Grandma, Granddad, and Boat Show

Grandma and Granddad came to visit this weekend. Ethan gets so excited when they come for a visit. Of course they came bearing gifts - a remote control racecar and a piggy bank with a weekend full of "oh, is there some change in my pocket? you better check." to fill up the piggy bank. We will have to make a trip to the bank next weekend to put it in his savings!

We decided at the last minute to go to the boat show. Ethan has the same sparkle in his eye as mommy does when he sees a boat. I can't wait for E to be a little bigger and mommy and daddy to have a little more money so we can buy a boat and spend every weekend in the summer out on the water. That's my plan anyway.

Since G & G were here, Valentine's plans got changed from me making a fancy 'surf & turf' dinner to Luke whipping up a batch of his famous chili. However we were able to escape for a little bit and go see my brother play with the Shanks (a great cover band) at Ameristar. Four raspberry martinis and 7&7s later, we called it a night.

BTW, check out my brother's CD from the 80s. He is signed after all these years!

Ethan fun facts at 2 1/2 years

E makes us laugh on a daily basis. Here are a few of the highlights...

- While washing his face this morning: "I'm a crusty boy!"

- At the grocery store, sitting in his racecar cart next to the wine aisle: "U got U wine momma? Don't forget U wine!"

- After tooting in his carseat while buckling in: "I toot all the time at school." Except he can't say the "C" sound, so it came out "stool."

- I get almost daily reports on who pushed/bit/hit whom at school. Usually it's Chloe, Rhys, or Andrew. He uses first and last names for most of his friends.

- Maddie is his girlfriend. They go on dates to the park, Fun Run, and Taco Bell. They also had a Dora movie night around Halloween.

- Ethan can sign his colors, count to 14, and sing the whole alphabet song. His other favorite songs are BINGO, Jingle Bells (still), and Where is Thumbkin.

- E loves to wear camouflage, baseball caps, and sweatpants. He's really big into picking out his own outfits right now. Favorite toys are tools and trucks.

I love my little guy. It just gets better and better. I wish I had started this way sooner, but better late the never?

From the Lost Files

I recovered this from the depths of my computer. I started typing this in a Word doc a couple years ago. It's the beginning of Ethan's Story...

May 5th, 2006

I went into the hospital at 7:30am to be induced. They hooked me right up to the pitocin and the contractions started within a couple of hours. I got an epidural a few hours later as the contractions started to get stronger. Once the epidural was in, it was all smiles and waiting.

After eleven hours in labor, the nurse told me it was time to push! Pushing went better than I expected – I was actually enjoying it! The doctor wasn’t there yet, but the nurse said I’d be pushing for a while anyway. Then she started to see your head – she said you were bald! I couldn’t believe that my baby would be bald. The nurse asked your daddy and grandma Connie if they wanted to see your head. Grandma jumped at the chance and the next push she got a weird look on her face. The nurse quickly told me to quit pushing. I wasn’t sure what was happening – I thought maybe you were coming out too soon and I had to quit and wait for the doctor. It turned out that you were breech!

Without much time to think, I was quickly whisked into the operating room where you were going to be delivered by C-Section. The stronger dose of epidural had made me start to shake and I couldn’t stop. I was also a little scared to be in the operating room. Daddy was there by my side holding my hand the whole time. The process took only minutes and out you came and I could hear your cry. That was the best sound in the whole world. I was frustrated that I couldn’t see you right away, but Dad was able to peak around the curtain and see you come out. After the nurses dried you off, Dad brought you around and I saw your perfect little face for the first time. You were nestled in your blanket like a little burrito and you were the most perfect thing I have ever seen.

You had to go get your first bath, weighed, and measured, and I had to recuperate from the epidural. I couldn’t stop shaking from the medicine and the adrenaline. Finally about 40 minutes later, the nurses brought you in to me and like magic I stopped trembling. Wow! I notice you have my eyes right away! Aren’t you just a miracle!

Among the many things I love about you: your cute little feet, your perfect little lips, your long dark hair, your big dark blue eyes. I think you have my eyes and your daddy’s mouth, chin, and cheeks. I think I have even spotted a dimple!

Week of June 5th

We’re starting to see smiles out of you! Could be because you are now sleeping 4-5 hours at a time. That makes mommy and daddy really happy!

July 5th

Two months old today! You weigh 12 lbs and are 24 inches long. You sleep 8-9 hours through the night. Aren’t we lucky?

August 5th

Three months old! Today was your first photo shoot. You hammed it up to the camera, smiling like you were a professional baby model. Your pictures are gorgeous. Everyone says you should be a model and I agree!

Week of August 7th

Your very first belly laugh! You like to be tickled on your tummy and laugh when your head pops out the top of your shirt as you’re getting your clothes changed.

August 19th

16 lbs. You rolled over from tummy to back for the first time! You get frustrated while laying on your tummy, but laughed once you figured out how to roll onto your back.