Ethan in a Box

Updated on 6/17 for more box fun at Uncle Ron's house . . . pay no attention to the severed head in the background.




















Ethan is definitely going through an exploratory phase . . . he loves climbing into anything that seems like it will hold him, including bathtubs, laundry baskets, and as of today . . . suitcases and toy baskets. Thanks to Avo for the expert and timely photography . . . great captures . . . love the last one where he's clearly showing off for the camera.

Memorial Day Tradition with the Godparents . . .

Our Brigade has wasted no time in establishing some valuable traditions since the arrival of the boys . . . one of our favorites is our annual Memorial Day excursion with the Godparents to the boys, Travis and Denise Waid, and their daugthers Teal (Bruce's Goddaughter) and Collette. For this year's trip, we added Joanna to the mix and rented a fantastic house on Lake Travis about 30 minutes outside of Austin (technically in Spicewood, TX).


Everything about the house was ideal for the weekend . . . lots of space, a great pool, loads of activities for the kids and a great kitchen where we made some great meals (Denise planned and executed a fantastic menu).

For our sole departure away from the house, we made our way to the nearby country club and had lunch at the club house . . . couple of pics in the series:

• Ethan and Noel tearing up the putting green - they were definitely on the run all weekend long.

• Great pic of Adam, Joanna and Collette with the boys.

• Family pic of the Brigade enjoying lunch.

A relaxing pic of Bruce and Denise having a little cuddle on the couch . . .

And some cute pics of our wind-down on the last day . . . cute pic of Travis and Sweet Pea Ethan and a final group shot before bringing the weekend to a close. We can't wait until next year!

A complete 180 for the boys...

Up until recently, the rule of thumb with car seats was facing backwards until one year AND 20 lbs. We were counting down the days until their first birthday (they clearly hit the weight requirement early on) until about a week before hand when new guidelines came about saying to keep them facing backwards for as long as possible up to 2 years.

We've been pushing it as far as we could until enough people started commenting on the boys' crunched legs. This week we finally gave in and turned their car seats around and it was like opening up a whole new world for them. They were laughing and talking and just thrilled to be able to see us.

Here are a few pics of them enjoying the new view:

An Afternoon at the Park

The weather is lovely at the moment here in Dallas, so we always take advantage of cooler days when we can. We met Lisa and Lyla out at the park for little fresh air and playtime:

Uncle David Influences the Boys From Afar

One of our fondest memories of the boys' first year was when their Uncle David came for a visit. He was a natural with the boys and the smallest thing sent David into uproarious laughter.

Now, of the many things David wanted to impress upon them - Music (Brit Pop), Hair (Dégagé) and T-shirts (They should touch just at the belt buckle) - nothing was as important as the desire for them to know and love soccer. In fact, despite our "no TV" rule, we came home a couple of times to the boys entranced by soccer matches with a well-placed physical reinforcement:

















David adores the boys to no end and we Skype as often as possible. He sends the boys great gifts, including their first soccer kits. Here are a few photos of the boys in their outfits, ready to take the field:

Noel the Defender: