Fun times Outdoors!

Do I like smoothies? Let me think about that one...

Yes I do!!

Swinging at Deering Oaks Park in Portland

Relaxing in the park

Grass!


Another fun week enjoying the summer weather. We checked out a new park in Portland, spent a couple of days at the beach, and visited a couple of local Farmers' Markets. Lots of fun!

Not much new on the Ethan front- he continues to sharpen his crawling, and cruising skills. His word of the week is "pup" He says it whenever he sees a dog, and we noticed that he was calling the seagulls at the beach "pups" as well!

Ethan has decided this week to change his sleep schedule a bit- much to our dismay, Ethan has decided that 5 a.m is a great time to wake up in the morning! I'm trying to find the silver lining in our new sleep schedule- now that he waking earlier, his first nap is earlier, so we'll be able to start attending 10 a.m story time at our local library- how's that for glass half full!!??

More Summer Fun

"Hey Dad, what's for dinner?" Side note, this was one of the first meals that Ethan ate the same dinner that we ate- fish, squash, sweet potato, and corn!

My little Scholar

Helping himself to some juice

Ethan's new favorite toy- Chuck the Truck!

Playing with his second cousin Kelly

Watching the garbage truck at Grandma F's house

Lunch with Grandpa

Pool time

Sharing a snack with Auntie Sarah

New Hampshire with Grandma and Grandpa

Ethan's first time in a bouncy house at Uncle Ken's birthday party

More splashing!

We're back! We were away for a couple of weeks visiting with family and friends. Over the span of 3 weeks since I last blogged, Ethan has changed so much! First off, he's now got 4 teeth on top. Ethan has discovered just how useful these teeth are, and likes to take small bites out of everything- it's so strange to hear him crunching away!

Ethan is starting to understand so much more of what we are saying and is trying to mimic us. The first time I heard him do this, he was playing with his cars and trucks with my mom. She said, "Vroom, vroom, vroom" and clear as day, he repeated her! Now we've noticed that he'll try to repeat some of the words that we say- ball, puppy, moo, etc. One of my favorite new words that Ethan now says on a regular basis is, "Mama" I LOVE it!! And over the last day or so, he's been beginning to work on saying,"Dada" as well. I can't wait to hear what else Ethan has to say!

Ethan has begun waving. He started out by making a big sweeping movement with his whole arm to wave, but now he waves with his hand. This too, is pretty darn cute! He doesn't quite understand that we wave hello and goodbye, so he'll wave at everything, anytime, but that's fine with us- we just like watching him do it and he is so happy when we wave back.

Over the last few weeks, we've spent a ton of time near water. Ethan LOVES to splash and swim. We've taken him to beaches, lakes, and pools and he has enjoyed them all. In fact, he'll splash and splash until his face is completely covered in water and it doesn't phase him even a bit. If anything, I have to hold him back a bit from getting too overzelaous in the water. He tries over and over to put his face in the water, which makes his daddy especially nervous! Maybe we have an Olympic hopeful our hands...

What else? We've begun child proofing- guards on the drawers and cabinets. Ethan is so quick, that it seems nothing is safe anymore. The second he hears to fridge door open, he bolts to get in, and more often than not, he gets there before we can move him out. He loves trying to get up the stairs and if he sees us coming to get him, he tries to go up even faster. He loves it when we crawl around and chase after him. He started this game in CT with Auntie Sarah. The funniest part about it is, that he'll get so giggly as he is trying to flee, that he loses coordination and begins to collapse in fits of laughter and anticipation. It is really amusing!

Over the past few weeks, we've noticed Ethan really playing with his toys. His favorite toys are his cars and trucks and he'll wheel these around from room to room. I've also noticed him becoming more and more interested in books. In the past, if he found a book, he'd pick it up and naw on it (many of our books look good & chewed!!) but recently he's been taking books, and turning the pages to study to pictures all on his own. He loves it when we read to him, and he knows that his job is to turn the page.

Another bedtime routine that we have begun is brushing teeth. I hadn't really ever thought about adding this step to our bedtime until he was older and could do it himself. But one night, I was holding Ethan and brushing my own teeth. Ethan was very curious about it, so I put the brush in his mouth and he got a real kick out of it. The next day, I went out and got him his own toothbrush and paste. He loves it (I think that he thinks it's a bedtime snack) but I figure it's never to early to sart the habit and perhaps we'll avoid having this be a battle when he is a little older. Besides, who wouldn't love brushing their teeth with apple banana flavored toothpaste?!

I could go on and on about all of the new, cute, funny, amazing things that Ethan is doing, but I think I'll end it here. Yesterday marked Ethan's 11th month. I cannot even believe that so much time has gone by and that next month Ethan will be a whole year old! I am so in awe as I observe his growth and development. It's a pretty amazing process to watch this little person that we created become more of a capable human being each day- I just wish it would slow down, even just a little!!

Welcome Summer!

Maddie tries her cap on Ethan

Happy Graduation Maddie!

The gang all came to celebrate!

Lots of things to explore- no, he's not helping unload the dishwasher yet!!

