That Boy

Recently I decided that our life as the Stewart family would make a great comic strip. There are so many times in my week - or day - that if I don't laugh, I fear I will either walk away or have to be committed. I figured, why keep all the good laughs to ourselves? Let's share some with the rest of the world; and then maybe they won't notice that my laundry isn't folded, or my kids don't match, or I'm not wearing any make-up, or the dust in an inch thick. Or maybe they'll at least be more forgiving. 

When I started thinking of all the most recent comic strip-worthy moments I was slightly surprised by an emerging pattern. Contrary to what I anticipated, all 4 of my children were NOT equal participants in our crazy moments. They play their parts for sure; but the number 1 culprit of my messiest, gray-hair-producing, OHMYGOODNESSWHATAREYOUDOINGSTOOOOOP! moments is...Judah. Yes, the one who inspires little old ladies to ooh and aah and pinch his cheeks. The one who evokes feelings of triumph and celebration in the hearts of all who know him. The one whose smile lights up every room he walks into. Ya. That one. 

Within the last 8 days alone he has...

...pooped in the tub. With Ezra. Again.

...crawled out of his big boy bed and up into Ezra's bed to snuggle when he's supposed to be     SLEEPING numerous times and he thinks it's so cute when he does it but Ezra is trying to go to  sleep and I am trying to relax andhejustwon'tstayinhisbed! Whose idea was it to move this kid into a  real bed anyway?

...inspired me to yell right into my mother's ear on the phone, "JUDAH, DON'T EAT THE SOAP!" Lydia was washing the van and Judah saw the soapy water in the bucket and...well, there's no surprise ending here.

...taken the powdered sugar shaker off of the dining room table and given it to Ollie. Again, I think you can see how that ended. *sigh*

...tried "helping" me at ALDI by putting the carton of eggs on the belt at the register. Boy that kid is fast. I turn around for just a second...! I was able to salvage half the carton. Tina, the cashier, made my day by giving me another full carton for free. 

Is it any wonder I have more gray hairs than I should and go through an unreasonable amount of antibacterial wipes canisters?! 

It's a good thing he's so cute. And charming. And endearing and funny and snuggly and wonderful. 

This is the day we drove to KS and picked up the newest Stewart: Oliver Edward. Because clearly our 4 kids and countless high school students just weren't providing the level of excitement we crave. 

Judah is walking, walking, walking! He gets more confident and coordinated every day. I just can't get enough of watching him walk!

Makin' the ladies weak in the knees

I was cleaning at the old house. He was self-entertaining.

He loves a good party, & this one was for Daddy.

He also loves a good donut.

He was so proud of himself for crawling onto Gramps's towel. It only took him 5 minutes to get fully situated.

There's nothing but sweet in this picture. He knows he can lean on his brother any time.