Portland

I had a fabulous time in Portland visiting Kobie, Travis and new little Thatcher. Thatcher is absolutely beautiful, and it was so fun watching Kobie be a momma. She is a natural. While I was there, I was able to see downtown Portland, eat amazing food, shop and managed to hit a piercing shop. On Saturday, our friend Christi flew in with her yummy little guy, Chaz. (I loved playing with him, but it really made me miss Ethan.) On Sunday, we all went to couple local vineyards and it was so incredibly beautiful. I am in love with Portland...if it weren't so far away from family, I might try and convince Chris to move us there...

Separation Anxiety...

I am in Portland, OR right now visiting one of my favorite people, Kobie, and her fabulous little guy, Thatch. Ethan is home in Bentonville. This is the first time I have ever been away from my buddy for longer than a few hours. It was excruciating leaving him, but as I went through security at the airport and rushed between gates, I was glad to just have my carry-on. It sounds like he's having a blast with his Grandma Debbie and Dad, and he only seemed to miss me yesterday. (I think that's good...) It's been really nice to be completely free to help around here, but I think I am going to be really ready to be home on Monday.

My Artist

It was rainy last week, so we had to find things to do inside. I decided to see if Ethan would like coloring. (In the past he's just eaten the crayons.) He really seemed to enjoy making his mark - especially with the purple crayon. It ended up being somewhat of an aerobic exercise for me b/c after he was done with a crayon he'd throw it over his shoulder. Those things ended up everywhere. I tried to show him that placing the crayon the table would insure it would be there when he wanted to use it again. But he'd get in his zone and crayons went flying. Maybe we have a mini-Pollock on our hands...

The Chair

Our old favorite toy, the chair, has become a hit again. The function of it is different though. Ethan used to sit quietly on it and play with the light, book, and clock. Music would play and he'd clap his hands and bounce to the beat. For the past several months, the toy has virtually been ignored...until he realized he could stand on it and then jump off. He cracked himself up for several minutes doing just that. It was pretty entertaining for me too - until he noticed a basket of "no touches" on the cabinet that suddenly he could reach with his new acquired height. The camera quickly went away and the chair was moved to a better location. I am sure this is just the beginning of the climbing.

My Big Boy

We have a park across the street from our house that Ethan and I go to almost daily. Generally, out of habit, I just carry him over there. It's easier. But a few days ago I asked him if he wanted to walk - but he had to hold my hand. He grabbed my hand and we walked side-by-side over to the park. It was a seemingly simple, ordinary act, but it hit me on the way across the street that I was walking with my son! Just a year ago he was an infant and now he's my little buddy that I do everything with. I am amazed at how much he's grown and changed. And I don't think I could have ever imagined just how nuts I would be about him and motherhood.

Basketball

Ethan is obsessed with basketballs and basketball goals. Whenever we go on walks around the neighborhood, without fail he can spot a basketball goal. (I had never noticed how many there were around here!) Last week his Grandma Debbie bought him a mini-goal for inside the house and I think it's a little piece of heaven for him. Since then soccer balls, footballs, balls for the tub, shoes, mail, sticks, and many other things have ended up caught in the net of the goal. He still stands at the edge of our yard staring wistfully at the "real" goal next door, but for now his mini-goal is great. Thanks, Grandma!

A Moment of Intensity?

In Stillwater this weekend, Ethan played a lot in the yard with his grandparents and cousin, Jack. Between the soccer ball and the slide, the boys were completely content. Luckily, my stud of a sister-in-law, Caylee, was there to catch some of it with her camera. Ethan looks so serious in this picture....like's he's planning out his next move to keep that ball away from Jack... 

Offers & Excitement

We received an offer on our house this past weekend. In a way, it came as a shock to us because we really had planned on it taking several months for anything to happen. But then, on the other hand, we weren't at all surprised because we think our house is stinkin' cute. (yes, we're waaaaay biased) We've been excited to see how God works through this whole process, and he's definitely surprising us along the way. The girl that is wanting to buy our house has to sell her house, so it's still not a "done deal". But we think we've found our new house, and we may be putting a contingent offer on the table for it this week. Craziness!

