Learning to love and gab

The new man in my life really knows how to warm my heart. He is learning so many new things everyday. His crawling has picked up speed just in the past couple of days. My guess is he will be making me chase him around within the next couple of weeks. Ethan has started taking a interest in his shapes bucket. He mainly likes to gnaw on them, but he is also intrigued by the different forms. But, my two favorite things he has learned in the past few days are the affection he is starting give. It started out with reaching his arms out for me. He started with me and now reached for a few others too, i.e. Dad, Grandmothers, Aunt Carissa. His newest form of affection is KISSES!! Of course they are open mouthed, but straight for the mouth or cheek. I love his new personality that starting to show. He is such a sweet little cuddle monkey!!  I am working hard on getting that moment caught on camera.  He is too quick for us.  But here is a little bathtime fun with hide and seek (don't worry, I was watching him closely).

Peek-a-boo

I see you!

"First words" came yesterday, January 27.  We think it sounds like "nah nah dada".  Of course Robert is over the moon about hearing dada!  Understandably so.  Check out our little chatter box. 

It seems as though everything is coming at once.  He is making a lot of chewing motions with his mouth.  I am not sure if that is for comfort of possible teething or whatever else it could be.  Just when I think he can't get anymore fun he proves me wrong!  Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Crawling into the New Year

According to friends and family, our lives have now changed and there is no turning back!  It is official...we have a crawler in the house.  It was a sunny Saturday afternoon.  It had been a long, frustrating, and tiring night the previous night.  I was TIRED that afternoon.  I was waiting for Turk to come in from outside.  While standing at the backdoor, I looked down to see Ethan crawling towards me.  Those bright blue eyes were wide with pride and staring straight at me.  He was so determined.   Jumping up and down and screaming quickly ensued once Carissa and I realized what was happening.  He may have kept me up for awhile throughout the night (which he rarely does), but he really knew how to make up for it.  The past few days he has been working on mastering his new skill.  Turk better look out.  He may have a shadow before too long. 

7 months old!

Seven months old and taking center stage.  This month he decided that he didn't really need the gorilla in his picture.  This is actually one of the few I got that he wasn't covering the gorilla or trying to eat him.  Ethan has become a little ham.  His personality is really starting to show.  He takes every chance he gets to get us to smile or laugh.  He is scootching himself around the house really well.  If I am in the kitchen for too long he will come find me.  He may be a little clingy some days, but I don't mind.  I actually love that he wants to be with me all the time.  He has started reaching for the person he wants, which is usually Turk.  At least I am second choice. 

With the great weather we are having lately we have been able enjoy a few walks to the park and jogs around the block.  Here are some outtakes of today. 

Playing at the park last week!

Robert and I also ventured out a couple of weekends ago to a quick getaway to Las Vegas with some friends.  Ethan got to stay with Gram for the weekend while we took in the strip and a show.  We went to see Cirque de Soliel Mystere, went to Tao for dinner one night, went to the Titanic and Bodies exhibits, and mainly just walked around the rest of the time.  Robert even got me to gamble a little.  It was nice to get away, but I was ready to get back to my baby.

Happy Thursday!!

Six month checkup

Just a quick post since we had a doctor's appointment this morning. The doctor says that everything looks great. His congestion is very normal for this age and there is not much that we can do about it.  We are also ready to start eating meat: chicken, turkey, hamburger meat. The little guy loves to eat so hopefully this will go well.

Stats:

Weight: 22 lbs 9 oz (97%) up from 19 lbs 14 oz at 4 months

Height: 27 1/2 inches (76%) up from 25 1/5 inches

Head circumference: 46 1/2 cm (97%)

At least he enjoyed the visit up until the shots.

Please don't make me get a shot

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This paper is MINE!!



