Realizing that our TX Spring is definitely on it's way, I decided I'd better get out there and trim our plumbago, lantana, and esperanza bushes while I still can! So here I am cutting everything back to where I see cuts from previous years. Hopefully that means I'm doing the right thing!

While I pruned, Tim mowed the lawn and mulched up a bunch of leaves, and Joseph played and played outside. He loved it, but was completely pooped by the time we came inside and was breaking down into tears at almost everything! I told him since he was so tired, it might feel nice to get a book and snuggle on the couch a while. Although he usually isn't one for lounging, he took my advice and has been reading on the couch for a while now. The book he's reading here is a gift from the Houstons called I'm a Big Brother, and Joseph has really been into it the last couple days!

At this time last year in Blacksburg, we were dealing with snow and major amounts of ice. This year in San Antonio, we've apparently already transitioned into Spring! This is a shot of the gorgeous purple blossoms that have just appeared on the Texas Mountain Laurel in our backyard. It's 78 degrees outside right now and there are bees humming all around! I know it's going to get hot soon, but you just can't beat these mild TX winters!

This afternoon, Joseph is taking a stab at playing the piano, humming, and singing all at the same time! The song he's singing is "God Speed the Right" from our hymn book. He gets lots of exposure to all different kinds of music, but seems to prefer the songs from the little hymn book and children's songbook, because he can carry them around with him wherever he wants. It's just amazing to me how much he loves music!

Here's Joseph practicing both climbing onto our kitchen chairs and his new humming skills. Of course, it's still a bit difficult to make out the tune, but it's so fun watching him learn how to make music all by himself!

By popular request, here's my profile at 37 weeks. Joseph came at 38 weeks, so it's really starting to feel close now, not to mention I can hardly move anymore!

Here's Joseph this morning "dipping some" leaves and sticks in the dirt. It sure is fun to have a backyard of our own!

This afternoon, Tim sat at the piano with Joseph for a while, playing any song our little music lover requested. When Tim got up to do something else, I thought Joseph would, too, but he has been plinking away at the keys ever since. He turns the pages of the songbook, decides which ones he wants to "play", and then goes to town. I'm always amazed at the things that catch his interest!

As I alluded to earlier, we just purchased a set of furniture for Joseph. Although we're not quite ready to move our little hot pepper out of the crib yet, Tim wanted to set up the bunk beds today to make sure all the pieces are here. Joseph is sure excited to help out!





Here he is having fun with his new dresser, too. I'm not sure he quite realizes the pants belong inside the drawers!

Here's one last shot of our little tool pro at work!

Hard work, of course, deserves a reward, like one of the homemade chocolate-chip cookies our next-door neighbor Ruby brought over just for Joseph! She said she just knew little boys loved cookies, and by the look on Joseph's face, she's definitely right!

We're so happy to be living close to my cousin Casey's family again! This afternoon, Casey helped Tim pick up a furniture set we bought for Joseph and our new TV, so it also seemed like a good night to get together for dinner. We supplied the pizza, and Charly supplied this scrumptious orange-glazed angel food cake! The kids sure had fun playing together, too!

Here we are in our neighborhood park this afternoon with Grandpa Steve! Joseph still seems a little ambivalent about the whole swing thing: he doesn't want to stay in one for long, but he wants to try out every single one. Here he is in the baby swing...

and the big kid swing...

and swinging in Grandpa's lap!

Although it's certainly fun to be outside in the park, it still can't beat the thrilling combo of numbers and buttons like the ones Joseph just discovered here on Grandpa's watch!





Here's our little hot pepper going through these big concrete tunnels in true Joseph style: don't bother getting down on hands and knees, just keep your head down and shuffle along!



Although they're often featured in cartoons, I don't actually think I've ever been on a seesaw like this before and neither has Joseph. After a few ups and downs, I'm starting to wonder if I'm a little too big for them. These wooden block seats are uncomfortable, although I'm sure the extra 30 pounds I'm carrying around doesn't help!

Back at our house tonight, Grandpa is letting Joseph push the buttons on his laptop, something he never gets to do with our computer! I figure it's only right that grandparents have a few special rules of their own. That's part of the magic and fun of being with them!

Grandpa Allison is here! One nice thing about living in a big city like San Antonio is that it's a hot spot for events, like the physical therapy conference Tim's dad was participating in earlier today. Since he doesn't need to fly out until Mon morning, we reap the benefit of his company in the meantime. Joseph sure is particularly enjoying having Grandpa here to read him all his favorite books!

Just look at that cute little tushie! Lately, we've been having a lot of trouble with Joseph's cloth diapers. While they still leak less frequently than "sposies", they've become increasingly smelly over the last few months, and that's just not something we can tolerate around here! I've tried literally everything I can think of to get them cleaner, etc, including ordering a few of these more breathable wool covers to try. I couldn't resist posting these shots, even though I've concluded that the problem is not something I'm going to be able to fix, but is just the natural result of having an older toddler around. So, after much deliberation, we've decided to make the switch back to sposies. After using cloth for just about a year now, it was a hard decision for me to make, but I think it's going to be the best thing for all of us, especially with that new little diaperee on the way any week now!