She's Here!

My newest niece, Claire Marie, was born Thursday, the 24th. She weighed 6 lbs, 12 oz and was 20" long. I get to meet her today for the first time...I can't hardly wait!!

Fun with Kate

Ethan's buddy, Kate, came over to play this week. (I say "buddy" b/c I think Tate has already been promised to her AND she's almost a head taller than Ethan...) Ethan loved having her over. They both seemed to learn some valuable skills from each other. Like Ethan showed her how to rip apart a magazine into millions of little pieces. And Kate showed him how to lock a door. Yes, lock a door....with them inside and me on the outside. Luckily she unlocked it pretty quickly and no harm was done. Of course Jill may never let me watch the kids again!

Family & Soccer

I don't know that it gets much better than soccer and family for Ethan... His cousin Alyssa had a soccer tournament in Springdale, so we went to see her play. (She did awesome.) Ethan LOVES balls. He screams "BAAAAH" every time he sees one (or something that resembles one). So a morning at the soccer field was full of "BAAAH"s. It was fun seeing the Hoyle fam too. Ethan eats up being the center of attention to his three older cousins.

Makeup for $1?!?

I got an email from my fabulous friend Christi telling me about an amazing deal... Apparently e.l.f. cosmetics is being bought by Nordstrom's. Nordstrom's is repackaging the makeup with their logo, so they're trying to get rid of all the product with the e.l.f. label. Everything is $1. I bought 22 items for $17.00. Pretty sweet. If you use the password code CAROLINA, you get $7.50 off of your first order of $15 or more... Just thought I would share a great deal! Enjoy!

My Guys

This picture is a couple months old (you can tell b/c this was shortly after Ethan's first haircut/shave), but I came across it and it made me laugh. So, I had to post it. Ethan loves his rock'n'roll sessions with his dad, and I believe this was taken in the middle of one. They turn the music up loud and Chris dances with Ethan (well, it's more like he throws him around). Regardless, Ethan gets the biggest kick out of it and when his favorite songs start, he screams and starts bouncing. I think this is the making of a music star...at least he has the hair for it...

Shoes

Lately Ethan has loved putting shoes on. Since mine are usually laying out (I know that's hard to believe, mom & dad), he's constantly bringing them to me to put on his feet. (Thankfully  he gravitates towards the tennis shoes rather than high heels...) It's pretty cute watching him try to walk around in them - he generally doesn't get very far. But that doesn't keep him from trying over and over and over and over...

Using a Fork

It hadn't occurred to me that maybe Ethan should start using utensils while eating till last week. I am not sure why I started with a fork, since in the hands of a 14 mth old could be a nice weapon, but the stabbing motion really excited him. Go figure. He picked it up almost immediately, and I couldn't help but be so proud. Of course at dinner when I proudly gave him his fork and told him to show is dad his new trick, he threw the fork, grabbed the place mat and knocked the plate on the floor. Lovely. So now we know he CAN do it...we're working on the does he FEEL like doing it. Our poor carpet.

Home Sweet Home...For Sale

We've decided to put our home on the market. After almost 4 years here, we've decided that we're ready for something a little bigger. I didn't realize how attached to our house I had gotten till we've started talking about selling it. It's been such a great place to start our family... Walks to the downtown square and farmer's market have been so fun. Hopefully we can find another house in the neighborhood. If you know of anyone that's looking for a great home, have them give us a call. :)

14 Months

Oh, my child is a ham! He loves putting on hats, sunglasses...anything...and then performing for whomever will watch. I have no idea where he gets it...Chris.... :) We've enjoyed actually being healthy this past month, and have been visit to family and hang out with friends. He's perfecting his ball throwing and kicking. Being outside is at the top of his list of things to do, and as long as he has a stick in his hand, he's happy. Bath time has become a favorite again too. (we went through a stretch there where he was not a fan) After dinner he's started chanting "baa-time" and when the water starts running you'd think it was Christmas. With as much time as we've spent outside (in the dirt) it's a very good thing he enjoys "baa-time".

