So Big!

"So Big!" refers to Joshua as well as the size of this post. Lots have been happening so there's lots to update you with. Hold onto your hats...here we go! New York seems to agree with Josh...he loves being able to be outside all the time. The nights are nice and cool and we can take walks and the days haven't been too hot. It's quite different than Virginia. When he's crying or upset, we can walk out on the deck and he quiets right down.

Joshua has had lots of 'big boy' moments and lots more firsts since we've been in NY. Fourth of July weekend meant first picnics and family gatherings. On the 4th, we had a picnic at mom's house and my cousin, Kevin, brought over his new fancy schmancy camera. Ohhhh, how I love fancy schmancy cameras. Someday, I'll have one too. :) So Kev took lots of pictures of Joshua, here are some of my favorites -

(This is Joshua's angry face. It's hard not to laugh when he gives you that one!)

On the 6th, for the first time since Joshua was born, we got together with Ben's family for a picnic. We've gotten together with all of them individually, but never all together. Grampa & Gramma got lots of snuggle time with Joshua while he slept peacefully in their arms in Aunt Carly & Uncle Brian's yard.

Of course Cousin Timothy was there as well too! He showed Joshua how to eat Cheerios,ride nicely in a little red wagon & even ride an elephant!

(On a side note, the rocking elephant is a gift from my in-laws. Stephanie says that when she saw it, she had to get it for me. They gave it to me at the picnic. I L-O-V-E it and have named it Bindi. It's a solid piece of wood and it is absolutely amazing. I can't wait until Joshua is big enough to ride Bindi!)

Then it was time for a family photo shoot. Grampa wanted a picture with his two grandsons, but it was kind of tough to get them both to cooperate. First Joshua was sleeping, then he was eating. Then Timothy was sleeping and then eating. We finally accomplished some pictures toward the end of the day. Josh wasn't really interested in the whole deal, and Timothy was more interested in Joshua than in smiling for the camera. I finally got some ok shots, but this one is my favorite.

Then the two dads jumped in and we had all the Nodine men in one shot. Of course, then we had to have a picture of all the "kids" and their kids.We ended the day with some quality time with Uncle Brian & Auntie Kim and then it was time to head home.

The Tuesday after our picnic, Ben went out to work with his dad & brother for the day so Josh and I tagged along to spend some time with gramma. It was a nice quiet day and gramma was happy as a clam. Even Joshua's great grandmother (Granny) got some time with him.

This past weekend, the Nodine women held a shower for Joshua. It was so nice that they all got to meet him finally and he was smothered in kisses and love all afternoon. In addition to all the love Joshua got, he was also given lots of great gifts. Books, clothes, a great piggy bank, toys & a Bumbo seat. We tried out the Bumbo and Josh loves it for short periods of time. Carly, Steph, Kim...when you read this, will you please send me your pictures of the shower? I don't have any! :) Thanks!

Somewhere along the way, Joshua has decided he's big enough to sleep on his own. It started out with naptime. He was terribly fussy when I tried to hold him when it was time for a nap and so we just put him down on his tummy time blanket (which is actually my sister Gina's baby blanket made by my Grandma Sharp. Not a machine stitch on it, folks. ALL hand done!) He was out like a light a minute later.

He had still been sleeping with me (more like ON me) at night because I just wasn't ready to let him sleep on his tummy all night long. Our Dr. Crowley told me not to put him on his tummy to sleep until after he was 6 months old, but if I didn't start getting some sleep, I may not have made it until he was 6 months old! So last night, for the first time, Joshua slept on his own in the crib in our room. I fed him at 9:30pm, dressed him in his little terry sleep sack, put his lullaby cd on and laid him down on his tummy. He sang himself to sleep, and I cried. What if a fly flew into his little open mouth in the middle of the night and he choked and stopped breathing and I was too asleep to notice?! Silly, I know, but this is how my mind works. It goes to the worst, most impossible possibility (impossible possibility? Is that possible?) and then it taunts me with progressively worse thoughts. I finally fell asleep praying that Joshua's team of angels would stay awake and keep the flies away. Thankfully, there were no flies, only a lost pacifier incident at 2:30am. It was the only time he woke up all night. I was a different story! :) At 5:30am, Joshua woke up to eat. I've never been happier to see him!!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July from us & our All American Boy! :)

Three months old!

