Joseph you are one whole year!  Happy Birthday!  You have been such a sweet little man and have grown so much we just can’t believe it!

You are talking more and more and this month you say cheese (for pictures), birdie, choo choo, plane, truck, three (when going down the slide), uh oh (when you drop your water cup), cookie, and I’m sure there will be new words today.  You are really getting good at trying to say things that we ask you.  We have started quizzing you on animal sounds and your favorite is “quack,” but you say “moo” and “tweet.”  You also know where your eyes are and you wipe your mouth when we tell you to.  You are so smart!

You love to be outside and you are such a brave little explorer.  You will crawl into the tiniest places and pic up anything just out of curiosity.  You went up the playground steps and down the slide by yourself this month.  It is the cutest thing when you kick your legs over the side and go down on your belly feet first and oh how proud you are when you reach the bottom!  Usually when we go outside, you crawl straight to the swing, your favorite.  Even at Grandma and Papa’s house you will crawl all the way to the side of the house and sit under the swing until we get there.

This month you are getting pretty tough and you don’t let Madeleine take anything away from you without a swat and a little bark.  It’s funny to see you hang with her and you always want to impress her.  When she laughs, you laugh.  When she cries, you cry. It’s adorable.

Your favorite toys are your cars, carts, and balls that you push around everywhere.  You love water and splashing in the water table and puddles.  You have also enjoyed drawing on the chalk board lately and organizing the chalk by taking it out of the cup and then putting it back in.

We celebrated your second Easter this month and you loved the cows in Panna Maria, lolli pops, and bubbles.  You were pretty good at crawling around picking up eggs and putting them in your basket.  Church is getting a little more difficult with you because you don’t want to be held but don’t have room to crawl in the pews.

You are getting very close to walking but you get so frustrated when we let go of your hands that you usually throw your head back and fall.  You will get up on your knees and reach for our hands so we can balance you anywhere you want to go. It’s just a matter of time.

We took you for your one year check up and you weighed 20 lb 2 oz and were 29.5 inches long (30% for both).  Your hair is blonde, eyes are blue, and you have 6 teeth! You are wearing 12-18 month clothes (with some growing room), size 3 diapers, and size 3 shoes.  We love you Joe Joe!

Only one more month until you have been here for a whole year Joseph! Can you believe that?  Each month and each new stage just keeps getting better and better!  Your communication has really improved this month.  You have learned new words like “clap” and “throw.” One of your favorite activities is “throwing” a ball and chasing it all around the house.  You are mimicking animal sounds like “ruff,” “moo,” and “quack” and the most adorable piggy sound that I can’t spell.  When we say, “show me your muscles” you hold both your arms up high and grunt! The other day you grabbed my cell phone and held it up to your hear to say hello.  You love to play peek a boo with rags and covers and we play chase after the bath.

You grew two teeth this month!  One on top (opposite side of your bottom one) and just today we felt the other bottom tooth coming through. Your smile got bigger when your teeth came in and now you scrunch your nose up when you grin.  It is just the cutest thing!
We are learning that you are very funny about textures and there are certain toys, especially your farm animals, that give you the shivers when you touch them.  I don’t know if you are afraid or just don’t like the way they feel, but your whole body shakes and you drop them every time.

We have spent a lot of time outside in the beautiful weather and you really like crawling all over the yard.  You pull up and get into all the plants and have taste tested a lot of dirt.  You must like it because you always go back for more.  Your eating habits are strong and you now eat more than your sister at every meal.  We struggle to keep food on your tray because you eat so fast.  You are really good at trying everything we give you and if it doesn’t sit well, you simply spit it out; no fuss. We know you are full when you spread all your food around or throw it on the floor. This is definitely the stage where I wish we had a dog that could be our clean up crew. We had a family yogurt date the other night and you LOVED it so much there was quite a fit when we ran out.

