29 May 2010

just around the corner....


I can't believe I am saying this..."Ethan's first birthday is just around the corner." I caught myself calling him a toddler to David the other night and wanted to cry. How is it the best year of your life is always the fastest? I think, honestly, I just thought the "baby" part of having a child would seem longer. I never understood why moms seemed sad when they spoke about their children growing older. Now I know it isn't as much a "sad" feeling, but more melancholy. I have just enjoyed every stage, age, phase with Ethan, I hate to leave them even if that means we are onto the next amazing one.

Last summer Ethan attended his first birthday party...a friend's little boy, Noah, was turning one. Ethan was only a couple months old at the time. I found my self tearing up as his mom and dad blew out his candle and he ate his first piece of cake. It was at that moment I realized how precious and fast that first year is....... Even more than that how much growth and learning takes place that first year of life. It is truly amazing.

As we gear up to move this Sunday, I know my mind will be floating back to this time last year. The excitement of knowing you are about to meet your son for the first time, placing Ethan down in his bassinet for the first time, waking up to a family of 3, the list just goes on and on. We can't wait to celebrate his birthday with a few family and friends! What an adventure his first year has been, I can not even imagine what the future holds.

20 May 2010

after and before..


Right after bath....
and before his second bath...someone dumped a bag of Gerber dried fruit on himself!



14 May 2010

sweet dreams...


If you notice I change the music on our blog from time to time. I found a song (that should be playing now) on an old Dixie Chicks CD when we were moving a few months ago. I love to sing it to Ethan when I put him to bed. I wanted to share it with all the moms who have little boys to tuck in tonight!

a First Mother's Day...



This post is a little belated, but I couldn't go without mentioning my first Mother's Day! Well, I say first, but it feels like my second. Last year I was a very pregnant mommy-to-be and David treated me nicely:) This year I was scheduled to work and someone offered to work for me. I was very thrilled to have the day off to spend with my family. However, we all 3 have our first "family illness" where we are all 3 sick with the same bug at the same time. I used to think it was kind of "cute" when families did that, until it happened to our family! So needless to say I was feeling a little (or a lot) under the weather, but still had a wonderful day. Not only did David and Ethan shower me with love, but my mom and mother-in-law did so as well. I tried to tell them Mother's Day is about celebrating our mothers. I am beginning to understand that those who have had the privilege of being a mom, understand how precious it is to be a mommy. Thank you both...it is from you both I have learned to be the mom I am today.

I don't know if you noticed my Tennessee hat in the photo above. I have been so proud of Nashville's reaction to the flood that I have been wearing my hat a lot lately. I am in constant awe of the volunteer efforts that friends/family/strangers are giving to those who have lost their homes to the flood waters. I can't help but to notice that everyone who was spared from the flood waters are so thankful and grateful for things they have. I know I find myself counting my blessings more and squeezing my family tighter.

11 May 2010

11 Months...





I can't get over how long his legs are in this photo!
Ethan in music class
crawling thru the barn door
cruising around the furniture


mommy's sweet boy
the day of the flood...no worries everyone...I'm wearing my hoodie!

11 Months old and well on his way to be called a toddler and not a baby anymore! Ethan is crawling faster by the day and starting to walk around holding on to only one of my hands. He have new bumps and bruises daily it seems. I don't know if you noticed, but taking his monthly chair pictures has gotten harder and harder...he sits still for maybe one photo and then he is scaling the chair! You may have noticed some WILD hair in this months chair pictures! I thought it was too funny and just let it do its thing! Ethan is eating more and more finger foods. Just today he tried pizza and loved it. He now has 7 teeth and I think the 8th tooth is about to emerge. Now when we are out and about he loves to say hi and wave to everyone he sees! He is still a funny little guy and loves to stand on his head!

We are just a few weeks shy of moving into our new home. Fingers crossed that we will be moved in time to celebrate a very special first birthday!

03 May 2010

deep water


My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have lost their homes. My heart goes out to you. Grandaddy and Ruthie....we love you.

01 May 2010

10 things....


At work it is a running joke not to drink the water....if you do...you be the next belly walking around! The pregnancies seem to come in large groups for some odd reason among the nurses, doctors, and respiratory therapists. I have wanted to do a post for a long time about the baby products that I swear by. The moment you become pregnant and have a baby, you become this mass consumer and find yourself at the closest target, babies-r-us, and babyGap every third day of the week. I tried to research as much as I could about the most universal stroller, wipeable highchair, etc, but found my best advice came from friends who have kids and have been there...purchased that. So here are some of my favorite things...



