"Welcome to Our Home, Ethan Christopher!"

I published my last blog post just in time because we barely made it into January before the big day arrived!

Ethan Christopher Kendig was born on January 3 at 12:01 p.m.

8 pounds 2 ounces and 20.5 inches long

We are so excited and proud to welcome him into our family!

Here is the story of my baby brother's arrival:

So, on the morning of January 2nd, Mom started having some decent contractions. We all chalked them up to be Braxton Hicks contractions, but Mom wasn't 100% sure, so she called the doctor, and "the doctor said, 'No more monkeys jumping on the bed'"...oh, wait, wrong story. He actually told Mom to just continue timing the contractions and to call back when they got really regular and more intense. I kept asking all that day,"Is our baby coming today?" Mom and I continued on with our day, which included our Monday grocery shopping trip. Mom told all of our Publix friends that there was no way that she was going to make it until Thursday, and boy was she right! On a quick side note, one of our not so favorite Publix peeps totally started talking Mom's ear off in the middle of a pretty intense contraction, and the lady would not get the hint to walk away, so I took note of the large gap between her two front teeth, and I asked her, "Hey, why are you missing a tooth? Someday, I will lose my teeth too!" That shut her up pretty quickly. You're welcome, Mom. Mom was right about not making it until Thursday though, for that evening, Mom's contractions were happening every 10 minutes and getting stronger. She and Dad were both timing them and counting the minutes in between. They did, however, taper off late that night, but by 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, they were definitely unmistakably regular and very strong, so the doctor got another call, and we were instructed to head on down to the hospital, just in case and especially since Mom was scheduled for a c-section. Mom was pretty sure that we were going to be sent home after being told that it was false labor; however, we checked in at 9:45 a.m.; we were in a room by 10:00 where the nurse checked Mom and determined that she was 3 - 4 cm dilated and having contractions every 4 minutes, and they had an OR booked for 11:30. It all happened so fast! I was just laid back in the bed with Mom watching cartoons and entertaining the nurses, - who all loved me and went on and on about how cute and smart I am, just so you know - and the next thing I know, Dad was rushing me down to the parking garage to hand me off to Grandma, who left work in a hurry, while Mom got her epidural. Before I left, I did ask Mom, "Will you be okay without me?", which melted not only her heart but also the nurse's. I did tell the nurse my entire life story as well. Then I gave Mom lots of love and told her that "I loved [her] so much" before I had to be whisked away. By the time Dad made it back up to the room, the nurse practically threw scrubs at him, and he was changing as they were wheeling Mom down to the OR. Then (and I'll let Mom take it from here)...

Ethan Christopher Kendig made his highly anticipated debut at 12:01 p.m. He is a beautiful, and hairy, little guy. Steve was perfect and sweet and concerned and loving, and I am just so lucky to have such an amazing man and the love of my life by my side. The whole experience was incredibly peaceful this time around. Steve did decide to look over the curtain, which I think he regretted instantly. When the doctor was trying to pull Ethan out, everything got really quiet and the nurses started rushing around for a few moments; we later found out that the cord was wrapped around his neck twice, so there was a small panic to get him out quickly. This was a scary realization, and we just feel so lucky and blessed that he decided to get the process going a few days early. Just like with Liv, the feeling of love and happiness was overwhelming when I heard that first cry. Steve got to go with him to take pictures as they weighed him, a whopping 8 pounds 2 ounces, and cleaned him up while they finished operating on me. I kept calling across the room, "make sure you take a picture of [this] and [that]". I hate not being in control of the camera. Then they brought Ethan over to meet me, and I was so amazed at how beautiful and perfect he is. Love is the purest and most beautiful of all feelings, and there really is no love like the love that you instantly feel for your child. When you first meet your child, that feeling consumes your whole body and soul in a way that can never be described. He really was just beautiful! After I met him, I did start to feel really nauseous from the medicine and from the pulling and tugging happening on the other side of the curtain, so I had to close my eyes as Steve left to head to recovery with Ethan.

