Ethan James Martin Powell

Bubbles!

2007-06-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ethan has started saying so many words these last few weeks! His lawn mower blows bubbles out the side when he pushes it around and he will keep saying it again & again! It is so sweet to hear him actually talk and make words! He wants to dress up in his daddy's motorcycle helmet and he says "Uhn- Uhn" He thinks all machines that make noises are "Uhn-Uhns!" and he almost shakes and gets very excited to see and hear them. He also has started saying " Bla Bla Bla BUG." and points to a bug- he is saying something really important before the word bug, but I just can't figure it out!

All his words are: "BUBBLE", "BUG", "HOT", "MAMA", "DADDA", "OUT", "LOOK", AND "LIGHT"

It is amazing to watch him understand so many of the things that we say.

"Let's go take a bath"- He runs straight to the tub.

"Let's go change your diaper" - Straight to the changing table.

"Do you want to eat?"- Runs to the highchair, holding his arms out to get up.

"Outside"- Always goes to the door, and cries if we can't go outside right away!

Put your shoes on. Let's go BYE BYE.

Where's your belly, eyes, nose, mouth, shoe, sock,

He also uses several signs to communicate: All Done, Please, More, Sorry, Thank You, Eat, and Drink. This has been so useful for him to let me know what he wants without screaming or whinning!

The Lonely Little Birdie

2006-11-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

Today my mom, Ethan, and I visited Mema at her nursing home in Bryant. She was in good spirits, but still whispered when she talked. My mom brought the video camera and we recorded Mema singing "The Lonely Little Birdie" to Ethan. My mom & I were so touched to hear her sing to Ethan, especially that sweet song! My heart was filled with sorrow and happiness at the same time! It was heartbreaking because it’s difficult to see my Mema like this, but happy because she is not in any pain and she still is in good spirits. It’s also great that I’m still able to spend time with her and that Ethan gets to meet his Great Grandmother! My mom said that Mema sang this to her years ago when she was a little girl!

This is now my special song that my mom sang to me growing up and even now as an adult! My mom used to sing this song to me when I needed comfort or had trouble going to sleep. Even as an adult, this song is able to help soothe my most anxious moments and relieve stress! (My mom sang it to me the night before my wedding @ 2am when I was up having an anxiety attack!) And see...everything worked out wonderful! :0)

Buzz Buzz Bumble Bee

2006-10-31T20:07:00.000-08:00

Ethan’s first trick-or-treating experience began in my parents neighborhood at 4:45pm. We were surprised how many candy givers were ready that early, just waiting for those cute & scary little ones to come asking for treats! We had a blast looking at all the yard decor and effort that poeple had made to make their house look the most creepy! So, it’s more than obvious that Ethan was a baby bumble bee and I was mommy bumble bee! …but it’s funny that only one person really paid attention to my costume & mentioned the mommy/baby bee scheme! They were all too engaged in making goo-goo faces at Ethan…naturally!! We went to Randy’s parents fall festival at their church and Ethan loved looking around at the other children in their costumes! Both sets of grandparents adored his bumble bee costume and enjoyed parading him around to all their friends! I know next Halloween, he will actually have an opinion about his outfit, so I thought Bumble Bee this year is perfect! Next year, he will probably want the BOYish costume…cowboy or superhero!

Play Date

2006-07-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

What a great time to visit with friends! I'm also sure that all the babies get bored, just cooped up around the house. You just squealed in delight when you saw all the other babies! We met at Amanda Outlaw's house and the ladies were Tara, Tamara, Nitzia, Veronica, Amanda, Shelly, Paula, and me. In order of the above mom's names, there was baby Reagan, Ridge, Sara, Caleb, Grayson, Kayleigh, Tucker, and Ethan. You all played really well togther and it's neat to see all the crawling, almost walking babies.

Fun in the Sun

2006-07-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

SSSOOOO HOOOTTTT!!!! I can't believe it is over 100 degrees this week. Randy & I were really hot yesterday, so we had to go swimming in my parents pool. It's always a treat to see Ethan in the water because he absolutely loves it! It will be fun to actually let him go under the water in a few months. He is already kicking his feet and splashing....one big bathtub! It was so refreshing to jump in the pool. I'm glad my parents live so close, otherwise we would have to finance a pool in the budget. I think the budget might allow a mini swimming pool only!

