So far behind....

Well, I've been procrastinating in posting a blog b/c I think that they are boring w/o pictures, but I guess I'm just going to have to do without for a while. Unfortunately, the storm of the decade that happened on June 19th affected us too! We lost 2 huge tree branches in the front yard that fortunately fell towards the road and miraculously missed our house, Derek's truck, and the power line! Our basement was not so lucky. Derek and I have NEVER had water in the basement in the 8yrs we've lived here. We have a sump-pump pit, but no sump-pump. We've never even seen water in the pit before that night! Well, after the storm hit, water starting coming up through the pit. We were able to stay on top of it for a few hours by sucking the water up with a shop-vac and carrying up buckets of water, but soon the water took over and we lost the battle. By the time we "gave up" it was around 3:30 am and we both extremely sore and exhausted. We moved as much as we could off the floor, upstairs, or to the far side of the basement. The next day we borrowed a pump and fans and tried to dry out. We lost all the carpet in the basement, it was amazing how quickly it started to smell!! Luckily, I think that's about the extent of it. We recently found out that our insurance is going to cover some of it, so that's a huge blessing b/c we thought they wouldn't! Unfortunately, Derek spent his Father's Day weekend doing ALOT of manual labor! We certainly couldn't have done it w/o the help of our family and neighbors! Derek's dad and brother and our neighbor Rob were over right away the next morning with chainsaws, ladders, and a chipper to clean up the trees. It took them most of the day to get it all cleaned up! I was so thankful! A lady who lives down the street even stopped and volunteered to her sons to come help, so they used them too! It was kind of funny the next morning I went outside to take pictures when we got up and all I could hear was the sound of chainsaws running! There were trees down or uprooted throughout our whole neighborhood. It was really quite storm!

The reason for no pictures, is b/c our computer is in the basement and we had to take it all apart and off the floor so it wouldn't get ruined. We still have a lot of work to do down there so Derek just hooked up the bare essentials so I could at least have internet access, but things I need to be able to upload pics are in a pile somewhere so sorry this is just boring words. Will try to post pics soon! Hopefully we'll be getting a check from the ins. co. this week or next and can get going!! It makes me very anxious b/c this is a major set-back in getting Ethan in his new room and big boy bed! This baby will be here before we know it and NOTHINGS READY!!!!!! AHHHH! Okay, deep breath, every thing's going to be okay.....I hope!!

Dancin'

Here's a little video of Ethan and "his moves" at the Yacht Club the other night. He loves to go "up the stairs" as he calls it, especially on nights it's not very busy b/c then he has the run of the place!! This night they were playing music and he was having a ball entertaining everyone! It's nice for Derek and I too b/c we can actually eat, have an adult conversation and keep an eye on Ethan all at the same time!! It's going to be a great summer!

All Boy!

Today has been great! Derek and I slept in b/c Ethan spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa Twinkle's last night! Oh, how I love sleep!!! Then we got up and went to breakfast at Derek's favorite spot, Dutch Brothers or DeBoer Bakery. It was fabulous! Then we headed to Lowe's to get some fertilizer for my garden and for the grass and picked up Ethan. Ethan is still very into the ugly lawn flowers that spin and he calls them my their colors, "Red one, Green one, Purple one, Brown one". The minute we pull in the driveway he starts "go see green, go see red, etc". I wanted to get some of the big weeds out of my garden before we tilled it anyway so I got out Ethan's rake and he "helped" mommy weed, played with his flowers etc... All was going well until about 45mins later when I looked over to see him pouring handfuls of dirt on himself - starting at his head! I didn't think it was that bad until I was ready to bring him in for his nap and took a closer look. It was just caked in his scalp, down his back and into his pants, even his diaper!! I decided just to throw him in the shower which he's never done before. At first he thought it was kind of fun, but then when the water kept hitting his face, he was ready to get out, but I had to get the dirt out of hair somehow! It was just pure mud coming off his head running down him. I did the best I could as quickly as I could. At least his scalp isn't black anymore! Anyway, he went right down for his nap after that! I tried to get some pictures, but you couldn't tell all the dirt on him in the pictures. I just had to laugh, what a little boy!!

