Happy 4th Birthday Ethan!

Wow! A year flies by so fast! It seems like just yesterday we brought you home from the hospital. And, now it is 4 years later. It also seems like you have been in our lives forever.

This year you have become more independent and want to do everything for yourself. You can dress yourself and put on your own shoes. You can also buckle yourself in your car seat.

Ethan, you add so much joy to our family and can provide levity to any situation. Your sense of humor and animated facial expressions can make anyone smile. You love to be the center of attention -- you have been known to say "OK, everyone listen to me" on more then one occasion! You are outgoing and love to talk to anyone who will listen. This year, we have been amazed at how clearly you speak -- people often thing you are older the you are!

You are willing to be a helper both at home and at schools. Your teacher talks about how you help all the girls put their mats away after nap -- you tell the girls that you have muscles and are strong! Your willingness to help spills over at home too! You love to help make dinner and jump at the chance to load the washer. You also love to help with cooking dinner. Oh, and speak of food -- you are an adventurous little boy. You have tried and love many things that most kids have never had (smoked salmon is a favorite of yours)! You seem to want to eat exactly what we are eating.

You are doing very well at school and we have been so excited listen to you spell words. You can spell about 15 words and recognize them in books. You understand about 60 Spanish words and you are quick to help translate for people who do not know Spanish. Your love of books has continued to grow -- you also love to help read books!

You are an active boy, who would much rather be outside then anywhere. You also loved the beach and wanted to go back just as soon as we got home! We moved to a new house this year (and you did not miss a beat) and you riding on the level driveway as well as down the hill to the backyard. Last fall, you played t-ball and this season you have started baseball. You can sure hold your own -- you are the youngest on the team but have shown that you can run with the big boys. You have also made new friends at our new house and again, you have no problem being the youngest one!

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Ethan, we have seen you grow into a independent, outgoing leader this year. We loved to watch you grow before our eyes and are so excited to see what the coming year holds for you! We love you Ethan-pie!

It was at this moment (8:12 am), 4 years ago that we met you for the first time!

Opening Day -- Play Ball!

Benjamin and Ethan are playing again on the same baseball team this season. The difference this season -- no more t-ball! The boys have move up to coach-pitch baseball. Benjamin and Ethan have done so well in practice and are hitting from the coach! Brian and I spent some time explaining to the boys basic rules of the game and what the umpire does. I am not sure it all clicked until the end of the first game.

Ethan and Benjamin - part of the Mudhens!

There was no discussion of positions prior to the first game; and, each child on the team will rotate to all positions. Benjamin started the first inning as catcher -- and made his mama proud (growing up, I played softball and spent most of my time as catcher)!

Ethan is "baseball ready."

Benjamin on deck -- he did a great job but told me later he was a little nervous at bat!

Ethan up to bat -- as the smallest kid on the team, he really held his own!

We are so excited that the boys are playing baseball and they love being on the same team -- even if they are "Mudhens!"

Astronaut In Training Birthday Party

Two weeks ago we had the boys' birthday party at our house. Since their birthdays are 8 weeks apart, we had a party for both of them between their birthdays. Lately, Benjamin and Ethan have been obsessed with outer space and planets -- so the theme for their party was born!

The birthday boys:

Uncle Evan enjoying a ride on the "transporter to the space shuttle."

Wow! It look likes Christmas all over again!

Papaw and Ms. Sharon enjoyed all the kids launching rockets:

Ethan (with his Astronaut Helmet) performing "shuttle repairs":

Benjamin is mid-jump at the "Shuttle Launch" station. This is a Stomp Rocket -- the boys love it!

Singing Happy Birthday:

The Space Cupcakes -- much thanks to Aunt Kay for assisting with finishing of the cupcakes!

The goodie bags were filled with Planet Play-Doh, Space coloring page and crayons.

Everyone had so much fun and the boys were so glad to be able to have lots of friends and family here to help them celebrate their birthdays!

First Day of Spring at our House

On what looked more like the first day of Summer (it was 85 degrees here yesterday), we broke out the bubble guns to welcome the first day of Spring.

Happy Spring to all. We hope that your world is less pollen-filled then ours right now!!!

Trip to Orlando 2011

We had a long-planned trip to Orlando in February. At one point, as Brian's mom's health decline, we put the idea of the trip on hold. We ended up going a week after Gebee passed away. It was a nice time for us to be together as a family. We had great quality time and lots of fun with the boys!

Benjamin and Ethan had never been to any type of a fair or amusement park. They had also never stayed in a hotel before (we stay in condos when we go the the beach). We go to the hotel (after a 9 hour drive) and the boys were so impressed with the lobby and the luggage cart. Who needs theme parks when you have a luggage cart!!!

We got up early the next morning and headed for Legoland - it is about 45 minutes away from Orlando. Most of the rides, they boys were able to ride -- it was a nice introduction to theme parks for them.

They loved the water-skiing Pirate show.

And, what little boy would not love driving Lego race cars?

On Sunday, we headed to Sea World. We were able to meet up with Brian's nephew and his family. It is always fun when we get to see them -- they have a son that was born 2 months before Benjamin. The cousins love hanging out!

Brian, me and the boys rode a rather tame roller coaster at Legoland to have the boys experience a coaster. (There are no pictures from the 4 of us riding -- I was too busy hold on the Benjamin and comforting him!) We got off the roller coaster and Benjamin was crying, never wanting to ride again. Ethan looked at Brian and I and said "That was fun. I want to ride it again and again and again!!") So again he rode - at Sea World. Brian took Ethan and we took their picture.

Brian had to work for part of our trip. So we dropped him off at his show and the boys and I went back to Sea World. We timed Brian's pick up so that we could watch the duck procession at the Peabody Hotel. The boys loved seeing the ducks walk. And they were fascinated by the Duckmaster and how nicely he was dressed. (You can see a duck to Benjamin's right in this picture.)

And, last but not least, Magic Kingdom......

We rode the Buzz Lightyear ride several times and the boys loved zapping Zurg!

And, when asked, both Benjamin and Ethan love the People Mover!

We had a wonderful time as a family and as we pulled out of Orlando, Benjamin and Ethan were already asking when we could go back!

Missing Gebee

Our family suffered a great loss in February. Brian's mom - lovingly referred to as Gebee on the blog - passed away. Though she had been in hospice and her health had been declining over the last few months, her passing was still very difficult for all of us. She was able to see and spend time with close family in the hours before she passed away and we are so grateful for that time with her.

Brian and I had begun preparing the boys for her passing (but how do you really prepare anyone, let alone 3 and 4 year olds?) and the boys have asked a few questions since Gebee passed away. I am also very grateful that someone had suggested some ways to keep Gebee's with us. When her health was better, she did scrapbooks with each of the boys and also read recordable story books for the boys. We also took lots of videos of Gebee and the boys.

Here is Sue (Gebee) with her three sons:

Sue with the boys:

She loved reading to the boys (and they loved hearing her animate the stories):

The boys withe Sue at brunch with Santa last year:

Though we miss her every day, we know that Sue is in a better place and we cherish the time we got to spend with her.