Soon, I joined the boys in recovery, and I am so very thankful that Steve and I got to enjoy just the 3 of us for a couple of hours before everyone else arrived to meet our new addition. I have truly never felt so at peace and so content as I did holding Ethan in the recovery room, helping him to feed for the first time, and watching Steve bond with him. It was the complete opposite from the chaos of Olivia's birth; although, I immediately fell madly in love with both of them. The surrounding experience was just a little different from my first go around. Last time, we were beyond exhausted, and the nurses did not allow Olivia or Steve to stay in recovery with me, perhaps because it was 3:30 in the morning, and I had pushed for 4 1/2 hours before having a c-section after over 18 hours of labor. This time was very quiet and serene without the chaos and entire family waiting for us to be done, and we just had time to bond with him without feeling rushed or crowded. We got to watch the nurse give him his first bath, which he didn't seem to appreciate quite as much as we did. We sent the exciting texts announcing his arrival to our family and close friends, in which the picture Steve took made Ethan look way bigger than he was! I got that cleared up with plenty of follow-up pictures though! I truly feel like our family is now complete. After a couple of hours, they wheeled us down to room #194 where everyone got to meet our sweet little boy.

We planned it so that Grandma could bring Olivia down to meet her brother before anyone else arrived since it was very important to us that she be the third person to hold him, and she was beyond excited! The very first thing she said to him, totally unprompted, was "Welcome to our home, Ethan Christopher. This is my daddy, Steve; this is my mommy, Sam, and this is me, Olivia." It was sweetest moment ever. She was smiling from ear and to ear and just wanted to hug all over him. Everything in my life fell completely into place as I held both of my kiddos with Steve by my side. Of course, we got plenty of pictures to capture the moment forever. After Olivia got her time with us and met her baby brother without all of the distractions of the whole fam, Grandma finally got her hands on Ethan. Ethan's middle name is in memory of the son my Mom lost before I was born, so it was really special to see her hold him for the first time. She is an amazing Grandmother, and I feel so blessed that both of my children have her in their lives. Olivia would literally rather hang out with her "best pal" Grandma than do anything else in the world. As that first day rolled on, Aunt Mallory and Aunt Stephanie came to the hospital to meet our first male addition to this crazy estrogen-fueled family. Everyone thought he was absolutely beautiful, which I must say he is! He better get ready, for he has a lot of amazing women in his life who will be talking is ear off and bossing him around forever; I think Steve can keep him balanced though.

Since Ethan arrived via c-section, we spent 3 1/2 days at Northside Hospital before bringing our little man home, and we were surrounded by love each and every day. Our very sweet visitors included Aunt Steph and Aunt Mal, who came by almost everyday, Mr. Chris, and Grandma and Olivia, who came everyday. Olivia came in ready to shower baby Ethan with kisses and hugs each time, and she even brought her little brother a blue, stuffed doggy and a little bear rattle, both of which she picked out all on her own and whose purchases were facilitated by Grandma and Aunt Mal. Liv enthusiastically let everyone with whom she came in contact know that she now has a baby brother and that she is a big sister, even donning her big sister medal to the hospital on the second day to show baby Ethan. She definitely remembered all of our talks about his being fragile, and she cradled him carefully each time she held him. We shall see how long that lasts at home though. Although Ethan is very exciting, the hospital gets a bit boring for a 3-year-old after a couple of days, so Liv made up a game that involved hiding in the curtains and forcing everyone to ask where she was. She NEVER got sick of it either! We must thank my Mom so much, for she kept Olivia during our entire hospital stay and treated her like a princess, as she always does. I think Liv was as excited to stay with Grandma as she was to get her baby brother. Great Aunt Marsha came by twice to meet sweet boy, and Ms. Sharon and Harper got to spend a few hours with us as well. Harper was very interested in her new cousin, and she wanted to give him kisses, as well as a few not-so-delicate love taps. Everything Liv teaches her and does to her, I am sure she will do to Ethan. Now, Ethan just needs someone to boss around. I was also very touched and happy that Lisa and Teri made it down to see us in the hospital. Sweet Lisa even brought Three Little Pigs Play-Doh to help keep Olivia entertained; thank you, Ms. Lisa! We were so incredibly moved by everyone who went out of their way to come and meet Ethan during his first few days. We also want to say a big thank you to Grandma's co-workers at Carr, Riggs, and Ingram, as well as everyone at SoloHealth, for the beautiful flowers that they sent, which brightened our room. The staff at Northside, with the exception of one cruddy nurse, was amazing as well and made our stay as comfortable and enjoyable as a hospital stay can be. Rachel and Meghan were especially wonderful; however, we had one nurse, Christine, who almost made Steve blow a gasket when she was totally absent during her whole shift, and, as we later found out, did not check me or remove my bandages like she was supposed to. I am calling you out, Crappy Christine! Rachel made up for her though. I also have to mention that the hubby is a trooper; he spent all three nights on the horribly uncomfortable bench-bed and only complained minimally. However, by the time we were ready to leave, which was a day earlier than we had to for his sake, I think that he looked more exhausted than I. It was nice to get our little man home and have our Livie back; it is time to get life back to normal...or at least to the new normal.

