Joel doing windows.... with a smile


Joel loves to help and he asked what he could do while we were cleaning house on Saturday. He does a great job on the windows....at least the parts he can reach. Most of the fingerprints are his anyway...Ha Ha!

My own sweet superhero!

Joel asleep in the car



Joel got these glasses from the movie theater when we saw Monsters vs. Aliens. They are actually 3D glasses. He likes to wear them around the house while playing. He thinks they are super hero glasses and he never wears them right side up. They are always upside down. My superhero went with me to get Caitlin after school and he fell asleep on the way. He was snoring! So cute!!!

This weekend...Random pictures and videos

I had some help washing dishes. Joel liked playing in the water and helping mommy clean up after making a cake.

More on growing up....

I read Kelly's blog today at Kelly's Korner that has this post of Darius Rucker. I just had to post it here. This song is awesome and for anyone who has kids, especially girls. Since I have one "step" daughter, who I am very close with it is so sweet, but I also have Tyler who is already 19 and in college all the way down to Joel who is already 3.5 years old. I remember when Tyler was so small and it seems like yesterday. Now, I have 4 kids total and they have all grown so much, so fast. Now that I am older, and I see my littlest growing like a weed it makes it bittersweet to watch him change... he's my last "baby" and it's hard ....Those of you who are parents/grandparents, you know what I mean.

Playing at the park

Joel-3years,9months

3'3" and 38lb.

Man, all my kids are growing up! Too fast! My baby boy is already almost 4! He's got one more school year and he's going to start Kindergarten. What??? It seems like I just brought him home from the hospital. Where did the time go? My sweet Jo Jo is so independent. He wants to dress himself, brush his own teeth, go to the bathroom with no help and he puts on his own strap fastened shoes. He always tries to tie his other sneaks too.

Joel is wanting to grow "bigger". He will say after a meal that he grew and then stand there with his hand raised over his head "measuring" how much taller he's gotten. He wants you to see how much he's grown. I always act like he has. When we are out somewhere, he constantly sizes up any other child he sees and says he's bigger than them even if they are 5 or 6 years old. He says "I'm bigger than that kid" (or "boy" or "grill-for girl"). I'm embarrassed to say this, because he probably watches too much TV, but he always see's something on a commercial that he wants for his "birthday". He talks all the time about "Bakogons" a toy, which is clearly for boys who are over 6 years old. EVERYWHERE we go, he will look at other kids, even babies under one and say " That kid isn't old enough for Bakugons" because I told him he was not old enough yet to play with those toys.

Joel is very strong willed. Joe says he's just like me in personality, but he looks like him. It's pretty much true. We are having a challenge right now....I mean since he turned about 18 months old, he's been throwing fits and screaming. Now he is a terrible whiner too. I think it must be the age, but I am doing everything I know to redirect that behavior. I personally can't stand whining. It really gets me. If anyone knows what works to stop the fits/causing a scene ie: (stomping/jumping up and down, crying and screaming which escalates at home into rolling on the ground and screaming/crying louder). I read recently that usually by age 4 kids stop doing this, but he will be 4 the last day of June. Anyone have success with this......anyone? Advise is welcome.