Big Brother Ben (week 150) Happy New Year!

Happy 2010! I always like the beginning of a new year because it gives you a sense that you have a fresh start on life and that anything became a big brother, but we traveled, I helped mama finish her first book project and my grandma and grandpa built a new house. Even more important, Cousin Eli now lives close by in Arroyo Grande, I started using the big toilet and attending pre-school at St. Lukes. Quite the year! But dada says the fun has just begun and that 2010 will be twice as nice!

Dada took the week off from work so that I could play with my Christmas toys and ride my bike at the school everyday. We like to walk (and ride the Silver Bike) to Patrick Henry school to shoot hoops and race around the blacktop. I am looking forward to the day that I can take recess at the basketball courts and play handball on the big kids playground.

I also helped dada install new doors. As a Christmas present to mama, we got two new doors with locks that actually work. It was quite the project and took a lot longer than we thought it would. They are still not completely finished but I like to show everyone the caulking when they come over to play.

Project Little Brother: Week 6
It is clear that Christopher will be the mellow one. He likes to eat (a lot), sleep and make funny faces. I do my best to show him the ropes; but there are some areas like sleeping through the night that he has far surpassed me at his age. He seems to be a pretty happy dude but definitely wants to be part of the action (especially around dinner time). He gets mad and cries unless he can sit at the table with everyone else.

Raising Your Parents
Something that I recommend is to make sure that you make older brother a part of the action right from the beginning. Even though it may seem a little scary to your parents, encourage them to let you hold the baby, help with the bath and even feed him. This is good because it makes the baby a responsibility of the whole family and gets everyone to take ownership!

Word of the Week Happy New Year! a greeting that can be used anytime, but most effective in the morning. Use it on strangers, particularly people hanging around the neighborhood (e.g. landscapers, trash pickup, neighbors).