I'm going to end my part of this Baby Tale by saying that we could not be happier or more in love. The Kendig clan is now complete! Ethan is lucky to have such a great big sister, and we are so lucky to have him. I am not normally the sappy type at all, but having Olivia and now Ethan, as well as a wonderful husband by my side, makes me feel truly blessed and like the luckiest woman in the world.

Now, back to Olivia...
So, as Mom said, I am beyond excited to have my new baby brother! I introduce him to every single person, everywhere we go, whether I know the person or not. I just want to shout it from a mountain top so that the whole world knows...perhaps I will do just that from atop the giant rock at Fowler Park next time we go...hmmmm. I also like to stay about 1 cm away from his face at all times, about which Mom has to remind me of personal space constantly, especially since RSV is going around my preschool, and Mom is terrified of Ethan getting sick. She keeps saying something about how bad it is for babies to get sick and threats of the ER, blah, blah, blah. That being said, I am very good at remembering to wash my hands before I touch him and at reminding everyone else to wash theirs. When it comes to my brother, my favorite phrase is, "Awww, isn't he so cute!?", which I like to emphasize with my teeny tiny, sweet girl voice. I also insist on asking if he has pooped every time Mom or Dad changes his diaper. Mom has already gotten peed on several times and projectile pooped on; boys are dangerous in that department! Daddy has avoided the wrath of Ethan's behind thus far, and I just keep my distance in general. I am very helpful with my baby Ethan, and I always throw his diapers away, after inquiring what each contains, or put his clothes in his laundry basket or run little 'errands' around the house for Mommy. I even make sure to keep him thoroughly entertained with every toy, mine or his, that I can wrangle up, and if he wants to be bounced in his bouncer, I am determined to give him the ride of his life. If he is crying, I become very concerned and try my darndest to make him happy. If nothing works though, I just remind Mom and Dad that "babies sometimes cry a lot." I am a baby pro. I am constantly telling him, "I'm your big sister" or "Your big sister Olivia is here." I just want him to feel secure and know that I am always here for him. I love being a big sister, and I do love to let the masses know how good I am at my new role. I am also even more obssessed with making sure everyone takes notice of how big and tall I am, as well as how high I can jump and how old I am. I start many conversations with "I'm three, and next, I am going to be four than five." I really like numbers and figuring out how to represent all of them using the correct number of fingers; it gets a little tough after 10 though. Dad always says that he wants me to stay the same size forever, but I always respond with "No, Daddy, I am growing up!" I am a little mad at Mom since she has to spend so much time with the baby, and I have given her quite a bit of attitude in the last few weeks. I have also taken to clapping in her face when she asks me to do anything, as well as fighting with her about anything and everything she asks of me and waiting until she starts to feed Ethan and then asking for something when I know that she can't get up. It just gives me a tangible reason to be even angrier at her. I know that she loves me though, for she reminds me constantly; I just miss getting all of her attention. Plus, I'm mad that she still cannot pick me up! I love my baby though, and nothing can change that, not even the long talk about choices that I received the other day after being banished to my room. I think Opie loves our new baby too!

