3 years, 4 months

I have been slacking on Ben updates since he turned 3!  I want to capture everything that is going on with him lately before I blink and he turns 4.  

In terms of growth, Ben is approximately 36 pounds and 40 inches tall - but I have absolutely no idea where that falls in the percentiles.  And really, who cares at this point ;)  All I am interested in is that he is getting tall enough to take him back to Disneyland where he can join us on more of the rides (although knowing Ben, he will be too scared of most of them - my noise-sensitive little boy).  He is almost completely in 4T now and wearing size 9 or so in shoes.  I need to take him in to get his feet measured soon because I need to get him another pair of outdoor boots for school - they go exploring through the muddy woods every day and he needs a good pair of "outside" boots.

A year ago, I was so so anxious about his language development and I couldn't possibly envision the conversations he and I are having now.  He now uses words like "delicious" and "actually" and tells me when he is happy and sad.  Last night when Greg was outside putting the cover back on the BBQ, Ben opened up the patio door and yelled out "Hey Dada!  I can't come outside with you, because I don't have shoes on.  And you need to have shoes on when you go outside.  So, I'm just going to stay inside and play trucks, OKAY"??  (Greg was like, "I didn't invite you to come outside, but OKAY")!!  Ben is CONSTANTLY singing songs.  When we try to sing along with him, he will often say "No, it's MY TURN" and silence us.  Ha!  He loves to sing this song from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, which is one of the songs Greg used to sing to him a lot when he was a baby.  He also tells and me and Greg several times a day "I love you!" which is one of those moments you are waiting for when you become a parent, and is even more heart warming than you can imagine.

Ben still is truck obsessed and lovvvvves to ask us to play trucks with him.  Of of his favorite truck activities is to have them "talk" to one another, which essentially is him shaking one truck at the other and saying "Well hello green monster truck, how are you doing? Do you want to go on a drive with me?" with the other responding "Yes, I do want to go on a drive with you".  Then, they drive.  Then, one falls down and yells "I'm stuck! Can you help me" and the other pushes it back up on its wheels and they they give each other a kiss.  And repeat.  It's adorable and hilarious.

We still enjoy park time, and while I'm usually a big fan of a lingering winter season, these days I'm all about a sunny dry day so that we can hit the park.  Ben absolutely loves it, but only when there are other kids around to chase.  If there is a blonde girl, approximately 2-4 years older, that is the best as he is a big fan of playing with Mira and Maylee lookalikes ;)  When we went to the park the other day, he was on the swing next to a little girl and suddenly looked over at her and screamed "HEY!  I'M SWINGING WITH YOU"!!!!!  #chillbro

He has developed a fake laugh, which is so funny until it's annoying.  If Greg and I are laughing about something, he will always join in even if he has no clue what it's about.  He will always join Greg in a kitty smother and sing the little song that Greg has been singing for years "Oh, my kitty kitty! Oh, my kitty kitty".  (It's not as corny as it sounds.  Maybe I shouldn't have written that, haha)!  Ben is great at saying thank you without prompting and says please most of the time without a reminder.  He is great at throwing garbage away and is starting to get better at picking up his toys.  Ben is getting better at drawing actual objects, like circles for wheels when he tells me he is drawing a car, but still mostly prefers big scribble patterns. 

In terms of parenting, we have been trying to practice a LOT of positive reinforcement when he does something like clean up toys, brush his teeth, wash his hands, and other helpful things - and redirecting him to other activities instead of scolding (for lack of a better word) when he is behaving in a way we don't enjoy.  We are deep in the phase where if you tell them NOT to do something, it's almost impossible for him to avoid doing it - which I totally get is a 3-year-old trait that can be turned around almost instantly if you handle it correctly.  It's not always easy to remain calm and patient, but it's definitely the way to a positive outcome.

Another big update would include potty training, which is still moving VERY slowly, but definitely in a positive direction.  He is fantastic when we are out in public or at school, but has a hard time stopping what he is doing to initiate it at home.  It's really only when it's inconvenient for us (grocery shopping with a full cart, or in the process of reading bed time stories in an attempt to stay awake longer) that he is super motivated to go :)  But either way, lately we are getting through most mornings with a dry pull up, switching to a diaper at nap time, and then the evenings can really go either way.  As with the speech progress, I have to remind myself that all kids are different and that with time and practice, we WILL get there!

