Big Day

If you want to read this post just keep in mind that Ethan is my first born, and I pretty much do think the world revolves around him...if you have that mind-set you will understand for sure why today was such a big day!

First of all today was his 6 month appointment at the doctor.

He weighs 17 lbs. 4 oz., and is 27 inches long. Everything else looks good and normal. Luckily Clark made it over to the clinic (which is on campus) right before it was time for his shots. Anyone that knows me knows that needles have caused me to pass out and go down in the past(the Red Cross asked me not to come back and donate blood)...so for the safety and peace of everyone involved I definitely prefer for Clark to hold Ethan while he is vaccinated.

Ethan was just grinning at the nurse when she came in the room. He got a little ticked at her when she made him drink the first vaccine. He growled and glared at her with the first shot. The second shot he growled a little louder, and the look on his face could have killed someone. By the third shot he gave up and cried for about 30 seconds. Then Clark picked him up and he just started grinning again! Why is my baby tougher than me?!

This is Ethan before the shots!

And after the shots! Both mom and baby are doing just fine.

Second of all today was the first day he tried rice cereal. He loved it!

Third of all, today we realized one of his little teeth on the bottom is finally poking through!

Last but not least, he is falling asleep on his own in his new little crib without screaming!

With all of the moving and trips he definitely was relying on someone to put him to sleep. The last couple of weeks were rough, he just couldn't settle down and cried for a lengthy time before giving up and falling asleep. I read about the Ferber method and we tried it out. It worked! Last night we read him a story, said prayers, put him in his bed and he didn't cry! Wa-hoo!!!

Vaccines, rice cereal, a new tooth, and sleeping on his own...our little boy is growing up!

P.S. Do you think little Bubba resembles a QP doll? Grammy Tammy does!

Yee-Haw!

Last Saturday we went to the Living History Farms with some friends. Ethan was mad at the beginning because he had to wake up earlier than he wanted, and he was probably ticked that his hat was just a little too big!


The first thing we saw was the 1875 town of Walnut Hill. There were several restored buildings and houses we toured. The highlight was definitely the melodrama (2 mins. of plot stretched into 45 mins. of fabulous acting). Clark is thinking of getting a job there next summer...mua ha ha.

Then we road a tractor under the freeway to the farms. Despite the dust in the eyes, and dirt in the teeth...the tractor ride was pretty fun. The rest was a walking tour through the farms. They have volunteers that work in the town and the farm doing crafts and farming with old equipment to show us what is was really like back in the day.
We saw a Native American farm...the Ioway tribe.

Then a farm from the 1850's.

Then a farm from the 1900's.

Then we went to the Visitor's Center to learn about Iowa's corn contribution to the world. I'm shocked at how much is made from corn. I also received a stamped certified PCI liscence! The volunteer even sang a random little tune (I think it was a mix of Pomp and Circumstance and the bridal march) as she presented it to me. PCI stands for Poop Cycle Investigator...I had to identify the animals that matched the poop samples, and answer some tough questions about why farmers use manure. I've never been prouder, a city slicker like me with a PCI badge!

All in all it was actually a really fun day!

Please come visit us...we will take you to the

Living History Farms!

My Personal Trainer

I have been doing a workout program called "The Firm." Anyway, when Ethan goes down for his morning nap I try to get it done before he wakes up. Somehow he is wired to know that the days I'm trying to do it during his morning nap to wake up after 20 mins. desperately needing a diaper change. So I get a little break in my workout. Then he rolls around on the floor and I try not to step on him while I finish. I think he is pretty entertained watching his mom jump around like a crazy person.

My favorite part is when I do the bridge at the end.

This is the bridge, unfortunately its not me doing the bridge...maybe after a couple of more weeks on "The Firminator" (as Clark calls it)!

Ethan gets over to me as fast as he can. He puts his little face right in front of me and does the bridge too. After a couple of seconds my muscles are screaming at me to stop...but Ethan, he can hold that postition forever. He just grins like it is the best game in the world, I forget for a second how much it hurts because I think he is so cute. Who would have thought Ethan would be my own personal trainer?

This is Ethan's smashing new outfit from his Grandma Karen. It seemed so big when he was a newborn. Now he looks like a million bucks in it!

Which one of these is not like the other?

All 3 were vice presidential candidates...

but Clark is officially the only one of the 3 that has been elected.

Way to go Clark V.P. of the DPM Class 2012

It probably helped that the last slide in his power point presentation had this picture on it, and said: "I'll be mad if you don't vote for my Dad!"

Last Saturday was the White Coat ceremony. Here are a few pictures.

Volleyball Update...

And no I didn't know Clark was taking this picture.

Yeah, it was bad.


Oh dear.

There's Nothing Like a Baby!

When we visited Molly in Cambria last summer she was talking about little Emily and she said, "there's nothing like a baby." This phrase goes through my mind all the time when I am around Ethan.

Ethan trying to be a big kid!

He always wants to be playing. Grandpa fell asleep when they were playing in Boise.

On the airplane. He wouldn't sleep because he was making too many friends...even friends with the lady traveling with her dog "Precious." Gag. She kept trying to talk to me "mom to mom," comparing Ethan with her Precious pup!

Ethan is at such a fun age right now! He is always happy. Everywhere we go he makes friends, people love his little smiles! He's rolling around everywhere and trying to crawl.



I love that he loves people and is so smiley! Since he has a cold he hasn't been sleeping well at night. A couple nights ago he woke up at 4 am and there was no going back to sleep. I brought him downstairs so he wouldn't wake up Clark. I wasn't thrilled with being up in the middle of the night, but he just couldn't stop grinning at me...he was ready to play!

I hate when my boys are sick...

Ethan and Clark both have bad colds. I was on the phone and when I hung up this is what I found on the couch. Ethan's favorite person in the world is his dad!