Friday, November 19, 2010

Breakfast with Ethan

This morning Ethan woke at his usual 7am. I was in the shower and he came in and went to the bathroom, then announced that he went to bathroom! I still have to make a big deal, because it still is a "big deal". He wears a pull-up at night and for the longest time, was just being lazy and would fill that thing up at night and refuse to get dressed for as long as he could in the morning so that he could continue to just go in his pull-up! Well now, he's finally getting it!! YAY! So, it really is a big deal that he'll go on the potty with a pull-up on, he even wakes up dry half the time, which we REALLY go ga-ga about!!

Anyway, sometimes Ethan gets up a little too early and is quite cranky in the morning, but today he was particularly sweet and pleasing. Everything I asked him he had a very sweet reply, he was cooperative and just plain adorable!! I love when days start like this!! I got dressed, we fed the dogs together, he helped me make coffee - which is a MUST for him! Once in a while I try to make it before he gets up to save time in the morning and he wakes up, smells it or sees the "red light" on and I'm in trouble!! So, for the sake of peace in the morning...I have to wait until he's up and ready so he can "help" me make coffee! After coffee, we made Ethan's breakfast of "blinkies" which stands for Rice Krispy's. Then he INSISTED that I have some breakfast with him, and it had to be cereal, just like him. Well, I used a glass bowl and he had a plastic one, and after more "insisting" from him, I poured his "blinkines" into the same white, glass bowl that I had. Now, we were finally ready to eat!

As Ethan and I sat at the kitchen table, just the 2 of us because Addy was still sleeping and Daddy had left for work already; it hit me. I'm not quite sure what "it" is other then to say that I was overcome with emotion. I sat there crying, as Ethan was quietly eating his cereal. I think I was just living in the moment and I really don't do that enough. Most mornings, I don't take the time to eat and I'm barking at Ethan to "hurry up" or "stop playing and eat", as I'm rushing around to get myself together, thinking about everything we have to get done so we can get out the door for one reason or another. Well, today I didn't have ANYTHING that I just had to do, so I wasn't rushing him or me, I didn't care how long Addison slept in, I was just thankful to be sitting next to the sweetest little boy in the world, eating a bowl of cereal together!! I really want to remember days like this because I know there's going to come a time, much sooner then I would like, that he won't be eating breakfast with me anymore. He'll be the one that's too busy to eat, he'll be the one that doesn't "have time". So there, it's typed for him and all to see, I didn't take today for granted, I stopped to smell the roses, I had a WONDERFUL morning with Ethan today! I love you buddy, with all my heart!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Don't call it a comback.....yet!

Although, I'm really hoping to be! I've been getting a lot of flack from a fellow blogger and VERY good friend about how non-existent my blog has been this year. I'm not naming any names....Denise....but she has some very good points, and I really have don't have any good excuses! The thing is, is that I read HER blog and she writes so eloquently and has such great wit that I felt like I just couldn't compete. But, once she told me that I can actually print this and my kids can read all my thoughts and stories about our family, THAT was a clincher! How wonderful to be able to read all of this someday! I may not be a quick wit or a very eloquent writer, but I love my life and my family more then anything and DEFINITELY have a lot to say about that!

Originally I started a blog to be able to update friends and family about our lives and post pictures of the kids, since the whole sending out pictures every few months just isn't my thing. My comeback is more of an outlet for me to just put down whatever comes to mind, not just "updates", but stories, hopes, fears, complaints, WHATEVER!! So, although I'm fairly certain no one reads my blog anymore, I'm totally okay with that, because that's exactly what it is....MINE!

So, without further babbling, here's just few random pictures from the summer and fall.





A trip to John Ball Zoo in Aug. Addison 11months, Ethan 3 1/2. We had a great day with friends Marcy and her 2 boys Ben and Eli; Denise and her 3 - Max, Leah, and Sarah; Amy and her Daughter Ryann.





Ethan LOVED the camel ride! Here he is with Max and Ryann.




Ethan started 3-school this year! I was SOOO nervous since he hadn't been in daycare or anything before. I knew he really needed it, but I was really worried about how the separation thing would go. Here's his 1st day, just before we left. He was really excited. When we got outside, lots of other parents were standing around watching their kids, which I was glad about, because I didn't think I could drop him off and run! He went to play on the jungle gym and grabbed a stick on the way, he kept checking to make sure I was there. Then, out of nowhere, another little boy started yanking the stick out of his hand! He was so confused, yet tried to hold his ground, I went over to mediate, and tried to tell the little boy that he was fine. But he took one last big yank on Ethan's stick, ripped it out of his hands and said "my mom said we can't have sticks on here!!" Well, poor Ethan just burst into tears! It was awful! There was no calming him down either. The little boys mother came over too, but did nothing! I was so annoyed. That little boy totally ruined Ethan's 1st day! So, finally I get him calmed down, but then had to have his teacher assistant, Mrs Brandt come help me leave. She took him and some other kids to a different area of the playground and Ethan said, "bye mommy" and waved and I TOTALLY lost it! I walked away, and turned around and he was sheepishly looking at me waving still. Balled all the way to my car! Called Derek and balled some more! He did so great though and I was so proud of him! The 2nd day was WAY worse then the 1st day though, they had to peel him out of my arms crying for me. THAT was totally hard for me! But we made it and now he looks forward to and has a great time at school!



The View from our cabin at Harold's Resort in TC. Our Mommy/Daddy weekend get-a-way at the end of Aug. It was a much needed respite!



Addison 10 months







So many faces!




This was probably one of the cutest things I've watched yet. Ethan mowed every step with Derek with his little lawn mower! I just loved it!



This is actually an outfit that my mom bought in Germany when I was a baby. It was mine and I was excited to put it on her...good thing it was stretchy! Ha! Now, I just have to find a picture of me in it!!