Ethan Turns 4

We did so much to celebrate Ethan's birthday this year! First, at the third Sunday dinner with the Slade family, Ethan shared his celebration with Aunt Kathie, whose birthday is Jan. 13th. I bought a Puzzle Cake cupcake set, and he chose the Rocket cake for this party. I didn't have a pan large enough to fit all the cupcakes it called for, so it became a shorter rocket. Brooklyn kept saying, "Look, it's a little house with fire under it!" We gave Kathie a gift card to Chiles, which can be used other places too.

Kathie & Henry gave Ethan another Thomas train to go with his set.

Grandma and Grandpa Slade gave him a Fridge Phonics set and a coupon for a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's. The next day, being Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, they were both off work, so they took Ethan for his date. He had lots of fun. Grandma said that he talked to them nonstop the whole way there and back. That is very unusual for Ethan, who is often much more quiet and reserved. He gets a little more talkative in smaller groups. He does best one-on-one. I'm glad they had that special time together.

At first, Ethan thought that he was already four now, since we'd sung to him, had cake, and opened presents. After we explained that he still had to wait for his actual birthday, he counted down the days! "How many more days now?" he would ask, daily.

When we asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday, and gave him a few options, he first wanted to go to Union Station and see the trains with Elliott, but a few days before he changed his mind and decided that going to Kangaroo Zoo would be more fun. Kangaroo Zoo is a blow-up playground. It has obstacle courses, a traditional bounce house, and lots of slides of varying height and steepness.

This was Ethan's first time down a slide by himself. He was pretty nervous! In fact, he even climbed to the top of a few only to turn around and chicken out. I went down with him a few times, and then he got brave enough to try alone.
As you can see, he loved it! He got braver and braver each time he faced a taller slide!

Alex, my fearless adventurerer, loved it too!

Andrew was out of school that day, so he was able to come along for the fun. Most of the time he was running around on his own, so I didn't get many pictures of him. He had a great time.
Quinn didn't like the instability of the ground the last time he went to Kangaroo Zoo, so this time he mostly stayed happily in the arms of his mom. (Unlike Alex, who kept me running from place to place keeping him away from other participant's drinks, cross-stitch, or babies. He also kept climbing on top of a large, white, metal box and trying to jump off. It's another small miracle that he didn't end up with stitches by the end of our visit!)

Elliott, on the other hand, had a blast! He showed Ethan how to go down the slides when Ethan was saying that he was too scared when he was 3, but maybe he would when he was 4.

They were so cute together! Sometimes following each other around, sometimes separating to enjoy things their own way. I'm sooo bummed that the picture I took of them together cut their heads off. And, the battery in my camera died right as they were about to slide down during the video I was taking. Grr. Oh well.

Finally, Ethan turned 4 on Saturday, January 30, 2010. I spent much of this day reflecting on the day he was born, and how much he had grown and matured in the last year. I went through his scrapbooks many times, which are grossly incomplete - but, I'm glad I have what I have. I remember feeling, when he was born, that our family was exactly as it should have been. That Ethan was a special person that was meant to come to us, and that he and Andrew would have a special bond between them. I'm so proud, now, of all the ways Ethan has developed in the last year! He has done very well at accepting and adjusting to our move from the only home he remembers, in West Wyoming, PA. He has worked so hard in his Talking Time class, and at home, that I've received many compliments, from family and friends, on how well he speaks now. Even the teachers are saying that he may be ready to graduate soon. (That makes him sad, because he says he loves Talking Time. I'm hoping that when he does graduate, I can be sure to spend more quality one-on-one time with him, because I think that's half of what he loves so much about it.) Ethan has also become such a wonderful big brother for Alex! He talks sweetly to him, explaining to Alex just how to play what they're playing (most of the time). And is still so considerate and willing to share with both of his brothers. And my very favorite thing right now, is when he says, out of the blue, in the middle of the day, "Mom, . . . I love you!" I'm glad he's our son!

On Sunday, we had some family over for cake and ice cream and presents. We didn't officially call it a party, because we didn't want people to feel obligated to come. And many of our extended family were sick or busy with other plans. But, most of the people whom Ethan wanted most to be there were able to come. Dad and Danette brought Trevor. Mom and Brent came after they attended a funeral for the father of a friend. And Will and Heidi brought their kids, despite Will feeling sick.

This time Ethan opted for the Dump Truck out of cupcakes, and I came up with my own version of a Garbage Truck to go with it.

