Happy Birthday Joshua

Joshua turns 13 today. Sorry, I can’t accept this. We are just going to have to pretend that it isn’t happening. Lalalala. Nope, my baby isn’t a teenager today.

So anyway, I thought I would share a photo from each year.

Here is the guy that made me a mom. It is amazing how much your heart grows when your child enters the world.

He is one year old here and expecting baby brother in a few months. This was our first of many annual trips to the coast in September. Joshua discovered his love of all things sand. He started walking just a couple months before. Even though he could walk, when Nicholas showed up I was always  seen carrying one child in each arm.

No terrible twos for this boy. Keep him supplied in fruit and there are no problems. Oh, and talking….lots of talking. We had taught him some basic sign language as a baby but all of that went out the window when he started learning words.

Three years old. What a great three years we have had with him. He has always been such a fun kid. He is always at full throttle. There are no obstacles for him. They are just things for him to climb over to get where he wants to go. A direct route sort of boy.

Four years and just as delightful as ever. He has always made us laugh but now he really seems to seek it out. We began a little school about this age. He has always loved when I would read books to him (which was many times a day) but now he wanted to read the words himself. He would get frustrated and I would tell him, “Sweetie, you will read when your brain is ready to read.” It didn’t take long.

At five he begins to ponder the problems of the world. He comes up with amazing observations. He loves to do things as a family. Game time, reading, outdoor activity.

At six he is getting bigger. He loves to show off. He loves to tell his brother what to do. School comes very easily to him.

A seven year old carpenter. He built that birdhouse with his grandpa.

Eight years and he takes on the challenge of fishing. It is a sport that takes patience and persistence. Doesn’t really have it at this point 🙂 But he enjoys anything out of doors, so he endures.

Nine and up a tree. One of his favorite things to do is climb trees. This boy has been climbing since he was 10 months old. He is good at it. Many times I hear his voice and look up to find him way up in a tree. Too high up as far as I’m concerned.

At ten he and his dad went elk scouting in the Wallowa Mountains. I always miss him when he is gone. Michael makes a point to get some “guy time” with each of them. Joshua especially loves alone time with us.

At eleven he went deer hunting with his dad. They didn’t get anything except of course male bonding and memories to last a life time.

At twelve he still knows the value of just plain fun. He really is a fun kid. He loves to play. If he is anything like his dad (he is) then he will keep that with him the rest of his life.

Here he is the day before his birthday holding a handmade arrow; always making, creating, designing things. Still a pre-teen for the rest of the day, yet turning into a young man already.

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To say Michael and I love him beyond measure is a gross understatement.

God has blessed us abundantly with this guy.

He is a unique combination of: ALL BOY, artistic, sensitive, fiercely protective, very big heart, intelligent, forgiving, fun, observant, trouble maker, lover of nature and the outdoors, foodie, voracious reader, chief in the making, great vocabulary, defender of the weak, great communicator, LEGO enthusiast, potential engineer, cat lover, evangelist, lover of justice (for others) and Star Wars fan. Oh, and he is just plain fun to be with!

Happy Birthday Joshua. We love you, To the Moon and Back!
Mamma and Dad