"Thanks for helping!"

Daddy's little helper helping him build his toy organizer. When they were finished for the day, Ethan looked at Garrett and said "Thanks for helping!".

Climbing the walls

So not only are pants optional these days but apparently so is rule following!

The thing that gets me is that he knows he's not supposed to do it. He stops when he sees me and says "Don't jump. You'll fall and Mommy sad". It's like he just can't help himself or something! Agh!

 
And when I said he was climbing the walls? Well, I've caught him sitting in the middle of the dining room table numerous times, also standing on top of the computer desk, and twice standing up on the changing table! He always does it as soon as I have to tend to Landon. It doesn't take long- this kid is fast!

The bad thing is that not only does it make me mad, but he can be so darn funny about it too. It can be a struggle trying to school my features. Like in this shot he's being a 'baby'. I'm getting good at making my 'disapproving parent face' though!

You better watch out...

...'cause Santa clause is coming to town! (in this case, maybe!) I think we need to start talking about the 'naughty' list around here. Someone's in danger of getting on it! (that and in danger of getting his first set of stitches!)

I know Ethan is tired of being cooped up in the house. Goodness knows, I am too. Lately this kid has been climbing the walls!

* I was taking pictures of Landon in the nursery with Ethan running in and out as he played when I noticed he sounded like he was having a lot of fun. So I came in to investigate with camera in hand. Exposure is off, but this was a one quick picture kind of thing. ;-)

A TREE!

"A TREE, a TREE!" he says, as he excitedly runs around the living room in circles.

He just can't leave it alone.

He's been squealing about it all morning.

And no matter how many times I dutifully tell him to back away from the tree (keeping in mind that soon it will be decorated and he'll need to leave it alone), he just can't help himself.

And there is a part of me that really doesn't mind. Even though I have to pretend that I do. After all I don't want him messing with another person's tree or knocking over ours. But there is something so sweet about being almost three and having so much enthusiasm. His enthusiasm is contagious and I wish I could bottle it up.

This year Christmas is going to be so much fun!

We help Daddy

I can't help it but this picture reminds me of a little golden book that I used to read as a kid. Did you ever read this book?

These days Garrett has a little shadow who wants to help! I'm sure it won't be long before he has two little boys following his every move.

This specific day Ethan was helping Daddy hang up a curtain rod for the blackout curtains we bought for Ethan's room. Ethan was having trouble napping and when he did it was for a very short time (almost not worth the crying). He kept asking us to "turn off the lights" even though they were already off and the blinds were closed. After a week of trying to get him to sleep we decided to give curtains a try. The verdict? It was a success! The first post-curtain nap was 3 hours and 15 minutes long!

Saturday morning kiddie "kitty" cuddles

Lately Ethan has been pretending that he is a kitty. He wanted to curl up in our bed like the cats and meow. Here he is snuggling with "Daddy cat".

Melt my heart

Ethan wanted me to draw a big and a little heart. Then he wanted them to be 'happy'. Then he told me that it was a Mommy heart and an Ethan heart. <3 br="br">

Melt my heart!

Trick or Treat!

This  year when we were discussing whether or not Ethan was really old enough to go trick or treating he piped up with "Trick or Treat!". So we decided that maybe he did get the concept after all!



And boy did he. For the month of October everytime we opened a door, even the car door, he would yell "Trick or Treat!"
 

Our neighborhood doesn't have a lot of little trick or treaters probably since our neighborhood is small, doesn't have many kids and is sort of tucked away. So for Ethan's first year of trick or treating we went along with his best bud, Gabi. He loved it. Not sure if he liked the candy or riding in the wagon more.



The kids got the hang of it fast. They had fun running up to the doors and knocking.



They did a good job of remembering their maners too. It was super sweet hearing them say "trick or treat" in their high pitched sweet little 2 year old voices.

Like most two year olds, distraction was a bit of a problem. We came home with a few sticks and leaves in his Halloween bucket.

