On the road again and this past week.

This past week we have been busy packing for our vacation. We are leaving tomorrow afternoon when Jeff gets home from work and have a bag full of snacks, DVDs, books, and toys to entertain Ethan and Copper for our extremely long car ride. Hopefully they will sleep some but we are not counting on it.


My parents gave me this guitar for my graduation present (15 years ago, WOW! I'm getting old). Since we are trying to sell the house many of our things are boxed up and out of sight, including our guitars. Jeff pulled them out the other day (he has two, I have one) and showed Ethan how to make them make noise. Ethan really loves music and caught on quickly. He will have a variety of musical instruments to pick from when he is old enough to play as we have several (3 guitars, a keyboard, a saxophone and a flute).


This past weekend Jeff sprayed off the moss from the roof. It was quite a task and made a huge mess but looks really nice for all his hard work. When he was all done we had a lot of clean up to do, which included spraying off the deck and all of Ethan's outside toys. It was then Ethan's time to play with the hose and he and Copper both figured out how to drink from it. Notice he is completely drenched but having a good time.

Firsts...

Ethan had some new firsts this past week so we thought we would share...

First, he received his first report card from his swimming class. He will be a Starfish until he is 3 and can be in the pool by himself, so in the mean time Mommy and Ethan will practice what he learned rather than retake the same class over.




Next, Ethan got his first Band-Aid. He decided he wanted to ride his tricycle down the stairs in the back yard. I am sure this will happen again but there is a first time for eveything. He scrapped up his right elbow and right knee but they have already scabbed over so he is well on his way to the next accident.


Then, Ethan had his first trip to the zoo with Daddy coming. We met some friends at the zoo this . He is really starting to enjoy the zoo and we took his wagon just in case he got tired of walking. We all had a great time!

Ethan and Peyton really liked the black bear,

It came right up to them and Ethan was really excited about it.


Ethan in the eagle nest, sunglasses required.

Fish.

Water turtles.


Ducks...or "gucks" as Ethan calls them.

The tractor is the most favorite attraction at the zoo for Peyton and Ethan.

Ethan really liked the calves,

the goats,

and the chickens.

Polar bears - they were still napping when we got there.

Samudra "Sami" the baby elephant born last summer.






After the zoo we went to Salvador Molly's with our friends for lunch and then headed home for a long nap. Afterward Ethan had his first bowl of popcorn with Daddy.

Happy Birthday Jeff!!!...and 23-months-old for Ethan

Today Jeff turned 39 years young and just keeps getting better with age. Ethan, Copper and I love him so much and are blessed to have him in our lives.


Age 6

Jeff & Shadow (1st b-day) 1998

Yesterday Jeff and I had a date afternoon while Ethan went to play with his Hunter for a while. We thank Amy for watching Ethan. We went and saw Terminator Salvation and had a late lunch/early dinner at Macaroni Grill. The movie was kind of disappointing, but the food was good and so was the company.Now its a countdown to the big 4-0! Happy Birthday Babe, I love you!!

Here are some pictures that Amy took while Ethan had his playdate with Hunter. Both boys are growing up so quickly and play great together.

A boy and his dog...

Our boys are the best of friends and follow each other around constantly, especially if Ethan has food in his hands. All three dogs Jeff and I have had have been great and we miss our Peaches and Shadow very much. Shadow was also very good with Ethan and in the few months he spent with Ethan, he was very protective and loved to be right next to him. At that time, Copper was only a few months old and was concerned with being a puppy not baby Ethan.

A few months after having Ethan, we had to say goodbye to Shadow and since then Copper has taken over the role of protector and best friend. Jeff and I are amazed at the way Copper is with Ethan. He has such patience with him and will let Ethan do whatever, including climbing all over him, pulling his ears, and recently taking the ball out of his mouth to throw it. Jeff and I try forever to get Copper to drop his ball so that we can play and each time he taunts us with it never releasing the ball, however, Ethan can walk right up to him, stick his hand in his mouth and take the ball without any thought. He is getting quite a good throwing arm and is definitely a right-hander (so Grandpa Hadley, he will need a left-handed mitt).





