These are a few of my favorite things....

So, we all have no idea how or why these few items have made it into the Hall family HALL OF FAME...but they have, ok?  This morning when my mom came into my room to get me, I had my little black (plastic) ladle...yes, I just said ladle.  AND, my little white shovel for the beach.  I would NOT put them down, so I made my mom get me dressed while I had them in my hands and THEN I even took them to school.  My mom is so nice, she asked my teachers to put my name on them, so that I wouldn't lose them today in the shuffle of other kids, but you know....it was all good.  I had it going ON today at school!

xoxox,
Ben

I blew my own bubble today!

That says it all, folks!  I actually blew my own bubble today!  My dad has been playing w/ me for weeks upon weeks upon weeks doing this bubble thing.  I even had speech therapy for 2 months and said the word bubble, so it's been a very big thing around this house.  Today I blew the darn thing and my dad flipped!  Mom was upstairs doing her Arbonne thing, as usual, but she heard it all.

Funny things always going on at the Hall household!

Love you guys!
Ben

New things on the horizon....

Hi everybody!

How's it going?  Things around here are good.  The holidays are upon us, and that means that my mom and dad are decorating everything again.  They love to make things fun around here, so let the fun begin!  I like it actually, because I'm such a big boy now that they let me turn on the tree in the mornings, and let me turn it off at nighttime whenever it's time to go to bed, so I have a real sense of a purpose around here now, you know?

I thought I'd give you a few of the new things I'm into, so that I don't forget them before I get too big.  You know...it all happens so fast that we often forget to get them down on paper, so my mom tells me that it's a good thing to remember to write them down so here goes.

One thing that's funny that I do is that I carry around this silly little ladle that my mom has.  Yes, a ladle.  Don't ask.  They use it to scoop out the soup, and yes, it's not supposed to be a toy, but I think it's the funniest thing in the world, and I carry it around with me proudly and I consider it a very neat toy to have, so it's something that they let me have at my side whenever I need it.  There it is.  Ladle.  ;)  Funny, isn't it?  LOL

Second thing that is funny is that I boss everyone around.  I point at stuff, like I want them to just get it.  Now this doesn't mean it happens....I'm just sayin'.  I do it and it's funny.

Third thing is that I run like the wind when they tell me it's time to go to bed.  LOL...nothing new there, right?  Average for a kid, but still very humourtous, nonetheless.

4th thing is that I like to hide in between my parents huge pillows on their huge bed.  It's a riot....I climb up via their bench, then the bed...then I throw a mean little skip into my step and get up into the pillows in 2 seconds, then I'm behind the pillows and cracking UP!  I hide back there, but I tend to laugh a lot and then they find me.

5th thing is that is that I started playing Hide & Seek today in my room w/ mommy today.  I got into my closet and thought she couldn't see me, so I didn't say a word.  Not a peep.  Not even a laugh, so she knew I was starting to get serious about this hiding thing finally.  She's smart, that lady...she turned off the light into the closet (bc it's outside the door, rather than inside the closet, so I got boofed on that one). 

Anyhow....for now, these are a few of my favorite things.  I will add more as we move along.  I love going to the PARK.  My dad has to spell it out every day when he tells my mom we're heading over there bc my mom & he know that I KNOWS what's going on, even though I'm still having a hard time hearing, so I'm getting tubes put in on 12/10/13.  Wish my luck.

Love you guys!
Ben

100% Potty Trained

Hello Guys!

OMG.  Seriously....my mom got up w/ me this morning and BAM...she saw me go under my high chair, like I always do.  I go there to do my morning constitution, bc I like the privacy it provides.  She immediately took me upstairs and put me on my toilet and I sat there and got back up.  Didn't work. So we went back downstairs.  Then, when I went back under the high chair....BACK up the stairs we went and then back on the little toilet I went.  She sat w/ me in my restroom, and then left, so I could be alone.  And then, plop.....she heard it.  She started clapping.....I could hear it....and then I started clapping, bc I KNEW I had done something really good!  I am 100% potty trained.

All is well in the Hall household!  Mom and Dad are So proud!

Love,
Ben

Potty Trained!

Hi guys!

Sorry it's been a while again.  We get going and forget to post sometimes. 

OK, so my mom is super pumped about this one, because I am potty trained!  Not 100%, you know....not the big stuff yet, but this morning, my mom and I were hanging out watching Saturday cartoons and I grabbed her hand, led her to the stairs where she asked me if I had to go peepee and I said Yes.  We went upstairs and she put me on my little seat....left to give me some of my own personal time, and when I came out of the bathroom (with no pants on, ha ha!), she saw that I had totally pee'd IN the little toilet.  BAM!  Done and Done!  Love it!

