This Christmas, Natalie's third and Ethan's first, will forever be remembered as the one where we had the big ice and snow storm. There was thick ice all over everything, including trees and power lines. Our power just flickered on and off. Mom's was off for several hours and Grandma Hedrick's was off for two days. It was dangerous to drive around, and a big nuisance, necessitating a change in our plans for Christmas Eve, but it was also very beautiful. Everything looked like a Christmas card. There was so much ice on our tree in our front yard that Phil had to trim some branches before I could pull my car out of the garage. A few of my mom's trees broke apart. Driving around town (once that was possible), everything looked like you could just tap it and it would shatter in a zillion pieces. I took a few pictures outside of my house, but it just doesn't really portray what it looked like in reality. 

We had planned on going to church on Christmas Eve, and then over to Grandma Hedrick's house for dinner and opening some presents, but the power was out at our church as well as the Hedrick house, so we did both at my mom's. Grandpa Hedrick read the Christmas story, my mom and I played Christmas carols on the piano, and Phil gave a five-minute "sermonette". (He scared everyone when he pulled out a fully-written on sheet of paper for his notes, but he did stick to about five minutes!) Then Natalie and Ethan opened up presents from Grandma and Grandpa Hedrick. Then we went home and opened our stockings to each other before going to bed. Natalie really understood the concept of "rip it open!" this year! She was so fun to watch. I couldn't see too much of her opening gifts on Christmas morning, because she was across the room and I was trying to hold Ethan while opening his and my gifts as well, but I know she definitely had fun this year! Everything has been played with multiple times and there seems to be no slowing down. Natalie's toys are particularly fun this year - toys for three year olds (Natalie pretty much qualifies this year) are much more interesting than the under-3 age toys. Ethan was more into it than I thought he might be, too. I wasn't expecting much response from him at only 4 months old, but he was reaching for his toys before I even got them fully opened. He got a Baby Tad, and when I was opening it, his eyes got really big and round and he wiggled around, reaching with all his might. 

After Christmas dinner, Ethan had his first "solid" food! (So he got to have Christmas dinner too. His was just a lot more mushy and bland.) For the past few weeks, Ethan has been increasingly interested in our food, grabbing for whatever is on our plates and watching, wide-eyed, our every bite. It's been hard to keep his little hands away from my plate, since he also insists on being up in my lap during meals. (If we had a high chair that reclined at all we'd be using it now, but the one we have is the one Sarah used 17 years ago. It is perfectly good now, but it isn't anything fancy.) So anyway, I haven't been in any rush to start Ethan on solids - mama's 'miracle grow' suits him well - but since he's really been reaching for food and acting frustrated with not getting any, I'm not going to pass up the opportunity. We made the soupy rice for Ethan, and put on his "baby's first Christmas" bib. He actually did pretty good! At this point I consider it just practice, not nutrition. He still sticks his tongue out, but he got a few bites (or licks, actually) in, and he seemed to enjoy the experience.  Today when I fed him at lunch, he started leaning into the spoon as I brought it toward him. He sits very well with support these days! We have to watch closely when he sits unbuckled in his car seat, because when he's in that semi-reclined position, he sometimes sits right up.

Ethan discovered the pterodactyl squawk this past week. I remember that Natalie went through this stage too, but I don't remember when it was. I do remember being very happy when that new sound disappeared from her repertoire.  With the exception of when his coat goes on or he's being strapped into his car seat, Ethan in general is a pretty happy boy, but the past few days he has NOT wanted to be put down. When I do, either to rest my arms (have I mentioned he is HEAVY??) or to attend to something sharp, hot, or a Natalie Need, if more than a few moments goes by that I'm not engaging him, he lets out the squawk. Maybe I can get it on video for posterity, because I could never accurately describe it. This is one little sound I won't miss when it's gone, that's for sure. I've got to keep repeating to myself - "he's not doing that to be intentionally annoying, it's just a new sound that he's found gets a response to his needs..."

Other than that, he's being as cute as can be. He's giving us kisses now - the lovely big, sloppy kisses on our cheeks. I forgot how much I loved those. Lately, Natalie is coming up to him, sniffing him, and then she says lovingly, "Ethan smells like a baby." Yes, that he does. 

Well, I guess that's it for 2004!

