some details

Joshua and Anna Ruth are growing up so fast!

I wanted to record some details of what is going on with them as the Fall of 2014 begins.

Joshua loves kindergarten.  He is excited to jump out of the car every morning and can't wait to report the "high/low" points of the day when I pick him up.  Usually the "low" is "we didn't get to go to the play ground today."  Joshua's anxiety level as drastically decreased since school started.  He is sleeping better and eating better.  He was invited to a classmate's birthday party at the bowling alley.  So he was excited to spend time with a couple "school friends" and bowl for the first time.

Joshua's soccer season started last weekend too.  He ran onto the field with confidence and excitement.  He loved not being the youngest and smallest.

Joshua has 2 loose teeth (bottom middle).  He regularly prays that God will help him to be brave when his teeth fall out.

Dave and I have been grateful for Joshua's increased confidence in himself.  He has come home from school excited to share what he learned.  Previously he wouldn't try to read to us because he was afraid he would "mess up" but now he loves to sound out words and practice his "sight words."

Anna Ruth is one fast walking baby.  She has abandoned crawling all together.

Lately she has been using sign language and gestures to communicate with us.  She will sign "more" and "please" and points to things or brings them to us if she wants something.

She says "baby", "mama", "da", and "no".  She will bark like a dog, trumpet like an elephant and wiggle her nose like a rabbit.  Last night while Dave was drying her off after her bath and playing peek-a-boo Anna Ruth said, "there she is" or at least something that mimicked Dave saying it.

Anna Ruth will eat most anything.  She loves black eyed peas, tomatoes, and grapes.

Anna Ruth has 13.5 teeth.  She has 2.5 ready to come in very soon.

Anna Ruth cannot stand to be told "no."  She pokes out her bottom lip and conjures crocodile tears.  At times she even wails and throws herself down.  We are starting to work on her response to correction.

Anna Ruth is a good sleeper.  She is no longer needing to be rocked to sleep.  However, we often hear her singing or talking in her bed.  The video below is an example of what happens when we go in to tell her to go to sleep.