A little unsure about our new pet...


Daddy and Ethan


Taking in the game

Where did this big kid come from??

Ethan is as busy as ever exploring the world around him! He is experiencing lots of new adventures and seems to enjoy them all. Over the weekend we watched his cousin Maddie graduate from preschool. Ethan sat quietly in my lap, in awe of all of the children and activity around him. Maddie was very excited that her little cousin had come to watch her ceremony and couldn't stop waving to him from the stage!

On Saturday, we joined my brother Ken and his kids at a local lake. We weren't sure how Ethan would react to the water so we let him just put his feet in. He immediately sat down and began splashing. I had gotten a float for him and he took to it right away. His cousins Maddie and Marshall took turns giving him rides around the lake and Ethan was in his glory. It's going to be a fun summer- we have so many lakes, ponds, and beaches and it's nice to know that we have a kid who enjoys the water.

On Sunday Ethan and I made pancakes for Daddy to celebrate his first Father's Day. After breakfast, we headed out to a Seadogs game. I figured that if we couldn't get to Yankee Stadium to see a ballgame, it was the next best way to celebrate Father's Day. We had a great time, but boy was it hot out! Ethan was such a trooper and had a good time sharing an ice cream with Daddy and watching the game. Ethan is so lucky to have such a wonderful daddy. He works so hard, and takes such good care of us. I'm so happy that Ethan has such a great role model in his life!

Pete and I continue to marvel at how fast Ethan is growing. This past Tuesday marked Ethan's tenth month! We are always commenting on what a big kid Ethan has turned into. He is so much fun to be around.

It seems like every day he is doing something new. He loves to bop to music. He'll sway his head from side to side or he'll bounce up and down. He is waving more and more and really likes to wave at himself in the mirror. He is just beginning to "cruise" a bit. He'll pull himself up on the couch and take a few steps holding on- especially if there is something on one end that he wants to get to.

One of the new things that Ethan has been doing is "talking"when he is frustrated. I know I probably shouldn't find it funny, but I do. For example if I put him in the pack & play and he wants to get out, he'll cry but at the end of the wailing, he'll begin to babble- da,da,ba,ba... I think that he's pleading his case as to why he should not be trapped in his pack & play! Too cute!

Finally, Pete and I celebrated our fourth anniversary on Thursday. We had a fun time showing Ethan the lobsters that were later going to be dinner, dancing around the living room, and snacking on bread and cheese. I couldn't imagine a better way to celebrate four years of marriage- enjoying time with all of my boys (Barley included!!)

Confident Baby, Not So Confident Mama!

Deep in Thought

Very proud of himself that he can stand in his pack and play


Investigating the Stairs



Investigating the cat door (put there by former owners- Barley would never stand it if we had a cat!!) New Wheely Cars!

Our boy is growing by leaps and bounds! It wasn't too long ago that we could lay Ethan down, and find him in the same spot when we returned- those days are long gone! Ethan is curious about everything! Not only is he crawling everywhere, he is now pulling himself up on everything to get a better view! He has even gotten himself up the bottom step of our staircase! I have to say, this is not my favorite stage- Ethan is so overly confident that he can pull himself up and balance on everything, when the reality is, he can't! This makes for lots of bumps, bruises, tears, and a very nervous Mama!! I know that the falls are inevitable, but it's still hard to watch!

We have had a very rough week sleepwise. We are pretty sure that the cause is teething as we can see at least four and maybe even five top teeth coming in. Nice in the long run that he gets them all in at once, but for now, I am exhausted and feel awful that Ethan is in pain. Lots of Tylenol, teethers, and cuddles will hopefully do the trick.

This week, Ethan has started sharing. He likes to offer us his pacifier. We pretend to take it, and then he takes it back. It's awfully cute! Ethan has also started mimicking us again. He did this when he was about 6 months old for a short time and then stopped. He likes turning his head from side to side and having us do the same. He gets a real kick out of it! Finally, the drop it game is in full affect! Ethan is having a great time dropping things and seeing where they land. And if we tell him not to (playfully) he falls into a fit of giggles and continues to drop whatever the object is-he is getting more and more playful.

Maybe next week we'll have a picture of Ethan with a big toothy grin- till then!!

Camping... Well, Sort Of!

Ethan and Daddy

Hanging Out With Grandpa

I think Ethan likes the campsite

Reading with Uncle Ken, Maddie, and Jack

Playing on the Tarp

Over the weekend we traveled to Guilford, Vermont for our annual summer camping trip with my parents, my brothers, and their families. We had a wonderful weekend. Pete and I weren't brave enough to rough it with our whole family, so at night Ethan, my mom, and I headed to "camp out" in a nearby hotel, while Pete, Barley and the rest of my family slept in the woods. We were lucky enough to see the sun on Saturday and Ethan was happy to stroll around in the backpack, read books with Uncle Ken, crawl around in the tent, and watch his cousins Maddie and Jack play. All in all, it was a successful trip and now Pete and I are considering camping again at a nearby campground- if Ethan absolutely hates sleeping in the tent, we'll be close enough to home to throw in the towel!

