Joshua moments - April 2010

Joshua's developed a few little quirks... But then what child doesn't, I guess?

In the mornings I'll often ask him what colour shirt I should wear, and almost every morning he decides that I must wear my purple shirt. Even if it isn't in the options that I give him... But he really likes Mommy in purple apparently. And then when he's getting dressed he almost always wants to wear his orange shirt (of which he's got a few). And he'll very proudly touch and talk about his orange shirt during the day then! But he's started also getting his own clothes out of his cupboard now sometimes, so his choice is now broadening - but probably mainly because he can't always see or reach an orange shirt.

We try to do Family Home Evening with Joshua every week, sometimes more successfully than others... In general it consists of an opening and closing prayer, one slightly more reverent song, and one fun song, and then a 1 minute lesson where we talk about some pictures in the Nursery manual. And of course he has his favourite ones, like there's a picture of a family playing with a ball... But that's my son for you. But what he also often asks to see is a picture of "Je-yus". He takes great delight in looking at pictures of Jesus, often studying them for a long time, and also just pointing out pictures of Him as we're going through a book or something. The main thing that we try to bring out in every one of our very brief lessons is that all the different things we talk about all come back to the fact that "Jesus loves you".

Joshua is also very observant while we're driving around in the car. Almost constantly he'll be telling us about things he's spotting - the cars, trucks, buses, traffic lights (and he pretty much knows red means stop, and green go), umbrellas, planes, animals, bikes, trees, shops - it amazes me how much he's seeing all the time. And when he tells us about it he'll normally also tell us the colour and the size, so he's practising all the time!

He loves to "drive" our cars any chance he can get. One day when we got home we literally were in the car for 45 minutes with Joshua driving! (Andrew's arrival home was the only thing that stopped it)





We were giving Cindy and Richard a lift home from church one day, and on all of the hills around the Bellville chapel the 3 of them in the back were pretending they were on a roller coaster. There were all sorts of squeals and long "uuuuup"'s and "dooowwwwn"'s. Just look at the little tongue Joshua was pulling when he was going down!



We bought Joshua some sunglasses for when we're driving - he often complains that the sun is too bright, and I know that I can't drive without sunglasses. He doesn't always want them, but if he does ask he generally keeps them on for quite a while!


Of course it's not always fun and games when we're driving ;o)

I'm trying to take Joshua to the library every two weeks, and while we're there he'll go and fetch a chair so that he can sit by the shelves that have his books, and then he'll take great delight in looking at all of them. The last time we were there he (completely on his own) chose a train book and a truck book. He's such a boy! And then since we've had the books at home he and Daddy love looking at these books especially when they're together ;o)


Then a couple days after we'd been to the library, when we were driving home, Joshua suddenly started talking about the "libry". So I decided to take a detour so that we could drive past it - and he just looked with big eyes as we drove past, and then we came home and looked at his books again...

Some of the other really cute things he's saying is "e-koo" for "Thank you", but the pitch of his voice tends to be quite high ;o) And I think its much more of a game than knowing that he actually should be saying Thank you regularly. And to get him to say "Please"! Almost impossible! Then when he's looking for something he'll go around asking "Where car" or whatever, but also the "where" is in a high pitch. So cute!

He's also discovered that my name is Shelly... And if he's calling me, he'll often now shout out "Shelly" instead of "Mommy". But he does it completely as a joke, because he gets a very naughty look on his face when he does it. I have to remind him every time what his name is for me. Funny that he doesn't really do it for Andrew.

He's also been taught (mainly by the day mother, I think) that if someone gets hurt they need a hug. So very often if he's hurt one of us (usually unintentionally) or if he sees we're hurt for some other reason he'll come and give us a hug or a snuggle. I love my affectionate boy! (Sometimes he'll just decide to give us a hug or snuggle for no reason too, which is the absolute best!). But when he gets hurt he also doesn't quite have the word right - he always says "hurtyou" or "hityou" as one word to say that he or one of us has been hurt. It sounds really cute, but I know he'll grow out of that pretty soon...

And he loves to walk around and then pop around a corner and say "Boo!" We often have this little face popping out at us. And then in our bedroom we have a full length mirror, but the bottom is probably 75cm above the ground or something. So he'll crouch down so he can't see his reflection, and then its a big game to ask "Where's Josh" (he'll also say it...) and he'll jump up so that he can see himself again ;o)

With all of the playing outdoors that he likes to be doing these days, and with how often he'll ask to go over and visit Granny we've had to teach him not to just run out into the road. But he's actually very good. He'll stop at the end of the driveway and look around (although I don't think he really knows what he's checking for because there are so infrequently cars coming into our quiet culdesac) and only then will we go over the road. There have even been a couple time where we've forgotten to do an obvious stop and he's stopped and we've had to go back to stand with him and check!