Joshua is 3 months old! I know I keep saying how fast he's growing up, but it really is amazing. It's going to fast for me.

In the past week, Joshua has grown by leaps and bounds and his personality is really starting to shine. He is laughing on a regular basis, sometimes he even laughs a fake laugh just to get you to smile at him. He responds to our smiles with big, gummy grins & little giggles and he recognizes us from across the room. He's so strong and his coordination is getting much, much better. He's able to grasp things that he wants with a lot of concentration and very calculated movements and loves to stand on my lap and jump! He's amazing and wonderful and we are so blessed to call him ours.

Josh's 3 month birthday started off with a photo shoot. Auntie Jodi bought Joshua an Army "uniform" and we just had to take a few pictures for Tio. PsyOp Charlie joined in for the fun as well. (We didn't position him like this...he grabbed Charlie on his own!)

Aunt Carly, Uncle Brian & cousin Timmy came over to visit last night. Both Uncle Brian & Timothy were wearing camo shorts...everyone matched! Timmy held Joshua's hand, stroked his face & was extremely gentle with him. He's going to be such a good friend for Josh. :) I can't wait to see these two interact in the coming years.

Timothy even let Josh try on his sunglasses. We're totally going to Children's Place this week to see if they have anymore!

Home Sweet Home

We all made it safe & sound. We are officially New Yorkers again (some for the first time!). So far everything has been really good. My mom is happy as a clam having Joshua to snuggle with everyday. Joshua is changing day by day and is a source of constant delight for everyone. He is getting more and more vocal and is smiling all the time. Today he really laughed. Not just a little chuckle, but an all out belly laugh.

Daddy making Josh laugh from Jamie on Vimeo.

Josh still isn't a big fan of tummy time -

but now that we have a carpeted floor to play on, he's getting better at it. He is also discovering that he controls his hands and spends lots of time contemplating them. He's also able to hold things for short periods of time! He's getting better at reaching for things he wants, and he is really good at putting his hand on your lips so you can kiss his hand. I think spending all this time with family is going to be a good thing for him. :)

Our last post from Virginia...

Tonight is our last night as a family in Virginia. Tomorrow, Joshua, Aunt Jodi and I will drive to New York and Ben will follow on Monday morning. It's going to be hard to leave Virginia. This place will always hold dear memories for us. It is the place where our son was born & spent the first three months of his life. Three very difficult months, but three months I wouldn't give up for all the world. It will also hold wonderful memories for us because of the friends we've made here. Making friends has been especially important for me. Staying at home was a wonderful experience for me, but it was quite lonely until I made friends. Kristen & Niki were my first friends in Virginia and they will always be very dear to me. They made me really love where we lived. I looked forward to their invitations to walk or to go to lunch or just to get together more than they'll ever know. They will remain dear friends for life and I can't wait for them to come visit us in NY!! It's amazing to me to be able to look back and see God's hand in everything we've gone through. Becoming friends with Kristen was instrumental in Joshua's diagnosis & treatment. Let me explain...Kristen chose a pediatric group for her daughter, Savannah, and I went to her for a recommendation when I was pregnant. It was through that recommendation that we got involved with Dr. Crowley. She happened to be the doctor on rotation for the group at our hospital when Joshua was born and it was her keen eye that first saw something that needed to be followed up on. She will always hold a very special place in our hearts because of that. I truly believe that without her concern over the size of Joshua's head we would never have gotten the CMV diagnosis and Joshua may not ever have had the early intervention that has been so important. I never felt rushed in her office. It always felt like she would spend all day with you if you needed it. When we were in the hospital, her office called to check on us multiple times. It really made us feel that Joshua wasn't just a name on a chart for them. It felt like he was really important to them. Maybe I'm a cynic, but I think that genuine concern like that is the exception rather than the rule these days. I will never be able to put into words how highly we think of our Dr. Crowley & nurse Leslie.


