Camden - 4 + years

Camden -

It’s been a really, really, really long time since my last letter to you…1.5yrs – WAY TO LONG!  I am so sorry! Where did the time go? I’m going to squeeze everything in and promise to start writing you more often!
Where do I begin? I’m sitting here looking at you and am amazed how much you’ve grown and changed over the past year (and a half). You completed preschool in August, you are now in Pre-K with Ms. Grace and you love it! Anytime you meet someone new you tell them your age, your “grade” and you show them your shoes. Funny!

We recently celebrated your 4^th birthday (okay so it was 4 months ago). You had a “James” themed party this year. Why a James and not a simple Thomas the Train party? Because James is red like Lightening McQueen and since you had a Cars themed 3^rd birthday party you couldn’t have a Cars themed 4^th birthday. Not my choice – your choice. I offered and you said no.

You obviously still love trains and cars, but you’re slowly moving into the super hero phase. You were Spiderman for Halloween this year (adorable) and we just bought you Spiderman shoes. You are anxiously awaiting Christmas and your Christmas list is getting longer and longer. The cute thing is that you always say,  “and one for Ethan”.  I’m not sure if you’re saying this because you really want him to have one or if it’s because you don’t want to share yours J

Your Christmas list consists of a Jake and the Neverland Pirates bath toy, Cars 2 airplane, Batman Cave, a black racecar for Ethan, a fishing pole for Mommy, “Where the Wild Thing’s Are” book, more trains, cars, racetracks, ninja turtles and power rangers.

We’re starting some new traditions this Christmas and so far you are really enjoying them. First, we’re doing an advent calendar that’s full of fun family activities. Second, Buddy the Elf has come to visit.

You recently started a basketball class with your buddy, Andrew. You’re so excited about this class and have such a great jump shot already! Basketball has always been one of your favorite sports. Your daddy and I really enjoyed watching you at your first session. At one point, you wanted me to come out and help you. After about five minutes, you looked up and said “Can Daddy come back out and help me?”.  Guess you don’t like my coaching skills!

You’ve been fully potty trained for about a year now – Although we’re still working on the wiping thing…. You are so good about getting up in the middle of the night and going potty. Until about two months ago, you used to wake us up to tell us you had to go. We finally told you, you didn’t need permission and now you just go on your own...Nice!

I love hearing about your day and what you have learned. Most of the time when we ask you what you did at school you respond by saying, “I played”, but we’re typically able to pry some additional information from you over dinner.

You’re all boy – sports, cars, trains, wrestling, jumping, dirt etc. You have an adorable personality and you’re so full of love. You’re also an amazing big brother and I can tell that you care for your little brother even though you two fight most of the time! You always get a big grin on your face when he walks into your classroom and you always yell “Ethan” and show him off to your friends. At home, you two are still learning how to play together. Hopefully this improves as Ethan get older! 

Well big guy, you continue to amaze me every day. I love watching you learn and grow. Although some phases are more enjoyable than others, I would not trade any moments we spend together. I am looking forward to the Fabulous Fives though…Ha! Love you!

 

Love - Mommy

 

4 Year Old Interview:

Favorite Color – Red
Favorite Toy – Lightening McQueen
Favorite Show – Spiderman
Favorite Sport- Basketball
Favorite thing about your brother – Playing with him
Favorite Animal  at the Zoo – Monkey
Favorite Song  - Life is a Highway
Favorite thing to sleep with – Baby Monkey and lots of blankets
What do you want to be when you grow up – Basketball player
Favorite Book – Fly Guy – The football one.
Favorite Fruit – Blueberries
Favorite Holiday – Christmas
Favorite thing to do outside – Play with my race cars

Ethan - 19 months

Ethan –

Hey little guy! I can’t believe you’re 19 months old already!! You have changed so much since my last letter. First, you’ve mastered walking and have almost mastered running! You have a cute little run – I’m not sure you actually bend your knees, but it works. Stairs are no match for you. I always make you turn around and scoot down on your belly, but you prefer to walk down the stairs (which scares me). You’ve fallen down the stairs more times than I care to remember, but that hasn’t stopped you. You are very independent.  In fact, you hate holding hands and hate being carried. You would rather walk on your own.

You’ve started  cuddling more and more, which makes me happy! There’s actually been a couple of times where you’ve napped while I’ve sat in the rocking chair holding you. This never happened when you were a little baby! I love it!

You’ve been signing for some time, but now you’re actually starting to talk and you have the cutest little voice! So far you’ve said -ball (1^st word), Mama, Dada, thank you (so cute), more, cracker, apple, car, truck, yes and Elmo (all the time) and your two favorite words as of this week – NO and MINE! Oh the fun we are having!

As for interests – you love books, Elmo, blocks, cars, trucks, and trains. I love that you bring me books and want me to read to you.  Again, something I missed out on the first year - you never wanted me to read to you!

