Joshua's 1st Year

1983 - Joshua's 1st Year---

Little did I know how throwing anything and everything

was going to be such a huge part of his life!

Joshua's first year was wonderful, exhausting, beautiful, exciting and precious.  I loved holding this cute, cuddly and handsome little boy.  I loved cooing at him and making him smile and laugh.  I felt great joy in this first year of progression.  Joshua sat up at about six months, and crawled shortly after.  It was so exciting to watch him learn and grow.  Crawling provided a whole new freedom and he loved to explore and enjoy life!

Joshua seemed very wiggly, but this seemed typical of most babies his age.  He also loved to throw things.  Little did I know how throwing anything and everything was going to be such a huge part of his life!

Joshua was the 4th grandchild for my parents, and the 2nd grandchild of Michael's parents.  Both sets of grandparents loved this new precious baby.  In fact, I have a sweet memory of my dad sitting at the foot of my hospital bed grinning with joy the day Joshua was born.  And since I had 11 brothers and sisters, each one of them also embraced and completely loved Joshua.  My sister Susie had two-year old twin girls (Lydia and Lisa), and a new baby boy also (John), who was only three months older than Joshua.  We were very excited for these cousins to play together someday!

And my sweet and gentle Grandma Selma Larson, who I was so honored to be named after, loved to call me often to ask how Joshua was doing.  She would say Joshua's name with her beautiful Swedish accent.  One day she was worried she was calling too much, but I cherished these wonderful phone calls.  When Joshua was a baby, we were able to take a Four Generation Picture of my Grandma, my Dad, me and Joshua.  This is a priceless treasure.

I was so blessed to have my Mom available and willing to watch Joshua while I continued to work full-time.  To know he was so well cared for by my amazing mother (who had 12 children of her own) brought much comfort as leaving him every day for work was very difficult.  But I knew that he was well loved by my Mom & Dad and the other 8 children still at home.  He went to  ball games, graduations, and many other activities and listened to piano lessons probably every day.  Joshua was definitely spoiled with love!

Joshua was adorable with these chunky fat cheeks that hung down just a bit. 

He was so kissable and huggable.

He was beautiful.

And he was wonderful!