Newest Adventures from the Hegstrom Homefront

Back to Idaho and still can't believe it...here's what's happened since we got back...

Spent about a week at Grandma's house and totally destroyed the place! That's what boys do best

After a crazy spell of house hunting involving lots of frustration, prayers, and help from many friends we found a townhome which is slowly molding into "our home" at least for a little while- you know it's pretty homey when the toddler can run around in his diaper and chill on the stairs with his sippy-

His new favorite snack spot...yes it's not very structured, but what has been structured in our lives in the last year lol

Some Serious landscaping work...

Andy has been so good to us, and after he finished a spring landscaping cleanup project at our little "complex" he dove right into helping us on our yard project. We have just a small area of "yard" directly behind our townhome that backs into a fence and one side of the yard had a fence but it was pretty dilapidated, so we got permission to add a fence to the other side so we could have a fully fenced yard area, and repair the other fence. So after a lot of hard work Andy has already put our fences up, and now we are just working on the beautifying process- the last tenants left a sandbox which has been cleaned and filled with sand, and we are going to put in a tiny bit of sod...I am so so so excited to have our own private outdoor area for Ethan to play in, and he is too- he has made himself very very "helpful" in this whole process as I'm sure you can imagine.

Now I meant to take some pictures before any cleaning was done and before the fence was put up, but I forgot, so there has already been a ton of work done but here's where we are at right now...can't wait for the finished project!

Well I tried adding an adorable video of Ethan to finish this off with, but it wouldn't load- oh well- not everything can go as planned- I mean here I am at 40 weeks and still no baby, so there you go, but at least I will have a great little yard by this weekend if the baby doesn't show!

Whirlwind

The last couple of weeks have blown by so quickly and ferociously that I hardly even know what to do with myself! While I am so glad that we are back "home" there is a big part of me that was just loving my adventure in the sweet south. We had a beautiful mansion to live in, plenty of grass for Ethan to run around in, beautiful weather to enjoy basking in, great new friends to spend time with, and sweet southern ladies to compliment my adorable son at every public encounter. I kind of feel as though I didn't get the opportunity to give the south a decent goodbye. No chance to have southern catfish or crawfish. No alligator hunting or swamp diving. No chance to dance in a sweet southern rainstorm, so I let Ethan and David do that one for me. No opportunity to say goodbye to some great friends we had just barely gotten to know. So before I get a little weepy with my pregnant hormones here's a little goodbye to all of the people and things I was growing so fond of, thank you for taking me in and letting me be Miss Daisy for just a short while. I hope I can take some of the sweet southern ways and incorporate them into plain old Idaho Daisy.

I wish I had taken more pictures but at least I feel that I captured some of the sweetest memories. There will always be a place in my heart for our southern home. The sound of Ethan's little feet slapping against the cool painted concrete hallways as he runs to his momma will echo in my ears for a lifetime, and his little face peeking around the corner of the shower curtain holding out his loofah (soapy soapy) and the bottle of baby wash will be a permanent video in my mind.

Just chillin in his favorite TV position!

Apparently the strawberry looked like it should go in his nose...looks like I'll be one of those parents showing up at the ER because my child stuck some strange thing up their nose/ear and it got stuck!

His last shower in Louisiana lol- he was so very happy!

I will miss watching my little boy chase after the birds and lizards and squish large southern bugs. And the sight of him following after his daddy as they take the garbages the quarter mile trek to the edge of the road and walk back in sync, will always bring a smile to my face.

Silly Faces!

Rub a dub dub two boys in a...laundry basket?!

 I feel as though I really got to spend some quality alone time with my little boy, and I will miss those moments- they are so fleeting, but I am so glad we had them and even though days could be long without having a car to just zip around wherever I wanted, I got to be with the sweetest little angel I have laid eyes on to this point in my life. I hope that even though I won't have that same kind of alone time with my other children, that I can form the same kind of bond. The first child will always have a part of you that is different because they are the first, and at the time, the only. I am getting scared to death to have another baby boy, but as David has reminded me, we already know now what it means to love a child- so it seems that even though we haven't shared these magical moments yet with our new little boy on the way- we know what things can happen over the course of a year and a half, and therefore we will probably form a more instant bond just for knowing that.

Our last day in the South we visited the Durfees (ok they took pitty on us and let us stay a couple nights until we flew out of Houston for the trek back to Idaho) we spent Saturday at the World championship BBQ tournament. Thanks guys for taking us in, and letting us spend time with you at a World Class drinking event lol! It was GREAT!

So to wrap this up, here we are back in Idaho- here to settle down for a long time this time- and here it is that we go from 3 to 4 just like that. Come on little boy, we're ready to meet you.

They're Always Watching

Funny thing about kids...they are ALWAYS watching you...you may think that what you do may slip past them...well it doesn't. I have been struck lately by how much Ethan has actually picked up just from watching me. He has always had a fetish with the blow dryer, so once in a while I set it to cool temp and let him have a whirl at his hair, then the other day he picked up the brush and tried awkwardly to use the brush and dryer at the same time...he's been watching his momma!

