Sunday morning/Monday evening

Let it be known that the rule of law in the Ochoa household is the later the boys stay up and the busier they are before bedtime, the EARLIER they will wake in the morning. Unbelievable. Peter came down at 12:45? Not sure. I didn't really lay down after that. I was trying to give him a drink which he rejected over and over and we both passed out with the effort of resisting each other-Peter laying on my arm splayed to my side, me propped up on pillows I wish I had moved before resting my head. My neck is killing me this morning. Then, at dawn, about 6am, Benjamin came bounding down with all his bounding energy and Peter and I, bleary-eyed and groggy from being woken from that deep morning sleep, had no choice but to become conscious or risk injury from the pointed affections of my 2 year old bulldozer. Benjamin gives kisses and then he will press his head against your head and apply pressure. I think he wants to see how hard he can push before you cry out in pain. Then he lays down perpendicular to his intended target and straightens his legs, stretching his toes so his legs are as long as possible. I dont know if his intent is to move the person he's pushing against or see if he can insert his toes into their stomach.

professional rascal. works for smoothies, goldfish, and crackers of any kind.

Ah, well. Such is life with a toddler. We've had an idyllic couple of days. The weather, late afternoon winds notwithstanding, has been perfect. This morning, when I began my ritual of sipping my coffee in the sun after watering the daisies, wildflowers and lavender plants, Benjamin came up to me and said 'Ben chair, mommy.' He pulled on my hand, trying to get me out of 'his' chair. I replied, 'no, there's Ben's chair', and I pointed to a chair in the middle of the lawn, left there the day before. It was about 3 feet away from mine. He climbed up and settled himself in with a butt wiggle. Then he sat forward put his hands on the armrests, and started talking to me. At first I couldn't understand a word he said, aside from some names. But the more I really listened, the more I discerned different words- 'going', 'school', and 'not yet' among them. Shocked my shorts off. I just stared at him in wonder, my brilliant child, as he chattered away. I asked him questions when the opportune pauses occurred. I have no idea if I was on-topic or not, but he seemed to find my responses appropriate.

Now, Benjamin talks all the time. He talks to me all the time, he talks to the tv, and he talks to his dad and brother, anyone who will listen (or look like they're listening). What killed me in this moment was the way he was postured in his chair, leaning forward, intent on our conversation. Every now and then he paused and stared off into the clouds. Then he would say something, grin, and fake laugh, complete with a 'ha ha ha' and wrinkled nose and clapping his hands and slapping his leg in glee. Whatever he said must have been hysterical.

This magic moment lasted about 10 minutes. I didn't take a picture. I didn't want to break the spell. I will never forget his serious little face, and the way his shoulders would shake when he forced himself to laugh. I half expected him to ask me for his own mug of coffee (wouldn't be the first time, come to think of it).

and in other news...

Please Please Please leave comments and feedback for me on my Facebook if you can't do it on this page. You can leave comments for me if you are on a computer- but not by smartphone, which is really stupid in my opinion.  I am trying to resolve the issue, but not having any luck thus far.

In other news...Coming to a webpage near you, Momology! Elizabeth Schichtel and I are taking her amazing creations from Cheeky Bunz Diapers and adding new, original, and beautiful handmade cuddly baby things to a line of mama products and luxuries. Check out Liz's CheekyBunzdiapers.com, her Etsy shop of the same name, and please like her on Facebook!  She is so so talented, and I am really stoked about the opportunity to create for a living while learning from a master seamstress.

In other news...The other night  I watched Benjamin play until he dropped, exhausted, on his uncle's lap. Peter went to bed at 7, but then woke up at ten and rejoined the party. They were both up at 7am. I don't understand how this works. It is a truth about babies and young children that however late they stay up and however rough a night they have, they will be bright eyed and bushy tailed at least 2 hours before you are ready to drag your butt out of bed. I have yet to meet the toddler that isn't a morning person. While its maddening and exhausting, there's a certain beauty to it. Every day, regardless of how the night before went, Benjamin and Peter are excited to greet us and the day. Eager to reconnect with their world, they walk around the house smiling at their toys, their milk cup, their tv program, their high chair, their parents. They fuss at getting their diapers changed as if to say 'hurry UP I have LIFE to live and WONDERS to explore and you are holding me UP!'

Meanwhile, after they are changed, fed, and my coffee is ready, I curl up on the floor in my bathrobe, watching a Golden Girls marathon, clutching my coffee mug and wondering if I'd had too much wine the night before. The boys played, oblivious to my discomfort of course, and we had a really pleasant morning followed by more vegging during the Super Bowl. The game was pretty exciting, but I wasn't uber impressed by the commercials. Let's face it, I really didn't get to watch it. Oh well.

Benjamin just walked up to me and started singing 'I will Wait I will wait for you'. Shout out to Mumford and Sons.

If you check out my Facebook page you can see Benjamin singing for yourself- Not sure when this became the new song around my house, but my little guy has some strong music preferences!