Sleepless night...

I have been up and wide awake since 4am. Good thing it is Christmas break, but bad thing that the next several days are say busy that I will not have time to even think about resting during the day. I got up to pee at 4 (I dread when this happens for many reasons!). Once I laid back down, I could not go back to sleep. I realized I was hungry, and then my mind began to race of all sorts of things (some stupid and pointless, while others quite crucial):
*why didn't I wrap the Christmas presents last night? Now I have to stress about getting that done with E running around and wanting to help!
*is it really gonna snow on Christmas and the day after? This could be dangerous yet interesting...
*what am I going to dress Ethan in over the next few days? Sure, it does not matter, but I want him to be somewhat festive!
*what am I going to wear???
*what are we going to do about the new baby's room/Ethan's room? Gotta get thinking on this one!
*a new bed for Ethan? another dresser/changing table?
*double stroller? van?? These really make me feel old and like a soccer mom in the making!
*what in the world will I be doing with my students when we return in Jan? Yes, I always think about school, lesson plans, and my students!
*what needs to get done in my classroom before I go on maternity leave? I have some organizing that I want to do, I need to be thinking about lesson plans (which really stresses me out cause I NEVER plan that much in advance!)
*when will our garage look normal again? Normal meaning all the random junk is gone.
*will I be able to stay home the rest of the school year? This question will be answered very soon once I go to the county meeting about my leave.
*what will we do next year with 2 little boys as far as childcare/school etc?
*why is it that as soon as I straighten/clean the house, you cannot even tell?? I know I should just get used to this with 2 little boys, 2 dogs, and a husband!
*how can I better organize the toys? I will surely wait until after Christmas for this one!


At the beginning of this pregnancy, I had a terrible time sleeping. It got better, but then over the past few days (maybe a bit more), I have not slept well. It is not the big belly. I just cannot get comfy, wind down, and get my mind settled enough to rest peacefully. I know that before long this will be my normal routine with a newborn baby, butI would really enjoy a good night's sleep! Napping during the day is imposssible; I try to sleep during Ethan's nap, but I never can fall asleep right away, and before I know it, we are up and at it again! I know I should go to bed earlier, but I am never tired enough, and that is the only time that Matt and I get alone. I was not like this before break. I suppose it is because I am so tired from being so busy getting stuff done and playing with Ethan, or it is simple because I am getting further along in the pregnancy.

I absolutely love being at home with Ethan and Matt, and I know they both love it as well! :) Me being here definitely messes up the routine; today, the only time Ethan napped was in the car. It was that way the day before too. With Matt, he is asleep at a certain time. Because of the nature of the beast, I have errands to run and things to do, and Ethan must go with me. Needless to say, being bundled up in a warm, moving car soothes him to sleep. It would me too if I was not driving!

I am so looking forward to the next few days of celebrating Christmas! Ethan actually knows what to do with a present, and it melts my heart to hear his precious voice squeal with excitement and saying, "Look!" (Ethan's trademark for sure!) Next year will be even more fun for him (and us too), and then of course there will be little brother crawling (maybe) all over the place. Our years of making special holiday memories and traditions are here, and it makes me so excited!

Well, I have been up for 2 hours now! I think I might go play a yahoo word game that Matt and I have recently gotten adicted too. I really wish all the presents were out and available for me to wrap, and that Ethan's room was not right down the hall! Before long, E will be up, and momma will be exceptionally tired! Hopefully Ethan will be so worn out from going to my mom's house for Christmas that he will go to bed even earlier than usual! I might actually have to join him as well!

Momma's little helper...so he thinks!

Ethan, as well as any young child, tries so hard to do everything just like a grown person. We love watching him do things as if he were so much older. But considering he is only 18 months old, he is doing pretty well! Here are some ways that he has "tried" to be my little helper:

*Ethan loves to sweep...always has. Since we have 2 big dogs, a toddler, and wood floors, there is a lot of sweeping going on! When I grab a broom, Ethan grabs one too and becomes a shadow of me. I use a small broom and dustpan to collect it all at the end, and Ethan has always enjoyed this task as well. He will often times walk around holding the small broom and dustpan, and he will even open the trash can to drop in his dirt/trash--which is nothing. Well, a while ago, the small broom went missing. We looked everywhere, and then gave up. We came to the conclusion that E most likely threw it away.

*Just the other day we were all upstairs watching TV, and Ethan of course grabbed to remote. We have duds of remotes for him to play with, but somehow he knows they do not work. All of the sudden, the TV had subtitles on the screen, and we did not know how to get them off. Matt was beyond frustrated, and I was looking on-line to find any help/hints. Ethan was only doing what he sees us do; hold the remote pointed at the TV and press buttons.

