Saturday, August 27, 2011

Closing out the blog....

Well, the time has come! I have decided to discontinue the blog after two and a half years. I have been forgetful about posting on it lately and frankly there isn't as much time to keep up with it the way I had been with Joel running around and getting into trouble! Thanks to everyone who followed our "little family adventures" for the last two and a half years. It was fun! Now, the adventure continues....... :0)

Amy

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Catching Up (again!)....

I realized it had been a while since I had posted, so I just put up a bunch of pictures here to show what we have been doing this summer. We have been busy and Joel has been growing like a weed. He has learned "no!" and uses it (a lot!), mostly at nap time or outside when he doesn't want to come in. He is almost able to ride his tricycle and is mastering the steering on his motorized tractor. He is quite the toast of the neighborhood! He is very popular and everyone enjoys his nightly walks around the neighborhood. He likes to stop and visit everyone! It has been so hot this summer that he usually doesn't go outside much until Daddy gets home from work. He know that when Daddy gets home he is going outside, so he is ready and waiting when he hears that garage door! He is the love of our lives and we enjoy every minute with him (well, okay, MOST minutes....there is that "no!" thing and middle-of-the-night stuff...) I'll try to keep up better. There is just so much to do with a busy two-year-old! More later...

**Also, I realize these pictures have posted in reverse order, most recent first. That is annoying, but I don't have time to switch them around. Sorry! **

Joel LOVES tubing!!!! Kathryn will be his buddy for life after this! :0)

Tubing with Kathryn....so much fun!!

Joel and Daddy swimming at the lake.

Floating around at the lake. I think he could get used to this! :0)

Deep in conversation with Bailey!

Acting goofy!

Mr.Blue Eyes.

Water Baby!

Peek-a-Boo!!

Trying out Mommy's new slippers!

Most adorable and most loved boy EVER.

Zonked out!!!

With Candace, our neighbors' granddaughter. They play together some and get along really well. She is a month younger than he is.

Breakfast with Uncle Randy....sitting at the table like a Big Boy!

So cute!

Watching a hot air balloon go by the Sarah and Katie on July 4. He gets so excited when he sees one!

Swimming with LeighAnne's puppy, Hattie. July 4.

Watching the fireworks on July 4th. Not sure about that expression....he was pretty skittish until we took him out of the stroller and held him. Better luck next year, I guess!

Toddler bed from Grandma and PawPaw. Notice the snow boots! He wears them ALL the time! :0)

Joel and Daddy watching the game. Boy was it HOT!!!! Whew!

At the Toledo MudHens game, July 2.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Zoo Trip...

Yesterday we went to the Toledo Zoo for the day to get out and enjoy some fresh air. Grandma went with us. We had a great day! It was really hot but we were able to find shade and ice cream when we needed it. We even got to see the new baby elephant! He is really cute. We didn't have to wait to see him at all, even though people on the internet were talking about really long lines. We walked all over and Joel wore himself out. He slept on the way home and was REALLY cranky when we got home. He finally did calm down, but he was pretty irritable until bedtime. The good news is that he slept ALL NIGHT!!! Unfortunately, Mommy and Daddy were completely exhausted too! We all got a good night's sleep and are ready to face today. Hopefully the storms hold off tonight and Joel can get some good outside-with-Daddy time before bed. More later...

Mommy & Joel.

Daddy & Joel.

LOVE this one!

Sitting on the famous concrete elephant.

Joel loves the merry-go-round. I took him for one ride and then it was Daddy's turn!

Joel and Daddy checking out the turtles.

