Hey Hey I'm a Monkey!

Grandshe gave Josie these hip monkey headphones at Easter. At the time, Josie was only 9 months and I couldn't imagine her ever being big enough to use them. Tonight however, after bath we found them in the toy box and started playing with them. When I hooked my i-Pod up to them and played Josie's favorite album (Jack Johnson's Curious George soundtrack), she started dancing all over the place. She LOVED listening to her music. It gave us a little insight to what she'll be like as a teenager listening to her music on her I-pod...

Josie turned 17 months yesterday and is saying and doing new things every day. She makes a monkey face, says moo, quack, baa, ball, baby, Pop-Pop (Grandpa Gleason's name), She is trying so hard to say Jay, and of course mama and daddy have been in her vocabulary since she turned one.

At Church, Josie loves to sing and gets mad when the choir stops. She claps after every song and loves to put her finger to her lips and say "Shhh..." when Grandshe talks during mass.

Our little girl has so much personality. We can't wait to see what she will say and do next!

Josie the Monkey

Josie had a great time at Integer's Halloween party. She wasn't too keen on gathering candy, but she was all over the bananas! On trick-or-treat night we Josie passed out candy in her monkey instead of going to houses collecting it. She loved seeing all the kids in costume. By the end of the night our monkey was getting warm, so she started handing out candy in her diaper.

Our Girl

Josie was sick all weekend. It made for the longest four days for us...and the most vomit I have seen that didn't involve alcohol. BTW said vomit was covering me from head to toe! So needless to say tonight when the three of us were playing and we captured this picture, it was a great feeling. I think we finally have our girl back.

Labor Day Weekend

Josie had a great time over labor day weekend. We celebrated Uncle Rich and Bre's engagement with a fun BBQ celebration. The weather was perfect. Josie wore her beautiful dress that Grammy B got her in Mexico for the party. When we asked her to hold Brody's hand she held her hand out waiting for him to grab it. What a little lady. The day after the party she found the piano and fell in love with pushing the keyboard and making sound. After each little ditty Josie would clap and say "YAAAAH!"

Monkey Sock Slippers

Josie LOVES her monkey sock slippers. She has gotten really good at pulling them off and tries really hard to put them back on. She keeps them on when the nights get chilly. On Sunday I took Josie to the store in her monkey sock slippers as she didn't want to take them off.

Peek-a-boo!

On Saturday we ran to the mall to get cousin Maeve's 3rd birthday present. We got her a lot of fun things to celebrate! Josie was sleeping in her stroller so we had it laid back in recliner mode. I thought she was still sleeping and all of a sudden she popped out of no where! It was pretty cute.

The Perfect Friday...

Friday, 8.8.08 was they perfect day. First of all, Josie turn 14 months! We did a lot of fun things to celebrate. For starters we had a play date with Carter and baby Porter. Afterwards we went to the park for a picnic lunch. Then we hit up the swimming pool where Josie had such a blast we went back the next day with Billy. Finally, after a long nap by both Josie and I, we played in the back yard while cooking dinner on the grill.

Cousins...

Josie got to see big cousin Maeve at the end of June. It was a great time together in relaxing Door County Wisconsin. We stayed in a cabin off the water and made smores in the campfire... OK the girls didn't make the smores, but everyone loved to eat them. Other than stealing the water bottle from each other the girls got along perfect! Maeve's tactic to get the water bottle was very smooth. She pretended to go in for the hug then Maeve would go for the steal. Smooth operator.

It's MY Party!

We have a 1 year old in the HOUSE! Josie turned 1 on June 8th, 2008. Where did the last year go?! Here is what Josie is into right now:
Loves sleeping with a blanket (that's what 1 year olds do!)
Enjoys waving Hello and Bye-Bye
Continues to be a book worm, she enjoys being read to and "reading" on her own
Anything we eat Josie wants to eat
She knows a few sign language signs, "all done" is her favorite
She loves to walk around the house if you hold her hands (she is FAST too!) and
Stairs have become her new best friend

Vacation

Our first BIG family vacation was to beautiful North & South Carolina. We spent a few days in North Carolina for Wiese's wedding then ventured south to explore sunny Charleston. We fell in love. The views were gorgeous and (more importantly) the food was amazing. We did a horse carriage ride, walking tours, shopping, swimming at the pool and at the beach. Everyone in Charleston is so friendly that they all stop to talk or just say hello. Soon Josie thought everyone on the street walking in our general direction was coming to say hello to her. So she waved with both hands to all her "fans". Her two front teeth decided to break their way through the first two days. Even with that going on she was a trooper.

Hairspray!

The top picture is Josie in her very first pony tail! Her teacher did it at school, and as you can tell she thinks she is quite cute! The next picture is crazy hair day at school. Throughout the day the teachers would mold her do into another masterpiece. One we liked they called "The Fonz" and it totally looked like Arthur Fonzerelli!

Hey Buddies

Josie loves to hang out with her pals Lane & Carter almost as much as she loves looking out the window!

