More Updates: Joel

So I have been so bad about keeping up this blog. I'm going to try and do a quick update. I know it won't be a complete update but I'll do what I can remember. (lol)

1) Joel is such an easy going kid. Nan (Tj's mom) and I took both boys with us when we went Easter dress shopping at the outlet mall about an hour away from here. Of course Vance slept most of the time but Joel hung out in the stroller the whole time with only minor complaints. Bless his heart. So as a treat he got to ride with Garfield. He wasn't so sure at first but after about the 2nd or 3rd time he was having a ball.

2) Joel always is doing stuff to crack me up. This is his peanut butter face. I started making him a sandwich but ended up getting distracted. Next thing I know he had gone into the kitchen and gotten what I had started and ate it. He couldn't wait any longer!

3) Joel has figured out the fine art of funny faces. He seriously makes me laugh so hard. His little personality is a riot. Of course he is entering his second year and the fits and tantrums aren't quite so funny. But he's always doing something that makes us realize how quick he's growing up- usually it involves imitating us. For instance we always dilute his juice with water from the fridge. So he got a toy kitchen from Nan and Pa for a housewarming gift. So the other day he was playing with Tj at the kitchen and put the cup in the water dispenser on his fridge and gave it to Tj and said "Juice".

4) Joel is our little helper. He thinks he is so strong. He likes to show how strong he is by making his muscles. Now Tj's taught him to make his muscles and then he'll kiss his arm. I'll have to try and get video of it. It's hilarious. Joel's favorite thing to help with is the garage door. He loves to push the button and say "Up" or "Down" depending on which way it goes. I swear he'd do it all day if I'd let him.

5) I don't know why I worried about Joel being a chub when he was a baby. That kid has SO much energy. Sometimes I'd like to concoct a way to siphon that energy while he sleeps and sell it on the black market. He loves going to the park and runs and runs and runs. He loves going for walks and again runs, runs, runs. Even in the house he goes non-stop. He's figured out how to jump too. It's so funny to watch. I took him to a play gym yesterday that was all those blow up jumping castles. It took him about an hour and a half before he was comfortable in them. He's my cautious little adventurer. He likes to check things all the way before he goes full force. Hopefully next time he'll remember he likes to jump!

6) Joel's newest word is "Cheese". He loves it! He's finally able to digest milk products without having an upset tummy and has discovered the wonderful world of cheese, yogurt, cheese, ice cream and did I mention cheese?! He loves it- string, cubed, sliced. Additionally someone (maybe Pa?) taught him to say "Cheese" for pictures. So we've now entered the crazy faced cheesy pics stage.

Speaking of words our mute has officially found his voice. Joel comes up with so many words all the time these days. We of course have: Dad, Momma, Dence (Vance), Nan, Pa, Tya (his friend Tyler), up, down, out, on, off, this, done. Then we've been practicing: Papa (my dad), Mo Mo (my mom who's Monie to the grandkids), Jay Jay, Ra Ra, Mema (cousin Emma). His favorite words also include: Mo! (more), basth (bath), No way, stopit (stop it), its on, num num num (which is said either when he's pretending to eat his play food at his kitchen or he's eating something he really likes), waer (water), juissssss (juice), cookie, oosp (oops), darink (drink) and bye-bye. He just cracks me up- usually. Sometimes he's too smart for his own good and will give me an answer that doesn't exactly help his cause. It's just funny to finally hear him verbalize what's going on in that head of his.