I rarely catch a sweet smile for a picture, what I usually get is the intentional "two-tooth" smile or the slightly creepy "no upper lip" smile, or just a straight out glare of sorts...this kid has so much personality that is all his own, so someday when he asks why I never took pictures of him smiling, he can just know that it wasn't for lack of effort. I am pretty sure I take 50 pictures a day in the attempt and delete about 48 of them because he has given me the lazy eye or the retarded face. So yes Ethan you are photogenic, you just choose to make it difficult for me to take advantage of.

Combination "two-tooth" and "no upper lip" smile Yes still cute

He smiled the whole time, until the camera snapped the picture

The "Two-tooth"

And this is just scrate up thuggin it with no pants and an orange popsicle...that face...it delights and frightens me!

So there you go...my little boy, all growing up- he still seems so little to me, until I see him around other kids his age, then I realize he's actually almost always the big kid of the group- who knew that David and I, both pretty average sized people would produce such a big guy! I sure do love him, and adore every inch of his tall little boy self.oh and for the record, at 18.5 months he is reaching the top of the charts at 34.2 inches (90th percentile)  28 lbs (75th percentile). Who knew that the secret to growing big and strong is actually in eating ONLY white bread, cottage cheese, and some fruits?

Through Ethan's Eyes

Every once in a while I have a moment of complete clarity and the most beautiful realizations hit me. Typically these clear moments come after a hard day of motherhood or when I feel particularly tired of being pregnant and need reminding why it is all worth it. The other day as I was outside on the lawn with Ethan as he was "collecting" rocks and handing them to me I just sat and watched him, and I mean REALLY watched him and it hit me how truly wonderful and magnificent the world is through the eyes of a child. Everything is "more" of what it seems to us as adults. I think children see the world more as it actually is, or at least how it is meant to be seen. It is more beautiful in every possible way, more fascinating to explore, every adventure a little more promising. They have a way of seeing everything at a maximum value, and as I try and look at the world through Ethan's eyes I find myself so very much more grateful for every little thing. For the beauty of a freshly blown bubble, the wonder of how nicely a ball can bounce off your foot, and how calming a nice cuddle in the earlier morning hours can be. I've always enjoyed when David gets home from work, but as Ethan spots that orange car coming down the driveway and takes off full-fledged awkward legged sprinting with his arms flapping in every direction I feel an excitement that makes me reminiscent of earlier on in married life when I couldn't bear being away from David for a second, much less a full day of work. And as I thought about being frustrated as Ethan handed me dirt-coated rock after rock, I took one look at the sparkle in his eyes as he examined each black pebble below his feet before selecting the next gem, I realized it's not really about everything we have around us being what we dreamed or imagined it to be but more about making everything we have become that dream we dreamed. Opening our eyes wide enough that a plain matte black rock becomes a shiny black gem that has been tumbled until it gleams. Children live with their eyes wide open to possibility, and why shouldn't we all. Though having children means that sometimes you will have more tears, you will also have more smiles, though frustration can become more intense, your successes have more meaning, and though I am sure there will also be many moments of more intense heartache there is also a deeper feeling of a more perfect love that you learn and grow from everyday. I love seeing the world through Ethan's eyes and thank my Father in Heaven every day that he has given me a little boy, and not just any little boy, but my little Ethan who so perfectly fits me. He may not look a smidge like me, but his hand sure fits nicely in mine and his sweet little smile speaks perfection to my soul. I love being his mom.

You may wonder why he is sitting on a diaper box, fly swatter in hand and head clad in underwear...well stop wondering, you'll never know and neither will I

Can we say spoiled?

Chasing a flock of birds...there was much giggling and awkward arm flapping

This is his best goose egg yet...and this is a few hours after the fact so the swelling had gone down significantly. After his head initially made contact with the cement floor it looked like the cap of a pop bottle was sticking out of his forehead. Yes it was pretty nasty, David's initial thought was that his brains must be oozing out of his skull...yes a little dramatic

Love this sweet smile, and it takes a lot of effort to get it on camera.

Loosiana Livin'

So Louisiana living has been quite the experience so far with flash floods, and then random days where it's 75 degrees outside and beautiful, IN JANUARY, but strangely enough you still get wet either way. 

It's also quite an adventure to be given "pet" names everywhere we go by the sweet older women...David and Ethan get "honey" and the one I've gotten is "babe" - and they also love to call me "Miss Daisy" with their sweet southern drawls- I am growing quite fond of it. 

It is also impossible to keep my hair straight most days...there's just too much water in the air. Now I don't really have curly hair, but down here it seems that is all I'm gonna get, so in order to be a southern belle I'm gonna have to get my groove on with the diffuser and a lot of gel, wish me luck.

Another fantastic thing about being in DeRidder is that it brought us within 3 hours of the Durfee's whom we hadn't seen in 2 years! Our first weekend here they made the drive up into the middle of nowhere Louisiana to pay us a visit and help break in our new home! It was a whole barrel of fun, at least for us (hope you guys had fun too!)

