Featuring...Joshua

Well since all we blathered about last week was Ellie, it's only right to give Josh the spotlight this week. And it's not like there's a little to report - he's been a BUSY guy this month! On Tuesday Joshua turned 11 months, and suddenly he's leaving his "babydom" behind at the speed of light! And I'm being honest when I admit that I'm enjoying every moment of it. So far I have not found myself to be a mom who cries at every new stage my babies reach because of what's being left behind. Both my children have become happier and more content with each milestone they reach.

Happy baby = happy mom.

Anyway.

The most exciting thing in Joshua's life this month was when he discovered how to walk along furniture. It seems as though one day he was just standing there...the next he was taking hesitant steps, and now he's nearly running along anything that's solid.

Like the window frame, for example:

Or the kitchen table (here he is on his way to beg Ellie for a piece of her bagel):

But as you all can guess, this means he also gets into a lot more trouble than he used to. I went downstairs to get something for Ellie one evening, and when I came back upstairs he had somehow managed to make it to our bookshelf...

...and he looked more than pleased with himself!! Some baby proofing is in definite order! We never really had to babyproof with Ellie because it took her so long to become mobile that she understood (and obeyed, amazingly) most verbal reminders. Joshua just tunes us out and goes for the gold. This could get interesting!

Well, another day I came upstairs and found Joshua like this:
And it totally warmed my heart because again, Ellie wasn't adventuresome enough to go into cupboards. I spent a lot of time enjoying Ellie's language development. With Josh, for some unknown reason, I am completely eating up his mischievous explorer side. Which makes it hard to know how to deal with him when he gets into trouble.

All that to say, Josh seems to be starting to say 3 or 4 words, though we always look at one another and go, "Did he just say what it sounded like he said?" Sort of like when you're pregnant and you begin to feel your baby kick, but you don't want to believe that's what it was, just in case it wasn't true. So we'll see.

Anyhow, other favorite new activies for Joshua include:
Climbing THROUGH the exersaucer instead of around it...

Scootching backwards on his scooter...

Eating (well, this has always been a favourite past time, which is probably why he looks like a four year old in this photo! :)...

And his newest hobby - playing with the Christmas decorations:

And after all that, this is one tuckered out little boy.

Happy 11 months, Joshua...I love you more every day you exist!

p.s. We tried to take a video of the boy, but the battery died at that moment. Woe to all the poor un-videotaped second-born children out there who can relate to Joshua! :(