More tales of Ben

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One of the things that has impressed me most  this summer is how Ben knows what to request that will increase the possibility of  a "yes" response from his sister.  He has not asked the entire summer to go to the park, which he knows is not a favored spot for his sister.  Instead, he might ask to go to the beach or the library.  However, as we have begun to discuss Ellie going back to school, he has started making plans to go to the park, the zoo, the coffee shop with the dinosaurs, all activities that Ellie would not enjoy.  While Ellie has not had as much energy lately, we have not been able to do as much outside of the home or even have visitors,

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while Ellie is resting.  Ben has never complained.  

Friday, we had planned to go to one of Ben's favorite libraries, it has TWO train tracks.  All morning he talked about going to the

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library as I  made meals and got everything ready to go.  Every time Ellie would almost fall asleep, Ben would say rather loudly, "Ellie!  Don't fall asleep!!"  By the time I was ready for departure, Ellie's energy had taken a nose dive and she was no longer up for going.  Oh boy, I had that highly uncomfortable feeling, known to mothers everywhere, of  having to choose between my two beloved children.  I sent Ellie upstairs for a rest and Ben and I

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discussed what we could do while Ellie rested.  Ellie soon arose from her nap, ready to go to the library.  Ben in the meantime had gotten hungry and was sitting down to yet another HUGE snack.  He ate and ate and ate.  By the time he was finished eating, Ellie's energy again had taken a downward turn.  When Ellie said, "I don't feel up for going to the library."  Ben responded with, "That's good because I changed my mind, I don't want to go to the library."  As I sighed a big sigh of relief, I decided that going to see Ice Age 3, Return of the Dinosaurs would be a really special treat for Ben when Thom returned home from work.

One day, my neck was feeling a bit sore.  As I lay on the bed nursing my injury, and taking advantage of the opportunity to be horizontal in the middle of the day, Ben suddenly

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looked at Ellie and myself and said, "You can't play because your head is broken."  To which I sort of looked at him in surprise, I immediately thought of all the times Ellie has had her head cut open, making it appear as if her head is in fact, "broken".  Ben sensing my shock, began backtracking and said, "No, I mean your NECK is broken."  Oh yeah, now I get it.   

When Ellie suddenly came up with the idea of a Silly Garden, Ben jumped in with silly faces, silly words, silly voices.  He was all over creating a silly garden. 

I just do not know how I would have survived this summer without Ben's willingness to find fun wherever he is, at home, at the park, in the bathroom.  Without his laid back demeanor and understanding of his sister's needs, it would have been a MUCH MUCH more challenging summer.