Not Allowed for Boys...

Amelia is very adamant that the top bunk is "not allowed for boys."

The stars must have aligned just right last night because this happened...

She invited him up!

And they had fun!  

It was awesome and just what this mommy needed!

Joey is Two!

Last month, little Joey turned two!  Time really has flown by!

He had his two-year well-child appointment earlier this month and, as expected, he is still in the 100th percentile for everything.  That's our big boy!

His speech has really taken off and he says so, so much.  He even can put together 6+ word sentences which impressed the doctor!  

He copies every single thing Amelia does or says - including the naughty stuff.  He is her little echo - hilarious.

His favorite thing to do, still, is drive things around the house.

Trains, monster trucks, cars etc.  You name it, he will drive it.

He is a loving big brother.

He calls Jackson "Bebe Jacks" and is constantly worried that he needs a hug, a kiss, a pacifier or someone to hold his hand.  It's hard to get him to leave Jackson alone some days!

He is creative.

"Haircut Glasses"

If you have food or drink he will promptly walk run up to you and say, "I want some."  He is a bottomless pit and is usually willing to try just about anything.  However, like his sister, vegetables are still a tough sell!

He keeps us busy, is so incredibly loud and (usually) a big sweetheart who always wants hugs.

Five Photos on Friday

Some pictures of the kids from this month that I never got around to sharing on here! 

Hot Summer Night

Poor Joe turns into a hot, sweaty mess outside in the heat!  

Tonight, the neighbor said, "I can't take it anymore - he is all sweaty and pink.  The boy needs a popsicle.  I'm getting him one.  I hope you don't mind!"

Since we had already had dinner I didn't mind and Joe didn't seem to mind either!  Most of it ended up ON him vs. IN him but he cooled off and enjoyed it :)

Just Joe and I

Amelia slept at my parent's house last night and she came to Target today to ask me if she could sleep there again so tonight it was just Joe and I!  We took a long afternoon nap and then headed to Subway for dinner (with a gift card from Mother's Day!)

He ate his whole sandwich!

When we got back from dinner we started a load of laundry and the plan was to take a quick walk before the rain came.  We made it about six blocks from our house and it started to downpour :(  I must have looked awesome running, with an umbrella stroller, while 24 weeks pregnant in a downpour complete with lightning and thunder.

We mostly played with cars tonight.  They're pretty much all Joe is into these days.  He refers to any vehicle as a do-doo.  When prompted he will say car but for the most part everything is a do-doo.

My beautiful guy :)

This week's favorite bedtime story

It was a very different night with only one kid!  

Off to bed now - I work the weekend for inventory prep!

Daredevil

Joe has never been afraid of slides, large or small, at the park.  He is much more daring than his sister was at this age.  It might be because I am more relaxed about the whole park thing since he is the second but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he is fearless!  He's taken some pretty big "diggers" at the park and had some gnarly bumps and bruises but he always gets right back out there within a few minutes!

Last night he finally went down the really big, tall, steep slide.  There is a slide similar to this at a local elementary school that is getting taken down because of injuries but I let him try it just the same.  Here was his reaction:

I'm curious to see if he'll ever want to go down this one again ;)

Our Big Boy

Joe has been a big guy from the start.  Once he hit one year he hovered at around 31 pounds through his 18-month check-up last month...

Well, in that last month the boy has put on FOUR pounds!  Our nurse (the kids and I see the same doctor!) picked him up at my OB appointment Monday afternoon while I was getting weighed and she asked how heavy he was.  I said I assumed 31 pounds like he has been for the past six months.  Out of curiosity she put him on the scale next and he came out at 35 pounds!  I'm hearing from a lot of people that that is how much their 3-year olds weigh and it is only about seven pounds lighter than his 4-year old sister!

The message on this onesie must be true...

...I mean they say muscle weighs more than fat so clearly he is super muscular ;)

Simple Fun

Sometimes the everyday things that entertain my children amazes me.  

Like this:

A chair and step stool = a "ride."  I am assuming it was a rollercoaster-type ride based on her actions.  She had her hands up and she was swaying from side to side while screaming.

Last month Joe developed a huge fascination with pots and pans.

For a few weeks he had a pot, pan and/or lid with him at all times.  There was no stopping him!

We have one kitchen tool that both kids are obsessed with:

I'm not exactly sure what it  (Jason knows...) but to the kids it is a butterfly pony net and a trumpet/thing to carry around and throw.

Shoes are another big one with Joe.

Specifically my work shoe - on his right foot.  He will sit around in it for up to an hour some nights!  NO idea why!

And let's not forget boxes...

Both kids (acutally ALL kids) love boxes - any shape or size!  Laundry baskets too - they are kind of like boxes.  The length of time boxes/baskets amuse kids is awesome! 

Sometimes I wonder why we need have any toys!  These two can make anything fun!

Candy Cane Goalie

Does he not look just like a hockey goalie?  He's got the "stance" down!  Maybe this is a window into the future...

Happy Wednesday!

Linked to "Wordless Wednesday" @ 5 Minutes for Mom!

