ethan has two for the price of one!

Last Thursday, my good friend Kacie came over with her two beautiful twin boys... who are about 6 wks younger than Ethan.  Their names are Ben and Jack!  Jackson was a bit confused by this since his best friend's name is Ben who calls him Jack-Jack.  Poor guy... he finally figured it out and found them to be really cute like his brother.  He wanted to play with them so bad and Ethan was just mesmerized there were two boys his age at his house!  JACKPOT! Ethan was so sweet - he was just wanting to love on them so badly.... it was pretty darn cute!  I am absolutely in LOVE with these two awesome boys!  I am so glad Kacie had boys since other than them, Ethan only has friends who are girls!  Anyway, we had a really really fun playdate!!

They are both so freaking adorable, but look nothing alike!!  

Ben - looks just like Daddy.   Jack - looks just like Uncle Brandon.

Ethan was showing them the slopes to walking... my guess is one of these boys will be walking any day now!

Kacie and Jack

Ethan really did want to just love and love on them!  He would put his face right into their faces and pause there... he did it several times.  SO sweet!  I told Kacie that I am praying Ethan just keeps this sweet innocence and never grows up to be too "boy" to be lovable like this.

Swim Lessons, Scratch That.

So I THOUGHT J was doing really well at swim lessons.... granted, after the first day, he basically told me each morning we were going that he didn't want to.  But I took him anyway.... Well, on Friday, he was so excited about going down the slide but 1/2 way thru the lessons, one of the teachers was practicing w/ him jumping to her into the pool and one time she purposely let him go under the water... well, that was it for him.  He didn't want to go down the slide anymore and told me when we were leaving that he didn't want to do swim lessons anymore.  Then, on Monday - he still didn't want to go - but seemed ok when we got there... He was fussy while he was in his lessons.  He whined to me that he wanted a snack - which he had a full breakfast so I know that wasn't it - and then he was really whiny to the teacher - didn't want to do anything....So she suggested I try him with some goggles at home.  Well, that day, about 1 hour into his nap - he woke up screaming.... just blabbering but finally I understood what he was saying "Mommy, I don't want to go into the green water.  I don't want to do bubbles.  I don't want to go into the water!!"  Um, wow!  I think he had a bad dream about it and maybe this whole thing is scaring him more than I thought.  So when I finally calmed him down, he told me that he just really didn't like to do the swim lessons and that the water over his head scared him a lot.  So that's all I needed to hear.  I do not want to make my child even more fearful!  The idea of swim lessons was the hope that it would HELP conquer his fear of putting his head under the water, but I think it's making it worse.  So we're opting out of the last 2 classes.  I just don't want to do more damage than good.  My poor boy - I sure don't want him to think I'm going to MAKE him do something that scares him that much.  Quitting cuz you don't like something is much different than quitting cuz it's extremely scary to you.  I know he won't be some 16 year old who can't put his head under water... so we'll just let nature take it's course and maybe next year we'll get into swim ranch... if he wants to.  :)

a change in gymnastics

I am not sure if you can see these pictures very well because I took them zoomed in on my new phone through a glass window - but Jackson absolutely LOVES gymnastics.  I think he loves it more than swimming and more than soccer... he gets to excited to go to gymnastics class... I'm so glad I signed him up.  We are actually in the process of switching locations - and we're taking the month of August off and I don't know how he'll do!  He will be really bummed.  I've seen HUGE improvements in his agility since he started.  He is more confident, follows instructions better, and does a much better job balancing.  I'm so glad he loves to do this! It's fun to watch him!  I'm excited that this new place where he'll be going has an all-boys class for kids his age!  He doesn't really care now to be the only boy but I think he will enjoy it even more w/ kids that are built like him.  He will miss his teacher, ms. moriah - a lot.  She is so good w/ him.  In these pics, she is teaching him to flip over the bar and slide down w/ his arms.  Wish I would have done this when I was a kid!!

I remember this day well....

I truly do remember this day very well.  I woke up on Sunday July 25, still pregnant, still frustrated from being pregnant, still anxious to see you and thinking I may be pregnant forever.  I did find myself with a tad bit of hope since it was the day before my due date and a full moon was promised that night.  Ryan and I got up and got Jackson around and went to church.  We met our friends Jim and Emily in the service, sat next to them and Emily talked about how I officially looked swollen... and complimenting me that it took until the day before my due date to look that way (she was just flattering me I'm sure).  We went through the service... went home, had lunch.  A lazy day at home.  Around 630p - we decided to go for a walk.  Put J in the stroller and walked around, talking to several neighbors along the way.  I got my first contraction around 700p, although I didn't know that is what is was.  About 10 minutes later, another.  Still talking to neighbors and teasing that I was going to "walk this baby out!" and about 10 minutes later, another.. this time, I'm starting to wonder if that's what it is.  I go in and take a shower while Ryan puts Jackson to bed.  I call mom and pull out the timer.  Sure enough - 4 minutes apart by then.  We leave for the hospital at 945p and you arrived in my arms at 1217am, just perfect.  I am thankful that you were in a hurry because it hurt like heck.  And you're worth every single second of it.

Ethan Chase Stearle.  Your first birthday has come way too soon.  Upon posting this blog entry, I found myself looking back at these old pictures and they feel like yesterday.  I remember taking each picture and just gazing into your brown eyes and thinking how very very special you are.  I absolutely adore you my sweet boy.

Just born!

July 26, 2010.

 1 week old.

Aug 2010 (1 mo old)

 Sept 2010 (2 mos old)

 

Oct 2010 (3 mos old)

 

 Nov 2010 (4 mos old)

 Dec 2010 (5 mos old)

Jan 2011 (6 mos old)

 Feb 2011 (7 mos old)

March 2011 (8 mos)

April 2011 (9 mos)

 

May 2011 (10 mos)

June 2011 (11 mos)

July 2011 (12 mos)

Ethan's Birthday Party!

On Saturday, we had Ethan's 1st Birthday Party - here at our house.  It was very simple, with lots of friends - the perfect birthday party.  We're so thankful that so many people showed up to celebrate my sweet boy's first birthday.  My awesome friend Megan offered to grab my camera for some of the time and take pictures - so we ended up with 278 pictures.  :)  There were way too many good ones to blog, so I decided to just pick a few of my favorites and save the rest for the Shutterfly book I make for every birthday.  So here they are!!

I made a cookie cake and shaped it to say this:

 

my sweet birthday boy - and his two best friends, Ben and Jack.

We had lots of friends playing with us!

 

 

We all look pretty sweaty!Happy Birthday to You, sweet boy!

Hugs for Anna... I'm collecting these pics for their wedding in 30 years.  :)

Mimi and Poppie.... Ethan was a little hot and tired by this point.... It had been a very stimulating day for a 1 yr old.

Jackson had his buddies there and he was pretty excited!  

Here with his cousin Mason and his 2 gal pals, Haley and Anna Kate.

Happy Birthday my precious sweet gorgeous happy boy.  I am so in love with you and everything about you.  You make me such a happy mommy.  I pray that I don't miss a minute of watching you grow up and learning about who you really are.  I'm thankful to be your mommy.  Happy 1st Birthday!  Now, please lets take our time on the next birthday - this one came WAY too fast for me!!!