The other big change is that school officially starts next week!  He will be at school all day (8-4 ish) on Mondays and Fridays, and then some Thursday mornings.  Since he has had a few mornings of practice, I'm most interested to see how he handles nap time.  I bought him a cute sleeping bag for him to leave at school that he already loves to snuggle in, so I'm hoping that after a busy morning of playing he will feel ready to lie down for awhile.  He still takes 3 hour naps at home so I know he will needs a midday break.  I'm also a little worried about him eating at school, since I know the food will be a change from what he is used to.  I keep having to remind myself that these changes are GOOD for him (playmates, a structured day, learning to work with others, sharing, new/healthy foods) but I also know how difficult it will be if/when he says "I don't want to go to school"!  I know that when he has not been with me, Callie and my mom have provided him with such a safe, nurturing,  and often times one-on-one environment that this might feel like a tough change at times - but I'm confident that he will thrive here and learn so much!

Current favorites:

Books: Touch the Art: Find King Henry's Jewels, Planes Go (and all of the "Go" books), The Day the Crayons Quit, The Cat at Night, and Flo & Wendell Explore. (These generally change every month or so, when he selects a different set of 4-5 books that we read almost daily).

TV/Movies: Current favorites are Monsters ("big kid monsters") and Monsters University ("little kid monsters").  He got some Monsters figurines for Christmas and likes to act out little scenes with them - much like he does with his trucks.  We are also watching a lot of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, which is cute and teaches some good lessons, I think.  (We also sing lots of Daniel Tiger songs all day, every day).

Places to go: The park, the "indoor playground" (at the Pavilion where Callie often takes him), and the Children's Museum. 

Overall, I have to say that life feels pretty amazing these days.  Greg and I have been getting out for dinner/movie dates at least once a month, which has been so nice (thanks, mom)!  If we need to skip a nap for whatever reason, it isn't resulting in the complete mid-evening meltdown that it used to.  I am fresh off a weekend away in Leavenworth for a bachelorette party, and Greg is heading to Portland for a guy's weekend next month - so we are able to find some time for ourselves a lot more than we had been. Ben being the age that he is feels like the perfect mixture between having a big boy that I don't have to constantly follow around to make sure he isn't going to fall or crash into something, and having a baby that still lovvvvvvves to snuggle his Mama - a trait that I hope continues into his adulthood ;)

"Oh, hi Ben"!

Grabbing my phone and looking at the screen saver I have, Ben says: 

Oh, hi Ben!  Are you having a nice snack?  Are you eating pretzels, and a squeeze-squeeze, and some juice?  You're so cute.  

WHAT A GOOFBALL!

3 Years Old

My little big 3-year-old.  

How I wish I could pause our lives right now and continue to soak up every ounce of Ben's sweetness.  One of my biggest fears becoming a parent was that I would end up with a bratty, rude child.  I'm not sure why I was so worried - I think Greg and I are generally pretty nice - but so far, Ben's sweet and polite disposition, his passion for dancing and tickles, and his contagious giggles have proven that I had no reason to worry.  

Our day to day routine is full of moments where I absolutely DIE inside over how much love I feel for this kid.  In the mornings after he wakes up, he will typically walk over to his table to sit down and play with a toy.  He will let me know when he is ready to come out by getting back on his bed and talking straight into the camera and saying "I'm all done going night night - I had a nice nap"!  A few weeks ago, I had noticed he had gotten out of bed but then never let me know it was time to come get him.  I went into his room and he was under the table in the complete darkness and all he said was "peak-a-boo, mama".  Followed by "I want some chocolate milk, please".  

After he finishes his milk it's IMMEDIATELY time to "play Thomas", which is still what he says in reference to the front room/train table/all his trucks.  Monster trucks have totally taken over our house right now and he can entertain himself playing forEVER, (as long as he knows I'm watching him from wherever I happen to be).

One of his favorite activities is to take a morning walk (or drive) to the park to see if any other kids are around to play with/chase.  He absolutely loves any little kid who will chase him or be chased by him.  He engages them by running past them, stopping, looking back with an encouraging smile and then cracks up once the game of chase begins once more.  I love how friendly he is and how quick he is to say "I want SOME MORE".

