AN UPDATE!!

I haven't posted on the boys' blog in such a long time!

James is now almost 9 months old and growing so fast! He is almost 26 lbs and cruising around the furniture non-stop. He has been crawling since he was about 6 months old and recently got his first 2 teeth. My baby is growing up! James loves playing with his big brother even though Joshua has become quite the little bully! He is constantly stealing Jimmy's toys and 'patting' him on the head (which involves pushing his head down when he's trying to stand or crawl). There are also many disagreements over toys in our house.

Joshua turned 2 in May and is such a little talker! This morning he put on a concert for his Mommy, Auntie Stephanie, Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Rick. He stood behind a toy and pretended to play it like a piano while he sang the ABCs and other songs. He ended his 'music' with the Lord's Prayer. *L* I love hanging out with Joshua because he has his own opinions and thoughts now! He can also be a stubborn boy which is very exhausting to deal with but it is definitely all worth it!

Playing in the Backyard

Owen Lanteigne came over for a visit today and we had a great time! Owen's Mommy played with us when she came back, too! Here are a few of the many pictures my Mommy took of us in the backyard.

Playing on the Sesame Street swing.

Owen is smart, he let me drive! (Not that he really had a choice.)

Then I put Owen to work.

BOO!

Here I am chasing Amy and Owen ... I almost caught them too!

Updated Stats

Joshua is 23 months old. (He will be 2 on May 23rd.) He is 36" tall and 34 lbs.

James is just over 5 months old. He is 28" tall and 22 lbs 3 oz.

We sure have some big boys! :P

J & J

Can you tell them apart?

So many people have been telling me lately how much James looks like Joshua and I just don't see it ...

Can you tell them apart? (Don't look at the date stamps!) ;)

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Photo 5

James' Baptism

This is just a quick note to let everyone know that James' baptism is set for May 27 at St Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church. More details to come when I get a chance. :)

Joshua the Photographer

22 month old Joshua loves to grab his Mommy's camera and take pictures. Here are a few of the better ones from the last week. (I know, you have to ask yourself ... there are worse ones than these?) *L*

New Pictures

More Growing Up

Yesterday Rick and I moved Joshua's crib into James' (yet unfinished) new bedroom. So, when Joshua went to bed he was sleeping in his big boy race car bed. The boys spent the day with Athina as my ribs are still far from healed so when Joshua came home his rearranged car room was all new to him. He seemed to love it and went to sleep with no problems. In fact, the only moment of recognition came this morning when he asked, "Mommy, where Joshua's bed go?" I tried to explain to him that he was sitting on his race car bed but he said, "No, Joshua's crib bed". I told him he was too big for it and that we gave it away. I failed to mention that we actually gave it to his little brother, James. He thinks his crib is gone and James has a new crib ... I am not about to correct him. :P

Growing Up

This morning Joe, the boys and I went shopping. Joe was able to get the day off work and his rugby team had a bye week so we spent a nice morning out as a family.

As we got home, I was carrying James down the stairs while Joe carried the groceries. Joshua was behind me and started saying, "Mommy, come here. Come here, Mommy." My hands were full but I turned around, halfway down the stairs, and asked him what he wanted.

Joshua gave me what I can only describe as an adorable intimidation face and said, "I gonna bop you". I just burst out laughing. My little boy is speaking random thoughts, in sentences! :)

It wasn't until I was telling the story to Stephanie that I remembered - Josh's Daddy sometimes uses the term 'bop' when they're play fighting together. Joe says they haven't done that in a few weeks, though. I really hope Joshua meant the comment nicely! ;)

Healthy

Both my kids are healthy and currently napping! YAY!

On the Move

James rolled over for the first time yesterday! YAY!

He was on the floor at my Gramma's house while she watched the boys all evening. He rolled from his back to his side and then flipped "onto his face" (as she explained it), then back to his side. Now if only he'd do it in front of his Mommy and Daddy! :P

Here is a picture of James and his new cousin, Michael, taken 2 days ago (at 3 1/2 months and 3 days old). Just call them 'moose' and 'tank'!

