June 20

Ben is finally catching up on his sleep after the grandparents were here. He had so much fun with them for almost a full month, but the traveling and crazy schedules were starting to wear on him. That week, he took a two-hour nap at daycare three times!

Ben still loves most everyone he meets (and everyone loves him, of course!). He is very curious and alert and aware of his surroundings. He is so good at using his hands, and always looks like he is trying to figure things out, like the back of his toys, the buckles on his seats, and the buttons on our shirts. He is getting pretty good at walking, as long as you are holding both of his hands.  Two new foods he really likes are zucchini and cherries.

He loves attention, sometimes screeching to get it, but most often talking and laughing. He gets a huge smile when he first sees someone he knows (even if it’s only been two minutes since he last saw them), and a blank stare with people he doesn’t know or he sees infrequently, like when we give a coworker a ride home.

He likes reading books, playing, clapping his hands, playing peek-a-boo, and inspecting any shoes we put on him. It is easy to make him laugh, and it is the most wonderful sound. He can scoot across the room on his bottom, but he still hates it when you try to make him crawl. He usually sleeps on his side, but sometimes back or tummy. Recently he has been falling asleep sitting up. He sleeps through the night a couple times per week. Sometimes I hear him playing quietly in his crib when he wakes up. We haven’t used the monitor since we’ve been in Italy, because we can hear him in our apartment just fine, but we recently got it back out so we can see him on camera and make sure he sleeps laying down with all his arms and legs inside the crib.

Ben has fallen asleep sitting up a couple times recently. Yes, I used a flash, and no, it didn’t wake him up.

  

Saturday, there was a Summer Party at Ben's daycare.  They gave diplomas to the kids who were about to leave for preschool, they sang songs, and there was a girl making cool bubbles.
 A huge bubble.  Ben loved it!
 

I think Tim had a nice Father's Day.  Ben colored a card for him, and wrote him a message in his blocks.  I got him a waffle maker.  Now I just have to figure out how to make waffles from scratch without mix, and something to use other than syrup.