"G's" Visit

What a great visit with G we had. She spoiled Ethan rotten with love and affection as usual and also with some really stylish clothes. He got rocked to sleep for every nap and every night, and I am not sure we hear him cry all weekend. Dave and I got to ski together with out Ethan, it was a little weird. All the way there, we kept thinking to ourselves that he was in the back seat. But we didn't miss him when we got up there, sorry E.


I was really dreading today as it was the first day without G. I was picturing a day filled with spoiled rotten crying baby, but it has been such a great day. I think G wore him out. He took a 3 hour nap in the morning and then another one in the afternoon. Wow...I was a little worried, I had to go in there and make sure he was still breathing a couple times and that is definitley not like me to do. He doesn't seem to want to play by himself though, I wonder why???

All in all, it was a great weekend and turns out E isn't in too bad a shape, except he misses G.


Thanks for a good visit G, we love you!

Message to My "G"

Hey G, it's me Ethan. I just wanted to tell you how excited I am for you to come and visit. You were the first face that greeted me into this world, well aside from Mom and Dad. I can't wait for you to play with me and sing the Grammy Song. I know Mom really doesn't like that song, but I am sure I will love it as much as Joey does. I have a bunch of new toys to show you and I can sit up at the play cube all by myself. Sometimes I fall over, but that is just as much fun as sitting up. I am really becoming a big boy and I can't wait for you to see me! Travel safe and I will see you tomorrow! I love you, G. Your Grandson, Ethan.

Best sound in the world, how else can I describe this?

Skiing

Our Son the little trooper, he has already been to Vail, Breckenridge, Arapaho Basin, and Keystone. We are so lucky to have met another couple with a son just a little older than Ethan. They are bound to be best buds. We take the boys on the gondola, to the bar, cafeteria, lodge, wherever. They are both so good. If only they could be out there on their own skis. One day they will be!

Nesting Accomplished, better late than never...

Anyone who has ever had a baby, knows the incredible urge to nest while you are pregnant. Our situation did not allow any time for nesting. So, now here we are, finally in a house, where Ethan gets his own room. We finally get to break out the nautical decor and the thoughtful gifts from the baby shower. The room was yellow, which for some people is nice, but I wanted a really big boy room. So we painted it Blue this weekend. Wow, what an amazing transformation. It yells boy now. I love it. Now, I am secretly hoping I can paint the room next to Ethan's pink...

Crawling

So here we are, so excited that Ethan is figuring out that he can do more that lay on his belly. He is scooting everywhere and when he gets on his belly he head plants and puts his weight on his knees. This is the beginning of the end. Why is it that parents are so excited for this milestone?? I am sure that once he has figured it out we will be wishing for the old days.

Getting up to speed

Ethan will be 6 months old, 24 weeks, next Friday. The Holidays were great. Our first Thanksgiving together was wonderful. We had our friends Holly and Geoff and Sawyer over at our house. Sawyer is your first friend. You guys are so cute together. The weather is turning colder and we aren’t able to take as many walks along the creek. But I love you in hats. I am so glad we are in a place that you can actually wear them. You love taking baths. We take showers together some times. You sit in your tub while I shower. We play and play. Daddy is so glad you like the water. You will be his little sailor someday. You started eating cereal at about 4 months. Really you just spit it back out on your shirt, but eventually you figured it out. You slobber more than any baby I have ever seen. I can’t wait for you to get out of that phase. And spitting up too! I have to change you twice a day.
December flew by…We have been looking for a house to rent in the mountains and getting ready for Christmas. We also have some snow here, so we have to fit in some skiing time. The first time we took you skiing was an event. People must have thought we were crazy. We met Geoff and Holly and Sawyer. Your first slopes were Breckenridge. We park at that bottom of the hill and take the gondola up to the lodge. You and Sawyer both did great. We can’t wait to see you boys on the slopes with us. You will be flying past us I am sure. We all talk about what you and Sawyer will be like when you get a little bigger. You have since been to Keystone, and Vail.
We had Christmas early so we could head to Florida and Ohio. It was so much fun for Daddy and I. I am sure next year will be more eventful, but you sure looked cute. We headed off to Florida to see Daddy’s family. We stayed with Aunt Donna, Uncle Jeff and Cousins Danielle and Maxx. They sure love you and love to hold you. Then we were off to Tampa to see Grandma Hill, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Steve and Cousins Rachel, and Jesse. You saw your other cousin Hillary and her family Gabby and Tony in Naples with the Furmans. You got some cute outfits and some toys. You are already spoiled. Hard to believe I know! Then it was time for your next flight to Columbus. G is so excited to see you I think she could burst. We arrived Christmas day, and then we celebrated the twenty sixth with the rest of your Aunts and cousins. Maggie thinks you are her personal doll; she wants to drag you around by the neck. She also wants to make out with you. Really she just loves everything about you, but it sure looks like you guys are kissing cousins already. Joey thinks you’re pretty cool too, but he doesn’t like sharing his G with you. Izzy doesn’t really like sharing her either. G loves her grandkids. And they certainly love her. You will find out one day how cool she is. Aunt Mandy won’t put you down and Aunt Amy and her gentle NICU touch has you figured out. Favorite Aunt Jenny isn’t here since she is in Hawaii, but I am sure she will tell you that she is still Favorite Aunt Jenny even though you barely know each other. Aunt Jessie just looks at you like “wow”. And she worries about you. I think she is just worried about someday have a baby of her own. Mamaw and Papaw sure think you are the BOMB… Papaw even babysat for you one night so all the girls could have a night out. I think you will probably love Paps as much as I do. He sure loves you. Even changed a poopy diaper, which is more that I can say for Daddy. Although, Daddy and I have a deal so he is off the hook.
Now the Holidays are over and we are back in CO. We found a house to rent and we a getting settled. It is in the mountains of conifer. I know you will love it when you are old enough to know. You are getting so cute. You smile ever time anyone looks at you. You are such a good baby. You take great naps, and sleep through the nights still. You are starting to roll over. It is such a joy watching you figure things out. I never imagined I could love something so much. You are brightest the star in my sky. Daddy and I can’t imagine life without you. We have so many plans for you. so many adventures, so much fun to be had.

