Ben’s whereabouts

Talking about remembering and documenting milestones, I am surely guilty of keeping more of Noah’s than Ben’s, just because the first times (for the parents) are more noticeable and surprising. For this reason, and for the sake of memory, I am jotting some changes in Ben’s life, observed over this past weekend home.

This guy’s drawing is definitely moving from abstract to increasingly concrete representations. (Aside: the word representation somehow sounds very art-history-ish to me, am I right Shing?) He’s been observing and admiring his brother’s talent, and I think for a while he felt a bit unconfident as he obviously couldn’t do what Noah was doing. So he would draw a lot of lines or circles, calling them his pirate maps. Lately, he still likes to draw maps, but some additional favorite things that appear on a page include: an “X”(“it marks where the treasure is hidden”), a face—a circle with two dots for eyes and a mouth--, a flower, and a train. Often he would ask you as we sit down with pens and paper, “What do you want me to draw?” When you give him a new idea, he asks, “And how do you draw that?” Then he tries to imitate your effort.

And here’s a boring detail but a big deal for the parents: On the potty front, all is under control! Yeah! No more Costco big boxes of diapers in this house!

It took Ben a little longer to be completely confident with biking, but now he’s the most enthusiastic biker ever known. Unafraid of falling or the hills, he can go go and go!

Another interesting new talent is his improving ability to negotiate with Noah. They have been playing super well together, talking about everything, laughing, getting in and out of various fantasy worlds. The trouble only comes when Noah tortures or taunts him, usually in a trivial (to us but not to Ben) way. Ben comes crying and telling on Noah, who wouldn’t stop until we intervene. So Paul’s been teaching Ben to ignore him, or to talk up his position without getting flustered… Well, you and I know how difficult it is to do that even as adults, but we’ve heard Ben saying to Noah, “Don’t say that! I don’t want to hear any of that any more!” Good for him! The trouble is, Noah doesn’t always listen. What can we do to be sure he listens!

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PS. Last trip away from home… Three papers to go till graduation… Almost there. Just not looking forward to the first 8 to 5 job with a real commute, but truly, no regrets or complaints.
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