To help ease my mommy-woes, Mom planned a special Mommy and Me Day. We got to go sans Ethan to Baby Roe's, also known as IV, 2nd birthday party. It was super fun! Ms. Lisa had a music teacher come to her house so that we could all jam out in our own personal music class. Mom and I only caught the tail end of the music class since it seems to be nearly impossible to get out of the house these days, and we weren't great at getting out on time before! No need to fret though because the Throwers' new house has a plethora of other fun things to do. We all moved from one room to another playing with all of Roe's toys; then we ventured out to Baby Roe's awesome treehouse and stage in his backyard. I hope that he had the best birthday ever, for I sure did have a good time celebrating with him. Happy Birthday, Baby Roe! After the birthday party, Mom and I continued our girls' day and headed over to Grandma's house to eat lunch and meet up with Aunt Stephanie and Harper True. I was a good helper and assisted Aunt Steph in feeding Harper her yogurt; however, I am quite sure that most of it ended up on Grandma's floor; good thing she loves us so much. After getting into a little, or a lot, of mischief at Grandma's house, we headed to Yogli Mogli for a ladies only yogurt date. I was nice and shared a little of my yogurt with Harper. She is wild these days, and we totally took over the whole place. She even tried to go behind the counter to earn her keep, and Aunt Stephanie had to run back and grab her. We have too much fun together! It was so nice to have Mommy to myself for the day!

The rest of January has pretty much revolved around acclimating Ethan to life outside Mommy's belly, as well as our trying to adjust to the 'new normal', so to speak. Here is a quick breakdown of our first month of the 'new normal':

Ethan has been sleeping a lot...at least he did until about 3 1/2 weeks old, and now, he just cries a lot. He does his circuit from the basket, which he no longer enjoys at all, to his swing to his bouncer, his favorite, to his bassinet each day; although, he prefers to just be held constantly. He is not much of a sleeper now, and even when he is exhausted, he will fight sleep with every fiber of his being. According to Mom and Dad, he also does not like to sleep at night at all, which has been hard for them. At almost 4 weeks, they finally broke out the Rock and Play, which keeps him upright to help his stomach, and that has helped significantly with the nights. I try to hold him all by myself to help Mommy out once in awhile, usually using the Boppy pillow for support, but he gets kind of heavy, and I get bored after a few minutes. I can't wait until he can run and talk and play, but he is super cute this way.

To make the first week home a little easier, our closest friends and family brought us dinner every night, with the exception of one, for the first 11 days! We truly have the absolute best friends and family! Mommy named them our Meal Fairies, and we love each of them and the yummy food that they brought.

Meal Fairy #1

Potato Soup and Pepperoni Rolls from Grandma Purnell (We love us some pepperoni rolls!)

Meal Fairy #2

Baraonda Pizza and Salad from Aunt Stephanie

Meal Fairy #3

Chicken and Onions, Baked Sweet Potato Wedges, and Salad (plus, special marshmallow sweet potatoes for me) from Ms. Joanne Loiseau

Meal Fairy #4

Tin Drum Takeout from Ms. Allison, Mr. Ben, Lucas, and Juliet Wheeler

* They also got me a karaoke machine for Christmas, which they brought over with them. I love my karaoke machine, for I am a superstar; Mom and Dad really appreciate your amplifying my already super loud self as well, Wheelers!

Meal Fairy #5

Pasta Salad, Schnitzel, and Chick Peas from Ms. Sindy, Selina, and Elize Bauer

Meal Fairy #6

Homemade French Onion Soup, along with Popcorn Chicken, Fruit, and a Cookie for me, from Ms. Laura, Madden, and Lyla Little

* Madden and I had so much fun going wild and riding my plasma car together while Lyla ate her dinner during their visit. Madden is so sweet and such a gentleman! He chaueffered me around like we were on a real date.

Meal Fairy #7

Artichoke Pasta, Boston Cream Pie, and Wine, of course, from Ms. Alisha Goldsworthy

* Mom was also super excited that Ms. Alisha came, hung out, and enjoyed that first glass of wine since Ethan's birth with her. Now, that is a great friend!

Meal Fairy #8

Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans that Ms. Lisa and the Thrower Family came over and made so as to keep us company on one of our first Saturday nights as a foursome. Baby Roe and I had a blast while the old people chatted.
 

