Here's a little video of Joseph in the bath tonight, figuring out how to drip water from the washcloth all on his own!

Although it may sound crazy, Tim and I have decided to make the switch to cloth diapers! We first started thinking about it in terms of home storage, after contemplating the cubic yards of space necessary to store the dozens of boxes of disposable diapers recommended for emergency purposes. As I started trying to figure out what to buy, I realized that cloth diapers have come a long way since my mom and grandmas used to use them. Most use no pins, but function exactly like disposables, except that you throw them in the wash instead of the garbage after each use! In most cases, cloth diapers are more economical than disposables, and they come in lots of fun colors and prints.

I also discovered that many cloth diapers use polyester fleece as a wicking layer, and I became curious if cloth diapers could help Joseph's nearly-perpetual diaper rash. We decided to give them a try, not just for storage, but for everyday use! So far, we've been impressed with their performance, and Joseph's diaper rash really has improved! The laundry situation isn't bad, either. We have a sprayer hooked up to the toilet to rinse off anything solid, and then we stick the diapers in a dry pail until wash day.

What a cute little bottom! This particular cover is adjustable for babies 9-35 lbs, so it's a particularly economical choice, but it seems there's a cloth diaper option out there for almost any need. So, like I said, call us crazy, but we're hooked on cloth!

Last summer during a visit to AZ, the Houstons gave us this nifty Gerry backpack carrier, and since Joseph seemed to enjoy being in it, we used it quite a bit around the Bentleys' place there in NM. After returning to VA, though, we decided to look around for something a little more comfortable for me and Tim. We bought a used Kelty backpack (which Tim loves), and a Kozy carrier (which I love), and soon neglected this humble, unassuming Gerry backpack. Although Joseph seemed to tolerate our new choices for a while, now that he is walking he becomes downright unhappy about being in them for any length of time. Sometimes, though, he still just wants to be held, so out of desperation, I fished out the ol' Gerry, and Joseph is loving it! I think he likes the freedom of movement he has in this carrier relative to the others, and the great view of all the exciting stuff I'm doing over my shoulder. In any case, we're all pretty happy about the rediscovery of this simple little Gerry carrier!

Tonight, our little hot pepper discovered ketchup, and now he wants it on everything, including the cauliflower and cantaloupe! The great thing is that he's actually eating the cauliflower, something he's never been remotely interested in doing before. Whatever works to get the veggies down, I say, and live it up while it lasts, because based on our track record with previous "favorites" like refried beans and spaghetti, his love-affair with ketchup could be pretty short-lived!

Joseph has recently discovered how to roll things like a ball, or like this little car and corn popper toy!

It's funny how kids all seem to have certain things they're interested in and grasp really early on, and other things it takes them a while to get. For example, I remember reading somewhere that many babies learn to drink from a cup as early as six months old, but Joseph hasn't shown any interest in cups, water, cow's milk, or even juice until this last week. Now he just loves this little cup, and he's been carting it around with him everywhere he goes!

Everything is frozen! We had a freezing rain all last night, and today the streets, cars, and plants are all coated with slick, shiny ice. I guess all the extra weight on this tree just pulled it right down! We decided to come out for a walk anyway, but we're watching out steps pretty carefully!

Although we've always loved coming to our library, we recently discovered that it's a great place to bring Joseph to play. This morning, we came especially for a reading and singing time for babies and toddlers, but Joseph was too excited to sit still for long. He is spending most of his time at this gigantic train table, trying to figure out how to run the cars along the track!

Joseph found Tim's hat and seems to know just what to do with it. It's a little tough getting it all the way up to the top of the head, though!

It snowed last night and actually stayed on the ground! When we opened the blinds this morning, Joseph started pointing out at the ground as if to say: "Well, that's funny! Did y'all realize everything's white out there?" Tim likes to get the walks shoveled right away before the snow builds up or gets too icy. He says it's particularly easy this time because the snow is so dry and powdery.



Here is Joseph playing in the snow for the first time! He seems to think it's pretty funny up close, too!

I've heard that all babies love shoes, and Joseph is certainly no exception! He likes anything relating to shoes: he likes to watch adults put them on their feet, he stops to play with shoes or socks he finds around the house, he'll take my slippers off my feet to get at them, and although he definitely doesn't like putting on his pants or coat, he really enjoys putting his own socks and shoes on. Here he is examining all the shoes in the closet while Tim and I are getting ready for the day...

and he here is walking around the bedroom! Just yesterday, he finally decided that walking might be worth his while, and he's now spending more time on his feet than on his hands and knees. It takes an awful lot of concentration, but he's so very happy and proud of himself!

Lately, Joseph is just ready to put anything together: blocks, cups, rings, you name it! This morning he pulled all the rings off this Rock-a-Stack and hauled everything up onto this chair, determined to put it together again. He's almost got it, too!

Just take a look at Joseph putting these blocks together! His coordination and concentration continue to grow!

Here are just some cute videos of Joseph after his bath tonight. This last week he's been learning to say "daddy" instead of "dada" and how to point at things. He's really getting to be a big boy!