How much is too much?

After reading my friend Lisa P.'s blog, I got to thinking about how another mommy friend of mine said I was doing too much with Ethan (as far as social activities). I know she didn't mean any harm by it but it kinda stung.

Me and DH always agreed we wanted to encourage our children to be social. We firmly believe that social skills are just as important as an education. You can graduate from Harvard Law but your not gonna land a gig at a predominant firm if you can't hold a conversation with charisma and gusto, right?

E most defiantly has my "go,go,go" personality. He likes to be busy but enjoys the few moments he gets to himself as well. This fall there was an opening in the Toddler Pre-school by our house that I heard was really good. I had opted to take E out of Kindercare (cost was WAY too much and it just wasn't worth it), and enroll him in that. He was also signed up for Kindermusik's Sign and Sing class, and at the last minute I saw that the YMCA had gym classes so we enrolled in Toddler Gym.

This is how Ethan's week goes:

Monday- Toddler Pre-K: 8am-11am
Tuesday- Toddler Gym:  10:30am-11:10am
Wednesday- Toddler Pre-K: 8am-11am
Thursday- Toddler Gym:  10:30am-11:10am THEN Kindermusik-11:30-12:10
Friday- Toddler Pre-K: 8am-11am

Do you think this is TOO much? I really haven't had any issues with E yet about the schedule. He really enjoys the activities, especially his Pre-K and Gym classes. Kindermusik is OK with him but I think next session I won't enroll him cause he's not a fanatic about it like the others.

I know in the end what me and DH thinks is all that matters, but I do worry that maybe I push too much on him. I don't want to end up being THAT mom.

The Mullet is GONE!!!

If you know/have seen E in real life you know that his hair is um interesting lol. It's normal on top but the back it's still patchy and then has these spots that are SUPER long. Like mullet long. Uh NOT ok in my book! My in-laws protested and I gave in for a while about not cutting it but the day me and Chris got Ethan ready for his 1st day of Pre-School we both looked at each other and were like " So cut his hair this week???" lol. 

I mean he's ADORABLE no matter what (so I'm biased eh), but come on look at this :

Before

As soon as she started cutting the locks in the back I started bawling my eyes out and had to walk away lol.

He was such a good boy though! We gave him a wrapped sucker to distract him at first and he just played with it giggling then figured out how to unwrap it so we let him eat it and he didn't cry until the sucker was gone and then he was DONE...no more sitting still for him but she was thankfully pretty much done :)

Here's the finished product:

I must say he looks pretty darn handsome to me :D

Ethan's 1st day of toddler Pre-School

E has been in daycare off and on for about 2 months. We enrolled him at Kindercare and at first he seemed to really like it but as of late he cries and cries the whole day. Not OK in my book, so I started searching for something that wasn't too time consuming. I really only wanted him there half day 3 days a week for the social aspect and to give me some "mommy time".

I found a local learning center that fit perfectly for us! E was to go to the toddler preschool room 3 days a week for 3 hours each day and I was still playing less than what I paid for 1 day at Kindercare! SWEET!!

They feed him breakfast, do circle time, play outdoors at least once a day, and do lunch.

Me and DH got him ready for his first day of school and I couldn't believe what a little man he looked like with his back pack.

Daddy insisted he have a hot wheel backpack

Ready and waiting to take off!!

 And I'm off....

 Walking with dada to the car. Oh how big he's getting!!

 Just after pick-up. He LOVED it :)

I just love when he wears the back-pack! Hehehe

Happy Birthday to my baby boy!

A year ago today I gained the best title in the world....MOMMA!

Happy Birthday Ethan Nicholas! Momma loves you to the moon and back <3

09.04.09

Ethan's 1st Birthday Bonanza!

I can't believe in 2.5 weeks my little peanut is gonna be a 1 year old!!! ::tears flowing::

Cause he is spoiled rotten, and his momma loves him to the moon and back we're throwing a HUGE birthday for him. I agree that I am going overboard, but your first born only turns one once right???

Here's what we got so far:

Jungle Crawl thats 45 feet long!!!

Ball pit for the little ones...and Daddy lol

I <3 this cake SO much...but I don't think we're gonna find anyone to make it like this so I may be going basic on it. Me and DH are still figuring this one out.