I feel like this post is really disjointed, but I can't seem to find a way to make it more coherent. I'll just end by saying thank you to everyone who has played a part in our life in the last 14 months. We love you.

My favorite sound in all the world...

Joshua is laughing now! I caught his first real laugh on video this weekend. Nana was taking some time out from packing and managed to get a real giggle out of him. Up until now, his laugh has come out as more of a cough. He gets so excited he just shakes usually, but this time he actually laughed. I'm so glad I caught it on tape!!

Joshua's laugh from Jamie on Vimeo.

My mom came down this past weekend to help us pack. Joshua loved spending time with her. It was so nice to have an extra set of hands to hold him or take care of things. Thank you, mom...you're awesome. :) Here are some of my favorite pictures of the weekend.

Father's Day was a great day for us. Josh was all decked out in a special onesie and managed not to spit up on it all day! I made banana pancakes for breakfast, Joshua gave Ben a countertop wine cellar:and nana gave Ben a 'new dad' Willow Tree figurine.

Aunt Gina sent this hat to Josh before he was even born I think and now he's finally big enough to wear it. He looks terrified, I know...but he looks awfully cute too!

Happy Father's Day!

I know it sounds crazy, but I knew on our second date that Ben was going to be it for me. Ben called me at 9pm and said he was on his way over, did I want to grab a cup of coffee? In the calmest voice I could muster I agreed...and then promptly ran screaming through the house. You have to understand...I was in my pajamas and ready for bed and he was almost here! I know...I'm a real fireball being ready for bed at 9pm and all! In my defense, I can count the number of dates I had before Ben on one hand (and some of those were my kindergarten boyfriend I think!), so being asked for a second date was unbelievably thrilling for me. I got dressed just in time and we went to a little cafe in Wayne called the Gryphon Cafe. We sat and talked for hours. I don't remember everything that we talked about, but I specifically remember that we got on the topic of child rearing. I think it started with a conversation about spanking and whether it was appropriate or not and it just continued from there. It was amazing...this handsome man across the table from me was saying everything I believed about how to raise children and the roles of a mother and father. I really believe that was when I fell in love with him. As we continued to date, I saw what an amazing man he was in so many areas of his life. He was generous, funny and smart. He could fix almost anything and wanted to travel the world. He was well spoken and fun to be around. In my eyes, he was the beginning, the end and I was pretty sure he could leap tall buildings in a single bound. I knew he was going to be a wonderful husband and an even better father.

Now, I get to witness the amazing father he is becoming and I can say with assurance that Joshua is so very lucky! Joshua will learn patience, love and diligence from his father. He will learn how important it is to open doors for ladies and how to treat women with respect. He will learn to appreciate quiet time in the outdoors. He will learn how to be strong and how to earn respect. I can't wait to see the man my son becomes because of the influence of his father.







Ben's first video as a daddy :) from Jamie on Vimeo.

Happy first Father's Day, Ben! And Happy Father's Day to all you daddys out there. You guys are changing the world. Like the saying goes...anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy.

Videos!

My posts have been getting further and further apart. Mainly because Joshua is a little cuddlebug and refuses to let me put him down for more than 5 minutes! I started to get really frustrated with having to hold him all the time. I mean, my house needs to be cleaned, there are dinners to be made, and I really should be packing. But then I found this poem:

"Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep."
~Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

I realized that pretty soon he won't want to be held all the time. He's going to want to be a little explorer and mama's arms aren't going to be as enticing. :) So if you keep checking and there aren't any updates, it's because I'm holding my Joshuabean and I can't be bothered with sharing him with you.