Taste of Sweet Potatoes

2006-07-17T14:02:00.000-07:00

Look at that face! You didn't quite know what to think about those sweet potatoes. I guess you liked them because you ate them all and were still opening your mouth for more! I have been teaching you to keep your hands down while I'm feeding you, but it's still a mess sometimes!

Supposed to be sleeping

2006-07-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

Of course, it’s true that parents will try anything to get their children to go to sleep. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes of difficulty to get Ethan to sleep, but he will usually go to sleep on his own. This day, no matter what...even Randy lying down with him didn’t work. No naps makes for a cranky baby & parents…..HAHAHAHA..I’m not going to sleep!!!!

Cousins meet for the first time

2006-06-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

After the wedding, we stopped by Uncle Butch’s house and Christy was there with her son, 5 months. I think only 2 weeks older than Ethan. That would make you 2nd cousins. Christy also has a 8 year old boy, Christopher, and a 5 year old girl, Alex. They live in another state, so we would probably only see them on holidays.

Wedding Bells

2006-06-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

What a handsome boy! We went to our 2nd or 3rd cousins wedding and we dressed you up in your finest tie outfit and stud sunglasses. It was a beautiful wedding, but I think most of our family was looking at how cute you were most of the time!

Ethan's First Boat Ride

2006-05-27T22:19:00.000-07:00

After 4 o'clock the suns seems to be less direct, and we could bring Ethan out on the boat. Today was your first boat ride and swim in the lake! You seemed to really enjoy the air in your face, even though you looked so sleeping and extra hungry after only an hour at the lake. I think most of us are that way...tired all day and hungry every 2 hours when on the lake!

The Kingdom

2006-04-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

Geyer Springs performed the Easter play, “The Kingdom” and my dad was Pilot. He had to shout, “Whom shall I give you, Barabus or Jesus?” and did an awesome job. He didn’t even look or sound like my daddy! Ethan had makeup on him and his clothes from my daddy holding him & showing him off! It was amazing that Ethan was able to sit through the entire play without us having to get up and leave…we were all really impressed what a good baby you were!

College Visit

2006-04-08T23:31:00.000-07:00

My mom & I went to Fayetteville to visit Dustin! It was your first long car ride and you did great! We stopped half-way to let you stretch and I fed you. Dustin and his friends, Steve and Richard, really enjoyed spending time with you and watching you smile. It was nice to get away and take my first trip since having a child. It was a little harder to prepare, but well worth the effort once we arrived in Fayetteville. We walked around the campus and looked at the old & new buildings, beautiful landscaping, the graduates names on the sidewalk, and visited the shops. Mom bought you a Razorback outfit, but it was really too big...we had to try it on you anyway! It was great to see Dustin, his quad room, and his roommates...great trip overall.

Grandma Mac

2006-03-31T20:03:00.000-08:00

Grandma Mac has been such a good grandma to all of us! I only wish Ethan would be able to remember her as well as I do. When I was a child, she would teach me so many things…like how to crochet, how to cook, and we even used to go to rummage sales. One of my favorite memories is when she spent the night with me & Randy and we got up early and cooked the Thanksgiving meal the next morning. I had spent the night with her the year before and written down all the secret recipes, so I can take over cooking her famous holiday meals. I know Ethan will have lots of special memories with his grandparents.

Brutus loves you, too

2006-03-23T21:01:00.000-08:00

Brutus has been so sweet to you! Anytime you are close to him, he just rolls over and waits for you to pet him. We were afraid that we would “play” bite you and we would have to give him away, but we are soooo glad that he understands not to hurt you! What a relief...he is part of the family, too!

Babies, Babies, and Babies

2006-02-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

Ethan's first party! We really missed all our friends, so we invited everyone over for a mexican food get together. It was great because we got to visit and see how much all the babies had grown. I loved all the pictures we took because of the neat poses.

Going a little crazy

2006-02-13T06:12:00.000-08:00

Having a baby is one of the most happy of my life, but it is almost the most challenging. I think this picture of Randy pictures sums up how crazy, scattered, and exhausted we felt those first few weeks.

Milk does a baby good

2006-02-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, February 12, my milk came in....ouch, how painful and engorged I was. You wouldn't even latch on that day at all! I thought you were going to starve..finally I called the lactation consultant and she said thats normal. I pumped for about 45 minutes and got 3 ounces! I had to feed you with an eye dropper..stuck my pinky finger in your mouth for you to suck, the drop the milk in. Thank goodness, you didn't starve, but I was so worried and in pain the whole day! Randy took such good care of you. He said, "Amber, go take care of yourself, I can take care of Ethan until your ready!" A couple of hours later...I think I was ready to feed him! What a great husband and father he is!