Andrew got Joshua to help him put out some bread crusts for the birds. Of course Joshua can't let good food go to waste ;o)

With this pregnancy I've been struggling with some pain - if I lie down, then I struggle to walk for a bit afterwards. So at night if we have to get up for Joshua I was having a real struggle. So I borrowed a walking stick from Andrew's mom just to help with the first few meters while everything loosens up. But Joshua saw me using it a few times in the mornings, and he's realised that when I say I'm sore I often need it. So now he'll often fetch it next to my side of the bed and bring it to me when he feels that I need it. Of course it's often then a matter of sharing it with him... But he's very thoughtful if he thinks that I'm struggling. And maybe also if he wants me to move quickly? ;o)

He was helping me put on a load of washing one morning - I was taking the washing out of the basket, putting the whites to one side, and giving him the darks to put in the machine. And everything I gave him he'd say who it belonged to, what it was, and usually the colour as well! Even socks he mostly got right, which is really impressive ;o) And remember his love for my purple shirt? Well it basically got a big hug before going into the machine!

My dad made a big board for me a few years ago to do puzzles on. Well Joshua discovered it, and decided it was perfect to play with his cars on! It became quite a curse always having it on the study floor!


A row of garages courtesy of Uncle Andrew...


I've started trying to do a few crafty things with Joshua - not really very successfully. But here he was trying to make a picture with torn pieces of paper. He was certainly very proud of his picture! He carried it around like a priceless treasure wanting to show it to Daddy and Granny!

It's been a really fun month! I feel like Joshua has just grown up so much! I just hope he's ready for his little sister ;o)

Joshua and General Conference

"Daddy watch Barney" these are the words I most often hear when I go neart the TV, but something changed this weekend. We decided to watch conference at home to give ourselves (and other people) the best chance of hearing and understanding something. During the first session that we watched we had to pause often as the house was being trashed around us while Josh thought we weren't paying enough attention to him. Conference talks were interupted by 20 runs from the lounge to the bedroom and back, building towers that sometimes were smashed before the foundation was complete, and playing cars.

As conference continued we noticed a difference. His playing became calmer, no more trying to bash, break or beat things. He became more patient with us, we still had breaks (though I began to wonder if they were more for my benefit then his, as I noticed when I watched more then three talks in a row I began to nod off) in which we played, built, drew pictures, and ran (he especially liked this, much to the dismay of an unfit dad) many, many times from the lounge to the room and back.
The amazing though is that he would then ask, "Watch prayers" we would of course then sit down and watch some more conference.

That in itself was amazing, but the amazing continued as much to his Uncle Andrew's surprise. Andrew gets a lift with me to work in the mornings. Josh loves it when Andrew comes as he grabs Andrew and wants to play the car game on the computer that unlce Andrew plays best. They normally play while I finish getting ready. The amazing was on Monday morning when Josh said to uncle Andrew, "watch prayers".

Visually conference to a child cannot be stimulating, the music for Josh does not mention anything about kites, rainbows, colours, fruit, macaroni, or even birthdays. President Monson may come accross as big and loveable, but he is just not purple and he does not have that goofy Barney laugh. Our speculation is this, that Josh did not necessarily see or hear something that won his heart, but that he felt something. And why not? I as his dad felt something good, and Josh has more right then me at anytime to feel the promptings of the spirit.

My new baby!

Ha ha! That got everyone's attention ;o)

We're still waiting for our little girl (probably 3 weeks to go) but I got my piano today!!! We've been married for nearly 6 years now, and we've finally bought our own piano!

We've decided to go with a digital piano - a Roland HP201. Thanks to a family connection who is willing and able to let us use his staff discount we were able to get a better model at a more affordable price, so we've got a really nice piano!

For those who haven't had any contact with the digital pianos that you can get these days - it has fully weighted keys (their term is Progressive Hammer Action) which makes it feel just like a normal acoustic piano. This model has 128 polyphony, so it can produce the full sound of a piano - all 3 strings being hit, including the sound of the hammer hitting the string for each note played. Plus then you get the added features like different tones, a built in metronome, headphones, volume control and it can connect to a computer! And it's all still a lot cheaper than buying a good quality acoustic piano! So I'm really happy ;o) (And it's not just me trying to convince myself that it feels like a real piano - Cindy also agrees...)

