Well, it has almost been a month since I last updated. Where has the time gone? Well, the fall schedule has started for the Greenwoods, and I don't think it will be slowing down anytime soon. We just got back from our last vacation of the year. The kids did an AMAZING job traveling. We are so blessed to have children who travel so well. Like I've said before, we will probably never live in the same town as family, so we will have to do plenty of traveling, so it makes it so much more pleasant with the happiness we hear from the back of the van.
For our last trip of the year, we went to North Carolina to see Pa T and Lin-Lin. We were able to go to the beach for a couple of days. It was so nice to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The beach has always been one of my favorite places to go and connect with God. To know that He created every grain of sand that we walked on. To know that He controls every single wave that crashes to the shore line. To know that the breeze is controlled by Him. It just leaves me breathless. OK, enough about me. The kids had a wonderful time at the beach. The weather wasn't overly warm, but Josiah managed to talk his Pa T into taking him swimming one afternoon. On our way back home from the beach, I asked Josiah what his favorite thing was at the beach. His response, "Swimming Pa T. I splash Pa T and Lin-Lin!" Later that night, someone else asked him what was his favorite part of the beach, and he responded with the same answer. We continue to be amazed at his memory!!! We also brought a kite to fly on the beach, and he enjoyed that, too. I don't know who had more fun though, Chris or Josiah. Sophie enjoyed the beach as much as an 8 1/2 month old can. We did put her feet down in the sand and even in the water. The water was surprisingly warm, so she didn't mind getting a little wet. She wasn't too sure about her feet sinking in the sand when the water went back down, but she never fussed so we thought that was a good thing. We went to the AB (Atlantic Beach) Surf Store and bought our traditional AB t-shirt. It is a neat tradition that has been started. We all get the same color shirts for that year. I think I now have four shirts and Josiah got his second. Sophie was too little to get any shirts, but maybe next year.
I feel like there is so much to write, that I don't even know where to begin. I guess I will do my list and try to remember as much as I can.
Josiah:
*He continues to do really well with this school work. It is amazing how much he remembers. We will be starting back up this week with the letter Ll for leaves and later on in the month we will do Pp for pumpkins. When we were in NC, I was able to get some of my teacher things out of the attic to bring back home. After spending about an hour in the attic, I decided I need to spend a day out there labeling boxes and organizing in a better way, so in a couple of years when we really start doing school I will be able to find things easily.
*His vocabulary and speaking continue to blow us away. It is amazing to hear him talk in complete sentences and know for the most part what he is saying. His grandparents were really impressed with his speaking skills, which is good that other people can understand what he is saying. For awhile there, I thought I was speaking a whole other language called, "Josiahese."
*His sense of humor is hysterical!! This child keeps us laughing. The other day, we were dropping one of the youth off at his house. His main language is Spanish, so when he speaks English he has an accent. Well, Edgar was saying the word "water," but he was pronouncing it "WA-ter." Well, Chris was giving Edgar a hard time and they were joking about it. Then out of no where Josiah says, "Edgar, WA-ter!" and starts laughing. Now when ever he hears us say, "Edgar," he says, "Edgar, WA-ter!"
*Josiah has really gotten into drumming lately, too. I've decided there is nothing that can't be turned into a drum and drumsticks. He had a wonderful time at Pa T's house because Pa T took out his snare drum and drumsticks for Josiah to play. All I can say is that child was in HEAVEN!!! It was so cute because yesterday after we got home, I was putting the clothes away. Josiah was in our room helping me. He went over to my alarm clock and hit the sleep button. He found a radio station that he liked and then went and found a pen and one of my make-up brushes. He sat on the floor next to the radio and used his pen and brush to drum on the floor and the laundry basket. The cutest thing is how he rocks his head back and forth like a drummer does. I think there might be some drum classes in his future, but we shall see.
*Josiah has been going through a little difficult time being left at any church nursery. It isn't a separation thing, but more of who is in the room. There are a couple of kids that are in his room that are a little more aggressive than he is. They have hit a couple of the other kids in the past, and I guess Josiah has their number. If they aren't in the room, then he is absolutely fine, but as soon as they show up he looses it. He just starts sobbing. The families don't attend regularly and aren't on time, so it makes it a little hard knowing what is going to happen week to week. It has gotten so bad that last week, I was bringing Josiah to the nursery and he was all excited about going. As soon as I opened the door, and he saw this child he turned around and said, "I go to church, Momma." It has been difficult for us because we don't like seeing him upset, but at the same time God has given him this sensitive spirit. So the new plan is for me to stay with him during SS when these children are here to reassure him that it is OK and hopefully in time, he will be fine being in there.
Sophie:
Now on to our little girl.
*Sophie is now doing the "boot scootin'" crawl. She sits up on her bottom and gets where she needs to go. We try to show her how to get on her hands and knees, but she wants nothing to do with it. So we just let her crawl how she wants to, and she does just fine.
*She is so into food!! She is still eating her baby food--Stage 3, by the way---but we do give her some table food to eat. She is now eating bread, chicken, ham, pancakes, waffles, rice, mashed potatoes, green beans and pound cake. We joke because with Josiah we always say, "You need to eat 5 more bites if you want dessert." With Sophie we have a feeling we will be saying, "You can have 5 more bites and then you can't have anymore." She goes next week for her 9 month check-up so it will be interesting to see how much she weighs. She isn't overweight be any means, so that is good. I think she burns off all that she eats by how much she moves around.
*She is starting to say more and more. The other day, she started saying, "Hi, Dad!" when Chris walks into the room. It wasn't a one time thing either. She has started saying, "Momma" when she sees me, too.
*She has the sweetest laugh ever. Josiah is really the only one who can make her do that deep belly laugh. It gets us all chuckling when the two of them are playing and laughing together. They really are so sweet with each other.
*She is going to give her brother a run for his money though. The other day, he was trying to put his train tracks together and she scooted over to where he was and started taking the tracks apart. As she was doing this, she was just giggling away. Josiah was really sweet and never got mad at her.
*She continues to love her bath time. She is getting to be a big girl. She sits up now for bath time and wants to be like Josiah so much. She even tries to put her face in the water like he does.
*She has finally cut her two upper teeth. I knew they were trying to come through, but didn't realize it until she was grinding them together the other morning. Let me tell you that it is the most skin tingling noise I have ever heard!!!!
*She is into copying some things that we do--mostly noises, but every once in awhile she will copy our actions.
Well, I guess that is all for now. We are staying pretty busy. Youth group is in full swing. I am teaching ESOL plus discipling 3 ladies and serving at a nursery on Tuesday mornings so Josiah can have some interaction with kids his age. I will try to find some time to download the pictures from our trip, but it will probably be in the middle of the week
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