Brooklyn was eager to help Ethan with all of his birthday duties. Luckily, Ethan was willing to have her help him.

Alex devoured every last drop of his Cookies & Cream Ice Cream.

Ethan received an animated gorilla from Dad & Danette (which Alex and Braxton loved immensely!! I got great video, with our camcorder, of them dancing and squealing as they watched it walk.)

Mom and Brent gave it their best possible effort to fulfill Ethan's birthday wish to have a 3 1/2 foot gummy snake. (That's what he wanted to buy with his $5 from Grandma Bertie, but he settled for a box of gummy sharks when we couldn't find one anywhere.) When they couldn't find one after 5 stores, they stapled together several squiggly snakes to equal 3 1/2 feet. I know, cute, huh? Then, they also gave him a big Hot Wheels set that they found for a terrific price! Alex and Braxton loved it too!

Will & Heidi, and Brooklyn, Jase and Braxton, gave him a set of Crayola 3D Color Explosion paper & pens. Ethan was so nice to share with everyone. He wanted everyone to have a chance to try it out. We gave Ethan a DVD of An American Tail, Balto, and Land Before Time. (We figured it'd be a good entertainer during our trip to California coming up.) We'd already given him the bunk beds, but I wanted him to have something to open too.

This is the Robotic Arm Ethan bought with his $3 gift card from Toys R Us, though it cost $6. Oh well. It's cool. Brooklyn took this picture (and about a hundred others). She's actually a pretty good photographer for being only 6 years old!

Jase and Andrew spent as much time as they could on the computer, as usual. It's nice that they're still so close, despite the 3 years in age difference!

The next morning, Alex and Ethan had tons of fun playing with the amazing Hot Wheels set and Gorilla.

Annual New Year's Day Sledding

So, the Slade family sleds on New Year's Day (if there's snow to be had, which luckily, this year there was plenty!) This year found us on a small hill about a mile or so from Grandma and Grandpa Slade's house. Unfortunately, Levi and Janice were too sick with the stomach bug the rest of us had just kicked to join us. But, the rest of us had a blast.

I don't know why, but this is the only picture I got with Heidi in it.

We went right after lunch, so that meant Nap Time for Alex. That turned out perfect, because then he was alert and ready for the experience, and he didn't get too worn out before the rest of us were done. Ethan was really nervous his first time down,
but he loved it and could wait to go over and over again. I think he might have gone down once or twice on his own, but mostly he preferred riding with an adult. Here he is with Mike, and then with me:

Andrew, of course, had no fear, as this was such a little hill, and he could remember past times sledding. And, having Jase with him means whatever Jase thinks is cool, Andrew thinks is cool! Andrew went a few times with Mike,

but mostly he went with Jase, or alone.

Andrew and Jase had fun trying different ways to slide down the hill. They each tried the jumps that had been built by previous sledders as well, though they never got much air.Mike and I even got some turns to go down together! It was great fun!Having all the family there made for lots of variation for the rides down. Here's Brooklyn, Kathie, and Braxton:After a while, Alex woke up and joined us.

Alex definitely can't remember ever going sledding before. He's such an adventurer and risk-taker that this was a heavenly experience for him! Instead of parents constantly saying, "Be careful!," "Don't step there, it's slippery," "Don't climb on that, you might fall," he heard us essentially saying, "Climb on this slippery, ballon-like thing, and let us push you down a hill, practically free-falling!" He thought it was great! After he'd gone down a few times with others, like here with Henry and Ethan, he wanted to go down by himself. He would climb on, telling me to "uht doe, uht doe" ("Let go, let go") if I tried to help him on. Then he'd command me to push him by saying, "Doe!" ("Go!"). At the end of the hill, when he felt himself slowing to a stop, he would flip over, climb off, grab the handle, and trek up the hill - unassisted, for if I tried to help, I was again told, "Uht doe!" It was hilarious to me to watch the repeated scenario!
Grandpa Dale, Uncle Will, and Uncle Henry were our official pushers. They served us all faithfully!

About a half hour, or so, into our fun, the younger ones were in need of some other diversion. Kathie was eager to oblige and engaged Ethan in making an awesome snowman!

Braxton, having not had his nap beforehand, was all tuckered out and rested in an abandoned snow tube, binkie in place, as it's only allowed to be at naptime.

Uncle Will was wiped out too, but luckily he didn't need a binkie for his rest. Not long after I took this picture, we retired to Janice & Dale's for Hot Cocoa.