BenAnna Blog

Anna's favorite stuffed animal (among a cast of thousands) is a blue elephant named Dumbo. (All of Anna's elephants are named Dumbo at some point.) This Dumbo disappeared not long after the holidays and Anna has been upset about it ever since. The first few weeks were especially tough, but even a month later, Dumbo still showed up in whines. Anna was convinced that Gigi and Daddy Wayne had Dumbo at their house, hidden.

Last Sunday, we all went back to our favorite Chinese restaurant after church. After we sat down, the waiter came over with ... Dumbo! No worse for wear - they'd been holding it for us for at least 2 months. Anna was "too excited to eat".

We'll have to go back to that restaurant more often. It's a rare treat to be recognized and treated so magnificently.

Ben is getting his first 6-year molars - a few months early. His gums were sore for a few days, but now he has a tooth breaking through.

He's very excited about this development and made Daddy look at it with a flashlight.

Anna turned 4 years old today. We all celebrated with gifts in the morning from Mommy, Daddy, and Ben then candles in a muffin at breakfast.

The big celebration will be this weekend with a party and lots of family coming to visit.

When Daddy first told Anna that she was a big 4-year-old, she said she didn't want to be 4 until after she got all of her presents. She was afraid that if she turned 4 too soon, the presents wouldn't come.

By bedtime, Anna was getting used to being a big 4 year old girl.

Last Sunday, Daddy took Anna and Ben to Boston Market after church while Mommy was in a meeting.

Ben walked up to the counter and ordered all by himself with no prompting from Daddy. "Macaroni and cheese with green beans and cornbread and milk to drink!"

Ben's growing up so very fast.

Mommy told Anna that she had "done a number" on her hair.

This was reported to Daddy as "my hair is full of sixes and nines". They're the numbers with loops, after all.