Benjamin is turning 2! (On May 30)

 I can hardly believe that Benjamin is turning 2 years old!  My little man has grown so much this year... I've gone through the months of his 2nd year and tried to pick out some of my favorite photos of him.  I realized, I don't have any from June... so these are from July, 2011.  He came up with his mama and daddy to see his Uncle Josh, Aunt Erica, and cousin Thalia.

We spent part of one day at the beach.  Benjamin wasn't walking alone yet...he was about there, but not quite! 

 He loves his cousin, Thalia...and she loves him, too!

 

And, of course, his Uncle Joshua...who couldn't love him?  Joshua made his character for the wii 'Uncle Josh' in May of 2009....can you figure out why?

 

 Fans...Benjamin has loved fans for a long time...and here, in July 2010, they still fascinated him.  He loved to turn them on, "The fan is on!" and turn them off.  He tried to figure out how in the world they worked.  He would turn it on, then quickly look at the back of it...

 Also in July, I returned from my People to People trip.  One of the countries I visited was Germany, where I got my little man this T-shirt from the Black Forest.

 Those of you who know Donnie, Benjamin's daddy, know that Donnie is the man of 1000 faces.  (Well, that might be a slight exaggeration).  Benjamin takes that after his daddy, for sure!  His expressions...they just make me smile!

 

He was sitting in the rocking chair that had been his mama's...and was now given to him.

 I could only laugh when I saw this!  He had been quiet a little too long...I went to find him, and here he was...in the bathroom...having a grand time with the toilet paper!

 Benjamin in his tuxedo!  His mama and daddy bought this for him to wear to his Aunt Heather and soon-to-be-Uncle Bill's wedding.  He knew he looked dazzling....he let his Mimi take a LOT of photos!

 In July while Uncle Joshua, Aunt Erica, and Thalia came to visit...Uncle Gabe, Aunt Emily, and cousin Emerson came up too.  Unfortunately, Benjamin's daddy had to stay home and work.  We got an almost-all-family shot!

 

 July was a big month.  We also spent a day at the zoo.  Not only did Benjamin love all the animals to pet, but so did Thalia! 

In August, we were down at Uncle Gabe and Aunt Emily's.  Benjamin came up to visit with his mama and daddy. 

 I saw Benjamin aiming this at the ceiling...and Lindsey then told me he was turning on the ceiling fan.  Well, he thought he was!  Benjamin's grandma in Montana has a ceiling fan you turn on with the remote.  Our little man had watched his grandma do this...he was doing just what he saw her doing!

 My little men...I love taking photos of them...and I love taking photos of them together.  I love this one of them looking out the sliding glass doors at Emerson's house.

 Benjamin LOVES cell phones.  He's always wanting mine...and it's OK as long as it stays locked.  (Now that he's almost two years old, he can now unlock it!)  I love this picture of the boys.  Benjamin dialing the phone and Emerson just leaning over hanging out with his cousin!

This is also the time they really got into their first ... disagreement ... fight?  I couldn't help but laugh.  Benjamin had been turning a fan on and off and checking it out.  Emerson had come over and tried to stop him.  Uh-oh..not the fan.  Benjamin retaliated and pushed and shoved his cousin away.  A little later, the same thing happened...except this time, Benjamin was checking out this perfectly sized light switch.  He'd turn it on, then look to see what lights it turned on.  Well, Emerson decided he would disrupt his cousin's experiments....and thus, fight #2.

After his bath, we had a little streaker!

 In September, down for another People to People meeting, Benjamin came to visit with his mama and daddy.  This, of course, makes his Mimi very, very happy!  I remember walking in after my meeting, asking Emily where the boys were, and her telling me they were in Emerson's room playing.  This is what I saw when I walked in.  My two little men, with strawberry juice all down their bellies, just hanging out playing!

                                                           Benjamin and Mimi

Later in September, Benjamin came to visit.  His mama had bought his Halloween costume...which wasn't really a 'costume', but a regular soccer uniform! 

My boys...I love to give them a bath...watch them splash around...yell.. just have a grand time!

 Trying to keep them still long enough to get a picture!

 I went down and kept Benjamin while his mama and daddy worked.  I had taken a couple of days off of school because of some evening meetings I had for P2P.  Benjamin and I played outside.  I tried to keep his cap on him...but as you can see, he would rather have it off!

He turned around to see if I was watching.  "Put your cap back on, Little Man!" I said to him.

 He just looked at me with his dirt covered little face. 

 Before leaving to head home, I took a few pictures of Benjamin and his mama and daddy... turns out they're some of my favorites!

In October, Benjamin was dedicated to our Lord.  He had actually been dedicated to Christ from the moment we knew he was being formed in his mama's womb...but this was the formal dedication!

To celebrate his dedication, Benjamin's mama and daddy decided to have a celebration.  Donnie was getting the backyard ready for the party, and his little man in his tuxedo, came out to see if he could offer any advice or assistance!

He loved his watermelon!

 In November, Benjamin was loving taking a bath in the sink.  He was fascinated with the water coming out of the faucet!

Benjamin enjoyed hanging out with his daddy in November..watching his mama play indoor-soccer.

 He also loved showing his Mimi how well he knew his flash cards!

 One day during this November visit, we went and hung out at the park.  Benjamin was loving going up and down the little hills...

...and talking to his mama about everything he was seeing...

 "Benjamin, look at Mimi," I yelled...trying to get a good photo of him and his mama...

