Joe's Prizes

Long story...Joe is now 2 years old and some change and we got him to sleep in his own bed and through the night! Woo hoo! For anyone who is thinking of judging, please don't and listen to some reasons of why this has taken so long. #1 When he was born in Provo, he did have his own room but he was super colicky and so when we could get him to sleep we did and let him sleep wherever he would sleep the longest...in our bed....Having a colicky baby was soooo hard during RSV season because we couldn't go out, Steve was in his last semester of school, and o did I mention colic is so not fun! #2 We moved to San Francisco and decided we weren't going to pay at least $700 extra for a bedroom for our 7 month old.We tried moving him when he was asleep, the crying thing which I don't do well with, and letting him sleep on the couch which he actually did for awhile. We did try putting his crib in our walk in closet which worked for not very long. It was a little walk in closet and I wouldn't have liked being smooshed in there either, so #3 we got to Arizona decided Joe needed his own room and a big boy bed since he never like his crib and wah la. We made his room a fun place for him which I will hopefully post pictures of soon, it is a cute little cowboy room and started trying to get him on a routine. The deal is he has to sleep in his bed for his whole nap and his whole night time sleep and he will get 2 stickers for the day. Who thought anyone would be so excited for stickers and a small prize at the end of the week!? Our sweetie! He told his dad ALL about his chart the first day and is so proud of himself when he comes to tell me he's awake to get his sticker. For the last week and a half, Steve & I have been sitting in his room reading while he goes to sleep. It's been a super nice release for me to get some time because I love to read and we have been getting him comfortable with the dark, knowing we aren't leaving, etc etc. Well for the last few nights we have been super tired so we have either gone to bed or hurried and done some stuff around the apartment while he is going to sleep and he has gone to sleep by himself! I am super proud of him! A little bit of me misses cuddling and snuggling but I am able to get some more stuff done.

We went to Wal Mart and I totally forgot he needed a prize and we saw these squirt guns. We got 1 for me, Joe and Steve and I told Joe we would have a fight when daddy got home. We watched American Idol finale (Tuesday,loved it) and then as we were going to the pool to have our fight, Steve got a call from someone in the ward (he just got called as the Executive Secretary so I guess he will be getting a good number of these), and we had to share him. Joe was so patient for an hour and a half while we waited for Steve to get back. We only had 20 minutes at the pool and then the boys continued their fight in the bath. Steve is such a good dad to come home after a 12 hour work day, entertain Joe, go serve, play, wrestle, and swim with Joe and the get him ready for bed. I really really appreciate it! Joe is a crazy boy when his dad gets home and I love it! It was soooo enjoyable seeing him so happy! I love him so much, he is such a fun little boy and I have loved this stage of learning to talk and show more personality.
*He is into singing these songs right now: I Am A Child of God, Once There Was A Snowman, I Am Like A Star, Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam, You Are My Sunshine, If You Are Happy, Hurry Hurry Drive That Fire Truck, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, and The Wise and Foolish Man
*Some of my favorite sayings right now: Waking me up from a nap and he is in my face-time to get uPPPppp, Joe why did you do that? (take his shoelaces out, why he wants to go shopping, anything)-because I love you, to his daddy whenever he talks to him-daddy please come over now, to his horse Patches in his room-hi Patches, mommy Patches is hungry he needs some cereal, in the car-mommy its soooo bright I need sunglasses right now, mommy I need some armpit (deodorant), trying on shoes at Target-ooo sweeeet I like em, during Sacrament he lays on Steve's lap and I hear him silently singing-What's gonna work? Teamwork What's gonna work? Teamwork-yes we love Wonder Pets at our house
Joe you are the sweetest little thing and we just love you to pieces!

Say Sorry!

Joe is having a hard time learning to say sorry...For example, when he pushes his girlfriend Kena because he is upset that she is moving, he won't say sorry. When he smacks his friend Luke because he forgets Luke is littler than him and Luke's smacks are excited ones because he thinks Joe is cool, he won't say sorry. Or tonight for example when he was screaming at me because he wanted to be out of his chair and done with dinner, he wouldn't say sorry...he did this!