Joshua is still sick

Joshua has had diarrhea (aren't you glad I shared that?!?) for 8 days now. He is not vomitting and does not seem to be sick. I wrongly assumed that he had a diaper rash from the diarrhea and have been treating it for the past week with cream. Last night at about 10pm Joe noticed that Josh had huge blisters and swelling in the affected area (think everything at more than 4 times normal size). I rushed him to Emergency where they diagnosed it as a yeast infection and gave him medication for what they say must be immense pain (it has spread internally) ... I thought he had just hit his terrible 2's and gotten whiney.

The infection looked even worse when Joshua woke up this morning, so I took him into our family doctor where he received an oral antibiotic and specific instructions. Apparently the infection is so bad that Joshua is not urinating and we need to force him to pee. Also, he might need to get circumsized. I feel like a HORRIBLE mother! I was practically feeding the stupid infection by putting cream on after every diaper change ... keeping the area moist so it could spread! We also have to take him in for tests as Dr Heffner is concerned about the diarrhea. He wants to find out what is causing it and why it is not getting better.

I saw the doctor this morning too because I am still in incredible pain from my ribs and I'm dizzy and nauseous. Apparently this is because I have my third concussion within 2 years. I never had a concussion in over 23 years and now 3 in 2 years?!? Why am I more accident prone now?!? :P

My Step-dad drove me around all morning to the doctor and pharmacist and then out to Joe's parents so they can watch the boys for the afternoon. I have a wonderful family! Thank you Rick and Athina!

Our New Cousin

Auntie Cindy and Uncle Mike (and big sister, cousin Rachel) had a baby on Wednesday, March 14. We already knew he would be a boy but we didn't know he would be so tiny! Now we (Joshua and James) have a new little boy cousin! :)

These pictures are of Auntie Cindy and Michael (still in her belly)

We haven't met him yet but Mommy visited Auntie Cindy and Michael in the hospital and said he's very cute! Can you come play soon, Michael?!?

Michael Edmund Marcotte (III)
Born March 14, 2007 at 8:46PM
5 pounds, 15 ounces
47 cm long

(Here is Michael in big sister Rachel's arms ...

I've been told she never wants to put him down)

WE LOVE YOU, Marcotte family!

Most Eligible Bachelors

Home From the Hospital

Joshua and I are home from the hospital. It was yet another long night in the Pediatrics Ward but we made it through! We visited our family doctor yesterday morning who sent us to a Pediatrician. The Pediatrician looked at Joshua and then sent us to the hospital where the little guy was admitted and immediately put onto an IV. They were worried because he was dehydrated and had lost just over 5 pounds in 4 days (from a stomach virus).

Thank you to my Mom and Rick, Stephanie, Lyndsay and Joe who all visited us in the hospital (and kept me sane ... it's hard to entertain a 1 year old when he's grumpy, hungry, sick and confined to a small area). Thank you also to Joe's parents, Athina and David, for keeping James for 5 days and 2 nights this week ... it's been so hectic I don't think I could have handled having both of the boys around all the time! Also, thank you to the makers of portable DVD players, cartoons and story books, without which we would definitely not have survived the past 36 hours! ;)

Dr. Anquist says that as long as Joshua will drink fluids we can stay home tonight! :)

Lessons Learned

We had french fries with ketchup for dinner on Saturday night and Joshua discovered that you can skip the french fry altogether and use your fingers to scoop up the ketchup. Later when I put him in the bathtub I gave him some soap finger paint and smeared it all over the side of the tub. Before I realized what he was doing, Joshua ran his hand through the red paint and put his whole hand into his mouth. He looked up at me, shocked, and said, "No ketchup, Mommy. Soap! No ketchup!" He was so cute! Then he played for a while as I snapped pictures. Finally he got tired of the bath and said, "Towel ... towel ... diaper ... diaper" which I had to get on video before I took him out of the tub. As I was drying him off I realized I had forgotten to wash his hair and told him so ... he then giggled and said, "No hair. Tricked Mommy! No hair!" and gave me a huge grin. How can I be mad at that?!?

Possible Future Occupation?!?

Joshua received a Home Depot power tool bench from his Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Rick for Christmas and he absolutely loves it! :)

Joshua and James

Owen's First Birthday

We went to Owen's first birthday party last Saturday and the boys had a lot of fun! Here are some pictures that Amy sent us after the party. :)

(Joshua was really jealous of Owen and his new dump truck ... when I reminded him that he has a similar train at home he said, "Dump truck! No train! DUMP TRUCK!) :P