Two little pups in a gigantic tub with bath crayons...what could be cuter?!

-

They loved it

Another highlight was Ethan's tent...it was a real winner, but apparently no one can play in it without him...

 This is our front door, which we never use as it is terribly intimidating because it is so huge and LOUD- it makes me feel as though I am Belle approaching the beasts castle...you know minus the gargoyles and creepy shadows (although the two lights on either side are lanterns...kind of interesting for a newer house to not have electricity running to the outdoor lights)

Ethan loves to run through the house pushing his treasures in my laundry baskets...unfortunately it makes it hard to put dirty laundry in contained spaces when my son confiscates my baskets

Chili anyone? Ethan has a very mature pallet and LOVES spicy chili...looks like it loves him too!

75 degrees last saturday made for a nice family walk...yes I was the third wheel

Ethan really loves his Daddy, if you couldn't tell

This is the forest right out in front of our house...ok not really a forest but that's what it looks like

I ask him to smile for me, and I get a belly button shot, thank goodness for his onesie to keep the picture appropriate lol

The sweetest view from "up here"

As we were walking back to our house and we saw this view of it, we decided it looks like we live on a large southern estate home...never pictured myself here, but it's kind of fun, so for the time being I guess I can be "Miss Daisy" out here on my southern estate

Christmas in Idaho

The last few weeks flew by in such a whirlwind I can't hardly even make sense of the fact we're already in the new year, and we're in a new state! Man time flies when you're having fun, and yes we had plenty of it being with family and friends, and just enjoying a good old Christmas season in Idaho.

Doing his part to help clean up to leave our Minnesota home...Idaho here we come!

Watching the cats outside the window...Ethan LOVED the cats!

This is while Ethan was still partially afraid of the Christmas tree...the texture of the needles freaked him out so he wouldn't touch it...unfortunately the fear only lasted a couple days and then he was all over that!

Trying to nuzzle the cats...the cat didn't enjoy it as much as Ethan did

Two preggo ladies in their Christmas Even shirts! The grinch's nose was almost perfectly placed on my poor protruding belly button...how embarassing lol!

After Andy and Elise's wedding...since it was one of the few times all three of us were dressed up I had to have it documented!

So I didn't have a huge selection of pictures from the holidays but we had a great time. It felt so good to be in Idaho, and it was best once David got there and we were able to celebrate the season as a whole family! We are so very blessed and grateful for everything we were able to experience this last year...and 2013 should be another extremely eventful year for us as we welcome the new baby in a few months here in Louisiana! Bring it on new year and new adventures...we're ready!

For Our Memory Book- Farewell Minnesota

Yes we are excited to be on to another adventure, and definitely yes excited to be in Idaho for a little while as well, but I can't say that there aren't things, people, and places that I will miss here in Minnesota.

THINGS...
* this OLD house...with it's slanting floors, dark paneling, lamplit rooms, the clicking of the baseboard heat in the dead of night, the no tub or dishwasher, the giant fish mounted on the wall, the indoor plants that Ethan destroys....oh you old old house we will miss you! It's amazing how even something so different from your own particular style and liking can become such a place of sanctuary, your home. We may not have been here long, but we've made it ours and it will be missed!

* The beauty of the trees and the lake...I've already been missing them because we can't go swimming and the trees became barren weeks ago, but knowing that I won't see this beautiful scenery again for years, or forever is sad!
*The Town of Ranier's no leash law for dogs...yes there was constant fear of hitting dogs while driving as they own the place, but when you have a little boy who LOVES dogs it's nice to know there will rarely be an outing when he won't be able to find a dog to play with

PLACES
* The town of Ranier...such a quaint and quiet little place, except for the trains, so old fashioned- like something you see on a postcard. Wish I had time to take more pictures for memories, but for now they will stay with me. This is the place my son learned to walk, the place he learned his first couple words and where he bathed in a tote. Things become beautiful because of the people you are able to love there.

* The paper mill...oh wait it is exceptionally stinky, especially to my pregnancy "super-sniffer"  I don't think I'll miss that all too much actually. But the people David worked with were incredible. Wish we could take them with us!

* The little park in town...many a fun afternoon spent sliding, swinging, chasing down dogs, leaves, and sticks,  lots of laughs, snuggles, and all around fun had here.

* The BEAUTIFUL frozen Lake...we haven't been able to enjoy it for long, but it really is a breathtaking view to look out over the frozen water!

PEOPLE
* Our branch...thank you for loving our son. There is something that immediately draws you to people when they adore your child. Ethan has been doted on, laughed at, cooed at, and all around spoiled. It pays to be the only child below the age of 6, and one of only about 6 total at church. Thank you all for your love and friendship.

So there are probably a lot of things I am leaving out...and maybe as I remember them I'll add to this for the sake of keeping a record, but for now I guess here I am closing on another chapter of our life...Thank you Minnesota for not freezing us to death, and for letting us enjoy you for a short time. It certainly has been an adventure!