Joey's Photo Shoot

When Amelia was 6-months and one year we had photos taken professionally.  Joey is now 13-months and we've never taken him!  I got a nice shirt at Target to match some pants we already had and did my best to get some nice pictures of him on my own.  

The following are my four favorites:

The little man is not one to sit still so even getting four I love was quite the challenge!  I spent about a half an hour outside and saved probably well over a hundred dollars - success!

Trick-or-Treating

Last night the kids went on their first trick-or-treating adventure in Nana's neighborhood!  We went to only six houses but Amelia got quite a bit of candy. 

Amelia had so much fun!  She would run up to the houses yelling, "kwik o kwee, kwik o kwee..." and then by the time the door was answered she was saying, "kwee, kwee, KWEE!"  

*I'm not entirely sure why sunglasses were necessary but she found them in the wagon and then decided to wear them despite it being dark out.

I think Joe had a fun time too.  He went up to the houses with his sister and she got him some candy too.

On our way home we made one last stop to see Jason's mom, grandpa and his friend, A.  

It was a busy day for us all and both kids were passed out by the time we made it home.  

I can't believe it is already November!  This year has gone by so fast!

Joey's New Jammies

Love him!

Tired Kids

Amelia has been extremely tired this week.  So tired that she has napped the past two days - a rare occurrence.  Today, after getting up from her nap, she proceeded to "rest" in our bed.

Joe has also been pretty tired.  Today his nap lasted four hours before I went in there to wake him up for dinner!  Not even two hours later he was rubbing his eyes but I made him hold out a bit longer before it was bedtime.  Towards the end the only thing that made him happy was his football.

They both had flu shots on Monday afternoon - is it possible they are still feeling off from that two days later?  I sure hope so because they have not been their usual selves!

Joey at One-Year

Last weekend, our little man celebrated his first birthday!  He is a busy little guy.

Last week I weighed him and he was just about 28 pounds.  We go in Monday for his well-visit so I will get his "official" stats then.

He wears mostly 18-month clothes with some 24-month/2T.  A few 12-month things still fit.

Ten months

He is still in a size 4 diaper but I am thinking we will be going up to 5 soon!

He almost has 6 teeth.  That sixth one is taking it's sweet time to cut all the way through!

Ten Months

At ten-months he switched to formula.  I am thankful for almost making it to one-year nursing him!

He loves his wormy.  He goes to sleep with it and when he gets tired he grabs it from his crib and drags it around.

He sleeps amazingly.  He goes to bed around 7:30 or 8 and sleeps about 10-12 hours a night!

A few days before his first birthday he said his first, true word!  The neighbor was over and was putting her shoes on to leave and he started waving and, very loudly, said, "bye bye!"  It was clear as day and not prompted.

The day after talking he started taking his first steps!  Usually he only can do about 6-8 steps before he falls but last night he walked from one end of the living room to the other without falling!

He loves music.  Whenever there is music on he starts rocking, bobbing his head or bouncing!  Amelia got him a neat dog guitar for his birthday and everyone in the house loves to play with it - including daddy.

He is a monkey.  He is up on everything.  One night I asked Amelia to stop flicking the lights on and off but she said, "mama, it not me!"  I turned around and saw that Joe had scaled the Poang chair we have and was halfway up the back, playing with the lights.

He knows no.  Whenever he is into something he is not supposed to be into and you say, "Joe, no" he will turn and look at you and shake his head no.  

He can open the front door.  One day I was doing the dishes, heard the front door open and I looked into the living room to see him sitting there.  I told him "no" and he smiled at me over his shoulder and went right out the front door giggling.  We keep it locked at all times now.

He self-feeds almost exclusively.  We still feed him things like yogurt or applesauce but otherwise he does it himself!  He is to the point he wants big pieces of stuff.  He gets frustrated at little, bite-size pieces.  Yesterday I ripped up a breadstick for him and he protested and kept reaching for a whole one.  I gave him half of one and he ate the whole thing happily.

He can't really figure out sippy-cups yet so we are still working with that.  He has several varieties but so far nothing has "clicked" with him.

He is not a fan of cow's milk.  We have tried it cold and warmed up but he just doesn't want it.  He prefers his formula.

He still takes two naps but the morning one is getting shorter and shorter I'm told.  I don't think it will be long until we are down to just one, long afternoon nap.

He loves to play.  It is a lot of fun watching him figure things out.  It is not as much fun to see the wake of mess he leaves behind him but I am learning to just embrace it and enjoy the playing and learning he is doing!

We love our little Joe-Joe!  He is a happy little guy and is a joy!  I still can't believe that he is one already.  Time really does go way too fast when you have little ones.  

Joe's First Birthday

Yesterday we had a small party with family for Joe.  His aunties, grandparents as well as great-grandparents were there!  We kept it simple - presents, lunch and cake.

   

The majority of the pictures I took were during cake...

Joey got so many great new toys and clothes.  We are very blessed that so many people love our sweet boy.

 

Little man had a blast.  He protested naps and partied hard.  

I still can't believe he is already ONE!