Takoma Park Folk Festival

Shortly after these photos were taken, Benji decided that he was so taken with the giant dinosaur from the tie-dye vendor that he should actually take it. Which he did. Intercepted in the process of committing his first misdemeanor, he was forced to return the stolen goods and released to the custody of two young girls, whose mother kindly supervised him while my folk dance group performed.

--Victoria

It was a busy day on the Island of Sodor...

Almost all Benji's stories start that way. They usually take place at the quarry and the plot invariably involves "moving rocks" and not much else except personal drama among the train characters.

Aaron came up with the brilliant idea of making Benji a "quarry" from a plastic plate and putting "rocks" on it that are actually little pieces of bran cereal. Benji was delighted.

--Victoria

Things Benji Says (that you wish he wouldn't)

"Dammit! I'm comfortable."

Sidewalk Chalk

Using his new box of giant sidewalk chalk is one of Benji's favorite new pastimes. Apparently I need to teach his babysitter how to spell "Benji". . .

--Victoria

Sleepy Little Boy

He's growing up... but not THAT fast!

Because Aaron wears a beard and mustache, Benji has always been confused about the difference between a "chin" and a "beard" -- I think he learned the word "beard" first and he thinks that a chin is called a beard.

Yesterday, he bumped his chin on the wooden chest in the bedroom, and said "Mommy, I hurt my beard!"

--Victoria

Overheard at the Train Table

"Bill and Ben . . . were twins. Salty and Mavis were uncomfortable with tank engines. Bill and Ben were naughty. They are tank engines. They like to play a trick.

Bill and Ben were twins. You're tank engines, yes. Mavis is a tank engine too. Hi Bill, hi Ben, hi Mavis.

Then he saw the truck. [in a deep voice] CRASH, SAID THE TRUCK. Crashing not good. It's fun, he said.

Ben and Bill were twins. Ben and Bill were tank engines."


If Benji didn't speak so clearly, I never would have believed that he actually said that Salty and Mavis were "uncomfortable" with tank engines -- although the words "comfortable" and "uncomfortable" have featured prominently in his conversations over the past few days.

I can barely write fast enough to get it all down on paper...

--Victoria

Baby Scientists, Hard At Work

A Hammerhead SharP!

Not to be confused with a hammerhead sharK. I have been corrected about this many times. --Victoria

Visit to the Zoo

Benji's little friend Max turned three recently, and his parents hosted a party at a small local zoo. Benji had a wonderful time, as did Aaron and I. We also got some wonderful photographs. These two were taken during a wagon ride through an open area where we saw llamas, ostriches, emus, zebras, camels, and various African cattle with enormous horns. --Victoria

True Confessions

Benji ran away from me in a store. We had a discussion about this. I told him that if he ran away, he would have to sit in the shopping cart.

He ran away again. Then he had to sit in the cart.

The entire time we were in the store, he would intermittently announce, sadly: "I ran away from Mommy" -- at which point, I would remind him that's why he was in the cart.




As we left the store, we had another conversation about the issue.

Victoria: Benji, is running away good?

Benji: No.

V: What is it?

B: Running away WUDE.

V: It's not just rude, it's bad. It's not safe. No running away. You stay with Mommy, that's my good boy.

Thirty seconds later, he ran away again, this time making a dash for an escalator that led down to the Metro station. Needless to say, he didn't get far, and he didn't get to walk by himself anymore.

Ah, the Terrible Twos. I can't wait for the F****ing Fours. :)

--Victoria

Taking After the Hadfields

Benji loves riding in the seat on the back of my bike. We were in the bike store to get some parts, and he wanted to try out all the kid's bikes. He doesn't know that Uncle Gerzel and Aunt Lamara already got him a bike for his birthday when he turned two, because that bike is stored at Aaron's parents' house until Benji is big enough to use it.

Next step -- a balance bike so he can learn to ride!

--Victoria

Train Tales, by Benji

Benji loves to play with his little toy trains. For several months, he has been talking about what’s going on while he plays, but it used to be simple things like: “Toby in the tunnel. Toby on the tracks. Oh no! Toby crashed!” That used to be pretty impressive (to me, at least).

Now, however, the stories are getting more complex, and they often include dialogue and sometimes even special voices. All the stories feature Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends, and all the stories seem to begin: “It was a busy day on the Island of Sodor.” After that, the plot may go anywhere. Here’s one story that I overheard Benji telling himself at the kitchen table this morning:

It was a busy day on the Island of Sodor. Thomas and Mavis were at the shunting yard. Toby . . . Bill and Toby . . . were in the quarry. [normal voice] “I have rocks.” [squeaky voice] “Oh, you have rocks for me, how great!” [deep voice] “NO. YOU MUST GO IN APARTMENT! I KNOW WHAT YOU DO!” said the rocks. And he chuffed away.

--Victoria

A Very Big Fire Truck

Taking a Nap In the Bath

I have no idea where he came up with this concept. --Victoria

Things Benji Says

During a diaper change: "I'm SO CUTE!" (pronounced "SO kee-OOT")

He knows it! --Victoria

Crashing Time

Just before I took this video, Benji announced that it was "crashing time." --Victoria

A Very Cool Toddler

Things Benji Says (what's for dinner?)

"Mommy, I want flowers for dinner!"

--Victoria