10-11 Months

One more month, and Ethan will be one year old!! It's hard to believe almost an entire year has gone by since he was born. Ethan has been a very busy boy these last two months. He loves balls, electronics, Nick Jr., clapping his hands, playing mommy's piano, dancing and singing to music, and voicing his opinion. He is very good at throwing balls (a future baseball player perhaps!) and pressing every button he can find. He's such a smarty with cause and effect and loves to see what happens when he pushes buttons. This is great when he plays with his toys...not so great when he's constantly grabbing for our phones, laptop, and TV. Climbing up and down the stairs has been another favorite these last couple of months and hasn't been without a few tumbles along the way of course. But he's learning and is pretty fearless for the most part. He continues to walk along and between furniture, stand on his own, and take a few steps here and there (when he really wants something), but so far crawling is his preferred and fastest mode of transportation. This last month, he spent some time at Como Zoo with his nanny Brittany, he travelled back to N.D. and met his new baby cousin Aubrey, and he picked his very own pumpkin at the pumpkin patch. He also got to spend some time with Grandma Gloria, and he has been quite the "busy little bee" going to two Halloween parties. We love every moment with our busy, busy little boy and can't wait to celebrate his first birthday next month!

PICTURES

At the zoo.

Cuddle time with grandpa!

Baby Aubrey

Aubrey snoozing with daddy Jon.

Ethan thought that looked comfy and decided to try it out!

I love this - thanks Jon and Dina!

Playing with cousin Kella.

Picking grandpa's apples.

Yummy...and feels good on the gums!

Cousin Delani came to play too.

Cuddle time with auntie Cherise.

Dina and Aubrey & Mommy and Ethan

My first pheasant feather!

Spending the day with grandma.

Pumpkin carving time!

Weeeee~

The final product.

Trying out our costumes.

The bumblebees!

First toddler Halloween party.

Ethan the bee with neighbor Audrey the calf.

Helping daddy put the new TV stand together...big helper!

Nap in the E.R. after a tumble down the stairs onto the hard floor. (Everything was OK thankfully!)

What little boy doesn't eat dirt I guess?

Daddy's lap is big enough for Ethan and Audrey!

After the flu shot...no big deal.

Sooooo big!! 

8-9 months

Ethan continues to be a very healthy, happy little boy! He is a very fast crawler and excellent at walking around furniture and standing up on anything he can grab. His favorites these last two months have been simming, swinging, and playing all day long. He has also added throwing balls to his skill set....and throwing everything out of the bath tub. We go through a lot of towels! He has developed some stranger anxiety and hates when mommy leaves, but for the most part, he continues to be a very social and fearless baby. He will dive down stairs, off the bed, and out of your arms. We have to watch him closely - very busy boy! He did have his first trip to the ER (which was probably harder on mom and dad than him). He was treated for bronchopeneumonia, but made a quick recovery and has been back to his normal self for the last couple of weeks. He did very well over Labor Day in the hotel in Bismarck with mommy and daddy and their college friends, and he loved swimming in the pool and going down the waterslide. (Yes, daddy took him down the big waterslide. Mommy nearly had a heart attack.) Other milestones include two bottom teeth, climbing stairs, and sleeping through the night! It has only been three nights, but it has been a glorious three nights. After six very long nights of "tough love," he finally slept all night without mommy and daddy on September 13, 2011. It only took 9 1/2 months - ha, ha. We just hope he keeps it up! Oh - and I forgot to add that Ethan remains an extremely verbal baby. He says "ma ma" and "da da" very clearly and actually understands what it means (rather than just babbling like before). It is very cute...except when he reaches for mommy and cries "ma ma ma ma" when she leaves for work. That's a little heartbreaking. But he has fun with Brittany all day.

PICTURES

 

Swinging in our backyard.

LOVES books!

Getting very good with his sippy cup.

Take me out!

He has good taste. :-)

We had 9 1/2 months worth of "parties" in his crib!

Happy birthday, daddy!

Eating puffs.

Dropping puffs.

Definitely the star of mommy's blog!

Helping daddy with the bath.

I hate these overalls!

Weeeee!

He loves to climb.

Reading smurf book with daddy.

Our little race car driver.

Swimming with dad, Briggs, and Mike.

"All done!"

A preview of Halloween....he's still warming up to the bumblebee idea.

Ready for hunting season.

Gifted pianist.

9-MONTH PHOTOS

WITH PHIL LADISA