Josh Sauce

When I go back and read this blog, my favorite posts are the ones where I get to remember kid moments. It's not the events or trips that I worry about forgetting, but the day-to-day personalities of my gremlins at different ages. So coming up, you'll see a post for each of my babies, documenting their current craziness.

Photo cred: Elizabeth Glenn

Let's start with the boy who sets the tone for our whole family -- Mr. Josh. I have to figure out a better nickname for him, because he's got several for me. Lately, he calls me "Meems", I think because he hears Matt and other family members do the same. But usually he uses Meems in the context of exasperation. Like when I ask him to put his dishes in the sink, it's "Awwww, Meems!" with a cute little smile.

Josh has a super silly side. He wore mismatched flip flops all summer, on purpose. He thinks every joke is the best thing ever. I took my friend's good-mom tip and started writing a joke on his napkin every day when I pack his school lunch, so he's learning a lot of them to share with his friends. Half of his photos turn out something like this because he thinks he makes hilarious faces.

He's got a lot of energy, which is a good match for Jude. Even if it means they wrestle all over the clean laundry. They play a game where Josh shoots arrows way across the yard and Jude runs to fetch them one at a time. Little boys really are like dogs in that way -- they need to run out all that energy! Also, the smell. Just kidding. Mostly.

Josh is such a good big brother. He gives Jude all kinds of ideas, teaching him new games and activities every day. And Adele...I'm pretty sure he will never let another boy get near her. He is nothing but sweet, sweet, sweetness toward her. His adoring words are going to give her so much confidence as she grows.

Josh has a really close relationship with his dad. They have such effortless fun together. Matt has been reading The Hobbit to the boys, and loves to show them funny YouTube videos before bed. Josh has learned how to write emails so he can say hello to Matt while he's at work.

He is still very preoccupied with video games. Even when we strictly limit his screen time, he's constantly thinking about his last or next game. He'll be sitting at the counter eating dinner, staring off into space, then suddenly spew a bunch of video game word vomit to anyone who will listen. Something about leveling up, and beating someone with a whatsit ability, and other hogwash that I don't understand. Usually it's about Skylanders, or he'll throw in some Pokemon cards to mix it up.

Here he is playing his Ratchet and Clank game while wearing a Ratchet costume. That is dressing for the occasion. 

We had him on a system all summer that worked out really well. I would give him a list of chores every day, including things like empty the dishwasher, fold towels, clean room, practice piano, read to Jude, and finish five pages in homework book.  Then, for each chore completed, he could earn one or two points, each one translating to ten minutes of screen time (watching a show or playing a game on the phone or PlayStation). It kept him productive every day, and made him earn his screen time. He loves rules, timers, and calculating his points, so this was perfect for him.

Josh is zooming through his piano books -- mostly without my help, I'm ashamed to admit. Somehow I'm able to make regular time for all my piano students except him. But when I do make the effort to sit down with him, I'm amazed at what he has taught himself just by reading through his books. In July he was nearing the end of Book A, and two months later he's almost done with Book B. Here's a clip from July:

My boy loves to read and write. He always takes a book in the car, and finished the whole Shel Silverstein collection in days, which gives my heart warm fuzzies.  His current favorite is Hardy Boys. 

I find cute notes like this sometimes around the house. And he comes home from school with books he has made in art class that are usually called "I Love My Family". 

Same thing with Adele. That was way easier than writing "I love you Adele".

But don't let this sweetness fool you! He's still a little boy who likes combat and bathroom jokes. Here's a sample of our hangman game during church one day:

He was so excited to finally lose his first tooth on July 30th. He had been waiting for that day through all of kindergarten. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. His teeth get a good work out every day, since he's starting to eat like a linebacker. Heaven help me when these hungry boys become hungry teenagers.

I love to see how smart this kid is getting. He makes me so proud. He actually wanted to go to math camp this summer. So we signed him up for the same week that Jude went to sports camp. It was a good fit for each. Example: as a fun after school activity (when video games aren't available), Josh likes me to make math worksheets for him, the harder the better. And he loves to play games with strategies and numbers. Here, he's playing a card game he learned at math camp...against his toy cars.

They both LOVE puzzles. I bought a set of eight 100-piece puzzles because I wanted to challenge them. Here they are with all 800 pieces on the table at once. They worked all week, with a little help from me, and wouldn't clean up until they were finished with all eight. (Sound like anyone you know, Mom?) I'm so happy to have buddies who will do puzzles with me when I grow old and useless.

Josh started first grade last month. He was so excited to see his great friend Will at school right after he got off the bus. That's right, I said BUS! He had started riding the bus to school a few mornings a week and really likes it. He runs full speed to the bus stop every time and is super anal about not being late. The first day of school, I walked him to the bus stop and ran back to my car so I could meet him at school and walk him to class.

Here's my big kid with his brand new Skylanders lunch box. Dream come true, right there. His first few weeks were a bit of a struggle in the behavior department. He has a hard time adjusting to change, is about as stubborn as they get, and is very bored in class right now as they're doing a lot of easy review stuff. He came home after a hard day and wrote this apology note to his teacher all by himself. 

He's a good egg. We're just working on some six-year-old boy things right now. I'm encouraged by the fact that he might one day grow up to be as charming and successful as one Garth Algar.