New Room!

Joshua has moved into a new room so that we can make his room the nursery for Anna Ruth.  He has been super excited about his new room for months.  A few weeks ago my hardworking cousin and his dear wife came and helped move furniture, vacuum and store mattresses in what turned out to be like a game of tetris in our storage closet.  (Thank you to the moon and back, Trevor and Jessica). 

Joshua has transitioned to his new room wonderfully.  It helps that Nana came and brought a car table to add to the décor.  The table has huge drawers that now on one side house Joshua's clothes and toys on the other. 

When Nana came last week to help set up Anna Ruth's room (Thanks a million, Nana) Joshua somehow convinced her that he did not have any cars to play with on his new table.  So she took him to Wal-Mart and let him buy a pack of matchbox cars.  Dave and I had to laugh at Joshua's ability to hide the truth when in reality he has so many cars they hardly fit on the table. 

 

Dave has big dreams for the car table eventually becoming a Lego table and I have to remind him that he has to share the table with Joshua.

after further review...

...the video evidence confirms we are having a girl. 

I was confident in the not so confident speculation from the first ultrasound where we were told, "it's a girl, I think" and "don't go home and paint anything pink because I don't want you to be mad at me later."  But then well meaning people trying to make conversation told endless stories of having to return $1,000,000 worth of baby gear because they had been told the baby was one flavor and it turned out to be another, and I started to doubt. 
A couple Mondays ago, Joshua and I got to see Anna Ruth in another ultrasound session.  She is a she and as reported by the sonographer, "has a large head."  (Thanks a lot, buddy!) Joshua's favorite part was seeing that Anna Ruth was sucking her thumb to which he shrieked, "JUST LIKE ME!" and "She is so cute!" 

So, the ruling on the field will stand and we are excitedly waiting for her arrival.

TRUCKS!

A local non-profit held a fund raiser last weekend called "Touch a Truck."

There was a minimal cover charge and kids were allowed to climb on, pretend to drive and blow the horns on about 20 different trucks.  Joshua's excitement was so high he had a hard time not losing control.  He was not keen on having his picture made so most of these shots are on the sly.

 

Please notice the kids covering his ears as Joshua is blowing the horn on this truck.  I don't know if there are words to describe the noise level at this event.

What is more fun that pulling the string to sound the air horn on a big rig? 
Pulling the string 25 times in 30 seconds and holding the last pull as long as it took for us to jump up there and stop him.

This event was really a lot of fun.  From garbage trucks, police cars, and fire engines to cement mixers, dump trucks, bucket trucks and big rigs Joshua (and every other little boy in Starkville) was loving life!

Sharp Dressed Man

Happy Easter from The Nolens

And of course the bribe shot...
A:"Joshua, if you will take one good picture for me I'll take a picture of you making a crazy face." 
J: "Ok, Mama."