 Benjamin was also into waving.  He waved at the park...he waved to the people driving up in their cars at Chevy's that night...he waved to the people coming into Chevy's... such a friendly little man!

He thought about doing a little woodworking.  He needed to measure it all first.

 This was our year to have the kids here for Christmas...oh, how happy that makes me!  Unfortunately we had rain...lots and lots and lots of rain...but on THE day we didn't, off to the local park we went.  Benjamin was a happy camper...running around yelling...

Of course, we spent a lot of time indoors...but never fear, there are fans at Mimi's!  Benjamin showed Emerson where each of them were.  They hung out a lot by the fans...

 On Christmas morning, Benjamin posed on one of his new airplanes...with his Papa and his daddy and their new matching drills...

 

 Another favorite past-time was arranging and rearranging the refrigerator magnets... We go for high-tech toys here at the Johnston Chronicles!

 Back at the park, Benjamin was hanging out with both of his cousins, Emerson and Thalia...and his dog-cousin, Blu!

The boys...what fun they had together...what fun I had watching them together!

 Benjamin gave his kisses to his great grandma, Saddie...and to just about anyone else in his family!

 He enjoyed his kefir smoothies...impressing his Mimi with the way he drank out of a regular glass.

 He and his cousin, Emerson, found their airplanes...hidden away in Mimi's room...  I let them go ahead and ride...

 They had matching pajamas...airplane pajamas... and they loved running around together upstairs.  There's something about this picture that I absolutely love!

 Of course, Benjamin has kisses for his sweet mama!

Mimi with her boys...I have no idea why we were crouched down in the corner of the hall!

They hung out sitting on the kitchen counter, eating their watermelon.  Their Papa kept cutting it up and they kept inhaling it!

 Benjamin was in the beginning stages of potty-training.  This called for 'big boy pants!'

He asked if he could check out the JohnstonChronicles...we obliged...

 Now this is the airplane Benjamin's grandma and grandpa from Montana sent.  Oh my, does it have some fun bells and whistles!  Benjamin loves it...and Emerson did too.  That was all fine and dandy...UNTIL Emerson tried to take it away.  I just so happened to have my camera on...and I quickly put it in video... their 'fight' is now on YouTube...under 'Christmas Dogfight'...

I was in heaven...and the boys were having a grand time having their whole family (well, one side of their family) all together.  All the family was equally enjoying having all 3 grandkids together!   Uncle John and Aunt Becky gave us all Chick f let shirts, which we were only too happy to model.

 In January, I went down to visit for awhile.  Benjamin was loving to walk around and put his hands on his hips.  Here, he was also calling 'Fluffy!!!' 

 After he got out of his pajamas, he decided to go visit Oma and Opa...

He was also only too happy to give his sweet mama and daddy a kiss or two.

 My little man...

Benjamin LOVES tractors.  This one was working on some property behind the house.  His mama and daddy took him over to see it.  "WOW!" is exactly what Benjamin said when he stood next to it!

I don't have any photos from February...but March was another visit.  I had another People to People meeting...and Benjamin came up to visit.  The potty training was still in progress...  so as we were outside, Benjamin's mama brought out his potty chair...and brought out Emerson's too.  It was a good way to get them to be still long enough to try and get a picture. 

As I said earlier, Benjamin LOVES tractors.  So, when he saw Emerson's own tractor, he was very impressed.  Notice he has his mama's cell phone in his hand.  He was in his element!

We all went to Cash's birthday party.  Now Cash turned the big 3...so this was a place made for my little man.  Cash's parents and Emerson's parents are friends...so the rest of the family (that was us) got the invitation extended to us.  Benjamin loved this little house...especially ringing the doorbell.

Benjamin's New Balance shoes!

Benjamin and Emerson also loved this wooden play structure, especially the little room underneath.  They would take turns going in, closing the door, and telling his cousin, "Hi!"  Then they would switch. 

In March, Benjamin also went to Great America with his sweet friend, Caitlyn. 

At the end of April and the first of May, we were visiting Benjamin and his parents.  He told me he wanted to drive...and wanted the keys!  I gave them to him...he looked through, picked the CORRECT one, stuck it in the door...so I opened the door.  He climbed in, wanted the keys again.  I gave him the keys, and again he looked through them, picked the CORRECT ONE AGAIN, and put it in the ignition.  I took them away, he screamed, but got over it as he started 'driving' and pushing every button he could find.  At one point he had every light possible on in the car...and had the emergency flashers flashing a beeping and had the warning that the lights were on beeping..oh he was having a grand ole time!

He had a grand ole time with Emerson, too.  They played under the trampoline, giving each other high-fives!

I had taken a picture of Benjamin and I with my phone....well, he wanted to do it...so he not only 'took pictures' of he and I...but he took some of his mama.  She was good at posing for her little photographer!

The boys not only had fun playing, but they had fun eating oranges...and oranges...and more oranges.

Back under the trampoline...

On Sunday morning, we didn't make it to church because a 'big truck' came to deliver a huge load of wood chips.  Benjamin's daddy is making a great play area with a wooden play structure... the boys were amazed with the big truck backing up into the backyard.

Of course, after the truck was gone, Benjamin was ready to help spread the bark.

 He was trying to get his mama to look at the BIG pile of wood chips!

Benjamin loved having Emerson come play and spend the night.  They had had fun jumping, and playing ball, and throwing lemons, and shoveling wood chips...and ... and...

Happy 2nd Birthday, Benjamin!