The Boys

We had friends and their boys over for dinner. Dinner was very quick because the backyard was calling. I heard stories of wrestling, boys being dragged behind the wagon, and trips down the gully to retrieve balls. I think it was good that moms stayed inside.

A New Friend

Few things actually stop Ethan in his tracks when he is on the move, but the emergence of this new "friend" really threw him for a loop. He couldn't seem to ever really get away from this thing chasing him. He kept looking at my like "make this thing go away". It was quite entertaining.

Hugs & Kisses

Ethan was in a particularly affectionate mood on this day, so I thought I would get a rare picture of the two of us. There's not much better than a hug from this guy...

Hats

Ethan loves hats. Well, anything that goes on his head that could resemble a hat. Favorites are shirts, pants, tupperwear, a headband of mine (much to his dad's disdain), and of course real baseball hats. We went to eat at Firehouse Subs this week and they give all kids a fireman's hat. He wore it throughout the whole dinner and played with it in the car on the way home. His arms are just barely long enough to reach the top of his head, so it's caused a little frustration trying to get things up there. But he's realized all he has to do is carry it to me, give me "puppy dog eyes" and I will put it on his head for him. Smart kid.

The Foo Fighters

Chris and I went to see the Foo Fighters in concert this past weekend. It was a little weird being out at night, without a kid, AND going to a concert. It was almost like the "old days". We had a great time being together and the FF put on a fabulous show. I am thoroughly amazed that Dave Grohl has a voice after putting that kind of performance night after night. If you squint, you can see him in the picture. Kind of. Seeing them live really renewed my love for them. Now I am ready for another concert!

Diaper Fun

With the stomach flu (as mentioned in my last post) has come A LOT of blow-out diapers and, in turn, a lot of laundry. During this particular major diaper and clothes change, I let Ethan play in his room while I cleaned everything up. I thought he was entertaining himself well...and he was...by pulling every single diaper out of his drawer. It was another one of those moments where I couldn't help but laugh. That caused my little ham to start showing off by making funny faces and dancing around. So out came the camera and this is what I caught. 

Family, The Flu, A Car Date

We went to OK last weekend, and it was so good to see family and eat some of my mom's good cookin'. Jon, Katie, Chris and I all went to the OSU basketball game while Mimi and Papi watched the boys. This was the first time that they both seemed to acknowledge the other's presence while playing. Sunday, Chris' mom came for a visit and while she was there Ethan got the stomach flu. In turn, he passed it on to her, both my parents, Chris and me. The second half of the time there was spend taking turns in bed while someone watched Ethan (who remarkably was in great mood in spite of a messed up tummy). Before everyone else got sick, Ethan enjoyed playing in the backyard with Papi, and he took his first car date with the little girl next door. She drove him around in her little motorized Jeep and Ethan was in heaven. He screamed and held on to the car when I tried to take him out. Not a typical ending to a first date, but what can you do?

Brushing Teeth

Ethan is fascinated with teeth brushing. Unfortunately, it's more interesting for him to watch other people do it rather than have his own teeth brushed. (it's caused a few battles of the will) But on this Saturday morning it seemed liked a good idea to be just like his dad. I had to capture the moment...

13 Months

February has been an interesting month. Ethan and I caught BOTH strains of the flu just two weeks apart, so we've spent most of the month in quarantine. We have had fun moments too. He got into his first "fight" at play group. You think his eye looks bad...you should see the other kid's. (okay, not really) He's started mimicking words and phrases more. My favorite is when he is told "no touch", he repeats it and puts his hands down at his side (most of the time). He loves playing with balls and has started kicking his soccer ball around the house (but only with his right foot). He also loves his stuffed puppy dogs, and patting his belly when asked where his tummy is. He's developed a STRONG southern accent when saying "bye" - it's more Mississippi than Arkansas... And we've also started to see the emergence of a strong will. The other day when he didn't get his way, he walked over to me, got on his hands and knees, and started banging his head on the floor while screaming (it was on the carpet - don't worry grandparents). It kind of took me off guard. Then I couldn't help but laugh, and then I remembered I was the mom who probably should be using this moment to teach him something...but I wasn't sure what to do. This parenting thing is HARD.