Andrew and Andrew went to fetch it during the day today and quickly brought it home before going back to work.

Then Richard came over to help me set it up. He managed to put the base on backwards at first... Although I didn't pick it up either until we were trying to do the next step ;o)
Isn't she beautiful!
Joshua was sleeping while it got delivered and set up, but as soon as he woke up he wanted to try it out!
For some reason he was convinced that it sounded like a boat when it was set to "Orchestra Strings". Go figure...

It's been so nice playing a bit today and just knowing that I can have music in my home again - and now we can have our children learning to play. So this is an investment for our family.

General Conference April 2010

In the Africa Area, we watched General Conference this past weekend, instead of the first weekend in April. I think the jury is still out as to whether it was better or worse doing it this way, but time will tell, and the decision will be made by the Area Presidency as to whether we do it like this going forward in the long term.

There were definitely some advantages though. Because we watched so long after the event I was able to download all of the transcripts from the church site and I printed them out in an A5 booklet form, so as we were watching I could follow along and underline what I found important, and I could also make notes of my impressions along the sides. But I felt that I got more out of it this way. I've also then chosen some quotes from each of the talks that we watched, and I've made little cards which we've put up around the house so that we can regularly be reading the latest words of the Prophet and Apostles.

The other great thing is that we were able to get hold of a copy of the DVD's that were being shown in all of the wards, so we were able to watch at home. We wouldn't have been able to listen at all really if we were at the chapel with Joshua, but this way we could watch a bit, pause and rewind as we needed too, and also break up the session into more manageable chunks in terms of what Joshua would allow us to do. What a difference! Andrew said that he hasn't got as much out of conference for the last 2 years! And I think I have to agree with him!

What a strong theme of parenting this conference! When I was downloading all of the transcripts I picked it up, and watching it brought it out very strongly.

Some of the quotes that I really enjoyed:

Richard G Scott: "The vital importance of teaching truth in the home is fundamental. The Church is important, but it is in the home where parents provide the required understanding and direction for children. It is truly said that the most important callings in time and eternity are those of father and mother. In time we will be released from all other assignments we receive but not from that of father and mother."

M. Russell Ballard: "Clearly, those of us who have been entrusted with precious children have been given a sacred, noble stewardship, for we are the ones God has appointed to encircle today’s children with love and the fire of faith and an understanding of who they are."

Robert D Hales: "[D]oing our duty to God as parents and leaders begins with leading by example—consistently and diligently living gospel principles at home. This takes daily determination and diligence.
"For youth, there is no substitute for seeing the gospel lived in our daily lives."

James B Martino: "[T]he challenge is to gain that eternal perspective while we are going through our tests. To some, our trials may not seem great, but to each of us who are passing through these experiences, the trials are real and require us to humble ourselves before God and learn from Him." (What a reminder not to judge others!)

Neil L Andersen: "If a child is not listening, don’t despair. Time and truth are on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven itself. Your testimony will never leave your children."

I also found it very interesting that two of the speakers spoke about the experiences of children in the Book of Mormon. Elder Robert D Hales spoke about the children at the time that King Benjamin spoke to the people. They did not understand what was taught, and they did not feel the same conversion that the adults did, and as a result their "hearts were hardened" as they grew older.

Compared to the children at the time that Christ appeared to the Nephites, which Sister Cheryl C Lant told about. They had a personal experience, seeing and being blessed by the Saviour - and they remembered, to the extent that there was peace for 200 years!

The importance of children have their own spiritual experiences, so that they can have the strength of personal conviction to carry them through!

But Joshua... So we watched one session on Saturday. Then Sunday morning we were going to do a couple things for Andrew's fireside he had to do with the youth later in the day before we started watching, but Joshua asked us to watch conference. So we watched the first bit with the choir singing and the opening prayer, and then the choir again. Then later in the day he asked again for conference, and since then he's been asking again and again. I was at home with him today and he wanted it playing in the background almost continually! And he would actually go and sit on the couch and watch - even the talks, although he likes the choir singing the most. Can he feel a difference in the spirit in the home when it's on? I wonder... But I'm very glad he's so keen to be watching!