Month Three

Time is flying by and you are getting so big. Your legs are getting chubby and you have a double chin. This month was a very busy month. G came to see us all in Denver. She spoiled you rotten of course. You have more clothes than you know what to do with. But you are the cutest ever. She got up with you in the morning and of course fed you every chance she got. The three of us go out on the town together, you are so good. We went to Oktoberfest one day and we met some really nice people. They have a son that is a couple months older than you. You have been babysat twice now. The first time was actually not as hard and we suspected, although Daddy called the baby sitter every hour. The second time was a little hard, not sure why. I guess I missed you that day. You are smiling all the time now and cooing and trying to talk. Every time you catch eyes with me or daddy you just smile from ear to ear. Mamaw said you were the most beautiful baby we have had in this family. We certainly think so. You are still so spoiled; you want to be held all the time. This for the most part is ok. I don’t mind at all. Hopefully soon we can spend more time together and I won’t have to work so much.

Month Two

We left Florida, headed back to OH to load up the dogs, cats and all of our stuff from being there all summer. Daddy drove in the car with the 2 dogs and cats and you and I flew to Denver. We headed to our loft in down town Denver. It was so nice to get settled in our life just the three of us. For months we have been surrounded by family and friend and it was so nice to get to know more of you. Shortly after settling in here you started sleeping through the night. We took you on walks almost every day is the weather was beautiful. You love being outside and feeling the fresh air. Your first smiles arrived in the second month. I read to you sometimes, you seem to like it even though you have no idea what I am saying. We moved you from the cradle in our room to your own room upstairs sometime in the end of this month. Your room upstairs in the loft, I call our room. I work up there and we hang out up there during the day. We have all three of your blankets that were made for you displayed. The blanket Aunt Amy made for you is hanging on the wall with the matching pillow in your crib. The crocheted quilt Lynn Gulley made for you is at the end of your crib and the blanket Shannon Fuller (BTS) had made is over the rocking chair. All of your books we got at the shower are on the book shelf along with all your stuffed animals.

Week Four

Daddy has a special place in your Grandma Hill’s heart, but I think now you have an equally special place. She loved having you in her arms. Then we got to meet Aunt Debbie, Uncle Steve and your cousins Jessie, Rachel and Hillary. We stayed with them in Tampa while they got to know you. Then it was on to Naples to meet Aunt Donna, Uncle Jeff and Cousins Danielle and Maxx. I don’t know of anyone more excited for your arrival than Aunt Donna. She was over the moon for you. Danielle and Maxx thought you were the cutest.

Week Three

Getting ready to go to meet your Florida family… Now that you have met all of your Ohio family, there were many anxious people waiting to meet you in FL. Daddy’s Mom, we all call her Mayce, she is 87 and I bet she can’t believe she got to live to see your Daddy have kids! It took him a while, but it is the most sure thing we have ever done. You complete our lives in more ways than you will ever know.

Week Two

We had a little scare with you. You got some baby acne on your forehead and it must have created an infection in your eye as it became red and swollen and filled with mucus. We took you to the pediatrician and she told us to go to Children’s Hospital. Well, no one could figure out what it was. We had several doctors look at your eye and each one had another doctor come in. The infections disease doctor finally started to make some sense. They admitted us so we had to stay the night. They had to give you an IV and take some blood. That was the hardest thing Mommy and Daddy have gone through in your life…well, up to this point that is! We had to watch you cry as they poked you with needles. We could only hope as you looked up into our eyes crying, that you didn’t think it was us that were hurting you. They finally got us to a room and we just loved on you all night. We were all scared, but we knew you were going to be ok. They gave you three different antibiotics through the night and you were starting to look much better by the next morning. They let us go that next night and in about a week you were all cleared up.
You went to your very first party, one of many I am sure, as you will definitely be initiated into TTK in about 20 years or so. Well, maybe earlier if Aunt Jenny has her way. She is the wild one you need to watch out for. It was her going away party that was your first party. You got to hang out with all of Mommy and Daddy’s friends. They all thought you were so beautiful and couldn’t believe that we actually had a baby. It took us some time, you know. But someday you will appreciate that.

Week One

We left the hospital and arrived at G’s house. She had the house all clean and ready for our arrival. You met a lot of your family those first couple weeks, all your Aunts on Mommy’s side, Amy, Jenny, Mandy and Jessie. Then there are your cousins, Joey, Izzy and Maggie. They sure loved you bunches. Maggie thought you were her doll and wanted to carry you around. G didn’t want to share you with anyone. Mamaw and Papaw were so touched to finally meet you. Aunt Kimmy and Uncle Dave of course were there, trying to name you ED. Needless to say, you were very spoiled from the start. You didn’t know what you bed was. You thought you had to be in someone’s arms to be sleeping.