The past few weeks

It's been a while since I've posted a blog, so here I am finally. I can't remember what all I've posted about Joey's latest happenings, and what I haven't, so if I repeat things, I'm sorry. He's all about holding hands right now. He holds out his hand to grab one of ours, then proceeds to walk us where he wants us to go. I think he likes it because it makes him feel in control. He's so cute. What else? Well, he only tried to bite me a couple times, and that was months and months ago. But it only took maybe 2 time outs before he stopped. But you can tell he still sometimes thinks about it, because he'll be on my lap and we'll be tickling or rough-housing and he'll lay his mouth on my shoulder (where he bit me those couple times) and then pop his head up and stare. Then look at me and say "no bite mama" and point to my shoulder. It tickles me that he still remembers that. He's so cute. I've got more little stories I'll post in between the pictures. These pics aren't in order, they are mostly backwards, recent to older.

This was yesterday, he likes to look at the pictures and video on the camera, so that's what he's pointing at.

He would have nothing to do with this carseat when it was actually in my car, but now that we've gotten a new one and this one is waiting to be put in Earl's camero, he doesn't mind playing in it. He even strikes a cute pensive pose.

This was today. It was in the 70s here, so we played outside a lot. This is a New Zealand All Blacks shirt that Angie bought him (that's her favorite Rugby team). But she got it kinda small, so we're having to wear it as much as possible before he outgrows it. I think this is the 3rd time he's worn it since Angie came here on her R&R.

At the Sonic playground the other night.

He copies me a lot^. I guess I put the back of my hand to the glass when I'm feeling to see how cold it is outside, and he sees me and does it too.

Again, playing in the chair he hated for so many months.

Daddy and Angie at Jennifer's (my step sis) wedding this past weekend in Barnardsville, NC.

This is Kaylee and Paige at the wedding.

This is how Joey spent the last half of the wedding and reception. He was so tired that day and we didn't have a chance to get him a nap before the wedding, so he was very cranky. I was a bridesmaid and couldn't help Earl out with him. I heard Joey screaming for me when he saw me up on the stage during the ceremony. Earl took him in the foyer and he fell asleep on Earl's shoulder. After the ceremony, Earl brought him up while the pictures were being taken and laid him on the pew. He slept like this for a long time.

Angie and Daddy at the reception.

Jennifer getting ready. She's such a beautiful bride!

My beautiful baby sister, Sandrina.

Yup, he's still sleeping.

Sandrina
Joey, and his cousins, Akira and Paige.

Joey and Paige.

My step-mom Wanda, and her grandbaby, Macy. Paige pulled Macy down the aisle in a wagon! It was precious.

This is when Angie first got here, we had a cake and balloons to celebrate her birthday that passed on Feb 22 when she was in Iraq. She's getting so old! 26! I should have done a birthday blog for her but time got away from me, and she usually hates every picture I post of her anyway, so we'll pretend I 'forgot' for her sake.

Handsome Joey in the All Blacks shirt again.

Oh, this is a cute story. I was putting away laundry in Joey's room and he found this blanket in the closet and pulled it out. (It was very close to his nap time). He found a pillow too (he doesn't usually sleep with pillows, yet). He said "night night" and spread the blanket on the floor and brought some toys over and played for a minute or two on the blanket. Then he put the toys off and laid down and tried covering himself up and he laid his head on the pillow. I helped him cover up and asked if he was going to go night night and he just stayed really still. So I grabbed my camera and took a picture, then turned off the light and turned on the fan (for noise). He stayed there. I left the room and shut the door, except for a little crack I peeked through. He laid there for a good 15 minutes, babbling to himself, and playing with his feet and other various activities. Then he decided I guess that he didn't want to take a nap on the floor and he got up, came out and the door behind him. We tried again a few minutes later in his crib, and it worked.

Joey giving Daddy a kiss one day when Earl had duty overnight and we showed up to bring dinner.



My boy loves to be naked. On this particular day he was on my bed playing around, making his daddy pull his legs and drag him to the other side of the bed. Then he'd crawl back and start over, giggling the whole time.

26-yr-old Angie Poo.
All three of my kids.

Joey's favorite things right now are his animal toys. He loves animal figurines and animal books. He knows a lot of them by name and sound. He still loves playing ball too. He got one more tooth a week or so ago. I think that makes 11. He doesn't really like me brushing his teeth anymore and doesn't want to do it himself anymore either. He sometimes gets stinky breath. I didn't know babies could have as bad of breath as he gets!

Me and Angie are going skydiving on Saturday. Her and Earl leave for Iraq on the following Friday, the 21st. Yes, they leave on the same day!!! Sad day for me and Joey.

Hope to have some more pics to post soon.

Thanks for looking!

Josiah's Portraits

We had portraits made of Josiah a couple weeks ago and we finally got them back. I'm posting them, plus I played around with a lot of them, enhancing the colors and cropping and such, so that's why there are so many of the same poses sometimes. I feel like I'm rambling and not making sense, it's midnight here on Saturday night, and I've been up for hours playing with these things since Joey went to bed. Earl has duty tonight, so I'm spending my time playing with these pictures when I should be getting some sleep.
Anyway, here they are and if you want copies of any of them, just let me know which ones and what size. The photographers we went to on base gave us the disc to reprint as much as we want, so I'll get some printed from Walmart or Snapfish or wherever they are cheapest, if you let me know what you want.

