Mother's Day

Tristan was gone for Mother's Day this year, but I was still adequately spoiled! He came home the day before he left for work with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me. I love having a vase of fresh flowers on my table! Then on Saturday, this edible fruit bouquet arrived from my mom and dad. Just perfect for a pregnant mommy, and it was a great no-work breakfast for me and Ethan the next morning! There was also a balloon, but Ethan wouldn't let that out of his sight for me to include it in the picture. For weeks before that he had been keeping his eyes on the helium balloons at any store we went to. He was sooooo excited when the delivery person arrived and practically pulled he bouquet out of his hands for me in order to get to the balloon. He had been kind of fussy that day, and the balloon was the perfect entertainment for him and kept him happy for the rest of the day. I doubt my mom and dad knew what a great gift that balloon would be, but it was just what I needed! On Sunday, Ethan and I spent a low-key day at home. After church we both napped and played for the rest of the day!

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a mother and love this job more than any other I've ever had. It has brought many challenges to me, but also more rewards than I've ever known!

Trip to Alabama and Mississippi

Our dear friend, Becky, was getting married in Alabama the weekend that the terrible tornadoes hit that area. We had been excited to go attend her sealing at the Temple and stay for the weekend, but were uncertain what the disaster would mean for her wedding plans since it was set to happen in some of the hardest hit areas. The day before the wedding we found out that the reception was cancelled, but the sealing was still going to happen, so we hit the road! We had to make a minor adjustment, since most of the hotels in Alabama cancelled all reservations and were taking walk-ins only (to help relieve those who were victims of the storms). So we decided to drive to the Mississippi border and stay the night there on Friday, instead of driving all the way to Birmingham, Alabama.

Saturday morning we headed to Birmingham so I could help Becky get ready for her big day. While we were occupied doing girly stuff, Tristan took Ethan to find something to do. They ended up finding an airport (go figure) and entertained themselves for an hour or so until we were done with our primping!

Ethan is going through a phase of LOVING all things trucks, tractors, cars, any vehicle. Apparently, he made good buddies with this maintenance worker who was mowing the lawns. To him, this was a tractor, which made his day!
He even got to go sit on one with his dad!
Ethan fell asleep in the car, so sweet Tristan stayed with him while I went in for the sealing. By the time we all got out, Ethan was just waking up.

Steve and Becky Ennis, the happy couple

Becky and Me (Excuse the squinting, it was SUPER bright outside!)
Birmingham, Alabama Temple

The first time our family has visited the Temple together!

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful event. It was nice to find some happiness in a time of such great loss for so many. We all went out to eat afterwards and then we headed back to Mississippi for the night. After a good night's rest, we found a local ward and attended sacrament meeting and then it was time to hit the road back to Louisiana.

A tiny idea of the power of the tornadoes that came through this area. We saw a lot of damage but weren't able to get pictures from the interstate very easily. This is nothing compared to the devastation a lot of the areas were dealing with.
Ethan on the way home from Mississippi...just getting comfortable!
It was a special weekend, despite the devastation that area was dealing with. We are grateful for the safety of those we know and love and that we were still able to go be a part of this special event.

Random Silliness

One thing about having a little boy is that there is always some sort of busyness or silliness happening (unless, of course, they are having a terrible-twos-temper-tantrum, but that is a topic for a whole other blog post!). We have been enjoying having a membership to the Baton Rouge Zoo, especially since it is so close to our apartment. About 2 weeks ago we headed out on a rainy day to visit the animals. I would rather go to the zoo on a slightly chilly, low-humidity, rainy day than a sunny hot one any day--especially in Louisiana!

Checking out the baby Rhino

As you will see in the next picture, they have a large, marble globe that is kind of like a fountain. Ethan loves, loves, loves it and has to stop and play with it every time we are there. Just look at the excitement in those eyes!

Being silly running through mud puddles...back and forth, back and forth...

This silliness is partly his dad's doing...

Chillin' with a bubble mohawk

For some reason, Ethan loves to take out the garbage. Our apartment complex picks up our trash from our buildings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday if you take it out to the front. He loves dragging the bag (we don't usually have two) out there! Let's hope he continues to enjoy this later in life!

Ethan loves to go out to the pond and visit the ducks, turtles and geese. One day I sent some bread out with Tristan and Ethan to feed them. Here Ethan is holding up a piece of bread to a bird that had flown away. I guess he chased it for a good while before he gave up!

One day after I got home from Sam's I walked out of the kitchen into the dining room to find this: the leaning tower of groceries. Ethan loves playing with his blocks and stacking them and these grocery items must have seemed just like big blocks to him!

That same day while I was doing laundry, he came out to help me after his nap...and decided climbing in the dryer was a good idea. What a silly boy!
One thing's for sure: if you have a boy in your home, there's no shortage of entertainment! We love our silly boy!

