Benson - 15 Months

Benson is so much fun to have in our family.  At 15 months he:

• has figured out that doing signs gets him things!  He signs (and sometimes says) 'more', 'want', 'drink' and 'all done'.
• He spits out food.  Very often.  It is very frustrating! I haven't figured out why he does it.  Sometimes I think he is just tired of eating it and other times I think it may be because he doesn't like the texture the food has gotten to. At other times he sees something someone else has that looks better and wants that NOW instead of what he has. Either way, he is definitely the pickiest eater in the family and sometimes doesn't eat much at mealtime. When he is hungry he eats well and nearly always eats spaghetti.
• Benson thinks he is as big as his brothers and doesn't hesitate to push (literally) them around.  He squawks when he doesn't get his way or when he is stuck.  I don't assume anything when I hear Benson squawking because it could be for several reasons! 
• He waves 'bye bye' with both hands at the same time and started blowing kisses. If you ask him for a kiss he will lean over and let you kiss his cheek over and over again with a cute little smile on his face.  During the day he'll randomly grab you with both arms and give you open mouth kisses 'mwah mwah' to whatever body part lines up with his mouth. It is so sweet.
• He'll lay his head on your leg or shoulder etc and 'ahhh' to give you hugs/love.  He'll also pat your arm /shoulder when you are singing to him to lay him down for sleep.  He 'sings' with you at nap time, or at church or on his own whenever he feels like it. I L.O.V.E. it! Makes my  heart smile.
• Benson is a very happy little boy and will laugh for no apparent reason and dance every time he hears music (even if it is just his brothers singing or a cell phone ringing).  He's got some good 'moves' too and loves it when his brothers join him. 
• He is super fast when he hears the garage door open, the bathroom door open, or hears the dishwasher open.  If the dishwasher is left unlocked, I usually find him sitting on the door, playing with the silverware. 
• He likes to sit on the potty for very short amounts of time and loves to get in the bath.  He rarely is NOT standing up in the bath and will move to the far corner of the bath when he suspects or knows it is his turn to be scrubbed up... which he hates and fights like crazy.  From the other room, it sounds horrible. Giving him a bath is not very fun and is quite exhausting.  BUT we do still give him baths...I promise.
• Benson has very complex chattering/jabbering (The Doctor was impressed with how advanced it is) and it is fun to listen to him 'talk' and play along with having a conversation. 
• He is constantly closing doors! Whether it is a bedroom door or the front door we've opened to let the cool air in, he likes to close it.  Cupboard and pantry doors are no exception, though it is usually he who opened it in the first place! Benson daily puts the pantry contents on the table.  I am glad he has switched from the floor to the table... less tripping that way!
• It is impossible to clean with Benson around.  Everything you put away looks interesting and needs to be played with immediately!
• Benson is determined and very persistent when he has set his mind to something.  Fortunately, he can still often be distracted.   Not always though...
• He LOVES to run with his brothers.  He goes half way and then meets them on their way back.  He loves being included in their games whether it is throwing balls with them, pushing toys around the house, or yelling to each other through the sliding glass door screen as they ride their bikes outside. He loves to say 'hi' when Maxwell rings his bell on this tricycle.
• He loves to laugh, especially with his brothers and will join in with them when he has no clue what he is laughing at.
• He will not eat cheerios if they are not complete 'O's. He politely drops them on the floor. 
• At his Dr appointment he weighed 21 lbs and was 31.5 inches tall.

Not so sure about this paint on my hands...

He LOVED being outside running while his brothers rode bikes.  Made me super nervous around the corners!

Anything can be a toy!

Benson makes life fun!

We love this little boy and are so lucky he is part of our family!

Maxwell - 3 years olds

At 3 years old, Maxwell

• loves to go, go, go! He is very determined.
• He is very outgoing and friendly.  At Chris and Corinne's reception, he was asking women to dance with him, feed him cake, and put him on the trampoline.  Jordan met some people who knew his family from Preston and they had already met 'Maxwell'.
• If you say he is silly or crazy or anything else, he will correct you and say "no I'm Maxwell Lester Moser!"
• Maxwell prefers to not have help with anything he can do himself. And he'll tell you 'I can do it!'
• He is the first one to jump into action to help out when he sees a need from getting a toy to help Benson feel better to kissing an 'owie' better, including Daddy's tired feet.
• Maxwell gives good tight hugs.  When he gives me hugs he likes to assure me 'I have lots of hugs for you Mommy!' which of course makes me happy!
• He loves to help you especially if it is his idea. He doesn't accept 'no thanks' as a response to his offer to "help".
• His nursery leaders LOVE him because he sings all the songs and participates in the lessons. He is often the only one participating. After I picked him up from his class one Sunday, Maxwell said 'Mommy we didn't color today!' The next Sunday I mentioned Maxwell's comment to his leader.  She hadn't realized it mattered to the children and now makes a special effort to have something for them to color each week. He loves it.
• Max runs up to greet McKay after school with an exuberant 'HI McKay!!' McKay's classmates often say 'hi Max' - they all know him.
• Maxwell seems like he is older than he is.  He is very articulate, knows his alphabet, (sounds, upper and many lower case), and knows all the words to many songs.  He can also count to 14, knows his colors and shapes. Others who know Max and other 3 year olds are surprised Maxwell isn't older.
• He still runs to the window to see every garbage truck that passes.
• Maxwell is very grateful and has good manners. 'Zoo welcome' and "Thank you'
• Maxwell notices flowers and sniffs in their direction when we pass them in the van.  He'll pick flowers from the yard and bring them to me to smell. Every time we cross a bridge Maxwell says 'I spy with my little eye... a bridge!' Usually we have not been playing 'I Spy!'
• He loves to play with play doh, stamps and to practice cutting paper.
• Some of my favorite things Maxwell has said are: "A booger is trying to come out!" "This is combing my hair" (standing in front of the fan) " "We both said that!'
• His most common response is "Sure!"
• Talking to Benson in the kitchen: "That is Jesus Christ and he's nice." (pointing to a picture)
• Maxwell to Me: You're the best! Me to Max: No you're the best! Maxwell: We both are!

Maxwell loves to wear his Thomas sunglasses.

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  He knew all the letters and it didn't take long before he started putting them in the correct order.

  

  Dr. Maxwell giving the baby a shot or a 'scratch' as he calls it.

  

  Maxwell is such a good big brother, helping Benson walk.

  

  Now Maxwell is the big brother who gets to be pushed by the little brother. It is a win for both boys since Benson loves getting to play with his brother!

  

  Look Mommy!  I'm a bear in my cave!

  

  The Maxwell scowl.

  

  He couldn't shoot his homemade bow and arrow very well but he loved retrieving the arrows for Nanna Anna and Chantelle.

  

  Maxwell STILL loves Thomas the Tank Engine. 'Loves' doesn't seem to be a strong enough word here...

  

  Our happy family taking a tour of the Conference Center in SLC. We love our Maxwell!