Finally...an update!

Wow...it's been a long time since I've updated the blog! I became a slacker over the holidays. We had lots of fun with Joel over Christmas. Highlights: He loved visiting with family and friends...opening presents (LOTS of presents!)...eating cookies...and generally being a very good boy. Perhaps the biggest news is that Joel went "pee pee" on the potty for the first time. It's a phenomena that has yet to be repeated although I have spent several fun-filled hours sitting on the bathroom floor waiting for some more "action"!!! He's more interested in unrolling the toilet paper roll and throwing it into the toilet than he is about going to the bathroom. I'm sure he'll let us know when he's ready. Lowlights: the whole family got a serious case of the stomach flu. It wasn't pretty.

All of the sudden, Joel has a million things he wants to say to us. Although, I have to admit that I'm still the primary translator for most of it...his vocabluary is really expanding. He knows that daddy works at "Chase Bank." He calls his stuffed animals his "guys." And, of course, he knows "orange popsicle!" (One of his main food groups during the aforementioned stomach flu episode!)

He woke up the other morning after his first night in his big boy bed (he is officially OUT of the nursery and in his "big boy" room which he helped dad paint blue). I told him what a good job he did of staying in bed and asked him what we could do for a special treat. He quickly held up five chubby little fingers and announced that he wanted "five popsicles, mommy." I don't know what made him want FIVE popsicles, but it made me laugh.

We've also been doing a lot of singing lately. Some of his favorites are: Itsy Bitsy Spider, Rudlolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (I'm ready to let that one go til next Christmas), Jesus loves Me, and This Little Light of Mine. He mostly says the last word of each stanza, but hey...you gotta start somewhere! (Please forgive the background singer, ME, in the following video. I'm willing to risk personal embarrasment to show a cute video of my kid!)

Curt and I have been busy getting the house ready for baby girl DeBoer. Less than a month to go...YIKES! It feels like there is a lot to do! At the top of our list is figuring out what to name this kiddo! We've "narrowed it down" to about twenty names which, in my book, isn't really narrowing it down at all! :) I'm definitely feeling ready to have a baby. My mom and dad will be coming out when the baby is born, and my mom will stay a few weeks, which is going to be great.

We hope everyone is doing well! Sorry it's been so long since we've posted. I'm guessing life will only be getting more crazy pretty soon, but I'll do my best to keep getting up pictures of the kids.

Wow! That's kidS as in...more than one kid! I think life's about to get a little crazy. Love you all...