Little Jo Part 1

Josiah has changed quite a bit since he became a big brother last Fall.

At age 18 months, he really was our baby still. 9 months ago, he only had two little teeth on the bottom. I didn't want any more to ever grow in because they were so cute! He slept in the Baby Room in the crib. The high chair was his place at the table. James arrived and Josiah moved into the Big Kid Room to sleep. He moved up the ranks of chairs around our table and now sits on a stool from Ikea. He clears the napkins from the table after each meal and is slowly learning to do it cheerfully.

Josiah at 18 months

As the spread between our oldest and youngest children grows, I find that we are more often living at a pace that is either toddler/baby-friendly or decidedly not toddler/baby-friendly. Even a simple school day at home doesn't always seem to accomodate all the ages and stages in our home.

  This particular event wasn't unfriendly to Josiah. It was just way past naptime.

All our kids have a special place in our family and they will all occupy different roles as they grow... right now,  Josiah has become The Child Who Doesn't Quite Fit. 

What this tends to mean on a daily basis is that Josiah gets a little bit left behind. Not quite old enough for the independence his big brothers and sister share, he spends a lot of time asserting very loudly that everything is "Naughty" and that he is "... NOT a BABY. YOU a BABY!"

He seems to be doing all that he can to make sure that he isn't forgotten...

I don't think I even posted about his 2nd birthday... But it did happen, way back in March.

A 2 year old with older siblings ages 7.5, 6 and 4.5 has to make the best of living in an older child's world. Sometimes this means going to bed when the big kids do and making up for it by sleeping from 1-4 almost every afternoon. 

I don't feel too sorry for Josiah. It pleased God to place him in this family, with this birth order, with Bob and I as his parents. Josiah has the benefit and the blessing of three older siblings attention and care. He gets to be a big brother to James. And he gets to play with his brothers' Legos!

 

He's just in a place that requires quite a bit of training and as many stories and songs and chase games and smiles and pretend food meals and real opportunities to be my helper that his daddy and I can give him.  

To be continued...