Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

We are in the midst of a heat wave right now, but it hasn't stopped us from enjoying lots of fun this week. On Wednesday, Joshua & I went to the Indianapolis Zoo with his buddy Ethan and my friend Holly. He really enjoyed the penguins, fish, seals, walrus, and rhino, but the elephants were definitely his favorite. He sang the marching song from Jungle Book and danced when he saw them! Ethan seemed very excited about the lions and sharks as well as the baboons.

That evening, we went to the fair as a family. So nice to people watch, have milkshakes, and pet the farm animals. Joshua was very enthralled with the little goats (and vice versa).

At least twice a day this week, we've also played in our own personal oasis in the back yard. Joshua's favorite part is when the hose is adding fresh, cold water to the pool. He's so good, though, to move on to new toys when it's time to turn off the hose.

Visit with the Eickmeyer's

Joshua & I made a special side trip on our morning walk today: we went to visit his buddy Henry and my friends Sarah and Jim. Sarah made a gourmet breakfast of cinnamon buns, luscious fresh fruit, and a fancy coffee drink. Joshua loved playing with Henry (as demonstrated with much hugging), checking out different toys, locating sticks, and trying to get to the dog. Henry seemed to like the attention, as long as he could keep a set of car keys.

Baby Levi was adorable. As is the case with many infants, he slept REALLY soundly during most of the visit. Once Levi woke up, Joshua was thrilled to smile at the baby while I held him. I'm so glad he's gentle with babies and credit Elmo with the babies are good PR.

Beatles Music on the Indianapolis Canal

One of the treasures of summer in Indianapolis is the frequency of good free music performed outdoors. On this lovely Thursday, we had a picnic dinner and watched a good Beatles tribute band performing at the Indiana Historical Society.

Joshua really likes these events. Not only does he enjoy the music (and shows it by clapping after each song), he also appreciates the scenery and, most of all, the dogs people bring. Mike and I laughed that we think the hillside of people behind us were betting on how long it would take before we needed to fish Joshua out of the canal. We had a few close calls...

Morning walk- in heat wave!

One of the best ways for me to build a daily walk into our routine is to go right after breakfast. So, after a healthy breakfast of an egg beater omelet and homemade low fat apple bread, Joshua & I are headed out the door for a walk and Mike is going to work. Usually, I take Joshua in the stroller, but today -- despite the heat-- I decided to carry him in the backpack for an extra big core workout. Joshua LOVES the backpack rides! Boy, did I laugh when I saw his arms up like this. Yeah, backpack ride.

Boy or many talents

Joshua loves to play with his blocks right when he wakes up in the morning-- I've mentioned that before. Today he added a new trick: he rearranged all his alphabet letters in a diagonal line on the fridge today!

Another trick he does daily now is bringing us a DVD case to tell Mike and me which movie he'd like to watch next. If we tell him, "Not now. Now is time to play/read/go swimming," he sometimes does a very exaggerated, down-turned mouth, sad face. I sure wish I could catch that priceless face on camera!! I'm not sure if he reads the titles or recognizes the pictures, but I'd love to ask him someday when he's older.

Faucet Fun

Joshua loves playing in the faucet out back. He likes to drink the water right out of the faucet(I've never seen a kid get so excited to drink water all day long like Joshua) as well as play in it. He can turn the faucet knob, so the water comes out faster, but he hasn't experimented with door knobs yet. Since it's almost time for bed, this was a great opportunity to let Joshua get soaked! So cute.

Doggie Haircut

One of the tasks I which I did monthly instead of quarterly is grooming our dog Daisy. Her hair is thick and curly, so it can be quite a job to trim it evenly if it has been allowed to get long. As you can tell from the frowzy photo or Daisy, let's just say more than a month has passed since the last haircut...

Joshua loves animals in general (especially dogs) and is very happy to "help" me groom Daisy. For much of the process, both of them were on my lap! It's so sweet how gentle they are with each other. There is clearly a special bond between toddlers and the family dog. One is fluffy,fun to chase, and tolerant of hugging, the other drops delicious morsels of human food.

