Cowboy Joel

Joel is really into cowboys right now. He wears his black cowboy hat (we had to convince him that good cowboys wear black hats, too) belt, cowboy boots and gun holster all the time. To church, to bed, even to a wedding we attended this past weekend.It used to bother him terribly that his belt had so much leather hanging loose at the end (because he's so skinny), but then he watched an old John Wayne movie with his big brother. Now he tells us that he likes his belt that way because that's the way John Wayne wears his belt.

When Joel doesn't want to try a new food at the dinner table, we simply say something like, "Cowboys love brussel sprouts, Joel," and he happily tries a bite. He may only try one bite, but at least he gives it a go, which he usually refuses to do.

Joel begins each morning with pleas for his big brother Paul to dress up like a cowboy, too. Paul usually complies by putting on his chaps, belt, hat and gun holster. After all, it's no fun being the only cowboy in the family.