Your eating habits haven’t really improved since my last letter. You are picky – fruit (apples, oranges and berries), hotdogs, plain crackers and milk…Oh and ketchupJ. Those are the only things you will eat consistently. You’ll eat pizza about 90% of the time and chicken nuggets maybe 50% of the time. Please, please, please start eating. You’re stressing me out and you’re cranky when you’re hungry.

You are a daddy’s boy most of the time, but you do have your mommy moments! As far as your personality, I’ve always said you are more like me. You want what you want when you want it. You’re high strung most of the time and relaxed only some of the time. You’re OCD about some things, like closing doors and shutting draws ( I can’t even unload the dishwasher around you). You’re a morning person like I am – although, please know, it is OKAY to sleep in on the weekends! You do not need to wake up between 6-6:30am on Saturdays or Sundays- 7am is early enough! You are an adorable little guys and I love you and your brother more that you will ever know.

Love,

Mommy

Ethan - 1 Year

Ethan's One Year Video

Ethan -

When you were first born everyone commented on how much you looked like your brother but over this past year, you’ve come into your own. You are your own person in every way. You are my little sandy blonde haired, blue eyed boy. You are a challenge at times, but you are also so loving and happy. You don’t cry…you scream and you have from day one. You know what you want and you do whatever it takes to get it. You are not much of a cuddler, but you love to be by me and with me. You’re a momma’s boy and I love it.     

 Food is one of your favorite things. If I had to list your favorite foods I say they are chicken nuggets, hotdogs, blueberries and strawberries. Getting you to eat vegetables continues to be a challenge. Basically the only time you eat vegetables is when we have pasta or when I give you fruit/veggie pouches.   

You are such a loud crawler. It’s fun to hear the pitter patter of your little hands and knees hitting the floor. You have this “monster” crawl you do, where you raise your arm up high and slam it to the ground when you crawl.

The stairs are no longer an obstacle for you…going up anyway. Whenever you head towards the stairs, I say “Ethan, no” and you just look at me and smile or laugh and start climbing your way up them. When I walk over and grab you, you start laughing hysterically. So cute!  

You’re walking your way around the furniture and I’m sure you be walking around the house in no time. In fact, you took 1 ½ steps on your birthday… straight to me!

Your 1^st birthday fell on a Friday. I was a little upset that I wasn’t able to spend your entire birthday with you, but I was able to take ½ the day off work and pick you up early from daycare. When I arrived at your daycare, your class was just about to dig into your birthday cookies. I was very happy that I was able to share this “mini” celebration with you.

Aunt Maya, Uncle Pat, Zane and Jude arrive shortly after we got home and we spend the rest of your birthday hanging out and visiting with them. Saturday morning we woke up, had pancakes and you played with Camden and your cousins while I got things ready for your party.

We decided to have a small party with family and a few close friends. Even though it was a small party, I put a lot of planning into it. I wanted it to be perfect, but simple and it was.

The biggest party of any 1^st birthday is the cake of course. I was eager to see how you would react to yours since you loved the cookie the day before. Your reaction was not what I expected. You hated it. You wanted nothing to do with it. Oh, well - Maybe next year. Your brother and your cousin loved the cupcakes!

It’s still hard to believe you’re one year old already. I look at you and your brother and think about all the fun things the future holds. I'm exicted for the future, but don't want to rush it as the same time. 

Happy Birthday Little Man!

Love you,

Mommy

Ethan - 11 Months

Ethan -

This has been an unusual winter. It’s been warm and it’s barely snowed outside. I was looking forward to playing with you and Camden outside in the snow (for like 5 minutes since I hate the cold), but so far we have not been able to. Hopefully we will have one good snow day before spring starts! 

A new year brings on many changes! The biggest change for you – We moved you and Camden into the same bedroom. I have to admit I was a little emotional about this. Your nursery was honestly my favorite room in our house (now it’s daddy’s office) and the idea of not rocking you (for the 20 seconds you typically allow me to) made me sad. However, once I read a few articles about room sharing and saw the look on Camden’s face when I asked if he wanted to share his room with you, I felt better about the change.

The first week or so was challenging. You like to sleep in complete darkness with only the sound of the ocean in the background. Your brother, however, wants the door wide open, with the hallway light on. In addition, he likes to yell for Mommy and Daddy for many reasons (water, bathroom, etc), when it’s time to go to bed. This bothered you at first, but you’ve quickly adjusted and now the two of you seem to be happy sharing a room. My only worry now is you keeping Camden up when we finally decided to take your paci away. I guess it will be payback, right?

This new year has brought many changes for you developmentally as well. You are now pulling yourself up and standing while holding on to furniture. This has been a little bit of an adjustment, because your favorite thing to do is grab anything and everything you can and throw it to the floor. This includes cups that are full of milk!