Backyard Fun

Our sweet Joshua loves the outdoors. Going on walks, swimming, turning on the outside faucet to play in the water, and climbing on slides are daily highlights. Mike bought Joshua a fantastic climb and slide set. Joshua's face lights up at the mere mention of going out to play on it!

We often eat dinner outside on the Bistro and watch Joshua play. He checks out each garden area, the neighbor's swing set, and Daisy's pen when not climbing on his slides. The big temptation is not touching the tomatoes growing on the tomato plant. Notice the great picture of Joshua exercising self-control.

Daisy's vet appointment trip

I brought Joshua with me to take Daisy to the vet for her annual shots. I love going to that country vet. Dr. Brickler is terrific with animals (Daisy doesn't even cry when she gets a shot from him) and very knowledgeable about the latest research. Even better, though, he has a collection of animals. I really like llamas and peacocks. This time there were baby cow and baby sheep, too!
Joshua loves reading books about animals. He is especially fond of elephants and dogs, but he likes lots of creatures and can point to them is you ask about a particular animal on a page with several. It was very exciting for him to see real live cows, sheep, ponies, turkeys, and roosters.
The vet assistants really liked Joshua's visit, too. At one point, an assistant opened the door of the exam room before I had Joshua back in the stroller. He took of running around the corridors in the building. The faster he ran as I approached, the more they laughed. He's very quick!

Happy Fourth of July 2011!

I'm super late on updating this blog, but I want to capture this wonderful weekend before catching up on the fun we've been having the last couple of months. We spent the weekend much like normal. Our normal is still really something, though.

Joshua wakes up in the morning wanting a good hug, then time to play with blocks or arrange his little animals. After a few minutes of playing together, Mike brings a guitar into the kitchen for music time while I cook. Weekend breakfasts are multigrain pancakes or waffles. I sing as Mike plays guitar, then Joshua joins us to help Mike play guitar or watch me cook as he sits on my hip. We went for a lovely walk around the college, Mike swam while Joshua and I read. Then, Mexican food for lunch and naps for everyone. Swimming, barbecue dinner, church, more playing, then watching part of a movie together on the couch. Joshua loves Shrek, Jungle Book, and Dumbo right now. When Joshua goes to bed, Mike and I do a p90x workout.

Mike is on the mayor's committee to determine a plan for the land under the homes destroyed by the big flood three years ago. So, we all went to the Franklin Festival, where Mike ran a booth for public input. The highlights of the festival were Joshua's reactions to the community band and the water fountain. Joshua's face lit up with a huge Oh! when the music started. At the end of every song, he was the first person to break into applause. Such a music enthusiast!

It was one of those wonderful toddler days when he seems so big during the day- climbing, running, feeding himself with a spoon, choosing books and clothes, and helping put laundry into the washer. But at night, Joshua wanted to snuggle in my arms with a cup of milk, in almost nursing position, before going to bed. I love the big hugs and snuggling. He's so long now, he is almost as long as his crib when stretched out. When he goes to sleep, though, he's face down with his knees drawn up under him, next to his reindeer.

Mike is as romantic as ever. While walking to the car during the last bit of our date, he commented on how pretty the moon was, in the same crescent shape as the one the fishing child sits on at the beginning of some movies. We enjoyed watching fireworks in neighborhoods the whole way home. Like giant fireflies guiding us home.

Easter Sunday

We had a great time celebrating Easter today. We had a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, whole grain toast, and hash browns before having an abbreviated Easter egg hunt for Joshua. We had placed two or three eggs in several places around the living room and dining room for him to find (since its raining outside). However, he sat down and ate the contents of each egg as he found it! So, we picked up the rest of the eggs to dole out the candy over time. He sure does like mini M&Ms and jelly beans!

