Busy Boy

The title for this posting says it all. Benjamin is so - - busy. He has to have his grubby little hands on everything. I call him Quickdraw McGraw because before I can say "Ben - please don't (fill in the blank - pull the tablecloth, push that button, eat the rock, drop that cup of water....you get the idea)" - Ben has done it. I can't take my eyes off of him. And he is just as proud once he has accomplished the task. It is sorta of funny. No. It is not funny. It is terribly annoying. It drives me to drink by 4pm every afternoon.

At 11 months of age, Ben is doing all of the things that the books say an 11 month old should be doing. Now is when you begin to realize that he has been paying attention to you all along, despite not being able to speak or readily move the way he might want to. If I say "Ben, we need to turn on the light" he looks up at the overhead light. If I have him in my arms, he reaches for the light switch. He understands basic commands and statements, like sit down or let's go eat. He grabs books out of my hand to flip the pages to passages he likes. He points out dogs and airplanes.....over and over again. Benjamin pulls his sock and shoes off just after I've struggled to get them on correctly. He yanks at his car seat buckles and wiggles in the stroller, attempting to kick off the blanket that I have carefully placed around him for comfort. He yanks off his hood, pulls down zippers (his and yours) and chews on the grocery list. He sits up in his crib to play when it is nap time, throws food on the floor daily and smiles just when I'm about to drop-kick him out the window. They make babies cute for a reason, don't they?? And if I mention that Papa is anywhere nearby, well, if Papa doesn't show his face in 5 seconds, Benjamin throws a fit. He has actually been listening and piecing things together for himself, one day at a time. It is truly amazing. I think Ben feels that he is working, being very productive, accomplishing multiple tasks at every turn. His need to touch and tug and pull at every single thing is completely developmentally appropriate....it is still annoying.

It has been a little while since our last posting and I really have no excuse except to say that I've been trying to keep up with Ben. He is wearing me out and I haven't been in the mood to write about it for fear that I'll come across as ungrateful. How could I be ungrateful? I have this cute little critter who chit chats and plays and keeps me company all day? Let me say that again....I have this little critter who chit chats and plays and keeps me company all day. Everywhere I go. Even when I'm in the bathroom. My busy boy Benjamin is quite a force these days. It is a strange moment in my life as a parent right now. It is wonderful. It is trying. It is ridiculously fascinating and funny and enlightening. And as busy as I feel, attempting to keep both eyes open, both hands at the ready and one very small step ahead of Ben's next reach, I have to admit that Ben is probably still even busier, planning his next move, getting ready for his next opportunity to show me what he can do. If every person believed they could be as productive and appropriately busy as Ben, imagine what we could do? We could pass healthcare, settle conflict in the Middle East, finish cleaning the bathroom and fit in a Sunday crossword. Maybe one day Ben will decide that he is "finished" and he'll just sit there for a moment. Then I can sit there for a moment, too. And we can be happily "unbusy" together. I can dream can't I?

The video clips are of Ben reading independently, which he will do for several minutes at a time, and of Ben playing with our friend Luke at a local favorite restaurant. As is often the case, by the time I think to record it, he is basically done, but I captured a bit of the silliness for a second. Enjoy!