Oh yea, and you want to know her even more favorite part of this story?  Daycare did the potty training, so mom & dad haven't really had to try that hard, since I'm such a smarty pants.  :)

Hope you enjoy your weekend, folks.  This fall weather is our favorite!
Love you guys!
Ben

Halloween 2013

OK, so at first, I got all upset because I hate the little shoe cover thingies that my mom put over my tennis shoes.  I mean, I hated them.  I started crying and crying and crying, but my dad reassured me that they weren't anything bad.  I still kept on crying for a bit.  Don't blame me...I needed the attention, ok?  ;)  And let's also not forget the fact that they didn't fit my shoes anyhow...my mom couldn't get them to Velcro together because I'm too big for them.  LOL  I already wear a large size 7, about to wear 8's and I'm 2 years old.  I think I'm supposed to be wearing a 4 going on a 5...so I'm a tad large right now already.  See how these little show covers are hanging off the back of my shoes?  Ha ha....janky!  Thanks, dad!

So, my dad finally put me in my favorite tricycle and we were off to the park for the Halloween extravoganza!  I was having so much fuin in that thing this year because all the kids were on their way over too, and everyone was dressed up!

Once we made it over to the park, we were too late for me to get into the competition...but I didn't care about it anyway...that stuff takes too long and I'd get too bored w/ that stuff, so what did I do?  Oh yea....I climbed up onto the little jungle jim and got up on the slide and slid down that bad boy.  Uh huh!  I love the slide!~  I am crazy on that thing too, my friends!

And then things got a little more crazy, because I obsconded w/ somebodies random wand and I didn't caere who's it was.  HAHA. Seriously, I just started marching around w/ that thing, flinging it around and zapping peeps w/ it, as if I was zapping them w/ some kind of magical Ben Juice or something....and I would just laugh my ASS  off every time I'd zap somebody.  It was so much fun, so I'm stoked my parents took me to the park!  Thanks Mom and Dad!  and I guess I lked my outfit too! Not so bad for a 1 time deal, eh?

Here is where the zapping begins!

Ok, seriously, who ate the Junior Mints?

Dad, I'm really thinking that it's nice you want to help me count my candy, but that doesn't mean you get any, ok?

Dad's Belts are the best!!!

I know that's a weird title, but don't freak out.  It's just that I love playing w/ my dad's belts and it's such a funny thing that I thought I'd tell y'all about it.  Most times I walk as fast as I can from my bedroom to my mom and dad's room...and when I get in front of their bed, I tear around that corner like my life depends on it.  Then, as I go down the hall to their master bath, I laugh and giggle and run as fast as possible.  I don't want anyone to know what I'm doing, but once I'm right below the belts, which my dad has hanging from the little hook, I lose it and start screaming and laughing even harder.  He'll come around and hand me one of them, which I gently take w/ me around the entire upstairs area, dragging it behind me and looking like the cat that ate the canary.  Don't ask...none of us get it.  We're just rolling w/ it...

Friday the 13th is full of surprises!!!!

Well, OK.....I've got to update you on things around the Hall Household.  I have had an ear infection in my right ear for about the last 6 months.  Pretty much since I started Daycare, which is totally expected to catch a cold here and there, but my right ear infection has lasted much longer than it should.  Since it's not ever cleared up to 100% after all of the meds, twice daily ear drops and doctor visits, we realized that we had to make some decisions.

I've also had periodic infections in the left ear, but it's completely cleared up now.  Dr. Tardy thinks that it's causing me to have delayed speech.  Yada-Yada, right?  The rub is I get to go to speech therapy classes every Tuesday/Thursday at 11am.  He also wants me to go see an ENT (Ear Nose Throat Doctor), because it could also be that I can't hear that great from the right ear.  My mom is so inappropriate, but she keeps telling my dad that I sound like a deaf person, and I kind of do.  Like really yawny type of words...they can tell I'm trying to say the word, it just sounds really awkward.

At first my parents weren't too keen on the idea...because they know I'm MORE than fine, but at the end of the day they folded because they both think it's what best for me.  Can't hurt to get someone to help kick start my words, right?  I mean, it's funny because I overheard my mom telling my dad, "Why ruin a good thing, you know?"  And they are right, because once I get this mouth thing going, they will never hear the END of me!

I started Speech Therapy yesterday, and there was a lady and a man there watching me.  They basically just let me play around in the room w/ all of their toys.  They let me put circles into circle holes, triangles into triangle holes, asked me which toy was red, which one was blue...you know, totally easy stuff.  My mom didn't get to go because of a work meeting (grr), but dad was there to monitor and make sure everything was kosher, and it was.  My dad said I got one thing wrong...and since both therapist's were flanking me during the observation session, the lady said she saw my eyes go directly to the right object, but I ended up doubting myself and picking the wrong thing instead.    That's normal too, right?  Haha!

