May 2010: LIVE freely, LOVE deeply, LAUGH loudly

May has been such a fun month, starting with a celebration and ending with a vacation! We took a trip to Birmingham to celebrate Caleb’s birthday, and then we traveled to Crestview near Destin, Florida for a Memorial Day weekend vacation. Long gone are the days when Ethan would sleep in his infant carrier throughout the entire road trip. Now, he likes to doodle and listen to music, snack and watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse… thank the Lord for Laurie Berkner and portable DVD players!

One of our favorite pastimes is watching Ethan play. He is so inquisitive and jovial. The way he interacts with his toys or the television or other people is captivating. He loves to make things move, especially transportation vehicles like cars and trains. When he first discovered that the wheels on the car go round and round, he giggled with delight! One of his favorite shows is Yo Gabba Gabba. As soon as the music starts, he responds with enthusiastic clapping and dancing (bouncing and squatting up and down to the rhythm, even “chest pumping” and shaking his shoulders, if it’s a song with a drum beat). If you really want to make him smile and laugh, then play peek-a-boo. He simply cannot get enough of being startled or surprised. During our vacation, we saw Ethan’s adventurous spirit on full display. He had a blast playing in the water, in the sand, and in the fountains!

Story time is another much loved part of our days with Ethan. We read Ethan Bible stories, and sing along to books like TEN IN THE BED and EIGHT SILLY MONKEYS. Since Ethan was an infant, Sean has acted out with him as I read DADDY KISSES. For example, when “Daddy lion gives his cub a kiss on the head,” Sean will kiss Ethan on the head. At the end of the story, Sean kisses him “all over” and Ethan erupts with laughter, bracing himself for his daddy’s barrage of kisses.

Our bedtime routine ends with the reading of Karen Katz’s WHERE IS BABY’S BELLY BUTTON. Ethan has enjoyed lifting the flaps and discovering baby’s body parts for months now, but he recently started to also comprehend that—once the book was over—it was time for bed. We would get to the last page, asking Ethan, “Where’s baby?” Instead of enthusiastically lifting the blanket flap, he would look around like he was not paying attention. We would ask again, then say, “It is bedtime for Ethan whether you ‘find the baby’ or not…” So with much reluctance, he would eventually lift the flap. The book would be over. We gather together in a prayerful embrace, and then put him down to sleep. Precious moments… we will cherish forever. Thank you, God.

With humble hearts,
Michele & Sean

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

Ethan May 2010