WHOOO PIG SOOEEE

2006-02-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

Ethan's Razorback outfit was so cute and really was too big for him! We had to get a picture of you with the football. It was the first real attempt for you to "pose" for the camera and it was the first time I had dressed you in anything other than white t-shirts. After changing so many diapers a day, I didn't have enough energy to change your outfits too! I think you wore the same white outfit from the hospital for at least 3 days before I even thought about changing your clothes! What a handsome Razorback fan you will be when you watch the Hogs with us in a few years!

Lots of visits

2006-02-10T21:45:00.000-08:00

We had lots of visitors and lots of yummy food. Everyone wanted to see baby Ethan!
It was nice to show my beautiful baby boy to everyone and show them your room. I didn't have enough energy to get dressed up, so I stayed in my robe and pajamas!

First Week

2006-02-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

It seemed a never ending time warp with a continuous three hour rotation of breastfeeding 40minutes, diaper change 5 minutes, stay awake 30 minutes, cry 30 minutes, sleep 45 minutes. I was so glad to have read the book "BabyWise" because I actually knew why you were crying and when you were hungry or sleepy. I was exhausted from giving birth and being on round the clock feeding duty and I remember my hands hurting from changing all those diapers. I didn't even have the energy to change you into to all those cute clothes that I had bought! I cherished the sleep I got and tried to rest when you were napping, but usually we had company and I felt obligated to visit. Everyone was really nice and brought great food, but I would have rather been sleeping! Something that was really neat is that it snowed that first week that you were home....we tried to take a picture, but you can't really see the snow!

Ronnie is a life saver

2006-02-08T21:40:00.000-08:00

The second day seemed to be especially exhausting. We had been up all day visiting, cleaning, and taking care of all your needs and then that night we were ready to go to bed! But guess what???? You were ready to party! Ronnie was on his way home from a Mechanic Conference and called to ask if we needed anything before he went home. I asked, "Could you just come hold him and let us sleep?" Ronnie came right over and was delighted to hold his grandson! What a life saver he was that night..I will never forget what those almost 3 hours of sleep meant to me & Randy! When I got up around 11 pm to feed him again, I felt like a new woman! I felt recharged, energized, refocused, and ready to take on the challenges and joys of motherhood. What a major difference a little sleep can do for a person. Thank you Grandpa Ronnie!

First Day Home

2006-02-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

We were so glad to be home! It was nice to curl up in our own bed and couch...even though you really didn't want to sleep by yourselft very much. Brutus wanted to smell you and even gave you a little lick on accident. I think he was really glad that we were finally home. It was exhausting, but we enjoyed every minute. Breastfeeding continued to go really well, but it was every 2 1/2 hours and in between that time I would change your diaper or rock you to sleep. Wow, I think i changed 15 diapers in one day! The first few days were all about learning about you, your cries, what you liked and didn't, and realizing that we were a little overwhelmed.

On the road again...

2006-02-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

Finally on the way home! It was an ordeal to get packed and down to the car. We had to carry you in a car seat and I had to carry you in my wheelchair! Funny rules that the hospital had about that! It was wierd riding in my car instead of driving. When we got home, in our front year was a Welcome Home sign for Ethan! It told how much you weighed, date of birth, and length. On the front door, my mom had put a Baby boy wreath and it was so speical to see. We walked in the door and Ann had stocked our refrigerator with lunch meat, bread and snacks! What a neat surprise. The counter had gorgeous roses in a vase! I thought Randy had ordered them, but Ann had bought them and they were so beautiful. It was awesome to come home to all this pampering.

Friends and family visit!

2006-02-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Your "Aunt" Andrea came to see you after she got off work that day!
She still can't believe that I'm actually a mom!

Jill Brannon was so nice to come visit us in the hospital!
Aunt Stephanie has lots of practice holding little ones!
Mrs. Debbie and Mrs. Sharron came to see you too!
Ben & Veronica are such good freiends! We were excited to see them!

We had so much company, so there was no time to rest! It was nice visiting with family & friends though and they all loved seeing you! I was exhausted and ready to go home! I couldn't wait for a shower and to change into my real clothes. Also, Brutus had never been left alone before that long, so I was anxious to see him too! You would get to meet your puppy dog "Bru Bru" and we hoped you would like him and he would like you!

