Lions, Monkeys, & Elephants - Oh my...

Here is Ethan playing with his first puzzle. I love that the pieces are slobber-proof and each one does something. His favorite to play with is the lion with a spinning mane, but he also loves to stare at the pink monkey that lets out a squeak.

I love toys that don't require batteries - all those lights and sounds can be annoying (I know... we've just begun)!

No peas, please...

Well, apparently Ethan doesn't like peas. He is normally a very good eater - swallows every bite with very little mess on his face and a perfectly clean bib. Today was definitely the exception. While he was napping, I steamed and blended up a few pounds of green beans and 2 bags of frozen peas. We decided to try out the peas... 90% of it ended up on his clothing. He also decided to use his hands to spread the mess into his eyebrows and on his eyelids. I just had to take pictures of his messy eating.

In the last photo, he's trying out his new sippy cup (the doctor suggested some prune juice, hence the dark purple liquid). He has gotten a few drops of water out of it before, but mostly he just chews on the spout.

Sitting up...

Ethan definitely doesn't like to sit, so I have to distract him with toys or he arches his back in protest. He prefers to lay down or have us help him stand, but that gets tiring for both of us. Here he is hanging out with Mom, sitting up like a big boy!

"B" is for Book!

Ethan is really soaking up his environment now, so we're trying to teach him the importance of books. Some might think we're crazy, but we also do flash cards at least once a day; Ethan usually sits in my lap while Pat shows him the card. He holds them near his face, pronounces the word and points out the photo. Most of the time, Ethan giggles, thinking Pat is playing peek-a-boo with him. Either way, it's a great time for all of us!

We also frequently sound out basic words (Ba... book, ball, baby, etc.). I'll consider both a success if he learns to get some enjoyment out of learning. Education is important to both of us, so we want definitely want to pass that along to our children.

Loving on his puppies...

A friend recently told me that they thought every little boy needs a dog and I 100% agree. Ethan (even at 6 months), just loves Mocha & Maverick. Well... he really loves to grab their ears and "pet" them, watch them play, and smile at them. Here he is cuddling with them after a great night of sleep (which Mom appreciates!).

Ethan is 6.5 months old, 19.3 lbs (85%), and 29" (95") - He is a BIG boy!

Hanging out before Volleyball...

Ethan's goes to see Dad play volleyball every Thursday night. We have to push his bedtime back a little, but he seems to love the action and we practice clapping for the team. Here he is hanging out before the game!

Playing with Blocks...

Ethan loves these squishy, squeaky blocks. They're fun to chew, toss, and knock down - over and over again! He swings his right arm back and forth very fast, flinging the blocks a few feet away. He loves to use that method to knock stuff off the table or high chair - we call it the "sweeper arm".

Reading & Relaxing...

Here is Ethan enjoying his recliner by relaxing and "reading". He kept going back and forth from playing with Scout (who sings personalized songs) and looking at the shapes book.

I'm loving this age. It's so much fun now that we can actually play with toys. The weather has been beautiful these past few days, so we've taken a few trips to the park. 2012 is turning out to be a great year!

6 months old...

It's hard to believe that 6 MONTHS have passed already! Oh, what a joy this little guy is. Of course there are tough days, but Pat and I have been blessed beyond measure. I don't think I ever imagined how entertaining a baby would be, but each month just gets better and better. His "talks" are starting to sound much more like words instead of babbling. His rolling is helping him be mobile - it just takes him a few seconds to roll 5 or 6 times and get across the room. He sees an object he wants and just reaches out to grab it with good coordination. We go back to the Dr. for his 6 month appt in a few days, but I think he's a little over 19 lbs and really tall. His 9 month PJs barely snap shut, so he is starting to wear a lot of 12 month clothing. He's growing fast and I can't wait for the next steps to come!!

Three favorite positions...

Ethan's three new favorite things:

1.) Sticking his tongue out and blowing "raspberries"

2.) Putting his feet in his mouth and sucking on his toes

3.) Immediately rolling over from his back to his belly - over and over and over again...

Christmas with Grandma Lisa...

Ethan had three Christmas celebrations this year - our house on Christmas morning, Grandma Tammy & Grandpa Paul's that afternoon, and with Grandma Lisa the following morning. Unfortunately, I've been slacking with the picture taking and only ended up with these few shots. We recorded lots of video (especially of him rolling across the room), but most my pictures ended up blurry.