Bed time kisses

So, Ben goes in spurts where he likes to lick my face instead of kiss me. While we were getting ready for bed, I asked him for a kiss. He walked over and kissed me. The lights were out in his room, so I couldn't see his face, but it was abnormally slimy.
He smiled really big and said, "That was a kiss and a lick!"
We laughed at him, and I said, "Can I have a nice kiss on the cheek?"
He came over and licked me again. So, I grabbed him and licked his cheek.
He stood up, wiped off his face, and said, "I'm a boy. People don't lick boys. That's really gross!"

Another prayer story

We went to Kraynaks today with my brother and sister-in-law, niece, mom, and the kids. We had a great time! While there I hurt my finger in a tragic cart accident. I don't know what I did, but it involved a pop and now it's swollen and bruised. I was telling Jeremy about it on the way home. Ben heard us talking and asked what happened.
Ben: "Mom, did your finger hurt? Did it pop? Is it bruised? Do you want me to pray for it when we get home?"
Me: "Yes, my finger hurts. Yes, it popped. Yes, it's bruised. Of course, I want you to pray for it when we get home!"
When we sat down for prayers tonight, I asked him if he would pray for it. He said, "Thank you God, for making Mommy's finger all better."
Then, he looked at me and said, "Can you pray for my kids?"
(Because Jeremy and I are both teachers, we always say we have to go to school to work with our kids. Benjamin now has "kids" and a "teacher" of his own.)
Me: "Of course, I can pray for your kids what's wrong?"
Ben: "All of their fingers popped!"
We prayed for his kids fingers to get better!

War of 1:00

There was a HUGE battle this afternoon for a nap. Benjamin was NOT having it. We did everything, but most things ended in screaming and NOTHING resulted in sleep.
At one point I took him into my bed and laid down next to him, hoping that he would give in. Instead, he laid with his eyes open staring at the wall, window, ceiling, etc.
I said, "Benjamin, close your eyes."
He moved his eyeballs so that he was looking down and said, "They are closed."
Me: "No, you're just looking down."
Ben: "No, I'm not. I closed my eyes."
Me: "This is how you close your eyes." (I manually shut his eyes for him.)
Ben: "No it's not."
Me (again): "This is how you close your eyes" (I shut my eyes.)
Ben (squinting): "Like this?"
Me (giving up): "Yes. GO to sleep!"

Just like mom

There aren't many times when Benjamin and I say things that are very similar. He's so much like his dad! However, he changed that today.
I don't know about anyone else, but anytime my brother and I competed as kids I always ended up quitting. I figured I couldn't lose if I wasn't playing.
That strategy still works for me today. When Jeremy starts winning (or starts off winning), I quit so he can't win. He counts it as a win, but I reply "oooooh you beat me and I wasn't even playing." I always take the mature route! Ben has taken a similar route - all though a little more mature.
Every night, Ben and Jeremy race to the sink for Ben to brush his teeth. They start in any number of places and Ben says, "Ready, set (he starts to run), go!"
Tonight, he didn't race. He rode on Jeremy's back. When they got to the sink, Jeremy declared victory. Ben replied, "You can win tonight. I wasn't racing."
As I type this, Jeremy and I have continued the argument. While I clarified Ben's quote, Jeremy said, "He's like you. He lets me win because he doesn't want to play."
Me: "I don't let you win. You can't beat someone who isn't playing."
Jer: You know who says that? Losers!"

I'm big now, Mom

Benjamin has been telling us now that he is three, he's bigger. He actually told me that he felt taller when he woke up the day of his birthday!
Today he went to the doctor for his 3 year check up. Dr. Guru had him jump on one foot, walk on his heels, and do some other things. Now, he's officially BIG.
He's helped pick up today - he did boss his sister, which caused a few arguments! He does a lot now that he's BIG.
As we were getting ready for bed, we were putting stickers on his door.
Background: In an attempt to establish a routine, Jeremy and I decided to give Ben stickers every night on a chart. He gets stickers for picking up toys, brushing teeth, reading, sleeping in his own bed, and not getting time outs. The chart was a great idea, but he didn't get that the stickers went in the neat columns that I made under the cute pictures. He filled the page with stickers, and then his door. Now, he has a beautifully stained door covered with Clifford, smile faces, jackolanterns, Spiderman, you name it.
Anyway, he put his stickers on his door, and turned to turn out his light. I'm pretty sure yesterday he couldn't reach that light! I said, "Ben, thank you for turning that out."
His reply: "I'm big now, Mom."

Not sure I can handle having a "preschool aged" child!

Ben's prayer

Ben: Thank you God for my family. Thank you for my friends. Thank you for Grammy. Thank you for Aunt Ra. Thank you for my fishies to be gone.
Dad, are my fishies gonna be gone?
Jer: Yeah, I think they are gonna die.
Ben: Then we get new fishies?
Jer: Yeah, we'll get new fishies soon.
Ben: Thank you God for my family. Thank you for God. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for my fishies to be gone, so I can get new fishies.
Daddy, can I get new fishies?
Jer: Ben, are you done praying?
Ben: Yes. Amen.

out of the habit

I've been trying to discipline myself to stay off facebook and my computer. Because of that I've been trying to not bring my computer into my bedroom when I'm going to bed, so if I don't blog before that I forget. I've gotten out of the habit of writing things down.
So many things have happened. Ben had his birthday. We bought Ben fish. Ben's fish are slowly dying off! Really exciting stuff!
So, life has been exciting in the Burnett house. As things get crazy I'll do my best to keep up with the funny stories. Here are a few.
My mom and I made plans for her to come over for dinner tomorrow. She's home alone on Thursday nights and Jeremy has conferences tomorrow until late. However, she forgot that she'd already made plans to go somewhere later that evening. She came running up to me at church with an almost panicked look that freaked me out. She grabbed my hand, opened it up, and hit herself in the head with it. Then she told me she'd double booked herself.
I told her it wasn't a big deal and that she freaked me out more than anything because I thought something was wrong.
I told Jeremy that story in the car on the way home. Ben heard and asked question, but I just told him Grammy was silly.
While we were saying prayers, he said, "Is Grammy's head okay?"
Me: "Yeah, Grammy's head is fine."
Ben: "Did you just like shake it or something?" (now Jeremy and I realize what he's talking about!)
Me: "No, she came to me and went like this" (I put my hand in his hand and hit him in the head.)
Ben: "Why she do that?"
Me: "Grammy's crazy!"

A Ben story as told to me by Jeremy (What Jeremy said was actually funnier than what happened)
Jeremy came out of the bathroom and told me this:
So, Ben was reading my book while he was sitting on the pot yesterday. (When Ben has to poop he likes to have reading material. Usually he "reads" whatever Jer reads while Jer poops!) Then he used my bookmark to wipe his butt!
I gave him a funny look. Jeremy continued:
Yes, my bookmark was a piece of toilet paper, but that's besides the point!