We've been working with Joshua on this question. People are always asking him, "What's your name?" and he just looks at them. So we will ask him at home and while he is prompted in this video he does usually answer on his own. He will tell you how old he is now and my favorite is when you ask him, "What's your daddy's name?". He thinks he is saying Raul, but it comes out as "Raaooon"...he doesn't quite have mommy's name yet.
Joshua loves music...all kinds of music. Earlier today I had an old Aqua and Beach Boys mixed CD playing in the car on the way home from Bastrop and Joshua was just smiling away dancing his little cars in his hands. So tonight a commercial came on and both Joshua and Daddy got up to dance. Joshua now wants everyone to dance when he dances so you can hear him say "Shake Booty Daddy, Shake Booty Mommy" as he shakes his little booty around to the music.
This is a poem I recently ran across online and it brought tears to my eyes and I felt I needed to share it with everyone else.
Loving Two
I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you?
Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you’ve never shared me before.
I hear you telling me in your own way, “Please love only me”. And I hear myself telling you in mine, “I can’t”, knowing, in fact, that I never can again.
You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again.
But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I’m afraid to let you see me enjoying him, as though I am betraying you.
But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection.
More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast.
But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times – only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other.
I watch how he adores you – as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven’t taken something from you, I’ve given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you.
I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you – only differently.
And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you’ll never share my love. There’s enough of that for both of you – you each have your own supply.
I love you – both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.
Author Unknown
So, we've been shoving our poor little two year old into a jacket that is meant for a one year old for a while now. It barely hits his waist and gets pulled up nearly to his elbows when he raises his arms. I've been on the hunt for a Carhart jacket for a while now. Every store I went to or called were out of the toddler sizes so I gave up and bought it online. It finally arrived yesterday and he got to use it for the first time. It arrived just in time for the cold front that is supposed to be coming through this weekend (I'll believe it when it happens).
After the meeting on Sunday, Silina went out to her car with Joshua and came back with a Thomas the Train complete with tracks. We got home and set it up for him since he kept saying "Thomas Train" the whole drive home.
Joshua has exploded with putting sentences together. Just saturday evening he was playing in his bathtub and placed a little duck next to a larger duck. He looks at me and says, "Mama, please leave duckie here." I couldn't believe how much he is starting to put all his two three word phrases into sentences.
First, potty training...not really in the works. Occasionally we can get him to go on the sea turtle potty before he goes in his diaper, but we are not going to be pushing the issue. We really feel the best way is letting him lead us as to where he is at with it. No need in having him regress after Matthew arrives anyway. At least he gets the idea of what to do on the potty.
Second, sleeping is going okay. We decided that because he has been sleeping in our bed for a year now it isn't a habit that can be broken overnight or even in a week despite what people will say. So, we are working on naps. He takes his naps in his bed (as long as I'm not running errands that keeps us out at nap time). He actually does really well and will just wake up and walk out into the living room looking for one of us. From others experience with this method their little one eventually just asked to sleep in his own bed at night after experiencing many joyful naps in his own bed. So, hopefully we can get people to stop pushing us to get him out of our bed overnight. It isn't as if Matthew will be in our bed too.
Now, some pictures of Joshua lately.