We enjoyed a local worship service and lots of family fun today. Joshua refused to eat a Peep, looking at me and saying, "Bird?". He's right- the Peeps do look like our canary, Peaches. I don't think we should eat them, either! I made my first solo attempt at Bunny Rolls. I would like a refresher from my mom next time she visits. I could only remember how to make one of the bunny shapes. The other thing I discovered it how time-consuming they are to make! She must have gotten up at 4 or 5am to have hot, fresh bunny rolls for us each Easter morning. How thoughtful of her. Mine were pretty good for a first attempt, but Mom is still the Queen of Bunny Rolls by a large margin.

Joshua like the little bottles of bubbles and his new baby animals coloring book a lot. Mike & I helped him color one of the pictures before Joshua decided it was time to pick up all the crayons. He is the most organized little guy I've ever seen. He doesn't seem to be growing out of this phase that he enjoys organizing things by placing them in containers. He's also doing a super job walking and climbing. He's a whole lot of fun for us.

Fun Visit with Old Friends

One of the great blessings that happened this year, was our friends Devon & Ed moved from Maine to Illinois. So.... not only are they much closer to visit, but we can also see Angel, Tom, Ava, and Quinny when they come to visit! About a week ago, Angel let me know they'd be driving to Illinois & Devon invited us to crash the family visit, too.

Joshua and I drove the three hours to Bloomington, IL yesterday and had a wonderful time. Joshua slept for most of the drive there, which was some kind of miracle. Angel, Devon, and their friend Hanna are so much fun to talk and laugh with. Tom and Ed are always a treat, acting as if they've been close brothers since childhood. Quinny looks much more like a toddler now and is as sweet as ever. Ava is nearly five and charmed Joshua thoroughly. He played with her almost constantly, laughing about her tickling him, chasing her (as she let him keep catching her), snuggling together to play the Dora game, learning how to write letters from her, using a Leap Pad game. Another huge treat was seeing baby Wesley. He's a very happy baby and clearly loved watching the three older kids play as he snuggled with every adult in the house, one at a time. I loved being able to spend time with everyone!

Joshua & I slept at a nearby hotel last night & he was a fun slumber party buddy! He woke up super early because he wanted to play with the kids again as soon as possible. (Notice the time on the clock.) We played in the room first with several cups and an ice bucket. Did you know how much toddlers like those? Then, we played on the hotel's carpeted stairs on the way to the lobby. Next, we went window shopping (I love 24 hours stores). Then, we went swimming at the hotel pool, Joshua took a long bubble bath and played with the cups again, I got ready, we ate breakfast, and headed over to Devon & Ed’s house again. All by 9:30am. I felt like a well-trained Marine.

Joshua & I came home today to be home in time to get Daisy from the boarder. Amazingly, Joshua managed to sleep most of the way again, so the first time wasn't a fluke. He must have the same car-sleeping gene as his Uncle Jeff, who somehow slept for every car trip I remember when we were children. I'm already counting the days until Angel & the kids stop here on Friday on their way back to Maine! I look forward to seeing Devon, Ed, & Wesley more, now that we know we live so close to each other.

More teeth, indoor camping, & a cleaning buddy

Our sweet little guy is cutting LOTS of teeth lately. Here is a cute picture of him showing us where a new one is poking through. Sometimes, Joshua tells Mike when part of his mouth is sore & needs Oragel. One morning last week, he said, "Oragel" to me. Can't get much more clear than that!

We bought Joshua a little play tent for Christmas. at the time, he was a little too young to be interested. Now, at the ripe at of nearly 18-months, Joshua loves the tent. He likes to read books or bring in little items to take in and out of a bucket or cup.

When we were little, my mom used to have us 'help' her with cleaning. Apparently, my brother Ken was particularly good at dusting bookshelves with a sock-covered hand. I'm not sure what my brother Jeff's favorite way to help was, but it seems like he washed dishes alot. Up until I left for college, mom would ask me to be her "Cleaning Buddy" & we would team up to finish chores in record time. It looks like I'll have a Cleaning Buddy, too! Joshua snagged the sweeper to sweep the dining room floor for me. He's so sweet.

Playing in the Park

Today was the second beautiful day in a row that we've been able to enjoy the wonderful spring weather!






