Oh, Joel.

I love that kid.

Sunday afternoon Adam, Amy, and I were sitting out back watching Alyssa, Sophie, and Joel play. Joel toddled up to my chair and pulled my glass of water out of the cup holder. I could just see the "Whatever is in this cup is going to be dumped in 3 seconds" gleam in his eye ... he gets it all the time. Quick as a wink, he dumped the cup over his head. The cup of ice water. Looking at the adults in pure SHOCK he immediately began sobbing because of the bullying that he had endured. Surely someone had wronged him horribly. His face was PRICELESS and Amy, Adam, and I couldn't help but laugh ~ but I did hold him to try to comfort him as I cracked up.

Last night Adam, Joel, Alyssa, and I were goofing off in Alyssa's room while she was getting ready for bed. Joel picked up Alyssa's (unused) diaper and promptly said something that resembled the word "diaper". I looked at him and said "are you sure it isn't a hat?" and without missing a beat he immediately plopped it onto the top of his head. I love those moments where he really seems to understand what I'm saying to him ... affirmation that there is a real little person in there and not just a baby "blob" anymore.