Funny Boy

Some things Joel has said in the past couple of days"

• Benny and I were whistling in his bed last night and he puts both hands of either side of Benny's face and says, "It's okay little bird". Turns to me, does the same, but says, "It's okay big bird"!
• He came around the corner and saw Benny and me and says, "Well there you are my family!" <3
• While leaving SoccerTots, Joel shouts as loud as he can, "Bye Coach Mel!!! I Love you!!!!"

Things this kid says...

• Good morning mommy/daddy. Nice to see you!
• (Joel, can I play with you?) Of course!
• (after I've said something like let's get some breakfast) Good idea mommy!
• I'm so proud of you.
• Good girl mommy, good girl. (while patting me on the back with both hands)
• Oh no! The crocodiles/dinosaurs are going to get us!!! (While driving in the car)
• Are we safe? (Referring to "are we safe from mommy" while he waits for me to jump around the door at him and Benny)
• No silly mommy! (when I start laughing at him and he wants me to stop)

Two Years Today

My dearest baby Joel,
    Somehow two years have gone by since the first day I held you in my arms.  That was the beginning of the best part of my life. You have made quite the impression on your father and me little man. You are so sweet. If you accidentally bump me on the head, you'll rub it and say, "I'm sorry Momma." "Please" and "thank you" are part of your everyday language, which makes me so proud. You are also VERY funny. You will do things intentionally to make me laugh. Like peer at me out of the corner of your eye and try not to smile when I'm trying to get you to look at something. Or when you make your sad face and then start laughing. Or when you toot on purpose. Yes, that has begun.
   My hopes for you at two years is that you continue to grow and thrive and learn and laugh. You have the best laugh. Especially when me and Daddy tickle you. I love talking to you and seeing the world from your perspective. I can not express how deeply in my heart you have rooted yourself. You've carved out a little spot in there. Well actually, a rather big spot. It's in that spot that floods with happiness when you hit a new milestone, or say something precious during your nighttime prayers. It's in that spot that aches when you're hurt or sick and I can't make it all better. And it's in that spot that I hold this special bond that you and I have that could never be replicated by anyone or anything.
   I am so proud to call you my son Joel. I can tell you have a good soul and a kind heart. Wherever your life takes you, I only hope that the road is paved with your happiness. And that you don't forget to call your mother. Often. If the time keeps ignoring my pleas to slow down, it will be no time before you are reading this and going off to college and getting married. But I hope if it's your 2nd birthday or your 42nd, you'll always know that you have made me one proud and tremendously happy woman. Just by being you.
I love you son. So, so, so much.
Mom
 

Skinned Knees and Chocolate Covered Faces

Joel and I were playing out on the deck this afternoon and he fell down. His legs are constantly covered in bruises from tumbling here and there, but this time was different. There was blood. The skin was scrapped off and he was bleeding. I immediately squealed and said, "Yay Buddy! You got your first skinned knee!" I didn't expect to have that reaction, it just came out. I don't know, it was just exciting to me. I tried to hold a wet rag to it but he wasn't to into that. "Take it oooooffffff!"Then when it came time to put on the Winnie the Pooh band aid he wasn't too happy. I finally put one on my leg and said, "Look, we have the same one!" That seemed to intrigue him enough to realize the band aid wasn't actually hurting him. So, that's that. First skinned knee down. 1,234,534,5343 to go.

We also shared an Oreo milkshake before the skinning of the knee. Joel's face/shirt/shorts/legs/neck and my  leg was covered in chocolate milky dripping by the time it was all over. I took a picture and when he saw it he said, "Aww Joel. Chocolate face." Haha- That kid cracks me up.

21 months

You...

• are using two/three word sentences- play ball, mama play choo-choo, I want Agua/nana/apple/omm (orange) etc.
• can name all your colors! 
• love to name things and their color- white shirt, yellow duck, blue truck...
• The 100 Words book we used to read to you- you can now read most of the words to us
• will say "Hello Mouse" and "The End" when we read The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the BIG HUNGRY BEAR, which are the first and last lines of the book. 
• weigh 33 lbs. and you are... taller? (I need to measure your height)
• love to kick soccer balls, which makes your father very happy
• love "cooking" when I make dinner. You like to stir whatever is on the stove.
• are a fan of baths. My nice big bathtub is now filled with dinosaurs, play dishes, magnetic letters and balls. 
• are getting more adventurous. Climbing up ladders, going down big boy slides...
• don't want to be confined to a stroller or being held when we go places. You want to "walk! walk!"
• have the best laugh ever, especially when we tickle you after you hit the popcorn button on your microwave
• are very affectionate and will come and hug me or your dad out of nowhere 
• have become shy around new people
• do not like to be messy or have spills. You want your hands clean (even though you usually forego utensils and eat with your hands) and any spills "mess! mess!" need to be cleaned up right away
• are obsessed with the trash can. You love to "throw away?" your diapers when you are changed and any other little things you can find. 
• have started trying to jump. You have the motions down, you just don't pick your feet up off the ground, so it's kind of a bounce. 
• have graduated your dance moves from squatting to now spinning around in circles. 
• imitate me and your dad. You try to put pens behind your ear like your daddy does and you try to sweep while saying, "mama?" (What does that tell you about who does the cleaning around here?)
• are in love with Dora- our dog and the cartoon. Parker is only "big dog" but you light up when you see Dora and say, 'Hi Dough-ra!"
• surprisingly enjoy brushing your teeth?
• are absolutely, without a doubt the most hilarious, sweet, smart, gentle little soul and I'm so happy to be the one that knows you well enough to make a list of 21 things you are up to at 21 months old :) Love you Joely Beans!

Mr. Personality

Over the past two days, I have had the pleasure of staying home with Joel since he was not feeling his best. You'd never know he had a pesky double ear infection. He still laughs and plays and talks and sings. He loves to sing the tune of "Twinkle twinkle little star"- you can make out the twinkle, twinkle, but the rest is up to your imagination. He has made up his own song, "Agua, agua, agua..." He just repeats that word over and over with different melodies.
He loves to say "Hi" to some ladies at the supermarket, but he is especially friendly to inanimate objects. When leaving HEB yesterday, he took the frozen garlic bread out of the cart and held it in his arms like a baby almost. He said, "Hi Bread!" He held it all the way home in the car, saying over and over, "Hi bread!" Then tonight I made him some fresh green beans. Anytime I cook I try to give him a little to "cook" in his own pan. So he had 4-5 raw green beans that he was cooking. After dinner we needed to make a quick run to the store, so the green beans rode along. He counted his beans. "One, twoooo, treee green beans!" He held those beans all the way there and back. How can you not love this kid?
The kicker. Tonight in the bathtub somehow babies came up. I should preface by saying that Joel also has begun asking "why?" to pretty much anything I say. The other night it started with "Let's take a bath", "why?"...(10 minutes later)..."because mommy and daddy wanted to start a family." Don't ask me how it progressed to that.
Anyway, so I asked Joel, "Are you a baby or a big boy?" Without any prompting, he points to his chest, like he usually does when he says, "I Joel", but this time he replies with, "I momma's baby."
AHHHH! Seriously? Does he even know what that does to a mother? God willing, he will keep that mind set until he's 100. Because in my eyes, Joel will always be momma's baby. What a doll.
I'm not sure what I did to get this sweet boy, but I hope I keep it up.