Rocking Chair

Joshua surprised me yesterday with a new skill. Not only can he walk beautifully now, he can also climb quite well. I had been cooking for a few minutes and went to his room to see how he was playing, only to find him seated comfortably in the rocking chair! Apparently, he uses the nursing stool for a little boost and the back rails as a handhold to climb in. If you hand him a book, he'll sit there for a few minutes- just like he does when Mike or I sit him on a lap to read a book!




His favorite game right now is putting things into containers. He loves stacking cups and filling envelopes. His Weebles now live in the mesh pocket that hangs from the side of his pack-n-play, the letters from his phonics game are often found in visitors purses or my work bag, and putting the rubber blocks into the toybox is now great fun. Also, the trash cans are off limits to prevent throwing away toys or, worse yet, taking trash out to play with it.



The surprise toy of the season is a Santa's Workshop lunchpail with little figurines of a tree, Santa, an elf, Rudolph, a gingerbread man fence, and a present. He plays with those a whole lot, either by himself or bringing them to Mike or me to play. he loves it when we sing a Christmas song about the figurine he brings. We hadn't expected him to be interested in characters yet, but he spotted the set at Kohls on Black Friday and was clear that he wanted it. He's played with the set every day since.





Joshua loves reading together as much as ever. The first thing he does in the morning is grab a book or two and hand them to me to read to him. When he plays by himself, he sits a flip through books when he isn't playing with nesting cups. He gets excited and points to his name on the wall whenever I change his diaper. Joshua also loves making music. He "sings" with some songs, like the Music Machine CD, and loves to tickle the ivories when Mike or I play piano. He also plays his toy piano, jiggles my chicken shake, or rattles some jingle bells throughout the day.

Teachable Moments

Sometimes Mike has such tremendous insights about catching teachable moments & I am grateful all over again to be blessed with such a wonderful man as my husband.

Last Monday, I called Mike just before teaching my evening class and he told me that Daisy had been very sick all over the kitchen. He cleaned the kitchen and placed her in her kennel in the garage. Let me tell you, as messy as she was when I came home, I can only imagine what my heroic husband had already cleaned up.

At breakfast time, Mike told Joshua that Daisy was sick and that we need to pray for her. He said that Joshua should pray in his heart, too, because God hears the prayers of children. I wondered when it would be time to talk to Joshua about prayer. Let me tell you, thirteen months old is not too young. Joshua seemed to understand the conversation. Plus, in the morning, Daisy began to eat and drink again.

I'm happy to report that Daisy made a full recovery. She and Joshua were adorable playing with Daisy's stuffed sheep, Henrietta a couple of days ago. Daisy has a whole lot of puppy still in her, yet she is tremendously gentle with our little man.

I'm also happy to say that I have a fresh perspective about praying with Joshua. Not just praying aloud before meals or starting a drive, but much more importantly, to include him in praying for those who are suffering and for His guidance.

Wonderful Weekend - and New Tricks

We had a wonderful weekend!Mike took a half day, so we could go hiking again. It's such a treat to see the lovely foliage while we walk. This time, we tried a trail in the Hoosier National Forest. Joshua loved the view and slept very little. He particularly loved the break in the middle that he got to sit on the ground to play with leaves, sticks, and dirt.

While hiking, the acorns reminded me of chestnuts. After that mental leap, I started thinking about The Christmas Song. My sweet husband was very supportive of the decision to bring out the Christmas music books (even though it isn't even November yet). I played a few songs on the piano, Mike blew my socks off with the most intricate version of O, Holy Night I've ever heard. He alternated between playing piano and guitar. I enjoyed singing and Joshua did some singing, too.

In addition to making great music, we played a lot, went to church, read books to Joshua, and took him on a nice long bike ride. Joshua did a fantastic job in the nursery at church and played well the whole time. At home, he showed off a new skill: turning his body around so he could lower his legs from the couch while facing it. I didn't know he could do that yet, but Mike said he's been doing that maneuver for a few days now. Joshua is also taking more steps in a row, toddling with his arms stretched out in front of him for balance.