Snow

I can't believe I forgot to post Ethan's first play in the snow. (We certainly didn't have to worry about losing him - his orange clothes glowed... Sadly, Chris insisted on balancing out all the orange with some crimson and cream.) Ethan seemed pretty indifferent about the snow. He kept getting frustrated because he couldn't walk in it. Maybe next year will be more fun.

The Kissing Game

Ethan has started playing a new game. From a distance, he'll catch my eye, start laughing, and then run towards me with arms wide open. (oh yeah, talk about melting a mom's heart) Once in my arms, he proceeds to give me a big 'ole kiss. The only thing is that his "kiss" is open-mouth and ALL tongue. With face like this, it's impossible to resist...so I have just had to get used to my makeup on the lower half of my face being completely gone by the end of the day. It's so worth it.

Good times with TP

And we've found the toilet paper roll. It's amazing what common things to us can be so much fun to little ones! Whenever I caught him playing with the TP, of course I had to run and get my camera. I am sure the laughing and picture snapping seemed to encourage this new play toy. Poor kid has to be so confused b/c now that we had a good photo-op, the TP is now "no touch". This can't be good parenting....

Textures

Over the past several weeks, Ethan has become infatuated with soft, fuzzy things. He has a stuffed bunny that he LOVES walking around rubbing on his face. It only poses a problem when things like a wall or table gets in his way. He usually ends up on his back with a puzzled look on his face, but thankfully the bunny is very stuffed and keeps his face protected. He also has fallen in love with a brown blanket that his cousin Alyssa gave to me last year. He pulls it onto the floor and then falls face into it. He'll rub his face on it and smile. (I think I interrupted a moment to take the above picture...) With cold season here and his continuously runny nose, this blanket has been christened with his snot. Now the blanket belongs to him.

1 Year Old

I can't believe my little guy is a year old... The time has flown by! This past year has truly been amazing as we have watched him go from a TINY 5 lb 11 oz baby to a constantly moving and smiling toddler. Chris and I feel so blessed to have this little man in our lives.

It's about time.

It's taken me way too long to get some of our Christmas pictures up. We started the holiday out with a few traditions of our own. The three of us went on a carriage ride in the square and opened gifts together on the 23rd. We were able to see Chris' family on the 23rd as well. We spent the rest of the Christmas holiday with my family in OK and had a fabulous time. Ethan and Jack seemed to enjoy passing each other on the run. Jack wasn't real sure what to think about having another little person around taking away his Mimi and Papi, but he seemed to get used to it. We had a blast watching the little guys play, eating tons of Mimi's amazing food, sitting in front of Papi's fire, opening gifts, and laughing together. I don't think it could have been any more perfect!

An "I am old" moment...

A local gym is offering a free, 21-day trial, so last week I went in for my first appointment. An employee there was taking down my information and proceeded to make some small talk. He asked if I was from the area, and I told him that I was from OK. He said that he was originally from Muskogee, so I thought that he might know a good friend of mine that grew up there. When I asked him and he said no, I realized he might be too young to know her. So I asked his age - he was EIGHTEEN! My quick math skills told me that he was ELEVEN years younger than me!! Of course he wouldn't know my friend - when she was in high school he would be like six. I couldn't stop laughing as I realized that someone 11 years my junior could be a trainer at a gym. I had finally gotten used to the idea that I am a mom, but now I am just feeling old...

