My Little Hawkeye

 I let him pick out his shirt this morning. 

 He saw the hawkeye on this shirt and insisted he wear that one. 

 Then he spotted his hawkeye hat.  He of course had to wear that too. 

 What a little sweetie. 

Fun with the Pool Table

We went over to a family in our church's house for a Daytona 500 party.  However, it seems most of the kids were more interested in Josh.  

 Before he was actually standing on the pool table throwing the balls into the pockets.

 He still has a bit to learn about rolling the balls instead of throwing them. 

What's So Important About Fathers??

In a book I am reading, "Gospel-Powered Parenting" by William P. Farley, he makes the intelligent conclusion that "Christianity is a patriarchal religion. That means father centered."  I had never thought about it like that, but he's completely right!

However, "...the contemporary secular worldview is increasingly matriarchal (Mother centered), and matriarchy has invaded the church."  Partly this is important when we seek to understand why feminism is not a godly thing, and why it is important for men to be the leaders in the church.  "When women lead, men withdraw from both church and home."

"Throughout the scriptures, fathers are the parents, and their wives are their assistants.  The wife is a crucial assistant.  ...   Dad is the chief parent, the one accountable to God for his family.  Mom is there to assist him."

It's amazing how as women, we tend to take over the child raising.  However, as it may be my job to change diapers, give baths, and feed my children (and yet my husband still generously helps me often with these tasks), it is my husbands job to lead us and teach us.  I realize that it is my job to carry out his wishes on parenting while he is away from home working.  I'll admit that sometimes it's easier to distract my child when he's acting up, or just tell him to stop doing something without teaching/disciplining him because I'm too busy working on something.   However, it is my responsibility to assist my husband by being the best parent I can in his absence.  Something I need to work on!

These are just some things I was excited to learn and wanted to share with you.  This is a wonderful book and I would recommend it HIGHLY to anyone out there with children.  And to those without children, it's still a wonderful book about the gospel and another one of it's many applications to our lives.

One last thing.  Here are some statistics regarding children's church attendance that will make you think. 
(2003 issue of Touchstone magazine published the conclusions of a Swiss study.)

When both father and mother attended church regularly, 33% of their children ended up regular attenders. 

When the father was nonpracticing, and the mother was a regular church attender, only 2% of their children became regular worshipers.

When the father was a regular attender, and the mother was irregular or nonpracticing, the percentage went up from 33% to 38%-44%. 

It just goes to show how influential our fathers are. 


Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful husband who is an excellent father to my child, and soon children.  What a blessing to have someone so powerful to help me in my life's goal to honor the Lord, and teach my parents to do the same.

Big Boy

 We went down town this last weekend to look at the shops with Kristen and Joshua decided to walk part of the way. 

 Or more like we were tired of carrying him.  But he looked like such a big boy walking all on his own. 

And SO cute with that little hood up!

More Hats

Josh is to the point in life where he likes to make people laugh.  And although I can't get him to wear a hat on my own, if he puts it on himself, and someone laughs at him, he'll wear it forever!

 He even wanted to take a nap in it.  So I let him.  And when I went in to get him after he woke up, he still had it on. (Although I'm sure it didn't stay on very well while he was sleeping)

Putting Things Away

Joshua is so good at putting things away I found out.  Well, some times anyway.  

  The other day we were playing and I told him to go get his little basket of books to read with me. 

 

Well, instead of bringing it to me, he just sat there and read them on his own.  But when he was done...

...he started to put them all back into the basket.  He picked them all up!  And then...

...he even put the basket back away on the shelf!  I think I definitely need to take advantage of this and make him do more with the rest of his toys before bed.  What a good little boy. 

Sleepy Boy

 Such a sweet little boy, sleeping with his head on his puppy pillow. 

 So grown up!

 I never get to see him sleep much since he's such a light sleeper, but I just couldn't wake him up this time!  (Only because we had to go to the Dr.)

So I took pictures instead!

So Glad I'm Having A Boy

Our friend Kristen was here this weekend and we watched the original "Father of the Bride" movie.  I don't know if I just hadn't seen it since Josh was born, or if it was because I was pregnant, but it really made me sad!  I kept thinking to myself, I don't want a girl!  I don't want to have to give her away!!  Yes, eventually I'll have to give my boys away, Lord willing.  But it just seems like it'll be a little less emotional.  Or maybe, I just don't want to pay for the wedding.  :-)

Josh's New Room

Welcome to Josh's new room.  We started it yesterday and to my amazement, we finished it as well!  Check it out!

 He has a jeep safari comforter that goes with it (as you see the pillow case) but I have temporarily misplaced it.  I think it's in a box in the basement, I just have to find out which box!

 He's got moneys, gorillas, giraffes, snakes, lions, zebras, and even moose!

 I showed him his room this morning and he liked all the animals and cars. 

 I'm excited to have it done!

 We have a different bed coming for him too.  He may just start in a toddler bed once I get the nerve to teach him to stay in it when we put him to bed. 

And some of this stuff won't stay in there once we get him moved it.  I'm just not sure where I'm going to put all of my stuff!

It's A Boy

We're having a boy!  Due July 6th, 2011.  Joshua is excited!!  I think.  :-)  He'll have so much fun with a brother!

Gorillas and Monkeys!

 Sorry some of these are a little blurry.  We're still trying to figure out the camera!

Tigers!

More Animals

 They are hard to see, but here we are looking at some ducks in the pond. 

And below, Josh found a little hamster-like animal that was just at his height.  

More Fish!