My Sweet Little Boy...

Ethan is really becoming a "Momma's Boy" lately. He really knows how to melt my heart too! Just recently, he started waking up early and crying for me. When I get in his room, he says "Ni-night Mommy bed", asking to come to bed with me. I've only brought him to bed with me like twice EVER and that's when he was really sick and I didn't know what else to do. He'd only stay with us until he'd fall asleep and then I'd put him back to bed, but that hasn't been for months!! So, I really have no idea where this is coming from! Part of me really thinks that he KNOWS his life is about to change and he's taking advantage of just being the "only one" right now, but can he sense that?? Am I just crazy for thinking he has some sixth sense? Probably! I think what it really is, is that he just misses me. The past couple times he's asked to come to bed with me has been after I've worked a few days. This morning, I was so excited NOT have to set my alarm and get to sleep in a little from when I have been getting up for work....so much for that! Ethan was up around 6am, I tried to get him to go back to sleep in his own bed, no go - he wanted "mommy's ni-night"! So, I brought him to bed with me, be he lays almost on top of me and fidgets for at least an hour before falling back to sleep! Oh, well. I do enjoy having him there, it's only a couple hrs and I need to remember that these times of just us lying in bed in the mornings are numbered! This morning when he woke up he sat up and said "all done ni-night mommy". Then "get-up, get up!". I was rubbing my belly a little b/c the baby was kicking and he was watching me. I asked him if he wanted to feel mommy's belly and maybe the baby would kick him. So, he started rubbing my belly and saying "hi-hi baby, hi-hi baby". IT WAS SOOOOOOOO SWEET!!!! I totally melted!

Mother's Day

I had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day today! This morning I woke to the sweet sounds of Ethan talking, talking, talking! These days he talks about whatever he sees, we say or do, or what he wants to do! Honestly, I love listening to him put things together, lately he's been putting 2 and 3 words together and it's so fun! I usually hear all about what he's looking at in his room before I even walk in there! After breakfast, he played in the bathroom while I took a shower, or "mommy tubby" as he calls it. I had a really nice card from Ethan and Daddy waiting for me when I got out of the shower too! Then, we had a wonderful brunch with Derek's parents, brother and sister in law at Macatawa Legend's. We got Gana Twinkle a new bird feeder with 2 gift certs inside (one for Younker's, her fav and one for a mani/pedi). Ethan made her a stepping stone a few days ago with his foot print in it, she loved that too! After we had full bellies, we were off to get my mom some hanging baskets (my Mother's Day tradition)! I go to the same place every year, they have a great selection, great prices and are sooooo friendly and helpful! I even got 2 for myself! Yay, now my porch isn't naked anymore! We dropped them off, along with her cards and stepping stone too! Ethan loves to play with those ugly plastic flowers that spin. My mom has a bunch of them and now he runs around collecting them all and spins them. We've even inhereted a few at our house to avoid melt-downs from leaving his flowers! Derek's less then thrilled that his SON is obsessed with flowers lately, but there could be worse things right! He even wakes up talking about "go see flower, go outside". It's so hard to get him in the house now!

Anyway, after we left my mom's, Derek headed out fishing for the afternoon, I had every intention of taking a huge nap since it had turned cold and rainy, but instead I got a bug and decided to go through my closet! I recently inherited some summer maternity clothes from some friends of mine (since I was pregnant in the winter with Ethan!), and had this huge pile on my dresser for the past 2wks. I couldn't take looking at one more day! So I brought a bunch of winter stuff down stairs, but before I hung it up, I pulled out what I thought I wouldn't wear again....or that stuff I've been holding onto thinking I was going to loose enough weight to fit into again! So now I have more then enough room for all my fun, cute maternity clothes! The best part is that I can see my dresser and the floor around it now!!!! After that I had to do a little Facebooking of course. I actually got to lay down for about 20mins, which was perfect really.

