Jonah

Welcome back week continues! Today it's all about Jonah!

Jonah had a big summer also! He learned how to swim. For him it means he got brave enough to go in the shallow end without floaties. But by the end of the summer he started to venture into the deep end without floaties as well! It kind of gives a momma a heart attack to see your kids venture off into the deep, dark abyss of a swimming pool alone, but he did awesome! He still loves to jump in with floaties on though. 

Jumping in with cousin Morgan.

She's so much fun! lol

 He also learned that he loves camping and hiking! We took 2 camping trips this summer. One to Big Bone Lick State Park and the other to Shawnee State Park in Ohio. Shawnee was a fantastic park. They had outdoor movies each night (complete with popcorn!), two swimming beaches, lots of hiking trails and a great play ground (multiple ones actually!) Jonah learned that he really loved camping and hiking. We hoped to do more trips but as the weather got hotter and hotter and I got more pregnant it just wasn't smart. But we're going to make up for it next summer...we are planning our very own Griswald's  family vacation of sorts, out west to Yellowstone! He'll get to do plenty of camping and hiking out there. And even get to see a real dino dig when we make a stop at Badlands National Park on the way out! But more on that trip another time! Right now we're talking about Jonah!

Jonah and his Nina snuggle by the campfire.

Leading the pack on a hike.

Two of momma's fish!

 Jonah was very excited when he found out that he was going to get another little brother! He is a wonderful big brother to Micah and Elijah. He loves to hold Eli and burp him. And he laughs the hardest whenever Eli spits up on someone :-) I love to see this sweet boy coming in to his own. He is so compassionate and is finding his place in the family and on his own. 

Meeting Elijah

Gosh he looks so big!!

Copying Eli's pouty face!

Snuggle time with my boy!

Yes, he's very goofy! ;-)

I adore this picture!!! He is so grown up!

11 days after Eli's arrival Jonah started Kindergarten! He was so excited to being going back to school. He attended preschool last year at the same school and he was excited about going back and maybe seeing his old teachers now and then. He was also excited to ride the bus again! He is in the afternoon Kindergarten program so he leaves every day around 11:40 and then comes home on the bus with Brianna around 4:20. He is doing wonderful in school so far! His teacher is absolutely adorable! She seems very equiped to be able to work with Jonah on his fine motor skills development delay and also has the patience to deal with what we believe is some pretty serious ADHD. We haven't had him officially diagnosed but he has all of the signs of a child with ADHD. I just don't want him to get "labeled" in school yet. His teacher is watching him and helping us to work on impulse control (a HUGE issue for him!) and focusing and following through on tasks. He is very easily distracted and has to be reminded multiple times to get back on task. Luckily his teacher has a very active classroom environment (they don't just sit at a table all day!!) and this helps him to be able to participate more and get into trouble less. So far this year he's only had to change his color from green to yellow once. I'd say that's pretty decent with a month under our belts!!

This is what we get when we try to get him to smile! lol

My boys!

Waiting for the bus- it was about 15 minutes late that morning so he felt like he was waiting FOREVER!!

Getting on the bus. Since he rode it last year he felt like an old pro! 

Like I mentioned in Brianna's post he was also able to be a part of his Aunt Samantha's wedding earlier this month. He was the ring bearer and did a fantastic job! He loved putting on a tuxedo (or as he called it a tuxadeo! Ha!) He kept saying "Don't I look spiffy!?" Cracks. Me. Up! He did look spiffy indeed! I can't wait to see the professional photos but for now I have some that one of my MILs co-workers took to hold me off!

Looking "spiffy" in his tuxadeo!

When it was time for the reception he was more than ready to cut loose! 

Doing his ring bearer duty next to the best man, Eric's brother Mark.

With his Aunt Mantha's new in-laws. They think he's so funny!! OK-he really is! ;-)

So, that's some of what Jonah has done over the last few months. I so love having this sweet, tender hearted boy in our family! I can't wait to watch how he's going to grow over this year.

 ***This post was started yesterday but as is life with a newborn didn't get finished! So I will be posting about Micah tomorrow and then we're all caught up! Stay tuned!!***