into the yellow light and breathe the dentist office smell, I can feel my blood pressure drop and I kind of go into my own little world. I'm completely relaxed without the laughing gas.

The dentist says it "freaks him out".

Bentley, a meat eater?

On two different occasions last week, Bentley ate 3 chicken nuggets. For a grand total of 6.

What's the big deal, you ask?

While most 2 year olds love chicken nuggets, mine prefers to not eat meat of any kind. Those nuggets are the closest thing to meat he has ever eaten.

Not to fear though--they were followed by half a plate of broccoli.