December 15, 2004  
"Ethan smells nice, mama." That was what Natalie said a couple days ago, when she was acting particularly gentle and loving. She patted his head and said "Ethan's soft." then gave him a kiss and said he smelled nice. It's those moments that make my heart beat and make the harder times easier to deal with! Natalie is talking so much these days; it's just been an explosion of words. The other day Phil was talking to her about something and he asked her if she had done something. "I do a lot of things, Daddy." she answered very matter-of-factly. Well, then. Okay. It's so cute to listen to her start to correct her own grammar, too. Lately she will start saying something with the phrase "me [want it/like it/etc]" or use her name, but then she stops herself mid-sentence and starts over with "I", as in "I want it." 

I know I am so far behind in updating. So much has changed with Ethan in the last couple weeks, things I or Phil have said are "journal-worthy", but I just haven't gotten on here. I'll try my best to remember everything.

Ethan is just days, maybe moments, away from rolling over. Very much unlike Natalie, we have to keep a secure hand on him on the changing table, because he wants to roll right off. We may end up using the floor to change him, because he's a wiggle worm! This morning I had him on a play mat on the floor while I put away laundry, and he had all but his chest rolled over all the way to his front, trying to keep a watch to what his sister was doing. Though he's not rolling fully yet, he is able to wiggle pretty much where he wants. Within just a couple minutes today, I had to move him back onto his blanket because he had wiggled off of it and was on our very rough and scratchy carpet. We've also pretty much given up on the baby seat already, because he's too big for the lap straps, and he arches his back out of it and within seconds he's scooting himself, slumping, to the floor. To put him down now, it's either on a play mat or in his car seat. (Which he doesn't like anymore, by the way. Too restricting for the wiggle boy! He starts to cry almost every time we start to buckle him up.) I've got a funny feeling that this kid won't be calling for us to come get him out of his safety-railed toddler bed, like another kid I know!

I also think he'll be talking a lot earlier than Natalie did, because the boy is VERY vocal! Lots of people have told me that he probably won't talk as much because he's a boy, but I don't believe that will be the case with Ethan. He makes so many different sounds already, and he's a champion raspberry-blower. Sometimes it sounds like he's all ready to take up the trumpet, his buzz-lips are so strong!

The honeymoon-stage of three months ended about a week ago. He has started drooling and chewing down on things with a vengeance. The poor boy has got little red drool bumps all over his chin. They are probably worse than I remember Natalie's being, because of his pacifier. When he starts biting down on things - my finger, toys, or after nursing, he starts getting really cranky too, so I know it's teething. We went to his four-month checkup on Monday, and Dr. Kern said it will still be awhile but he could definitely tell teeth were on their way.

Oh, here is something I have to mention: when Dr. Kern first walked in, I could tell he was acting a lot more flustered than normal. The first thing he asked was "What is he eating these days?" I said,  "uh, just breastmilk..." Dr. Kern looked at me sharply (almost angrily) and said "you need to get him started on solids NOW.  Otherwise he's going to start having all kinds of..." I interrupted him and said calmly "At four months? He's big for his age but..." Dr. Kern looked like something just clicked, and he laughed and said "oh my goodness. No, he's fine. For some reason I was thinking this was his one year checkup. Forget what I said, I obviously need a second cup of coffee this afternoon."

His checkup went well. He's 18 pounds 13 ounces. His length was 25 1/2 inches, but I think he measured a little short because he seems much longer, seeing how some of his 6-9 month clothes (footed ones) are starting to fit snuggly. His head circumference is now 18 1/4 inches. It's amazing to think that his head circumference is almost as much as his birth length! I have his four month picture posted here. We also got photos taken at Celebrity Kids last week, so hopefully I'll get those this week. We got some VERY cute pictures of both of them! This was part of my Christmas present from my mom. Of course, she'll be keeping the "Precious Parts" montage again, like she got of Natalie!

Christmas is next week already! This year zoomed by way too fast! Ethan just started really playing with toys about a week ago, and we found a toy in our church nursery that fascinated him. They are Fisher-Price blocks that he can move things around on. We found them at Wal-Mart. That's pretty much all we have for him. We already have so many baby toys from Natalie! I wonder if this is a common problem with second kids. He should have some of his own toys too, but how can we justify getting more toys that pretty much do the same things as toys we already have?