He so is

Tuesday, since it wasn't 1,000 degrees outside, we had playgroup in someone's backyard and the kids played in the pool. There were various pool toys around, including three watering cans. Ben had one and Alyssa had two and they were both dumping water into the pool and into the grass. After a while Ben looked at Alyssa, pointed to her watering cans and said, "Those are mine." He didn't try to take them, he just stated that they were his. Well, being three years old, this PISSED ALYSSA OFF. You would've thought Ben insulted Dora the Explorer. So she started whining and yelled, "No, they're mine!" Apparently Ben enjoyed that reaction because he said it again, "Those are mine." Then he started giggling, because Alyssa exploded again. This went on several more times, Alyssa getting mad and Ben giggling at her reaction.

Upon hearing this story Heath said, "Ben, you are so my son."

First Trick-or-Treat

Ben isn't into smiling for pictures any more. 

This pumpkin ended up with about 8 more eyes.

Thomas trick-or-treating

Trick-or-treating with five toddlers is a cluster-f*ck.

But it was really fun!

Playgroup Halloween Party

Ben as Thomas the Tank Engine. 

Despite his face, he loves the costume!

Ben as Thomas and Isaac as Gordon.

That's what Ben does now when I say, "Smile!"

The best picture of the most kids.

It's tough to get a good picture of 10 babies and toddlers

L-R: Alyssa (fairy), John-James (Woody from Toy Story), 

Amelia (Rams cheerleader), Ben, Isaac, Eliot (bee)

It's all about perspective

This actually happened months ago, but I forgot to post about it until now.

We attended a playgroup birthday party. I don't know if you've ever been to a party with 8-10 toddlers present, but it's chaos. Not even controlled chaos. You were lucky if you didn't have a truck rammed into your ankles. At the party the following happened:

Alyssa, the birthday girl, had a toy which the kids could sit on and spin (called, amazingly enough, a Sit 'n Spin), but it wasn't obvious to them how to work it. Isaac was trying to use it but failing, so his mother grabbed a life size (to a toddler) Elmo doll to demonstrate how it worked. As an aside, Elmo is a beloved character for almost all the kids. Well, Isaac got mad because Elmo was using his toy, so he tackled Elmo and started choking him. Seriously. This caused Lily to start wailing because Isaac was attacking Elmo.

I'm sure it was traumatic for Lily, but to the adults watching it was quite funny.

Love hurts

Spring has definitely arrived in St. Louis, so on Monday Ben and I joined some playgroup members at a park. He was slowly making his way up the steps of some playground equipment and had stopped for a break on a landing when Alyssa ran up the two steps and gave him a hug. Then another. And another. Ben looked completely confused. He has no idea he's the ladies' man of the group. It's the red hair.

Somewhere around the fourth hug they became unsteady and in slow motion they tumbled down the steps onto the ground. They landed on soft padding, so neither of them was hurt, but they both freaked out. Alyssa had the raw end of the deal because Ben landed on top of her. (Though she's nine months older, I'm sure Ben weighs more.) Once they stopped screaming and the fall was all but forgotten Alyssa tried to hug Ben again. That time he ran away.

Hugs

Last Thursday my moms group met at Crestwood Court, which is an almost-defunct mall, but has a wonderful play area that is usually deserted. At the other malls with play areas there are lots of bigger kids and you expect that at any moment your baby will be flattened by a waterfall of eight year olds.

So we met there and it was a reunion of sorts, as many of us had been on vacation at the end of July and hadn't hung out in several weeks. Alyssa, who is the oldest of the group (by one day), is pretty affectionate with the other kids, so once everyone was re-acquainted she started handing out hugs. She hugged Ben several times in a row, which was a little awkward, as she's taller than he is and was sort of squishing his head. But it was very cute and of course all of us moms were sitting there going, "Awwww." Then the final hug was so forceful it ended up with both of them on the floor. I expected Ben to start screaming, even though he wasn't really hurt. However, he just seemed surprised that he could induce such passion. Like parents, like son. I think Heath and I are both surprised someone of the opposite sex likes us. :)