That being said, I have some updates for you! :) Here are some videos of Joshua doing what he does. The first one is kind of boring, unless you enjoy watching little old Chinese women doing Tai Chi in the park...

Josh doing "Tai Chi" from Jamie on Vimeo.

Watch for how Josh suddenly sucker punches PsyOp Charlie! Good thing Charlie is a tough soldier! I just think that Joshua is angry with the Army for taking Tio Jay so far away from him.

Joshua's sucker punch! from Jamie on Vimeo.

This is my favorite video yet. Joshua has become much more vocal in the past few days. If he's in the mood, he'll talk to you a little bit, but he's the strong silent type it seems. Then I bought a new CD for us to listen to while he slept. I usually sing the songs to him until he goes to sleep, and now he's started singing back!

Joshua singing from Jamie on Vimeo.

Lots of new friends...

We took a trip up to Pennsylvania this weekend to see some friends and their children one last time before we move. Josh got to meet lots of new friends! First, we stopped off at Rob & Lynn's house to see them. Lynn is pregnant with their second son. Aidan, their little one, will be 3 soon and is such a sweet little one. He wasn't too sure about Joshua though. When Joshua started to cry, Aidan climbed into his chair and just stared at Josh. He really wanted nothing to do with him. Hopefully he'll be much more excited about his new little brother! :)


We spent Saturday night at Tori and Jay's house. Tori and Jay were in our small group at Hope Community Church. Their son, Max, is 5 months old today (Happy 5 Month Birthday, Maximoose!) and is completely adorable. He seemed pretty interested in Josh when we introduced them. . :)

Our final stop was at the Nadelhoffer house. Matt is the head basketball coach at Eastern and Rebecca is the cheerleading coach. I consider them dear friends and I'm so glad we've kept in touch. Their children, Matthew (will be 3 in September) and Natalie (11 months), kept us entertained the entire time. There must be something in the water at Matt & Rebecca's because Joshua was very, very happy the entire time we were there. He smiled NONSTOP at Rebecca - the only other person he smiles that much for is Aunt Jodi!

Matthew was a little jealous of Rebecca holding Joshua. He kept asking her to "put that baby down, ok?". Then he changed tactics..."daddy can hold that baby now, ok?"

After a little while, Matthew warmed right up to Josh. He even gave him kisses and shared some toys with him!Matthew may also be a budding photographer! He took this picture (with mommy holding the camera). Not bad for a 2 1/2 year old, huh? :)We came home with one thing in mind...BUY A RAINFOREST BOUNCER! Tori and Jay had one at their house and I've been wanting to try Josh in one. So we tried, and he sat for 30 whole minutes just staring at it! As soon as we were home on Sunday afternoon, it was off to the store and we came home with one. Hey, in this house 30 minutes without a baby in your arms is unheard of!

Nash family, Emerys and Nadelhoffers, thank you for spending your time with us. It was a great weekend and we really enjoyed seeing you. I hope it's not too long before we get to see you again.

To everyone we didn't get a chance to see (I'm specifically looking at you, Birtwistles, Posts, Wagners & Buzbys!), I'm hoping we'll be back in the area at some point. We'll make a point to see you next time. Promise. Or you could always make a trip to Upstate NY. It's a nice area! :)

Joshua's first party!

These are my friends, Kristen & Niki, and their children - Ethan, Tristan & Savannah. These two ladies are the biggest reason leaving Virginia is going to make me cry.We lived next door to Kristen and just down the road from Niki at our last house and I became really close friends with both of them. We were all together celebrating Savannah's 1/2 Birthday today. Savannah will be one in December, but Kristen's in-laws were in town and wanted to celebrate her half birthday. It was a great excuse for a get together and we all had a great time. Joshua even kept a party hat on long enough to snap a picture. Then there was screaming involved and the hat was promptly removed. :)
My two men! No one is more blessed than me. :)