Mr. ED

Joshua is at my parent's house this week, while he is out of school. He left with them on Sunday from my grandparent's and will be with them until Thursday. My mom sent me this video of Joshua and the horse next door. This is not Joshua's first time to be around horses, but I think this horse got a little too close...ENJOY!

Christmas on Cainan

We are back from a wonderful Christmas on Cainan(that is what we call my grandparent's place). We had a wonderful 4 days visiting and relaxing and spending time together. This Christmas was a little bit different, we normally have a large crowd at my grandparent's but this year it was it was small and simple. It was nice! Don't get me wrong I LOVE my family and everyone in it, but I didn't know what to expect without everyone there, and it turned out to be great! Joshua had a great time being the center of attention! He is such a sweet little boy and he enjoyed being on Cainan! Joshua got to experience some new things while at Cainan other than his first Christmas to really be involved(which he wasn't so much come to think of it, maybe it was everyone taking pictures of him at 645am on Christmas morning, I am not sure....LOL!) Any who, he got to experience his first encounter with cows, like up close and personal(this one cow let us pet her), he also got to go fishing with daddy and Papa Joe. He loved to touch the fish but wasn't willing to wait for the fish to be caught(imagine that!). He also walked all the way up to the top of Dedication Hill, without any help from any of us. We kept asking if he wanted a piggyback ride or us to carry him and he would reply "No" and push our hands away. Anybody in my family knows how long and steep some parts of this hill can get, so we were all pretty impressed with this accomplishment. For those who don't, it is about 1/4 mile hike up a hill and towards the end it gets pretty steep. He was a tough little boy! He also got to experience the traditional Christmas eve service that we go to as a family to my grandparent's church and the traditional bible story reading about how Jesus was born and came to earth on Christmas day. This was a pretty awesome Christmas I must say! I missed all my other family members as well, but I know they were making memories of their own. I am glad we got to spend this Christmas out on Cainan away from all the hustle and bustle! I have highlighted our 4 day Christmas holiday with pictures, once again too many to post so here are a few. Enjoy!

Joshua on Christmas morning, the look says it all!

Going to church on Christmas Eve...he loved the singing!

Poppy reading "Twas the night before Christmas"

Christmas morning!!

Papa Joe, Daddy and Joshua Fishing

Joshua saying "Hi" to the cows....

The Family on Christmas Eve

Cows Up Close!

This is the walk up Dedication Hill

We played ALOT of Mexican train!

Getting out of the house for a bit...it was really cold!

We also did a lot of this...Sleeping!

Joshua spent some time looking out the window at the land, it was so cold that we had to take breaks and come inside so we could "thaw out"

My Perfect Gentleman!

I just thought I would do a quick post about my perfect little gentleman! Joshua is coming out of his shell more and more, mostly at school! I have been able to witness on several different occasions him being a little gentleman. For instance, a couple of weeks ago we were waiting for his teacher to get there(we do sometimes beat the teacher there...lol) and a couple of his friends started wandering in. The first little girl always checks out the classroom before she makes her way in and Joshua was standing at the door and waved and said "Hi", she said "hi" back but didn't move. So Joshua walked out to where she was and patted her on the shoulder (as if to say it is OK to come in) and then took her little hand and walked her in the classroom(talk about THE cutest thing you have seen). Then he went back to the door and another one of his friends was not wanting to come in and he did the exact same thing with her. So precious! Today, I was able to witness it again. One of his teachers brought a pet hamster in just for today (don't worry it was in a closed cage) and Joshua just loved looking at it. When his little friend got there and once again didn't want to come in, Joshua peeked around the door and pretty much "tapped" her on the shoulder and waved her into the classroom. I am pretty sure if he could say full sentences, he would have said,"Sophia, come and look at this really cool animal Miss Jennifer brought!" But since he is not quite there yet, he tapped and tugged on her coat until she came into the classroom and then took her hand and brought her over to where the hamster was. I just can't believe he is this precious and such a little gentleman at age 2! Uncle Chad and others might say he is a "player"(lol), but I am convinced that he is a perfect little gentleman and I know with a Daddy like his, he will always be taught to be a perfect gentlemen just like his Daddy still is!!!

2 year Stats!

