6.24.2014

Mommy & Ethan Days

The first thing I think when I hear my husband say:

"Me and the boys are thinking of going on a camping trip"

is 

"Yippee! I get Ethan all to myself!"

Don't get me wrong, I love me some family time. Seeing my boys together makes my heart happy, happy, happy. But getting Ethan all to myself is the best little gift. I will admit that by the end of the weekend I am one exhausted mommy. But during the weekend I am the happiest girl in the world. 

Sharing Ethan is something I have to remind myself to do. It's good for him too. My poor parents and friends had to ask to hold him when he was a baby. The thought never even crossed my mind. Listen, I already have to leave the boy five days of every week. Any time I get with him is just precious.

I remember it took me almost an entire year not to cry on Monday mornings when it came time to go back to the working world. I long for evenings and weekends with my boy. I'm so thankful for a hubby who shares the drop off and pick up duties. I can only imagine the tears (on my part) if I had to drop off.  I would be a blubbering mess! It's easier now that he's older and I see his excitement when we tell him tomorrow is a Mimi Day. He likes going and playing with his friends. That definitely makes it easier.

But I digress...
 

So the hubby goes camping and me and Ethan get an entire weekend all to ourselves! Yay!

Sometimes Ethan & Mommy days are spent at home with bubbles and crafts and toy fun. But this one we spent running errands and we mixed in some fun to make the day extra happy.  

On Saturday ... Well to be fair I should say that this was the first trip Ethan shed tears to see his daddy leave. Normally he's all "bye daddy" but this time was different. He was so sad that he didn't get to go camping. All weekend he kept saying: "When I get taller, taller, taller I go camping too, right Mommy?"

sweet boy!

But back to Saturday... We went to church, took a nap, then had a play date with a friend. There was a kiddie pool and sprinkler fun and yummy watermelon. And Ethan even came home with a new (to him) piano!




We started the day off with donuts. He was excited to sit in a big chair sans booster or high chair.


Then we were off to Home Depot for some paint samples. Ethan shared his happy by playing music for everyone. 





Next up: Sprouts for some blueberries. We decided we would bake some muffins for daddy as a welcome home gift. 

I caught this picture on the way home.  I love getting a glimpse of him in my rear view mirror enjoying the ride. Such a big kid!


Back at home we had some baking fun. The recipe was so easy that Ethan got to help with almost every step.




I didn't get a picture of our final masterpiece but daddy said they were yummy!

After baking there was some ball playing and lots of giggles. 

I love Mommy & Ethan days!! 

6.11.2014

Say Cheese!

I absolutely love pictures! I try to fill my house with as many as I can. They just make me so happy.

Kim at Kimographyphotos took Ethan's two year pictures. The location was our hometown.  At 2, Ethan is "shy" when meeting new adults. He has started to exit that phase but I was still concerned that his shyness would result in no-smiling pictures. So leading up to the shoot we started talking about Mrs. Kim. 

Quick side story:  My brother's girlfriend's name is Kim and when I told him Mrs. Kim would be taking our pictures I could see he was trying to make the connection.  I had to explain that it was a different Kim, not Tio Lalo's Kim.  After that when I mentioned Mrs. Kim he would say: Not Tio Lalo's Kim.  A different Kim.  Right Mommy?

We talked about Mrs. Kim and how she took his 1 year photos we have all over our house.  We talked about how she took our Maternity pictures and he was in my belly. I showed him her picture and how she was a mommy too. And how she was going to use a big camera and ask us to say cheese. We talked about Mrs. Kim a lot. 

On the morning of the pictures I decided the best effort had been made and if we got zero smiles then at least we would have a good story.  And besides, I knew Kim would still capture his Ethan-ness in this second year of life. She's great like that. The hardest part of preparing for family pictures is coordinating our clothes. Thankfully I have a hubby who plays the part well and wears clothes that match our "picture colors". Once we get to the location I let go and have fun. I have complete trust that Kim will capture our family beautifully.

So we arrive at our location:  A train!  On tracks! Or really an engine that was remodeled (is that the correct word) and is sitting near the tracks going through town.  

Second Quick Side Story: A train came through in the middle of the session. Ethan got to see the crossing lights come on and he waved at the conductor and he waved back!  And Kim caught it on film!  It was the best!  
 

The location was perfect! While Ethan asked for an Airplane party he absolutely loves trains.  He knows about the conductor and the bell and the crossing lights and "All Aboard!".  