Joe-loves

Joe had a check up last week and here were his stats: 22.2 lbs and 2 ft 6 3/4 in. He was a superstar throughout the shots and was even able to have a little beach date with some of his friends right after. Usually when he hears Sarah's name, he is all smiles and will put on a happy face.
Something new about our happy boy is that he goes to nursery! He has no choice, Steve and I recently got called in there. He loves it and is pretty good. He likes all the toys and loves to walk around and see everything that is going on. Last week at church, I was trying to show him where his dad was as he was preparing the Sacrament. I thought, great Joe will like to watch his daddy and hopefully he'll be quiet. Nice going Jen! He quietly was whispering daddy, daddy, teve...He got off my lap and acted like he was going to see some of our friends and bee-lined it for the stairs up to his daddy. Sacrament meeting pretty much went down hill from there, but it was cute of him to try and be with his dad. Joe has 15 teeth! 7 on top and 8 on bottom! Today Joe and I went to the park and for the first time he actually went down the slide by himself, pushed off and everything. I didn't just toss him down it! I was so proud that it clicked and that he wasn't scared, I could've started tearing up, but I had to remind myself I was at a very crowded public park. It's amazing that such a simple thing can melt your heart when you're a mom. I'm in awe at the little things he is able to do every day. I'm always asking for high fives or the rock for every little achievement and I feel so blessed to be entrusted with this sweet son to raise and teach. He gets very excited when I start singing the itsy bitsy spider and he now does popcorn hands. He brings Steve his shoes and socks and tries to help put them on. He loves to be a helper. He is a very picky eater. I was making him a quesadilla last night and snuck some corn (like 2 corn pieces) and black beans (like 2) in his quesadilla and he ate around it and handed the "different" part back to me, like yeah right mom! He has this car that his friends Kena & Ryder got him & he gets into it & says bye bye as he is waving to me. I'm not that into that achievement! Aunt Chelsea will be dropping him off at his first day of preschool and kindergarten so that his mom won't have to say bye. He is the cutest peek a boo player there ever was and is thrilled when someone finds him. Steve & I are having the time of our lives with our boy!

Joe-loves

Joe is becoming very talented at putting the shapes in the shape sorter, the coins in the piggy bank, and the tennis balls in their container. He was getting pretty bored and wanted to find something that fit perfectly into a little hole and decided to put his dad's cell phone into his ball popper! I had to take a picture of it! We had to pretty much take apart the toy to get Steve's cell phone out. It didn't help that when it would ring it would vibrate farther and get wedged worse in the toy. Luckily Steve got home and of course got it out quicker than I could! And yes, Joe was saying Sheeze for the picture!
Joe is more and more like Grandpa Joe everyday. He wears his pants pretty high up so they don't drag on the floor! Joe has started dancing and it is adorable. He even tries to dance on the wobbly bed which just sends us into laughs and wrestling matches. It is so fun that he is trying to find his voice and trying to copy what we say. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes I need to be careful of what I say!
Matching boys after their walk last night. Joe is the best helper at unloading the dishwasher, which I might have already said before, but I just love that he likes to help and be involved. Joe is still his mommy's boy and on Sunday he let the Relief Society know it. I had to get up to play the opening hymn and Joe looked around nervous for a couple seconds before he started screaming! Heather had to take him out for me, which then her Kena started to worry about her mom, which led Hillary to pitch in and take care of Kena, which led Hillary's Sarah to get a little worried about her friends and mom, so Hillary's cousin took Sarah! Joe, nice job on the domino effect!
*This is the most exciting, I think...Joe has started letting us keep his arms folded and he's started bowing his head during our family prayers. He waits until the Amen part to look up and smile, like, "look at me!" I made it! I didn't think I would ever think it's as sweet as I do. It melted our hearts and family prayer has now been a bigger priority than it was before. I love my sweet boy and can't get enough of him, even though last night we only slept for a combined hour due to teething!

Joe-love

I feel like a horrible mom because I try to write what Joe is doing in my journal, but I want to have something for him also, so I'm going to do a little thing called Joe-love.
*My 13 1/2 month old has picked up walking frequently this past week. He has been able to stand propped up on couches, ottomans, and mom's leg since he was 7 1/2 months. Since he is such a SPEEDY crawler he hasn't taking to only walking yet. Yes, Chelsea I know you still think he resembles Franklin the turtle, but he doesn't act like him. He crawls so fast and hard that he has little bruises sometimes on his legs :(
*He gives kisses now, only on Joe time though. He loves to kiss me, loves to kiss the phone mostly when Grandma asks for it or when Aunt Chelsea asks for it. He has started with hugs also and those are the best cuddly hugs I could ask for.
*We have started the shape sorter and that is fun. He pounds the shapes in so hard, I hope one time his little finger isn't in the way. He loves his piggy bank also, but he'll put a coin in the slot only to hope that when he opens the bank, tons will fall out. He gets that from his mother!
*He's crazy in the bath and loves sliding and dunking basketballs.
*He is not a great eater, but I found something in the past couple days he will eat. Cereal! So we eat about 3 bowls of cereal a day...at least it's not 3 cans of lil crunchies!
*He loves getting Steve from the bus stop and as we watch the buses stop at his stop, Joe quickly scans to see if his dad is on that bus.
*He still has 8 teeth and has become quite the little pro at "brushing teeth" time.
*Is doing better for the camera, as you can tell, he was helping me take our picture.
*He claps for most of the contestants for American Idol and sometimes sways to the music.

*For the kicker: He is his grandma's boy, when he sees chocolate (in the wrapper or not) he starts smacking his lips out of control and waving his arms. It is hilarious!
Hopefully I'll be more on track with the Joe-loves so they aren't so long!