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Meal Fairy #9

Orzo Salad, Prosciutto, and Cuties from Godmom Kate's Mama, Ms. Peggy Spear

Meal Fairy #10

Tortilla Soup and Quesadillas from McKenzie and Ms. Teri Germany

We appreciate every single one of you so much, and every meal was simply delicious. There are no words to express how lucky and grateful we are to have such wonderful people in our lives. Quick Mommy Message: This stage in life is so beautiful and exciting and fulfilling; however, it is also the toughest stage, which makes it even more paramount to have good friends and family. I feel so lucky to have such amazing women and friends in my corner, with whom I genuinely connect and for whom I deeply care, to keep me sane, to keep me laughing, to keep me confidant when it comes to the tough parenting and life decisions, and to share each and every mommy moment, the good and the bad...and that is just the truth. Thank you for just being you, and I think you all know who you are!

Speaking of wonderful friends, Ms. Joanne picked me up for ballet on that first Monday after Daddy went back to work since Mom couldn't drive yet, and she even let me come and play with Parker and Grayson while Mom headed to her 2-week post-op appointment. I love hanging with P and G; thank you so much, Ms. Joanne. Ethan did make it to my next ballet class to see his talented big sister. It is hard to see since Mom has been using her cruddy phone camera lately, but I am loving the new moves that we are learning in ballet, like the kitty cat crawl, toe to the floor, and "Lou, Lou, Skip to My Lou" dance moves. I am ready to start practicing for my June performance.

Ms. Laura also let me come and play with my man Madden so that I didn't have to be bored during Ethan's entire newborn photo shoot, so thank you to Ms. Laura as well. We really are so lucky! Ethan's newborn shoot when he was 8 days old was with Selena Mouledous Photography, which is right across the street from Madden's house. I got to take lots of pictures with my sweet brother before I let him be the main model. Newborns are supposed to be asleep for the majority of the newborn photo shoot, but just like me, my brother does not like to miss a thing, and he was awake for most of it, as well as fussing for a large portion. He is adorable though! He got to be an owl and hang in a mesh sack and wear a crown, since he is our little prince. Selena did a beautiful job, and I will make sure to include all of the pictures as soon as we get them. Here is a sneak peek to hold you over though:

After the photo shoot, we got in our 1st family lunch outing. I had already eaten lunch at Ms. Laura's, so I got a huge brownie sundae just for being an awesome big sister! Ethan, of course, wore himself out screaming at the photo shoot, so he slept through our entire outing!

We even made it over to Walmart for Ethan to see Daddy's kiosk; we are all so very proud of the old man!

During this first month, Grandpa Purnell came down from West Virginia to see me and to meet his first grandson. I was beyond excited to see my Grandpa. I pretend like I remember flying to see Grandpa when I only 11 months old, but Mom doubts that I really do. I know him through our phone conversations and the fun packages his sends though, so I was really, really excited to see him and to show him my house, my room, and my brother. Unfortunately, he didn't get her until about 10:00 on Tuesday night, so I only got to say goodnight and had to wait until the next day to really visit with him. However, on Wednesday, he played with me and took a sweet nap with Ethan on his chest. I think he fell instantly in love with him, just like we all have, and he kept saying how perfect he is. We got presents too, which is always a good way to win my heart! Aunt Mal, Mr. Chris, Aunt Steph, and Harper also came up to our house to visit with Grandpa, which made for a pretty exciting Wednesday. I really love playing with Mr. Chris, and I made sure to pull every trick out of my bag so as to impress everyone. We miss you, Grandpa, and we wish we got to see you more often!

In the first few days home from the hospital, Uncle Ian came to visit and brought beautiful flowers, and Great Aunt Marsha, Great Uncle Ray, and Cameron came by. Cameron is really excited to finally have another boy in the family! They not only came to see Ethan, but they also came to take me out for a special ice cream treat. I made Daddy go too. See, a baby brother doesn't mean people forget about you; everyone has made sure to pay lots of attention to me, the big sister, too.

Ms. Allison and Juliet, who is only 3 weeks older than Ethan, also came by for a quick visit. Ethan is learning very early that girls are just plain loud and a bit emotional, for Juliet screamed in his ear the entire time they were hanging out. I get it though; I'm a girl, and we have our moments. I do hope they become best friends just like Lucas, who is Juliet's big brother, and me. That'll make for some crazy fun playdates!

