Update...on everyone!

Joseph

• feeling much better now that he's off that nasty antibiotic (which he was on for a lingering eye infection...that we pray doesn't return leading him to require his tiny little tear duct to be surgically probed)
• continues to be a horrible sleeper and yet charms, even hypnotizes everyone who lays eyes on him
• growing like a weed, @ over 22lbs already and wearing 18 & 24 month clothes
• cutting tooth #4, the final central incisor (top left)
• still drawn to all electronics and their power cord if at all within sight
• enamored by his sisters and constantly following them around...happy as a lark to be sitting in the middle of a heap of their dress-up clothes, chewing on a Barbie doll head:)
• taking solids a little bit better now, still gagging on most foods with the slightest chunky texture
• entering the tag-fascination stage that all babies seem to go through, even preferring one specific block...the one with strings and tags hanging out of it
• finally talking more, using more consonants all the time
• crawls on hands and feet (not knees very often) like a little monkey
• most recently giving kisses (open mouth licks more accurately) and pulled himself to stand by a kiddie chair

Sylvia

• thankfully over her short-lived infantile regression (oh yes, she was suddenly no longer potty trained, throwing random tantrums, and even caught with Joey's pacifier in her mouth!)
• copying EVERYTHING Olivia says and does...like there's an echo in the room
• singing along to the radio from your car seat, the cutest is when she does the station intro, K-N-W-I
• learning her manners, colors, letters, and numbers (and anything else Olivia can quiz her on...like we quiz Olivia on:)
• would sleep late in the morning if her sister would let her, but takes forever to fall asleep at nap and bedtime
• requests to "nuggle wit you mommy/daddy" every night before bed
• precious and goofy as always
• relieved she doesn't have to go to daycare much longer (details below)

Olivia

• honing her letter recognition abilities
• requests to visit the library at least 5 times every day
• suddenly brave and curious about the outdoors, even plucking worms from the soil and holding them repeatedly (evidence in pictures below:)
• also suddenly has a veracious appetite
• loving her dance lessons and getting more confident in sharing her "moves" with the family after class
• always willing to sing along while daddy accompanies her on guitar, in fact...prone to break into song at any moment of any day
• helpful and patient with little brother and sister
• remains an early riser (like, 5:30am some days!) and a great napper
• excited about starting a new pre-school, 4 mornings every week

Abbey

• relentlessly tending to the children, and loving it (most of the time)...which is why I've decided to cut back on hours in the ICCU. I'll be working 24 hours a week, primarily on Saturday and Sunday. (so all week long I'm going to pretend I'm a SAHM:)
• trying to get some "alone time" with hubby...responsible, free baby-sitters wanted! (jk, they don't have to responsible...:)

Matt

• totally on-board with the schedule change and looking forward to having me around and AWAKE every evening during the week
• tirelessly teaching middle-school and working towards more parent-involvement in his district
• loving that the Cyclones have had some success this football season and looking forward to more wins
• preparing his musical repertoire for Christmas and anxiously anticipating the moment he can start listening to his Third Day Christmas album (he's mentioned it several times)
• cultivating his wife and children with the help of the Holy Spirit

Caught the kids looking adorable before church last Sunday.

Olivia showing me her "wormy".

He's not teething or anything...

The girls enjoyed the beautiful weather last week.