*I was in Ethan's room putting away his clean clothes when he begins to open random drawers and take stuff out. He then proceeded to throw and entire drawer of clean socks into his dirty clothes hamper. After all, this is exactly what he sees me do every day. Either I did not get all of the socks or Ethan did this again, because when I was doing his laundry, there were several pair of clean socks in the mix.

*I went to switch Ethan's clothes from the washer to the dryer, and as I was grabbing to damp clothes, I noticed a strange residue on many of the items. I then stumbled across a diaper that was hloding so much water that I was quite impressed with Luvs even more! Apparently my precious son had now tossed a diaper (don't worry, it was unused and clean!) into the hamper. Why he did this, who knows? In his little mind it made sense. The clear, sticky residue on the clothes was the inside of the diaper. I then had to re-do the laundry, and Matt and I still laugh about it!

*As I was cleaning the bathrooms yesterday morning, Ethan was so intrigued. He watched every step I made, and he loved sloshing the brush in the toilet. He did that for at least 20 minutes while I finished up the weekend chores. It was so cute!

What fun memories watching him mature!

sick toddler

Ethan has been fighting a cold all of last week, but he was not too fussy, and he did not have a fever. Saturday, he developed a cough. By Sunday night, the cough was more constant. I took him to the doctor this afternoon to discover that he has an ear infection along with a bad cold. Ethan must have a pretty high pain tolerance because he does seem to upset about any of it. He is definitely not himself, but things could surely be worse! After I got him home from the doctor and going on a quick grocery run, he ate some dinner, took a bath, and went straight to bed. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick right in and he will be healed! We do not want this cold and ear infection to turn into anything worse; we have had worse, and it is not fun...especially during this special time of the year!

Needless to say, I do not feel awesome either. I have been fine, until yesterday. Ethan and I both stayed home from church (mainly because of his runny nose and cough), but by yesterday early evening, I had a pretty bad headache and a runny nose. I still have it today, and there is only so much that I can do. I know that I should go to bed, but I do not feel tired enough to sleep. Perhaps I will just lay in bed and watch TV!

I am counting down the days until Christmas break! Matt and I are so excited to buy Ethan presents (big boy toys)! Nearly all of his toys are infant to 12 months, so he is actually in some need of more complext toddler-oriented items. Our Christmas celebrations as our precious family are only going to be more and more fun as the years go by!

No pink in this house!

We are expecting baby boy #2! We are excited; we would have been no matter what the gender. All we want is a happy and healthy family. We have not decided on a name yet. Before we knew what Ethan was, we had a girl name and a boy name determined. Matt and I have not been as decisive with this baby. We have plenty of time left to decide, and we are not stressing about anything. I have never stressed about all the baby stuff. After all, there is only so much that you really need at first when the new baby comes home!

I have this entire week off, and I am loving every minute being home with my boys! I surely needed the extra rest and relaxation! So far I have done several loads of laundry, graded essays, cooked many meals, and cleaned our bathroom...sure doesn't sound like rest does it?? As long as I am at home and not having to be somewhere, I am resting and happy! Ethan has loved playing with someone else besides Daddy and the doggies. He makes us smile every day! He melts both our hearts saying "Daddy," and giving his smushy kisses! Such a love boy!

Ethan is getting very independent. I know it is all part of him learning and growing. He wants to get his own cup out, do everything like we do, push his own car outside, feed the doggies, put on his own shoes....etc. The list goes on. He will get rather frustrated when things do not go according to his plan. If only he knew what the future will hold!

Pregnancy update:
weeks pregnant: a lil over 22 weeks

cravings: nothing in particular. I just feel hungry all the time.

maternity clothes: definitely in the pants! Some shirts, but many things look so frompy! I do not like it!

short-term goal: still need to finish Ehtan's baby book...I will have another to do very soon! We have finished the bonus room, so there is some organizing that needs to be done in the storage area; however, that is a goal more for Matt than me. :)

baby movement: all the time! It never ceases to amaze me!

What I look forward to the most: Seeing the new face of this lil man! I cannot wait to see Ethan with his little brother!

Monkey see, monkey do!

You never really realize just how much a little toddler is learning and taking in until...
*he puts a toothbrush in his mouth and tries to brush his teeth
*he changes the channel on the TV with the remote
*he puts a Qtip in his ear
*while taking a bath, he takes the wash cloth and rubs his body; he wanted to do it this time instead of me.
*the pantry door is left open and he gets each dog a treat
*he throws away a piece of trash in the actual trash can
*he uses the toilet bowl brush to clean the toilet
*he brushes his hair with my hair brush
*he holds a cell phone to his ear and mumbles his gibberish
*he claps and yells for the doggies when they run off
*he attemps to put my or Matt's shoes on his little feet
*he crawls up on his rocking horse and begins to rock all on his own
*he wants to push his Cozy Coupe car--just like Mommy and Daddy!
*he takes a spoon and attempts to stir in a bowl or pot
*he sits and turns the pages of a book for minutes
*he bangs on the fridge wanting something cold to drink

I am sure that I am missing some really cute ones, but you get the idea!