This was present from my mom and to be honest a splurge. This is the bassinet from Potterybarn Kids. You only use it for a short time, but there is nothing sweter than putting your little guy down in this bassinet. We actually used this to travel for the first few months. It is actually a moses basket that comes out of the stand. Easy to take downstairs or on your next weekend trip out of town. The base also has wheels, so easy to move around the house.


This is the halo sleep blanket that Ethan still sleeps in. I had the hardest time loosing the swaddle with him. So when we finally transitioned from the swaddle, this blanket makes you feel better about using a blanket safely. Also, he is warm on cold nights. He won't sleep without it. They have now started making them in large sizes for toddlers. Around $15 and well worth the money.


This is the Angeldear Lovie. This was my very first purchase when I found out I was pregnant. They come in all types of characters....lions, lambs, tigers, puppies, giraffes. I remember putting Ethan in his crib to be rolled back into newborn nursery and putting this in there with him. It then started traveling as a perfect size blanket for the car seat and stroller. As he grew older and lost the swaddle, it gave him something to do with his newly free hands at nap and bedtime. Now, Lovie has become Ethan's security blanket he looks for in his crib and carries when we are out and about. It is super cute to see him cuddled with it sleeping. Around $15

This is the Homedics Sound Spa. The sound machine helps drown out any noise to wake the lightest sleeper. The sounds are rain, ocean, heartbeat, white noise, forest, and summer night. We use this with every nap and bedtime. Easy to travel with because it takes batteries. It is around $30 and works far better than those expensive (but adorable) womb bears.


Video monitor by Summer. This particular one has a color screen and and base that can zoom in and out and move to find your baby who seems to navigate in crib. This is helpful when there is silence, but you can take a peak without opening the door. Is he awake or playing quietly? This is an expensive purchase, around $130, but it is something I have used everyday, multiple times a day.



Itzbeen??? This little timer is called Itzbeen and if you are a nursing mother who can't remember her name at 2 am, this is for you. I caught myself attaching this to my jeans in those first few weeks like some 40 something year old man with a cell phone. Ethan's marathon nursing session, mini-naps, Prevacid taking....it timed it all! Did I nurse him last at 1:30 or 12:30??? I could never remember! You just hit the timer for nursing when you start and it counts up. It makes it so easy to keep track of how long he goes between feedings, how long did he nap today, what time I lasted dosed him with Tylenol? It even has a switch to help you remember what side you last nursed on. It is around $24 and comes various colors.


To be honest, David picked out these bottles . I wanted to try the Dr. Brown's bottles that come with mulitples pieces to put together. He like the simple bottle, ring, nipple and your ready to feed the screaming baby kind! The lactation specialist actually recommended this one too for the wide nipple and slowflow nipple. We have loved this bottle and are days away from moving to a sippy cup all time...speaking of....



Sippycups! We have loved the Nuby sippycups. First of all, they are some of the cheapest ones on the market. Secondly, they are great at not leaking compared to the Born Free sippy cups. I mean, what is the purpose of a sippy cup if it leaks everywhere??? Anyhow, we love them and their fun colors. Around $9 for a set of 3.



Highchairs! I almost returned this chair for a more expensive one, but oh so glad I didn't! First of all, the Graco highchair folds up almost flat for storage. It is really comfy for the kiddos. They come in several different prints and colors. The tray is super easy to slide on and off. You would never guess how much you use this thing...or I didn't! It is easy to wipe down the seat of all those raspberries and peas that get smashed everywhere. Love it! It sells for around $110. Worth every penny.



Strollers. This one of the most expensive purchases parents make. This is one of the things I was super excited about when I was pregnant. I knew I'd love strolling around with baby, so I wanted a stroller that was great in a park or a BabyGap. I didn't want 3 strollers sitting in the garage either. We picked the Quinny Buzz. It is expensive, don't get me wrong, it is around $400, but is wonderful. First, the Maxi-Cosi infant carrier snaps into the frame of the stroller facing you. As baby grows, the super soft seat can go back into the frame facing you and can recline as baby sleeps. As he gets older and wants to look around, it switches forward facing. The stroller comes with a rain cover, bug net, basket for underneath, and sunshade. The handle expands for those taller daddies. It folds down easily and will open by itself when you unlock it