Joel Turns 3

(September 16, 2013)

Our son is about the craziest, boy-est, goofiest kid you could ever meet.  He captures people instantly with his cute face, silly antics, and sweet personality and he keeps them coming back with his high fives, fist bumps, scary faces, and just all out joy.  He’s very popular with little kids, teens, adults, men and women.  People automatically love him and want to be loved by him.  Here are some pictures and some thoughts about our little man:

Getting Ready for Church

His vocabulary is great.  He communicates very well and annunciates like a cute little 3 year old.

He loves to run!

Sticks and rocks are quality entertainment.

Fouth of July

No puddle goes un-jumped in.

Crayons are used for coloring for about 2 minutes then magically turn into people, cars or airplanes…which then end up fighting each other.

Falling asleep during Daddy’s lesson in Youth Group

He can entertain himself limitlessly in his room with his trains and cars and blocks, making up all kinds of stories and scenarios for them.

He is loud.

He loves loves love cupcakes and candy and… well, really almost all food.  If he hears any sort of noise that remotely sounds like food being opened in the kitchen, he’ll come running.  I mean, RUNNING.

He is relentless.

He loves the tv.  One of the hardest punishments for him is when we take tv away for the day.  Breaks his heart.

He’s still a crier.  Also, he doesn’t listen well.

Snuggling and touch is important to him.  He loves to have his back rubbed (not his head though), and if he’s standing near me, he’ll be leaning all up on me within ten seconds.  He just likes to be close.

Speaking of standing, he cannot stand still.  If he’s standing, he is swaying back and forth.  And if I make him stand still and talk to me, he then starts wiggling his hands and fingers (usually playing with his shirt or pants).

He is a singer!

He has an attitude.  Like a down right rude one every once in a while.  If he’s mad about something we’ve made him do, he’ll sulk about it and be rude to everyone for quiet some time.

He is trying not to take an afternoon nap… which results in lots of tears by 6pm when he starts to not be able to handle life very well.

Picnic at our favorite park

He can count to around 13.

He can pick out consistently about 8-10 letters and say their names.

Swimming at Mamaw’s

Reading is fun for him too.  He has a Disney story book that has Mickey, Lightening McQueen and a few others in it and he has a Peter Pan book that will capture his attention for a while (by himself).

He can say three Bible verses very well (John 3:16, Gen 1:1, Eph 6:1)

At the Biltmore House

He is obsessed with bad guys.  And The Giant Pickle from a Veggie Tales movie.

Jake and the Neverland Pirates are a huge hit with him, and Lightening McQueen and Mater, and Mickey, and Veggie Tales and Curious George and Wreck it Ralph.

Dry Falls, Highlands, NC

He knows all the Disney Princesses (Thanks to Eliah).

He’s super helpful in cleaning up, but terrible at putting his toys away in his room!

He’s great at throwing and catching a ball.

He likes to play with trucks and cars.

He calls himself Jolie-Joel Michael Sutton.

If you ask him what Daddy’s name is, he says, “Babe.”

He says a lot of his words that start with s like they have an “sn” (i.e. Sam becomes Snam).  Eliah becomes “he-wy-ah”.  Alex is “ow-ex.”  Can’t is “tant.” 

Every time he talks to Mamaw, his first words are “Hey, Mamaw.  Where’s Papaw?” Every single time.

He likes to walk around with his eyes closed.  Never mind the fact that he walks into stuff.  It must make like more exciting.

He loves to jump.

 

Happy Birthday!

We pray that Our great God uses Joel’s personality to draw people to Himself.  That Joel’s voice would proclaim Light in the darkness.  That he would Seek The Lord above all else in this world.  We are so thankful for these ALMOST two years we’ve had with this kid.  What an undeserved treasure he is!  Oh how our lives would be less fun without our Joel!  We are still amazed that God chose this particular goofy hilarious adorable brown kid to be ours.  Joel, we are blessed beyond words to have you.  You bring laughter to our lives!!!