Baby elephant at the Toledo Zoo....he is soooo cute!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day! I just realized it had been a while since I had posted anything, so I added a bunch of pictures from our summer adventures! Last weekend we went to Deep Lake in Michigan with Grandma, PawPaw, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jason. My Uncle Ted and Aunt Diane have a place there. We went to visit with them and to celebrate Rob's birthday, Lisa's birthday, and Father's Day. Joel had a great time. He was most happy about the boat ride and sitting on Ted's lap to steer! He was a little hesitant about the water, but he was smiling and giggly while Rob splashed with him. I think we could all get used to a vacation lifestyle! :0) Joel is doing well, but we are back to having some significant sleeping issues again. Some nights I don't know why I even go to bed! The worst night was when he was awake from 2:00am until 7:15am. THAT was ugly. He wakes up wide-eyed and ready to play. He isn't napping as much during the day either, so it is very frustrating. Last night he woke up about 2:30am and ended up coming to bed with us. He was awake for a couple of hours but we stayed in the bed and he eventually fell asleep there until 8:30am. I know that isn't a habit we want to get in to, but it was kind of nice cuddling him and watching him sleep for a while. This morning we went to church and tried to take Joel with us to the service since no one was in the nursery. NOT a good idea! We sat in the very back pew and Joel only made it through the first hymn! He was loud and unhappy until we took him to the nursery. I think he is playing us.....as we were leaving the pew I swear I heard him say, "All done!". He is talking more and saying more words: "cupcake", "ding-dong", "No, Bailey!", and a lot of "NO!!!". After church Rob had suggested that we take a little lunch to the dam, so we did that. Joel LOVES the meatballs from Subway meatball subs so we stopped for one of those. Of course, Joel loved running all over and picking up sticks. After lunch we stopped at a house in town that Rob had heard about where one weekend a year (Father's Day weekend) this man and his wife set up a very detailed and intricate model train display that takes up almost their whole backyard. It was free to go look at them and wander around. Joel was in Heaven! We had to watch him closely because he wanted to "Godzilla"-it and run through the village they had built. There were also replica train noises, which were a big hit! Once we got home it was pretty easy to get him to go to sleep. Now if we will just do the same tonight! We'll see! More later...

Joel and Daddy....buddies for life.

Watching the model trains.

Father's Day lunch with Daddy at Independence Dam.

Happy Father's Day! (Please notice the coordinating outfits! :0) )

This is how I found him during his nap one day....

Splash! Splash! Splash!

The high-point of Joel's day....driving the boat with Great-Uncle Ted!

Cute as can be....and getting sleepy!

Mr. Fun in the Sun!

Relaxing in the boat....this lasted all of about two minutes before he was on the move again!

Splashing around with Daddy! All smiles!

In the tub. In his jammies. I can't turn my back for a second.....!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

June is Here....

Another busy weekend for the Fosters! Yesterday we just hung out at home and played with Joel. Bailey has been a little under the weather lately and we had to keep a close eye on her. Rob set up Joel's playset so that the slide went right into his pool. Rob showed him the first time, and he made a HUGE splash when he hit the water! I really did not think he would do it again, but he ended up going 5 or 6 times by himself! He also insisted upon climbing into his water table and sitting in it. He had such a good time! He usually throws a big fit about coming in from outside, but last night he was so tired he didn't seem to care. This morning we got up and went to church. As usual, Joel was the only child in the nursery, but he got lots of attention from the family working this morning. He loves taking walks and checking out all the rooms in the church. Everyone loves him! Rob's birthday is today and we went to dinner and had birthday cake for him last night. Joel was all about that! This afternoon Joel took a nice long nap and we played and took a walk. Joel usually walks now instead of riding in the stroller. He's a big boy! More later... (By the way, Joel turned 27 months old this weekend.....where is the time going?)

"Leave me alone....I've got CAKE!!"

Happy Birthday, Daddy! This is the best shot I could get of the two of them....Joel was bound and determined to get his hands on that cake!

Joel sitting in his water table. Not sure why. Plus, he had to work pretty hard to get there....He's a weirdo!

Joel's first splashdown from the slide into the pool. Rob loves this picture!

Not a graceful entry....but he loved it!

Joel was having so much fun!!

My gardeners....Yard Man and Lawn Boy! :0)

Focus....focus....focus!

Joel looks like he is ready for the beach!