22 months old

Pictures from the last few days....

He now says "cheese" when someone takes a picture of him.

What's in a name?

So today is Joshua's Adoption Day - the day 1 year ago that he officially became a Bohlman. I remember the day very well and always will. It's gotten me to thinking...because really, nothing about our family changed on that day except Joshua's name. We were already confident he was going to stay around for a while...so why the big deal??

Here's why...

Think of your first name...(Joshua!) It identifies you. It's the one you hear all your life from those who love you, it's the one that mamas use when they make up songs to lull you to sleep. It's the one the teacher uses to get you to pay attention. First names are agonized over, many books have been written with first names in them. Joshua is a beautiful name that we both liked, and in the Bible, Joshua was a mighty man of valor. He stood firm in his belief in the face of contradictory evidence, and led his people to unlikely victories. Oh, that my son would be a man of valor and faith! So if your first name is about identity, then...

What about your middle name?? Many times, middle names are chosen to honor someone else. Perhaps a family member or favorite friend. Joshua's middle name (Michael) was chosen by his birthmom to honor a friend of hers who had passed away, but we liked it too, since it is my dad's name and Chris's brother's name. Middle names are about honor.

But that last name?? What's so special about it? Your last name is your belonging. When I took Chris's last name at our wedding, it was symbolic that he and I belong together. When Joshua received his new last name in court 1 year ago, it signified to the world that he belongs to this family. So while nothing changed, everything changed. My little boy belongs with us.

Here he is on Adoption Day 2010... and for comparison, on Adoption Day 2009.

I'm 21 months old!

Hi everyone! It's Joshua. Mama is really tired tonight, so she let me do the typing. She's tired because daddy's back to work (yea!), but he works in the evenings. So it's just mama and me all evening long. Mama's glad I go to bed at 7. She makes me do a lot of stuff before that - I think she's trying to wear me out!

I learned to say "go", "I help", "wow", and "Sadie"...that's a lot for me. The doctor was a little worried that I wasn't learning words fast enough, but when they checked it out more, they decided that I was just fine. They'll check me again when I turn 2, but I know that I'll have a lot to say then.

I LOVE the park. It's my favorite place to go. I like swinging and the twisty slide. Mama has to go on the twisty slide with me, but it's still lots of fun. I have so much fun that it's really hard when mama says time to leave. Sometimes I have to ride in the stroller back home, since I would rather stay and play.

Mama gets to stay home with me all summer. She's gonna let me have swimming lessons again, and we're gonna do all kinds of fun stuff. She says there's only 6 more weeks of school. That must be a good thing.

See you all next month! JOSHUA

20 months old and Happy Easter!

Joshua continues to be the joy of our lives. He is 20 months old today, and is celebrating by cutting 4 new teeth. Poor kid! He's learning and exploring and getting dirty and doing all the other little boy things there are to do.

Tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday - we are so blessed to have a risen Savior! Not one who just died, but one who also LIVES! My Redeemer Lives!

19 months

Joshua began this month with an ear infection in both ears, and the antibiotics to clear up the ear infection causing some other nasty side effects - resulting in many, many diaper changes... We picked up some acidophilus and it seems to be better. He ate a full meal tonight for the first time in almost a week.

We haven't been healthy around here lately, and it's taking its toll on all of us. Life continues to speed by, and our boy is growing faster than I imagined. He goes back in to the doc tomorrow for a shot and an ear check, and then gets a haircut.

I turn 33 on Saturday - and the best thing about my life is this little family. I was going to say Joshua, but that's not quite fair to Chris - who is after all, my partner in crime in raising this little guy. Joshua made me a birthday card, with Grandma Sue's help. It's quite the scrapbooked creation, and grandma only helped a little.

And oh, by the way, Abbott and Costello (see previous post) bit the dust a few weeks ago....we're much better with furry friends.

Halfway to 3

My baby boy is 1 and a half! He's begun pointing at things and saying "wa daaa?" in a high pitched voice... I think he's saying "What's that?" IF I can figure out what he's pointing at, I tell him. He's growing, and getting teeth...and learning to walk backwards, and climbing, and jibber jabbering all the time.

He has 2 new pet fish. We think their names are Abbott and Costello, in honor of Daddy's fondness for them.

At his dr. appt. today, he weighed 28 pounds and is 31 inches tall. He's graduated from laying on the baby scale to standing up on the big scale and big height measurer thingy.

He's the light of our lives and the joy of our hearts.

17 months old

What's new at our house? Josh has learned to sign please....this results in him thinking that if he says please, he gets whatever he's asking for...which is very much not true. :)

He's also practicing using a fork, which makes for an interesting mess at dinner time.

I can't believe my baby is almost 1 1/2!