Benjamin Michael Singer -- 2.1 Years!

Hope 2006 is treating everyone well! It's been four months since I've updated the website pictures, mostly because I spend more time chasing around after Benjamin than uploading pictures of him as he really wants to play with the keyboard.

Benjamin turned two years old in March, and he keeps us jumping. Once upon a time we were worried about him crawling and walking -- now he runs and jumps and climbs ladders and sometimes charges down large slides head-first. Unfortunately, lately that has also included wanting to run madly across streets and parking lots -- this kid has no fear! For those of you trying to predict handedness, Benjamin throws with his left hand, kicks with his right foot, and eats with utensils in either hand. He picks up words and gestures every day. Today he is all about "yeah" instead of "yes" and is particularly proud of knowing his colors. He is still working on his second molars, and just about into the 3T clothes exclusively. At his 2-year check-up, he was about 30 pounds and 35 inches tall. Eating habits are roughly the same, though lately he's expanding his repetoire, trying things like pickles and chicken and salsa. Being a true Italian son, lasagna and pasta and macaroni and cheese are always good to eat.

January and February here were cold and gray, though not particularly snowy. March and April saw a profusion of visitors to Ann Arbor: Melissa's parents Jack and Lucia, and Joel's father Gary; Eric Ruben drove up from Pittsburgh one weekend, and Lynn and Ellie came to visit and play during their Spring Break.

Melissa is working hard on her dissertation and hoping to make her late-August defense date, while Joel has started searching for jobs on the West Coast. There's landscaping to be done to make the house more presentable for selling in this very depressed Michigan market, plus finding jobs and a new place to live -- not to mention encouraging Benjamin to use the potty. :-) We're a bit stressed over all the changes to come in the summer of 2006, but overall we're doing well. We are excited about life post-graduate-school and away from Michigan winters, but know that a lot remains to be done to reach this point! Wishing all of you less eventful summers!