Silly bathmat!

A lot of people have already heard this story, but I had to document it here too. I injured myself! It's kind of embarrassing, but the truth is, I slipped in the shower. We have a bathmat that doesn't really stick that well to the floor of the bathtub, and it totally went out from under me on Tuesday night. I have a wicked-looking purpley bruise on my tailbone and a bluish one on my left arm. I would post pictures, but...yeah, not exactly an ideal area to display publicly. I'm much better today than yesterday, no need for ibuprofen, so that's good. It's just hard to keep Joshua from touching me near there, because it's super sensitive...

Side note: Joshua said "car" tonight! It sounded more like "gawah", but I knew what he was trying to say. And he mimicked a few consonants, which is huge for him. He really is making progress! =)

Progress...step by baby step

I know it's only been a few weeks since we really started working with Kids on the Move, but I can't help wishing things were going faster. I know I should be patient because such a significant delay will take awhile to overcome, but I really want to see huge progress NOW. I want my son to talk to me! I want him to let me know that he recognizes what things are around him instead of just grunting or making (while still very adorable) animal noises. I want to point to a picture in a book and ask him what it is and have him at least attempt to name the object. I want to hear him call me "Mama." I want to be able to talk with him, not just to him. Is that too much to ask?

Well, I've learned in the past couple of days that yes, it is too much--for now. Joshua IS making progress, and I need to recognize that fact. He can sign a few things already, and we're trying to teach him more and get him to sign without being prompted. And he understands so much of what we say. It helps that he's really curious, so he's pretty responsive to new things. It's good to know that he is able to communicate with us, even though it's not in the ideal method yet.

Realizing this, I have come to a conclusion: as much as I want to see the huge steps forward immediately, I need to be satisfied with what progress he is making. And I need to count my blessings, because he is such a sweet, loving little boy, and he brings such joy to my life. So if you ever hear me complain about the situation, remind me of how fortunate I am to have such a son. And I'm sure that, within a year or two, he'll be talking so much that I'll wish he would be quiet for a few minutes. At least, that's what I tell myself now during the frustrating times.

Brianne's 22!

My little sister turned 22 today! Happy Birthday, Brianne! I know she rarely reads this blog, but I just wanted to take the time to say how much I'm glad we're sisters. We're six years apart, so we weren't really all those close growing up (I mean, how much in common does a senior in high school have with a sixth-grader?), but since she came to BYU, we've become really good friends. I know things didn't really turn out the way she planned as far as schooling, but I'm really glad she moved to Utah and we were able to get to know each other as adults. And she's an awesome aunt! Seriously, this girl is amazing...she's a great musician, a wonderful listener, and, to be honest, one of my best friends. So here's to you, Bri! I hope this next year is even better for you than the 22 before it!

This is Brianne and Joshua before his birthday party last month:

And this is Brianne and my other sister, Kirsti. We went out to breakfast at Kneaders this morning. Should have gotten a picture of the three of us, but it was super crowded and people were wanting our table:

Joshua the Giant

We had Joshua's 2-year check-up today (yeah, I know we're a few weeks late...that's what happens when your kid is born around the holidays), and hoooooly cows...this kid is huge! He's just under 34 pounds, which puts him in the 96th percentile, and he's almost 38 inches, which is in the 99 1/2 percentile. I can't believe how big he is! He's almost doubled his length since birth, and he's more than quadrupled his weight. No wonder my arm goes dead after carrying him for 5 minutes. But hey, anybody who has seen his parents knows he didn't really have a chance at being on the small side...

So, I think it's pretty apparent he's a healthy kid--at least the doctor isn't concerned about his picky eating habits. Somehow he's gaining weight! Everything else looks good, and we don't need to go back again until he's 3 (unless he gets sick, of course...knock on wood). Hooray for healthy, hefty Joshua! =P

Mr. Potato Head

Joshua received a Mr. Potato Head from the Lees (my sister Kirsti's in-laws) for his birthday, and he loves it, obviously...Need I say more?

Welcome 2010!!!

Wow, I can't believe it's 2010 already...time is just flying by! I hope everyone else had a great holiday season. It's strange to think that it's over already, isn't it?

We traveled to my parents' house in CA for Christmas, and it was so nice and warm and so very enjoyable to be with family. Of course, we neglected to take pictures with our own camera (we often unintentionally rely on Kirsti and Rich to take pictures, since they have the better camera...I need to get copies from them!), but it was a great time, trust me. It was a much-needed trip, and it was wonderful to be there for Christmas Day--our first time since 2006. Good thing we got back to Utah before the huge snowstorm hit...

2009 was a good year for us. Cody has been doing well in school, I transferred to a different department at work and have been much happier with my new responsibilities, and our wonderful little Joshua continues to bring us joy with his adorable little antics. What exciting things will 2010 bring to the Alleman Family? Only time will tell!

Just before we left for CA, we finally got family pictures taken, something that we had never done before. I won't overwhelm you with all 70+ pictures, but here are a few of our favorites:

Aren't we all just so photogenic? Happy 2010, everyone! :)