Halloween!

The rest of the pictures are here: HALLOWEEN

More pictures of Jonah: LATELY

Snacktime!

Grandma Annie and Papa came to visit!

Jonah had a great time with his grandparents. We went to the pumpkin patch, the park and on a train ride! Can't wait to see everyone next month in Missouri.

Jonah and his dad at the little park we walk to every day.

Jonah enjoying the view at the park.

Jonah loves to water the plants.

Things here haven't changed very much. Jonah is as busy as ever. All things must be opened, thrown, explored, moved, ripped apart, splashed, smashed etc. on and on forever. He stops moving briefly to sleep in short stretches. He was sleeping through the night and really got our hopes up that sleep issues had resolved. But two nights ago, we learned that sleep issues are never resolved. Give a kid a fever and a rash and game over. Welcome back 2am, 3am, 4:30am - I did not miss them at all, but they are all in my life again.

Work continues to be busy and challenging. Frustrating, too, but that's all part of it I suppose. I'm still working on balancing my needs with the needs of my employer - being good at my job and being good at being part of a family, too. Some days I succeed better at one than the other but I'm hopeful that there can be a happy compromise.

Kevin's looking for a car and a job. I think he's getting a little stir crazy being home alone with our little tornado all day every day. He had basketball twice a week as a respite, but an old ankle injury put a halt on that, at least for now. I think it will do him good to get out of the house one or two days a week. Our sister in law has agreed to watch Jonah for us while Kevin works so it's nice that his whole paycheck won't go to a daycare center! It's good for him to be with his cousins, to be with family.

Jonah went to the zoo for the first time this weekend. He loved all the animals.

Giraffes were first.

He thought the anteater was hilarious.

The petting zoo was only okay. He kind of touched one goat and then was ready to move on.


Speaking of moving on, I leave in about half an hour for a conference in Atlanta. This means for two days, I will have a hotel room all to myself. I will miss my boys like crazy, I know, but oh my it will be nice to be on my own!

MVP: Part Two

My little athlete.

Jonah has always loved books. Now that he's more independent, he is able to be more demanding when it comes to reading them. He will go pick one out and hand it to me, then turn around and back up until he plops into my lap. Heaven help me if I'm standing up and don't get into position by the time he's ready to sit down! He'll read the same book over and over, wanting me or Kevin to read it the first few tmes and then wanting to read it to us after. If you try to pick up a different book, screaming ensues. He wants THAT book and only THAT book until the next time he wants to read, when the whole process starts over with a new book.

He also loves the outdoors. He doesn't care where he is as long as it is outside. The first thing he does when he gets up on the morning is run to the front door to get his shoes, then he brings them to whoever is awake. He wants them on his feet NOW. He wants outside NOW. This is a process that is repeated over and over throughout the day. He'll run and bring us his shoes and with those big brown hopeful eyes, who could refuse him?

Jonah doesn't talk too much. Mostly it's just babbling ("mamamama, bababa" with the occasional "dog!" thrown in). Sometimes he'll repeat words we say. Last night he was hanging out with his cousins. Makayla was talking about chocolate when Jonah turned to us and very clearly said "I eat chocolate." His first sentence! He hasn't said anything since; I guess he's saving it up so that he can wow us again.

Playing Catch

I think we have a MVP on our hands - check out that arm!

Jonah on the Slide

We went to the big park down the road. Jonah climbed up to the top of the slide and then pushed himself down. It's official - he's a boy, not a baby!