He is also starting to get more words going. He'll sometimes say "hi" (also, if you wave at him, he'll wave back), and he definitely knows "ball" because he will go and get it (loves playing with bouncing balls). Yesterday I swear he said "cracker". He also knows "dog" and "baby" if you show him a picture and ask where they are (he will point to them). He loves picture books and books with textures and flaps that he can open. Also, you can ask him a question and he will shake his head no if he doesn't want whatever you just asked (i.e. "Are you ready for a nap, Jack?" - vigorous NO. he he).
ETA: He can also say "onoff" which means he wants you to hold him up so he can turn the light switch on or off. I remember when Ben used to want to do that all the time. Okay, I thought of some more. He can say "juice" and will carry his cup over to the kitchen if he needs a refill, and he will also hold out his hands palms up and say "all gone" when his food is all gone. Well, actually it sounds more like "all gah" but close enough and so cute!
We can ask him to do simple things now and he can, like "Jack, put the book back on the shelf". So fun when they do what you ask and they think it's a great accomplishment. Now if I could just get Ben to do that again...
Ben has been singing up a storm lately and not only loves "Jingle Bells" still, but will sing along to TV show jingles. His vocabulary and ability to form complete sentances still amazes me. Yesterday I heard a noise outside and knowing Ben was looking out of the window I asked him what it was. He said very clearly: "That was the recycling falling off Daddy's car" (which doesn't sound like it makes sense, but Rob had the recycling bins on top of his car to drive them back up the driveway). He's also starting to show more of an interest in reading again. He loves "Go, Dog. Go!" (he likes to tell me all about what's happening with the dogs on each page) and "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb". He often asks what things say and I tell him, and then tell him that when he learns to read he will know what everything says (and that he can teach Jack to read).
He's getting a lot better about playing nicely with Jack - it's Jack that is doing lots of pushing and trying to take things away from Ben now.
Re-potty training worked great for about a week until the boys got sick and then for the first 2 days Ben would still tell me when he needed to go, then all of a sudden we had puddles on the floor every time again. I haven't had the energy to start again with the taking him every 15 minutes thing. Someday!!
I've started using the new TV in the boy's room as a tool to get an extra 30 minutes of "us" time at night. I just ask Ben to pick out a cartoon DVD to watch, get him ready for bed and then tuck him in and set the sleep timer on the TV to 30 minutes. So now he is quiet from about 7:00 or 7:30 at night and I think he gets more rest (Jack wakes him up at 6:00am) - and never complains about bed time! Not sure what I'm going to do when I move Jack in there - which needs to be soon!
Rob took a 29 week picture of me (last week) so only about 8 weeks to go +-. Like I said, need to get Jack moved into Ben's room and get Miss Emma's room ready. I've got to paint and sort through all of her new clothes to see what I've got and what we might need still. Also would be good to start stocking up on diapers! I have a Doctor's appointment tomorrow - routine. She has been kicking up a storm.
I'm sure there are a million things I meant to include in this post, but as usual, when I sit down to write I forget most of them! Gotta go... the boys would like more crackers!
Me and Miss Emma at 29 weeks:
The boys the week before they came down with a little virus:
