Is this a pout or what?

I don't know the story behind this picture because I didn't take it, but what a pout! All my babies have had a talent for sticking out their lips & giving a really good pout. One time my friend, Christina, told me that she thinks all my babies have the prettiest lips. Ben must know this & is practicing showing off those pretty lips! (oops - sorry Brad - handsome lips!)

Ben has numerous other talents in addition to showing off his lips. He can now throw kisses & he knows how to make little baby signs to tell me when he wants a drink or when he wants more of something or when he wants a cookie. It is so cute when he does it. Now I'm teaching him to tell me when he wants down from his high chair. Madi is teaching him the song "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree" & he can make his little hands do the "popcorn popping" part. His favorite words are daddy & ball, though he is also attempting to say cookie & drink along with making the signs. Of course, he also says "mama". Ben also has a talent for getting out of sacrament meeting on Sundays. He doesn't enjoy hanging out in the chapel for too long - so he does everything in his power to try to get out & I do everything in my power to try to stay in. This struggle makes for an interesting hour on Sundays! In case you haven't been to church with a one-year-old lately, or in case you have & want to know that you are not alone in your struggles - here's a snapshot of yesterday -

We - Walk into church - Ben sees Mammy (my mom) and decides he wants to sit with her. Sits with her for about 15 seconds & then decides he wants me.

Ben - Sits quietly on my lap for about 5 seconds

Ben - Stands up on the bench, facing backward so he can wave & distract those in the rows behind us.

I - Put my leg across the opening of the bench area to try to keep him confined.

I - Give him a toy to try to occupy him & keep him from thinking that he wants to walk around.

Ben - too tempted to walk around, walks back & forth to the girls sitting on the benches directly across the aisle from us.

Ben - Flirts with the girls & shows them his toys.

I - Hold him in my lap & show him his books - this lasts about 2 minutes

Ben - Walks back a few rows just to check out what's going on back there. Decides to come back before I have to send one of the girls to get him.

I - Laugh while the bishopric tries to conceal their smiles after Ben has just shouted "da" at the top of his lungs as he points to Brad.

I - Try to muffle his yells as he reaches for more bread & water while the sacrament is being passed.

I - Try to whisper in his ear that we do not talk or yell in church (following the advice of a friend who did this - strangely, I think with success - not my kids!) - muffling is not successful.

I - Give him a drink from his sippy cup - muffling is successful!

I - Try to muffle his yells when poppy passes a piece of licorice to Lacey - Ben wants one too - sorry Ben, not yet! Give Ben baby snacks - muffling if successful!

Ben - Starts emptying everything out of the diaper bag. What exactly is he looking for?

I - Try to muffle his yelling once again while trying to listen to the speaker. Muffling not successful - end up out in the foyer

Ben - stops yelling the second we step foot out of the chapel & into the foyer. How does he know?

I - Try to position myself so I can listen to the speakers from the foyer & still watch him walk around at the same time.

Ben - Wants to stand in front of the door where everyone exits the chapel - he is bound to get knocked over.

I - Move Ben from the door area & give up trying to listen & chat with all the other parents of one-year-olds who are also out in the foyer.

I - Hand Ben over to daddy the minute sacrament meeting is over!

What a talented boy he is! You can bet that he will be practicing his "get out of church" talent once again next Sunday.