First Birthday Party

We celebrated Joshua's first birthday with a few friends today! Joshua knows Henry from the walks his mom Sarah & I enjoy several times a week. Ethan and Sophie are fairly frequent playdate buddies- both of their moms are friends from Bible Study Fellowship. Although the moms and kids had never met each other before today, we all had a great time together. The kids played very well together, frequently trading and sharing toys. The conversations with my mom friends was super - and pretty much nonstop.

For food, we had toddler finger foods (teddy grahams, goldfish crackers, cheerios, and jello), some of my favorite foods (bread and fondue, hummus and veggies), and cupcakes. The theme of the party was Thomas the Train, so the banner, party hats, plates, and little flags on the cupcakes all featured Thomas. Also, each child got a Thomas ball and a book Joshua and I selected for him of her a couple of weeks ago.

We had a family mini-party last week, too, with Mike and I sharing cupcakes with Joshua and opening presents from family. Joshua was a big fan of cupcakes -- especially the frosting! Kendall, Ezra, and Emma sent a fantastic book about trucks. Joshua has really enjoyed his new toys: the Weebles playhouse and other gifts were so thoughtful and are a big hit! We are so blessed to have such wonderful family, on holidays and always.

Perfect Weekend

I had the most perfect weekend! Mike worked half a day on Friday, so he could take us hiking in Brown County State Park. The weather was glorious- a magnificent fall day with the leaves at the peak of their color. We all enjoyed the hike, including Joshua, who was propped in the carrier on Mike's back. Joshua liked waving a little twig in the air and "talking" about how much fun he was having. That evening, Mike & I watched the Book of Eli after Joshua went to sleep. Joshua is fabulous about his 8pm bedtime now, hardly making a peep before falling asleep for the whole night. The movie was a bit violent, as you'd expect from a post-apocalyptic movie, but the message about faith was very powerful. I'm glad I saw it.

On Saturday, we enjoyed waffles with strawberries, listened to Mike playing piano (including a new song he composed), went on a walk around Franklin College, straightened the house a bit, and played a lot with Joshua. Then, Mike & I had our first babysitter over to watch Joshua so we could go on a date. I enjoyed the Olive Garden dinner, coffee at Starbucks, date movie from Redbox, and -- most of all -- the wonderful man I married. Mike is so much fun and so romantic. I am extraordinarily blessed.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a walk, a bike ride, playing in the park, both piano and guitar music, a marathon nap, and lots of home-cooking. Joshua smiles so much when he swings at the playground and adored the slide. Mike held him as he went down, but it was still exhilarating. Joshua is an adventurer, I can already tell.

Morning Routine

Every morning, Joshua & I wake up first. After a quick nursing (not a tradition we'll have for much longer), we play in his bedroom until breakfast time. Joshua loves going to his bookshelf and pulling out a couple of books. Then, he sits looking at them and turning pages. He also likes being pulled onto my lap to read books together.

After that, he explores the perimeter of the room to play with the toys I've spread out to encourage roaming. One of his all-time favorite toys is the Drop & Giggle my friend Amie gave him at my Maine baby shower.

Boxes

We received a big box in the mail yesterday, containing birthday gifts from Memere & Pepere. As soon as we removed the actual presents to save them for next week, Joshua began playing with the box. I remember enjoying big boxes, too. When I was a little girl living on military bases, I got so excited when a new neighbor moved in, so I could adopt the refridgerator box and make a playhouse or car out of it.

Notice the stray sock in the background. Joshua loves taking off his socks when he begins to play. We always need to do a quick sock-check when we are about to leave any location.

Coloring Fun

When Joshua & I were grocery shopping today, I enjoyed chatting with another mom (there's no such thing as a stranger). Apparently, her daughter was coloring in the lines by 18 months. I hadn't even tried coloring with Joshua yet since I thought he would eat the crayons. I sat with him on the floor of the garage today and colored with him! I only needed to mention drawing on paper, not eating the crayons a couple of times before he got the hang of it. Joshua also likes putting crayons back into the box. He's a born organizer.