Joshua had his 2 yr well check today and the doctor gave him a clean bill of health(YAY!). Joshua at 2 yrs old weighs 26lbs 1oz (30%) and is 34 in (45%) long. He was very cooperative while Dr. Thorstadt checked his ears, eyes and throat. He actually giggled for the first time when she checked his throat, he usually gags. He was giving Dr. Thorstadt his best smiles and giggles today, so much that she began to chuckle at him as well. What a little show off...ha! We discussed his different milestones and where he is at with them and he seems to be right on target with everything, except for his speech, which I wasn't surprised by. He is a boy, so he will be a little bit delayed, but she said that some time soon in the next few months he should just start talking up a storm. I am also glad to report that no shots were given out at the closing of our visit. Apparently, he was all caught up on his shots! Whoo hoo! The little guy escaped the shots! The doctor said he is done with his shots until he is 4 and we don't have to come back now until he is 3. We have hit the age were kids are only seen once a year, not once every 3 months...ha! So there you have it, a perfectly, healthy 2 yr old boy! I posted some random pics as well!

Joshua helping bake cookies

Spaghetti Night!

I sat at this table when I was little

Joshua reorganizing the cabinets

Look at me, I'm TWO!!!

Hi everyone, it's me again, Joshua (duh), but this time I am TWO!! Today is my birthday and boy oh boy did I have a great weekend celebrating my birthday! My family came in from out of town and my friends came over on Saturday for my party. I was so honored that all these people came over just for me!!! The party was pretty awesome, I must say. My party was all about music and dance and I loved it! Mommy and Daddy even had a lady come out and sing and dance with me and my friends. It was so awesome! I loved every bit of it and I did not stop for a minute! There were balloons and cupcakes and cookies galore! All my friends had fun as well. We pretty much all danced and moved until we dropped( some of us literally)! All that excitement happened on Saturday. Today on my actual birthday, my Mommy and Daddy greeted me with a birthday hug and kiss and then I went to school where they sang happy birthday to me 4 times! Mommy brought cookies and applesauce for a little mini party with my school friends and we gobbled it down. We even got to have juice boxes and have Mickey Mouse plates! I love Mickey Mouse, but who doesn't, really!? Tonight we celebrated a little more...Mommy made Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes and applesauce for supper! Then my cousins Dylan, Jordan and Kenzie and Aunt Missy came over to sing happy birthday to me one more time! Uncle Chad and Uncle JD had to work. So I blew out 2 candles one more time and giggled when they started to sing happy birthday. It was a very fun day, but I am wiped out! I got ready for bed and we played Captain Zoom's birthday song and danced and then it was off to dream land for me. I am thankful for all my cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents and friends that care about me so much that they helped celebrate me turning TWO!!! Tomorrow is not going to be a fun afternoon, because I go for my 2 yr well check and I have to get shots, but oh what fun turning TWO was for me! Pictures are posted below randomly from the celebratory weekend. (There were way too many pictures taken to post all of them)

B-day Mickey Mouse Supper

This is how I found Joshua this morning after leaving the room!

Shake, shake, shake...

Cupcakes and Cookies!

Joshua's mom here: Once again I just have to say that I am truly blessed to have a precious little boy like Joshua. He has the biggest heart and smile I have ever seen! He loves life so very much and makes the most of each and everyday in his little life! I honestly can't believe he is TWO today, when I put him to bed tonight, I got choked up, because I didn't want his birthday to end, because he is getting bigger and bigger each and everyday. I love watching him everyday explore new things and say new things. He brings such great joy to me and Dan and I am so very, very glad God chose me to be this precious little boy's mother. Sometimes, I over look how blessed I am to be given such a precious gift. Thank you Lord, for allowing me to raise and guide this child in the right direction!

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY MY LITTLE MAN! MOMMY AND DADDY LOVE YOU HEART AND SOUL!

Twas the Night before Joshua was born...

...and all through the house everyone was sleeping, except ME!!!! It is 10:14pm as I sit here and blog and I can't help but to think what I was doing this time 2 years ago. That's right I still remember it like it was yesterday. I still remember going to my last doctor's appt. and the doctor letting me decide if I wanted to have a c-section or be induced and I still remember once I made the decision to have a c-section, because I refused to push a 10lb baby out, her saying, "great, I will see you tomorrow(12-14) at 5am to have a baby! WHOA!! I remember the rest of the day seeming like I was floating and it was filled with phone calls telling everyone that it was going to be tomorrow. I remember my family all driving in anticipating the arrival of this precious baby. I remember eating at Chili's with Dan and Deb and even what I was eating. I also remember making a check list and making sure all the last minute details were all together and made. Everyone saying goodnight, because we all had to get up at 4am the next morning and I immediately began to cry. I was SCARED TO DEATH of what was about to happen. The major surgery, the fact that I was going to be responsible for another human being and the unknown!!! Which brings me to 10:30pm and the fact that everyone in the house was asleep even the soon to be Daddy and I was laying there staring at the clock. I can remember the minutes just ticking by as I tried to sing and pray myself to sleep. I remember thinking, how much I had wanted to be a Mommy my whole life and how I was doubting the fact that it was about to come true. All the different emotions that came over me while I laid there wide awake and how before I knew it, 4am was here and the alarm was going off. I don't think I slept at all the night before Joshua was born. There were too many thoughts and emotions flooding my body and mind on that sleepless night. BUT oh the next day, Dec. 14, 2007, oh that most precious day, the day that my little man made his grand entrance into the world.



