So, I have finally given in to the pressure. I went to Target and threw some cheap things in a basket. This is the experimental year. I am just trying to see how everyone handles a tree. So, the tree is like, what, two feet tall, a sting of lights and a box of cheap glass ornaments... voila! It's sitting on the wine cabinet with the Christmas Village and already Kita is trying to eat the tree and the wires, and Ethan is trying to get the bulbs... sheesh! This is why! I have to admit, it is kind of fun and gets me in the Holiday spirit, but man, lights on the tree are a pain in the a.....!

Phases?

Lately, Ethan has been going through this "phase" - he is taking extra care of his 'guys' - he likes to hug them, make them hug each other, and baby talks them. He takes his stuffed frogs and tucks them in his bed and says "night night froggies", turns out the lights, and comes back downstairs. He does this several times, or rearranges them in the bed. Sometimes certain frogs don't even get to be tucked in the bed, they get thrown off to the side with Bear and Trini (his stuffed giraffe) or hid under the bed.

He also does this with this little polar bear set my Mom gave him when he was just a few months old. I think he loves the fact that there is a big bear and a little baby bear, and the penguin.

Ethan is just over 2 yrs old and he is saying and doing new things every day. Sometimes it's hard to believe he is only 2 yrs old and I think why are you still pooping in your pants!? I was scolding him the other day and I said "you're acting like a 2 year old". Wait a sec... yeah, smart!

He is counting to 14 by himself - why 14? I have no idea. He is singing and recognizes shapes. He loves the alphabet and animals - right now, every stuffed animal's name is Trini. The real Trini doesn't even like him, so I don't know why he calls everything Trini either. Today, we got home from the many errands and I finished putting everything away, I walked in the front room to see this ... why do they grow up so fast? Great! Now, I am crying! He tries to be like both of us, but he is such a Momma's boy right now, which I love because I know that will be over soon enough.

Surprise!

So, I took a 4-day weekend this weekend - boy, did I need it! Mostly to clean, which I did on Monday for 8 hours! Anyhoo. I was surprised to find a large box on my front porch Saturday. Now, y'all know that I do not and have not decorated for any holiday - especially Christmas! But since Ethan was born both Mom's have been sending me stuff to get into the "holiday spirit". It has actually been fun. No tree this year still, but working up to it. Seriously, we have two cats and a toddler. I got this box and look - isn't it cute? It's a starter Christmas village with a chocolate shop! It's so cute. I will definitely have fun building on this, although Larry reminds me of the limited space.

Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium

Despite the Bears game today, we battled the traffic, tail-gaters, and high priced parking (I forgot it was game day... duh!). Today we visited the Shedd Aquarium and had so much fun. Ethan loves fish and I thought he might get excited. He did. Flash is not allowed in the aquarium, so the pics are a little dull.