The Beach

The annual girls beach trip turned into a family event this year! For several years now, Mom and I have made it an annual event to have a beach trip. September is the BEST time to hit up Destin, the crowds are gone and the summer heat has broken. Last year I was pregnant so we savored our last "girls only" trip for a long time. It was great having everyone else with us this year though. Pop Pop was a HUGE help with nap time and Shawn was great with taking Ethan out in the ocean. It was a great trip and another fun first experience for Ethan. He loved everything about it!

Waiting on another wave to get him. He LOVED the ocean!

Washing sand off

Playing in the shade

Posing for pictures

So Happy!

Pop Pop and Nana

Our Little Family (minus Lou)

Being silly

Watching the sunset

Looking at his Mama

This next month is going to be a whirlwind! We'll be gone different places for a week, back in town for a day, and then headed North for Canadian Thanksgiving. Uncle Daniel's coming to visit for a weekend on his way to Ohio. Finally, Nana and Pop Pop are coming up for Halloween to see Ethan dressed up and keep him while Shawn and I run the 5K. It's my first race, so I'm really excited!

Cousins, Crocs, and A Little Off The Top

This month's been super busy and it started with a week in Alabama. Shawn was in San Jose for a conference for a week, so Ethan, Lou, and I packed up and headed down to mom and dad's. While we were there we got the great grands together for a few pictures. With four kids two and under, this is one of the best pictures we got! It was great to see everyone though and spend a little time together.

I think a little kid in Crocs is one of my favorite parts of summer.

Ethan's hair grew so much faster on the top than anywhere else it was starting to look a little shaggy, so my sweet hairstylest took care of it for him at my appointment.

He did great he just sat and looked at everything and everyone smiling at him.

Hanging out with Lou, post haircut :)

It's been a while...

It's been a long time since April, and a LOT has happened since then. I'm really going to try to keep this thing updated more regularly. Ethan is growing like crazy and I just can't believe he's almost 8 months old now. Here's our last 3 months in pictures...

Lou turned 1 so we HAD to have a birthday party complete with carrot and peanut butter cupcakes, candles, party hats, and presents.

Ethan turned into a rolly polly. He's in a different spot every time I come into the room.

Nana and PopPop came to visit (multiple times). LOVE this picture.

We eat like a little pig and love our real food.

We've been burning up the road with trips to Canada, all over Tennessee, and Alabama. Luckily, Ethan doesn't mind his carseat and is a trooper on road trips!

We got to see Uncle Daniel over 4th of July weekend.

We were able to hang out with some really good friends in TN and Ethan got to meet Miss Mia.

Shawn and I went canoeing and camping for 2 days with a group from church and I survived my first night away from Ethan. Nana and PopPop came up to babysit, so he couldn't have been in better hands. We had a blast, but missed him big time!

It's hard to tell, but Ethan started cutting his first tooth this past week. He's doing great except for waking up 4 times the other night.

(something I am NOT used to anymore and I hope passes quickly)

Grandpa and Grandma Rubel came to visit this past week.

Ethan and his best friend, Lou, playing in his nursery this afternoon. Ethan smiles and giggles and just gets so excited whenever he sees Lou. They're going to have so much fun in a few more months.

Shawn and I celebrate our 3 year anniversary tomorrow. I love him more everyday and am so thankful he works so hard for me to be able to stay home with Ethan. Is it just me or does it seem like life is in warp speed? I guess my parents were right when they always told me I'd be grown before I knew it.

Easter, Shots and Puppy Baths

As usual, we had another great visit with Nana and PopPop and it was fun to have them here for Easter. Shawn and I got to go childless on a really fun date night with 4 other couples while Nana and PopPop babysat. Ethan attended his second (so sorry Caroline!) birthday party (Happy 1st Birthday Tyson!) and slept through most of it. Mom and I got a lot of great shopping done and Ethan survived his second marathon shopping trip without a hitch! I'm so blessed he's so easy going right now. Sunday afternoon came and Mom and Dad left for home and like always, I got that big lump in my throat as they drove away. 

Ethan's first Easter basket from Nana and PopPop. It was really cute! 

Checking it out... (he just woke up from a nap so he was still pants-less)

Reading his Easter cards with Nana. 

Yesterday we had our 4 month shots. We hate shot day, but we know it's for his own good. :( He did fine, but cried so hard when he got them he was asleep within 3 minutes and then slept most of the rest of the day away. He finally started waking up and acting more like himself by the end of the day and I finally got a few sweet smiles. 

We have an almost 1 year old Boston Terrier named Lou. Lou is crazy! I've never seen a dog who hates to be cold more than he does. During the summer he cries to go outside when it's 90+ and in the winter he runs and lays on the air vent as soon as he hears the heat turn on. When it's time for a bath he enjoys laying in the warm water so much you have to drain the water to get him to get out. After his last bath he decided he wasn't done and ran back to the bathroom and jumped in the tub, only to be disappointed that all the water was already gone. 

We spent a little bit of time this morning in our Exersaucer from Grandma and Grandpa. He's still a little to small for it and has to have blankets stuffed around him to keep him from cracking his head on it, but it won't be that way for much longer!

Happy Baby

Ethan is 4 months old this Saturday and I do NOT know where the time has gone! Every day is new and it's so much fun to watch him learn, but it's going by too fast already! We love him so much and can't imagine life without him now! 

He's really gotten the hang of sitting in his BeBe Pod now and I honestly think he'd stay in it all morning even when his head does start to slump over. :) We're getting ready for my parents (Nana and PopPop) to get here on Thursday. We're honestly surprised Nana's made it the 3 long weeks it's been since she last saw the little peanut. Before now they've seen him at least every 2 weeks since he was born. It's a shame no one loves this child! :)