New baby coming= more updating to the house!

Before Ethan was born, Matt and I decided to get rid of our carpets and install laminate hardwood floors; this was one of the best decisions we have made! With 2 dogs and a lil rugrat running around, life is so much easier in the house!

Now that we are expecting #2, several conversations have come up between me and Matt. Should we get a van or SUV? Should we try and buy a slightly bigger house in the next few years? Should we finish our bonus room over the garage? The last question is honestly something that we have been debating since we bought the house 5 years ago. We had convinced ourselves that it was not worth it because we would most likely not get out money back when selling. Well, we have gone round and round, but the bonus is room is now finished...except for the trim and carpet. It has been a long 2 weeks of installation, but it will all be worth it in the end! It has driven me crazy to have my garage even more of a mess than it already was;to have both cars in the driveway or street;and to have a mess in general of tools, paint, dust, and everything else. We are hoping that over the next week the new addition will be complete and we will all have yet another room to destroy with toys, juice, and snacks! :)

There are a few other things that we want to do in th house, but this is by far the biggest one. As always, there is some organizational stuff that I want to do, but I always find something else to do--even if it is just playing with Ethan or relaxing.

I have still been feeling incredible! People ask me (every single day) how I am feeling, and I am not lying or stretching the truth at all when I say great. Some of my friends hate (not really!) seeing how well I do with pregnancy because their stories are not the same. God has truly blessed me beyond belief in this area. My belly is getting bigger and bigger by the day; a few students have even made little comments about it! It is hard to believe that life will be changing so much in the next few months! I could not ask for more!

Busy mommy with another baby on the way!

I feel so bad that I have not blogged at all about our second precious baby! I was laid back with Ethan, and I still am, but I feel even more relaxed with this one. I had a marvelous pregnancy, labor, and delivery with E; so far, this one is just as smooth! I am astounded at the energy I have after working with 8th graders all day, coming home to a house that has been terrorized by a 16 month old and a at-home working daddy, cleaning up, fixing dinner, playing with Ethan, sometimes running an errand, and then settling us all down for the night. I remember when I was pregnant with Ethan that I would take a nap when I got home from school, and still go to bed by 9. All I can say is that this energy is from God! Now don't get me wrong...I am exhausted at times. Especially once the weekend comes! I have looked forward to this 3 day weekend for quite some time now! I enjoy just being lazy and hanging out with my 2 boys!

My only complaint with this pregnancy is that I do have a hard time sleeping at night (see, strange that I am not exhausted during the day!). I have been having to pee at least once in the middle of the night since I was about 8 weeks pregnant. Once I get up, I will literally toss and turn in bed for sometimes over 2 hours. My mind will not go back to sleep. I wish I could say that I was stressed or feeling anxious, but I feel nothing of that sort. Sad to say, but this whole sleep thing will only get worse over the next several months! And then the lack of sleep altogether from a newborn baby!

Pregnancy update:
weeks pregnant:16 (it is already going by so quickly!)

cravings: anything! I feel like all I want to do is eat! I want Oreos, salad, fruit, cheese...you name it!

maternity clothes: pants, yes. My waist has thickened a lot faster this go round!

short-term goal: finish Ehtan's baby book...I will have another to do very soon!

baby movement: you would think that I would know for sure if I feel the baby or not, but I am really not so certain. I felt Ethan flutter right at 16 weeks, and from then on, it was constant. I have felt a few things, but nothing too strong yet.

weight gain: according to my scale, about 4 pounds.

memory from this week: taking a nap with Ethan snuggled up against me. I guess you could say that we both had enough of NFL football this afternoon!

I will try my hardest to blog more often! I am one busy mommy and wife! I will definitely be better once the new little one is here!

Sick again?!?

When I got home from work on Friday, Ethan sneezed a few times in a row, and Matt's comment was, "Yeah, he has been doing that all day. I think he is getting sick." In the back of my mind, I had convinced myself that E was fine. Well, all day yesterday Ethan had a runny nose, and the snot was often greenish in color. Not good. He has been in a great mood, so that leads me to believe that it is not anything too serious--although we have learned that E has a high pain tolerance (just like me!).

Ethan woke up this morning congested, coughing, and a nasty runny nose. Needless to say, Ethan an I are staying home from church. Even though he does not have a fever and is happy, I am not sending him to the nursery. Ethan has become an expert with taking medicine. We come towards him with the dropper, and he leans in and opens up! Good thing the meds are fruit flavored!

It is rather frustrating that Ethan was just sick and on antibiotics, and now here we are again! I am hoping that this is a cold, and it will pass in the next few days. But you can never be too careful with lil ones! Their immune system is so much weaker, and it scares me to think of how sick he could become if we just ignore it.