I haven't seen an ENT yet, but after my first 3 observation sessions, they have already identified that I have delayed speech and no other issues.  So, at the end of the day it's exactly what my parents thought....their bet is I'm getting a tube put into my right ear, so once we see the ENT, we'll know more.  Until then, it's me, my parents and these 2 goons that watch me for 45 minutes 2 times a week.  Wish me luck!

Love you guys!
Ben

Potty @ Home!

I did it.  I went upstairs w/ my dad and went potty all on my own....and at home this time.  My Big P and Papa K just happened to have stopped by when it happened, so when I came downstairs to greet everyone, I was met w/some crazy & loud applause.  How cool is that?

I'm not 100% potty trained.  Understand that I still crapped my pants just minutes after this huge moment.  Baby steps, right? 

Love ya!
Ben

P.O.T.T.Y!

Yo Yo....in the hayouse!  This is Benji and my dad just glanced at my report card from school today.  Uh-huh....."Went Potty."  That's right folks, I did it...all on my own.

Now if I could just do it while I'm at home so my parents can see.  LOL

Love ya!
Ben

Using the wisk!

Well, this morning was mommy's job to get up w/ me today.  Saturday!  And it's the first Aggie game of the season, so we're all jumpy and excited around here anyway. 

OK, this ought to get you caught up on the drama in Aggieland.  You see...there's this guy named Johnny Manziel and he's the QB for Texas A&M.  Won the Heisman last year...you may have heard of him.  Anyhow, mom thinks he probably did give out a few signatures for money...but hey, he's a kid, he's fresh out of HS and he got caught up in the magic, right? Let the kid be a kid.  Move on...cuz he can back up his trash talking all the way down the road.  And I mean, all the way...this kid is a fighter.  So...suffice to say he's been suspended, along w 8 other football players for A&M for the first half of the game against the Rice Owls, and some players for this entire first game.  Slap on the wrist, if you ask me. lol...plus Matt Joeckle has already led the Ags down field for a TD.  Come on Ags!

OK...so the point of my post is to tell you how truly helpful I am.  My mom just gets amazed by me all the time.  This morning she was making waffles & eggs, and bull if I didn't want to help out. I always do.  So, today...I motioned to her, pointing to a chair, and she said that yes I could pull it over to get on it and stand at the sink w/ her while she was cracking the egg's open into the pyrex bowl. 

So, she pulls out this little tiny wisk...and started whipping up the milk and chees into the eggs.  This time I wanted to help, so I grabbed the spoon and she wisked from the top.  I laughed my butt off, too...cuz it was so funny to see the eggs and cheese swirling around in there.

She also made a fresh batch of biscuits for my dad, cuz he put in a special order before he went to bed last night.  She always does what he wants...such a sucker for him, she is.  She admits it too, so it's not a big deal that I tell it to everyone on this blog. 

He's a sucker for her too, so honestly they both do the most that they can for one another.  I like seeing how in love they are, but I get SO annoyed when they kiss.  Grrr.  Sometimes they give each other these little kisses over and over and over and over and I finally have had enough, so I rush over to get in between them.  Sometimes I head bomb them and just let my head break their 2 heads up. I guess that could be potentially dangerous, couldn't it?  Well...I just want what I want when I want it.  Is that so bad?  Naahh.  They just laugh and keep on kissing.  I know.  Annoying, right?  I think they do it just to get me riled up...it works.  Haha.

Have a great Labor Day weekend, everybody!  Love you!
Ben

Potty Training Ready!

Heyo...guess what?  I am totally trying to go to the restroom like a real person.  I don't care for it much, but I am trying, nonetheless.

Like, take for instance, today.  My mom got me home from school and immediately put me on my tiny little toilet, and pointed my duma-jigger down, which is where I held it until I got bored.  What the heck is all that waiting for?  Stupid...so after my mom ran out of patience, she let me get up.  Then I let her FLY!  Woohoo...that's right, I pee'd all over the carpet in the bathroom.  My mom just laughed and then she texted my dad a ton of pictures of me in very compromising positions, trying to use my new found skill.  Whatever...nothing new there.  She makes me crazy, you know that?

OK....my dad worked for the last 6 days in a row, so tomorrow is the first day in a while and we're SO excited to get some alone time at home together.  And it's a Friday, so we're both planning on sleeping in.

Love you!
Ben

Hearing aids not needed!

My mom's cell phone was on the coffee table this morning.  She says to me, "Benjamin, can you bring mommy her cell phone?"  and guess what? I did it!  I can totally understand what these 2 fools are saying to me, make no mistake.  I just choose to 'hear' them when I want to.  Wink!

Big P's Birthday 2013

 Hey...

This is Colin.  He's the son of one of my mom's childhood friends, Jennifer (Voss) Taylor.  We played together at the party.  He's so nice because he brought me a present, a Thomas the train piece, and I loved it.  My mom thought it was so cool that I had a few really cool guys to hang out with that day.