iPhone Pic Dump

What does a cute hat look like?

He wouldn't keep it on (hence the bad photo) but it is seriously the cutest hat I have ever put on his head. I got it from my friend Allie, who crochet'd it herself! We had a really fun time hanging out with her and her son will yesterday:



Yes that is Twilight on in the background, total baby material!


Ethan hasn't quite learned to share yet, he kept picking up this toy and walking away with it, so Will couldn't have it.

Allie has so many cute hats for sale on her Etsy shop, you should all check it out! I certainly have a soft spot for moms who have their own businesses, I like knowing that my money is going towards a family who needs it, and not a huge company.

Life as a 1 year old

If you are one year old (and Ethan)-

All things with four legs and a tail is a "doggeee", you should follow it around and woof at it, even if it's a cat.

Music is for dancing- make sure to shake your butt and wave your hands around a lot.

Anything that is out of your reach must be amazing, and YOU NEED IT NOW.

Anything that is soft and on the floor is subject to a head dive.

Climbing on chairs is awesome, getting down? Not so much.

If it's a string, belt, earphones, wires, anything bendable and long- it goes around your neck.

Anything that is in the general shape of a rectangle is a phone.

Keyboards are for smashing.

Ash from the fireplace is delicious.

Rugs are for dragging around, and flipping over...right in front of a doorway.

Coffee mugs are fun to carry around- the fuller the better.

The word NO just means you should try again in a few minutes.

Eyes are there to be poked. The same goes for nose, mouth, ears, and belly button.

Naps are for babies.

If you shake the baby gate enough, it just *might* open.

Day old food found in the couch is fair game.

End of the world constitutes- having to wait for food, someone leaving the room, getting left behind the baby gate, falling off the couch....

Highchairs are meant for standing in, not eating.

If you cry long enough at naptime/bedtime- someone will come get you! This means you can play more- and by playing you really mean walking around in circles and whining.

That bark stuff at playgrounds? Delicious!

Dogs are awesome until they bark at you. Then they really suck.

Edible leaf?!

Everybody should have a kid...

When I say everybody, I mean some people. I really mean that having a kid changes you, and being a parent makes a huge difference in how you see the world. I really believe that if some people could experience life the way a parent sees it, they would improve their life for the better!

For example, my birthday was this last Saturday. I didn't care! I was trying to figure out what had changed so much in the last year, and the answer was quite obvious. Ethan has changed me, completely and for the better. I used to get sad, depressed, and angry on my birthday. I think the main reason for this is because we grow up with this sense of anticipation. When it's my birthday I am going to get this, when it's my birthday I'm going to get to do this...and so on and so on. How selfish it really was! I was being totally self-centered and throwing a fit every year because my birthday wasn't what I wanted it to be. Then I had Ethan, and everything changed.

It's really not about me anymore. It's about this tiny little toddling kid I love from the deepest part of me. It's about if he's happy, if he's healthy. I'm so glad that I have a child who is happy and healthy when many parents don't. So this really leads me to the title of my post, everyone should have a kid. They should have a child so that they can see the world through someone else's eyes, so that they can realize it's not "about me".

I know there are many parents out there who have a child, and still are self centered. I know having a child is not a solution to anything. I have a really hard time understanding how a parent could ignore, beat, or otherwise impair their kid like that. I can't even imagine what I would have to be feeling in order to hit Ethan. So here's just a thought for those children's parents. Look outward, not inward. See life through your child's eyes and enjoy it.

And now...for a lighter subject. Pickle in a puppy costume!

Of course he changed my life! Look at him!

Ethan's First Birthday Pictures

So Ethan's birthday came and went, and it was quite the blur! It has been more than 2 weeks now, and I still can't believe I have a one year old!

I love how parks find the most grabable, delectable, substrate known to man. Here is a picture of him about to ingest some!

Mmmmm delicious substrate!

This is the funniest, most serious face I've ever seen him make!

Can't catch me!

This picture is perfect!

Ethan and Grandma D.

Trash+Park=Fun

Ethan and cousin Jackson. They are 3 months apart!

Why does Jackson get all the fun?!

Jackson is almost walking, soon they will be terrorizing the park together.

My mom would have yelled at me for doing this, haha. So I let him.

I want to be just like you when I growed up Patrick!

Smiley Jackson!

Jackson loves the swings, Ethan has yet to make up his mind.

There's a smile!

There's a frown!

Shanee got the cake made by her friend at Le Courdon Bleu. Although I was holding it on the way there, it managed to slip on the round and squish the FRONT. :'(

She made puppy pops, which I managed to break while putting them in the Styrofoam. I'm pretty sure I ruined Ethan's birthday.

Puppy Chow, the most easy, delicious, party mix ever,

Cute little puppy cupcakes! They turned out great.

They were red velvet and delicious!

Miles the Moose.

Great great Aunt Loranne, Great Aunt Diana, Great Grandma Caputo, Great Aunt Deena.

Rachael, Mady, Jillian, Ian, Me, Uncle Andrew, Gramma Ferguson, and Laurie.

Brendon being....Brendon.

When I see this picture I think of a dog, in car, ears flapping back in the wind. Don't ask.

The turnout.

Mikey is a special agent.

 All in all, we had a really great time. Ethan got some wonderful presents, and we are thankful to each and every one of our guests who gave him something! He loves everything he got!

Mmmmm cake!

Oh fire....

All gone! (Mommy put it out super quick!)

Mmmm sugarrrrrrr.

More?

 

 

 

So yeah, he was up until 8:30. His bedtime is 7 :-P We get to repeat cake this Saturday because it's his birthday party! I'm so excited to see everyone!