Neck Hugs

Ethan likes to give "Neck Hugs" where he squeezes you around the neck with one arm. It's adorable and I love them.

This morning as I'm leaving for work:

M: "E, can I have a neck hug?"
E: "Sure, I always like you."

Awwwww!!!!!

More Happiness

On Friday night, at 7:30 we left to drive down to Houston (about a 5 hour trip). Ethan was fed and bathed, in his jammies. The idea was that after a video or two, he'd go to sleep for most of the ride. Turned out to be wishful thinking on our part. How could he possibly go to sleep in the car with the moon, stars, other cars, signs, etc. right there for him to look at?! And so, sometime after 11:00 p.m. we again were talking about Mommy being happy.

E: "Are you happy Mommy?"
M: "No, I'm not."
E: "Why aren't you happy Mommy?"
M: "Because you haven't gone to sleep. It is very late; you need to go night night."
E: (Squeezes his eyes shut for a few seconds) "I waked up! Are you happy now Mommy?"
M: "You turkey." (And of course, I was happy, because who couldn't be with such a cute kid?)

The Land of "Why"

We have entered the land of "Why?" and there's no sign we'll be returning anytime soon.

Here's what www.babycenter.com has to say about why kids ask get into this habit:

Your child's inquisitiveness is a signal that his mind is expanding quickly, and that he's curious about the world. He's starting to understand the concept of cause and effect — that there's a reason for almost everything. It's also a way for him to engage you in conversation, and keep you talking. If you get tired of the constant whys, don't simply fall back on "that's just the way it is." Instead, try to deflect them by asking him what she thinks. His answer may amuse you, but try not to laugh — his mind is really working in amazing ways as he puts together what information he has about the world with a toddler's fertile imagination.

Ethan just started this phase, asking, "Why?" at every turn and then asking again after you've given him an answer--each time with a little hand gesture, palms up, shrugging. Tonight it was like this:

R: "We're going to wait here at the table until Mommy is done eating."
E: "Why?"
R: "Because we're being polite."
E: "Why?"
R: "Because Mommy is part of our family."
E: "Why?"
R: "Because Daddy married her."
E: "Why?"
R: "Because he loves her."
E: "Why?"

As you can see, it went on for a while. Later on tonight I got caught in a circle about why the bird uses straw for its nest and (after explaining that those weren't drinking straws) we got into why grass turns yellow in the winter. I sort of like this phase. (I say that now.)

Be Happy!

We're playing with his ball popper toy and I'm concentrating when I hear:

E: "Mommy, can you be happy?"
M: (I smile really big)"Like this?"
E: "Yeah!"

A few minutes later I must have lost my smile because now it's:

E: "Are you mad?"
M: "No. Was I making a mad face?"
E: "You look like this." (He makes a mad face--sort of.)
E: "Be happy, Mommy!"
M: "Okay!" (Big smile, which I try to remember to keep on my face, even as I'm chasing balls around the family room.)

Spelling

Ethan is really into spelling. So, no matter where we are or what we are doing there is a constant conversation that goes like this:

E: "I want to spell Frogs."
M: "F"
E: "F"
M: "R"
E: "R"
M: "O"
E: "O" . . . you get the idea. We spell everything all the time (we may not be able to get away with spelling things we don't want him to know we're talking about). Frogs, basketball, Mommy, Daddy, airplane, scoreboards. EVERYTHING.

Halloween Preview

"SCORE!" I yelled in Old Navy when I saw it.

Ethan wants to be a dragon for Halloween. But, not just any ordinary dragon, a RED dragon. So, I googled, I searched, I shopped. Finally I gave in to the idea that I was going to have to make his costume because I couldn't find anything but green dragons. So, after a good suggestion from Julie, I started looking for red sweats (pants and a hood shirt) so that I could skip making the body part and just make the spines, tail, and wings. Well, finding red sweats (in toddler size) turned out to be just as hard.

But then, last night, I walked into Old Navy in a last ditch effort to find the sweats (next stop was the fabric store to just give in and make the whole thing), and what is hanging there? A RED DRAGON COSTUME!!! In his size!!!! For $14.95!!!!! I don't think I've ever had better luck.

So, here's a preview of what we'll be enjoying on Halloween.

p.s.--he loves it and says "Raar!" when he puts it on.

Vanilla Ethan

When I started the car as we were leaving Kids' Place today, "Ice, Ice, Baby" was on the radio. Ethan usually asks for Wiggleworms or Schoolhouse Rocks right away, but he must have liked the beat, because he started listening, and before I know it, "Ice, ice, baby" is echoing from the backseat. After a couple of minutes he asked for Schoolhouse Rock, but then immediately asked again for "Ice baby," but it had already ended on the radio. He probably heard 30 seconds of it, max.

That was cute and funny and I called Rick to tell him about it, but pretty much thought that would be the last of it. Not so fast, Mommy.

Tonight, as I'm singing songs to Ethan before bed, I asked if he wanted "Baby Mine" (from Dumbo, which he's been watching every day for a week). He said, "No! Ice Baby." Uh, okay. So there I was, in the dark, in the rocking chair, sweetly, quietly singing "Ice, ice, baby, dun dun dun da da dun dun" over and over again (because I can't do the lyrics without the song behind me, I get lost). If this becomes a regular thing I might need to do some cramming on the lyrics so I can, "rock the mic like a vandal."