Cute stories about our sweet and smart boy!

Life has been a whirlwind lately, family vacation, my trip to Mexico, our week in the dorm at ACU and visiting my sister while Jay did camp, a wknd trip to Dallas for my friend's wedding reception, VBS, the fourth of July and Bandina and Honduras coming up! I don't have time to upload pics and tell about all that right now but I wanted to share some cute Josiah stories.

He is such a sweet boy, he is becoming so affectionate with us...offering kisses, hugs, pats on the back, etc. Two of my favorite things he does lately are that as I am rocking him before nap or bedtime he rubs my arm over and over starting at the top of my shoulder and running his hand all the way down to my hand...so precious. The other really sweet thing is that he loves to blow kisses to us as we leave his room at naptime and he makes a loud "muah" noise everytime he does it!

We've been working with him lately on saying "sorry" and giving hugs after getting in trouble for something. He complies with us, but I often feel like it was just that...compliance and not true remorse yet. The other day at church Josiah shoved another little girl and immediately looked at Jay with shame on his face. Jay told him to say "sorry" to the little girl. He turned to her and said and then tried to give her a hug...it was really sweet, we were so proud of him.

Speaking of church, used to and still sometimes, when we drive up to the building Josiah would say "dada." We eventually taught him to say "church" and recently we asked him as we pulled in to say it, but instead he started saying, "Jejus (Jesus), Goad (God)." He's been able to say those words for some time but it was neat to see that he made the association between the church building being about Jesus without our prompting.

Jay did the welcome on Sunday and the whole time he was up there Josiah was shouting "daddy, dada!" It was really cute but I couldn't keep him quiet...oops! Then during a video they played at the beginning of service the guy on the video said the word "again" and Josiah shouts out repeatedly "again, again, again!" He is normally in the nursery so we haven't trained him to play/sit quietly during church, I guess we have some work to do!

I'd been hearing Josiah going around the house saying "I-B-I-B-I-B" and it took me a while to figure it out but I realized he was singing "The B-I-B-L-E, yes that's the book for me!" He "sings" along when I sing "Jesus Loves Me" but it isn't at all recognizable.

A few wks ago he overheard Jay and his coworkers discussing prayer. And just at the mention of the word "prayer" he shouted out "amen!" Smart little cookie!

The first night of our family vacation he decided to boycott sleep (he does this our 1st night somewhere new). After several attempts unsuccessful attempts at rocking him back to sleep I decided to let him cry it out. I had been back in our room only a few minutes when Jay and I hear the crying stop, followed by a loud crash, screaming, then the pitter patter of little feet running through the Jack and Jill bathroom into our room. We probably put him back in that bed 10 times before out of desparation we strapped him into the car seat and drove around until he fell asleep and then we slept in the car with him until daylight. Thankfully, he stayed in his bed the rest of the week and we've only had this issue one other time when we were visiting my sister and I think he realized he wasn't going to win the battle hasn't tried it again since.

He also recently discovered how to take his diaper off. He woke up from a nap fussing in kind of an odd way so I decided to go check on him. I open the door and he is standing at the foot of his bed pointing to the floor and whining, I expected to see his lovey or puppy when I looked down but nope, it was his diaper. He now sleeps with pj pants on so it's not easy access to the tabs on the diaper. But he's taken his pj's off before too so we will see how long this works.

Yesterday he was standing on the ottoman in our living room reaching for the chain for the light and looking at Jay saying "light" which meant he wanted Jay to lift him up to reach it (he's fascinated with anything electronic). Jay told him "not right now" and so Josiah hopped off the ottoman and disappeared to his playroom for a second. Then he came running back out with his toy golf club and stood up on the ottoman batting at the chain to the light. Of course this didn't help him turn the light on, but he was giving it his best effort to try! I've said before he is strong willed but in that story I can see how his little tenacious spirit is going to help him be resourceful and driven in life!

He is really into tickling lately. So much so that the other night at dinner I hear him going "tick-a-tick-a-tick-a" and look over to see him tickling his chicken fry! Lol!

And he is all boy...lately when he toots or burps...he looks at you and laughs! Oh my!

Josiah's 1st Haircut

Josiah had his first hair cut yesterday at Snipits! I didn't really want to cut it yet but the rat tail and the random long bangs that were growing unevenly had to go!

