So he won't be a doctor...

Josh is terrified to have his teeth pulled. He won't let us do it. He will let his teeth hang on by a thread while they literally spin 360 degrees in his head. It drives me and my husband crazy. It is like an itch you can feel but someone else tells you you can't scratch. This last weekend he had a tooth that not only was crazy loose but also looked super painful. His gums above it were a reddish purple and it just looked...ow-y. So I literally held him down and pulled it out. He seemed shocked at how easily it came out. He was mildly upset at the attack but as i got out an envelope for it he seemed to be forgiving me. I thought, "What a nice time to teach him a little about his body!" So I pulled the tooth back out and showed him where the root was and where the chompy end was and how cool it was in general. I had just put it up to my own gums to show him how it was situated in his mouth when he promptly fainted. At first I thought he was joking. His eyes went weird and kinda rolled around, he fell backwards into Sharon's arms (luckily she was sitting behind him)and she slowly lowered him to the ground. I was not absolutely sure he fainted until he hit the ground and looked startled, scared, and completely confused why he was on the floor. As his terrified crying mixed with my laughter, I hoped one day to hear this experience from his point of view.

Sledding

Josh and I went sledding, real sledding, for the first time together. In the past years, Josh has had a hard time walking through the snow. Inclines are hard enough before you add slippery, uneven, thick snow to the mix. We used the sled in our yard to go down our small hills. The few times I tried larger hills we were both tuckered out just getting to the place and going down the hill was traumatic (last time we went the snow was too powdery and next thing we knew the sled had taken us UNDER the snow not on top). But this last weekend Sherri and Brooklyn invited us and so we went.

The hills were at least 6 times higher than any hill we had ever tried and more than 10 times higher than the ones in our yard. When we got to the top Josh actually laughed like I was joking when I said we were going down. When he realized I was not, he looked at me like I was crazy and shook his head no. So we watched Brooklyn go. He laughed and clapped and "woo-hoo"ed but would he go down? No.

So after we watched Brooklyn a couple of times I insisted that he go with me down the hill. He was upset and made it quite clear he didn't want to but we did anyway. He did not enjoy it. He wasn't crying though so I took that as a good sign. I agreed that we could go down some of the smaller hills (they were only about 1/3 of the height or less). We did this for quite some time and Josh actually began wanting to go down by himself. What a work out. He couldn't even make it up the small hill, especially with the sled so each time I had to walk down and then help him keep his balance as he got up the hill.

Next thing I know, instead of walking up the small hill, he steered us toward the big hill. I kept asking him if he wanted to go down it but even as we began trudging our way up he refused to commit to that. The big hill, oh the big hill. It would have been hard anyway but halfway up he would completely lose his footing and try to take us both down the hill. So here I am with the sled in one hand and my son in the other, losing my own footing and slipping as I try to heave his little flailing, laughing body up the 60 degree incline. It was almost more of a heave child, take a step, heave child, take a step move. When we got to the top he tried to tell me that the point of this was not to actually go down on the sled but to have a better vantage point to watch other people. "No way. I did not drag your little butt up the hill for nothing." I am actually pretty sure those were my exact words.

So I let him pick where we would go down and despite the whining and shaking of his head I loaded him on. I don't know how, but he managed to pick the part of the hill that didn't have any sort of a flat top so I have my boots digging in as well as I can and we were still slowly sliding down as I try to get him situated in front of me. I only had to pick up one foot and the traction of my other boot had was worthless, we were flying down the hill. I have to admit, when we were halfway down I was having visions of little broken bodies myself and probably looked as terrified as he did. When we came to a stop I didn't know if he was laughing or crying until I turned him around to face me. Luckily, he seemed to be doing terrified laughing so we were okay.

He did go down a handful of times from the big hill, a couple times even all by himself! We did go back to doing the little hills because he discovered he could do those almost totally on his own which was a relief to me because I was really tired of lugging him up the hills. Josh screamed and "woo-hoo"ed his approval, jumping up and down and throwing rock hands into the air for anyone who went down the hill every time they went. I love his unabashed enthusiasm for life. It was a great day.

Christmas!

I didn't take many pictures this year here they are.
We may be insane, but it has been so exciting! And honestly, he is beginning to get some rhythm!

And this is the gift from my lovely husband. I must admit that I saw him come home one day with a Morgan Jewlers bag. I told him, "Honey, I am sorry but I saw the bag and one of two things is happening here. Either you have a girlfriend and bought her an expensive gift that you should just take back now, or you bought me something from a jewelry store that is too expensive and you should just take it back." He told me to mind my own business and that I didn't know if it was or not. I just kept imagining some beautiful sparkly, girly thing that I couldn't possibly appreciate for how much it cost. I was incredibly surprised when I opened it on Christmas. He had only gotten the chain there. There in that box was this perfect silver heart. The type that I actually want to wear. I love that he loves me enough to understand what I love and that he is willing to find me the perfect present, no matter how odd or unconventional it may be. It is beautiful.

The Grinch

We did not get video of Josh performing the Grinch but we did get some pretty good pictures of him doing it for my family.

Here we are before the performance.

All the Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch who lived just north of Whoville did not!

I must stop this Christmas from coming...but how?

Then he got an idea...

With this hat and this coat, I'll look just like St. Nick!

