Ben at 3

I've been meaning to write an update on Ben for a few months now but he has kept us very busy!  I have to say that I think 3 is so far my favorite age.  Ben is so much fun these days (and challenging too but mostly fun)!  It's hard to believe that just 7 months ago he only had two words and today he uses full sentences.  "I want cold water please" is a common phrase in our house.  We still have work to do on his articulation so that everyone can understand him, but I know that will come.  It's just so nice to be able to have little conversations with him. 

Ben has been doing great in preschool.  We're lucky that he loves his teachers and classmates and he often sings songs that they learn in school.  He's always very proud of his artwork that he brings home and enjoys telling us the new vocabulary words they learn each week.  I had to drive him to school a few weeks ago and I heard his teacher tell him to "shake hands with friends".  She explained that Ben is a "hugger" and was knocking the other kids down with his hugs to she had to implement a handshake only rule.  Ben is definitely not shy!

He's also enjoyed getting to know some of the older kids in the neighborhood at the bus stop.  Riding the school bus is still one of his favorite things and he gets excited every single time the bus turns the corner to his stop.  I can see him talking away to the aide while they buckle him in. 

Right around his birthday Ben started showing us that he wanted more independence.  It was frustrating for all of us at first because he wanted to do EVERYTHING for himself and he would get very upset when we tried to do things for him.  He also started to drop his nap around the same time so the fatigue did not help.  We seem to have gotten past a lot of the tantrums (for now).   He takes maybe 1-2 naps a week now.  On the days he doesn't nap he is sound asleep by 7:30.

He still likes books and puzzles but he's been doing more pretend play lately.  His current favorite show is Super Why and it makes me laugh that he talks back to the tv when they ask questions.  He loved Halloween this year and was crying a few days ago because Halloween is over and he wanted to go trick or treating again.

All in all Ben is doing great!