Doctor Granny

We were sitting eating supper this evening, and for some reason we mentioned doctors. So Joshua pipes up with "Doctor Granny".

From everything we can remember we've never used the term "doctor" to refer to my mom in front of Joshua, but somehow he's come up with this!

He definitely knows who he needs if he's feeling sick though - there have been a few times that he's asked for Granny when he's hurt himself, or he's feeling sick.

Amazing what they pick up ;o)

Baby shower surprise!

Today was my official baby shower - and they managed to surprise me! I'm so glad that I got surprised twice during this pregnancy ;o)

We had it at my parent's house, but Andrew just kept me at home, and then they all came and knocked on our door. Surprise!

So I grabbed Joshua and my camera and we went over for me to be spoilt ;o) And thanks to everyone who came and helped to spoil both me and our little girl!

My family is very kind at these kind of events, so this was the extent of my forfeits...

Joshua getting in on the action - he was given a box of Smarties by Granny, so his energy levels then just increased during the rest of the shower... ;o)


And of course there's always the eating at the end!


Thank you to everyone who came! We got lots of beautiful girly clothes, and all of the useful essentials that every mom needs. And just look at those cute bears too!

1 month to go!

I went to the gynae again on Thursday, and after looking at the size of our little girl, I'm in all likelihood going to be having a ceasar, and it will most likely be on 17 May - so exactly 1 month from today!

She estimated that she's weighing about 2.4kg's now, and when she looked back at Joshua's records he was about the same at this point - so I'm on my way to having a big baby again! When she was measuring around the abdomen her words were "this is a chubby little abdomen"!

So I guess I won't be getting a petite little girl... But if she's as beautiful as her brother, then I'm sure it won't be a problem ;o)

So now the countdown really begins!

Our future Priesthood holder

Yesterday Joshua was messing around in the kitchen and he slipped and fell backwards, hitting his head on the tiles. It was such a loud crack!

So we immediately gave him panado etc, and then I asked Andrew to give him an administration (special priesthood blessing given to "the sick and afflicted"). Joshua sat on my lap for the blessing, and then when Andrew finished he went off to look at something on the computer and Joshua stayed with me.

After a little while Joshua got off my lap and wanted me to sit forward on the couch. He likes to sometimes stand behind me and touch my hair orhe gives me his hands over my shoulders and I must lean forward so he's lying on my back. So I thought he wanted to do something like that.

But he then picked up Andrew's keys, which he'd left next to us on the couch, and where Andrew keeps his consecrated oil in a little vial on a keyring, and he touched my hair with the keys, and then put both his hands on my head, copying what Daddy had just done for him.

It was so sweet to have my son emulating his dad as he serves in the priesthood.

I am so grateful to have a worthy priesthood holder in my home. It gives so much comfort to know that any time my children or I need a blessing, either an administration, or just a blessing of comfort and guidance, he is right there to do it, and because of the way he lives I never have to worry that he isn't worthy to do it.

I look forward to the day when Joshua will one day hold the priesthood as well, and he will be able to bless people's lives. It's a big responsibility to prepare him for that, but I have wonderful examples of how to do that.


(The photo is a bad quality because Andrew quickly came and took it with him phone and the light wasn't good enough...)

Grease!

We went to go and watch Grease at the Artscape yesterday - Wow! The cast was all under 30, and most under 25, except for a lady playing the school principle and the Teen Angel (singing Beauty School Dropout), and all South African. There is so much talent here is SA!!!


Danny was played by Jonothan Roxmouth, who we've seen a few times now, and he is doing really well for himself. Sandy was played by Bethany Dickson - and this was her first major role - but what a voice! And the two of them together! But the whole cast was exceptional.

Of course the story doesn't change... and it's always a bit disappointing in the end, but in terms of entertainment, this was a complete party from the word go!

Something really cool they did was have a live orchestra, although it was really more of a band, but instead of being in the pit they were at the back of the stage, on a platform raised halfway up the back wall. So for the overture we actually got to see them rocking away, and then for scenes like the school dance they were really part of the show.

It really was a fun time all round!

Some of the other shows we've seen since the middle of last year were HMS Pinafore (good fun, but not quite in the league of the other big shows), Cats (which we took our parents to for Christmas, and which was also phenomonal) and then Cinderella on Ice, which is in a whole different class. It was so completely different and so spectacular... I definitely think that we'll make a point of going to see the next ice show that comes to Cape Town.



