And now he is "ate"

Happy birthday to Josiah, who is now eight years old!

He told our pastor that instead of being called Burger Boy, he should be called "Digested Boy."

(Since he is now "ate." Ahem.)

Well, he made it through his birthday without being eaten by anyone, and we managed to make it through his birthday without eating any Chuck E. Cheese pizza. (Whew!!) We made a deal with him that we would eat lunch at Chili's and then go spend an hour or so letting the kids play games at Chuck E. Cheese.

After all the noise we could stand leaving Chuck E. Cheese, we ate some delicious cake



after we sang "Happy Birthday" to him.


And he's spent hours playing with Grace in one of his birthday presents this last week. (This was one he specifically requested.)


Josiah has always been in a hurry to grow up

December 2002
6 months old and already a chunky monkey ;)

...and had the bruises to prove it.

May 2003
11 months old and starting to walk
Pictorial proof of the perpetual bruises he kept on his forehead during the first two years or so of his life. It really got worse after he started walking!

He spent a good deal of time trying to be as old as his big brother, and happily went along with most anything Robert came up with.

April 2004
Both boys are dressed as "Aladdin"...note Josiah's light saber and cape. His Aladdin character apparently lived a little differently. I'm not sure why he looks so somber in this shot.

He began riding a bike with training wheels (at his brother's urging) at least three months before his 2nd birthday.

March 2004

He had a long-term love for cowboy boots and his "superhero"--a blue baby blanket clipped at his neck as a cape.

January 2005
2 1/2 years old

And you know Emily, Grace's beloved baby doll? She was Josiah's doll first--his way of preparing for his new baby sister. My sweet boy gave his doll to Grace by the time she was a year old. (Oh, and at one time Josiah had named the doll Candy Blues Jo Beth. ???)

December 2005
3 1/2 years old

June 2006
4 years old

July 2007

5 years old
I love this photo! It's about the last of the photos I have of him with all of his baby teeth, since he began losing baby teeth shortly after this was taken.

When he decided he was ready to learn to ride his bike without training wheels, he took the training wheels off himself, and rode down the little hill in our backyard by himself! Really--he called us outside to show us what he had learned to do.

March 2008

July 2009

One of his favorite things to do...climb trees.

Happy birthday, Josiah! We love you!

May 2010