Joyful Jonah

This is irresistible toddler cuteness.  I think one of my favorite stages of childhood is the toddler years.  Yes, they can be so difficult at this age, and I definitely have moments where he (and my others did too) frustrates me to the point where I am completely frazzled.  But they live life to the fullest with such enthusiasm.  I have become more relaxed with this stage as each child has come along.  I don't remember enjoying their enthusiasm and passion as much with my older kids, probably because I was pretty stressed out and worried about doing everything right.  This time around, though. even when he throws a massive tantrum, I can find something to chuckle about with it.

But I love how passionate these toddlers are about everything.  And I mean EVERYTHING.  We had strawberries in the fruit salad last week for the first time in months and Jonah was thrilled to death.  He was so excited about his fruit salad because of the strawberries; his whole face lit up and he was practically screaming with sheer delight.  He gets that way when he plays with his matchbox cars (a new love for him), his sports balls, and when dancing.  He loves cars so much that even when we're walking in a parking lot, he wants to touch and talk about every single car and he loves it when one drives by.  Today, a motorcycle passed us by while we were driving and he was so excited about the noise it made. 

Jonah just does everything with so much excitement.  It's such a reminder of how joyful life can be for us.  He loves, loves, loves copying his big brothers.  They love to draw, so he will draw.  He will get five or six crayons and scribble all over a piece of paper with all the colors and then come show it to me.  He will scream at me not only to acknowledge the drawing, but I have to comment on it too or he won't leave me alone ("Jonah, that is so colorful!" or "I just love all the colors you put in it!").  When they go outside, he wants to go outside too and gets super excited when he's able to go play with them. 

Toddlers really do show pure joy and excitement for everything life has to offer.