boys vs girls

Harper is almost 9 months old already.  She is one happy baby.  She smiles all day long.  She laughs (grunts) and giggles (grunts) and coos (grunts).  The difference between boys and girls is overwhelmingly obvious in our house.  Harper is happy when she wakes up. Bennett cried when he woke.  Harps is a wonderful eater.  She is eating finger food and 2 bowls of cereal/baby food for meals.  She also LOVES her bottle.  B would rather do pretty much anything other than eat.  H snuggles.  She will hold you, and rest her head in the crook of your neck.  She's a lover.  Bennett will wrestle you to the ground, then proceed to use his num chucks and/or sword to battle you into defeat.  Harper screams (and grunts).  Bennett "Hei-Ya's!" (and grunts).  Boys vs girls?  Sounds like AP vs GP.

Do Not Assume.

Being an elementary school teacher, people often assume that I am at home doing "educational" things with my children each night.   However, more often than not, the most educational activity (at home) is catching a few minutes of the latest "Diego" episode.  Thank goodness for Ms. Kelli's School of Pre.

Bennett Daniel Prose

Age 4

January 20, 2011

Over the River

...and through the prairie.  Next, we traveled to Grammy and Grampy's farm.  It's a long drive.  A very long drive.  However, the kids did great.   Thank goodness for Colie.  Bennett did not want to watch a movie on the way, he wanted to talk.  For FOUR hours, he just wanted to chat.

  We stayed for a few days, and even AP made it this year.  (Shhhh - he thinks he travels to the farm every year for Christmas.  Don't try to tell him that 2010 officially marked year number two.)

 Bennett is the perfect age for Christmas.  Everything is so magical.  He believes, and he believes hard.  Harper's first Christmas was pretty magical, as well, especially when she had her fairy god mother to snuggle with. 

My camera made it just under 24 hours, before the battery died.  So, quick summary - Santa came, and he left a note.  The Great Ones are just that - pretty Great.  The Cariveau Crew are our best friends for many reasons, but the top being the ability to play upstairs and drink wine during the day.  We are the luckiest kids ever.

Ho Ho Ho.  Here's to a 2011 full of total awesomeness.  

Christmas 2010

Oh, Christmas Tree.  Oh, Christmas Tree.

Yes, I know.  It's January.  The Christmas tree has long been recycled.  However, the Prose house is still high on Christmas spirit.  Like Bennett's birthday, Christmas lasted about a month.  We started with Prose Family Christmas on the river.  We had a lovely meal (with green jell-o, of course).  Somehow, the kids managed to eat right next to the massive tree, and enormous pile of gifts.  Then, the chaos ensued.  So much fun.  Unfortunately, Harps was battling a double ear infection, and was only up for a small part of the celebration.

 I know exactly what you are thinking...  These two look nothing alike.

No.  Bennett did not get a snowmobile.  But - Noah did!!

The Big Guy & Freddie

Last weekend, Andy and I took the kids to see Santa.  I really can't describe accurately how excited Bennett was to see the Big Guy.  From Papa and Grandma's house to Santa's village, Bennett chatted about what he would say to Santa, what Santa's favorite things are, how Santa flies, what Santa likes to eat for lunch (this trip is ninety minutes).  He dashed through the mall, and hopped while we waited in line.  After about 30 minutes of hopping, I asked if he needed to use the bathroom.  There was NO WAY this kid was giving up his spot in line, so he danced and pranced until it was his turn.  (Then, he decided he didn't want to have an accident on Santa's lap, so we let a few families go ahead of us, while I held our spot, and the boys made a run for the nearest restroom.)

  Bennett held up two hands, and asked for some "private time" with Santa.  He shook Santa's hand, introduced himself and took the coveted spot on Santa's lap.  After adequate alone time, Bennett then called for his sister to join Santa for the obligatory picture.  As we left, Mrs. Claus chuckled and said, "That boy is going places."

And then, there is Freddy.

Freddy is a scout elf.  He reports to Santa each evening the behavior of the Prose children.  After his trip to the North Pole, Freddy hides in various locations around our house.  Each morning, Bennett scrambles out of bed to find Freddy.  Unfortunately, Freddy will return to his native home on Christmas Eve, but he will come back us next year (maybe right after Halloween??).

You Better Watch Out

numero cuatro

On November 10, Bennett turned four years old.  Birthdays are a big deal in the Prose House, so Bennett really had a birthmonth.  He celebrated on the actual day, with his best friends and some aliens.  He celebrated on the weekend with his parentals and T.  He celebrated the following weekend with Grammy, Grampy and the Great Ones.  He celebrated the following weekend with the Prose Family, and the day after with Colie and T (again).  Needless to say, turning 4 is no joke.