I am sitting on the couch right now watching him watch Dinosaur Train--one of my favorite lil kids shows! He looks so big staring at the TV and intrigued by the show.

My husband=super daddy!

Matt has never ceased to amaze me in the way the he fathers Ethan. Matt has the awesome opportunity to be with Ethan day in and day out at home. Matt's job allows him to work from home, and we are so thankful for that. His job does not require him to be at a computer or anything nonstop, so he is able to play with Ethan. Matt will send me text messages and pictures of him and Ethan, and it just melts my heart to see him so excited to be home with his boy. He does not make me jealous one bit; I could not think of anyone else that I would want to have watching Ethan and taking my spot during the day. I tell Matt all the time that not many dads can say that they are so involved with their children, and it is so true. Matt has not once complained. Sure, he loves the moment I walk in the door and of course the weekends, but he also looks forward to hearing that sweet laugh all throughout the house.

The first 2 weeks I was back at work Matt's mom came over to help with Ethan. Her goal was to help Ethan transition without mommy at home, but I was not one bit worried since Matt was there. Matt has a system with Ethan. They cook and eat breakfast together, play outside, watch cartoons, play guitar and sometimes PS3, eat lunch, Ethan naps, and then just play until mommy comes home! When Nana was here, Ethan was not napping until 3pm or even later. I supppose the little guy was too excited and busy playing to wind down for a nap! Now Matt has E on such a routine that Ethan will not cry at all when Matt has to leave him in the play area while Matt goes to take a customer call. Matt will leave him in there lying on the floor watching his GPS shows, and before long, Ethan is sound asleep. I call to talk to Matt throughout the day, and he is always happy and doing great! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and father to Ethan!

I could not fathom taking Ethan to day care or anything right now, for many reasons. We are saving so much money, and I have such a peace of mind knowing that Ethan is in his father's care each day. I love my sweet little family and the way that God has provided for us.

Noise Shoes

Everyone has his or her funny childhood story that the entire family knows about and brings up whenever the chance is there. For me, it is noise shoes. When I was a few years old, I told Aunt Delia (Deda) that I wanted noise shoes. Uncertain of what that meant, she took me shoe shopping. Yes, whatever I wanted, Aunt Deda Bug got for me! Even if my mom said no! She claims that we went to several malls in the Atlanta area, and it took quite a while for me to be satisfied. I would try on shoes, and then have to walk around to see if they made enough noise for me. If the shoe store had carpet, that was not a good thing at all for my 3 year old mind and ears. I would then have to walk out in the mall to hear the clickity-clack noise of the hard sole of the shoe on the floor. Apparently, I thoroughly enjoyed the noise that the shoes made. Of course, not many little people shoes are made like my mom's and aunt's shoes, so I was frustrated. Aunt Deda Bug ended up spending more money that the average toddler shoe just to make me happy. I just wanted to be a grown little lady already!

Well here I am 25 years later. The other night Ethan discovered shoes in his closet that he has not worn yet. Some of them are still a little big, plus, they are fall shoes--not summer shoes. He grabbed a pair, threw it at me, and sat down. Little guy wanted his new shoes on. Keep in mind that the only shoes he has worn since he has started walking have been soft-soled shoes. It's quite difficult to toddle around with heavy clunkers on your feet when you are so small!

I put the shoes on E; he started walking around the house clomping his feet with each step, realizing that he was the one making the noise on the floor. Simple cause and effect lesson at 14 months. He was smiling, enjoying every second. He is just like me when I was little. Noise shoes were awesome! Guess I need to get him big boy shoes that he can wear now.

First days of school

I am back at it! 2 weeks down with students and only about 34 more! :) The first few weeks are always so exhausting, stressful, and just crazy. My students seem pretty decent this year, although there are so many boys that are seeking for so much attention with their immature actions. There seems to be a massive amount of boys this year. Seriously, in all of my classes, the male students outnumber the females by a longshot! In one class, I have 18 boys and 10 girls! I am constantly reminded of what kind of 13/14 year old I will be raising in the future, and I am already praying that Ethan will not be like some of these boys I teach!

I love my job! Not everyone can say that these days. I feel so blessed to be working in a positive environment, making a difference in lives, watching teenagers grow with knowledge, doing what I love! I say I love it, but I hate leaving the house in the morenings, even though lazy E is normally still asleep, and I love coming home to my boys! I get the best of both worlds!

There is always something to do, whether it be at home or at school. I do not stress about anything, and it all gets done eventually. I leave my evenings open to just hang at home with Matt and Ethan. We will have dinner, play outside, go to the park, and just be lazy. On the weekends is when I will do laundry, go to the grocery store, clean more than just a little tidying, etc.

