HAPPY

I love that lately when Ethan is content with his situation he says, "happy...Ee-ee happy." He just says it so sweetly, and I love that he tries to verbalize that emotion when he feels it.

So what makes us happy around here this weekend?

Finishing a big project/presentation for his Master's degree this week makes Clark happy.

All day Friday Ethan was happy with anticipation that when Daddy got home we were going to go to the park and "fly kite high to the night-night moon."

Realizing that you just aren't quite big enough to fly a kite (run the string, throw it in the air, and keep it up ALL BY YOURSELF) can be quite devastating.

But replacing the kite with a trip to the swings makes Ethan just as happy!

And me, I'm just happy when Clark is home all day during the weekends! I'm happy watching how much Ethan loves to play with his Dad. I'm thankful that on top of his really busy schedule right now Clark helps me with dishes, laundry, cleaning, taking care of Ethan because I just can't quite keep up with it all. I'm happy spending the morning outside doing yard work and just being with my favorite boys! I'm happy to get hugs and kisses from a cute 2 year old all the time. I'm happy my mom will be here a week from today! I'm happy we will be meeting our new little boy in just over a week!

I think Ethan summed it up perfectly tonight while we were tucking him in. He said, "Ee-ee home, Momma home, Dada home...Ee-ee happy, Momma happy, Dada happy." He's got it just right! Together is the happiest place to be!

Tricky Toes and Cheerios

Ethan has his Dad's exact hair color and his Dad's eyes, some people say he's a little mini me of his Dad...but Ethan has my toes!

I've always used my toes to clean up and move things. When Clark and I first got married I drove him crazy constantly moving and touching him with my toes (I didn't even realize I was doing it)! I've worked very hard to control my always roaming toes to save our marriage!

From the day Ethan was born he used his toes to work, he took off his super duper high security anklet in the hospital (that no one can get off) with his toes.

A few weeks ago during dinner we pulled the high chair up to the table and all during the meal Ethan kept pulling at my skirt and pinching my legs with his toes. He thought it was hilarious! After 15 mins. of toe pinching, I said to Clark, "this is rather obnoxious!" Clark felt very validated!

A few days ago I was upstairs getting ready, when I came down Ethan said, "oh no, Brown Dog." Going into the kitchen I quickly saw Cheerios spilled all over the floor and Ethan's favorite stuffed animal laying face down in the mess. I said, "oh no, did Brown Dog do this?" Ethan was quick to put all the blame on his little dog. I told Ethan he needed to clean it all up. So he started cleaning and I started doing something else. A few minutes later he came walking up to me very slowly saying, "toes, toes." Sure enough, he had decided the most efficient way to clean up the mess was to pick up every Cheerio and put it in a bowl with his toes. I just cracked up! The last couple of days he has thrown a few Cheerios on the floor after breakfast just so he can pick them up with his toes. (And no, we don't eat the toe picked Cheerios I promise).

It will be fun to see what wonderful genetics we pass on to our next child!

Baby Name Generator

A week and a half (or sooner) until we meet this baby and we are still trying to figure out a name. Last night I was looking at a website: www.behindthename.com
It has a random name generator that keeps coming up with names for you, we had a pretty broad search just limiting the names to English names. It is pretty entertaining, here are a few of our favorites from last night:

Rudolph Bertie

Goddard Marmaduke

Garland Stevie

Gayle Max

Riley Happy

What do you think? Baby Marmaduke does have a nice ring!

When We're Helping We're Happy!

Today has been a wonderful Mother's Day! Clark and Ethan have really spoiled me with good meals and doing all the chores all day long (and yesterday)!

Today at church all of the primary children had a special song prepared for the moms, they also invited the nursery age kids to sing with them. When Clark and I heard that Ethan would be singing on the stand in front of the whole congregation we were a little nervous! All week he has been singing the song, "When we're helping we're happy." So we knew that he knew the song, but we also know that our little Eee-eee loves to sing LOUD and we know he loves to RUN!

He did so well though, he marched right up to his spot, he was just tall enough for his little head to peek over the stand. His huge blue eyes were opened as wide as saucers and he just sat there staring at everyone like he was scared to death. When all of the kids started singing I think he was shocked again at the volume he turned around and looked at them, "who are you guys?" We kept waving to him and smiling, but he never moved a muscle or made a peep...in fact I'm pretty sure he didn't even blink! When it was over he ran back to us down the aisle with a huge grin super proud of himself. We thought it was pretty cute, it made my day!

I tried to capture a little video of him singing the song tonight, but he is a bit distracted as you can see:

Little Ethan does love to help his momma! Yesterday he was helping Clark vaccuum. If only he could keep the vaccuum on the floor this would be a good system.

He cried when Clark took a turn, I hope he is still that eager to clean the house when he's 12!

Helping with the cookies tonight! He is especially good at eating chocolate chips!

Just Ethan

Today Ethan gave me a card for Mother's Day that says on the front under a funny picture: "Mom, I know sometimes I'm stubborn and demanding..." and on the inside it says, "Fortunately, I'm cute enough to make up for it!"

That pretty much sums it up! This little 2 year old brings more laughter and joy into our home than we could have ever thought possible.

Always wants to wrestle with Dada!

A few days ago I checked on him during his nap and he was fast asleep sitting straight up!

Loving to sing! A little Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes action:

He is so good now at his abc's and counting to 10. I tried to get both on video, unfortunately doing something for the camera is not on his list of fun things to do. Here he is trying to count to 10, but being a little distracted by his leopard's tail:

SEW Happy!

I have a list of projects I want to finish before this baby comes (2 WEEKS TO GO)! One of them was to finish sewing this bag for my friend Jessica. For her birthday last August I told her I wanted to make her a bag (I had the pattern, but wanted her to pick out the fabric). In Sept. we went shopping for the fabric, and I got it all cut out and ready to go. Then morning sickness hit!

9 months later I finally finished it! Thanks for the help with the pinning and pressing Margaret!

Happy late Brithday to my very patient friend!

Lilacs 2010

Last year on Mother's Day we went to Ewing Park to the lilac arboretum (35 acres, and 1,200 lilac trees)! It is beautiful when it is in bloom. I really wanted to go for Mother's Day again this year to keep up the tradition, but since April has been like summer here in Des Moines everything is blooming early, so we decided to go yesterday!

It was good that we did, because a lot of the blossoms were already gone. We got there right after a big rain storm and it was gorgeous and smelled so good!

We had a yummy picnic with our friends and strolled through the lilacs. Well, most people strolled...Ethan RAN! Clark kept up with him and I waddled along behind.

(This was my view the entire time, Ethan on the run and Clark in tow.)

(Once in a while I could get Ethan to stop and smell the purple flowers, and he would say, "mmmm, yummy!")

A family from church happened to be there the same time as us. Ethan spotted them from across the park, Dawn Larsen is his nursery leader, and their little girl Evelyn is in his nursery class. They were taking a family picture in a tree and Evelyn kept saying, "my friend is coming and he will sit by me," she saw Ethan from clear across the park and knew who he was. He was so excited to see Dawn and to jump up in the tree with his friend.

Then he fell in a muddy marsh.

(But being covered in mud didn't slow him down!)

(He loves Shannon and trying to make her laugh!)

(Ethan with his best buddy)

(Ethan last year at the lilacs! It is crazy how much he has grown! I also just realized he is wearing the same T-shirt this year that he wore last year, apparently we get a lot of use out of BYU shirts. It's also funny to me that both years he really needs a haircut too!)

Our Growing Family! I have a lot to be thankful for this Mother's Day!