Happy 3rd Birthday Joshua

The other night as I was putting Joshua to bed I was telling him his "birth" story and remembering that day and how wonderful the start of his life was...not that it's not still wonderful, but just thinking back on that day...

Three years ago today Tom and I went into the Penrose Hospital after dropping Gregory off at our good friends, Tim & Gentri Settle's house.  We went in, got in the elevator, pushed the buttons and went up to the Labor & Delivery floor for our appt and for me to be induced that morning.  Wow, yeah, it does seem like yesterday, I guess that's how "good" memories are supposed to be :-)  It was an incredibly wonderful day.  We were blessed to have another friend, Naomi Thomas, involved in the day by photographing Joshua's birth.  I remember looking out from the hospital at Pike's Peak and how beautiful it was and I still cherish that in my mind.

Joshua's come a long way from that day.  Even though he's an average size boy, he's grown so much and has so much personality in such a little guy!  He's in the 50th percentile for weight and height, so litterally average.  Just because he is average size-wise doesn't mean he is pushed around...he does his share of pushing around...even with his big brother.  He LOVES to dance and sing and is such a silly boy.  He goes for the guitar or the microphone whenever he and his brother pretend to be a band.

His "best buddy" as he calls him was born a day after him and a world away (in Okinawa, Japan).  TJ is also our neighbor, so the boys get to spend a lot of time together.  In fact, the two boys shared a birthday party at the bowling alley this year.  It was a Bob the Builder themed party and the two boys share a lot of the same friends, so having the party together was great.  The funny part of who all was invited was that there were so many girls at the party!  Joshua is loved by the girls :-)  I can see why, he is a cutie!  That cuteness is easily seen through by me though!  I am continually telling people, don't be fooled by his cuteness, he is a stinker behind that smile.

The things he says are soooo funny!  Like the other morning when he woke up and walked into our bedroom and said, "hi guys".  Or how he sings Jesus loves me, I don't know....instead of Jesus loves me, this I know.  We pray someday he does come to "know" Jesus and that he grows spiritually as well as physically.  In spite of his discipline issues, he is still our wonderful Joshua and we are blessed to have him as a part of our family. 

Here's a pic from the first week of Joshua's life and one from this week (wow, those chubby cheeks that come from me have yet to disappear!)