Ethan is crawling EVERYWHERE!! He loves moving from room to room and seeing all of the new sites. Sometimes he gets so excited that he's moving that he'll try to go faster than his little legs and hands will allow and inevitably falls to the ground. He gets right up again, determined to explore some more. He is also pulling himself up to standing more and more. The only problem is that once he's up, he forgets that he has to hold on and goes tumbling! It's only a matter of time before he is "cruising" all over the house.

One of Ethan's newest and most adorable tricks is that he has begun to wave. He won't do it reliably, but when he feels like it he waves at Barley, the lights, his toys, pretty much anything he sees. It is SO cute!

I am loving this age! Ethan is becoming more and more fun to play with. He works hard to get me to laugh at him, even when it's bedtime and he should be going to sleep. He will do something goofy, and though I know I shouldn't engage him, inevitably I laugh at him, which sets him off into giggles and before I know it, we are laughing together! More and more, he is becoming my little sidekick and I love every minute that I get to spend with him.

9 Months is So Much Fun!!

Happy Baby

Cute butt in a new cloth diaper

Playing before bed


This was a very fun toy!




Cutie!

Having a mobile child means having tired parents!! Ethan crawled last week, and hasn't looked back! He is constantly on the move and is curious about everything! At this point, his favorite things to explore are Barley's water bowl (much to Barley's dismay) and wires (much to our dismay!!) We are beginning the process of baby proofing the house- so far the outlets are covered. That's about all that we've done, but Ethan is progressing so quickly that we're thinking it's time to take out the gates, and cabinet locks, etc. Being mobile has opened up a whole new world for Ethan, and he is loving his new found independence. One of my favorite things about his ability to crawl, is that he loves to crawl over to me and "attack" He comes over with a huge smile on his face, going as fast as his little arms and legs will let him, and sort of falls on me and laughs- it is so darn cute!

We think that Ethan is starting to dance when he hears music. When one of his toys starts to play music Ethan will sit up and either shake his arms up and down, or he'll start to bounce. It could certainly be coincidental at this point, but we like to think that he is grooving...

Another big event this week is that Pete and I have started using cloth diapers with Ethan. We have talked about it and considered it since Ethan was born, but it always seemed a little overwhelming to take on with a tiny baby. Last week I decided to do some serious research into the cloth diapering options, and the pros and cons. The pros were pretty obvious- keeping loads of diapers from piling up in a landfill, saving a lot of money in the long run by not having to buy disposables, the fact that babies who are clothe diapered potty train earlier, etc. The cons are pretty obvious too- there's a bit of a yuck factor to it all. But, being the environmentalists that we are (for anyone who has visited our home you know about our composting, recycling, organic gardening, and so on) we decided that we would do a trial run and make a small investment by purchasing some cloth diapers. Well, we successfully used cloth for a week and it really isn't much more work than disposables. The only difficulty is that we were cloth diapering full time with a very small supply which meant lots of laundry. So, we placed an order for more diapers and we are proud to say we are a cloth diapering family now!

We are still having so much fun trying out new foods with Ethan. This week he discovered the joys of summer fruits! He loves blueberries and watermelon. We also gave him his first veggie dog and he loved it! We're glad that we have a kid who loves to eat just as much as we do! The only drawback to that is that whenever I eat anything now, I have four little eyes staring me down and begging for my food- Barley's and Ethan's!!

Hard to believe that Ethan is 9 months old- every month we wonder if he can get any cuter, or if this can get any more fun... yup and yup!

Crawling!

Trying to stay cool

It's hard work being the big brother

Tub Time

What a crazy week it has been! Last week we noticed that Ethan was not sleeping well at night, was irritable during the day, and was running a low-grade fever. I just assumed that he was starting to get more teeth. By Friday, Ethan's behavior wasn't changing and he still had a fever. We decided to have the doc check him to rule out any infections. No infections found, just red, irritated throat. We were told to continue Tylenol and Motrin and to give him lots of fluids.

Grandma and Grandpa Y came to visit on Saturday. We had a nice time despite Ethan's ailment. Monday morning the fever had finally broken, and we noticed a strange rash all over Ethan's forehead and chest. Luckily, Grandma was here and said that it looked like Roseola. We looked it up and sure enough, all of the symptoms matched up. Happily, the rash is gone, and for the most part, Ethan is back to his old self again. It's definitely heartbreaking having a sick baby- all I wanted to do was take his pain away and make him feel better!

Yesterday Ethan had his nine month check-up. We described Ethan's rash and Dr. Power confirmed Grandma's diagnosis. Ethan's newest stats are as follows- he is weighing in at 21 lbs. and 4 oz. putting him in the 75th percentile, he is 29 and 1/2 inches long- 90th percentile, and his head is 17 and 1/2 inches putting him in the 50th percentile. The doctor reports that he looks great and is right on target developmentally.

Our newest and most exciting news is that Ethan is mobile! He started officially crawling across the floor yesterday. Previously he had been taking a few shuffles and falling, but now, he is cruising! It's amazing to me how quickly everything came together for him- and boy is he proud of himself!