Joel...only better

Joel has gotten so much better since we moved!  I don't think it has anything to do with being here; I think it's just that he's getting older, but he's almost a different kid.  He still has his moments where he's the old uncooperative, disobedient poophead, but he's gotten to where he almost always obeys if I tell him to do something.  He and Naomi fight alot, but it's just as much her fault as his.  She's sneaky and tries to get him in trouble.  The other day she came upstairs crying and told me that Joel hit her.  When I asked him about it, he said he did hit her, but only because she hit him first. She conveniently left that part out.  

He still struggles some with bedtime.  There are nights he'll still be awake at 10, but those used to be the norm and now they're the exception.  Last night Daniel was keeping everyone up, but instead of getting out of bed to complain about it, Joel just laid in his bed and played with his magnadoodle for two hours.

The part I like most is that he's become very affectionate.  He hugs and kisses me often.  He randomly tells me he loves me.  And last night after I made energy bites, he said, "Mom, thanks for working so hard to make stuff that you think I'll like."  He's getting to be a sweet little boy!