My Little "Helper"

Josh was all about kitchen time this weekend - lots of help (or extra clean up).

The plastic vegetable steamer is Josh's pot of choice.



Josh helps himself to the spice rack inside our cabinet, pulls his snacks out of the pantry, and rips down the hand towels in addition to playing with cooking utensils. His favorite spices seem to be onion powder, cream of tarter, ground cloves, and bay leaves.



Saturday night Matt was grilling and Josh really wanted to stay outside despite the fact that he was getting way too hot. He was able to comfort himself with the vegetable steamer and his lion.



A biter biscuit in each hand, and the rest of the box emptied onto the floor. No wonder he looks so proud of himself!



I turned around from washing my hands and this is what was waiting for me.



With his love for the kitchen, it's no surprise that Josh is a great eater. We gave him spaghetti for the first time the other night, and he enjoyed it. Mommy was silly enough to think he'd eat it out of the bowl, he cleared that up right away.



Two fisting broccoli!



Trying to pet Otis and showing off his new shoes.



Crazy, sweaty hat-hair.

Weekend Update

A few new pictures of Joshua:


The other night, I picked Josh up from his highchair and discovered a green bean stuck to the back of his head.



Josh's first time in a pool. As he's been unhappy with bath time lately, we had no idea how this would go. Aside from a brief foray onto the steps, he mainly wanted Mommy to hold him. He just knew Daddy was going to drown him.



Josh really liked Ollie, the new dog at Grandma & Grandpa Wallace's.


Josh got a kick out of swinging.



Practicing the walking skills. Josh is so close - all it's going to take is him not realizing that he's letting go and taking a step or two...any day now!

Happy Memorial Day!

Here are a few recent shots of Josh from the holiday weekend.

Look at all that hair! It seems to have just popped up all of the sudden, and it makes him look like a grown up!


Josh has just started squatting, and it's adorable because his butt is just barely off the floor. He also just discovered that you can put a ball in the elephant's ear and it comes out through his trunk -- laugh-worthy every time.


Helping Daddy do yard work on Memorial Day.


Helping Daddy grill dinner.


Josh took care of seasoning the roast. Spices are his favorite thing in the kitchen ever since he dismantled the spice rack Saturday.

My First Mother's Day

Last year I was well on my way to being a mother, but this year was my first real year as a mother. I thoroughly enjoyed a weekend with my guys. Here are a few highlights.

A teeth shot - he almost always has these covered with his tongue or his hand, so I think this is the first time I've caught the teeth on film.


Anything on the coffee table is fair game. Making a call or two with my cell phone:


Sometimes my camera is too slow (more likely the photographer), but this time it resulted in this cute little wrinkled up nose. I think he's squealing. You can't see it, but he's sporting his "I love my Moo-my" cow shirt in honor of Sunday.


Sometimes when I'm trying to take a picture, Josh starts crawling toward me and makes a grab for the camera.


Josh and I enjoyed a snack of cheese and crackers after church today. Please note the cracker chunks on his wrist.



Me and my baby. I'm wearing the necklace that the boys gave me, it's got a birthstone for Matt, Josh and me.



Otis was feeling left out so here I am with both of my "sons".

Spring Spaz

I cannot get over how active Josh is. He is so full of energy, it's incredible!


Testing out his new hat from Grandma Rapa.


A Texas tradition - posing in the Blue Bonnets. I would like to mention that we did not crazily veer off the side of the highway risking life and limb for these pictures - we stopped on the service road near a field like respectable folks.



Now that he can pull himself up, that is the only thing Josh is interested in. He's quite proud of this ability.




Josh has no fear. Here he is launching himself over the arm of the loveseat (no babies were harmed in the making of this photo - Matt had his foot the whole time)



Josh loves pulling himself up on the dining room chairs. Here he is playing the drums on top.


Helping Mommy cook. Josh took care of all the dirty dishes.

Easter

We enjoyed Josh's first Easter!

Checking out the Easter basket from Grandma Rapa.



Easter at the ranch.



The 3 of us



Josh was done with pictures at this point, but I wanted to show off his adorable Easter outfit courtesy of Grandma Rapa. In most of this string of pictures he was starting to cry/trying to crawl away, but he's sort of smiling in this one.



Grabbing another ball out of the basket from Mommy and Daddy.

"Busy, busy, busy, busy...

...there's so much to do." This is one of the many songs that Josh's activity table sings, and though I never feel like I need the reminder that there's so much to do, the "busy, busy, busy, busy" part certainly describes our little boy.


Waking up to a camera in your face must be pretty annoying, but it was adorable that he'd jumped himself to sleep in his jumperoo.



Thursday afternoon I was across the room putting together one of Josh's toys, and I glanced over to see how he was doing and HE WAS STANDING THERE!!! That's the first time he pulled himself up, I was so shocked. But I did have the presence of mind to grab the camera.



"I love juice!"



Caught raiding the pantry.