Resolute in 2012

Happy 2012 to everyone!!  I, of course started the year out sick, just as I do just about every year.  But, Robert, being the awesome husband and father that he is, has been taking care of both, Ethan and me.  I am on the mend and ready to get the year kicked off the right way....with a trip to Vegas!  More on that next week. 

Ethan wishes everyone a great 2012.  Thanks for the bib Aunt Carissa!

I am not a big believer in resolutions.  I feel the majority of people, sadly last about a month and go back to the normal routine.  Kudos to those that keep their resolutions from year to year.  I do believe in a fresh start each year.  And in the spirit of New Years I have a few goals I would like to achieve this year.  Maybe sharing them with everyone will hold us a little more accountable for them.

1. Get to know my new sewing machine better.  Maybe she needs a name so that we are sure to become better acquainted.  I already have a list of projects to help with this one.

2. Take my nap time to improve on our house, myself, or reading.  No more relaxing for that time.  Plus, we have been in the house for almost three years and I am still not satisfied with our bedroom and our hallway.  I guess this will always be a work in progress though.

3. Make it a point to attend more playgroups this year.  Ethan really seems to enjoy mingling with other babies.  We actually had a playgroup yesterday.  There were only three of us there, but that made Ethan a little player with his two ladies with whom he could mingle.  He actually got a little handsy with poor little Jordyn, who is just a couple of weeks younger than him.  Seems we may have a little Joey Tribiani on our hands.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist the Friends reference.)  They were really cute together.  I wish I had gotten a couple of pictures.

What does everyone else have planned for the upcoming year?

Tomorrow is Ethan's 6 month checkup.  We will post stats when we get them!

Merry Christmas from the Flynn's

We hope that everyone had a great Christmas!!  We had a great first Christmas with our little man.  We started the weekend with Christmas Eve at Gram and Pa Paw's house.  There was a great turn out this year.  Ethan got to play with his older cousins, Courtney (9) and Colton (4). 

Just as happy with the wrapping paper

 Playing peek-a-boo with Courtney

Colton looking for presents under the tree.

 Grandma and Grandpa Flynn and Uncle Mike came over for lunch on Christmas Day.  We spent the afternoon eating lunch, opening presents, and watching Ethan ham it up for his audience.  We definitely missed seeing Uncle Chris, Aunt Diana and Emma while they were living it up in sunny California.  We look forward to seeing them on Saturday.  After a full day of hanging with the Flynn crew, we made our way down to Nanny's house.  Yes, another trip to Red Oak.  We were pooped by the time Monday morning came.  Ethan got to meet a couple of aunt's and cousins for the first time that night.  He was pretty tired by this party and he stuck pretty close to me and his Uncle Boo Boo. 

I am sad to say that I forgot to get a picture of the three of us for Ethan's first Christmas.  And with my sudden need to get all of our Christmas things taken down to set up Ethan's new play area...the Christmas tree is gone.  Maybe I can find one still up somewhere so we can fake it.  No one will ever know....oops, cat is out of the bag. 

Posing for me in front of the tree

We hope everyone had a great Christmas and you are currently enjoying your last week of 2011!!

Happy Half Birthday!

Monday was Ethan's 6 month birthday.  We don't have any stats yet because we aren't due back to the doctor until early January.  However, my guess is that he is close to 22 pounds.  As you can see, although he is a very happy and smiley baby, he doesn't always smile for the camera.  He will smile for me or Robert, but not for the camera.  It takes two to get a good shot most of the time.  I can't believe how much he changes on a daily basis.  We have figured out the best incentive for him to crawl scootch -- Turk.  If Turk is on the floor near him he heads directly for him. 

After looking at his new convertible carseat in our living room for more than a week, I finally got it installed today!!  He seems to really like it.  It has a lot more room than the carrier.  The only flaw I have found is his neck doesn't seem as supported.  He doesn't seemed to be bothered by it, but I am. 

                       

We have a busy weekend ahead traveling the metroplex.  I am really looking forward to Ethan's first Christmas with our families!!