Summers in Oregon are great and last week and this week we have been having wonderfully warm weather with temps in the 70's and 80's. This last weekend I filled up Ethan's pool and he had Copper had a great time playing in it. Daddy even put Ethan's play structure slide in the pool and Ethan had quite a funny face when he landed in the pool the first time. We all have to start working on getting some color to our skin so that we don't burn when we go home for vacation in a few weeks, hence why Ethan has no shirt on but does have sunscreen.


I cannot say enough about how great our friends Kit, Melinda and Thomas are. They have been so generous in passing on Thomas' hand-me-downs for Ethan. Kit called me a couple of weeks ago and said that Thomas told her that baby Ethan needed these bikes that he was no longer using. Kit was nice enough to drop them by our house this morning and Ethan has been playing on them all morning. He especially likes the bell on one of them.

Ethan has a new cousin!

Aunt Brittney & Uncle George welcomed the newest addition to the Hadley family last night, 5/18/09 at 10:52 pm. Her name is Avery Rae Hadley, weighing in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces and 20.5 inches long with dark blue eyes and a small amount of light hair on back of her head. We are excited for them and look forward to seeing her next month. Congrats George & Brittney!

Now Ethan will have someone to compete for attention from G&G Hadley, although Avery lives right down the street from them so she will probably have an advantage.

You can check out her pictures either on The Hadley or Hadley Happenings links from my blog.

Uncle Doug came to visit...

This past weekend my brother, Doug, came for an extended weekend visit. He lived with Jeff and I here for a few years so he visited some friends as well as us. Saturday morning Doug, Ethan and I headed up to Seattle for the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon Red Sox vs Mariners games. We had a great time and Ethan did great sharing peanuts with other fans, putting his sippy cup in a guys beer that was sitting next to us (he knows what a cup holder is for and wanted to use it - HA) and captured everyone's attention with his beautiful blue eyes. We also spent some time at Pike Street Market. Jeff's lab was moving the in-hospital portion of the lab to the new hospital this weekend so we had to leave him behind.


Ethan and Uncle Doug before Saturday nights game.


Ethan fell asleep on our way from the hotel to the game (about a 15 minute drive). He needed a power nap before the game so that he could stay up long past the game and getting back to the hotel.


We enticed him with licorice and peanut M&M's. He was such a good boy both days.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Jeff asked me what I would like for Mother's Day and I told him I would just like a couple of hours by myself. So yesterday I went a got a pedicure. Today he & Ethan took me to lunch at Tippy Canoe and the rest of the day we have spent relaxing. I love my boys and an very happy and blessed to have both of them in my life.

I do appreciate all that both my mom and Jeff's mom do and have done for Jeff, Ethan and I. They are both wonderful women who will do anything for their families and we appreciate both of them very much! I love you!

Ethan with G&G Berg (my parents). They all love to ride the 4wheelers. My mom has never liked her picture taken so looking through all my photos I have very few of her. I will have to work on that.


Ethan and Grandma Hadley (Jeff's mom)

Starfish

Ethan started his second batch of swim lessons today. He (and his buddy Peyton) are now in the Starfish class, twice a week for the next month, which will help teach him things such as getting in and out of the pool safely, monkey crawling along the edge of the pool and kicking in the water as well as some singing songs and playing in the water. Ethan loves the water, pool and bath time, and never wants to get out so these classes will help get him ready for real lessons when the time comes.

2 months and counting...

Ethan turned 22 months yesterday and his 2nd birthday is fast approaching. We are going to Utah for vacation over his birthday and 4th of July and are excited to be able to celebrate with our families. Ethan is getting really good at his letters and body parts and I am sure G&G's will be very impressed.



Ethan really likes hats! He made this look himself, which made me laugh, so I had to take a picture.

Yes, Ethan is pulling Copper around by his belt. He was running through the living room giggling and would stop and wait for Copper to grab it again if it dropped. Again, rally funny so I had to take a picture.