Yesterday, we had the first long bike ride of the year- an hour out in the country with Joshua in a safety seat attached to Mike's bike. Then, we walked to the closest park to our house for some playtime.

Joshua loves being able to walk around and climb things. So far, he enjoys slides when he rides down with a parent, but hasn't tried a big slide on his own. (There is a tiny slide for toddlers at the Rec Center that he goes down by himself.) Joshua also loves to watch the other kids and contribute to playing in the sand by throwing handfuls onto their pile. I was amazed at the feat of toddler heroics he did yesterday: he climbed most of the way down a climbing thing!

Today, we brought Daisy on the walk to the park, too. Boy, does she love the outdoors. Her little tail wagged the whole time.

Thoughtful Boy

I wondered when Joshua would be old enough to show sensitivity and thoughtfulness. I figured that would come by the time he was school-age. By was I wrong!

Today, I'm not feeling very well and our sensitive little boy brought me his reindeer, the little toy he sleeps with during every nap and at nighttime. Talk about melting my heart!

Sixteen months

Wow! Thank goodness there isn't a penalty for blog truancy!

There are several new stories & updates to share about our very grown-up sixteen-month-old. Joshua has added a few words to his repertoire. At Tricia's house, he joins in with the other toddlers in saying No, Go, or Dora (as in Dora the Explorer). Here at home, he held up a sock while I was dressing him and told me it was a sock. He has attempted juice, thank you, yes, and please. A couple of nights ago, he said "Blastoff" while holding up his hands during the exact moment the kids on the show Little Einsteins were doing that. Oh, and he says dog quite a lot. Joshua is very excited about dogs.

Joshua's comprehension is amazing. During his recent cold, Mike & I talked to him about how much easier it would be for everyone if he held still when we wiped his nose. Since that conversation, we can take care of his nose with one quick, easy swipe. We love playing ball (Joshua has great skill at throwing balls) and reading books. Just ask him to go get a ball or book and he immediately gets the requested item.

Recently, Mike & I started doing more exercise DVDs at home. Joshua loves when we do yoga or ab exercises. Yoga poses create bridges for him to crawl under, while crunches are an invitation for him to lay on your abdomen and say, "Oh, Oh!" while he giggles. It's great fun. There have been several days that Joshua has let us know that he wants to go for a walk in the rec center by talking about and pointing to the backpack carrier. He has fun there after every walk on the track, playing with stray basketballs, watching people play racquetball, or going down the toddler slide. In fact, he likes racquetball so much he takes my small seive with a handle and bats at balls with it!

The last time I walked with Joshua outside on a sunny and unusually warm day, he walked on the sidewalk a bit instead of staying in the stroller. He was so cute about his excitement seeing his shadow for the first time! I wish I had a camera with me that day. I'll definitely take it with us on the next sunshine-y walk.

Joshua still has a super appetite for a little guy. Our "Little Tornado" eats most of a child-sized plate of burrito, rice, and beans at the mexican restaurant. He snags handy food off the kitchen table to feed himself with a spoon or fork (such as a recent cup of applesauce). Raisins, peaches, banana wedges, and oatmeal are favorite foods we could serve him every day. Each evening I teach, Mike & Joshua share chinese food. Joshua devours the rice (some by fork, some by fingers) as well as either chicken or broccoli from Mike. He communicated that he wanted something in the fridge twice today- once for pumpkin pie and once for grapes. It's common now that he appreciates getting food choices, not just choices about which outfit to wear each day.

Joshua is still very excited about music. He likes to sit at the piano with one of us to tickle the ivories, play with a toy piano, play with a toy guitar, shake a chicken shake to the beat of whatever music is playing, and dance to good rock music. He often turns on the living room radio.

Right now, Joshua is napping. Most days, he still has two naps, but he might talk to himself and play with his stuffed reindeer for a few minutes before falling asleep. Before naps, he likes to look through books by himself if Mike & I aren't already reading to him. Favorite books these days are The Little Blue Truck, God Knows All About Me, Fred & Ted, My Truck is Stuck, and We're Going on a Bear Hunt. However, there are at least ten other books in frequent rotation, too.