You're Everything .:13:.

~11 months later~

There were three months until Ben turned two, he could say most things, but pronouncing the words was what he struggled with. He had become extremely attached to his parents, but mainly his dad who he looked up to the most simply because he was his dad. Matt and Val adored their child above all else, making choices that would be for the best for Ben.

Val was out with Michelle, shopping for baby clothes for Michelle's daughter who was due to be born in a few months. This left Matt and Ben at home, and Matt thought it would be nice to get the dishes done for Val. Just as he was finishing up, Ben trotted in on his even pudgier legs and a large, proud smile played on his lips.
"Hey champ, what's that smile for?" he teased, putting a dollop of bubbles from the sink onto the tip of Ben's tiny nose.
Ben went cross eyed, giggling as he reached up and popped the bubbles. "Nuffin," he hopped to a chair, climbing up onto it with effort.
Matt helped him up before saying, "Well, how about you wash some dishes with Daddy?"
He shook his head, holding up his hands in an "oh well" gesture. "I'm too busy, Dattie!"
Matt smirked, leaning against the counter. "And why is that, young sir?"
Ben randomly ran his little hands over the top of the table. "I'm lookin for more 'tickerths." He looked around as if observing the room for his items.
"St-stickers?" Matt asked hesitantly, narrowing his brows at his son. "What kind?"
"Mhm!" Ben nodded his head, looking up at his dad as he banged his hands on the table lightly. "Big, white fluffy ones, Dattie! I fewnd 'em in da baffroom."
"Big...white...fluffy..." Matt tried these words aloud to see if he might be able to decipher his son's crazy talk. He frowned. "Could you show me what they look like?"
Ben wiggled off the chair, already waddling out of the room. "C'mon!" He was extremely excited, and crawled his way up the stairs with little huffs and puffs.
Matt, a little frightened at what he may find, followed his son upstairs before they went inside the bathroom. The sight before him made his eyes bulge wide. "Oh, God..."
The 'stickers' were none other that the items that Val needed on certain times of the month. They covered half of the wall, only going up as high as Ben could reach.
Ben clapped his hands, pointing at them. "See? I need more to finish!"
"Um...B-Ben, I don't think Mommy wants us to be using these stickers. They're hers..."
He looked up at Matt, frowning slowly. "But...I did dis fer Momma..."
"I um..." Matt struggled for words as he cleared his throat. "Maybe we should do something else for Mommy, like make dinner, or clean our rooms. How about that?" he offered with a nervous smile.
Ben looked down at his hands, playing with his fingers. "...Alwight..."
"Y'know what, after we clean up the bathroom, how about we go get some ice cream?" Matt suddenly said with a bigger smile, knowing that ice cream was the greatest invention to pacify his child.
Suddenly, Ben's face brightened and he hugged his dad's legs. "Danks, Dattie!" He then went to the wall, pulling off the soft 'stickers'.
Matt sighed in relief, going and helping Ben clean up. Once they were done, Matt scooped up Ben, carrying him towards the car. "What flavor are you gonna get, bud?"
He pointed up at a bird flying quickly over head, and then hugged his dad's neck. "What Dattie gonna get?"
"I think I'll get...Chocolate!" Matt said with a big smile. "Now what about you?"
Ben played with the light scruff on Matt's cheek, announcing, "Chewclate!"
"Oh, really?" Matt chuckled before putting him into his car seat. He got into the car, starting it and began driving, glancing at his son through the rearview mirror with a slight smile to himself.
Ben was kicking his legs as he gazed out the window, happily singing something that had an occasional word Matt could understand. "Dattie! Wook," He frantically pointed at a field of cows. "Horsies! Wemembew dat sewng Momma sings to me?" Ben giggled shyly, patting his tummy. "I wike dat sewng."
Matt laughed, shaking his head. "Of course, I do!" He stayed quiet as he thought about how close he and Ben were and began to get teary-eyed at the thought of dropping him off at pre-school in a few years.
Ben seemed oblivious, simply smiling out at the sunny skies and luscious green fields. Matt thought about how his son would always be his son, no matter the age.
He chuckled to himself before turning into the ice cream parlor. After a brief moment of silence he said, "Who's ready for ice cream!?"
Ben thrusted his hands into the air, kicking his feet wildly. "Me!"
Matt took Ben out of the car, holding him against his side as they made their way into the small restaurant, approaching the cashier who recognized them instantly.
Jason Berry waved at them, wearing his usual work outfit. His long hair was pulled up in a pony tail (orders from the boss). His baby face was holding it's usual grin, and his brown eyes danced with amusement. He finger waved at Ben, saying to Matt, "How sweet! A father-son moment." He smiled cheerfully, and then asked, "What can I get you?"