Once back home, he is a champ at helping me with certain chores.  He is eager to please and loves to be praised for: helping collect the garbage, spraying the Windex when we are cleaning the windows, and wiping various things (he will tell me "Mama, I need to get some of my wipes, please").  He also loves to wash his hands (which is nice, considering potty training MUST happen soon).  

At night time, it is generally fairly easy to get him to bed, as long as he gets to pick a few books out to read.  Recently, we rediscovered "I'll Love You Forever" and Ben wants to read it almost nightly.  He will say some of the words along with me and it takes ALL THAT I HAVE not to break down every time I read it.  Once we are done with books, and Ben starts to catch on that I'm about to turn off the light, he will say "I want some mama", and needs me to snuggle with him for awhile.  And this part is so funny to me: We ALWAYS lay on our right sides, I am (obviously) always the big spoon, and it has been like this pretty much every night since he was born.  

I will often lay with him for a few minutes until I think he is starting to fade, but as soon as I start to back away to sneak out, I'll hear the littlest voice again.  

"I want some mama".

I love his crazy, BLONDE (with a gangsta cowlick) hair.  I love his beautiful, against his genetic odds, blue eyes.  I love how when he sees a picture of a unicorn, he calls it a "popcorn". I love his goofy facial expressions - particularly his furrowed brow.  I love how he tilts his head to the side, makes a "that was so nice of you!!" face, when he says, "thank you"! I love how he asks me "Hey Mama, whatcha doin'" 1,549 times a day - and when he KNOWS exactly what I'm doing, he will tack it on in front of a comment - i.e. "Hey Mama, whatcha doin' you're makin' the bed"!

Ben, in a nutshell

A few other updates:

We had our LAST speech therapy session.  We were both so sad that we would no longer be seeing Katie every couple weeks, but at the same time, feeling so confident in Ben and the massive progress he has made over the past year.  On our last visit, she told me how blown away she was with his speech lately, and even commented that he is conjugating verbs like a champ for his age!  I hadn't even noticed, as I obviously have no idea when that is supposed to happen, but she was right - he does (sometimes)!  She also said that it feels so great to know that he essentially "graduated" the program - in that he isn't continuing on with additional therapy after finishing with her.  

I'll be taking Ben in next week for his 3 year check up and I'm curious to see how he is measuring up in height and weight.  My assumption is still tall and still "medium" in his weight.  His 3T jammies are much too tight, and he is starting to transition into 4T clothing.  It just dawned on me that he will likely be getting shots - which he hasn't had since he was 2!!  Knowing how much more aware he is, I'm curious/nervous to see how that goes.

I (WE) love him more than words.  I worry that I love him TOO much at times, but that is impossible.  The good news is that I think the feeling is mutual :) Ben's frequent, unprompted hugs make me melt inside and I dread the day his bumps and bruises are no longer magically healed by my kisses.

"I want some Dada RIGHT NOW"

Ben is 100% going through a Dada phase as of late.  Sure, I'm still the one he wants to tuck him into bed (or these days, lay with him in his bed until he falls asleep), but otherwise, he wants to be with Greg doing one of their various activities together:

• Going to the park
• Going on a walk around the neighborhood (Greg, often holding a plastic cup of beer) ;)
• Walking around the yard while Greg sprays insect killer on every bug he sees.
• Jumping on couches or beds
• Having a dance party in the shower
• Eating a snack while Greg makes silly noises every time Ben takes a "big dog bite"
• Watching a "new" cartoon (we are desperately trying to expand beyond Monsters, Inc right now - why do kids always want to watch the same thing a zillion times)?

The other day, while Greg was inspecting the wooden yard border thing I backed into at the bottom of our driveway (it was bound to happen - I'm surprised it took me 2 years), Ben saw him from the window and proclaimed "I want some Dada RIGHT NOW".  He demanded his shoes and hustled down the driveway because he couldn't possibly wait for him to come back.

It's pretty darn cute, I must say.  (And leaves me with extra free time to clean and watch Bravo solo).  Holla!

34 Months Old

34 months.  2 years and 10 months.  2 5/6 years old.

I remember when Ben was not even 1 yet, I would think back to the prior year and reminisce about how "last summer, I was X months pregnant", or "this time last [fill in the blank holiday], I was only X months pregnant", etc.

Now when I do that, it was 3 years ago - and it kind of freaks me out!  It's now been soooooooo long since I was pregnant with him, and almost 2 years since I last nursed him - but it continues to feel like both of these were very recent events.  I suppose this is the exact reason why time flies so quickly once you become a parent.