Easter

The Saturday before Easter, our Primary did an Easter egg hunt and a celebration at the park. The weather turned out to be perfect and we had a great time. We started out by decorating bags for the egg hunt at the end of the day.

Even thought the Primary did an excellent job of planning fun games, once Ethan saw this cat roaming around the park he was fixated on it!

He did eventually get into the parachute games...
But really preferred to just sit and play on it when everyone was done!On the hunt for eggs! He wasn't all that into it, but I did manage to help him find one or two before he got too distracted.
Checking out what the egg holds inside

Tristan had to work on Easter Sunday, so we decided to have our Easter dinner a week early. I spent Sunday morning prepping dinner so that it was mostly ready when we got home from church on Sunday afternoon.

I made a carrot cake (Tristan's favorite) and Ethan really wanted to be in the kitchen with me. So, instead of fighting it, we rolled with it. I got him his own bowl, put a little water in it and let him mix away! The funny part was when he started pulling the carrot peelings out of the sink and adding them to his bowl...smart kid! He already knows that in order to make a great cake you've got to have more than water!

Ethan helping me on Sunday morning while I prepare the food for our Easter dinner

Ethan, all dressed up for Easter Sunday

Here I am, cooking our Easter dinner!

So for some reason, we decided that dying Easter eggs with a 1 1/2 year was a good idea. The Monday before Easter, we set out on our mission. Needless to say, Ethan didn't quite understand the concept and just put all the eggs in all at once. I don't even think Tristan and I got to do one! He just liked dumping them in...whatever makes him happy!

After all the dumping was done, he decided to get comfortable and wait for the outcome
As expected, we dyed the toddler and not just the eggs!

The inevitable spill! I'm just glad we only had one and that it was at the end!

For some reason that night he decided to build a fort under his high chair. He kept pulling blanket after blanket and even newspapers under the high chair and would hide out under it! What a silly kid!
The end result!!! You can see how Ethan's technique worked out on a few of those eggs!

Tristan wasn't home on the actual day of Easter, but Ethan still had lots of surprises waiting for him that day!

The Easter Bunny came!

I love how his hands are folded as he discovers his basket and walks over to it!
Checking out his puzzle

Peeking into his Easter basket to see what's inside...

Trying out the jelly beans...he enjoyed them a lot!!
After practicing putting coins in his piggy bank from his Grandpa and Grandma, he decided to put jellybeans into his truck!
He had lots of fun before church playing with his surprises. We did do an egg hunt later that afternoon, but I was too busy helping him open eggs to take any pictures. Overall, he still wasn't that into it. Maybe next year! I am grateful to have the opportunity to make memories as a family surrounding holidays, but even more grateful for the atonement and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!!

Grandma and Grandpa Walker's Visit--Part I

My parents planned a trip to come down the last week of March. Well, they were part of all the Alaska airlines mess, so their flight that was supposed to arrive Saturday afternoon didn't get in until Sunday morning! I felt so bad for the because they had spent 15 hours at SeaTac airport and then flew all night. Needless to say, we didn't do much on Sunday! Everyone rested and we just spent time relaxing!

Monday morning we woke up ready for some adventure! We decided to head out to the zoo that morning because the forecast called for rain the next couple of days. Even though we had just gone the week before I decided to take advantage of our membership and the good weather!

Ethan loved using his zoo key again and grandma was the perfect helper!

Doing it all by himself!
Ethan was fascinated by the coin funnel and grandpa just happened to have a pocket full of change!

We made a stop by the petting zoo to see the goats. I thought it was so funny how he just crouched down and got on their level! He loves animals!

Ethan loved to walk around holding his grandma and grandpa's hand. Here he's saying, "C'mon grandma!!! There's more to see!"
That's better...one on each side!

Tristan was working in Lafayette in the radio room that week, so we drove over on Monday night to meet him for dinner and to visit. We got there a little early, so we spent some time hanging out in the parking lot and exploring.

We joked that my dad was going to be walking lopsided once he returned home since he had to lean to the side to hold his hand all the time!
On Tuesday we went by the library to return and check out some books. We normally do it on Mondays during story time, but Ethan had had a cold that wouldn't go away and I was trying to keep him and his germs away from other little kids! Afterwards, we stopped by a nearby park for some playtime.

The first of many slide encounters!

A stop by to visit the dog

So many slides, so little time!
Taking on the twirly slide

Grandpa decided to be a trooper and take Ethan down the slide that was too big for him to do on his own!

That night grandpa decided to introduce Ethan to one of his favorites--popsicles!
Look at that popsicle grin!

I had a bunch of errands to run on Wednesday to get ready for a bachelorette party I was hosting the next day, so we decided to stop by the mall play area for some fun.

Grandma helping Ethan out on yet another slide!

Ethan went down this slide over and over and over again. Whoever invented mall play areas was a genius!
Grandpa helped Ethan learn some new "tricks" on the slide...
Lots of fun and their visit was only half over!