As you can imagine, I'm saving his first picture!

Yeah, Toilet Paper!

I left the bathroom door open for just a minute, while I went to the kitchen. When I returned, Joshua was gleefully unrolling the toilet paper roll. He had such a marvelous smile, I ran for the camera to capture the moment before stopping him from further unrolling. He is so much fun!

Camping Trip Pictures

We had another great camping trip "down home"-- to some family land near Shades State Park. There is no substitute for the special family time while camping. We talk, read, play cornhole, hike, practice archery, sit around a campfire,look at the stars at night, play guitar and sing... Joshua adores the outdoors, just like us. He played more with sticks, acorns, and leaves than his toys! After one hike, I spotted a hollowed out tree, so we took pictures with Joshua in front of it. The mornings were a little chilly, so he didn't mind wearing the adorable hat.

AppleWorks Visit

One of our favorite weekend haunts at this time of year is the orchard Appleworks. They have delicious apples and peaches as well as a heavenly setting and adorable petting zoo. The grounds are a wonderland spread over a pictureque area of land with a creek, pond, waterfall, and several garden areas. The gift shop sells baked goods that feature their fruit, crafts, jellies and honey, and one wall is covered with funny plaques. My favorite one warns that "Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy". The petting zoo has a donkey (Joshua's favorite), a miniature cow with sweet eyes, several friendly goats you can feed by hand, a turkey, and a peacock.

Exploring the House

Joshua loves his new mobility! He can crawl from one end of the house to the other at lightening speed. He also stands and cruises along couches and chairs. One of his favorite places is the kitchen, where he can open drawers I set up with soft things for him (placemats and oven mitts). Daisy has learned to eat in quick bursts since I can only put her food and water dishes down for small amounts of time when Joshua is occupied in some other room.

Like most 10-month-olds, Joshua's other new skill is finding new spots to squeeze into. Apparently, it is an important part of developing a sense of one's size as well as coordination. I caught a picture of him when he was under our coffee table this morning. The cubby is only 18 inches wide! Too bad the camera wasn't fast enough for his proud grin without being fuzzy!

Beefaroni!

Joshua is doing a wonderful job feeding himself finger foods. His favorite are banana bits, beef stew, toast fingers, fresh peach nuggets, watermelon pieces, red jello, and Beefaroni. I like feeding him Beefaroni- the way he gets covered in the deliciousness is so adorable. As you can imagine, the next stop is bathtime!

Indiana State Fair 2010

If it's super hot and the middle of August, it's time for the Indiana State Fair! The annual trip to the Fair was extra special since it was Joshua's first time. He did a wonderful job travelling in the stroller most of the time. Seeing all those people and animals was fascinating for him (and us, I admit it).

Joshua was pretty intrigued by the World's Largest Sow, but he got very excited about the donkeys. He likes goats a lot, too. Mike & I each enjoyed a famous Dairy Barn milkshake and shared the annual elephant ear. That sweet, sweet man even gave me the last bite!

Seeing the tractors is always a treat because Mike talks about what it was like growing up on a farm. No wonder he is so patient- the tractor he used to plow fields was quite slow and there weren't iPods back then to keep someone entertained...

Family Visit- Summer 2010

We had a fantastic time visiting family during the first weekend in August. Jeff & Heather were so sweet to host a big gathering at their house. Kendall, Ezra, Emma, Mom, Dad, Donna, Uncle John, and Aunt Jean were so thoughtful to make the trip to a common location, so we could spend more time visiting than driving.

We had a wonderful time relaxing by the pool. Jeff brought Joshua in to enjoy the water several times. Meghan, Matt, Ezra, and Emma did a great job playing with Joshua- both in the big pool and the little kiddie pool. Mom, Heather, and Jean looked like very relaxed beauties sprawled out on their floats. Uncle John took the prize for the most patient tanner; he was poolside more than anyone else! Ken was so sweet playing stack & knock over games with Joshua.

