Hats Melt My Heart

I don't know what it is about this kid and hats, but some of my most favorite pictures of him are when he has an over-sized hat on...

10 Months, and a Surprise!

Joshua turned 10 months old yesterday!  Now that our boy is crawling (more like army crawling), it seems like Mommy and Joshua are both getting a daily workout.  He loves to discover anything he can get his hands, or teeth, on.  Ally is not so thrilled about Joshua's newest freedom, as he gets a kick out of chasing after her tail.

He smiles all the time, and has been given the nickname, "Smiley", by numerous people.  He loves to flirt with older women, and his giggles are contagious.  Though for the most part he's smiling, we have noticed a bit of strong will coming out recently.  As soon as he hears the word "no", he puffs out that boo-boo lip and lays on the fake cry.  I tried to keep myself from laughing yesterday, but ended up losing it, which in turn made him laugh, and me laugh even harder.  He's definitely going to be one of those kids who tests the limits and tries to see how much he can get away with!

Here are some recent pics of our boy.  I added some quotes of what I think is going through his head : )

"I'm cute.  Enough said."

"This posing stuff should get me extra sweet potato puffs!"

"Ally, you're mine!"

"These blue eyes were made for the ladies"

"Forget the expensive toys that talk and play music, I want this banged up box that does nothing at all."

"Psst...Mom...I just laid a doozy in my diaper!"

Before I end this post, I wanted to add one more thing.  Many of you already know this, but we wanted to officially put it out there...

Joshua is going to be a big brother!!!  

Our family of three will soon be a family of four!  Baby Dos' due date is January 18th.  I'll save you the time and do the math for you - Joshua and Baby Dos will only be 16 months apart.  We are thrilled that the Lord has blessed us with another child, and look forward to adding to the craziness of our family.  I had my 12 week appointment today, and got to hear the baby's heartbeat with the doppler - that sound never gets old!  First trimester seemed to be a lot harder this time around, but I think I'm pretty much over the hump now and starting to get my appetite and energy back.  I'm so ready to enter 2nd Tri!    Below, is my first baby bump picture, which was taken a few days ago.

12 Weeks

Gerber Photo Contest

If you're on Facebook, please vote for our little man in the Gerber Photo Contest.  You can vote everyday through the end of the month.  Here's a link to the voting area:

Gerber Photo Contest - Joshua Grundstrom

Joshua thanks you in advance

Old Toys Teach New Tricks

Do you remember the old-school Fisher-Price telephones, complete with a rotary dial? 

While they are probably not suitable for today's kids because of their long cords and lead paint, my mom pulled out the one I had when I was younger.  We dragged the toy around the house in hopes that Joshua would want to chase it, and sure enough, this is what happened...

Who says old toys don't teach new tricks?!

One Fish, Two Fish...

I know I'm going to get a lot of flack from my Phoenix friends for this, but it's H-O-T!  We tried to beat the heat today by visiting our neighborhood pool.  I loved watching my two fishes play together : )

Yes!

Joshua has been saying, "Da-da" for awhile now.  He still doesn't really associate it with Andrew, but it still bummed me out a bit when I would hear him say it.  A few days ago, Joshua started saying, "Ma-ma."  As with Da-da, he doesn't associate Ma-ma with me, but it's just nice to hear him say those sweet consonants together!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there!

A special shout-out goes to my hubby and best friend.  Andrew, thank you for going above and beyond for our family.  Thank you for going to work each and every day with a cheerful heart, and then for coming home and jumping right into the chaos even when you're tired.  It has been such a joy over the past year to watch you grow in your role of "father," and I can't wait to see the journey that awaits us in the future as parents.  

We also want to wish our Dad's a Happy Father's Day:

Doug, thanks for taking care of me as your own daughter.  Thank you for raising a godly, loving son - that's the best gift you could ever give a girl!  Also, we affectionately call you the "Baby Whisperer" because you are a natural with Joshua.  Joshua sure does cherish his Papa time!

And, to my daddy...  I will always be your little girl.  I'm sure I'll be playing the "Daddy" card, as I bat my eyes, well into my late years : )  You've taught me so much over the years, and I cherish the relationship that we have.  Joshua wants you to know that he appreciates the fact that you let him watch Sportscenter at your house ; )