Sometimes it's just a 3 paci kind of day...

Joanna has been pretty fussy the past few days,

we think it has some to do with a cold she is fighting.

I think the Lord is teaching me patience through this,

although many time I feel I have none :).

Love the Baby

Some friends of ours got Joanna a baby doll one evening,

and it has been hilarious to see how she reacts to it.

If you tell her, "Love the baby",

she will squeeze it with all of her might, then push it away.

I guess it is a love hate relationship.

Apparently it's Naptime

After a great holiday weekend (I am sure posts are forthcoming),

the Hintons returned home last night with both girls on the verge of a cold.

Their colds meant two things this morning: Joanna was up early and Momma needed extra rest.

After playing with Jo for a while, we headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

As Joanna was eating her bread and green peas (yes, Dad was serving breakfast),

I was watching Arnel Pineda sing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" on YouTube

(thanks to a shout-out by my buddy Garrett).

As I glanced back over to my daughter, I see this...

With bread in both hands, Joanna feel asleep eating.

After making sure she was indeed sleeping and there was no need for alarm,

I grabbed the camera and got a few pictures before taking her to her crib.

More fun in the dishwasher

I really try to load and unload the dishwasher when she is asleep or eating in her chair,

but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

That's when I end up with this.

Jobo

Christmas Decor

During our interesting black friday trip detailed earlier,

I got this beautiful wall clock for around $6.

I was excited until I got it home and realized it doesn't work.

(That is probably why it was marked down).

I was contemplating what to do with it while simultaneously looking for

something to put my advent candles on, when wala! I put them together!

I like the result.

I also made a nativity set for us out of the cardboard from IKEA.

And we were given a beautiful tree.

We made the star for the top because we couldn't find one here.

Of course as soon as I made it I found a beautiful gold one and couldn't justify buying it.

Nonetheless, I am happy with it :).

Finally, I got the idea to make a wreath out of scraps of fabric here, and made one for our door.

It's been fun creating Christmas decorations here,

but we will definitely miss our Christmas traditions with our family back home.

It might be time to move up a diaper size...

The Kitchen Table - A Jungle Gym

This morning Jo climbed through the legs of the table without help,

and when she did, I said, "Yay! Good job!"

Evidently she was really proud of herself because she turned around

and did it again, and again, and again.

I went and got the video camera and she continued to climb.

It was hilarious to me. I have never seen her that determined.

After I stopped recording I had to pick her up and take her to the

other room because she continued to climb and I knew

she was getting tired and thought she might hurt herself.

Jo on the Phone

Joanna has been talking on the phone a lot lately.

She will pick it up, put it to her ear, and then give it to me.

If I am talking on the phone to someone she just giggles and grabs for it.

It is so funny to see her start to imitate us now.

Joanna Banana

Joanna has been digging (and stuffing) the bananas lately.

Laundry Basket

Joanna had fun playing with the laundry basket the other morning.

Joanna Dancing

Lately when Joanna hears music, she will sometimes break out in dance.

It is really rather humorous.

It can happen at home or out in a store when she hears a beat she likes.

Today it happened on the minibus.

Here are a few of her moves, plus a little bonus at the end.

It was her first time standing on her own!

Baby Einstein

I let Jo watch a little baby Einstein the other day for the first

time since she was really little.

She liked it OK, but it didn't keep her attention very well.

I think she was more interested in trying to touch the computer.

I am not sure what she is doing in this picture.

Trying to climb up onto the chair?

Self Family Portraits

Josh and I decided to take some family portraits the other day,

so Josh set up the camera and we got the family ready.

The interesting part came in when we realized there is no one behind

the camera to get Joanna to smile.

If you'll notice most of the pictures either have Joanna looking at one of us

(as we were trying to get her to smile before the timer went off)

or us with really goofy grins on our faces

(as we aren't great at changing expressions quickly after trying to get Jo to smile)

Enjoy!

Books

Joanna is enthralled by books these days.

Not by reading them, but by turning the pages.

If she is ever unhappy I can give her a book and she will sit and turn the pages forever.

It's fun to see the concentration involved :).

I'll get a video up here of it soon.

PS - Thanks Granna for the PJ's!

Climbing

Joanna has started climbing.

She made it into the cabinet the other day and then couldn't get out, hence her face.

Silly girl.

Toe Touch

Joanna likes to pretend like she is her Aunt Suzanne and practice things like toe touches.

Aunt Suzanne, how is her form?

She may need to work on her facials :).