This month there have been signs that you are going to be neat and organized like me.  At the library you went behind all the kids picking up the blocks and putting them back in the bin.  You collect all of Madeleine’s doll clothes and put them in their bag.  You even picked up daddy’s shorts in the bathroom and threw them in the trash! I love watching your personality and quirks come out.

We celebrated your first Valentine’s day with heart shaped pancakes and a family date at pei wei.  You are still wearing 6-12 month clothes (not for long) and size 3 diapers.  Your hair has grown a little but we still can’t tell if it’s light brown or blonde. Happy 11 months Joseph!

I cannot believe you are ten months old already!  In two short months we will be celebrating your first birthday and I feel like you are still such a tiny baby. Just crazy!

You are all over the place this month; cruising around the furniture, crawling everywhere in the house, climbing stairs (and stools), and standing up in your crib (which we lowered this month).  You especially love daring yourself to fit through tight spots and we are always impressed to see you come out from behind/under the furniture and squeeze through the ottomans.

You have several stances that are so cute like a little hurkey with one leg out straight and the other tucked behind you and the past few days you have started to squat with one knee up and one under your bum. Dad said you will probably be a catcher with that kind of leg work, haha!

You have a learned a couple of tricks this month which are fun to quiz you on.  You clap when we say “yay!”  When we tell you to laugh, you throw your head way back. And you blow kisses. You are now getting old enough to understand “chasing” and we all like to crawl around and catch you.

Your first tooth popped out this month on the bottom right side! Yay! You were very fussy and clingy for about two days and then once it broke through your were chirpy again.  Your doctor encouraged us to feed you whatever we are eating at meal time just cut up or smashed and this has changed your life.  You. eat. so. much!  We honestly struggle to tear and cut fast enough because you shovel food in by the handful.  You are so excited to eat and kick kick kick your legs while you are waiting in your high chair for the next bite.  I feel like you are growing so much, especially length wise and most of your pants are too short even though they are loose around the hips.

This month you weigh 17lb 8oz and are 27.6 inches long.  You are wearing size 3 diapers, 6-12 month clothes (there are a few 12-18 month jammies) and size 3 shoes.  Your hair is a tiny bit longer and we can’t tell if it’s brown or blonde and your big eyes are blue.  Happy 10 months Joseph!

Way to go Joseph!  This month you are officially mobile! You started crawling, then crawling faster and before we knew it you were pulling up on things the very next week.  One day I left you in the living room while I went to the kitchen to start dinner.  I could hear you playing and making your sweet little sounds so I wasn’t worried, but when I went to check on you, you were all the way up to the second to last stair!!!  Oops. Cue baby gates.

It’s so great to watch you explore every nook and you get into places Madeleine never seemed interested in.  We’re definitely having to keep an eye on you and our floors spotless because everything goes into your mouth, including a rolley polley, yuck!  You even have your first crawling injury, a dark bruise on your chin.  Not sure exactly when this happened but I am assuming it has something to do with our fireplace because you are obsessed with climbing it and playing on top.

I can’t think of any new words you know this month but you started dancing to music which is adorable.  The first time was at chipotle when Madeleine got down and started dancing and you joined right in bobbing up and down in your high chair. Now when we say, “Dance JoeJoe,” you really get into it and bounce away. Lately you have been playing with my wedding ring whenever we cuddle at night.  I’m not sure why I love it so much but it really tickles me when you lay down in my arms in the rocking chair and go right for my ring and toy with it until you fall asleep. So sweet.

This month we celebrated your first Christmas.  You were so cute in all your baby button downs and sweaters.  You love all your new toys and especially loved the wrapping paper and ribbons. Santa brought you a baby sports activity center and a tool box with light up gadgets. You did so great making road trips, napping and sleeping in new places, and playing with everyone.

We had a visit to the doctor after Christmas because you were running a low fever and had a terrible cough.  You ended up with your first ear infection but love amoxicillin so your were feeling better quick.

