c. 1982

My jacket, when I was 5/6 years old.

For those of you who aren't from Doylestown, our school mascot = "The Chipps". As in the "Chippewa Indians." He thinks its so cool that this was my jacket at his age. Its VINTAGE! HA!

Me and Bennett. I'm not sure why he was wanting to showcase this movie. It IS a really good one, though. ;-)

Here are some recent fun tales, courtesy of Bennett. (I beg your pardon if you are one of my "Facebook friends" and you're reading this for the second time...)

Dinner conversation:

Me to B: "Hey, what do you want people to call you? Ben, Bennett, Benny...?"

B: "What about BenBen?"

Me: (smiling because I call him that a lot) "Well, that's cute and all, but what about in someplace like school?"

B: "I like Bennetta"

Me: "Bennetta?"

B: "Yes, Bennetta. Because it rhymes with Canada...well...not really, but it sort of does. And I'd like it to be spelled with only one 'n' just like Canada."

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Bennett (which he eventually told me he prefers to be called) is constantly being doted on by the girls in his class. I think its because he's got a sort of 'hard to get' personality. Not on purpose, its just his nature, he's a pretty quiet kiddo, but funny, cute, and sweet...and kids having to work to get his attention to get reaction out of him is magnetic, I think. Anyway, the little girls are frequently touching him, hugging him, talking to him. We're always working with him on using words instead of action to make people aware of his feelings. So, when a friend told me she had witnessed Ben having had quite enough of the attentions of one sweet little girl, who was tousling his hair, I was so proud to hear that he looked right at her and said, "I wish you would not do that." (I laughed for about 10 min when my friend told me this, because I guess he said it with an inflection of quiet annoyance in his voice, and then walked away. So funny.)

*****

"I can't lift it!!" grunted in effort when trying to lift a 35# toddler out of his way. (LOL)

*****

I have learned that Bennett has an intense fear of port-a-potties. (But don't we all.) For the sake of not being too graphic, I will spare you the details. However, lets just say, when you gotta go, you'll figure out a way to make things work.

*****

He has acquired new nicknames - "FratBoy" (I feel he has some of the habits of a college age boy at times, save for the appetite...) and "Cowardly Lion" referring to his particular brand of sobbing (both real and fake.)

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And lastly (for now, I need to write more of these down to remember...he comes up with some real doozies...) he has taken to calling me "Mommy Salami." For which I have returned the favor, and am calling him "Bennett Bologna."