The things Joshua did today to make me laugh.

Joshua's been a bit of a terror (on and off) for a few days know... I am pretty sure he has his one-year molars working their way out. But in between temper tantrums I must say, I have a pretty hilarious child. I think he just knows how to work it so we don't go totally nuts when he's having mental breakdowns. As he is getting bigger, as all kids do, he is learning new things. For example. This morning, I went to put on my boots to run and start my car so we could go to the gym, and what should stab me in the bottom of my foot? A triangle and a square. From Joshua's shape sorter. I didn't see him do that one, but all the rest of the day he's been thoroughly enjoying putting things on or in other things. This is a change because he has kinda been trying (I think) to work his shape sorter, and put the rings back on the ring stacky thing, but he never can do it and eventually just throws whatever he is holding and moves onto the next thing. Not sure if this can be considered a milestone? I don't think so. But I think it's progress none the less. Here is what we found around the house today:

Dog dish on Daddy's desk chair.

Stacking rings in the basket with the remote controls

Plastic ball in Daddy's boot

Sharp shapes in Mommy's boot

a spoon wedged under the cushion of the chair

and blocks in the laundry

I think that was all for today. We'll see what tomorrow brings on that front.

The other thing he is doing though, which is HYSTERICAL, I need to get a video of it, but I need an assistant, you'll know why in a minute. Just to preface this story, Joshua loves our animals, he loves to pull their tails, give them sloppy kisses and hugs, and "pat" (hit) them. I sit on the couch when I give him his bottles, and the cat is usually down the opposite end of the couch on "his" spot. Every time Joshua finishes his bottle, and spots the cat, all bets are off. He squeals like he has never seen him before and it's his long lost best friend. So I usually let him crawl across the couch (keeping an eye and hand on him of course) and say hello to his furry friend. But recently, he is less interested in the cat, and more interested in the couch. He will pet the cat for a second, then he stands up against the back cushion and hops and squeals and laughs. And today, he decided that wasn't quite enough entertainment and decided to stiffen himself up and completely free-fall backwards. Thankfully I stay right with him when he's pulling these shenanigans and  put my arm behind him so he wouldn't fall on his head on the floor. Then he realized if he stood at the end of the couch, by the armrest, he could hop back when he fell and bounce more. I am telling you, it is the funniest thing I have ever seen! I am just praying now that he doesn't decide to try that when he is on the floor. Hopefully he remembers how much it hurts to smack his head on the hardwood from when he was learning to sit up!

Once I manage to video tape this hilarity, I'll share :-)

Parental Jealousy

So I know this is completely silly, I KNOW that. But, that being said, I don't know any parents out there who have not experienced this to some extend, at one time or another. And if you are a parent, and you say you haven't, I think you're lying, you yourself, and everyone else (Either that, or your child hasn't started reaching the milestone things yet, or you HAVE the kid who is one day ahead of everyone else's haha). 

I'm talking about parental jealousy. You know, the kind of jealousy you get inside when you see another kid who is around the same age as your kid, doing something your kid can't yet. I don't know if jealousy is really the correct word here, but I can't think of another way to describe it. And yes, I do know that all kids develop at different rates, and there are so many elements that play into when they learn to do all those big firsts, like crawling, and standing, and walking, etc. But I just can't help that little voice in my head... 

I was checking out another blog of a new mom, whose son is one day older than Joshua. And she had a video of him standing up on his own. As in, not holding onto anything to stand up. Joshua can pull himself to a stand, with one hand, or two, and he walks around with his walking toy and all along the furniture, but he has yet do do any of that on his own yet. Of course, he was the same way with crawling. He never cared to do any of the scooting, or comando crawling, he did nothing until one day, we put him on the floor to play, as usual, and he just popped himself up off his belly, and started crawling! I have a feeling the same will happen one day with walking and standing unassisted. But the waiting....ohhhh the waiting! And I know he can stand unassisted because he lets go of things he is holding for support all the time and hops, he just hasn't gotten himself up without help yet.

And like I said, I knowwww he is young still, especially for a boy of his size (I have been told that boys are a little slower sometimes to do these things than girls, especially boys on the upper end of the growth charts... I'll take it), and there is nothing wrong with him or learning things at his own pace. But there is just something, I think, in a parent, especially (maybe?) a first timer, that says "I want mine to do that too!" or "How come mine isn't doing that yet!" Wouldn't you other parents agree? Anyway, I don't think I can turn mine off! And I ignore it, and tell myself I am being silly for thinking these things. And I have a strange feeling once he DOES do these things I always wish he would suddenly do, I'll wish he couldn't at some point. Sort of like how I now miss the days when I could swaddle him and plop him on the couch next to me, and he would just lay there, and not roll, or crawl away, he would just sleep. Oh how I miss THAT one sometimes, especially when I am working from home trying to finish projects! 

So that's my rant for now. Thanks for reading! :)