At nine months you weigh 17lb 8oz and are 26.5 inches long.  You are wearing size 3 diapers and 6-12 month clothes and size 2 shoes. Still no teeth and barely any hair:)  Happy nine months Joe Joe!

Here are some pictures from all our Christmas celebrations.  The MOST wonderful time of the year!!  My favorite is Joseph on the bed and all his cousins trying to make him laugh….Happy New Year everyone!!

Joseph you are so close to crawling.  If only you could learn that you have to move your hands along with your knees. Just the other day you took three little ‘steps’ toward an ornament as we were decorating for Christmas, but you didn’t even realize it and haven’t done it again. You’ve already shown some interest in pulling up too and you do a great plank with your tush in the air.  Sometimes I feel like you are going to skip crawling and go straight to standing.

This month you have been very vocal.  You say “ah,” “Ma,” and “more.”  I think you say “Ma” for Madeleine because the other day we could hear her in the monitor and you looked over and said “Ma” like you were looking for her.  One morning you heard Dad and M downstairs and you kept saying “Ahh” like you were calling for them!  It’s pretty adorable watching you communicate with us.  You also like to wave, give us high fives, and BIG open mouth kisses.  A lot of time you grab both my cheeks and give me kisses, and then I melt.  You definitely are a sweet boy.  You even share your crackers and pacifier with me when I ask for them and you think that is a fun game.

The best thing this month is that we realized you sing.  Several times you heard music and your voice got really soft and long. Especially at church when the choir starts up, you join right in.  It is precious.

Another one of my favorites this month is that you have liked falling asleep on our shoulders.  You used to only sleep in a cradle position, but lately you nuzzle right under my chin on my shoulder and I can’t get enough cuddles!

You are still eating great and have mastered picking up your sippy cup by yourself.  We moved you up to size 3 diapers now and you are waering 6-12 month clothes.  A little more hair has grown in but we are still waiting on those teeth…all I want for Christmas??? Happy eighth month Joe Joe!

On a Saturday in October we got up before the sun and headed to Waco, Texas for some Baylor football.  Even though it wasn’t officially homecoming weekend, it was homecoming for our gang and such a fun time catching up with our greatest college friends!  We went back and forth about taking the kids but decided it would be a great time for everyone to meet Joseph and we can’t leave Madeleine out of a football game, she LOVES them.  The stadium still blows our minds and we love seeing how great the football program is doing at BU.  I have to be careful because my little ones are liking this green and gold thing a liitle too much. Gig ’em!

Mickey and Minnie had a blast this Halloween!  Madeleine had been talking about her costume for weeks and she had been practicing what to say when trick or treating so she would be prepared. We went with the family in my brother’s neighborhood and it was awesome visiting all the cul-de-sac block parties.  Madeleine was shy (and mute) at first, then she started saying “thank you,” and then finally she got the hang of “Trick or Treat!” All was well until one house had really creepy decorations outside and this motion sensored skeleton moved right as M walked by.  She was TERRIFIED.  She ran screaming and crying “Hold ya Mama, Hold ya Mama.”  After that she was very cautious and wanted me to hold her. Poor baby.  She still talks about it and says, “Nothing to be afraid of that boys black costume, he is SO nice!”

Joseph did great and just chilled in the wagon enjoying all the sights from house to house.  He was not too fond of his hood so he wasn’t very smily, but as soon as we took it off he was happy as can be. I love the picture of them both in the wagon because we caught J trying to sneak a piece of candy. #noteethprobs

I LOVE the creativity that comes with Halloween and the adorable littles I see on my Instagram feed, but I could definitely do without all the gore and scary stuff! Did you know that Halloween is actually a Christian celebration that is 1300 years old? “Halloween” comes from the term “All Hallows Eve” which is the day before the celebration of All Saints Day followed by the celebration of All Souls Day.  These celebrations in the church help us remember, pray for, and celebrate the lives of loved ones lost and the communion of saints in heaven.  Very cool!!!