If I talk obsess with you on a regular basis, then you already know about how back and forth we have been about whether or not to have another baby.  I'm not sure about how other people feel when making this decision, but for me, a huge part of it is the inability to come to terms that Ben is no longer a baby himself!  This, in addition to our original plan of only having 1 kid, (plus finances, lifestyle, visions for the future) has us leaning heavily this way these days - however, I will admit - watching so many people around us having (or soon to be having) their second child and witnessing that whole adorable family of four thing has had me wavering a bit from time to time.  

The good news is that I loved being an only child, and have TRULY treated each of Ben's milestones with the thought that this would be the last time I experienced each of them.  (Which could explain why I have not been in much of a rush to move him into the next stage along the way).

But whether I am pushing him or not, he is doing it all on his own:

Ben now speaks in full sentences that I would say are understood by others about 80% of the time.  In fact, we had our "exit testing" in speech therapy last week, and our little dude essentially aced (as in, was perfectly on track with his peers) each area of testing.  In fact, the area he tested highest in?  COMMUNICATION.  (!?!?!) 

It has cracked us up to hear him tell us exactly what he is thinking:

In the morning when he wakes up, I hear him over the monitor:  Mama, I'm all done going night night.  Mama, I want milk, mama.  I want mama/dada's bed.  Mama, I want lunch.  Go to the park!  Run, jump, play, dance.  I want my trucks.  THOMAS!

When he is playing with his cars: Drive cars, mama.  Crash!!!  Time to wash the cars.  (He carries them to the bathroom).  Wash in sink.  Car wash - I cry.  (He remembers - quite vividly - how much he hated the car wash last time we went, which was months ago).

I've also caught him saying "One second!!" lately, which clearly is what I must be saying to him about a hundred times a day!

Loves: Trucks, trains, trips to Costco, tickles, jumping on the bed/couch/ground, being chased, hide and seek, taking all of the pillows off the couch and making a big pile to jump in/on, helping me take the garbage out, playing in the sink, going to the park with Greg, Monsters (movie), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (movie), music: the "Happy" Song, Scream and Shout (Britney), "Boom Boom Song" (Black Eyed Peas), pointing out every letter, number and color we see, alerting me to each motorcycle he hears/truck he sees, watching videos on YouTube (which he pronounces "Videots", going on walks around the neighborhood, picking out his clothes ("Ben gets to pick!!!"), singing "Twinkle Twinkle", Mira and Maylee (and Callie, too!), Fridays with Grandma, Grandma's iPad, the "blankie Grandma make" (the closest thing he has to a "lovie"), kisses and hugs.

Sleep lately has been good most of the time.  It has become clear that the whole "you will eat what I make for dinner" plan I was aiming for is not working well to our benefit when it comes to sleep.  If he doesn't have a big meal or a hearty snack at night, he will often wake up at 4 am asking for milk or "lunch".  We are working on it.  I would say that 5 out of 7 nights a week, he goes down to sleep happily and we don't hear from him until the morning - but those other 2 nights can result in him needing to come back into our bed to snuggle until he is almost asleep (and sometimes letting him sleep with us for a few hours), or will require us to get him a snack or some milk.  He also still naps an average of 2.5 hours a day (sometimes longer!) so perhaps that needs to be shortened to help him go down at night better....

....but I'm certain all of this will change because his BIG BOY BED arrives on Tuesday.  Hell shall break loose.  Stay tuned.

Ben is wearing 3T clothing for the most part (plus a few favorite 2T pants and T shirts that I try to squeeze him into and some 4T jammies that we got handed down from Laryd).  I got him some size 8 tennis shoes and sandals a few months back that should last him awhile.

As far as potty training goes, we are not rushing it at all.  We read books and watch videos about the potty and allow him to decide when he wants to try it (which is usually only before bed and is used as a tactic to stay up later) ;)  He has pooped on the potty exactly twice.  I bought him some pull ups for when we are around the house, but he FREAKED out when I put them on them and requested a diaper immediately.  A selfish part of me really hopes that we can wait until AFTER our trip to Mexico for him to be fully out of diapers, because it's going to really suck to have to put down our margaritas and rush him to the bathroom every 10 minutes - but it's all up to him! ;)

I would say the biggest thing I have realized over the past few months of parenting is how much I need to let go of my own selfish desires to have a child who always listens to what I say, cleans up after himself constantly and is always quiet when I want him to be.  :)  We are raising a little PERSON, who has his own feelings, thoughts, ideas of what he wants to do, and different ways to learn.  I am starting to understand more and more that my job as his mom is more about keeping him safe, letting him explore, letting him be loud/emotional/willful, and guiding him with good morals and boundaries.  