Stay tuned for the next blog, the BIRTHDAY blog!!

Snow Video!

This video is of Joshua experiencing snow for the first time. I realize that it is not a true experience since not one flake stuck on the ground and we did not have any accumulation. I hope one day he will be able to experience TRUE snow, but for now, and the fact that we are in Texas, this is what we had to work with and he was so excited that he kept stomping his feet and moving up and down. You will have to excuse my squealing, I couldn't help it! Excitement over came me when I saw him getting excited about the snow and that the snow was actually looking like it might hang around for a bit, which it didn't! For a moment I forgot I was recording I was so excited! Enjoy the video!

Snowflakes and ECI

So, I was hoping to have a post totally devoted to the snow that hit central Texas today, but unfortunately it didn't quite do what they thought it would around the Austin area. We got a few flurries at times, but around our house nothing stuck. It was good none the less because Joshua got to experience his first snow(even if it was just a few flakes for 10 mins). He enjoyed it! Another plus to this snow, was that I got to get off of work 1/2 a day so that was nice. Any who, Joshua and I got to see the snowflakes fall outside and then we came in and warmed up and then Joshua took a 4 hour nap. I really couldn't believe it, he must have needed it. We ate dinner and then went to his ECI program's annual holiday event. When we got there he was a little confused as to why he was seeing Miss Katie, his therapist, outside of his house, but he had a good time. They had all kinds of things for the kids to do. They had pizza and cookies, craft stations setup and even Santa and the Mrs. stopped by to take pictures. Joshua decided to make a reindeer for his craft project and he did a fantastic job gluing the pieces on. We waited in line to see Santa, but not before grabbing a candy cane sugar cookie. YUM!!! Joshua was not as thrilled to see Santa as he was last year, probably due to the fact that he is a little more aware of what is going on this year(as far as strangers). We tried to get him to go up and take a pic by himself, but that was not happening, so we all got a nice family picture with Santa. The first one we took was Joshua screaming his head off and then I gave him a candy cane and he immediately stopped crying and looked at Santa and they snapped another one. I think it is funny that last year the pic with Santa was of Joshua looking at him and this year will be the same way...funny! After the pic we decided to leave so that we could drive around and look at lights. Before we left each family was able to choose a handmade blanket. The blanket had a cute little poem attached to it and who donated it. It was really neat! Joshua chose a race car blanket! So we took the blanket and went on to Starbucks to get some hot chocolate and drive around and look at lights. Maybe it is a little too early to be looking at lights, because we didn't really see a whole lot, but it was still fun none the less. Joshua kept saying ooh and counting 1, 2, 3 at the lights. It was a wonderful day over all. I love the cold weather and the fact that Joshua got to experience a little bit of snow. I have posted some pictures below from ECI and the snow!

Joshua eating his candycane cookie

Making his reindeer craft

Waiting in line to see Santa!

He looks like he is miserable here, but he was having so much fun!

Can't really see the snow, but it is still falling

CHORES!

Joshua has been quite the helper ever since he could walk, but here lately he has really wanted to help around the house. I was reading were they say it is good for kids to get involved in simple task around the house. Right now they are eager to want to help so why not let them help and in return later down the road it will not be such a surprise to them when they have chores. Joshua has started helping and even though we do not call them "chores" they are his special tasks that he does as part of the family. He loves doing these tasks and doesn't want any help in doing them. He will even go to your house and clean if you want(just kidding). So, we have decided to allow Joshua to have 2 special jobs that he and only he does on a regular basis. He picks up his toys and puts them back where they belong and he also feeds Milo, our dog. It is fun to see him so involved in part of the household duties. We love it and he does too! He will also go and get the broom out of the pantry and sweep the kitchen floor, he does a great job, he even makes sure to get under the table. When feeding Milo for the first time he didn't quite make it to the bowl(he got about halfway and then turned the cup over, food went everywhere). It was cute and of course we didn't have the camera or the flip video on us. He has gotten more accurate each time and after doing it for a little over 2 weeks, he has got it down and hits the bowl now. I am so proud of Joshua and his willingness to help. He is such a delight and I love all the new avenues that we are getting to explore with him. He keeps us on our toes, but it sure is fun!

Joshua "vacuuming" at Aunt Lisa's house...look how detailed he is.ha!

Bringing Milo his food...

great job!