You are also crawling up the stairs! Until now you would crawl to the stairs and stop – not anymore! Sometimes you crawl over to the stairs, pull yourself into a standing position, and stare at me. I‘ll say no, you will smile and start up the stairs. I’ll grab you and depending on your mood, you’ll either give me a playful laugh or start screaming because you’re mad. 

This month you’ve decided to eat everything except pureed baby food. This causes a little problem because you hate vegetables, especially carrots. I hate the thought of you not eating a balanced meal, but you’re still breastfeeding twice a day and taking formula twice a day so I guess I should not worry too much.

You have the most precious little voice and you’re starting to use it more and more. Currently you say DA DA DA DA most of the time. Let’s get this clear, you have actually said the word DADA, it just sounds like it. J

I can’t believe you’ll be one in just a few short weeks. My little baby is growing up! I’m excited for what’s to come, but sad to see you growing up so fast.

Love you –

Mommy

Ethan - 10 months!

Ethan -

You're 10 months old today! I can’t believe it!  So what were you up to this month? We’ll you’ve master crawling and have actually become quite a little speedster. I love hearing the pitter-patter of your little knees and hands hitting the floor when you’re on your way to wherever it is you’re wanting to go. Now that you’re mobile, it’s exciting to see what you’re actually interested in. Before, I would sit toys next to you for you to play with. Now, you just go and start playing with the toys you like. So far, your favorite toys happen to be race cars and trains - just like your big brother. Daddy and I bought you your very own Thomas the Train for Christmas, but you are still more interested in Camden’s.

Your love for music is adorable. Anytime you hear music or any type of rhythmic beat, you sit and bounce.    

We moved you into the big boy bathtub this month. You love the water and since you’ve master sitting and crawling, I thought it was time. Camden was excited about this, too. I was a little nervous about having the two of you in the bath together, but Camden’s been very good with you in the tub.

The month of December is always busy and this year was no different. Our month started off with your Daddy’s big work conference. Once the show was over, we finally had time to go cut down our Christmas tree!!! This is a tradition we started on Camden’s first Christmas. I hope you enjoy it more next year than you did this year!

The following weekend we headed to Lorain to celebrate Christmas with your Grandpa Adams. We had such a wonderful time hanging out with the Adams’ side of our family. They all adore you and I always love seeing you and Camden with your Grandpa Adams.

The following Friday your Grandma and Grandpa Ziegman flew in from Phoenix for a weeklong visit. I picked them up from the airport around midnight. They were so anxious to see you and Camden so I let them sneak in to your bedrooms for just a second to see you. On Sunday we headed over to Indy to have a Christmas celebration with the Ziegman’s at Eric and Jenny’s house. I was nervous about driving there and back with you in one day, but you were a champ and it didn’t seem to faze you at all. The following night we headed to the zoo with G&G Ziegman and your Great-Aunt Gloria, to see the lights. It was a beautiful winter night. Your daddy had so much fun taking pictures and your brother loved seeing all the lights. You had a great time too. Okay, so you fell asleep, but you enjoyed it for a little bit.

Your G&G Ziegman left on the 22^nd and we headed to Decatur the next day to celebrate Christmas with the Laurent side of our family.

I was so excited for your 1^st Christmas and wanted everything to be perfect. You’ll soon realize that I have this habit of envisioning how I want an event/holiday to go. Most of the time it doesn’t go as planned and I sometimes get upset…I’m trying to work on this. I really am. But luckily, this wasn’t the case on Christmas Eve/Day. We had such a wonderful time laughing and hanging out with family. I have a list of things I like to do on Christmas Eve. They include: opening one gift (PJs), watching a Christmas movie, reading “The Night Before Christmas” and writing Santa a quick note to go along with his milk and cookies. You were able to stay up for the letter to Santa, but decided you were too tired for the rest so I decided to put you to bed, but not before putting you and your brother in matching PJs!

Christmas morning, Daddy and I woke up to your brother making some funny noises. Your Daddy rolled over and said,” I think  we have an excited 3 year”. Camden was so anxious to go out to the living room to see what Santa left under the tree. I started a new tradition this year – one that you will probably hate when you’re a little older - you and Camden have to hug and let me take a picture of you both before opening any presents.

You weren’t very interested in opening presents, but you were very excited about climbing on them and playing with everything Camden opened. After opening presents, Grandma Laurent made breakfast and we headed to church. You were so good in church (can’t say that for your brother), but you didn’t want anyone to hold you except me. I’m so happy you love me so much! After church your Uncle Pat, Aunt Maya and cousins arrived. It’s never quite with four little guys running around! Zane and Camden kept yelling at you and Jude because you both kept messing up their race track. Soon, the two of you will be right there playing along with them.

Last year, I dreamt of what Christmas would be like this year with my two little guys. I was looking forward to this magical holiday all year and it turned out to be even better than I could have imagined. I love you and your brother more than I could ever put into words.

Love, Mommy