He did so well the whole time. He was a little uncertain as to what she was doing spraying water on his head at first...but he warmed up quickly and started having fun!

After he was done he got to put his card in this machine and reach in and grab a prize! He got a little orange lizard...he looked at it and tried to put it back in the machine! Lol!

Catch up post!

Our precious boy is 19 months old now! Can't believe how fast he's growing up on us! He is such a delight, he makes me laugh all day long with his cute little personality. He is a super busy, very curious, strong willed, but sweet spirited little boy! We are crazy about him, he melts my heart about 100 times a day!

Lately he is really big into imitating us, he says lots of words and a few two or three word little sentences every once in a while. My favorite new thing he has been doing lately is reaching out to hold our hands at dinner time as soon as we are all at the table cause he knows we pray at the start of each meal. He will hold our hands through the whole prayer, bow his head sometimes, and when it is over she shouts "AMEN!" and throws his fist in the air! Precious! Little Jay in the making!

This pic is why I love having a DSLR! Jay and I celebrated our 6yr wedding anniversary last month! It's been a wonderful six years, the longer I am married to this man, the more I respect him and his integrity of character...so blessed!

We met my friend Becky and her daughter Emrey at Herman Park a few wks ago for a picnic. It was a blast! I'd never been to that park before and it is so cool for little ones! We rode the train over the park area, played, had a picnic in a toddler sized little covered picnic table, and fed the ducks! It was so good seeing our friends from Clear Lake too, we miss them!

Josiah loved the train! And he also really liked seeing his friend Emrey, as you can see in the pic!

Giant Swings!Josiah's first experience feeding the ducks! At first he was just curious but once the ducks came up close enough to eat what he was throwing out he had a ball, he was throwing furiously and cackling the whole time. It was a sad moment for him when there were no more cheerios and goldfish in his snacktrap to share with the ducks!

Us celebrating mother's day with Jay's parents at Market Street!

Jay and his mom! I am blessed to have her as my mother-in-law! Josiah being silly with Grandpa Jack!

My sweet mama...I am so thankful for her, don't know what I'd do without her!
We met my parents at Star Pizza then to Amy's Ice Cream for mothers day!

Josiah sharing his spaghetti with Papa Bear!

I have lots of vacationing coming up. First we are going to the beach with my parents, Jason, Lindsey and Ava for a week! Then I head to Mexico for my precious friend Hilary's wedding. This is her and her fiance, Drew! I am so excited for them and super pumped about spending 5 days relaxing in Mexico with my girlfriends and getting to be a part of Hil's wedding festivities!

Blogging is really becoming difficult for me since we got our new computer. I don't know what I keep doing but I accidently hit something that deletes everything I've done whether it's a blog or a long email I've written. This is my 2nd attempt at writing this blog, cause just as I was about to publish earlier it deleted the whole thing. So ANNOYING! I wish I could figure out what I am doing, it's driving me crazy!

Fousins and Mud Puddles, pics galore!

We've had LOTS going on the last couple wks....to highlight a couple of the bigger "happenings" I'll start with Jay and I's unforgettable 6 yr anniversary on Saturday! Jay had gone to get Josiah up from his nap so we could take him to our friends house for the evening, I had just put on my dress and was finishing curling my hair when Jay came around the corner with Josiah in a towel and announced "I don't think we can go tonight." He had walked into Josiah's room to get him and he was standing in his crib screaming and covered head to toe in puke (we still don't know how it got on his head, in hair, and eyes?!) He had come down with an untimely and aweful I might add 24 hr stomach bug! So our fun anniversary date we had planned was replaced by taking care of a vomiting child, debating on going to the ER cause it was so bad there for a while, and squeezing in bites of Pei Wei take out (that somehow lost its appeal under the circumstances) and watching a Direct TV Cinema movie called Everybody's Fine (which actually was a really good movie just not very date night-ish). Then Monday night Jay and I both came down with the dreaded bug and Josiah seemed to have a relapse of it on Tuesday...it was a rough start to the week but we were all better by Wednesday, praise the Lord!

Now...onto more happy "happenings"...last week Lindsey and Ava came for a visit and we had SO much fun being together with our kiddos! It was crazy busy with the two of them and their different schedules, but we got to enjoy some good sister time at night once the babes were asleep!I am slightly obsessed with this baby girl!
The "fousins!"

