Don't Stop Believin': Ethan

So I realize I am definitely behind in posting updates about Ethan during his fourth month of life, so here's my attempt at catching you up on everything that's been happening with Ethan and life in general over the past several weeks. Let me start by saying how much I am absolutely loving this age. Ethan is so interactive right now and smiles at just about everything, but still isn't mobile so that keeps life relatively simple for me. I'm not sure how it happened, but I may have the happiest child I have ever met. I'm such a stress case/worrier that I never anticipated having such a laid back child. Ethan laughs all the time, and all it takes is a funny face or voice or sound from me and he grins from ear to ear. It is so simple - I think I must have been a seriously high maintenance child because it takes so much more to entertain me. His favorite things right now are when I spin around with him in a circle, gently toss him in the air (and no, I do not let go - I'm too afraid I'll drop him!), when Patrick plays his "claw" game with Ethan (think of a Jim Carrey movie here - I'm not sure which one though) or when he can lay down and put his toes in his mouth. Yes, his favorite activity may be the simple joy of putting his toes in his mouth. Gross!

We introduced Ethan to the bumbo seat and exersaucer following his 4 month appointment since he had decent "trunk control" (I don't know why I find that term so amusing, but I love to use it!) He was not at all sure about the exersaucer at first and kind of slumped over in it for a few days. I'm glad we didn't give up on it though, because now he loves to sit in it and play with the various toys all around him. I still think he likes the mirror best (this child is in love with his own image!) I put the exersaucer in the middle of the kitchen and it has been a huge help to me in getting cooking and cleaning in the kitchen done while he is entertained. He's still not 100 percent sold on the bumbo seat. He'll do great in it for a few minutes and then for some reason he decides that he has had enough and will start arching his back and I'm terrified that he'll tip over so that signals the end of bumbo seat time. Maybe he'll decide he really likes it one of these days, but I'm not holding my breath. I can usually get at least 5 -10 minutes with it, which is more than I can say for tummy time.

Ethan still does not enjoy tummy time. Really, he never has. When I put him on his tummy now he will do one of two things. Now that he knows how to roll over, he will either immediately roll himself over onto his back or he will do push ups for no more than 5 minutes before his little face turns bright red and he lets out frustrated sighs. If I don't flip him over when this starts, he will start crying. (I found something that will make Ethan cry...yes, he can do it! Oh, and if I wait too long to feed him he will definitely cry then too!!) I'm not too sure what to do here because everything I read keeps stressing how important tummy time is but I cannot seem to get Ethan sold on the idea. I think he thinks I'm trying to torture him or something. Any ideas? I've tried getting on the ground with him, using a boppy to help prop him up, putting toys all around...I'm at a loss!

Right after Thanksgiving Ethan had another first (he rolled over for the first time the day after Thanksgiving as well)...he had his first cold. It wasn't too serious and he never developed a fever or anything that would require a visit to the pediatrician's office, but for a couple of days there we were both pretty miserable. Yep, I got his cold at the same time! I was pretty achy and had the runny nose as well, so staying up with my poor little baby at night was especially not fun. I slept in the chair in his room for a couple of nights because he was waking up every couple of hours. The worst though, was that I had to continually aspirate his nose (which he HATES!) If you think he doesn't like tummy time, he REALLY doesn't like having his nose aspirated. Fortunately we have put the cold behind us, and I managed to make it through with only two calls to the pediatrician's office :)

Last weekend my in-laws came for a night so that Patrick and I could go to a couple of Christmas parties. If you'll recall my post about the coolest Christmas party invite ever (a live tree with a bow tie!) then you know this party had to be good. We pulled up to a mansion and there were 5 valet guys out front. The couple had designer trees throughout their "home" (I use the term loosely because although I have been in some ridiculous houses before, I have never been in one like this!) The entire backyard was tented in elaborate fabrics and chandeliers, the pool had a plexiglass cover on risers so that you were dancing on the water, there were live bands, ice sculptures with shrimp, carving stations, every kind of passed appetizer you could imagine, and then to top it all off there were three live penguins that were flown in from a zoo in Ohio. The society pages were there taking pictures of people with the penguins and I almost laughed in the one photographer's face when he askeed if we wanted our picture taken. I guarantee they would wonder who we were when they were looking through the film because we don't frequent the same events that these people do! There were several hundred people there (and all I could think about was that each of these couples received a Christmas tree invitation as well!) I was talking to one gentleman who asked what I did with my tree - I told him I set it up in my foyer and decorated it. He smiled and then said he gave his to his maid who thought it was the best thing ever. Evidently I have quite a lot in common with his maid because I thought it was the best thing ever too! When the valet brought us our car to leave, there were bottled waters with the same design as the party invitation in our car and a Christmas CD as a parting gift in our car as well. It was an incredible evening and I am so glad I got to see how the other half live. It is a different world, but it was fantastic to be able to visit for a night. We had a great time!

We took Ethan to our neighborhood breakfast with Santa last weekend and it was fun to be able to meet some neighbors from around the neighborhood. We are really close to our neighbors in our cul-de-sac, but it was nice to get to meet some new people. I think kids really are an "in" to making new friends!