Time to sweep...got get under the table and chairs

HAPPY CLEANING!!!!!!

Deck The Halls....

So, as I said in the last post, we got home early Sunday morning so we could decorate the house inside and out for Christmas. Since, we really didn't do a tree last year or anything too decorative I was very excited for Joshua to experience trimming the tree and seeing all the lights outside! Christmas is my favorite time of year, it just makes you feel good all over no matter what kind of mood you are in. Anyway, when we got home we began to decorate the outside with lights and garland. Joshua was busy running around and checking everything out and playing in the grass. Dan was on the roof hanging the lights and, I was well you know, supervising..lol. We got most of the decorations up just in time, because as soon as we plugged in the lights to see if they all worked the bottom fell out of the sky. So, it was perfect timing. Later that night we turned on some Christmas music and began to trim the tree. Joshua was so excited! We have a little tradition with buying an ornament each year to hang on the tree and this year Joshua picked out our ornament for 2009. It is Elmo hugging a Christmas tree and Joshua got to be the first one to hang an ornament, his Elmo ornament. He got so tickled at how they hung off the branches. We continued to trim the tree and Joshua lost interest after he hung a few more ornaments. It was a good evening all and all. We had to move a few ornaments around because Joshua kept thinking that the round ornaments were balls and he kept hitting them. He loves to go up to the tree and ring all the ornaments that have bells in them(which there are a few). Joshua loves the tree and the lights. I plugged in the lights tonight and he clapped and said "yay, Christmas!" lol. Sunday, I told him that we were going to decorate the Christmas tree and out of the blue, he answered back, "christmas?" I was so shocked, so of course I tried a few more holiday words, and this is what he said...Christmas (kissmas), Santa(ssss-ta), Dredel(da-del), and Hannukah(kannukah). Of course there are pictures below for your viewing pleasure!!

Aren't those P.J.'s adorable?

Hanging his Elmo ornament on the tree

Joshua helping with the decorations

Dan putting the lights up!

Look how pretty!

Giving Thanks!

On Wednesday evening, we loaded up the car and headed to Dallas to be with Dan's family for Thanksgiving. We started the drive pretty well, cruising right along listening to the radio and singing and talking about our day when we came to a complete stop. Not a complete stop as in a traffic light, but as in TRAFFIC! Now, I don't know why we do this every year, we know there is going to be traffic and we know we are going to sit for hours on end going nowhere, but for some reason we decided to leave after work again this year only to sit in what could only be described as a parking lot on I-35. All you could see for miles was red lights(brakes). If sitting wasn't bad enough, you throw a whining dog and an uneasy 2 year old in the mix and you got yourself a wonderful 6 hour(should have only taken 3) trip of a lifetime. We did eventually stop to stretch once we reached Waco, but it was a brutal trip and I am THANKFUL that we made it to our destination without any problems. On Turkey day, we hung out at Dan's mom's house in the morning and then in the afternoon we went over to Dan's sister, Lisa's house for dinner. Lisa and Nic hosted Thanksgiving again this year and they did a marvelous job once again. Everything was fabulous and it was fun to get to enjoy each other's company. I am THANKFUL for the Miller's and their great hospitality and cooking, so that we could enjoy a great Thanksgiving. Throughout the 4 days that we were there, we were able to see and visit with almost all of Dan's family and it was wonderful. His grandparents, dad, aunt and uncle all came down from Nebraska and we even got a surprise guest for Thanksgiving...Uncle Eric and his girlfriend Sara flew in from New York...it was top secret and they did a great job keeping it. We had just seen Eric the week before and he said he wasn't going to be able to make it for Thanksgiving, so when he knocked on the door it was a total surprise! We all hung out and visited with one another and Joshua and Kaden had a great time playing blocks and reading books, and chatting with each other. On Saturday, I went over to my cousin's house to watch Aubrey for Brittney and Jeff while they went with my family to see the Baylor vs Tech game. I am THANKFUL that I got to spend some quality time with Aubrey and have some "me" time(you don't really get that being the mother of a toddler). Aubrey is about 6 weeks old and she is super precious and such a sweet baby! I was able to spend some quality time with Brittney and Jeff so that made my short time with them so much sweeter. Dan came and picked me up early this morning and we made it to our house around 11am. We have been busy bees every since we got home, but that is for another post. I am exhausted so I will post about decorating for Christmas and trimming the tree in the next post. I have so much to be THANKFUL for and I could spend a great deal of time listing all the things I am THANKFUL for. The Lord has blessed me over and over again, and for that I am truly grateful. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I have posted some pictures from over the holiday, they are not in any particular order (remember I am exhausted...lol). Check back for some more NEW post later this week.