Matt rolled his eyes teasingly before turning to face Ben. "You wanna order?"
Ben held up four fingers, saying, "Two chewclate ice cweams, pwease."
Jason chuckled, tapping on the register. "That it?" He looked at Matt.
"Yup," Matt said, patting his son on his chubby tummy.
"Alright, that'll be five-fifty," Jason held out his hand, puckering his lips, saying lowly so that his boss wouldn't hear and think he was being rude to a customer, "C'mon, give me the money, fool."
Matt glowered before throwing a 5 and 1 dollar bill at him saying, "Keep the change. Go and buy yerself somethin' perdy," in a fake hick accent as he winked.
Jason laughed heartily, handing them their cones topped with chocolate ice cream, saying, "See ya later, Matt. Jimmy was saying something about a party, so you'll see me there."
"Alright, see ya around!" Matt gave a small wave before handing Ben his cone, making his way to the park just next door so they could enjoy their ice cream together.
Ben was chowing down on his ice cream, making a huge chocolate mess on his cheeks and around his lips. "Gewd, Dattie!" He stated, holding up his ice cream to show what he was talking about.
Matt nodded, laughing louder than usual as he took a big bite of his own ice cream. "Delicious! I'm glad you like it."
He nibbled on his waffle cone, having licked all the ice cream from it. "Dattie, can you pewsh me down de swide?"
"Of course, I can!" Matt said, throwing away his own cone. "You finished?" he asked, holding out his hand.
Ben looked down at his cone, and then nodded and held up the soggy cone. "Hewe, Dattie." He dropped the cone in Matt's hand and then raced for the swings, suddenly full of energy.
Matt stared after him before running to catch up. "Hey! What about the slide!?" his deep voice laughed with a slight boom.
The only reply he got was a familiar, shrill, excited laugh as his son went up and hugged a swing. "Shwing fewst, swide latew." He smiled big up at his dad, trying to figure out how to get up on the swing.
Matt lifted Ben up and sat him carefully in the swing. "Hang on tight!"
Ben gripped the ropes tight, kicking his feet. "I'm weady!"
Matt drew the swing back carefully before pushing it forward so that Ben went high enough to be thrilled, but not too high.
He giggled, hugging the ropes for even more support on not falling. After a while of this, Ben cried out gleefully, "Swide!"
"Already!?" Matt asked, panting slightly.
"Yeah," Ben wiggled as if wanting to get off, too excited to wait for his dad to stop the swing.
Matt shook his head laughing as he held out his hands in front of Ben. "Jump!"
He was hesitant, seeming concerned that he would fall as the swing began to naturally slow by itself. "I fall!" Ben wailed, holding the ropes tighter.
"No! Ben, trust me!" Matt said, opening his arms wider.
Ben took another minute before closing his eyes, leaping out of the swing with a tiny yelp.
His father's loving arms instantly wrapped around him, catching him before he could have the chance to think about what it might be to hit the ground. "See?" Matt chuckled, bouncing Ben slightly.
He instantly bubbled with laughter, hugging Matt's neck tight. "Dat wash scareh!" Ben proclaimed, hugging himself tight to Matt. "I wove you, Dattie."
"I love you, too, son," Matt smiled, giving him a small, reassuring squeeze.
Ben took in a sharp inhale, his eyes locked on something in front of them. An adorably gooberish smile plastered over his face as he pointed across the park. "DATTIE! LOOK!" His voice was rather loud being right next to Matt's ear.
Matt itched his ear before looking in the direction of Ben's stubby finger. "What is it?" he asked.
Before Matt could really focus on what it was, Ben was struggling to get out of his arms. "UNCIE JAM! UNCIE JAMMIE!"
Hearing his called, Jimmy's head perked up before he began waving. "Hey guys!" he shouted before jogging over to the father and son. "What're you guys doing here today?"
Ben held out his arms, wanting to give Jimmy a hug. "Dattie's gonna swide wiff me!"
"Oh really?" Jimmy said, giving Matt a teasing look, who, in return, gave him a glare, mouthing, "Shut the hell up." Jimmy then chuckled before hugging Ben, taking him from his father's arms.
"Uh-huh," Ben hugged Jimmy's long neck tight, saying, "Come swide wiff us!"
"Alright!" He said before carrying Ben to the smaller of the slides, Matt following close behind, making sure Jimmy wasn't up to no good.
Ben wiggled down to stand on his own, hurrying up the stairs. When he got to the top, he reached a hand to Matt. "Dattie, can I sit on yer lap?"
Matt smiled, nodding before climbing up the stairs, joining Ben, holding his arms around him before saying, "Readyyy?"
He gripped Matt's pant legs, anxious to go down. "Yesh!" As they pushed down, Ben gave a shriek of happiness and then waddled to Jimmy, gripping his hand. "C'mon, Uncie Jam, come swide wiff me."
With this little hand gripping Jimmy's, and the offer to slide with Ben, Jimmy smiled big, feeling honored to be a part of this tiny human's world.