After the "wrappings" have settled...

It is Josiah's birthday. The big 6! I can't believe he is so big...time really flies by. He has been so excited for his birthday...bAreLY (my attempt at being a cute blogger like Coty and Andrea) hanging on since Gavin's has passed. He struggled with going to sleep last night due to the "excitedness in my tummy" and woke up with a HuGe grin. I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast (really, thank Pillsbury) and he gobbled them up and headed off to school. I brought Zebra cakes (his choice) to his class for snack time where his teacher, Mrs. Ryall, lit a candle and we all sang to him. He was so stinkin' cute-he actually blushed! I luuvved it! After we got home he opened his mega-24 pack play dough (thank you Auntie Steph and fam) and played for awhile until Daddy came home and we were off to Moe's - yUmmO- for chips and salsa. We came home and Josiah finally got to tear into the wrapping paper. Let me tell you, the tissue paper was flying! Thank you family, for all of your thoughtful gifts. Josiah was in present heaven. He got everything he wanted and loved it all (no underwear or other boring things, lol). We then devoured the cheesecake Kit made (Jos's request) and rainbow sherbet ice cream. Life was good and Josiah enjoyed it all! He went to sleep with a gi-normous smile on his face.

Now comes for the sentimentality. I almost didn't, but Kit reminded me I had for my other boys, so here it is...

Josiah was a surprise. Kit and I were married just less than a year when we found out we were expecting. We were excited when we found out we were having a boy (remember Kit's aversion to daughters) and awaited his birth. I gained quite a bit of weight (uggh) and in my last trimester began swelling. I am an anti-hypochondriac, so I didn't really ask about it. I should have realized something was wrong when fingerprints remained in my legs after putting my socks on, but you know...anyway, I went in for my 37 wk. check-up on my way for a girls'-night-out with my mom and sisters. Yep, I was told I wouldn't be going anywhere. They decided they needed to induce me due to toxemia. No girls' night! We called Kit, who packed my bags and came to the hospital. After a full day and not too much happening...well...other than the few hours I simply can't remember (you'll have to ask Kit, my mom or sisters) I finally reached a point far enough a long to receive my epidural. Within a few minutes I was on my pushing way and out came this tiny, skinny, red-fuzzed (on his head, shoulders and tips of his ears) little boy. I still smile thinking about his red fuzz-I had a dream I gave birth to an orangutan just a few days prior...and out came our own version. He only weighed 6 lbs 6 oz and was 21 inches long. I promptly fell asleep following my 36 hour labor.

Josiah has been a blessing in our lives from the beginning. He was such a sweet baby and has grown into a kind, friendly little boy. He is so clever and curious about eVErYthIng. We love him and thank the Lord for our oldest rough-and-tumble little one.

The Stack

A Couple of Favorites

The Carnage

YuMmO!

I just had to throw in a picture of Gunner tackling Gavin

'Tis the Season

I'm sure there are plenty of sighs out there...Kit calls me misguided...I know! BUT-I can't help it. I L.O.V.E. the Holiday Season. It begins with Halloween and then...Thanksgiving...then- CHRISTMAS! I'm not the only one in love with Christmas out there, I know. But, here it comes, my admission of complete guilt. Are you ready for it? I enjoy Christmas music immediately after Halloween...You didn't catch that? Okay, Okay...I L.O.V.E. Christmas music. Today is a pseudo Christmas season for me. Gav and I whipped up a batch of molasses crackles...yummo! And the best part of the day is...drumroll...as in Little Drummer Boy! Yes, as of today Sirius plays Christmas Music AND I am listening to it right now online. Ahhhh! I love this season and Frosty the Snowman, the Grinch, Silver Bells...

Down to 2

Josiah has been wanting to practice riding a two-wheeler for...well...a long time. My mom and I picked up a cheapie from the thrift store for 5 bucks when she was here a while ago. Finally, I took the time to try with him last night. He was catching on pretty well, but the seat kept slipping down and hindering his balance. When Kit, the conquering hero daddy, arrived home, he tightened the seat effectively. Despite my half-hour attempt, I DID NOT succeed in doing it-maybe I got it mostly there...yeah, I'll tell myself that to boost my self-esteem. With Daddy now helping, Jos figured it out and by dinnertime was riding up and down the street. We still need to hold on at the beginning to help him catch his balance, but he's a riding man!

Sorry, no pictures last night. By the time Kit was helping, it was dark. If the rain lets up and Jos can ride this evening, I'll post some pics.

My cutie actually posing!

Gavin running around behind..."practicing his running"
Daddy working with Jos on his take-off

The concentrating-Applegate-tongue poking out

H-A-DOUBLE L-O-W-DOUBLE E-N spells Halloween!

Our little family had a wonderful Halloween. We carved pumpkins for FHE. Gavin and I loved gutting the pumpkins. Josiah shuddered with every gooey spoonful (and ran to wash his hands every few minutes). He soon handed it over to me to de-gunk. It truly is my favorite part. After numerous attempts (and truly unfruitful--my side of the family, quit laughing) in my youth to carve the PERFECT pumpkin from the wondrous ideas in my head (again, my family quit chortling...poky eyelashes seemed so fabulous at the time!!), my pumpkins never reached great potential. Parts looked all wrong, I accidently chopped important parts off and inevitably my pumpkin was the worst of the family's. Ok, I'll stop waxing on about my sorrowful and disappointing childhood...This year, my boys voted mine the best. Yeah for the mama (mine is the ghostie)!! We had a blast! Gotta love jack-o-lanterns!We attended our ward's chili cook-off and trunk-or-treat. It is a tradition Kit and I really get into. Poor Kit was so sure he was going to win this year, but no such luck. It was rigged, I tell you! ;) We invited our neighbor and her son, Dillan, and Josh (a guy Kit works with) and his family to come along. We had a lot of fun devouring steaming chili and enjoying the great company.

Josiah was dressed as a mosquito (this was his idea, and one that made me go hmmmm to figure out how to make it work), Gavin went as a fireman, Gunnison as a blue beetle and Kit went as Arthur Dent. After the kids made a haul on candy, we called it a night.Halloween day arrived and my kiddies were so excited. Gavin and Jos have been counting down since the beginning of October. Once I filled out my calendar and they saw the drawn on bats, they were counting the days. We went trick-or-treating to the Becks, a family who used to be in our ward. They are so kind and we love them! Their neighborhood was full of children and so friendly, we stayed there for the rest of the time. Josiah ended the night wishing he could be driving his cousins' Gator- a little electric vehicle-for trick-or-treating. His feet were killing him! Boohoo! ;) Despite my assurances Cooper and Greyson weren't driving it around door to door, he was green with envy. Be sure, Humphrey boys, if Josiah owned your Gator, that was exactly what he would have been doing with it!!Kit and I love Halloween. We enjoyed the costumes, pumpkins and fall air. It is even more fun to share it with kiddies who get into the spirit. Happy Halloween to you all!!