End of summer / Fall 2015

We’ve had so much fun in the last couple of month Beni Berger! 

At the end of summer, we went to CT and visited Uncle Johnny and Yipao.  It was a ton of fun.  First of all, you love plane rides and are a pro flyer.  After getting to your seat (window of course), you would buckle your seat belt and review the emergency procedures.  It’s all pictures which makes it fairly easy to understand.  You and I even demonstrated to Baba what to do in an emergency water and grass landing.  It was hilarious. In CT, we went on the Essex train and boat ride.  The train was pretty cool.  The boat was fun too!  We also went and picked baby crabs on the Milford beach.  Uncle Johnny took you to the airplane museum at your request.  The rest of the days were filled with pool time and runs to dip top.  And, a trip to CT is never complete until we go to Stew Leonards to pick up sprinkles for you.  Your top favorite treat is ice cream sandwiches dipped in sprinkles. 

After coming back from CT, we attended your graduation from FCDC.  This was such a bittersweet moment for mama.  Technically, you haven’t finished daycare yet but since we are changing to a new preschool, your teachers (Melissa and Opal) let you be a part of the graduation ceremonies.  It was a ton of fun watching you sing, play and show us what you learned.  I know you will miss your friends dearly since you really grew up with a lot of them!  I’ve been really, really nervous about how you will adjust to preschool but then realized that I was projecting. 

First day of preschool was a success.  We both went to your class and put your backpack, blanket and toy in your cubby. The first couple of days, you went your pants and then we figured out it’s b/c you didn’t want to go near the toilet thinking it’s an auto-flush.  After teacher Heidi explained that it won’t auto-flush, you were a-ok.  You have breakfast with the AM Explorers, preschool with teacher Deb and teacher Pat, lunch bunch, nap and then PM Explorers with teacher Lisa and teacher Heidi.  Lots of different friends in each group!  Also, on Fridays, you have Chinese immersion with Teh lao si.  You’ve been slow to warm up to immersion but doing great.  I also thought that with new preschool, you would start wearing big boy clothes.  Nope – still happy in your PJ’s.  We counted and you have 20 pairs of PJs.  You’re favorite lately is Storm Trooper (2 sets), with Storm socks, shoes, undies, hat and gloves.  At teacher conferences, teacher Deb explained that you are academically advanced and likes to play by yourself, close to a couple of friends.  You’ve always preferred quiet versus large and loud so it sounds just like Ben!

October was full of fun.  Why?  We went to Disney World!!!  Yipao also met us at Disney too.  We stayed at the Polynesian and you had the best time.  We took the bus, monorail and boat to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom.  Your favorite was Magic Kingdom and Star Tours at Hollywood studios.  We also got to go to the Not-so-scary Halloween parade.  October is the best time to go- great weather and low crowds.  At Magic, you love the Blasters, Pirates, and Snow White (top fav).  I think we went on Buzz and Star Tours multiple times at Hollywood.  And the toys!  Boy did you get a ton of toys, mostly blasters and costumes (Buzz, Pirate).  Everyday, you also enjoyed a Mickey ice cream bar J

Once we came back from Disney, we enjoyed fall festivities.  We went to the orchards, picked pumpkins and decorated.  We also made constellation cupcakes, Halloween pumpkin cake, pretzel Frankensteins and spider Oreos.  Right before Halloween, we painted three superhero pumpkins (Captain America, Spiderman and Superman) and then carved one pumpkin (crying pumpkin from Five Little Pumpkins).

Milestone and Ben-isms

8/22 – drinking from a cup w/o cover or straw

9/2  - 41 inches and 37 lbs
9/5 – “acorning to the directions”

Mama – “Do you want to wear shoes?  No, I want to wear feet” 

9/14 – first day of preschool!  You did great and wanted to be a bat when you grow up.  Might be the recency effect of putting up Halloween decorations.

At preschool – “The animal is sad b/c the others are not sharing.” Teacher Lisa, “What should we do?”  Ben, “They are going to school, they will figure it out”.

9/18 – Mama, we talked about this, if you really, really love me, don’t tease me!

9/22 – we are not dead forever, people help you
10/12 – accidentally bitten at school on picture day.  Teacher Deb, “Do you have a smile for pictures?” Ben, “I think I need to borrow yours”
10/13 – This milk is good, it drinks like a cow

Now it’s November and we are getting ready for Thanksgiving and visiting CT around Christmas.  Every day is a joy with you, Beni.  You are funny, sweet, and very clever.  I love you so much my stylish little Beni Berger!!