First time swimming!

Ethan went swimming for the first time a few weeks ago and he LOVED it.  I knew he'd have fun, because he likes playing at bathtime and always wants to splash in the dog water.  He kicked and kicked, moving himself around the pool.  He also loved it when Pat lifted him out of the water.

He loves lemons!

Ethan had a lemon for the first time a few months ago and he loved it.  Pat let him lick it and we waited for the puckered face, but it never came. We usually don't have lemons on hand, but we let him have a taste when we go to a resturant.

Lots of Playtime...

Ethan loves these farm magnets that we have on the fridge.  He presses "Farmer Tad" who plays banjo music, over and over again.

Hanging out in the basement with Mom, playing on the fireplace ledge.

High Fives...

Ethan loves to give high fives.  He can also wave and clap, but doesn't do it very often - especially not on command. He smiles when we say "high five" and instantly lifts up his arm (although sometimes he grabs our hand instead of slapping it).

Books with faces...

Ethan's attention span isn't too long at this age, so we look for books that capture his attention.  His new favorite book is this one with lots of kids faces.. he just stares and inspects each picture carefully.  There isn't much to "read", but we try pointing out things in the pictures that he may recognize.  We're also working on learning the body parts... feet, hands, nose, ears, etc.  We have a few puppet books that he also really likes. Reading has always been important to me, so we hope Ethan will find enjoyment in it when he gets older.

Walks in the stroller...

We talk lots of walks around the neighborhood, because Ethan loves being outside in the stroller and it's good exercise for me. Sunscreen... check. Toys... check. $1.25 for Mom's fountain soda at Behme's... check! Ha.. we have a good time and usually stop at the park for a little swing.

He does this flat smile a lot. I think he's clenching his teeth together (maybe it soothes his top gums?)... it's adorable!

Our new playroom...

It's still a work in progress, but I'll post before/after pics once we get some more done. In the meantime, Ethan loves playing in here! The spare room used to be my scrapbook/craft room and Pat's office. Then it quickly became the collect all space, and filled up with left over baby stuff that we needed to sell. Ethan's toys were taking over his room and our living room, so we downsized our stuff and upsized his! Actually, it's a fun place for us all to hang out, because it's completely kid proof.  He loves taking his toys off the shelves and he can climb on everything.