Josie's Third Birthday Bonanza!

Josie Hayden "Bobcat" Johnson celebrated the passing of her third year of life with a birthday bonanza weekend. Grammy and Grandpa Bob were on hand to partake in and help facilitate the merriment.

After swimming lessons on Friday morning, the whole crew drove up to Legoland, or as Josie calls it "Wegowand." As Josie danced and pranced around outside the ticket counters one member of the group suggested that we should have told her that this was Legoland. After an hour of prancing the group could have been sitting pretty at the Karl Strauss Brewery.

Josie is 100% stoked to have arrived

"I'm at Wegooooowaaaaand!"

Josie insisted on touching every Lego statue she could

 Josie's first ride was a Lego safari. Mama and Daddy hoped to ride in front of Josie and Grandpa Bob in order to snap some pictures, but as it turns out, two adults cannot ride in the same vehicle.  Many theme parks accommodate the young as well as grown-ups. Legoland is not such a theme park.

Josie has a special appreciation for right turns

Mama is absolutely terrified!

The King!

"I hear the Hotel Tropicana is quite comfortable." -James Bond

Josie and the snake she won in a carnie fishing game.

Below are scenes from a cool little driving ride wherein the kids actually steer (not fake steer) their motorized car around a track. Josie loves driving and with the promise of a Class C Certified Legoland Driver License upon completion of the course, she was all over it. Figuratively and ... literally.

Grandpa Bob belts Josie into her yellow car.

She carefully listens to his instructions.

And they're off! Josie immediately gets stuck in the median.

Watch the road, girl! (She's not watching the road.)

Stuck again!

On the road again

Josie leans into it. The attendant decides to stick with  her for a while.

With the help of the attendant, Josie has managed to negotiate a turn and a partial straightaway.

And seconds later she crashes into the garage.

Josie got her permit -- Good thing these folks didn't have a breathalyzer!

With her confidence bolstered Josie attempts piloting an airplane.

Josie and Daddy waiting for the boat ride

"I'm on a boat!"

Jos and Chewie

JP and his doppelganger

Since Josie loved the musical performances at Wally World the group tried out a firefighter production featuring a humorless fire chief attempting to teach a ragtag gang of recruits to "put the wet stuff on the hot stuff" however, Josie is apparently terrified of slapstick comedy. Grammy whisked her away while the others tolerated the remainder of the performance. Grandpa Bob was practically doubled up in laughter throughout the show.

Roslyn had a jolly time but loved the little playground best. She has become an avid climber.

Enough said.

Fatigue hitting her all at once

"One more"

Legoland was a great time for all even if only to see Josie so happy. The biggest disappointment was the name change of the ice cream parlor, labeled on the map as "Sir Scoops-A-Lot." Grandpa Bob was really hoping to get a picture of himself standing under that sign. 

 

Upon returning home it was discovered that Roslyn had a temperature topping 103. The fever as well as some dehydration persisted over the next 24 hours so Mama and Grammy spent an evening in the emergency room as a precaution. Ugh. Although the doctors never discovered the cause of her illness she began a course of antibiotics (double ugh) and rallied over the next couple days.

Josie rejected Saturday's plan of a jaunt over to the Chula Vista Nature Center. She's funny.

Josie woke up on her birthday morning to a pancake breakfast and tons of presents.

One of her favorite presents was the fancy pink baby stroller above. One night when she was refusing to stay in bed, Mama and Daddy took away her Bobby car and the new baby stroller "for the whole summer." When she woke the next morning, her comment on the whole situation was, "I lost my car and my stroller, but I still have my baby and my snake." Son of a...

New hand-knitted sweater from Grammy and a glow brain helmet

Sweet, hot Roz

Oh yeah!

Josie plays Candy Land with the guys

Josie had a small birthday dinner gathering at the Blind Lady Ale House featuring Yo Gabba Gabba party hats, star sunglasses, and lion cupcakes. She kept calling them "wine cupcakes." If only!

Josie can be such a sweet and patient little girl. Just when she was all set to sing Happy Birthday and dig in to her treat a faction of her adult guests decided they needed another round of brew.

Anticipation!

The cupcakes are all set and ready to be spit upon!

Grammy was really helpful in distracting the sick and grouchy Roslyn so that Josie could reign over her party without competition. Everyone had a great time.

Rozzie and Grammy sing Wheels on the Bus

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road!

The day after her birthday Josie took Grammy and Grandpa Bob to the aquarium, one of her favorite places in the county.

Nowadays Josie loves:

• Drawing on her easel with markers, dry erase markers, and chalk
• Getting treats for staying in bed all night
• Selectively sharing toys with Roslyn
• Reading: She likes to memorize stories and retell them as well as turning the pages and making up stories about monsters, compost, and "butthole cheese."
• Making Daddy pretend to be scared so that she can sooth him.
• Making Daddy pretend to take a nap while putting blankets on him and feeding him pretend jelly beans.
• Learning to swim. She recently moved out of Rocky's class and into Mr. Andrew's class. We were sad to leave Rocky (although Roz took over Josie's spot), but Josie seems to be progressing more quickly with the transition. 
• Talking like a baby (maddening!)
• Baking with Mama while Rozzie finishes her nap.

Most of the time she tries really hard to be good, helpful, and loving. She definitely has tantrums and silly spells, but is fairly responsive to consistent discipline over time. After months of being a little so-and-so at bedtime she seems to have turned a corner. Roslyn and Josie now share a room and the arrangement is working well although Josie is still holding out hope that Roz might move into the bathroom soon.