Picture it... March 19th, 2008

This was a big day in the Bemis household for our dear Joslyn Marie. For this is the day that she learned how to crawl (forward, she mastered backwards months ago!) Plus her shoes, that are size 0-6months also finally fit this week. Yes, she is 9 months old, yes she has tiny piggies.

The first time Josie crawled forward was to Daddy. He picked her up from school and she was so excited to see him she moved forward. And since then she has been moving and grooving. She now crawls pretty darn fast. You see her little eyes catch something and then she is off! Josie started hopping today like a bunny. She gets so hyper she starts hopping. Sometimes she hops so big that she looses her balance and falls backwards. This results in a big belly laughter from all in the room.

One BIG Happy

Josie had a great Easter weekend in Omaha. As usual, when she goes to Omaha, she gets spoiled rotten. Between purple ponies to monkeys galore Josie got it all for Easter.

Rascally Rabbits!

Big cousin Maeve came to the wonderful metropolis of Des Moines to help yell "Surprise!!!" to Billy at his MBA graduation party. The day after Josie and Maeve turned into two rascally rabbits right before our eyes. It was great practice for Easter which is only a couple of weeks away!

JDRF Walk

Josie accomplished her first walk, and it was a great walk to finish. Every year since I have worked at Integer I have taken part in the JDRF walk. It brought be much joy to share the walk experience with Billy and Josie this year. She was a little dazed and confused as it was during nap time and the marching band was kicking it into high gear. But unlike some kids who would freak out and the sound of the band, Josie kept her cool. As noted by another fellow walker, she was sucking on her pacifier to the beat of the drums!

St. Patty's Day Prep

Today Josie and I had a rehearsal for St. Patty's Day. We decided I'll stick with the glasses and she can have the shamrock headband as her head isn't quite big enough for the glasses. You would never know that Josie has a double ear infection and a skin infection, she is such a happy girl.

Fairy Tale Day

Yesterday was fairy tale day at Josie's school. Josie was the only one in her classroom that decided to dress up. I guess all the other babies thought they were too little to participate. Kids, parents, and teachers all stopped by the infant room to check out the cutest littlest princess in the fairy tale land...also known as Appletree Daycare.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Better late than never :) Josie remembered to send her Valentine's to her little friends but mom forgot to post her blog! Yikes. Valentine's Day was a double whammy celebration for Josie as it was her 1st Valentine's Day and 1st birthday celebration with Daddy. And boy (or should I say girl) did we celebrate! We did presents here in Des Moines then went to Omaha to for the weekend. Only the weather was bad and so we got to stay an extra day in Omaha to keep on partying!

Feeding Frenzy Feeding Frenzy!

Oh how we love the Josie. Nothing is boring when she is around, our little entertainer. Two things she recently started doing lately...

1. Josie enjoys kicking her leg up while she lounges in her high chair. Perhaps she is trying to be a lady, crossing her legs in all. Either way she puts her Dad's determined face on and enjoys her food as much as her mom does.

2. The second thing that Josie is big into doing right now is showing off her independent side. She keeps trying to feed herself! Which is very funny to watch as the food goes everywhere but her mouth. OK maybe some gets in there, but as you can tell more gets smothered on her face and clothes. Sort of like a facial, but less expensive!

There is no place...

Like Nebraska! Good ol' Nebraska youuuuuuu!

Seeing how the weather nearly hit 50 degrees, which is something we have not experienced in a really long time, we decided we should get bundled up and go for a little walk around the neighborhood. Josie starred at my hat and reached for it any time I was in front of the stroller. So when we got home and she finally was able to pull it off my head it was such a victory in her eyes.

Maybe it was her way of saying she missed everyone in Omaha?

Anchors away!*

This morning Josie had her 1st swim lesson. She did awesome. While she seemed a little apprehensive of the water at first she was cool and calm the whole time. She loved playing with the balls and jumping in from the side. She was't too keen about floating on her back. We are taking her every Saturday for the next month so we will keep all of the Josie fans out there updated!

*This title is a shout out to Josie's good friend Nikki... It is not in reference to Navy finally beating Notre Dame (a dark day in the Bemis household).

7 months!

It's hard to believe it, but on the 8th Josie turned the big 7...months that is! She sits up on her own very well. She rolls from her back to tummy, but hasn't figured out how to return onto her back. She loves eating vegetables and fruit, and reaches for everything!

Happy 7 Months Josie!

Josie's posse

Josie has made some good friends in the first 7 months of her life. Her BFF Marlee turned one. As you can tell neither were too keen on the party hats. The weekend prior they just chilled in a chair gossiping as best friends do. On Friday Josie showed the tom boy side of her while hanging out with her buddies Lane and Carter.

Shhh...

Josie has a new "trick". When I am talking and she would like to steal the stage she likes to put her chubby cheeks over my lips to stop me from babbling. Billy once said he has to fight for air time, so I think Josie thought she'd help him out.

No more rat tail...

Josie was very proud of the rat tail she has been growing since birth. It was a whole 4 strains long! Unfortunately when Aunt Terri got her hands on it, it was adios Mr. rat tail. Josie has not had her first bonifide hair cut. So her nice comb over was left untouched (phew).