Monday, December 27, 2010

2010: Benjamin Smiles Again

New Year's Day 2010
We had just said good-bye to daddy after he was able to visit over Christmas.

When we saw dad again for a week in February, I tried the entire time to get a picture of each of the kids with their dad. Benjamin would not cooperate.


By mid-February, this was the Valentine that Ben made for his daddy.



We carried on. And he would participate in things marginally.



But he always seemed a bit detached from whatever we were doing.




Playing at the playground with the Kings.





This was taken the morning after Patric returned.






And we really haven't been able to stop him since.







He is attached to all of his dad's childhood toys.








And I can't get over how complete he is with his daddy here.
2010 was a hard year with a fantastic ending.










6 comments:

Never Wear Tennis Shoes to the Dump said...

Best Happy Ending ever.

The Noltes said...

Thank you for the post on your world with Benjamin this past year. Those smiles are just what Mommy and Daddy need from Ben at this time. Hoping for many smiles in the new year!

Gran of The Dukes

The Kings said...

This post gave me goose-bumps! Sweet, gentle Ben.

The Dukes said...

What a sweet post. People are so quick to talk about kids being resilient, and they do bounce back, but they're bouncing back from somewhere! Little ones can fill up with worry and sadness and anger just like us big ones do. I'm glad Ben got his smile back. My hope is that he remembers this all his life and when his smile goes away for some other reason he'll know to hang on, it's coming back.

Brian and Lori said...

Sweet Ben - his sensitivity will be sought after by many women in his future...

Brenda said...

OMG...that is so sad and so sweet...my youngest daughter would do the same without daddy.