15 months old!

We just returned from San Antonio, where we visited with family and friends this weekend, and Ethan got to play with his second cousins, Olive & Gage!

Ethan stealing toys from someone half his age - Gage!

Olive & Ethan battling it out over a bow.

Ethan had his 15 month doctor appointment today. He is 25 lbs 11.5 oz (86th percentile - his highest yet!), 33.75 inches tall (99th percentile - was off the charts last time) and his head size is the 98th percentile.

Happy baby before shots!

We let him have his paci since the doctor is so traumatizing!

What a view!

This month, we left Ethan in the loving and capable hands of his great Grammie (Austin's paternal grandmother) and Gigi (Austin's mom) while we went to Germany. When we came back, he was saying "bye!" much more clearly, was much better with his sign language, and picking up new words almost daily. I think hanging out with Aunt Kristin and cousin Jackson helped in that area!

Ethan & Jack with Pop-Pop while we were in Germany

Though our vocabulary is expanding, we're frustrated by our inability to communicate. Since he really only says a handful of words clearly, Ethan sometimes just lays on the floor and pouts when he can't tell you what he wants. Sometimes he's hungry, sometimes he's tired, and sometimes you're sitting where he wants to sit (or something silly like that). If he keeps learning new words at the rate that he has this week, I think we will be in better shape by our next appointment! I'm now staying at home full-time, so that is one of my top goals.

We have played with our nativity from the nativity-collecting
Grandma (Strickland) every day this month and last!

For Christmas, we got some awesome gifts from our family - including a new wagon, a new tool bench, a fire truck, Noah's Ark, lots of fun cars and trucks, and a raceway tower. He definitely has enough stuff to keep him distracted! We did purge a few toys to make room for the new ones.

We've already used our awesome new wagon!

Happy New Year, y'all!

xo,

14 months old!

November is... over? It's December?

How is it that December always creeps up on me?

November was action-packed, and December will be even more so. I kicked off the month with a work trip to Miami, where I stayed at a fabulous hotel, ate delicious food, never touched even one grain of sand, and worked 14-16 hours each day. Ethan, however, had a fabulous time with Daddy, who was very tired at the end of the week as well!

This is a picture Austin sent me while I was gone. Happy boy!

I determined that Ethan is the cutest baby ever:

He looks like such a baby!

Grandma had surgery to fix her brain aneurysm, and we visited her:

I promise he doesn't wear the same thing every day...

And then, of course, we had Thanksgiving, and I got some really awesome pictures of Ethan and daddy.

blurry because I had to zoom WAY in - melts a mama's heart!

this was too cute, too!

This is literally the best selfie we could manage

Papaw is Ethan's favorite person right now. By a LONG shot. We're all chopped liver when
Papaw is around.

Ready to ride his 4-wheeler!

How old is this kid, like 7?

we <3 ice cream!

we HATE it when there's no more ice cream.

That's our November!

There will be LOTS more pictures to come for December... Can't wait to see Bavaria & Berlin!

xo,

our big boy - 13.5 months

Well, hello blog world! It's been a little too long. Home projects are on hold, and I'm even waiting to buy home decor items lately as we want to recoup our savings. We paid for the bathroom in cash, paid off one of our cars, had our vents cleaned (they had mold! Lots!) and managed a few other home maintenance projects as well. Time for a break!

The most exciting new is that, about seven weeks after Ethan took his first steps, he's walking really well! He's finally picked it as his primary mode of transportation, though he does occasionally crawl over the steps in our [sunken] living room, as he hasn't quite mastered them. If he sits on the step, he can stand up on his own, so I think we'll see him stand on his own from the floor soon, and master those steps!

Ethan at his first Coog game!

He LOVES getting in and out of the car that Grandpa and Papaw got him for Christmas. It's adorable. He loves being pushed around in it!

And for some more photo updates:

Ethan and Uncle Matt

Ethan got really sick for Daddy's birthday, and we spent
the weekend at home and in the Emergency Room.
All was well, but he was almost dehydrated.

At Austin's mom's wedding

At the new Memorial City Mall play place!

Mom let him have the juice box to himself
for the first time.
He made a mess.

FirstFest for Halloween!

xo,

a party and a pumpkin patch

Ethan's birthday party was a well-celebrated house full of fun (lots of kids), and we loved every minute! I think the best part was watching how well-developed his motor skills are! He can get himself in and out of his Cozy Coupe and even shut the door. He also pulls on the front yellow columns to tell you that he wants you to push him. It's too darn cute!

We also learned Ethan really only likes icing, not so much the cake. I think he prefers ice cream over both.

And last week, we went to a pumpkin patch (more like a place to ride horses that had pumpkins...). Here are some of the very few good pictures we got:

He's just so stinkin' cute!

xo,