Top Ten list for 13 months

Well, here we are at another "month-stone." I don't know if I am cool enough to coin a word, but I think that one is fitting. It's a milestone... he's a month older...."monthstone."  13 months. Wow, when did that happen? Ah, well, he's just going to keep at this growing business, so I'd better embrace it!  

This is a non-traditional Top Ten list. I am not counting them down. I'm doing good to get this typed, as Jonah is sitting with me.

13 months means:

*drool (this is not exclusive to 13 months....but it is STILL here) Most people use a bib to catch the drool and keep the child dry. I am considering a full sized bath towel at this point.

*runny nose. I think his runny nose goes along with teething...hence the drooling. "Dear Jonah, GET SOME more TEETH ALREADY!!"

*running fever. Jonah has been running a low grade fever off and on this week. Poor guy. Poor Mom. We need these teeth to come in NOW!
*taking steps. This is going to be the month he starts walking, I'm sure. He's gotten to the point of walking along side me while holding my hand. He takes a cautious step of his own every now and then. It's coming.

*shaking his head "no" (mostly when asked if he wants to go into the nursery) sometimes when he is doing something he knows he shouldn't

*taking a bow. This may be my favorite thing EVER. This is by far the cutest thing he's ever done. He did it the 1st time a week ago. If I can ever get him to do it on camera it will be a miracle.

*12 month shirts are getting too small.

*he likes music...the other day on the way to church he was patting his hands on his legs with the rhythm of the music on the radio.

*  m,    hkvfkfldhwl;b vm, vnkejo ui gt';r kle (he likesy to hElp mommy type)


And the final thing about 13 months.... 

*he has a new battle wound:

Can you see the bruise down the side of his face? Over our Thanksgiving vacation Jonah was sitting a little close to Harry. Harry was asleep. 

Jonah decided that was the best time to grab a handful of fur/skin. Harry did not agree, and reacted accordingly. Jonah screamed. Harry got a darn good spanking. 

Five minutes later, Jonah was laughing and trying to pet Harry again. Silly boy. Leave that dog ALONE!

New Adventure

Don't you just love this print by Mary Engelbreit? True friendship is a rare gift, wouldn't you agree? When you find those "forever friends" in life, you hang on tight, no matter what. Sometimes "no matter what" is silly, sometimes it is sad, sometimes really really happy. Sometimes it means your forever friend is moving away. (can I just be 12 years old for a moment?)

Today's post is in celebration of a new adventure for our friends. This makes a new adventure for our family/me as well. Jeremy and Susan Hetzel are some of the dearest and sweetest friends any body could ask for. They are very special to our family. Today they are moving to Colorado Springs, CO. That's more than 12 hours (792.73 miles according to mapquest) away from here. From me. (12 year-old me stomping my foot here)

This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us. It was taken in college. We'd just made an angel food cake from scratch in baking class!

The day Susan married I cried. A lot. (just look at her wedding pics...it was embarrassing) Not the run-of-the-mill "happy for you" tears, no they were much more than that! I couldn't help it. Something inside me told me it was the end of our friendship as I knew it (which, it was, but not in a tragic sort of way). I thought she wouldn't need me anymore, since she had Jeremy. That was SO not true, but it felt true at the time. We adjusted to that change over time. And having lived through that, this change seems a little less tragic. I'm not sobbing uncontrollably (at least not right now...the 12 year old inside might take over at any moment!). I am sad. I am sad that I won't be close by when her baby is born in January. I am sad her children might forget me. I am sad that they won't be able to come over at a moment's (or at least day's) notice. But more than that I am happy!!!!

I am happy for this new adventure in the life of their family. I am excited that they are moving where God wants them to be with the confidence that He will use them in this new phase of ministry. Jeremy will be serving as a youth minister in a church out there. Jeremy has lived out there before and has many good friends. I am excited for them to have a place that feels like home!

So, here's to friendship and new adventures! We love you guys....and you'd better follow this blog or get Skype or something!

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

When I saw this little banner for Thanksgiving, I just fell in love with it! I love the simple pumpkins and the pretty background. I am a sucker for argyle. I love it!

