Happy New Year!

6 years ago...

my best friend asked me to marry him. :-)

He sent me a card

And told me that he couldn't bear to be apart any longer so he had made travel arrangements for me meet him.

I flew first class to meet him at the Tower of America building in San Antonio, TX where he was waiting for me at the observation deck to ask me a special question...

Just like in the movies... (Sleepless in Seattle, An Affair to Remember)

Family Portraits!

At the end of November, Garrett, Ethan, and I met up with a friend from playgroup and her family to do a family photo shoot exchange. She took our photos and I took theirs. It was fun and Sarah did an amazing job! A funny tidbit about Sarah and her husband Nick is that Garrett worked with both of them at University Leasing while we were in College Station (prior to when I worked there). Sarah and I had never met until playgroup but we figured out the connection when she saw photos of Garrett on my flickr account online. Nick and Sarah have a daughter who was born the day after Ethan. Isn't it a small world?

I am so thrilled to finally have family pictures of us. Thanks again, Sarah for taking our photos!

So we accidentally found out that laser pointers entertain more than just cats.



It was a good way to get out some energy before his bedtime! ;-) (Poor kitties. Bailey and Beau wanted to play but they had to wait until Ethan had tired of it first)

Merry Christmas!

Made by Ethan (10 months old) with help from his Mommy. :-)

Sweet tired out boy...

Lets back up 15 minutes...



 

 

Un-decorating is hard work!

How do you make a bored 11 month old interested in his toys?

All you have to do is clean up the room and put them away!

Ethan "helping" me "clean" his room. Very non-productive. As soon as something was put away he would take it all apart while I was cleaning the next section. :-) Not sure why I bother- its not like his room stays clean! (well, I guess the vacuum cleaner doesn't do too well with toys in the way)

Kalyn's Maternity/Baskin Family Photoshoot!

Over Thanksgiving, I had the pleasure of taking my sister-in-law's maternity and family photos. She is expecting identical twin baby girls! At the time of the photos, she was 26 weeks pregnant.

Please click on the maximize button on the bottom left part of the sideshow controls (looks like four arrows each pointing out towards the corners of a box). Or you can click on this link.The photographs look much better when they are full screen.



She sure is a cute pregnant lady! I had so much fun taking their photographs. (And I can't wait to get a chance to photograph those baby girls!)

Tonights dinner is courtesy of...

...the ball pit. :-)

When my mother came to visit she gave Ethan an early Christmas present.

200 balls...

 
to turn his Pack N Play into a ball pit.

He loves it! Thanks, Mom!

11 Months

At 11 Months you are...

Teething...

all the time...

and have 7 teeth (with three more on the way!)

Sometimes this makes you pretty upset and nothing that Mama or Daddy do will make you happy. After we've tried all that we can think of there is one thing left that usually works...

"Shaun the Sheep". At first watching Shaun was a last resort at 2 am when nothing else worked but now Shaun has been creeping into our daylight hours for other times when teething/itchy skin or just plan unexplainable fussiness/nap resistance sets in. Recently my mom was here and she asked Ethan where Shaun was (talking about a little plastic sheep figure that he has) and Ethan went to the TV and put his hands on it. Oops! Trying not to overuse the TV... I swear!

You are also super expressive when you talk...

You like to talk into objects to hear how your voice changes...

When you play you often like to use one finger to push around your balls, beads, etc.

You have commandeered your Daddy's paper trash can for yourself..

 and it makes a great toy.

You also love playing in leaves

and walking on your knees...

After all walking on your knees is much less risky that walking on your two feet! Not so far to fall and you can get around quick.

Although, you do occasionally try walking. You have taken up to four steps at a time but usually only take one or two. If you have a hold of one of Mama's hands you can walk all over the room. You do look mighty proud of yourself when you walk!

But you aren't in too big a rush. You prefer fast modes of transportation like crawling, walking on your knees, or using rolling toys to help you walk around.

You love to smell things. Whether it is your Ghost Bear, your toothbrush, an old pacifer that you have found or the cat toys, you love to hold things up to your nose while you play.

You also like to chew on Ghost Bear...

Ghost Bear needs a bath bad (I think he stinks!) but your Daddy is afraid that he won't smell the same to you after he has been washed. You love smelling Ghost Bear when you are tired and falling asleep.

You are obsessed with getting into the computer. Your new nickname (when you are getting into stuff) is "twerper". Blame your dad, he coined it. ;-)

It doesn't matter if I'm 4 feet away holding the most exciting brightly colored toy ever made- you go for the computer.

As for your other stats, you are definitely growing and getting taller but for now you are still wearing size 12 month and 18 month PJ's and 12-18 month clothes. Socks size 6-12 month and Shoes are size 3. As for your weight, it hasn't changed at all in the last month. You still weigh 22.5 lbs.

When it comes to naps, we have gone back from one three hour nap and a 7:30- 8:30 bedtime to two naps anywhere from 45 min to 2 hours a piece and a late bedtime of 10:30 pm. You are just so excited about your world that you don't want to stop playing to sleep.

You have become a bit of a pickier eater in that if you aren't in the mood for a certain food we have to try several before we find something that you will willingly eat.

However, you have also been showing more interest in table food and have started taking food off of our plates.

Out of the things that we have tried sharing with you, the only things that you have gone for have been bread products (cereal, tortilla, biscuit, cracker, pasta) and grated Parmesan cheese. You have had no interest in beans or any other table food. Although, the other day you did try french fry (you didn't like it). Currently your favorite purees are green beans and mixed veggies.

Lately you have been interested in stacking toys and exploring toys with shape. You have a toy that you put balls into and lately you have been trying to put your plastic sheep, stacking cups, etc. into it instead. It's fun to see you grow and explore your world.

You also love forts. Your favorites are when we put a blanket over a laundry basket that is turned on its side or when we drape blankets over your jumperoo.

You have started ignoring us when we say your name. Most of the time you don't, but if you are playing and we say your name you tend to ignore us. However, if anyone says "Beau Cat" you will immediately turn and look at them and then look around for the cat. You have also started saying "Kkkk" at the cats.

You still love books and being read to (oh how you love it!) but you have really gotten interested in exploring the bookshelf yourself.

You pull down your books one at a time and stop to flip through the pages and touch the illustrations before you pull down another.

And what happens whenever you notice your Mama taking photos of you?

Baby boy, I can't believe that in just four short weeks you will be celebrating your first birthday!