He also liked to stop and look/touch the decorations and a couple of times he sat down on the front porch to start going through his candy.

About halfway through he started to get a bit tired and I heard him say "The end! The end!". But that didn't stop him from wanting to go to more houses. 

A couple of times Ethan's tried to trick or treat again at the same door. And people thought it was funny so he ended up with a lot of candy. In no time at all his pumpkin was filled up halfway to the top. Ethan started walking funny and grunting saying "It's heavy, its heavy". It was pretty funny how dramatic he was being.

Funny story about his costume. He was going to be a robot but since we ran out of time we figured he could go ahead and wear Rowdy's old dinosaur costume even though its still a little too big. However, Halloween afternoon Ethan decided that he was scared of the dinosaur and wouldn't come near it. I tried coaxing him but he wouldn't even consider putting it on. So we scrapped that idea and decided he would wear his super hero cape, a t-shirt, and pj bottoms like he wore to the Halloween party. However, we were running late with traffic and construction and Ethan got carsick on the way there. So he ended up wearing a spare outfit that we keep in the car along with his cape.

It didn't ruin his enjoyment- the candy was the important part!

Look at those full buckets!

I'd say his first trick or treat experience was a hit!

Rocket art

When Mommy draws rockets with Ethan:

When Daddy draws rockets with Ethan:

Ethan is going to be sad when Garrett's paternity leave is over!

Ethan gets a baby brother!

Friday afternoon Ethan came up to visit Mommy and Daddy and meet his new baby brother. We sent Landon to the nursery so that Ethan could see just Mommy and Daddy at first and talk about how he was getting a brother. Then we took him down the hall to meet him. Ethan happily chatted and we heard the words "baby" and "brother" as we took him down the hall.

We used the intercom phone to ask for Landon to be brought to the window. Ethan pointed out the baby but seemed a bit more interested in his balloon.

Baby Landon

Checking ID tags. Yep, this one's ours!

Ethan was interested in the baby and kept talking and pointing out that this was a baby.

Back at the room he was a little less sure of the baby but he was very sweet to his brother.

Giving baby Landon a kiss.



The balloon was a little more interesting though. He made shapes with the balloon string and would call them out. "Triangle! Circle! Square!"

Then we told him that baby Landon had a present for him. "Present??" He was happily surprised and enjoyed opening his big brother bag and playing with the book and activities that we had inside for him.

In just 9 days or less....

...he will become a big brother. I can't believe it. Where did the time go and when did he start to seem so big?

My little robot pajama clad rocket loving little boy.

Everything is more fun in a box!

Can you see why he is sad? He accidentally kicked off a shoe.

Add a blanket and everything gets even better!

His naps have been much shorter since we got the box and he has been waking up from his naps asking to play in it. He's just too excited to sleep!  :-)

Twinkle twinkle little star...

Lately our little boy has started stalling at bedtime (as well as nap time). He wants to read every book on his bookcase and he comes up with reasons that he needs us to come back into the room. Instead of his regular easy 7:30 bedtime, its usually 8:30/9pm before he actually goes down and stays down for the night.

A few months ago we purchased a video monitor when we transitioned him to his toddler bed. It is so helpful being able to peek in on him! I wondered what he was pointing to on the wall so I went to go check on him.

(by the way, he knows we can see him because when I was in the room with him he turned to the video monitor camera, waved, and said "Hi, DaDEE!")

He had gotten his turtle night light out and was projecting stars on the wall and singing twinkle twinkle little star. I'm sure the fact that its still light out when he goes down for the night doesn't help him want to sleep.

My firm parenting resolve went out the window and I stayed to play with him for a while. Sweet little moments.

After singing him goodnight again I checked and saw a telltale green glow on the monitor...yep, not technically out of bed but not sleeping.



 More twinkle twinkle singing.

Finally after going in a third time he was laying in bed crying. He had put the night light back on the floor next to his bed but the light was in his eyes. I turned it off and he went right to sleep. Success?

It sure is fun to see things through his eyes and share in his enthusiasm. :-)