Can you have too many?

Wow...updating the blog for the first time since April. Lack of decent computer access and time are the 2 excuses that top the list, and I'm going to leave it at that!

Joseph turned 3 on September 22nd at Walt Disney World. It was amazing and I'm planning to do a detailed blog/journal on our entire trip as I have time, so check back! (but please be patient).

We did have a special birthday meal for him there, and he thought ALL those people at Disney World were there for HIS party, it was cute. Last week, I brought snacks to school for his party, and we had a small family party in Warren since no one else got to celebrate his actual birthday with us. I think I'm starting something...when he turned 2, he had 2 parties. Now, for #3, we've ended up with 3 parties. I don't know if I would survive 4 parties...

Here are pictures from each.

How many 3 year olds can say Mickey Mouse helped them blow out the candles? Not only was the cake cute, but it was really good too!

Part of the Tigers group. Joseph was mostly interested in picking the candy off his M&M cookie.

The family party. The plan was for all of it to be at the City Park in Warren, but due to cold temps and the threat of rain, the party moved to Mazzio's.

Well, check back, and I'll try not to disappoint!

My little Handyman

He's pretty good at fixing things...


You know he's got a future in the business because he's already got the rear view down!

Cute!

These are from January, but I've got to catch you up slowly! Here is some proof of what happens when you don't pay attention to how you are putting on a hat!

CRAZY hair! Of course, I couldn't have made it stand up like that if I tried!

Merry Christmas Ya'll

A Joseph Christmas retrospective...

Christmas #1...no idea!

#2...starting to figure it out!




#3...I want a truck and a trailer and a rubber track and a...

The boy knows what is going on this year, and is very excited! We've had a lot of fun, cutting, baking and decorating cookies to leave out for Santa (and eat ourselves). Joseph has a tree in his room, which is featured in his #3 pictures, and he's very proud of it. He decorated it himself, and in most cases hung more than one ornament per branch. He also helped decorate the big tree and likes to count the ceramic Santa Clauses on the mantel. Another favorite is his Little People Nativity set. We went to the Christmas service at Rock Creek today and he did great for his first visit to "big church". He sat very still and really seemed to like the music, which Mom and Dad enjoyed as well.

To all of our loved ones who read this, Merry Christmas and take care!

Pumpkin Patch Parties, Biking & more

So, back to Halloween for a minute... Ever since we went to Cara's birthday party at the pumpkin patch (see previous post), Joseph calls every pumpkin he sees a "pumpkin patch party". So, imagine seeing a field of lit pumpkins at Boo at the Zoo! What fun!

Here, with Dad at Boo at the Zoo. We didn't costume up for this, but he did wear his lighted Halloween shirt...thanks Aunt Claire!

The party at KidCo on Halloween day. We just dropped in for the party. And I must say, the juice boxes were a BIG hit! Joseph is sitting by Brooks, his partner in crime.

Now, where did I put that candy?

YEE-HAW!!!

Opening weekend of deer season, and Daddy got an 8-point buck (or as Joseph would say "That's a buck deer, have horns") Kid was totally into it! Kinda grossed me out!

Jon's office had a weekend retreat at Petit Jean State Park, which was awesome. They treated for the weekend, and we enjoyed our stay in Mather Lodge. Saturday was very cold and windy, but we bundled up and got outside anyway! We hiked the Bear Cave Trail and the Rock House Trail. That afternoon, Jon had fun orienteering with the group while Joseph and I took a nap.

Sunday was much nicer and we hiked the Cedar Creek Trail before heading home.

To get Joseph excited for the weekend, we talked about it alot. When asked what we were going to do, his answer was always "Um, go BIKING!" Finally after 2 days of actually doing it, he said "Hiking!".

The coveralls were a great handle to keep him from barreling off the edge of a cliff...

A little bit of rock climbing thrown in for good measure.

Pumpkin Patch

My Be TWO!!

Cowboy Joe

(Blowing out the candles, with Mom "in motion")

As Joseph likes to say! We really talked up his birthday and party for the few weeks before. He would go around saying "my birf-day comin' up" and "my be 2!!" He was very excited as we talked about grandparents coming, opening presents and eating cake. We went the Saturday before the party to get his cake because the bakery is closed on Sundays. Well, as you can see below the cake was pretty awesome and amazingly heavy. I had Jon bring it to me to hold in the truck...Joseph watched all this and kept saying "my hold it, my touch it". He was very excited about the thought of eating some of that tasty cake! Blue Cake Company did a great job and it is always so fun to create an original design with them. The price doesn't seem so bad when you divide it out by the pound! And it had to only be 1/100th of a penny per calorie!

(front)

(back)

Joseph had a great time, and got lots of fun new toys! We were so glad to see everyone who made it, and those of you who couldn't were missed!

Here's a great shot of Joseph walking up with Cara, a friend from school...don't worry, she's only 1 month younger!

More of an update...he had a good visit for his 2 year check up. He is 34 pounds, 37 & 3/4 inches, and a 21 inch head! He's still the average size of a kid 1 year older!

His language is expanding so much every day with longer sentences, adjectives and complete thoughts! He knows his colors, shapes, alphabet, lots of songs, names of friends at school, can spell the first 2/3's of his name (J-O-S-E)! He is learning left and right, how to pedal a bicycle, and how to play basketball. He knows animals galore, including the sounds they make, and can even tell me where to turn to go see the animals at the zoo! A surprise to mom and dad was that he knows the theme song to Bob the Builder!

He's a busy boy!