Josiah was so good with her!

I love his little hand wrapped around her in this pic and the way he is looking at her with such intrigue!

He LOVED playing in her gym with her! Once when she'd had enough, Lindsey picked her up and took her back to their room to put her down. Josiah heard her crying and grabbed the activity gym by the top and dragged it all the way to her room...he also would take the burp cloth to her anytime she cried, I think he thought it was her lovey!
My sweet niece!

I forgot to rotate this one, but I love her little flirty face here!

Ya Ya came out one of the afternoons to hang out and steal Linds and Ava back...Josiah was so happy to see her!

Ya Ya and her grandbabies!

Um....are there words for such preciousness?! I just want to eat her up!

We went to my cousin Shelley's house for a playdate with all the cousins with kiddos and my aunts! This is Benjamin (Bret and Jen's oldest) and Kate (Tim and Shelley's youngest) lovin' on miss Ava!

Everyone... except Jen and Mia (Jen left to go get her when we took this). This was the day before Josiah got the bug (you can tell from the pics he wasn't himself this day either...poor baby!)

Aunt Vicki stealing cuddles from Josiah!

The kiddos eating lunch together!

Just a random pic of my handsome boy!

Wednesday morning we played outside for a long time while Daddy did yard work. Josiah was so happy to get out of the house since he'd been couped up all day on Tues while we were sick. He's so all boy...it took him about .2 seconds to discover this mud puddle on the side of our neighbors house! He was covered so quickly I decided not to mess with stopping him and to grab the camera instead!

Once he got muddy I guess he decided he should help daddy with the yard...make it look like he worked for that dirt! =) And after all that work a boy has got to kick back and relax...some cold juice in his sippy and he was a happy little camper! =)

We are LOVING our new camera...can you tell?!

Easter

We had a packed, fun-filled Easter weekend! Jay went to LTC Friday night to support the youth in their events and all three of us went for a while on Saturday morning.

Saturday afternoon we went to Eggapalooza for easter egg hunt #1! (This was a super cool event our church hosted as an outreach to the community at a park nearby, there were easter egg hunts, train rides, moonwalks, face-painting, snow cones, etc. ) Unfortunately, Josiah wasn't feeling real well most of the weekend. But somehow he managed to perk up anytime there was an easter egg hunt! We had a blast!

Note the bib...yes he is still Mr. Drooly!

Mmmm....wrapper and all!

Sunday he got up and discovered his basket from the easter bunny and then Yaya and Papa gave him a basket(they went to Eggapalooza and spent the night with us)!

Before church...we couldn't get a pic of all 3 of us cause Jay was already there, then things got so hectic that we forgot to get one while at church or once we were home! Oh well! We headed to church, where he participated in egg hunt #2 with the rest of the pre-school aged kiddos. He had the most fun at this hunt, he was going after eggs and throwing them in his basket like a wild man...when his basket was overflowing he started helping his friend Grace fill hers up!

(Grace is right behind him in the white dress!)

Josiah sat through most of service pretty quietly, entertained by Yaya putting stickers all over him, but towards the end he'd had enough so he and Yaya went out to visit the Easter Bunny in the lobby. He wasn't sure what to think at first...

But I guess after checking him out good he cooperated for a quick picture!

After church we grilled out with my parents and after Josiah's nap his Freckles and Grandpa got here for egg hunt #3 and to give him an easter basket! We may overdone it a little with all the egg hunts...but the first two were events we had to be at so it wasn't like we were not going to let him participate...and the 3rd was cause I wanted us to create our own family tradition. But by the 3rd time around he lost interest after picking up about 3 eggs...he just wanted to play outside with his new bubbles!

Later that evening enjoying all his easter goodies!

We had lots of fun doing egg hunts and easter bunnies, etc. but the most important part of the wknd was celebrating and reflecting on Christ's victory over the grave, and that we who are in Christ now share in the resurrected life! Thank you Lord!

side note: we are anxiously awaiting a new camera...we are getting our first DSLR and I am so excited that I will actually be able to capture the moment instead of missing it while waiting for the flash to go off...

ALSO....Linds and Ava are coming to stay with us next wk and I CAN'T WAIT!!! Rest assured I will be using my new camera to capture the "fousins" together! If you didn't know a fousin is a cousin who is also a friend, and Josiah and Ava are sure to be great buds!