the kindling of imagination

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The first book in the Lemony Snicket “unfortunate events” series was on your kitchen counter, so I asked how you liked it.  Having read the first five, I was anxious to hear your reaction. It’s an unusual theme … dark and foreboding, not unlike Harry Potter.

“I like it. I got it from the school library.”

I told you I read the first five books and had them at home. “Would you like to read them?”   “Yes,” you replied without hesitation.

Next time you came to my house, you immediately asked about the books.  “Papa where are those Lemony Snicket books?”  “In my office… in my bookcase.”  You marched in and took them.  “You don’t have the fifth one,” you said, “but I’ll get it from the library.”

One of the most amazing things about you is your love of reading.  You have an insatiable appetite!  You always have a book in-the-works and often read several per week.  In fact, three days after you took volumes 2, 3, 4 of Snicket I inquired and you had already read them!

Your favorite book series is Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  I haven’t read any so you told me I could bring one home…”take the red one, that’s the first one.”  I did.

I gave you the first book in the Harry Potter series and hope you enjoy it.  I’d like to read it with you – or talk about it – and someday visit Hogwarts at Universal Studios.  Here’s a picture of you “reading” Harry Potter when you were but a wee bitty pup.  The seeds of reading were planted at a young age, my friend.

Keep on reading your entire life Ben.  Reading is knowledge and awareness – yes – but it’s also the kindling of creativity, curiosity and imagination.  It will take you to wonderful new places and always be a good friend.

 

 

you crack me up

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The other day we were driving together in the Youk… it was you, Emma & Camden in the “way back.” Ainsley was in the second row… I was driving and Grammy was riding shotgun.

You guys often ask us to load a DVD, so we popped in one of the Classic Christmas cartoon series your Mom watched when she was your age.

You were controlling the DVD remote and next thing we know the show is playing … in Spanish.

You thought that was h-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s, laughing up a storm with your nearby cousin and sister who felt the same way.  Grammy said something about switching it to English mode so Ainsley could understand it, but you weren’t about to end the fun.

It was funny… we were laughing right along with you… I’ve never heard a cartoon in Spanish… and why not?  It freshens the boredom of normal and delivers new perspective. Hearing familiar words spoken in a different language made me appreciate all those Dora the Explorer episodes.

When I think back to how shy you used to be, and I contrast those days with your now highly developed sense of humor, I smile with pride.  It’s no mystery where you got it…  your Mom & Dad have amazing pespectives and automatically find humor in everyday life.

Keep laughing your whole life Ben, it will keep you centered, whole and happy.

the Christmas movie you listened to in Spanish

 

why you’re special to me

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Ben!

You were the one who opened the door… welcoming me into the amazing world of grand-parenting (or in my case PaPa-ing).

I’ll always remember the day you were born… I was holding you in my arms in your hospital room… it was late at night and the lights were low. Grammy was there and of course your Mom & Dad.

I held you over my left shoulder…then in an instant I’ll never forget… you picked your head up off my shoulder – straight up – and looked at me and then around the room. So many emotions rushed through me… What a smart baby! What a strong baby! What a curious little baby!  This one’s going places.

I love this little guy.

This was the first time I felt pride in who you were… but it wasn’t the last.  That feeling of overwhelming pride has hit me a zillion times since as I’ve watch you transform from shy and hesitant to curious and bright to free and funny to a a competitor and achiever.

We’ve been through some amazing times together, so many adventures.  To this day – and always – there’s no better feeling for me than being around you.

Being my first grandchild, it was you & me without competition from sisters or cousins for over two years…we forged such a deep bond.  I love the photo of you and me in the “blue room” at my house when you used to live with us.   Every night we’d go up there after dinner and play with your Thomas trains… building incredible layouts. You knew every single train name.  I’ll always remember how you learned to move the trains so precisely on a sometimes fickle wooden track to make everything run… smoothly.  You were keenly observant and precisely detailed.

You were also a free spirit… you loved nothing better than knocking down the spiral roller coaster track I had worked on for an hour… knocking it down was a lot of fun.

At the end of our play time, your Dad would come upstairs and try to ease-into a challenging conversation of “it’s time for bed Ben. You have 10 more minutes.”  You hated ending it and would often let him know exactly how you felt. It usually ended badly!  You know what? I hated ending our play time too…  I could have done it until Midnight every single night and never had enough.

There are so many stories to tell about the Benjamin Baby who became Ben… and that’s why I created this blog… to remember the incredible times we’ve had together.

Thanks for being my special Papa Buddy.   I am the luckiest man in the world because of you. I love you.