February 19, 2013: I ♥ Ben Lane

A favorite picture of Ben as a babe.
He would stand on my back while I read the paper. Such a Bennyism.

I love Ben Lane.

He frustrates me (many times), confuses me (often), but is so lovable (always).

The reality is that I could devote an entire blog series to Mr. Benjamin. No doubt I have enough material. And it is really is entertaining stuff. But since this wouldn't be Ben's preference, it's just not meant to be. (Do note that I am saving some of the good stories for later when he is old enough to share in the humor).

This middle child of mine marches to the beat of different drummer. Always with a smile on his face, although never on time, but having fun every step of the way. Coined "Buddha Baby" as a pudgy tot, he sported a perma-grin and could make the coldest of hearts melt. His charm hasn't worn a bit with age.

I have spent a lot of parenting time just trying to figure Ben out. His internal wiring and thought process are still a mystery to me. He attacks projects and analyzes problems from angles that have never crossed my mind.

He recently (almost) convinced me that waiting for the sun to melt the snow on the drive was the way to go. Everyone else shoveling their walks were thinking about it wrong. Hmmmm...like I said; he "almost" convinced me.

Right now Ben is grounded. This would fall in the category of stories he would prefer for me not to share. What I will share is that I have enjoyed having him grounded and at home. Who would have thought? I certainly didn't expect this outcome with a grounded teenager.

I do love the spirit of this middle child. Although I'm not thrilled with his new room layout which includes him sleeping on a couch rather than a bed or that he almost got my new credit card eaten by an ATM machine; watching him convince his little brother to take alternate turns scooping mac & cheese like the NFL Draft was a classic.

Ben also served as my chauffeur this weekend. He entertained me with "vintage" rap while simultaneously explaining the Wikipedia-style bios of the artists. This was a close second favorite Ben moment of the weekend. Watching him play attentive Big Brother to his little brother's friends, all while coordinating trampoline activities, simply warmed my heart.

I highly recommend grounding your teenager and spending time with them next weekend. Although they make us crazy most of the time, they really are still fun if given the opportunity.