Little but mighty Joel

Joel has always been strong, but it has become more apparent lately and on top of that he is an avid climber and very determined to conquer any obstacle that gets in his way.  Once he puts his mind to something he is going to do it no matter what.  You can tell him no, distract him temporarily with something else, it doesn’t matter he will try and do it anyway.   Most of the time he is very quiet about it and he is fast, so by the time you realize you have an escapee he is long gone.  He challenges the baby gates at home on a regular basis and some of the ones that are pressure mounted he knows if he tries long enough he can move them.  He has also been climbing even more lately.  We have had to move bookshelves and a chair to block the radiators so he can’t crawl on top of the radiators.  Our dining room chairs all are living on top of the dining room table.  The chairs for Vince’s small table live on top of the table or counter because Joel uses them to either dance on the table and help himself to snacks in the cabinet or to reach other objects in the kitchen he isn’t allowed to have.  The other day he took a four wheeler toy, rolled it over to the speakers and used it to help him reach the Wii console.  At my mother in law's house the night we left for vacation we were waiting to leave for Indiana, he climbed on top of the piano stool that spins, and began to crawl up the piano.  The sad part is we were just sitting on the other side of the room and when we realized he wasn’t just going to play the piano we both jumped up and ran over and he already had his feet where the music goes and was heading for the top!  Diane says he is the first grandchild (he is number 8) to scale the piano. He also can climb under the baby gate to the stairs at her house, luckily he does a pretty good job going down them on his belly. 

He thinks it is funny to fall down when we are walking

Joel likes to do anything and everything he sees Vince do.  The same night as the piano incident Vince had turned a container that was holding blocks upside down and had arranged the couch cushions just right so he could jump on to the big pile.  Well after Joel saw this he had to give it a try!  He did a really good job.  As I watched him do it several times I thought to myself, perhaps a better parent would put an end to the activity all together, but it just looked like so much fun and they were enjoying themselves and actually sharing with each other I just didn’t have the heart to stop them.  Plus it had been a long day, it was late and I was exhausted.

Riding with Daddy...one of his favorite things to do

Joel also has perfected the art of alligator rolling out of his carseat when I am trying to strap him in!  After 2 failed attempts on my part a few weeks ago I made Brad do it.  Joel was so mad that I walked away he didn’t even try it on Brad!  Joel does the same thing when you are changing his diaper so dreaming up things to distract him while I am changing him has become a new hobby for me. 

Attacking the camera

 Joel is starting to say more and more but his everyday vocabulary consists mostly of “NO!”, “Please”, “Thank you” and “Mine!.”   Which covers almost everything and when you don’t know what he wants he will grab your finger and bring you to it.  It is starting to make things a little easier knowing what he wants.  We are discovering everyday that the key to Joel is to keep him moving, because he will find something to get into if he isn’t busy.  Another thing he has realized lately is when things are funny.  He just laughs uncontrollably, which makes me laugh, which then makes him laugh harder, and me laugh harder and  it is just so much fun.  As tough as Joel can be he is still a cuddle bug and a momma's boy and that is ok with me.  The kisses he gives out of the blue are still my favorite and they just melt my heart!  I love that kid so much even when he runs me ragged!

Tired from an afternoon of riding