Last spring we really enjoyed taking music classes with teacher Seth, and Noreen & Evan (we miss them!). Especially fun was all the instruments that we got to play during many of the songs, including the egg shakers.

Today was the first day of music class for the fall, and a few month break this spring. The room had changed a bit, and there were LOTS of kids. Ben spent the first 15 minutes of class checking everyone and everything out in his classic very pensive way. Even the egg shakers barely got a glance since he was so busy seeing what everyone else was doing.

But when the box of drums and instruments came out, Ben really got in the spirit and started banging away. At the end of the song, when Seth called for "bye bye instruments" and all the kids put their instruments in the box, Ben threw his in the box and then ran to the side of the room and dragged the big tupperware box lid (3 times bigger than him) to Seth in the center of the room.

I'm amazed how much he pays attention, and anticipates! and of course, his ability to move "heaaavy" things - another favorite word of his.

How great it is to be found! Ben has recently discovered hiding things. He sits at dinner and hides his bread, fork, or other goodies behind his milk bottle on his tray, and looks at me expectantly. Where's the bread? I say, and he answers - "Here it is!" and pulls it out, only it sounds mainly like "ear et sss".

We went to the Girards house on Friday and it got suspiciously quiet for a while and no Ben was in sight. I spent 5 minutes searching their apartment asking "Where's Ben?" finally I thought to check the bathroom, where he had closed the door, and was gleeful (not scared, of waiting in the dark room) to be found.

We spent a fabulous weekend in Boise with the Claytons, Shin & Gaby, and Timur & Kimberly. Ben followed Amaia around, gave Sadie the dog BIG HUGs, scared his parents with his ease and balance on the slide, and fell in love

with....
HORSES.

With grandpa Clayton at the reins, Daddy and Jeff did a few walks around the pasture (with mommy nearby the first time, since Ben wasn't so sure about things) and afterwards, and since, that's all Ben will talk about. Haaawse. Haaawse. He even points to the picture of the giraffe, which he used to call "raff" and says Haawse. I think he's testing us. The horses obviously made quite an impression.