FroMan's Journal: [parenting] The Saga of Ethan

1. Ten months is quite a long time, but it seemed to have gone so quickly. 206 months is even longer, well, I am not that much in a rush to send him on his way.

2. I think my child sees dead people. Or is opening all the cupboards in the kitchen.

3. Ethan has some amazing traits. Like his father's temper and his mother's perfection. Amazing does not always equal good. Ethan gets terribley upset when he cannot do something just how he wants, hopefully he will get better over time controlling himself.

4. Soft fuzzy things rule. This picture says it all. At a BBQ last weekend he chased this little dog around and would try to bury his face in the dog's side. This was decidely the cutest thing anyone has ever seen.

5. Eating is an exercise in clothing changes. When we tried to introduce non-pureed food Ethan would gag on everything. Usually that would bring up anything we had feed him in the last 4 hours too. Thankfully he is getting over that and he is getting much better. In fact, he hasn't thrown up in the last week and half now.

6. Eating is an exercise in clothing changes (II). Evidently there is not a clean way to eat chicken and rice puree. It must be smeared across the face when trying to avoid a spoonful. Vegetables, those must be smeared in the hair. Fruit based things, those are allowed entrance into the mouth unobstructed.

7. Bedtime is ... entertaining. When we pray before putting Ethan down he will attempt to leap between my and my wife's shoulder. We have sort of adopted a three way hug as we pray now to keep Ethan from diving too much.

8. Bedtime is ... entertaining (II). Ethan has no need for a security blanket, but come bedtime after I set him in the crib he will lay on his bellow flat out and wait. He is waiting for me to put the blanket over him which he will then curl around himself all tight like.

9. Shapes go in the box. Well, sort of. The circle goes in the circle hole. The square goes in the circle hole ... AAAARRRRGGGHGHHHH! It won't fit. IT WON'T FIT! (see #1).

10. Bathtime and pee time coincide quite often. Thankfully pee time is not immediately after bathtime since we lotion him up and dress him on our bed.

11. Teething isn't fun. Unless you like lots of drool. And your fingers bit. And lots of crabbiness.

12. On that note, brushing teeth is not for forgetful people. Or more specifically for forgetful people's babies. Somehow we need to make a note to brush his teeth (all two of them now) before we put him in the crib.

13. Swinging upside down and head butting the bouncey ball is a grand old time.

14. When in doubt, it belongs in the mouth. Keeping things that might possibley cast doubt upon Ethan off the floor is a full time job.

A special thanks to mrgrey for the title of today's parenting update.

Wonderful

[johndiii]

The challenges change over time, but it's a beautiful and wonderful process. My kids taught me a lot about joy in the world - a child's heart is something very special, and I strive to capture some of that in myself every day.

I have very clear memories of the hard times, too, but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Sending them off was hard, but I am immensely proud of my daughters, in terms of who they have chosen to be. My one piece of advice would be to always make sure that they know that.