A few weeks ago at the beach, Ben was running around and I noticed myself trying to keep him away from a water fountain (that was getting him wet) and coaxing him to walk the direction I wanted, and to hold my hand (when it really wasn't necessary).  I'm sure with my words I was telling him to "listen to mama", to the point where when he nearly ran out into the parking lot away from me and I yelled at him to STOP!!!, it probably didn't sound drastically different from the way I had been acting all morning.  I truly want him to know the difference when something could be dangerous, so I'm making an effort to not coach him through all of the other moments just because it might make my life easier.

Anyway, being a mom is the best thing I've ever done and while the growing pains can be a challenge, I'm more than up for it.  Anything to give Ben the best little life I can :)    

Recent Happenings

Food has been dominating my blog and Instagram lately.  What can I say?  It's clearly become a passion.  (Eating has always been a passion...but meal planning and cooking has almost become equally enjoyable for me)!

WE MADE A SANDBOX!  We are lucky to have planter boxes surrounding the yard, none of which I have taken the time to plant anything in yet.  Since this box is in the shade quite a bit, and close to the BBQ and our deck, we decided to convert it into a sandbox.  It's been so much fun having a place to contain him while we spend time outside.

With Violet and Hilary in town visiting, we decided to see if Ben was more willing to share his bath.

MUCH more enjoyable than their last shared bath experience.

Ben has been such a joy lately.  Both Greg and I have been noticing his using "please" and "thank you" quite regularly and often unprompted.  It's AMAZING.  

"Happy song, please mama".  "Turn it up, please".  "Snack, please".  "Thank you, mama".  "Park, dada, please"?

And his response to about 80% of my requests these days?  

"Okay, mama".

We recently spent some time watching videos from all the greats.

But then he just wanted to watch his favorite cut.

Book time!  Love how much he loves to read now.  His favorites are Little Blue Truck and Little Blue Truck Leads The Way.  We read them constantly and he knows every word.

After hearing about them from another mom, I purchased these Jelly BeadZ on Amazon for Ben.  You basically soak them in water and after 4 hours or so, they become these little squishy beads that you can throw around outside.  The fun part is that after they sit out for awhile, they shrink back down so there isn't much (or any) clean up required.

Hilary and I had a fun night out in Bellevue doing lots of wine sampling at Purple Cafe and Lot 3.  Yum!

And the following day, more wine (and nails) with these girls (plus Raleigh) :)

Benny got some new shoes (size 8!!) this weekend.  They make the coolest shoes for little dudes.

Our favorite time of day - JAMMIES

Playing outside and being destructive.

ABC's

Lately with Ben, I'm having moments almost daily where I find myself saying, "WHEN did he learn how to do that"??  I swear, he has all sorts of things queued up in that brain of his, ready to release them at anytime and blow my mind.

I realize that this is not the most clear version of this song, but here are the facts:

1) I have never heard him sing (or say) a song, ever.

2) We have been singing this song to him for months and months, and all he does is dance along and ask for "more song, mama" when I finish.

3) He did this out of the blue.  Like, there we were, about to put on jammies and go to bed, and I walked in the room to him singing (much more clearly than the take I captured on video - he must have gotten distracted looking at himself in the reverse camera) and I just stood there, stunned, as he sang the entire song.  

Another funny thing lately I've noticed is him saying things in a sing-songy way.  Like when playing with his trains he will sing, "Choo chooooooo, Thomas!  Cho choooooo, Thomas! Thomas goes up up up up up up UP".  LOL.  

31 Months

31 months.  Closer to 3-years-old than 2.  Another month where I can safely say "THIS is my favorite age"!  Ben's personality, his vocabulary, and his fine & gross motor skills are exploding right now.  He can still be moody, insistent about wanting his way, and difficult in some settings, but I feel like the majority of the time he is joyful, silly, and content with the way things are at any given time.

