14 Days to Go!

37.5 weeks

Christmas in Tallahassee

We celebrated an early Christmas with Daniel's family since we won't be able to travel far from home closer to Christmas. Here's some random snapshots of the weekend!

Josh loves the lawnmower he got from Papa and Gigi

Cousin Beth is a sweetie

Jessica and her new Baby Doll

The tree and some of the crew

Joshua and Daddy enjoyed playing outside in Papa and Gigi's big yard. He rode all over the place in the wagon and "helped" paddle the canoe!

Random November Happenings

We've been busy in November. Daniel had to work a lot and we've been preparing for the arrival of Baby Girl and the holidays.

The nursery is a work in progress, but coming along!

Josh is developing his communication skills these days...still no words, but lots of pointing, waving, and shaking of his head.  He's definitely got an opinion and expresses it clearly.  It's fun (for the most part)!  He loves music and starts dancing whenever he hears a beat.  He also learned to clap when we sing "If you're happy and you know it...".  He's still eating like a champ, as long as the food has lotsa flava!

  

Joshua is definitely VERY active right now, I'm pretty sure he's about to start running any day...scary for this pregnant mama!  I'm pretty freaked out about handling life with 2 kids, since lately it seems like Joshua is more than I can handle...I keep telling myself it's because I'm pregnant, awkward, and tired, but will it really be easier when I'm sleep-deprived and have two to take care of?  I know God won't give me more than I can handle (if I depend on Him), but sometimes it seems like it's just going to be a little too much.

Proud to park in the expectant mothers spot for the first time!

REDNECK THANKSGIVING 2008

As usual, we failed to get any good shots of the general idea of Redneck Thanksgiving...think cattle ranch, about 40 of the nicest people you'll ever meet, wild game fried over an open fire (no squirrel this year - just venison, dove, and turkey), dogs, horses, eating outside on hay bales, oak trees with spanish moss, family fun, southern style vegetables, mooing in the background, all the usual Thanksgiving fixins (minus mashed potatoes)!  (A very odd omission at least to me who comes from potato lovin' Iowa roots.  I can't remember them ever making an appearance in the 6 years I've been attending the festivities.  I took green bean casserole this  year, maybe next year I'll do potatoes - I'm sure Dan would like me to so he won't have to listen to me wonder about the lack of them any more!)

The only pictures we took were of Joshua and Daniel horseback riding.  He loved it!  

My little (and big) thrillseeker(s)!

New videos

Come and get it...

Chillin' with his bottle and his feet propped up

You can register to get a free ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins on your birthday, so of course we signed up.  Josh got a few bites of his and the rest he shared with mom and dad.

Looks like he's another chocolate lover!

This is his "spoon trick" that he likes to do

I guess the theme of this post is EATING.  Joshua spends a lot of time in the high chair these days - and I spend a lot of time in the kitchen cleaning up!

Baby Shower for Baby Girls

Our church had a baby shower for me and Becky today.  Becky's having a girl too.  She's due around Thanksgiving. It will be fun to have the two girls growing up together and so close in age.  It was such a blessing to be loved and prayed for at the shower by our church family.

Me, Becky & Jenny

Amazing cake that Maria made

It's fun to get girly stuff this time!  

But, I have to get used to so much pink!

While daddy's away

Daniel was in Chicago last week for a work conference, so Josh and I had to get creative and entertain ourselves...

Rocker!

Yogurt makes a good hair product - who knew?!

Smoky Mountains Vacation

We took our first "real" family vacation a few weeks ago to Smoky Mountain National Park.  It was a different experience to vacation with a baby.  It took some adjusting of expectations, but looking back we're glad we went and look forward to future family vacation memories.

Lunch picnic by the river

Our first hike - Laurel Falls

Joshua liked being in the backpack, especially on populated trails where he could smile at all the people heading the opposite direction.  He seems to be quite an extrovert!

At the falls

Sunset view from our cabin

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is a valley area of the park known for having a lot of wildlife. We drove through it twice during our trip, but didn't get to see many animals.  Joshua did enjoy seeing these deer though.

I really wanted him to experience fall by crunching in some leaves!

Pumpkin Attack!  Supposedly these guys weigh 150-200 lbs!

Clingman's Dome - the highest point on the Appalachian Trail

(We drove to the top, didn't hike up it)

The start of Hike #2

Happily on the way to Gregory Bald

Taking a break from the backpack - maybe a mistake because Josh wasn't too happy to get back in!

Gregory Bald

More pictures

Click here for pictures from September and the first half of October.

Birthday Party x 2

We celebrated Joshua's first birthday twice - once in Tallahassee with family and once in Jacksonville with friends. All of Daniel's family was able to make it to the party in Tallahassee - what a blessing. We got to meet our newest niece for the first time too - Baby Beth is sure a cutie! It will be fun to have so many cousins close in age as they grow up.

Gigi made Joshua an awesome cake. It's hard to see unless you blow up the picture, but it was a wavy sea with a sailboat in it and Joshua as the captain. So cute!

THE CAKE SERIES

#1 - The candle
#2 - Gettin' excited - he loves sticky things!
#3 Diving in
#4 YES!

#5 Clean up

Opening gifts - Joshua got a Tonka truck from Papa and Gigi and loved it! He walked it back and forth all over the picnic pavilion and if someone got in his way, he squawked at them until they moved and he could continue his 'work'. Once he gets focused on something, he's very determined and not easily distracted.

Party #2

We also wanted to celebrate on his actual birthday, so we had a little party with Josh's friends on Monday - all of whom happen to be girls. We need to meet some boys his age before too long.

Kailee, Paige, Joshua, and Asher enjoy some lunch!

Looking pretty content with himself - I can't believe how well he tolerated the party hat. It was funny because before the party started, Josh was kind of moody, but as soon as the first guests arrived he started walking around clapping and got really happy. It was as if he knew they were there in honor of him! I guess he was just glad to see his friends!

Josh and Elle playing

Daniel and I gave him a xylophone for his birthday gift

The alligator pull toy from Aunt Renee - despite our best efforts to teach him how it works, he insists it's meant to be carried, not pulled.

Thanks to all Josh's party guests for making his big day so special! We're glad all of you are a part of his life.