A Dog-gone good time

We celebrated Josiah's first birthday with 36 of our favorite people on Saturday. I picked a doggy theme as our dog, Savannah, is Josiah's favorite. We had 'dog food' for the adults to snack on and 'puppy chow' for the kids to take home with them. My dog bone cake turned out enormous, however, we had no problem almost polishing the entire thing off during the party.

My favorite moment was when Happy Birthday was being sung and I looked from my sweet boy to ALL the faces of our most favorite people; people who have prayed for Josiah since before he was born, and there they all were. The reality of it all swept over me and the last year of our lives played out in my mind and I was overwhelmed. There are no words to describe a mother's love for her son, or a parent's love for their children. This year has changed me. Our family's circimstances have not been ideal but here we are, able to celebrate Josiah's first year of life, and we praise God for it all.

(check back for more great pictures from Gen's camera..)

Roseola

After 3 days of a fever, Josiah broke out in a rash. We were thankful that, what we thought might be another UTI, turned out to be Roseola. No harm done. He just sported a diaper and his Jamaica tank top from the Conkles' to keep cool.

Brianne celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday at school by making a 'Cat in the Hat' hat.

Cousin Graeson

The Boys in P.J.'s

Emily came to visit one day last week and I couldn't resist taking some pictures of the boys. Josiah and Graeson are 9 weeks apart which is so fun. The have completely different personalities and although Josiah is younger he is bigger. He tries to 'wrestle' with Graeson who is very sensitive and doesn't enjoy the 'full contact sport' of wrestling. He gets that enough at home with his brother. Josiah, on the other hand, is used to being carried around by his sisters and invited to tea parties so any chance he gets to have some 'boy' time he takes advantage of. The boys were in their pajamas and very tired so I thought I might get some good pics. Graeson politely sat still and Josiah, who never sits, would NOT hold still. I thought it was pretty hilarious. I couldn't resist sharing the progression.

Valentine's Day

I started off the day with full intentions of recording the day in pictures...but now that it's nearly midnight, I realize I took two! I made the girls heart shaped french toast and Josiah enjoyed his normal breakfast of grazing off whatever we have out. (including lunch box food) That boy loves to eat but I honestly think he tosses most of it over his shoulders. He is a toss-er. If I leave a basket of unfolded laundry within his reach, he completely empties it before I get one thing folded. All our cupboard doors have rubberbands on the nobs to keep him from unloading and breaking my dishes. Each morning it's a race, which he usually wins, to see if I can re-load the bathroom cupboard drawers faster than he can unload them. He makes it up the stairs in record time now and is walking around furnature or our legs with several seconds of letting go. I'm thinking his first steps will be any day now. He turned 11 months old on the 12th and I'm shocked that his first year is almost behind us!

Back to valentines day...Mike was so sweet to bring each of his girls a special plant this morning. He brought the girls their own planted flowers and a tree for me. He continued the tradition of a tree for valentines day. It was extra special this year because we planted four 'valentines trees' at the parsonage which we had to leave there, much to my disappointment. This year I received a cherry tree. Yum! We enjoyed dinner together tonight as a family which hasn't happened in weeks with the schedule as of late. I failed at my picture taking goal...so I've added a few from the weeks past.

Great Grandma Peoples - thank you again for Josiah's sock monkey. He likes to hold it (and bite it, lovingly) while we get him dressed.

Snow!

We are loving the snow this winter. We've had many days of beautiful white refreshing snow. I love how quiet everything gets when it snows. Maicee, our animal lover, rescued a bird from the cat and released it after much encouragement. She wanted to keep it, of course, but Mike and I knew it would expire soon. :( Brianne lost her 4th tooth so now she is completely toothless on top. She and Josiah are taking teething tablets regularly with both of them working on new top teeth. :)

Growing Kids

Suddenly, I feel like my three kids are growing so fast! Brianne is half-way through her Kindergarten year. Maicee is almost as tall as Brianne and Josiah is 10 months old this weekend. He is a speed crawler and races us up the stairs. He pulls himself to standing and is beginning to test his skills at letting go or walking around holding onto furnature. All three of them keep us laughing and are such a joy.

Christmas morning

We enjoyed being in our new home Christmas morning with the kids. It was cozy and relaxing. We filled stockings for each other and Josiah got a rocking horse. Grandpa Jr. and Grammy Sana, Aunt Bekah and Uncles Cameron and Mark came over in the afternoon and suprised the girls with a CAR! ;) They LOVE it and have fun driving up and down our street. We spent the 27th - 29th with the Oates side but I misplaced my camera so I don't have photos of that event. (sibs - email me some please) We had a family flag football game that was hilarious and I think it should become a Christmas tradition.