Thank goodness for first cousins once removed! My little cousin Sophia was born almost exactly a year before Joy, and the two girls have a lot of fun playing when my extended family gets together. It's fun to hear them giggle as they plunk away at a piano or scamper down the hall.
Of course, even when there aren't cousins of any variety around, aunties, uncles, and grandparents are lots of fun, too. :)
Joy received a big puzzle for Christmas, and for a while she was content to let us assemble it (over and over and over). Before long, though, our increasingly independent toddler insisted on putting it together HERSELF. At first this resulted in considerable frustration for all parties, but practice does make perfect and Joy can now easily put the whole thing together on her own. Way to go, Joy!
Joy also enjoys having us read to her. Here Daddy is instructing her (and nearly all the stuffed animals we own) on proper dragon identification.
Joy's also getting ready to become a big sister in a month or so. When Baby Joshua recently paid us a visit, Joy loved helping me give him his bottle. We hope this trend of kindness toward babies will continue when her little brother joins us.
So there you have it. All things considered, life's good. :)
. . . it made itself right at home home in the back of the stroller. Joy thought this was hilarious.
Little Girl also really loves walking on walls these days . . .
Wheeeeee!
Slides are one of the few thrill rides pregnant ladies are allowed on, and I decided to take full advantage of that fact.
Back at home, one of Joy's favorite Christmas presents to play with is her new box of crayons. Unfortunately, since she recently learned to say "white," the white crayon is now her favorite one to color with. It really bothers her that white circles and squiggles don't show up on white paper. Maybe I need to dig our construction paper out of wherever I stored it . . .
