A "Pre" Party

We have a lot to celebrate right now...David's new job, his masters degree (he's amazing) Moving across the country, Ethan's first birthday etc. so we decided to throw ourselves a party. We invited our families for a BBQ, made them pay for most of the food, and enjoyed their company thoroughly. So here are a few "pre" pictures since technically all of the things that we were celebrating haven't officially come to pass...

Decided to coordinate as a family in honor of the master's graduate from Boise State!!!!!!

Ethan hasn't quite figured out facial hair...not sure whether it scares or just confuses him

Staring at Uncle Leif's scruff! 

So I made a special monkey cake just for Ethan's eating pleasure, and he usually is the messiest little boy, who delights in rubbing food all over himself AFTER he's thoroughly played with it, then thrown whatever remains on his hands, to the ground. So I was SHOCKED when he seemed uninterested in the cake...he just sat there looking at it, and smiling at us...

Then he played with his toes a little bit

Then finally after some coaxing from Dad and uncle Andy, and encouraging words from the expectant crowd, the show began...

He decided he liked the taste enough to dig in and then lick his fingers....

And he ended it with a BANG! I mean this picture is everything I ever hoped to get at his first birthday

All in all I'd say a great Pre-birthday, Pre-graduation and moving party! Success is ours!

Animal in the Wild

Sooooo... we went to the zoo a couple of days ago, and yes as you can imagine we were probably more excited to go than Ethan, since he doesn't know what a zoo is. But by the end we were pretty sure the zoo was a big hit for everyone! Ethan found himself in his natural habitat- you'd probably think he was raised with the animals, but we love our little puppy/monkey and he performed admirably in all areas of our expectations at the zoo, so see for yourself...here's our little wild animal!

We started telling him first thing in the morning that he was going to the zoo...I think he started to get the idea...maybe

I'm going to the zoo!!!!!! Love his face (Mine is goofy:)

He tried to get into all of the animal enclosures...

Please Dad I know how to get in here...let me go

We were so excited for the penguins since he loves water so much!

We discovered he REALLY likes bark and dirt...little boy through and through!

He tried to eat a goat at the petting zoo...

Ethan:  Hmmm.. an unknown...I must put it in my mouth-
David: No Ethan you can't eat it

Ethan:  ok Dad I'll just pet it

Ethan:  Yeah right! Attack!!!!

He couldn't believe that the komodo dragon would sleep through his visit, so he pounded on the glass

Until it woke up!!!! HAHAHA

He also decided to get a head start on charming the ladies...I'm not sure his tactics worked...

Looks like his charm only brought her to tears...but at least he enjoyed himself! lol

And last but not least...have I mentioned that he likes to drive, wait let me rephrase that, LOVES to drive, is OBSESSED with steering wheels...this old jeep is on the way out of the zoo and I thought we'd never be able to get him off it once he spotted it!

DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE!!!

So basically the zoo was everything we could have dreamed, we got all the delightful pictures I wanted, all the fun reactions we were after, and we learned that the "animal" within every boy just needs to be let out. Squirming, growling, rock throwing, dirt eating, girl tormenting, and being all around WILD is just a part of their nature...so to everyone out there with boys, EMBRACE the animal within and just go with it!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this little boy!!!

Sure do love my puppy-monkey-dinosaur baby...yes I'm sure we created the perfect hybrid child of destruction, but he is awfully sweet when he wants to be and he knows how to suck up to his Mama...yes he does have me wrapped around his little finger!