We're Home!!!

I could write pages and pages about our trip to Colorado (as well as a pamphlet explaining why one year olds and vacations don't mix), but I won't. I'll let you look at the pictures, complete with captions, and allow them to tell the story. Honestly, we really did have a lot of good times on the trip. Ethan was a pretty good sleeper the first few nights but stopped sleeping the last few. Paired with the fact that we then shared walls those last few nights, it made for some stressful times. So asking us about our trip at the end would yield a different answer than in the middle. Being home now, though, and with a lot more sleep, I look at the pictures we took with fondness. Colorado is so gorgeous, and I was glad to, for once, show Will someplace he had never been but I had. I posted just a few teaser pictures, but the rest can be seen on the following link:

http://ethansantics.shutterfly.com/action/

I Love You, Stinky Face

There's a really great children's book called I Love You, Stinky Face that I just have to get for Ethan. You see, Ethan has a reputation for being a very serious kid. Since he was able to make facial expressions, of his own volition that is, his expression of choice for strangers and family alike has been a furrowed brow. Early on, we nicknamed his favored facial appearance The Stink Eye. (This term was coined by family in reference to a funny grimace my nephew Drew loved to make, much to the entertainment of us all.) As Ethan has aged, The Stink Eye has become more and more advanced. Ethan is definitely an equal opportunity Stink Eyer, but he practices it the most on strangers, making trips out in public particularly funny.

While I will certainly not dispute Ethan's affinity toward frowning at others, I am here to tell you that really, most often, he is a very happy kid who smiles and laughs quite a bit. I'm not sure why I feel the need to defend this fact. I guess I just want everyone to see him as Will and I see him: as a very curious and adorable little man. If you do not see him often, or when there are many others around, you may not get to see the true Ethan. I assure you, though, that especially with his newly acquired walking skills, he is a hoot.

To illustrate, I've posted many recent pictures, from his birthday party, our trip to the lake house in WI, and some at home. I've also posted a video of his now famous "fridge hump" dance. I could watch him do this all day long. While at the lake, Ethan perfected walking, and has thus changed our lives at home. We moved our leaning (aka climbing) shelf to where he can't get to it, turned all our tables to have drawers facing walls, took most things off of any reachable surface, locked some cabinet doors, and started keeping all doors to bathrooms/bedrooms closed. Thanks to our circular floor plan, Ethan is having a ball walking round and round the house. He's discovering many new things to play with, too, such as my pots and pans and the remote. His higher vantage point gives him reign over a lot more territory!

Though his walking causes us to be on our toes even more (didn't know it was possible), we're enjoying watching him toddle around. Plus, he now has a choice about crawling on hard surfaces. No more dirty knees...or at least not as much. Walking also comes with other advantages. Today was his last physical therapy appointment and Miss Pat gave him flying colors and pronounced him a Children's Memorial PT graduate. I admit to being a little sad, as I really looked forward to these appointments because his therapist was so nice, as were the other people in the office. Those appointments, as well as the ones with his orthotist, helped break up my week during the winter/spring. But, of course, we're glad he no longer needs any kind of special services.

That's all for now, I think. My next post will probably be with stories and pictures from our trip to Colorado. Keep us in your thoughts for our plane ride (this coming Monday morning and the next week Tuesday) and the entire trip. Let the adventure begin!

Will had a harrowing ride back from the party store with all of Ethan's party balloons!

New cousin Matthew slept through most of the party.

Ethan loved playing with Auntie Spooner.

Here's Grandma posing with her great cake, complete with a Little People plane.


Ethan's not a fan of cake...yet.
What a haul!


Here's Ethan playing with one of his new toys.

What a smart kid, working on his puzzle.

Here's his post-party hairdo the next day.

On attempt number 3, we finally got Ethan to stay in his floaty.

Mr. Jake loved playing in the sand.

A born sailor.

Jake and Ethan got matching Fourth of July rompers from Aunt Laura. They wore them on their first boat ride.

Ethan did surprisingly well on his boat ride, despite the uncomfortable life jacket. We have hope for our plane ride next week now!

How cute is this picture?

Ethan had his own place to play.

The parents with their "penned" kids.

Here's Ethan showing off his muscles, the ones he gets from his Daddy.

This dance is what got me through a sleep-deprived week at the lake. No matter how tired or grumpy I was, watching Ethan do his fridge toy dance melted it all way. He now does this dance when any music is playing and even while sitting or in our arms. It's hilarious.