If Ben could have his way, he would spend ALL DAY outside.  With the weather starting to improve, this has meant that we are taking daily trips to the park.  (It helps that we have about 5 park options within a 2 mile radius of our house)!  My ONLY exercise these days is walking our "loop" (a little over 3 miles) and stopping at the park to play for awhile.  Watching him able to do different things (climb up and across things unassisted) and then celebrate happily "I DID IT!!!  Myself! " and give me a high five make me so happy and proud.

  

Aside from frequent park visits, Ben loves being outside with Greg.  Greg recently got a new golf club (birthday present from me) so he and Ben "practiced" in the back yard.  

They will often go for walks (short ones where Ben walks), play in the sand table, and dig in the dirt of our flower beds.

This past weekend, we walked up to the track at the middle school with the intention of running.  I lasted exactly 1 lap, so I took Ben out of the stroller and we ran together to catch up with Greg.  I was impressed how much Ben was able to run without tiring out!

When it comes to food, I'm not sure how good of a job I am doing getting him to eat a larger variety.  He certainly doesn't eat most of what we eat, although I'm getting better about always offering him what we are having while also putting something I know he will like/eat on his plate.  The things he LOVES right now are strawberries, grapes, granola bars, Morning Star nuggets, breakfast burritos (the ONLY way he will eat eggs), cheese and crackers, almonds (we get the sour cream and onion almonds from Naturebox and he is obsessed with them), tomato soup & grilled cheese, and the organic baby purees that I have resorted back to since it seems to be the only way he will eat a vegetable.

Ben is wearing 100% 3T clothing and even then some brands seem to be not big enough to accommodate his considerable height!  I'm so curious what his "stats" are.  I almost wish that we had a doctor's appointment to check between 2 and 3 years old.

Another fun thing we are noticing more and more is Ben telling us stories about things that have happened.  One morning, I was driving over to Callie's house and he kept leaning his head way back in his seat and pointing up towards the roof of the car.  He still mumbles quite a bit when getting a complicated thought into words, but it sounded a lot like "kitty...car...up....nap...dada's car..." but made a lot less sense than that.  After repeating the same thing over and over and OVER it finally clicked: He was telling me about the time TWO WEEKS EARLIER when we saw Maxwell jump up on top of Greg's car and curl up and take a nap.  When I repeated it back to him, he was so relieved I understood and said "YEAH"!  LOL.

Speaking of the kitty, he loves to put him (and other things/people/himself) down for naps.  Here he is putting the "blankie that grandma make" on him.  Maxwell hates life.

He also has started repeating passages of books back to us and it's just about the cutest thing ever.  I put the book My Truck is Stuck in his Easter basket and we probably read it 5 days a day (at least).  He will go around the house saying "Help! Please, help! Truck Stuck" which happens several times throughout the book.  Adorable.

Also, Ben is reading.  Okay, no - he isn't...but he is constantly pointing out letters and numbers and I'm amazed how much he has learned!  He loves when we get out a piece of paper and he can dictate what letters I write.  I've noticed he often starts in this order: B R Y R P  It must be code for something ;)  I think he is learning a lot from SuperWHY!, which is good because I also kind of like watching this show.

On the subject of books, Ben FINALLY is interested in sitting down and reading with me.  I truly thought the day would never come, as it was something I had looked forward to for SO long and just didn't seem to ever happen, but it's one of our favorite activities these days.

Finally, he LOVES going over to Callie's to play with Mira (Mina) and Maylee (Maynee).  He loves it so much that he practically pushes me out the door when I'm dropping him off (but not until after a sweet hug and a kiss).

I stole these from Callie :)

Spending time with Ben is seriously such a joy.  He is at an age where I feel like we can go out and do fun things much easier than we previously could.  He is our little buddy and is just happy to be included (most of the time).  Ben, you make us fall in love with you over and over again every single day.  Keep being awesome.  

Sand Table

Due to Ben's recent obsession with digging, we bought him a new sand and water table to keep on the deck.  With a short break from the rain yesterday, we finally got a chance to play with it. 

I (and others) have noticed how much this kid does not like to get his hands dirty.  If one of my hairs ever gets intertwined between his fingers, he immediately stops everything and works hard to remove it.  Callie has reported that he was quite hesitant when playing with shaving cream on their table.  And if he ever falls down outside and gets dirt or bark on himself, he wants it off right away.  So funny!  He was the same with the sand - he really only wanted to touch it with the shovel.