The 3 Crazy H Ranch

We spent some time with Pa Pa David a few weeks ago, and Ethan was able to check out some ranch life. A fresh batch of baby goats were born, and Ethan enjoyed playing with one of them. He kept trying to "kiss" the poor goat - which means open mouth with a little tongue. He was also able to see his cousin's new horse, some sheep, cows and ducks. (it was so much better than looking at pictures of animals in books!) Ethan also was really captivated by his Pa Pa's chest hair... Is that weird?!

11 Months Old

I have several other things that I need to post (gotta keep this chronologically straight), but I couldn't help but post this picture taken by my super talented sister in law, Caylee. (she's a photographer for hire...) Anyway, I loved this picture and had to get it on the blog.

While I am here I might as well talk about the E-Train turning 11 months old and what fun last month was. Between being at both grandparent's houses, Ethan has had a lot of room to practice his walking. It still amazes me how well he's getting around. We've only managed to break two bowls and get numerous bruises in the process. He's on a HUGE "Daddy kick" - he cries every morning when Chris leaves for work. Sometimes I wonder if he even likes me...then I remind myself that I have been watching too much "Family Guy". (Stewie is always trying to commit matricide...) Anyway, Ethan is a daddy's boy. We also spent some time at Pa Pa David's ranch where Ethan petted/licked a new baby goat. He attended his first funeral - Chris' grandma passed away. (this does not fall under the "fun month" category) And he was able to spend a lot of time with both sets of cousins. It's been a busy month, and we're looking forward to another wild and crazy year!

Merry Christmas!

Books

Ethan has really started to love being read to. He loves sitting in our lap and listening to his stories. Chris couldn't get him out of his lap the other day and ended up reading "The Fire Truck" about 15 times. "Go Dog, Go" and "Llamas in Pajamas" are other favorites. We find ourselves quoting these books in conversations now... The other day Ethan was playing in his room and got really quiet, (usually a bad sign) but much to my delight, he was looking at his books by himself. I hope that his love of "reading" continues the rest of his life.

The "Bad Ball"

It is the strangest thing...Ethan is scared to death of this OSU ball. If you hit or drop the ball it plays an OSU song and says "Go Cowboys"...nothing too crazy. But even the sight of it causes him to start crying. (I swear Chris must be showing him the ball and pinching him when I am not around.) At first I was hiding the ball under the couch to keep the meltdowns at a minimum. But then I had a stroke of genius (or child abuse)...I put it in front of our dvd player. We have been working on "no touch" - to no avail. However, with the "bad ball" in front of the dvd player, I have not had to say "no touch" in two weeks! It's hilarious to watch Ethan weigh the pros and cons out. He'll stand a safe distance away, look at the ball, take a step or two towards it, shake his head, and walk away. I love it. Does this make me a bad mom?!?

A Saturday on the Square

Last Saturday there was a Christmas parade and events in our downtown square. There were carolers, lights, pony and camel rides, hot chocolate, people dressed as penguins (we're not sure why) and a nice chill in the air. Ethan hung out with baby Jesus for awhile (the glass covering the manger scene apparently tasted really good), and he loved watching the camel walk by. The afternoon only got better when his dad let him "walk" around and talk to people.

And we're off...

It's official: the E-Train is walking. He's been walking with assistance for about two months now, but last week he realized he could take a few steps on his own. This week he's gotten more confident and is taking several steps. The only problem is once he's realized he's on his own, he lunges forward to grab something. Yesterday it was the dishwasher door that was down. He's got a little battle wound to show for it, but he seems pretty unfazed. And my life is continuing to change... (I tried to capture his walking several times with a camera, but he kept lunging for it causing me to get some really good "mid-air" shots. I will keep trying and post when I get a good one.)

Thanksgiving '07

We spent Thanksgiving "down South" with Chris' side of the family. We ate very well and enjoyed time relaxing with the fam. Unfortunately the weekend took a sour turn as our Cowboys lost (again) to the Sooners. I don't know why the game has to be on a holiday weekend...especially since I married into a Sooner-heavy family. I still wore my orange proudly.