I've decided to celebrate Thanksgiving all week. I hope everyone has special plans with family sometime this week. I don't know how many blog posts will be written, but each one will be thankful!

We will be celebrating with the Atkins family, as we do every year. All of Jonathan's aunts, uncles, cousins, cousin-in-laws, and their children will be there. We usually have 40+ people celebrating thankfulness! I am looking forward to seeing all of them and playing some games! Oh, yeah, and the food! I'm looking forward to the food, too!

Today I am thankful for family. Jonathan and I are very blessed to have the wonderful extended families that we do. We love being a part of the whole! So, if you and I are related (by blood, or by name) I am thankful for YOU!

Teeth.

Teeth. Who needs em? WE DO. We are desperate to get these silly things in. Jonah has been teething since January. He started getting teeth in July (that is 6 months with nothing to show for all the drool). At first I didn't even think he was truly teething, but looking back, I believe he was. By the end of August, when he was 9 months old, Jonah had 4 nice big healthy teeth. He still has those same 4 nice big healthy teeth. And he's still drooling! I thought he'd have more by now. There doesn't even seem to be a new tooth in sight. No swollen gums, no little white points peeking through. But, by golly, he sure. is. drooling (as well as a few other teething symptoms from time to time). I have a hard time believing it will ever end!

 See those gummers...those cute toothless gums! 

(see the drool on his shirt?)

 

There are the bottom teeth. They came in 1st...within a week or so of each other.

 Then he grew 2 on top! 

4 cute teeth on 1 cute boy!

Ok, but do you want to see something really cute that he does with his teeth?

He BRUSHES them!! 

He loves his little toothbrush. 

We only use water, but it's a good start to a lifelong practice!

Duck!

Don't worry, I'm not warning you of something flying at your head. Duck has become a favorite word around our house. Why? Well, because it seems to be the next word Jonah is learning to say. I'm officially calling it his "first word" (other than mama or dada). He hasn't totally mastered it, but he tries A LOT. I'm sure he will continue to get better and master it soon. He still says "mama" most when he's upset and "dada" when he's just jabbering and content. He says "duck" in the bathtub. This video will show it. I've gotten 2 takes on it. The 2nd one showcases his "duck" the best. Please ignore my prompting in the background. I'm not as cute as the boy!

I love Green Beans....really.

I love green beans. I always have. Well, I've always loved to eat them. Growing up, I wouldn't have confessed this so readily, simply because I HATED getting up at 7am in the summer to pick the darn things. We grew a garden every year. When Emily and I were old enough to start picking Dad suddenly thought we could grow twice as many rows. The crop seemed to multiply every year. So, we made it a game...whoever got to the end of their row 1st wins kind of deal...oh wait, if you finished 1st you got to help the others (ie: pick MORE)! But, I do have fond memories of snapping beans while watching Anne of Green Gables!! My parents still grow and can green beans every year. No restaurant can come close to my mama's home cooked green beans.

So, all of that to say, I LOVE green beans! They are tasty, healthy, and baby friendly! They have just enough structure to not fall apart in the mouth, but are soft enough to be eaten by someone with only 4 teeth!

 See the beans.                                        See the beans cut into bits.

The cute baby can self-feed these bits!

But, he prefers it be fed to him on a spoon. I don't mind feeding him. It keeps the bean bits out of his hair. More of the beans make it to his mouth when fed by fork. 

Now, isn't that a cute and happy boy! He loves his green beans!

ok, while we are on the subject of food...I found the cutest thing at the grocery store. I'd never seen such a product. The vegetable can is in the photo for perspective, so you can see just how cute the little "mini bananas" are! They taste a little different, not better, not worse, just different. Now I have the perfect serving size for the baby! 

Puppy Time

As you well know, Jonah loves to play with Harry, our rat terrier.  Well, today he decided to play Harry...not with Harry...he wanted to be Harry!  I was sitting at the computer (where you can find me most mornings checking the blogs I follow) watching Jonah on the side.  Then, I heard the sound of Harry's crate closing.  I went to check, and sure enough, there was the boy IN the crate!  Yuck.  

But, (say it with me) 

"At least he's not eating dog food", right?!

Good Morning, Harry.

Harry is probably sulking because we made him go out in the rain.