Ethan and Matt have both gotten pretty sick. I do not know how the sickness has bypassed me! I say that, but my nose is a bit stuffy and my throat hurts. I hope I do not get any worse. Matt and E both went to the doctor yesterday; Ethan had fluid in both ears (almost ear infections), and Matt has a pretty bad cold that they tested for strep. Taking care of 2 sick boys is no fun!

Myrtle Beach Memories

Matt, Ethan, and I went on a family vacation a few weeks ago to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since Ethan had started walking about 2 weeks before leaving for the beach, we were rather anxious to see how he would do walking in the sand with waves crashing at his feet.

I felt like I was preparing all week for the adventure. Packing for a lil one requires a lot of stuff! Just going to the beach requires a lot of stuff that the normal over night trip would not. Matt and I easily discovered that we might need to upgrade to a bigger car for us sooner than later. We were packed to the max in our Altima, and that was without several items (pack n play, big stroller, wagon, tent, float).

The trip up was quite a time to remember. Ethan got sick of the car after about the first 2 hours. I can't blame him! We did everything to distract his little mind and to keep him happy! I thought Matt was about to go crazy from listening to so many kiddie songs on CD, but hey, that's what our life is now!

Our little dare devil is not scared of anything! It took him about a day and a half to get used to the sand and the endless pool (the ocean), but he loved every bit of it! We took turns chasing after him. He toddled around meeting new friends and just enjoyed his new temporary surroundings. Of course, he tried eating the sand! Didn't we all at this age? He would out his shovel in the sand, and then bring the shovel to his mouth. The shovel is just a giant spoon after all. Every single day Ethan would enjoy relaxing in my lap as we both sat in a beach chair right in front of the ocean. He loved his little toes dangling in the water and playing with sea shells. It was inevitable; he fell asleep in my lap/arms every day while listening to the waves and feeling the warm breeze. We were fortunate enough that he actually slept on the beach each day for about an hour and a half. He was snug as could be in the shade with the sounds of the ocean in the distance. Matt and I looked forward to this time to not have to literally run after him and to be able to sit and read and relax for a bit.

Things we did with Ethan at the beach:
*of course, played in the sand! He loved putting sand in cups and buckets.
*amusement park--we road old fashioned cars, train, and carousel (Ethan was NOT a fan!)--these things were more for our entertainment. Ethan and his serious self just sat there and looked around. He did not even crack a smile!
*out to dinner at seafood restaurant--only did this once--now that Ethan is walking, it is nearly impossible to keep him contained for any amount of time.
*Broadway at the Beach--outdoor mall/entertainment area--he loved being strolled around
*chilling on the patio--he would yell as everyone walked by
*ice cream--he sure let us know when he wanted more!
*walking on the beach at night--he loved it just as much as during the day. And it was like he knew that he could not get in the water. He walked all up on the shore far away from the water.

Matt and and I love the beach so much, and we were so pleased to see Ethan also like it. Can't wait for the many more beach trips!

Officially walking

Ethan started taking steps on his own without us helping him or holding on to a wall or furniture the weekend of 4th of July. A few days later, he was literally taking about 20 steps without stopping. Now, about 2 weeks later, he does nothing but walk. He is so proud of himself, and so are mommy and daddy! He is a very good walker. He is very persistent, and he will not give up for anything. He will stumble, find his bearings, and then he is off to it again!

He really likes walking around outside. He has always loved outside, but it is now like a whole new world since he can actually be walking in it. He really surprises us on how much he will walk without stopping. He wants nothing to do with us; he will actually turn the other direction. I think he is fearing that we will grab him or try to help.

With the walking, of course, will come stumbles and falls. When he first started taking his own steps, he fell in the house and bust his lip. It looked worse than it was, and it surely scared us. His little razor sharp teeth chomped on his top lip. Then today, we were outside, and he toppled over and his little nose scraped the cement. At first we thought we were in the clear with no marks, but then we saw the little scrape. It scared him more than anything. The first of many battle wounds! He has to learn, and unfortunately falling and getting back up is good for him.

Summer with my boys

This has been the best summer yet, and it is not over yet! I have enjoyed every second of being at home with Matt and Ethan. We have some very lazy days (I am still enjoying these before Ethan is really all over the place walking), and then there are days when there is so much to do between getting caught up with laundry, running errands, and seeing friends and family. Ethan takes 1 pretty solid/long nap a day, which is nice to be able to use that time to rest myself, read, clean, sit out in the sun, etc. One would think that since I am home for the summer that I would be blogging more often and keeping up with every single thing that we do....but no.

Here are some of the high-lights of our summer so far:
*Ethan swimming in kiddie pool--I knew that we would need something for Ethan to do outside to get us out of the house. We bought a kiddie pool, and Ethan loves holding the hose as it fills up the pool. If one of us is in there with him, he loves climbing on us. His attention span is not so long, so he will get bored pretty fast. We get out in the pool at least 3 times a week. Ethan used to not like to wear his hat, but he has learned that it keeps the sun out of his eyes and face and keeps him cooler.