As usual, Heather was quite a hostess. She effortlessly manages to place everyone in a comfortable sleeping spot, provide lots of entertainment options, and delicious meals- all while still spending time with us!

I really enjoyed the washers tournament. Meghan and Kendall should take their team on the road. They are unbeatable! The day trip into Plymouth with Meghan, Heather, Mom, Joshua, & Aunt Jean was a spectacular day. We stopped in a few places, like the award-winning cupcake shop (always let Meghan choose the cupcakes!), the gardens behind the historical Society, a charming bakery (see any theme?), and a gift shop alley. Then, we walked back to the car along the waterfront.

Sailing Adventure

A few days before leaving for a trip to New England to visit family, I told Mike that I would like to go sailing someday. Someday- like within the next five years. The same day, he showed me a pamphlet he had picked up the previous time we went to New England!
After leaving Jeff & Heather's house, we went on a sailing adventure. What a marvelous time! The day was sunny and breezy, the boat was a beautifully-restored 1911 vessel, and the company was spectacular. Joshua was mesmerized by the view of the water and gained sea legs immediately. (We kept a good grip on him!) Mike and I both helped unfurl the sails before sitting to take in the gorgeous views. It was an amazing day!

Indiana Dunes 2010 Trip

We just got home from our second annual camping trip to Indiana Dunes. (Yes, Joshua was in utero last time.) We had fantastic weather: 85-95 and sunny, with a nice breeze. Joshua was pretty amazed at the sand and lake. He wasn't sure he liked them at first, but he realized how much fun the beach was pretty quickly. He embraced the sand as much as Mike & I, getting covered with sand from head to foot.

On the first day, the lake had much higher waves than we had seen there before, so the lifeguards were trying to keep people out of the water to avoid the undertow hazard. Every half hour or so, there was a funny announcement, "If you find yourself in the water, please exit immediately." How do people accidentally find themselves in the water? Whoops! I was watching Magnum PI, then I noticed that I was in the water...

Joshua ate some sand before learning to just play with it. He liked watching other children build sandcastles and knocking down the little sand towers Mike & I made for him. He thought sea gulls were fascinating, watching them fly by or trying to crawl to the ones on the ground. Joshua liked piling sand on our feet and standing over us as we lay on our beach towels. He's so rarely "taller" than us, he got such a big kick out of that. He loves to kiss noses or chins and touch people's teeth when they laugh.

On the first evening, we hiked the dreaded Mt. Thom to a secluded part of the beach. There, we sang and played guitar, then watched a spectacular sunset. It was a very romantic spot. Joshua liked trying to strum the guitar when he wasn't playing with the grass and driftwood he found in the sand.

Good Exercise

All the crawling and playing is such good exercise! Here is an adorable picture of Joshua taking an impromptu nap!

He looks so tall and grown up, doesn't he? He's wearing 12-month clothes now.

Creeping & Crawling

Joshua is so mobile now! He loves crawling around the house to explore and play with favorite "toys" in each room. In the kitchen, he likes to dump out Daisy's water dish and splash in the water. In the living room, he knows exactly the right spot to push on the DVD player to get that gratifying beep that occurs when it turns on. He likes to watch the bubbles form in the washing machine, too. He is so full of fun! He'll crawl to Mike & I if we call him, saying "Come along, Joshua!" It makes me smile every time.

Now, he's also pulling himself up beside chairs and window sills, too, not just the wall at the kiddie pool. He creeps along well, letting us know that walking without assistance isn't too far away. He will currently walk with you for a few step if you hold his hands.

Taking pictures of Joshua while he's playing with something has become a little more challenging. He loves getting his picture taken and rushes in for a close-up. So, I have lots of very close face shots and pictures of his bottom as he races toward me!