I love the pictures. He's my little cutie! And he'll be 19 months old in a few days! He's climbing on everything. He climbs up his changing table and sits up top to play, so I'm going to have to get that packed away. He's putting together more words at a time. Instead of just "nack" (snack), it's "more nack." No complete sentences yet, but he's really talking so well. Just another week until Angie gets here! Yay! And a month till Earl leaves. Boo hoo.

Okay, I really have to get in bed. Joey went down a little early since he didn't take a nap today, so I have a feeling he'll be up by 6am.

'Nite!

Dreadful Countdown

It's getting very close to when Earl leaves for Iraq. Next month he'll leave for 7 months or so.
:-(
We hate it, but are trying to make the best of the time we have right now. We went to New Bern's Harley Davidson last weekend to see the motorcycle Earl is hoping to buy soon. It's called the Crossbones. Doesn't that just sound like a name Earl would like? LOL He made me take pictures of the thing:

I have to admit, it looks pretty awesome. And pictures don't do it justice. I can see why he's yearning for it.

We finally got to meet up with some friends one day while the guys were at work a week or two ago. I left my camera here at Michelle's, so that's why I'm just now updating the blog.

Christina with new baby Landon, Bonny with BRAND NEW baby Abbey, and Michelle with new baby Adam. :-)

Angela with Michelle's baby boy.

Joey likes to spill out whatever he's drinking onto the high chair tray and sip it up like a cat or dog.

He likes letting the girls drive. :-)

We are very very very excited that Angie, my sis, will be on her mid-tour leave from Iraq soon. She should get to my house around the 2nd of March. Joey's been practicing his kisses on her picture. :-) I think she gets around 2 weeks here stateside, so we'll try not to hog her the whole time and will let her briefly visit Asheville while she's here. :-)

Also, my step sister, Jennifer, is getting married March 7th- CONGRATS JENNY and KENNY! So we'll be in town for that short weekend for the wedding.

Soon after that, Angie will be leaving to go back to Iraq and Earl won't be far behind her.

I had Joey's portraits taken recently. We are just waiting for them to come back. I'll post them when they come in. They were pretty great! Well, he is sooo cute, so how can they not be good? he he

While Earl's Gone...

Me and Joey have been sick while Earl's been in the field. Today we are finally starting to shake the cough and runny nose! I had a couple Joey stories I thought I'd share.

When Joey disappears and gets quiet for more than a couple minutes, I come into the dining room and usually find him up on the computer desk like this! He's a crazy climber. There's a picture on our computer of us 3 right now (you can see it in the above photo on the computer screen). Joey gets really excited when he sees a picture on the computer and he likes to name who he sees. Well, he saw this photo and screams "Da da, Ma ma, Me!" I have no idea where he learned 'me' from. I've not intentionally taught him that. It just popped out of his mouth yesterday. He surprises me with how smart he is! I made him say it a couple more times and he even pointed to himself calling it 'me' so I think he really knows what he's saying.


Today it was quite nice, so we played before nap. ^

Joey is very into using door knobs right now. To open and close the door. He seems to like challenging himself. In the above picture is the view from inside his room. One day last week I had to stand there for over 10 minutes while we played this game: Joey closes the door, with the door knob which he can barely reach and has to stumble backwards on his tip toes to do, and says 'bye bye.' I say bye back to him and let him close the door. Then he knocks from the outside and I knock from the inside. Then he opens the door, with the door knob and peeks into the room and says "HI!" I say Hi back to him, then he closes the door and starts over. 10 minutes of that. That doesn't seem like a long time, but it is. Trust me.
He's adorable! LOL

This is Joey working on Daddy's Camaro (Joey says "mare") today. He found Earl's screwdriver in the driveway and immediately starts working.

Another story about Joey's smartness: He has books of animals that he loves looking at. He knows the sounds for most all of them too. One page is a squirrel and I didnt know what sound to make for that, so i copied the picture of the squirrel eating a nut, and put my fingers up to my mouth and made smacking sounds like I was snacking. I tried to teach Joey that, and he'd just smile at me and turn the page, not interested. I gave up a few weeks ago on that. Then we went to the zoo last weekend and there were squirrels. We got to feed one and I showed Joey "see, he's snacking" and redid that little gesture with my hands. Joey just laugh. We haven't revisited the squirrel issue at all, then last night, as he's flipping through his animal book, he yells 'squirrel' (i cant remember how he says it) and throws his hand up to his mouth and smacks his lips! LOL This is too funny to me. How did he remember that from over a week ago? I'm pretty sure he's a genious. He he he, Just kidding. But he's very smart. Much more so than I usually give him credit for, I think.

I tried to write down all the words he knows now, but I'm at 100 and I keep thinking of more. And these are just the words he can say on his own and recognize on his own, without being told to say it. His newest words are "cheek" and "chin", he loves to tell the dogs (or me) to "move." He knows "draw" and "burp," too.

Also, sometimes when I tickle Joey, I like to build up the anticipation, by counting "one, two, three" and then tickling him. Recently, I've made him copy me and count the numbers also. He won't say "one" but when I say one, he says "two" and then I say two and three and he'll say "three." But the funniest part is sometimes while I'm tickling him he says "Three, three, three" in between giggles. LOL

Okay, I dont have any more new pictures right now, so I'll stop rambling. Earl should be home from the field Sunday night. Yay!