The Little Gardener

We are planting vegetables in our garden for the first time in a few years.  It's a lot of work watering and weeding and keeping the pests out, but it's so worth it when we start reaping the rewards of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, peppers and zucchini.

This year I have a little helper...  Isn't he cute?

He has his own pint size watering can. 

Notice the boots?  He put them on himself.  Love this kid!

We are loving the long days and the late and warm evenings... though non-bath days are illusive.

He is a wonderful little helper!  I'm so thankful for him.

Memorial Day 2013

On Memorial Day we honored those who have faithfully served and are serving our country.  We always attend the parade in Sewickley and the kids love it!  It was a little chilly, but that didn't get us down.  James in particular really enjoyed watching all the cars and trucks and the marching bands.  He sat on his chair enjoying snacks and taking it all in.  He was very disappointed when it was over and we had to go home!

"And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free.  And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me."

~Lee Greenwood

First Steps!

It has been a big week here for Ethan.  We celebrated his first birthday on Monday and yesterday he took his first steps on his own!  I am already missing my baby!

Good job buddy!  We love you!

Happy 1st Birthday Ethan!

Dear Ethan,

Happy 1st Birthday!  I remember the day your were born so vividly.  It was a beautiful Sunday morning.  I had spent the entire day before planting flowers in the planters on the deck and lugging heavy bags of potting soil around in the hopes of jumpstarting my labor.  It worked!  And at 3:19 am on May 20th I felt my first contraction.  I knew you were on the way.  Just five short hours and  nineteen minutes later you arrived screaming and with a full head of black hair.  You were perfect!  My labor could not have gone better and your dad and I sat enjoying you in our room overlooking rooftops and steeples at West Penn Hospital.  

And here we are a year later.  I can't believe how much you have grown and changed!

At your one year well check you weighed 23 pounds 7 ounces and you were 29 3/4 inches.  You are such a big boy!  You are wearing 12-18 month clothes and your first pair of shoes... adorable navy blue crocs!  You are getting very close to walking.  You pull yourself up on everything and walk along the walls and furniture.  You will walk holding on to just one of our fingers, but you don't quite have the courage to take that first step on your own.  You love to play with everything except toys:)  Okay, that's an exaggeration... there are some toys you love, but you would much rather be getting into things that you are not supposed to like cupboards, opening and closing doors, pushing on the screen door, pulling on cords, shaking tables, unraveling toilet paper and flushing toilets, etc.  If there is a mess to be made then you're right in the middle of it.  You keep me very busy!  We are having a Curious George themed birthday party for you this weekend and I think it's quite appropriate!  You love to take things and stuff them places.  One of your favorite things to do right now is take the Leap Frog magnetic farm animals off of the dishwasher and open the cupboard next to it, then stuff them into various cups and bowls.  I have to say that every time I open that cupboard and see them in there it makes me smile and I will be really sad when you stop doing it.  

You are so sweet and yet such a stinker!  You can get away with a lot because of your winning smile and those beautiful blue eyes.  You are quite determined and get very angry when I tell you no.  You throw yourself on the floor and work up a few good tears and then try again to do what you were just told not to.  

We celebrated on your actual birthday with a family dinner and a little practice round of eating cake.  You weren't sure at first, but then decided it was pretty fantastic!

Then daddy got silly...

And into the tub you went.

It was a sweet celebration for a sweet boy and we can't wait to do it again this weekend with all of our family!

My prayer for you is that you will know the love the LORD has for you and give your life to Him at a young age.  I pray you will spend your days faithfully serving Him and using the gifts He has given you to glorify His Kingdom.  You are so precious and we love you more than you will ever know.

And the boy grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

~Luke 2:40