Just Joshin' Around

Happy Birthday Josh E. Wah (Joshua)!!
Today Josh happily joins Benson in the rank of teenager.... the big 13!! A little spotlight and a drumroll please.....


1. Josh was born on a Sunday.... I was conducting Relief Society (Robin do you remember this?) and decided I might want to go to the hospital as soon as the closing prayer was offered. At the hospital we discovered I was already 7 cm (what?!) so I asked for my epidural...except he was born minutes later. His entry into this world was efficient and speedy, much like he is today!

2. As a little boy, Josh sang all the time. He sang a solo for the primary program at age 3 and I had tears! Josh has a knack for remembering things easily, word for word, like lines from his favorite movies.

3. He also had fists full of action figures, usually Toy Story figures of which he was an ADDICT. I don't think he wore regular clothes from age 2 to 5 since he was either wearing a Woody costume or his Buzz Lightyear costume. He wore them everywhere-- to the store, to preschool, and he would have worn them to church if we'd let him.

4. Josh walked with a loose swagger, much like Woody. This looseness he had about him came in handy since he could sleep in any position as a baby/toddler: folded in half, hanging off his bed, sitting up.... Sleeping is still not a problem. He says if he is bored he just falls asleep and he can't help it. When we go anywhere in the car he sleeps. In sacrament meeting he sleeps. Just a few weeks ago he was on the stand as the bishop's runner and he was a bobbin' and a weavin' to the entertainment of the entire congregation. Josh is the first one to sleep at night, so I don't get it.

5. Early to bed, but also early to rise. Joshua is the only one of our kids that gets up on his own at 6 am so he won't be late for school. Everyone ought to have a child like this. This has been since kindergarten. One evening when he was in maybe 1st grade, we noticed Josh's pajamas looked a little bulky, so we investigated. He had school clothes on UNDER his pajamas... his response was, "this way all I have to do is take my pajamas off in the morning and I'll be ready for school faster!" We caught him doing this several times. He has great anxiety over being ready/prepared WAY in advance of a deadline. Where did this child come from??

6. He has a great imagination and loves to draw his inventions/ideas.

7. Video games are second nature to Josh. We'll go to WalMart and he'll start playing a game in the game isle, and without fail he draws a crowd of kids/teens/adults who are amazed at his skill level.... now if only we could channel this talent. Surgeon? Pilot?

8. Josh LOVES stroganoff, which we will be eating tonight of course. He also loves Aunt Bonnie's homemade rolls... one Thanksgiving that's all he ate, literally. He ate something like 17 rolls.

9. This year Joshua started percussion, and he's putting that eye-hand coordination to good use. He learned the Mario themesong (a video game) on the bells for his recital and now we hear him play it at top speed anytime he passes the piano. It's amazing!

10. Josh has two collections since he finally gave up Toy Story a few years ago. Now it's MONKEYS and CRAZY HATS. Obsessed, I tell you! He keeps the monkeys on his bed and I have no idea how he sleeps at night. Nevermind, he's the boy who can sleep anywhere, right?

11. We are amazed at Josh's ability to retain information and his very logical and inquisitive mind. In our family nights he actually is the only one listening (so it seems) and he gives great comments. He genuinely wants to understand.

12. Josh's heart is good. I mean really good. He is extremely aware of others' needs and is always looking for ways to serve. The other morning I found him sweeping in the kitchen and he said that he didn't want me to have to work so hard. He always tells me I should go rest and he'll take care of things.

13. Last of all, but not least Josh has a really funny sense of humor. He's got timing to boot. He has brought so much happiness and light into our lives and none of us have been the same since he's been around. We are lucky to have him in our family and enjoy daily doses of Josh-isms. Wow, can he really be a teenager already???