10 Months

(I apologize ahead of time for the hat...) It's hard to believe that our little man is getting closer to the one year mark. He's started pulling up on everything so he can stand up, so our house decorations are slowly inching up. Walking isn't too far around the corner either... He's continuing to be a social little guy - he absolutely loves going places and talking to anyone who will pay attention to him. I have a feeling he's going to have the same issue as his dad in school..."He's such a sweet, smart kid. He just talks a lot."

The Entertainer

Ethan has now realized that his "frustrated face" (the pursing of lips and blowing air out of his nose) is funny to his mom and dad. So, with the entertainer blood in him, he's doing it all the time to see what reaction he can get. I am not sure it will ever stop being hilarious...

A little gentleman...

Rockin' Hair

I always thought having a little girl would be fun so that I could play with her hair. I had no idea a little boy's hair could be so fun!

A Family Pic

A picture with all three of us seem to be few and far between these days. We took matters into our own hands this weekend as we headed to a church hayride. We couldn't get Ethan to smile for the camera, but I thought it was cute anyway. As I look at this picture I have to laugh - I (AGAIN) didn't realize that Ethan had food on his face. Poor kid.

Leaves

I am continually amazed at the fall here in NWA. The past two weeks I have wandered our neighborhood drooling over the incredible colors splashed everywhere. It's a little sad how a camera doesn't come close to capturing what the trees look like in person, but I couldn't help but try...

A Cute Dragon

Ethan was a vegetarian dragon for Halloween. (I say this b/c I didn't notice how much squash he had on his face till after we got him home that night) He wasn't overly happy about putting his costume on until he saw Tate the Bumblebee and Wonder Bread Kate. As the three kids took turn having meltdowns towards the end of the evening, we parents finally admitted that the night was more about us and the pictures. If our poor children survive us...

Chris & His Boss "Hard at Work"

Troy "the Boss" pre-race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FeUgRBUBB4
Chris pre-race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLzqav61G20
THE Race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rTuyHt80MI

This race has been planned for a couple weeks now. Bragging rights and $25 were at stake. It started out close in the beginning, but my speedy baby tore through the finish line first. We're going out celebrating tonight! Thanks for dinner, Troy. :)

a Cowner...a Soonboy...a Cooner?

With rival schools (and families), this poor kid is going to be so confused. He'll probably end up going to Texas...

The Pumpkin Patch

We took Ethan to buy a pumpkin and to get the standard "baby in the pumpkin patch" picture this week. I don't think he was nearly as excited as were were. As soon as we sat him down, the straw took up all his attention. And even with Chris' best song and dance routine, we still couldn't get him to smile. Oh, well..."pensive in the pumpkins" works too.

Bath Time

Ethan's new favorite bedtime activity is bath time. He gets so excited when he sees that water running that he tries to push out of my arms into the water...he's getting rather strong, so I could be in trouble soon. He enjoys laying on his back and kicking as fast as his little legs will go - splashing water EVERYWHERE. He just giggles and sticks his tongue out as we attempt to dodge the waves.

How you doin'?

This picture just makes me laugh... It's a mix of Joey-meets-Senior-pictures.

Crawling

It's been hilarious watching Ethan's personality come out while he's been learning to crawl. The poor little guy gets so frustrated that he can't quite make it all work. For awhile he would just scream because he was so mad, but just yesterday he started breathing heavily out of his nose and pursing his lips. (you can click on the picture to get a better view of his new "I am mad" look) I am sure seeing me laughing and snapping pictures while he was hard at work didn't help things...

Another fun month.

September was another fun month in Ethan's life. He was in Oklahoma 3 out of 5 weekends, he watched his Uncle Josh get married, he developed an unknown food allergy, he learned that he can climb out of his swing, that he can scream and get people's attention while shopping with mom, that walking (with assistance) is much more fun than "tummy time", and that a little scooting/crawling across the floor will cause parents and grandparents to do very funny and strange things (like victory dances and weird cheers).