Busy Boy

Well, we're taking the camper out the first week of May which means no crib. We could take the pack-n-play but we thought we'd try something else first. We changed his crib over to the toddler bed and put up a safety rail. If that worked, he could just use the bed in the camper. VOILA! It's a hit! He can get in (barely) and out on his own, though he has only gotten out once and that was at the end of a nap when he was ready to get up. We're sure he'll quickly pick up on the fact that he can just get out if he doesn't want to nap but we're hoping he will just come on out when he's done sleeping instead of crying or calling.

"Hi"

We have also been working on drinking out of a grown-up cup. He does pretty well up to the point he's done drinking - then he just wants to dump the rest of it on his face for fun. It crossed our minds that all this may be too early but he really is quick on the uptake and eager to try new things. He gets all excited drinking out of a real cup.

He follows many commands also: "get/bring your ____" which includes quite a large number of items not all of which are toys, "close the door", "put it back", "put it in the trash", "let's go" - which he then goes to the door and then to the car door where his seat is depending on which vehicle we tell him we're taking. If we tell him "let's go outside" he goes to the back door. He really does surprise us by how much he absorbs.

Here's some more Bath time fun

We got an annual membership to the Indy Zoo this year and we think it's safe to say he LOVES IT!! He can do sounds for about 10 animals and he makes the sounds as he sees the animal. We sometimes will be walking somewhere and he'll start saying "Ooo Ooo Ooo" while beating his chest and we'll look around and see a monkey something-or-another. Well, the zoo just kicks that up a notch.

He'll smack his lips for fish

OK, well, what sound does a meerkat make???

A lion says "RRRRrrrrr"

Oh, and another fun thing he likes to do. When we go to the store we will just put him in a cart in which he stands at the front and holds on. We know some people will freak out about a unrestrained toddler in a shopping cart but, hey, he's a boy, he's fearless, and he just flat out loves it. Anyway, his new thing now is to stand at the front of the cart waving and saying "Hi!" to everyone we pass. He has quickly figured out that by doing this, inevitably, someone (or two or three) will come over and start doting all over him. WHAT A STINKER, HAM, BOOGER!

Till next time,

M, J, & J

Boys will be boys

Josh is continuing to grew leaps and bounds. He is learning more new words and lots of animal sounds. He has been a "daddy's boy" lately which makes it difficult when Matt is at the firehouse for 24 hours. Oh well, next week it will be all about mom.

We had our first all boy experience the other day. Josh was really crabby because he was cutting his top molars so were getting ready to leave for Dairy Queen when we heard the thud. Josh tripped over a toy and hit face against the step in the living room. He didn't cry for very long, but his eye was little bloody and a lot purple. Josh's first, of many to come, shiners.

This is what his eye looked like the next morning.

Here is Josh's eye a few days later. Even now, over a week later there is still some purple going on.

Laundry day is always fun for Josh. He helps pull clothes in and out of the laundry basket. Today he decided to push the empty laundry basket all over the house.

Josh went absolutely crazy over the empty milk jugs. He carried them around for two days. Finally, I decided to fill the jugs with something to make noise which was a big hit.

Finally, some nice weather. It was pretty windy this day, but who cares when it's almost 70. Josh loves to be outside and going for bike rides. He is even learning to push is helmet out of his face while on the bike. Plus, looking at this picture we thought Josh looks like a little man. What do you think?

Just another adorable picture of our little boy playing with his fire truck.

Love to all,

Matt, Jenny and Josh

Food Tantrums - Solved?

Well, it's been an eventful few days around here. First, Josh was able to romp with his cousins on Saturday and Sunday. Boy, do they enjoy playing with each other. Secondly, Josh seemed to be coming down with a cold on Sunday. Well, it wasn't a cold but two molars coming in at the same time. Ouch!!!! He isn't sleeping or eating very well right now and his nose is a non-stop faucet. Of course, mom and dad aren't sleeping well either. Hopefully this will pass soon.

The big news is we think we found a solution to food tantrums. Yeah!!! My mom did this with me so why not do it with Josh. Matt and I got the step stool out so that Josh could be at the kitchen counter with us. He loves it. He gets into everything and it seems to keep the food tantrums from escalating.

Josh can climb up and down the stool himself. Although we do keep an eye on him. He also tries to push the stool from one side of the kitchen to the other as we move about getting food ready.

This is the dangerous part. Trying to teach Josh about "hot" while near the stove, but he does a good job of stirring though.

Yum, I love eating the carrots mom is cutting up!

The picture below is just a funny picture of Josh. Somehow he stuck this chip in his hair. Who knows what he was thinking?

Love to all,

Matt, Jenny and Josh