Wow...Ethan you are one!

One year, 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months. That's a long time, right? No, not right...it went so fast, I feel like tomorrow you will be 16 and won't want to sit on my lap anymore. Well let's hope you don't want to do that at 16! I can't even put into words the joy I have being your mom. You are such an awesome kid. You are so much like Daddy and I, and we love it. You can't stop moving, ever! You are not afraid of anything. You love adventure, you love being outside, you love the dogs and the kitty. We just couldn't have asked for a better kid. I know, I know...broker record, right?

So on to the birthday party. It was going to be just a small gathering with Sawyer, of course, and the Strebes. And maybe G. Well, it turned out to be a big shindig! G came to visit and brought with her your favorite Aunt Jenny just in from Maui, HI. Grampa Blake decided to come visit as well after G talked him into it. And as if that wasn't enough, your crazy Aunts Amy and Mandy decided to come surprise us and especially Jenny with a trip to CO. After 24 hours and driving through the night they made it. It was an unbelievable special weekend, not just because it was your bithrday, but also to have all your family there. It was awesome. You got to play with your cousins Maggie, Izzy and Joey and also Sawer and Reece. It was a great day. You got lots of clothes from G, a really cool CAT dump truck from The Strebels, a cool computer keyboard to actually use with the real computer from Aunt Donna and Uncle Jeff, and some cool bath toys from Aunt Debbie and Uncle Steve and also from Grampa Blake. As if you needed more toys or clothes!

After the craziness of the Bday weekend, we had a nice quiet weekend, the Strebels came over and we just relaxed. We went fly fishing and you had you first fall into the freezing river. I was right there to pick you up and you didn't seem to mind the cold so much as you kept wanting to get back in.

Then it was time for Mommy's birthday, and not just a birthday, but birthweek. You will soon get to experience the birthweek. We went a cabin and spend the weekend in the mountains a few hours away. You got to get dirty, which of course you love and Mommy hates. We took the quad and took you almost all the way to the continental divide. Of course you feel asleep, so if we would have made it you would have missed it all! it was so cute, you were asleep in my arms on this bumpy and rough road. But you just love being outside and you love riding the quad. we went to the Royal Gorge Bridge, the tallest suspension bridge in the world. It was pretty weird watching you walk around on this bridge being so high up. We rode the ferris wheel, which you loved! Oh, and you got on your first and probably last Mule ride. I say last becuase I think we will move you up to a horse next time. Daddy liked it because the Mule's name was Nelly and he got to say "Whoa Nelly" Yea, one day you will be real sick of Daddy's jokes.

In other not so exciting news: You are a great sleeper, you love your stuffed animals and you love your bed. You climb the stairs up and back down like a little monkey, and now you have figured out how to hold the railing so you can walk up the stairs like a big boy. I think your first words are starting to formulate. Every now and then we can hear you mimicking us. Daddy, Doggy and kitty I think are pretty much already there. You love to throw your food off of your high chair down to the dogs below. Mommy really hates this, can you work on that please? Daddy absolutely adores you and can't wait until you can talk so you guys can have boy talk. You like to cuddle now, and I love that. You enjoy sitting on my lap and I think its pretty cool, for now...

You are just the best. What else can I say.

Happy Birthday Ethan!