As you can see below, the session was awesome and we had so much fun! He was so cute exploring the train.  And Oh My! the rocks! The boy loves rocks and dirt. He was happy just picking up rocks and throwing rocks and gathering rocks in a pile. He laughed. He giggled. He was completely himself and Kim captured him perfectly! Exactly the memories I want to look back on forever and ever. Thanks Kim!

I'm sorry for the picture overload.  I couldn't pick just a few.  :-)


















 

6.10.2014

Ethan Turns Two!

Let's pretend it's late January and I'm not 5 months late with this story...

I usually (the past two years) start planning E's birthday party in September.  He is a January baby and it gets a little tricky to plan his birthday with all of the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year fun going on.  So I start early and get organized way in advanced.  Or at least that's my goal.  I love to plan parties and every. single. time. sometimes I get a little carried away with the cute crafty party stuff.  So to balance it off I give myself a few months to pin and dream and then narrow the party cuteness down as we get closer and its time to actually purchase and start making stuff.
 

This year I had my eye on a train themed party. I had pinned all manner of cute ideas.  For example, the food would be sitting on "tracks" around the table.  The train shaped cake in the middle like a cute little city.  Train tracks all around the house. I asked Ethan for his thoughts and birthday wishes. His response:

Birthday cake, candles, party hat and airplanes!

I asked three different times on three different days and every time the answer was:  

Birthday cake, candles, party hat and airplanes! 


And so I switched gears.  What can I say, the boy knows what he wants.  Honestly, I blame the hubby for teaching him early on about choices.  He would hold up two shirts for him each morning way back when he was around 8 or 9 months old.  Ethan would stare and point to the one he wanted to wear.  Crazy kid!  To tell you the truth, I wouldn't want it any other way.  

So an airplane party we had.  We celebrated our two year old among family and a great time was had by all!  He was still wearing his party hat weeks later.  Mission accomplished!

The last two years have been filled with laughter, smiles, first-time parent learnings, first-time Ethan moments and love. During the newborn months, I couldn't imagine him crawling and walking.  At 2, my mind cannot go to the elementary school age.  It all seems to go by so fast.  But it is a great ride that I am blessed to take.  I thank our Lord for picking me to be his mommy.  He is a wonderful, caring, happy, funny, sweet boy.  And I am loving every second!


Birthday Cake & Party Hat


Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...


Airplanes, Airplanes, & more Airplanes






6.09.2014

Ethan's Toddler Days

My boy is officially a toddler and in toddler land there are laughs and precious moments o’ plenty. Here are some of my recent favorites:

One day we are driving down the street heading home. It was towards the end of Ethan’s day, which means that he is done with his car seat.

Ethan: Mama, hold you.
Me: I want to hold you too baby.  We are almost home.
Travis: I want to hold you three.
Ethan: No! Mommy hold me Daddy!  Not your turn. 
Silence
Ethan: Mama, I want to hold you one.

I love that he is old enough to get humor and make a funny!


Our boy is an all-around sports boy.  He loves to learn and play about all sports.  It was a proud mommy moment when he chose to watch basketball instead of Calliou.  So there we are both squeezed into the lazy boy watching us some play-off basketball.  A team misses the free throw and Ethan says, “That boy needs more practice Mama”

I love his observance!


I think I've mentioned before that I am not what you would call a tall person.  I’m sure it’s a funny scene watching me throw  place Ethan in his car seat in my husband’s 4x4 truck.  I’m too short to reach and place him in his seat while standing on the ground.  But I’m a bit too tall while standing on the side rail.  So I had been trying out and practicing different ways during the weekends.  Sometimes I even asked Travis to take over car seat duty because I was afraid we would both go tumbling down. Can you imagine the headline?  Mom injures child while trying to place him in his car seat.  I’m still certain that I will fall right out of the truck one day.  Stay tuned for that funny story.  Well after a few times of practicing I finally decided that it was best for me to stand on the rail and scrunch down to get him in his seat.  One time I even got him in there without having to step down and start all over. Once he was all in his seat safe and sound he looks at me and says “yay!  You did it Mommy!”    I said thanks baby!  It was so sweet that he knew I was working hard at it and celebrated my success with me.  Sweet Boy!!


He also says “good shot!” and “awh, try again” when we make or miss a basketball shot.

The first half of his third year has been so fun!  I love getting to discover more and more of his personality and his experience with the world.