Aunt Mal, Aunt Steph, Harper, and Grandma have been by quite a bit as well. They can't get enough of us. Grandma even came and picked me up one Saturday to take me for a special Grandma and Livie day. We went and saw my current favorite movie, Beauty and the Beast, in 3D in the theater! I got to wear the coolest glasses, and everything looked so real. The glasses were definitely the highlight though! I have decided I want to be Belle when I grow up. Thank you, Grandma; I'm glad I am still your special girl and best pal, and I always will be.

Ethan got his very first package from across the pond in the Royal Mail! Andy and Domi are so sweet, and they sent Ethan a fun, little octopus to welcome him into the world, and they didn't forget about me. I got a really neat Lightning McQueen white board and a Lightning McQueen paint kit; they sure do know the way into this little girl's heart. I love Lightning McQueen! Thank you, Andy and Domi, so much! On a sidenote, notice the bandaid on my head; I ran smack into the corner of one of our columns because I was...brace yourself...admittedly running with my eyes closed. Come to find out, that is not such a great idea. You live, and you learn.

Ethan also got an awesome pair of Montana-comfy booties from Daddy's cousin Winnie, and I cannot wait until he can wear them. However, I really cannot wait until I get to visit Winnie and Brooke in beautiful Montana; I want to see some wildlife! Thank you so much for the booties; they are going to keep his feet nice and toasty!

Speaking of things I love, I have two pairs of Thomas the Train pajamas that Gramma Eileen sent me! I think that they look especially nice paired with Mom's boots. Eat your heart out, Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; I am the fashionista around these parts! I am definitely a balanced young lady; I love cars, trains, and princesses equally.

Dad, Ethan, and I humored Mom and watched the Golden Globes Red Carpet Special with her; sometimes you just gotta make the mama happy. She is pumped for awards season!

To make Dad happy, I am already trying to help teach Ethan to root for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. This onesie is the first thing that Dad ever bought for Ethan before he was born.

The month also included some necessary tasks, like Ethan's first sponge bath, which he slept through, as well as a couple of subsequent sponge baths. Did you know that babies can't take a real bath until their belly button cord falls out? I am full of baby knowledge these days, and I like to constantly display all of my newfound knowledge.

After his cord fell out, we got to give him a real bath. His belly button really does look just like a button. We are trying to decide, does this count as an outie? Just for the record, he is 2 weeks and 6 days old here. I do want to know why he can't take a bath with me like baby Harper did; although, I don't want him to pee in my bath water...since he pees everywhere!

Ethan has been warming up his spot at the dinner table; although, right now, he prefers to be on top of the dinner table. Either way, it is still his spot.

We've been working on Ethan's tummy time on my old playmat this month as well. He likes it, at least for a few minutes.

Do we look alike? You be the judge - Ethan and me at about the same age.

We made it out of the house and to Ethan's first doctor's appointment by 8:45 a.m., which would have been a feat for us even pre-baby, the Monday after we got home from the hospital. It was Ethan's 6-day checkup. I am so proud of my baby brother that I introduced him to every single person who walked into the waiting room and to every nurse possible. I told them all his name and when he was born; then I made sure to slip in my name, age, and birthdate. What!? I am not willing to totally give up the spotlight! Doctor Eaton and we were shocked to learn that Ethan was already back up to 8 lbs.! He was only 7 pounds 9 ounces when we left the hospital, so he gained a full 7 ounces in only 2 1/2 days. Mommy's milk must be working. Speaking of, Mom was also pleasantly surprised to find that the whole feeding thing hasn't fazed me a bit beyond the initial questions. Baby Ethan is doing great and gaining like a champ! He gained so much, that just like when I was little, we get to totally skip the 2-week checkup!