So we've had a really good few months of going to the theatre - and I love it! ;o)

Joshua moments - March 2010

We have such an affectionate little boy!

He's so gentle most of the time, like when he wants us to come and do or see something he'll come and take your hand and say "come", but not in a pushy way at all.

Every morning he comes to our bed to have his bottle and we say family prayers and then, as long as I don't have to leave early for work, we spend some time just playing on the bed or relaxing. And so often Joshua will decide to give us big hugs and kisses completely spontaneously. What he's also started doing in the last couple days is folding his arms over his bottle while we say prayers. I want to try and get a photo, but he really is very cute!

For months now whenever we say prayers he'll fold his arms nicely, and most of the time these days he'll keep them folded the whole prayer, although of course he's looking all around. And then he knows to say "amen" at the end, and normally I get a kiss too. A while ago at church for the closing prayer he even said a very audible "amen" when he decided that the prayer had gone on for long enough!

At the moment I'm using this big bear as a pregnancy pillow while I'm sleeping and one of his latest things is that he wants the "orange bear" to come and lie next to him all the time. And now the bear is getting lots of hugs too! He also likes to "sit on the bears lap", by sitting between its legs. And if he gets a chance he likes to drag it around the house too! We've now started an evening routine on the bed as well where he has his milk a while before bed time, but then afterwards he wants all of us to read our books together. So he most often gets his "George book" (The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson) and then he gives us our books and we have some quiet time. Of course most of the time I don't actually get to read much because he wants me to be commenting on his book as well. But the intention is there ;o) We had a major tree cutting exercise done, with special thanks to my dad ;o) And then a horse and cart came around that afternoon and offered to take all the branches away. While they were loading everything on Andrew took Joshua to go and see the horse. He was very interested, but then he tried to touch the horse and it nipped his tummy. He was grazed, but it was more of a shock than anything. But Andrew very wisely made it a good situation by saying that the horse had kissed Joshua's tummy. And now, even weeks later, Joshua still talks about the horse kissing his tummy whenever he sees a picture of one. But thankfully he doesn't seem at all scared of them. He did want to watch it from the safety of the wall immediately after it kissed him though... Joshua's now started being able to tell what sounds animals make. He can do a cow, sheep, horse, cat, dog, donkey etc. But half the time for the horse he'll rather talk about the kiss than say "neigh" ;o) With the school holidays that are on now a lot of the neighbour kids have been playing in the culdesac during the day. I took Joshua outside a few times, and he's bonded a bit with another boy a bit older than him. Unfortunately I don't think they'll be living in our street permanently... He just loves being outdoors anywhere he can. Here's him playing in my parents back garden. And playing peek-a-boo in the hammock... And our helpful little boy has decided he loves washing dishes. I can just about actually wash dishes properly now, with him playing in the rinsing basin while I wash. But here he is doing his own washing, and of course getting really wet! It's within the last month that Joshua has developed his love for cars. And here is the beginning of him driving them on roads. And then driving them out in the sand outside... (There really is supposed to be grass there, but so far we're very unlucky with our back lawn) Do you remember also loving the feeling of sand between your toes? And driving the cars on our bed first thing in the morning... Any time he can get his hands on them! I found this very interesting... I found his little table like this one day. Andrew had been drawing pictures for him, and using the yellow and orange crayons. Then the puzzle ended up next to it, and when I came in he'd taken out all the pieces which were yellow, orange and brown and put them on the page, and he'd left all the other pieces in the puzzle (the shipwreck in the corner is painted on, not a removeable piece). I don't know if it was pure chance, but he definitely seemed to have matched the colours really well! And then Joshua has been going for swimming lessons for the last few months, and he had his last one for the season the other day. Here is how he's swimming now. I must just mention that this was the first time Lindsay had taken him up to the high wall to jump in. He's been jumping in from the side for this whole season, but she decided to try the high wall, and he did really well!



His talking is of course really coming on now. He even said a 5 or 6 word sentence a couple days ago! And he's able to use quite abstract concepts as well, like at the moment he'll talk about bedtime, milk time, teeth time, juice time, all these different times, and sometimes he'll use a combination that we don't say, so he hasn't heard it from us.

And he does the cutest thing... At the moment everything must be "big". But when he says "big" he gets this big, gruff tone to his voice, and then if he says "small" he'll whisper, and also king of pulls his body in. So the typical place is when we're drawing for him and we have to do big stars and small stars etc. So cute!

Our little boy is definitely growing up!