This is stop number one, the old Grinchy Claus hissed

He got stuck only once for a moment or two...

The Grinch grabbed the tree and he started to shove when he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove.

And his fib fooled the child, then he patted her head, and he got her a drink, and he sent her to bed.

And when Cindy Lou Who went to bed with her cup, he went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up!

Their mouths will hang open a minute or two then all the Whos down in Whoville will all cry, "boo-hoo"

What he saw was a shocking surprise.

The Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day.

After the show high fives!

Josh's first real performance!

So you know how I posted about teaching Josh to enhance his talents using Mr. Bean? Well phase two is complete. And sadly, no, it does not have to do with Mr. Bean.

It all began with Josh's love for the Dr. Seuss classic, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Last year he made me read it just about every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year we began a little before Thanksgiving but did not read it EVERY day...just a lot. Now you are thinking, "So what? Sounds pretty normal to me". Well it doesn't end there. While at the Zoo Lights the first week of December we saw the Grinch. They had the best Grinch I have seen in real life. He talked like the Jim Carrey version, looked spectacular, and had the attitude down pat. Josh loved it. He wouldn't get closer than 5 feet from the guy, but he loved it. After someone wished him a Merry Christmas and the Grinch was yelling some not so nice things back, I turned to Josh and said, "The Grinch doesn't like Christmas. Why was that?" not thinking that I would get an answer. Josh pointed to his feet. Holy crap. That is right. His shoes were too tight. Then he circled his head. And his head wasn't screwed on just right! I was shocked. I mean, yes, we have read this book a lot but still...he remembered.

I began tossing around the idea of performing the Grinch with Josh. I asked him if he would want to and he said yes. It began with me reading the book with a lot of expression while he copied me. In a day or two I had it fully memorized (not hard because it rhymes and we all know the story pretty well) and so we began adding some movement and props. Within a week we had most of it down. The next week we watched the Jim Carrey version movie. We also looked up pictures on the internet. I would show him the picture and recite the part of the book that coincides with it and then he would try to replicate the face being made. I recited the book in front of the bathroom mirror with him standing on the sink both of us making the proper faces at the proper times so he could see what it looked like. We talked about whether the Grinch was happy or sad at certain parts. If he was good or bad. And mostly, we practiced. At least once a day. Josh even had us take the props to his OT appointment and we did it in the waiting room.

I knew I had to get us a venue. He was taking it so seriously! We had to perform it for a real audience. I made a few calls and next thing I knew we are going to perform it for a church party the next day. I told him and he was so excited. I was a little worried though. Would he do it? We bought green hair spray and figured out his costume and last minute props (like his small and big heart). We were only able to practice with these last minute props one time that night.

That night I set up the props and showed him where everything was. This chair is the sleigh, this chair is the rooftop, here is the fireplace, etc. I was still nervous. Would he do it? Then it was our turn. He walked up to the stage with me like it was nothing. He did the facial expressions, he used the props, he remembered his actions and where everything was. And his one line (And his fib fooled the child and he patted her head, and he got her a drink, and he sent her to bed. "Go!") although whispered was heard by the audience who laughed with delight. He was amazing. Stupendous! A natural. I was (and am) ridiculously proud.

No, I didn't get a video of it. I should have. He will perform it for my family at our party and on Christmas for Tyler's family so I may get it then. But you will have to trust me, he makes a great Grinch.

I mustache you a question....

What do you get when you have $2 in Old Navy? Six mustaches and hours of fun!

And yes, in one set of pictures I am not wearing make up and I am in a robe, and in the other set of pictures he looks drugged (his new meds are messing with his sleep). But when Josh says it is time to put on mustaches and take pictures, that is what you do. Even when one of you looks terrible. He is so cute though. He kind of looks like Mario...or my dad. He insisted on wearing one to Thanksgiving dinner. It was a big hit.

No peeking Grandmas!

I have been waiting to post this because I know Amber, Richard, and Abby look at my posts and I didn't want them to see what Josh was sending them. However, if you are my mother or mother-in-law you should stop reading so you don't see what Josh made for you for Christmas.

So to begin with, Josh made "hugs" to send to my siblings he would not be seeing this year for Christmas. First, he laid down on a large piece of paper and I traced him with his arms out. Then he was allowed to color them. One of them seriously resembles a crime scene (he used mostly red on that one), however, I still think they are awfully cute.

Then Josh and I made our family into elves. I have to admit, I did a lot of this one. I realized that I wanted them to look good enough to keep for a few years and since Josh still has some trouble cutting in a straight line, he did the gluing, helped with creative vision (who has hats, colors of clothes, curly hat or straight, etc.) and handed me the brads. It was still a fun craft to do together.

Lastly, we made grandma gifts. Again I was torn. I wanted him to make something but have it look really good. I found this on pintrest (and lets be honest, I found all of these ideas on pintrest)and I thought, "Perfect! It is mostly gluing and there is some painting but it is just painting cardboard all white. Easy! Pretty!" and it was! They are candlestick "snow globes". The bird set is for Sharon and the arctic animals are for my mother. I love them. Josh learned he loved using a glue gun although he did burn both of us at least once.

So, thanks to pintrest, we have had a good time doing some Christmas crafts in the last couple of weeks.