The invites I made :) So proud of myself! Thanks Lisa P for help on the wording! DH loved it but needed to "tweek" it aka be a man and pretend like he did something to help make it lol. 

We ordered these plates(and napkins) from Oriental Trading Co:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=70/6088&mode=Searching&erec=0&D=jungle+buddy&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&Ntk=all&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&N=0&y=0&Ntt=jungle+buddy&Dx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&x=0&sd=Jungle+Buddies+1st+Birthday+Dinner+Plates

And ordered this stuff from OTC for the goody bags:

 Bags:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/search/processRequest.do?Ntt=14%252F69+&x=10&y=15&requestURI=searchMain&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%252Bmatchallpartial&N=0

Animals:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/search/processRequest.do?Ntt=6/1144+&x=0&y=0&requestURI=searchMain&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&N=0

Bubbles:

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/search/processRequest.do?Ntt=12/2096+&x=18&y=20&requestURI=searchMain&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&N=0

We're still looking for a few more items to put in the goody bags cause the bags we got we're HUGE. I just hate filling them with crap that will annoy parents.

All that's left now is the ballons, food, and cake!

Can't wait for the big day to get here and celebrate our little man! I'll make sure to post pics of the party after we recover :)

Ethan's 1 year old pics!

I'm about 3 weeks EARLY on these...for once in my life...but I wanted some done for his invites (that will be my next post).

I found this awesome photographer out here, which was a miracle cause I have hated every other one I met in WA, and I really liked her work! She's my WA equivalence to Shelly Ivy :)

So here's a few of my fav so far....

He's getting so big!!

My little man is 10 months old today!! I will do his monthly update tomorrow when I'm home but I just can't believe how fast the time is flying! In two months we will be celebrating his 1st birthday (and I will be bawling my eyes out cause my baby is no longer a baby), and I have so much to get prepared and decide upon. But that's for another post :)

As I am sitting here at work (yes, all by my lonesome on the 4th of July), DH sends me a text saying that Ethan said "Good night" more than once tonight! And yet the monkey still won't say momma....

My little man is 9 months old!

 I'm about a week or so late on this but better late than never right :)

I can't believe how fast time is flying!! It feels like yesterday he was born and just this tiny, sweet little baby. Now he's this crazy, smiley little monster :P

Weight: 20.14 lbs

Height: 29 inches

Sleeping Patterns: We're working on it. Currently gets up at least 1x a night for a bottle but we're trying to break that

Favorite Foods: LOVES his gerber cheeto puffs! He could eat them all day if I let him. He's slowly getting off the bottle(his choice not mine). Recently started eating puree Mac and Cheese like it was going out of style too!

Milestones: E has been cruising on the furniture like a rockstar and is faster than the blink of an eye! He can stand for a few seconds by himself but is still pretty wobbly when he tries to walk alone. He crawls like a man man with a mission. Last week he figured out how to get off his toy truck and low furniture (or boxes when no one is looking) by himself too.

Talking: He said his first word a few weeks ago "Izzy"...and after our trip to AZ he hasn't stopped talking!! He says dada, daw (dog), and Daddy now too! We're working on getting a "mama" soon :D

Loves: His fuzzy (brown and blue blanket that he has now decided MUST be in his crib at all times), the little tiger fireman that came with his fire truck, Izzy (black lab), bath time, music class, swimming, and being with Momma or grandma (daddy too but the ladies are his favorite!)

Hates: Laying down on his back, being changed, being in his car seat and stroller (basically being confined at all!), taking the remote away from him.

Good-bye gummy smiles...

My little man turned 8 months old yesterday (I know I am SERIOUSLY lacking on putting those pics up), and we found out that he cut his first tooth yesterday as well! Me or my MIL have been inspecting his gums every night for the past week cause the tell-tale bump appeared a few days ago and last night during her "inspection" she said she felt it!

I'm excited but sad at the same time. I love the gummy smile :/ To me, they're a part of his babyhood and teeth are a sign of the big boy to come (which is now bringing me to tears cause I don't want him to grow up). Plus I was really hoping for some cute gummy smiles in our photoshoot on the 20th! Maybe they will grow in really, really slow...

My little sweet pea :)

He makes me melt 1,000 times over!