8 weeks.....2 whole months!

play time!

hello again! 8 weeks


mom just loves these booties on me

moli says I'm 3 years old too! I did have a birthday recently!

Ethan is starting to love sitting facing outwards so he can see his Alex friend

Who does Ethan look like....Mommy or Daddy? Only time will tell!

Me and my pal Alex! Best Buds

This week Ethan has had a big accomplishment....while having tummy time, he rolled from his tummy to his back! David and I are sure his heavy head had a lot to do with this, but nevertheless, it made us smile and laugh! Luckily, we were both watching his new trick or we would probably never believe we each other being that he is only 8 weeks old. Ethan also had his first trip to the zoo with his cousins! He was lulled to sleep by the sound of the water falls and monkeys! He was also weighed last Friday with his onesie on (it was a chilly room)....he was 11 pounds 12 ounces with a dry diaper before he ate!

Soon we are taking Ethan on his first vacation. This year we are planning a trip to Rosemary Beach. I can't help but to think back to last year when David and I spent a week there. We were praying for God to bring a baby into our lives. So it warms my heart to think this year that we will be blessed to share Rosemary with Ethan. The beach has always been a big part of our life.....David proposed on the beach and then soon we were married barefoot on the beach. Ethan already goes to sleep listening to waves crashing with the help of his sound machine....I can't wait to put him in the baby bjorn early in the morning and walk him along side the ocean so he can hear the real thing.

7 week smiles....

hi friends!

7 weeks

7 weeks in my chair

all smiles for daddy

big smiles.....

my very own Life is Good Tee....it reads "half full"

budda belly

tummy time in my crib....check out my muscles

i just love tummy time

my first smile captured on camera!

Hanging out with friends (L to R) Cain, Paxton, and Kellen

Ethan's has been smiling more and more everyday! We can't get enough of his toothless grins! He is also tracking us with his eyes. Ethan seems to like tummy time so far! He is growing so fast that everyday we are finding he has outgrown an outfit!

A few weeks ago, we have discovered that Ethan has reflux. Reflux is similar to "heart burn" that adults experience. It is horrible to hear your baby cry when he is in pain and uncomfortable. It gives me a new prospective of my NICU moms and dads who have babies on ventilators, undergoing surgeries, every 4 hours capillary blood gases, daily lab draws, IVs, mickey buttons, head ultrasounds, and reflux to worry about. Most of my parents can't just pick their babies up when they are upset and crying like I can with Ethan. I have no idea how these parents stay strong through the roller coster ride of the NICU. I just keep praying the medication for Ethan's reflux will help him over time.

On a lighter note....yesterday I found out the twin boys I had been taking care of at work for months were discharged to home! Those little boys were blessed with amazing parents who were there everyday to care for their little ones. I send my well wishes and big congrats to them and their family! I always said they were little "rock stars!"

6 weeks....

6 weeks old.....see my baby acne
check out my toes!

6 weeks old

Ethan loving on his Lovie

We've had a week of "Firsts." Here goes....

This week I took Ethan on a stroll through one of my favorite parks for the first time. I can't tell you how nice it was to walk through the park with my baby!!!! It was one of the things I was looking forward to most when I was pregnant. I have had to wait a few weeks to do this due to my back, which has been "out of wack" since I was around 38 weeks pregnant. This past week it has started feeling better. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed it keeps getting better.

Ethan also had his first official play date this week! A few of my friends from work got together with our kiddos and watched them play! All the babies are under one year.....so this playdate is kinda for the mommies! I took my Nikon camera and didn't take a single picture! I guess I was too busy chatting....anyhow, it was a lot of fun!

We also had our first trip to the mall. How fun is it to go shopping with your friends and your babies! Courtney and I had a great time! I can't wait to see our boys interact as they get older! I'm sorta thinking maybe we should have a once a week shopping trip! Only next time maybe Ethan will decide not to lose his beans in Baby Gap!

Now, for those of you wondering if I am going to keep posting pictures of Ethan sitting in his chair each week until he is 18 years old.....no! I think I'll do it until he is 12 weeks and then just once a month. I just feel like he is changing so fast in the first few weeks!

5 weeks....

5 weeks

5 weeks

after our first dining out experience as a family of 3

our little family at the restaurant




mommy and Ethan watching a movie in bed!

Nana rocking Ethan....someone has the magic touch!

Ethan is now 5 weeks old. David and I finally "ripped the band aid off" as my friend Courtney puts it and attempted to dine out.....as in out of the house for the first time as family of 3. Drum roll please.....it went amazingly well! I even enjoyed a blue moon for the first time in many months! It was fun to be out and about with Ethan bear! David and I enjoyed ourselves and I deemed it a "date."

Ethan is starting to smile when spoken to. It makes my heart melt with every smile! I am amazed at how fast he grows and changes! Each day passes faster than the previous day. Pretty soon he is going to be running around chasing his cousins! He also has outgrown several outfits this week.....3 to be exact! Which to me is bitter sweet!

We celebrated Ethan's first 4th of July this year with a fireworks frenzy. On the 3rd of July we went to Courtney and Aaron's parent's house to watch fireworks from the Brentwood Country Club poolside. We were amazed that Ethan and their twin boys, Kellen and Paxton, slept through the entire fireworks display! I call that a miracle! Then on the 4th of July, we attempted to watch the Nolensville fireworks but missed them.....so David bought fireworks and shot them at our townhouse! Needless to say our neighbors weren't that enthused as he was! He had a blast and I held my breath the entire time hoping each bang wouldn't wake the baby....which it didn't! Ethan wore his "baby's first 4th of July" outfit from Grandma and Grandpa. I am still kicking myself I didn't take a picture of him in it!

ethan's newborn photos....

b

Everyone knows I love newborn babies! I couldn't wait to capture Ethan during his newborn days.....we all know they pass too quickly. He was a little over 2 weeks old during the photos. This is the time for all you grandparents, friends, and family to get your wishes in for favorite photos!

Anniversary....

This year we celebrated our 3rd Anniversary at home with takeout from the Cheesecake Factory! I just couldn't fathom leaving Ethan just yet! The last 3 years have been the best of my life....I'm blessed to have found and married such a great man! Happy Anniversary Love!

Has anyone seen that commercial with the cat scuba diving????? Well, after several weeks of sleep deprivation and a glass of wine (after 10 months without wine) comes.......Moli in her scuba gear....aka a stemless wine glass! We laughed for a while after this one! Moli was a good sport as always:)

4 weeks old....

4 weeks old

after an outing in Atlanta!

shopping for the first time with Ethan! I'm so excited to be out and about

Ethan loved this swing at Grandma and Grandpa's

Hanging out in Atlanta:)

Wow! Ethan is one month old! He now weighs 9 pounds 11 ounces. Over the past week we took our first "trip" to Atlanta. We visited with Grandma and Grandpa before they left for their annual trip to Canada. While in Atlanta we took Ethan out shopping for the first time. His first shopping trip.....Babies R Us....of course! Sorry for the short post....it is time to feed Ethan soon!