*playing at the Gymboree kid place--Ethan had a play date with 2 of my friends and their babies at the Gymboree kid playground (don't know what it is really called or how to describe it). We went to a class that did songs and gave the kids things to do around the play room for strength and of course fun! I think was the youngest one in there and the only one not walking, but he enjoyed himself all the same. I spent most of the time just following him around as he explored and climbed on everything. I thought about getting a membership for the summer, but I think I will save it for next summer when Ethan is more aware of what is happening.

*Ethan's 1st birthday--I absolutely cannot believe that my baby is 1! We had a party with immediate family, and we all enjoyed watching Ethan crawl everywhere and enjoy being the center of attention. He did not destroy his cake as much as I thought he would, but he did seem to enjoy the extra sugar that we allowed. Some of his favorite things to do now were presents for his birthday.

*Yellow River Game Ranch--on Ethan's actual birthday, I took him to the game ranch. I thought about going to the zoo, but knew that it would be extremely hot, and I was not so sure on how much Ethan would actually appreciate. At the game ranch, he could actually touch and feed the animals. My mom and sister went with us, and we all enjoyed watching Ethan pointing and talking to the animals. At first, he cried at the deer who came right up to him. It did not take too long before he was reaching out to touch them. He even fed a goat a carrot...so cute! I look forward to the future when he can really have fun with the animals.

*playing in the Cozy Coupe car and Red Rider wagon--these were 2 birthday presents. Not a day goes by that we are not outside in one of these. Ethan is a little speed demon and loves to go really fast down the driveway. He also loves peering over the side and staring at the wheels. The simplest things fascinate him at this age.

*Ethan getting in big pool--Ethan and I went to my sister's apartment pool, and it took a little while for him to actually enjoy the big water. I have never had him cling to me so tightly...he was not letting go for anything! We have a float, but at first, Ethan had to be right up against me. We were at the pool for about 2 hours or so, and toward the later half, he was loving it! About 2 weeks later, we went to my brother's girlfriend's pool, and Ethan had the best time. He loved splashing with his legs and hands; he even would sit on the edge and scoot off into someone'e arms in the pool!

*4th of July fireworks--Ethan loved them! He was pointing at the sky when they were over looking for more!

As we finish off the summer, I will post more about our adventures!

A year ago today...

I was at home by myself cleaning. That's right...cleaning. I was 39 weeks pregnant, and I had myself on the floor of my shower scrubbing, sweeping the floors, doing laundry, and of course some last minute "nesting" and organizing. I surely did not want to leave the house on my own at this stage in the pregnancy. My amazing friend, Lina, called me and questioned why I was cleaning and on my feet. I told her that I had a feeling Ethan was on his way real soon, and that what else was I supposed to do? I could not take just sitting at my house in anticipation. Matt was at work, so I was doing anything to pass the time.

It was later that evening that I began to have my intense contractions that would keep me up all night and then send me to the hospital the next day.

Today I am preparing for Ethan's 1st birthday. We are having our immediate family over for a small cookout and fun. I can hardly believe how fast this year has gone; I remember everything with preparing for his arrival and the actual delivery so vividly as if it was only last week! Baby boy is growing up so fast, but it is all so much fun!

Not such a little boy anymore!

Check out the new things that E can do!! He is turning more and more into a toddler!
*clap his hands--his does this all the time now! We will clap, smile, and congatulate him when he does something good, and he is surely catching on.
*shaking head "no"--he knows what "no" means, but not the head motion with it. He will shake his head like a crazy man imitating us doing it. It really is quite precious!
*drinking through a straw--Ethan has always loved straws, but what kid doesn't right? A while ago, we started dropping whatever we were drinking into his mouth; I felt like we were feeding a bird! Just this past week we were trying to get him to actually suck out of the straw. Just a few days ago he finally did it! Such a bg boy! He has never really liked a sippy cup, so this may be the way we go!
*climbing stairs-- we do not have stairs at our house, so this was a surprise. While at my parent's house the other day, E crawled over to them and stared. We watched him as he thought about it, and then he quickly proceeded to climb. He made it all the way to the top (13 stairs) without skipping a beat! Such a bittersweet moment!
*temper tantrums--this one is not such a good one. When Ethan does not have something that he wants, he will cry loudly (no tears, of course. He is a faker!), lean over towards the ground with his upper body, and then hit the ground with both hands. Matt claimes that E looks like a gorilla doing this. I would have to agree! This is only the beginning of his trying to get our attention!
*talking back-- when I get on to Ethan for something, he will babble right back to me, with a little baby attitude. I swear, my kid is already talking back to me! I know I will not laugh at this later in his life, but right now, it is rather entertaining!