Our next doctor's appointment was for Ethan's 1-month checkup, and he was not overly excited to go; however, because Doctor Eaton is so popular, we actually had to grab her only open spot, which put Ethan at 3 weeks and 3 days. I was excited that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was being shown in the waiting room kids' theater; I did have to set one kid straight who kept saying that it was Cinderella. Learn your princesses! Anyways, the main objective in Ethan's life right now is to gain weight, and he is definitely succeeding. He weighs 10 pounds already!!! For those of you keeping track, that is 2 pounds in about 2 weeks! The doctor just wants to make sure that he is gaining at least a pound a month for the first few months, and he is blowing that expectation out of the water. He also went from 20.5 inches at birth to 22 inches, which puts him in the 97th - 99th percentile for height and the 90th percentile for weight. My brother is a big boy! The doctor then checked his eyes and his ears and his body to make sure everything looks great, which it does. Yay! Dr. Eaton kept saying how truly cute he is too; I mean, he is related to me, but beyond that he is sooooo cute in his own rite. Ethan met all of the expectations beyond weight too, which in my opinion isn't much considering they just want him to turn his head when he hears noise and lift his head for a few seconds when he is on his tummy, both of which were tested while we were there. I guess you've got to start somewhere; I started there too. Mom and Dad are proud of him though. Before we left, he did have to get his first shot, about which I was very concerned, and he did not like it at all. He was pretty brave though and only cried for a few seconds; I was right there to tell him it would be okay. Poor baby brother, that first year of doctor's appointments is brutal!

School started back up after the holiday break, and I was excited to return and tell all of my classmates about my new brother. I was also thrilled that Dad got to take me to school in the mornings for the first few weeks, so Dad and I got a little time just the two of us before he had to head to work each Tuesday and Thursday. Some of our January school activities included: pizza day, snowflake art, and pajama day, during which we got to make hot chocolate and pose with pretend snowflakes. Too bad we didn't get any real snowflakes this January...or this Winter at all for that matter. I love my school, but I am constantly telling Mom that I cannot wait to go to big girl school.

We have been getting a few smiles here and there from baby Ethan, but like me, he is pretty serious thus far, and it has been hard for Mom to capture one on film, which must drive camera-happy Mom nuts. Some are definitely that-gas-feels-good smiles. My brother is a G-A-S-S-Y little thing, and his poops already smell too! Boys are just born gross; I am convinced! Poor little guy is having some stomach problems, once again, just like I did, and he has gotten progressively fussier over the last several days. It is sad when he cries because you can tell his tummy hurts. Mom is trying though; she has already stopped eating dairy, citrus, and greens to try and help his tummy. Poor little guy, and poor food-deprived Mom. My favorite place when I was his age was in the vibrating bouncer in the bathroom with the vent on; his happy place seems to be in the vibrating bouncer in the closet where he can hear the shower and the dryer running at the same time; we may be wasting a bit of water right now, but it is for the sake of sanity. He loves his vibrating bouncy chair in general, so thank you, Mrs. Alisha, for letting us borrow your bouncy chair so that we wouldn't give him a complex by making him use my bright pink bouncer.

Our daily repertoire has expanded to include caring for my new fish and fish tank, which is actually the aquarium that Mom and I got Dad for Christmas, but what is his is mine. I got to go with Dad to help pick out the initial rocks so as to get the system going, and I helped him stir the salt to make the salt water. Then we got to bring home my first damselfish whom I named Steve, Dory, and Heigl - this is my new favorite word, which is apparently a name as well, but Mom and Dad have no idea what it means or from where I got it. Unfortunately, Heigl quickly returned to the ocean, followed by Steve a few days later. All drains lead to the ocean, right!? They must have missed their families. After having good discipline for a couple of days in a row, Dad brought home two new fish, whom I named new Heigl and Birdie, to keep me and my fish Dory company. Dory was a bit of a bully to my new fish for a couple of days, but they all seem to be living in peace now. They were later joined by my new black and white fish, whom I named Princess Olivia. It is my job to remind Mommy to turn on the lights everyday and to help feed my fish twice a day. I love my fish and my awesome aquarium; Dad seems to be pretty excited about it too, and he brings home something new to add to the aquarium every weekend. I cannot wait until it is ready for the really big fish and for the pretty corals!

We are already prepping our newest addition to help out with the blogging around here; I think he is going to be a natural.

Because Mom can never take enough, here are some other blog-worthy photos from Ethan's first month:

Ethan, you are going to take some getting used to, but life is so much better with you here!

February, I don't think that you can bring the love like January did, even with Valentine's Day in the mix.