Ethan woke as happy as ever and best of all he was quite snuggly. Ethan really hasn't been a very affectionate child, so when he's snuggly or clingy (which is really rare, even if he's sick) I eat it up! Daddy was still fishing "bishin" as Ethan says, so we decided to order pizza. It's my day and I'm NOT cooking! So, we had a little late dinner just the 2 of us, while he was finishing up, I was reading the paper. After he got done, he wanted to sit on my lap (again, very rare!), so we looked at the paper and flyers together. It was really quite fun! I decided it was a little late for a bath, so I just put his jammies on. This is something he normally fights me for and tonight, was just as content as ever, talk, talk, talking away about things as I changed him. He was being such a honey that I really didn't want to put him to bed so I just played in his room with him for a while. I got lots and lots of hugs and kisses. It was the ABSOLUTE BEST ending to my Mother's Day! It must be my hormones, but as he's sitting on my lap giving me butterfly kisses, Eskimo kisses and regular kisses, tears just ran like water! He even said "mommy water eyes" and touched them. I know this is really long and probably super boring, but I'm writing more for me then you. I just don't want to forget what a wonderful day I had with my wonderful little boy.


On that note, here's a few pictures. The 1st couple are from the Tulip Time parade on Thur. Ethan had a great time with his friends Max, baby Leah and baby Ben!

As promised here's some belly pics. These are actually from today, so here's me at 20weeks! Half way there! We had our official ultrasound on Friday and so far everything looked good, I haven't heard the report yet (prob not until Mon), but I think the tech would have said something if she caught something unusual....I hope. Anyway, we didn't find out the sex. Even if we wanted to, I think we would have been disappointed b/c the baby was cooperating! Any guesses????

Random Pics

Here's a few pictures and a little video at the bottom of the past couple weeks. Derek's birthday was yesterday and he's been working so hard the past few months and we didn't take a vacation this year, so I'm taking him to one of his favorite places....Las Vegas!! We leave Friday night for a long weekend and we both need a little get-a-way! We can't wait, but then again, I hate leaving Ethan for any length of time. I know he'll be just fine, probably won't even miss us, but I miss him terribly! Anyway, that's what's new with us. If I have time to take a picture of my ever growing belly before we leave, I'll post a pic. Otherwise, look for one when we get back! I can't believe how big I am already!!

Ethan is now becoming interested in the "potty", he likes to sit on it, but nothing happens yet. He often tells me when he goes now, so I know he's starting to understand the "feeling", but we're certainly not "potty-training" yet, just getting the idea! He's about to go through so many changes in the next few months, that I'm certainly not going to push potty training on him too!

All he needs is a bucket of water and life is good!! ( I had to take him home in no pants after this though, he was soaked!)

I think someone is ready for finger paints! (This was chocolate pudding as I busy doing something else!)

Easter

Well, once again, I'm behind on my blog!! At least I'm posting these in the same month!! Anyway, we had a very nice Easter this year. We hid a few shiny eggs in the yard for Ethan to find b/c we weren't sure he'd get into it, but he really did so I wish we would have hid more! Oh, well. Then we went to Boatwerks for brunch with "Gana Twinkle-Twinkle" (Grandma Bonnie) and "Papa,Papa,Papa" (Grandpa Denny), Uncle Bri and Aunt Sara! It was nice, but then I had to go from there to work and it was a really busy day in the ER!

Here's Ethan checking out his Easter basket! He's holding up a lady bug in an egg!

Ooh, eggs!

Here's Ethan on his egg hunt.

Found one!

Looking for more.

Gana had a basket waiting for him too and it was of course and Elmo basket! (which he's still carries around!)

Here's Ethan's spiky hair!