I cannot wait to see what these next 9 weeks we have together over the summer will bring!

Summer is here!

I have never been so ready for summer! Well, last year I was pretty ready as well. I was 38 weeks pregnant and ready to be a mommy! Now my baby boy is about to be 1, and I am ready to spend every single day with him. Matt is pretty stoked about me being home. He has done a super fabulous job watching Ethan at home while also working. I swear, I don't know how he does it! He complains very little, and he knows what a blessing we have with him being able to be home raising our first child.

This summer will be very different from any other summer. 1--Ethan is here and very mobile. 2--Matt will be home EVERY SINGLE DAY!! I am not going to know what to do. Matt will not be able to go off and do things. Just because he is at home does not mean that he can do whatever. He has obligations with his job, one of which is being accessible by phone (not a cell phone) during the day. Even still, having him home with me this summer will be amazing!

Over the summer I normally bring things home from school (lesson plans, books, ideas, etc). Anybody who is a teacher can understand why. During the school year there are so many other things at school that get in the way of me being able to go over and beyond with what I do in the classroom. However, I did not bring anything home this summer. My complete focus is my family. I look forward to a fun-filled, relaxing summer with my boys!

Obsessions of Ethan

It cracks me up to see the things that Ethan absolutely loves. He will crawl like crazy, scream to get our attention, and finally play so contently. Here are his loves:
*the broom--any time one of us sweeps, Ethan has to be a part of the action. I will even give him the broom, and he will mimick the act of sweeping. It is precious!
*keyboard on computer--why buy a kid toys when the grown-up toys are so much better?? Just today we pulled out the old lap top so Ethan can be like us and type on a "real" keyboard. He even knows where the desk top computer is (the office). He will crawl back there, pull himself to standing at the desk, and reach for the keyboard.
*alarm clock--this is a new thing for him this week. He has discovered my alram clock on the night stand. He must like the neon green lights and sounds it will make by pushing the buttons. He will venture off into our bedroom to snatch the alarm clock off the night stand.
*pillows--he loves to crawl over pillows; they probably are like mountains to him!
*any cabinet we will let him explore in. I can easily clean the bathroom, fold laundry, grade papers, etc as long as Ethan has some new things in front of him that he can pull out and destroy.
*pack'n'play--he treats this like a trampoline. He will jump in it and then fall down. He laughs and plays all by himself. This is where Matt will place him temporarily while Matt is on the phone with a customer.
*earrings--he has always noticed my earrings, but lately he will not take his eyes off of them! He finds them so fascinating (especially the bigger ones with little dangling pieces).

Close to a year old!

I am sitting here on the couch just watching Ethan as he plays on the floor. Matt is off with a friend, and I am enjoying this one-on-one time with Ethan. Right now he is talking to himself and playing with anything around him. I think I see Matt's earphones going toward the mouth! Lil man is now pulling himself to standing and cruising around the furniture...the first stages of beginning to learn to walk!

I just sat here and read through some of my past blogs of being pregnant and during Ethan's first year, and I cannot believe all that time is behind us now. I found myself tearing up and smiling as I read what I had written about our changing life.

As Ethan approaches his 1 year birthday, here are some things that I will miss about his "baby" days
1. watching him crawl and explore...yet I know he will begin to explore in even cuter ways
2. his baby talk that means so much to him
3. nursing him...I am actually dreading this because he has been such a good nurser. He loves his mommy!
4. his smile with his few little teeth shining through
5. the way he crawls so fast to get to me
6. the way he pulls on my leg to let me know he wants me to hold him
7. his baby toys
8. watching him have the time of his life as he goes crazy in his walker...he will seriously do laps and laugh like crazy

Poor sick baby Ethan

My little man has been fighting with a pretty bad virus the past several days. It all started this past Saturday with a fever. We didn't think too much of it and assumed it was the start of some more teething. Sunday morning I noticed some nasal congestion as I was nursing him, but again, passed it off as teething; this all happened about 2 months ago when his first 2 teeth broke through. The fever continued all day Sunday and Monday. The only way to keep it down was with Motrin. He was so congested that he struggled to eat or sleep, which also meant that Matt and I were struggling as well. I decided to take him to the doctor on Monday. He received a pretty strong anti-biotic shot and he also had a chest Xray done. The doc was concerned that he might have some breathing issues, or possibly pneumonia again. We returned to the doctor the next day as a follow-up. It was a good thing because Ethan had gotten worse, and Matt and I were running on little sleep. I was worried so badly for Ethan. He was not able to get any rest, and it was nearly impossible for him to eat. Here is everything that was going on with Ethan:
*fever of nearly 103 for 3 days
*severe nasal congestion
*white puss pockets on throat
*small questionable area in left lung (possible pneumonia)
*fluid behind both ears
*white blood cell count up (indicates infection)

Poor guy! We left the doctor yesterday with another anti-biotic shot and 3 days worth of an oral steroid. Needless to say, he seemed better within about 5 hours. It seems as if he has done nothing but sleep today. It makes me nervous for what this may mean for tonight, but I don't care. I just want him to be better!

