Turkey's All Gone!

Yesterday, I had set out a nearly full package of turkey on the table. Ben seemed interested in snacking on it so I gave him some. I left the room for a moment and came back to find the whole package empty. I looked at him and said, "Where did the turkey go?? It's all gone!". I guess the stupefied look on my face scared him. His behavior didn't change right away, but when I shuttled him into the shower with me, he was shaking. He seemed really scared and I couldn't figure it out. He gave me a fearfully anguished look and said, "Turkey's all gone!" and then started to cry. I tried to calm him down but all he could say was, "Turkey's all gone!". Again and again, I told him, "It's OK, Ben...I know the turkey's all gone. It's alright." I think it was Mary who strewned it all over the family room. It doesn't matter. The point is, I was way over it, and he wasn't. I don't know why. My whole shower was filled with laments of "Turkey's all gone....turkey's all gone...". It was not fun. When I was done with my shower, I held him. That was all he needed. I guess Ben's love language is physical touch too.

Ben is aware of my every facial expression, change in voice tone and body language. I guess you could call him sensitive. I purposely avoid overreacting with him because I know this about him. I remember Sam being very similar to Ben. Sam still says, "What?",when I have a certain look on my face and he always seems to hear every little thing I say, especially when I'm not talking to him! I know how far Sam has come from that scared, cautious boy, to the more relaxed, even child he is now. Sam was once having fits just like Ben and he is so far from that child now. This is a great reassurance to me when I look at how Sam and Abby have turned out. I don't fret about the fits. I just get through them... much like you brace yourself in a boat before a big wave hits. I just hold on til the storm is over...and the storm always ends. One day Ben will be Sam's age. When I look at him I wonder if I'll be able to remember the strong willed two year old that rocked my boat!