Reasoning

He doesn't just accept everything we say now. He thinks about it. Three examples from the last couple of days:

1. Jonas was sick for the past few days (more to come). He spent a full day with Brandon, which naturally meant that they watched a LOT of movies (also more to come). Brandon had gone into the bedroom to check his school work for a while, and Joe wandered in, his movie still playing.

Jonas: "Hey daddy, what you doing?"
Brandon: "I'm checking my email. Are you watching your movie?"
Jonas: "No, I'm talking to you!"

touche', thought Brandon... touche'.

2. The three of us were on our way to Jensen's first birthday party yesterday, and it was very sunny in the car. Jonas spotted his sun screen for the window laying on the floor.

Joe: "I need that on the window to get the sun out of my eyes. Help! Help! Help me stick it on la window!"
Me: "We can't help you right now, we're driving."
Joe: (instantly answering) "Mommy, you're not driving, daddy is driving! Help me! Help help!"
Me: (realizing I had been defeated) "Ok... I'll try..."

3. Tonight as we were saying prayers, Joe said he wanted to pray for him pushing Christina. So I said something like

Me: "Help Joe to stop pushing Christina, we don't want that to happen"
Joe: "Why?"
Me: "Because it hurts Christina, she doesn't like being pushed"
Joe: "Why?"
Me: "Because she doesn't like to get hurt. Do you like getting hurt?"
Joe: "No!"
Me: "Well, christina doesn't either. That's why we don't push people".
Joe: "I don't like push Christina. I push Christina, I get time out. Christina push Jonas, she has to sit in time out too!"
Me: "Yeah, time out is no fun! Do you like time out?"
Joe: "No, I don't like it!"
Me: "Ok... so you don't want to push Christina then, huh?"
Joe: "No!"

I should also qualify this conversation by saying that Jonas tells us every single day that he pushed Christina and got in time out. We are fairly certain that if this happened every day, we would know about it, so we are pretty sure he is usually making it up. Still, this is the first time he has asked "why?" that I recall. And he thought about his feelings... oooh he's getting too big!

So, besides reasoning, Joe also had another first this past week... his first stomach bug... yaaaaay. Lucky for us (well... in its own way) he first got sick at Grandma's house on Thursday morning. He was just sitting, and then he projectile vomited across the living room-- gross! Lisa told him the next time he needed to throw up to go use the potty to throw up in.

Brandon and I both had to work this past weekend (my first convention week-- exciting!) and Lisa volunteered to keep Jonas most of Saturday, and we could get him at baby Jensen's 1st birthday party. I got a call around 2 from Brandon explaining some of what happened earlier that morning. Apparently, Jonas had woken up crying for milk, which he proceeded to do for the next 45 min. Lisa finally got him some milk, only to find him fast asleep on the kitchen floor! She concluded he was still sick =). Joe slept in her lap for another hour or so, then got up and they started to watch a movie. At this point, Joe jumped up from the couch, ran into the bathroom at top speed yelling "I NEED GO THROW UP IN LA POTTY!" And he did. Lisa said she heard gross sounds coming from the bathroom, and he had, indeed, thrown up in the toilet.

Needless to say, none of us made it to Jensen's birthday party.

Joe was still sick Sunday, but only had a mild fever. We still didn't want him around people, but my mom had wanted some help cleaning out a room, so we went over there for the day. Mom asked if she could keep Jonas for the night, and after some convincing I decided that would be ok, so Joe stayed all of Monday at "young Granny and papa dave"'s house (yes, he calls my dad papa dave usually). I guess they had a big time... I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Julie before we left, but no luck-- she was still out of town.

After we got home and ready for bed, I did hear from Julie, and she came over to visit-- YAY! I love my sissies!

Tuesday, Jonas woke up with a fever AGAIN. Geez! So Brandon and Joe had a big movie day and watched Up 2.5 times, monsters Inc, thomas the train, the Bolt, and (I am embarrased to say) star wars episode 2. To be fair, Brandon only put it on because Joe was begging to "see aliens" and it was the only movie he could find that had aliens Joe didn't think were "deh-wee!!(scary)" I AM embarrassed to say that Joe went to take a nap with an hour left on the movie, and Brandon still watched it to the end... yes... for shame, hon, for shame!

Tuesday was also Jensen's real 1st birthday, and since we'd all missed the party, we got invidted to his 2nd birthday party at La Ha. We told Dayna that Joe was still sick-ish, but she said as long as they didn't share food, she didn't care... so we came. Goodness, that little boy is growing! He is sooo cute, but he's not the tiny little guy he was... Buuuut that's a good thing. =)

Today afetr work I got Joe at the disc golf course, and we went to see the Carter's house. Joe has been very concerned about it, so we go every few weeks to look at it. We ran in to Nick while we were there, exciting! Joe then insisted we go see old Granny and try to find Aunt Jill and Uncle Tim at "la new house, la clean house". So we went over there for a few and visited with Granny and Alicia.

It's been a very busy past week for Brandon, Joe and me, but life is good and there's nothing to complain about!