God is so good. This is my spring break, so thankfully, I have been home to take care of him. Matt has been wonderful, as always. But as with any baby, Ethan only wants his mama. I am glad that Matt did not have to deal with him on his own. Last time Ethan got really sick was over Christmas break. God is really watching out for us by allowing me to be here during his sickness. While it does stink for me to spend my break at home and not running errands, seeing friends, and enjoying the outside, the good part is that we are saving money and spending quality relaxing time together as a family!

Our Little Explorer

So many changes over the past month! Ethan is crawling all over the place; that happened a few days after the teeth finally broke through. People kept telling me that once he was crawling, I would wish he could just sit still again. I beg to differ! Yes, he is everywhere, but it is so much fun! We really give Ethan free reign all over the house. He loves crawling down the hall and venturing into his bedroom. We will follow him back there to find him playing in the floor. He knows exactly where the broom is...for some odd reason he is obsessed with the broom/mop! He is so funny. Sometimes he will go off by himself, while other times he wants us to be right there with him. It is so entertaining to watch him investigate anything in his way. The smallest things bring so much amusement to his little precious mind.

Just yesterday, he pulled himself up to standing! The loook on his face was absolutely priceless; it was as if he knew what he had just accomplished! Only problem now is that he seems to get a little frustrated because he wants to be able to stand completely on his own. Now that it is a bit warmer, we are keeping his socks off--it makes attempting to stand (and soon walk!) much easier since we have wood floors.

I love him more and more each day. I am not wanting to rush his childhood, but I look forward to what is next. Sometimes I wish he could just walk and talk...seems like it would make life much easier at times!

He has teeth!

After many months of drooling, gnawing on anything in sight, and restless sleep, Ethan has 2 bottom teeth! He has definitely discovered them as well; his little tongue will investigate these new items in his mouth. I know we have a slow process ahead of us as they all come in...

Ethan is definitely talking a whole lot more! He is more vocal and is rarely sitting quiet and still. He has all sorts of talking sounds he makes. He started off with the "guh" syllable, and now he does "goo," "gah," "ma,"muh," and many more. At times, it sounds like he is saying "mama," but I don't think he has made that connection quite yet. It is so cool to watch himself play with his toys and talk to himself. When he gets bored, he lets us know. It's like he is making a scene to get out attention; he will yell really loud, and then look around to see if we heard him. Too funny! Sometimes he just wants to get up and change the the scenery.

He is moving all over the place, but the whole concept and art of crawling is still in the making. He will scoot around, and he will move one leg at a time. It should be soon, and then life will really change!

We love seeing all these new changes, but it is also sad to see him grow up!

These are a few of his favorite things...

Ethan is nearly 8 months old, and we are having so much fun watching him grow, laugh, and play! He has such a little personality right now! Here are his favorite things right now:

• cords and strings--we have had him sitting on his playmat with all sorts of toys, and in the midst of all the color and noise makers, he still managed to find a cord that we were letting him play with...the simplest things!
• tags--who cares about the stuffed animal when the tag is so much better?!
• Mommy's hair--he has always loved to pull on my hair
• cell phone--he really loves it when I talk to someone on speaker phone.
• remote control--yes, he loves the TV already! It amazes me how his little hands can pick up the massive remote!
• chip bags--when we are snacking on the couch, he loves the grab the bag and make noise
• jumperoo--he might not ever walk since jumping in this thing is so much fun!
• splashing in the tub--he has never given me any trouble with taking a bath; he loves splashing around and me squirting him with his toys!
• rocking--this is a new discovery for Ethan. When he is sitting up, in our lap, or in his high chair, he has figured out that he can move forward and then backward really fast without falling over. This makes us laugh so hard! He also laughs! It's like he has created his own little ride for himself.

This time is so much fun, and we know the best is still yet to come!

Sick Ethan

It is no fun being sick, and I can atest that it is no fun having a sick child--especially when the child cannot tell you what is wrong. Ethan ended up having a double ear infection, and then a few days later he was diagnosed with a small touch of pneumonia. It all started with him not sleeping at all at night; he would cry anytime I put him down. He was extremely irritable and was not eating. Later on, his nose was constantly running, he could not breathe, had a fever of about 102, and he developed a cough. Luckily this all occurred while I was home from Christmas break, but it surely put a damper on our holiday. He has been on 2 different antibiotics, which gave him a horrible diaper rash! I hate seeing my precious baby boy sick! His schedule is all messed up, but we are managing. Even though he has been so sick, he has still brought so much joy to my heart and keeps us laughing!