Diaper Free

In an effort to reign in a recent diaper rash, wee Ethan has been spending much more time bare bottomed. Personally, I think those little buns are too cute for words.

Before

On April 7th Ethan will have his hypospadias and chordee repaired at the children's hospital in Madison. Here's a document of the happy, naked boy in all his gonzo glory before the surgery.

At the Park

A spate of sunny days has drawn us outside to explore the neighborhood parks. Ethan enjoys running pebbles through his fingers, picking up sticks, crawling around, standing against the equipment, poking his fingers through holes in the steps, climbing the steps (yikes!) and caressing every inch of his stroller. Mama enjoys the fresh air and being freed from the baby temptresses of peeling paint, hot radiators, and electrical cords. Thank God for spring!

P.S. These photos were taken two days after Ethan got his seventh tooth, in a brief and blessed interlude between screaming fits. Why he was so much more fragile after the tooth emerged (rather than before) is a mystery. Why we are thankful for the peaceful, playful moments is perfectly clear.

A busy baby...

...is a happy baby!

Mini Mr. Holiday

Many friends, family members and absolute strangers have remarked on how much Ethan looks like Jeremy. Spending hours a day looking at this little face, I have become so familiar with its every unique feature (nose that looks pointy when he is hoisted above me like SuperBaby, very straight eyelashes around eyes that are all dark iris, crinkled right ear, cheeks that are deliciously soft down by the jowls) that I don't see much more than a resemblance to Papa. And those eyes - when he looks at me from the corner of his eyes, thoughtful, serious, curious, I feel that Auntie Sara has arrived in miniature.

But then again...

This past Friday I tried to take a picture of Ethan playing with his ride-on duckie. Due to the fact that Ethan finds the camera more fascinating than any wooden duckie could ever be, he got a little too close to the lens. The result: a few gently schnoze-enhancing, slightly fisheyed portraits. The implication: wee Ethan looks a bit like his dad.

Behold the Toofers

The Tooth Meanie

You may be familiar with the Tooth Fairie - a benevolent sprite that rewards young children with cold, hard cash when they lose their baby teeth. Well, we've recently been visited by the Tooth Meanie. A relative of the Tooth Fairie, the Tooth Meanie punishes babies (and their parents) when teeth arrive. Pain, fussiness and frequent night wakings are her calling card.

At the end of her week-long visit, we find ourselves with a remarkably chilled out baby. And three new teeth.