The First Babysitter

I used to think that Ethan was a kid who took awhile to adjust. To new people, new situations, etc. I think I'm projecting. He's fine. :)

Since I heard that Capitol Steps was heading to Champaign-Urbana, I knew I had to go. And better yet, Brian and I should go together! And we should take my parents to thank them for all that they've done since Ethan has been born. They've really been amazing. Needless to say, we haven't really be able to take them out since they were our only in-town babysitters for awhile. This has really pushed us to make a big move and get a babysitter for Ethan.

Now, my friends with Ethan-age children are out of town, and other folks I know have tons of family in town, or babysitters who they have known for ages. With the university across the street and poor college students wanting to make money, you'd think we'd have babysitters banging down our door. But we wanted something a little more reliable than walking up to the door of a sorority house, knocking on the door, and asking who was free on Saturday night. So we found two lovely women online. Shocking, I know! Though with this website (Care.com) we were able to run background checks, call for references, and meet them many times before actually hiring anyone. And the two we decided on using are absolutely wonderful - one is an early childhood education major, another is a CNA, they both have been babysitting for at least 8 years and have past clients who absolutely love them...and Ethan loves them both! I have to just shake my head at this boy and how quickly he starts to flirt with pretty girls. My sister, the women who work at the Infant Cognition Lab, these babysitters...he is giggly and jumpy within 1 minute!

I think that the best compliment that we could ever have is how happy this baby is. Brian's sister Kim said months ago that he was the happiest baby she could remember, Vilma says the same thing (poor Vilma, with a new little boy there who screams daily), and now his babysitters are bringing out the giggles and squirminess as well. What a cutie.

Be careful what you wish for!

I apologize to all of you out there who are waiting anxiously for the next picture of Ethan - recently, most of my time with him has been spent with my hands trying to protect his little diapered behind.

Ethan is moving all over the place. And he's almost always moving toward something we don't want him to have - oh, the plants (choking hazard), an exposed cord (yanking hazard), or the cats (clawing hazard).
And then there are our floors. I never thought I was a neat freak, but I didn't think I lived in filth - but having the little boy all over them is making me so paranoid! With the four cats tracking in cat litter, we are vacuuming all the time and have plans to shampoo the carpets ASAP. But we are so delighted that he has found this new independence that we don't want to hold him back too much...

His favorite way of giving his mother a heart attack this weekend is to pull up on something, cruise a few steps, turn, and then LET GO. He has such a false sense of security, which I'm sure I've helped along, since every time he falls, I catch him just before he smushes his face or breaks an arm.

Whew.

He is such a delightful, happy boy! We've had such fun recently taking him outside and playing with him since the weather is so wonderful. (And there aren't any cords or hard corners outside.) He is at this great stage where he loves taking things out...out of the drawers, out of the hampers, out of boxes...so recently, I took an old lidless tub and filled it with little toys, balls, etc. It was a hit! He takes it all out, I put it all back in, he takes it all out...repeat as necessary!