Family Visits

2006-02-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

Everyone came for your arrival!
Mom was the first person to hold you, besides Randy & me.

It was so special to have Grandma Mac to hold you..she was such a good Grandma to me! My daddy thought you were so beautiful..no... handsome!
Your Aunt Melissa just adored you!

Lots of family came to see you on your first day in the world. They all couldn't believe how beautiful you were and how perfect your skin and head was! You looked just like your daddy, but had my mouth. Look at how everyone just loves you so much!

Happy Birthday

2006-02-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

Ethan getting warm under the incubator!

Even the first day, I think we bonded, mother & son.

We loved you so much, right from the beginning! What a great, loving daddy you have!

What a wonderful birthday! February 7, 2006 at 11:35 a.m. You weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces and were 19 inches long. I remember being so in love from the moment I looked at you...it was like I already had memorized your face and I had knew you all along. One of my first questions was, "When do I get to breastfeed?" They said as soon as you like..but we decided to let everyone come in first and see and hold you. It was about 1 hour after birth that I breastfeed you for the first time and it was wonderful. You latched so well and really enjoyed feeding. It was such a great bonding experience and I loved being able to give you the gift of breast milk.

The day seemed to go really fast, but I still remember a lot about that day. Like that Dustin came to visit you all the way from Fayetteville and then drove back the same night. What a great uncle he is! I remember that Melissa & Ann went to Denny's to get me a Superbird for dinner! YUMMY....and I was starving, even though I had eaten the cafetaria food just a few hours earlier. I remember not wanting them to take you to the nursery, even though I was exhausted. What a great first day we all had, just looking at you and learning about you!

Labor Pains

2006-02-07T10:41:00.000-08:00

The nurses finally got my potocin started and Dr. Singleton came in and broke my water....that was soooo wierd and gross. I hope next time that it breaks that I'm standing up! The contractions were coming, but I still could not feel them...until about 5 minutes after my water broke. They were coming really fast then and hurting. Then, all of a sudden, the monitors and everything stopped working and we had to move to another room. They stopped the potocin after only 10 minutes and I was having contractions about every 3-4 minutes.

Then the epidural drama started! The anesthesiologist tried two different times, while I was in active labor to start the epidural. Unbelieveable!!! I was trying to hold extra still, but the contractions were coming every 1-2 minutes. The nurse wasn't even there to help me breath correctly. So, I was just crying my way through the contractions. I remember saying, "I can't have this baby without an epidural!" Randy, went to get my mom & his mom because it was almost time to push!

The nurse did a great job to calm and focus my attention! The easy part...pushing...HAHAHA

They came in the room and stood behind my shoulders and about 5 minutes later, I could feel that I needed to push. It actually felt good to push and I was in complete control of myself. My mom said, "Girl, you are a wonder woman." I only had to push for 15 minutes and we had a healthy, beautiful baby boy. Ann was so proud and said, "You did awesome!" I felt so accomplished and delighted to see my baby. It was all so surreal and amazing to see that the baby that we created and that kicked me all the time!

Morning Of....

2006-02-07T07:23:00.000-08:00

We knew that we were having a baby that day, but it was still fun to call everyone that morning! We started called our parents about 5am to let them know that I would be induced at 7am that morning. They were so excited...I guess as excited as you can be at 5 in the morning.

Wow! What an exciting day! Even though it was "planned" for that day, we still didn't know what to expect. We started off in a room and the nurse recorded all my information. I was hooked up to a monitor for my heart rate and the baby heart rate. The nurse tried to put an IV in 3 different times and my hands were so swollen..she finally had to call another nurse in to get an IV started! She kept apologizing and hated that she had hurt me!

Last Doctor's Appointment

2006-02-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

After a week of agony...not in the way I felt, but in my anxiety levels, I went back to the doctor. I was upset because he told me the previous week that he thought I would go into labor that week! I had been dialated to 4cm for that week and now when he checked, I was at 5cm, 90% effaced. He felt like it could be anytime..but that's what he said last week. I couldn't wait any longer because I felt so much anticipation and anxiety. Dr. Singleton asked me if I wanted to be induced and I felt relieved. It was just the solution I needed..plus I was already 38 weeks and ready to hold my baby! I told Randy, but I wanted it to be a surprise for everyone else. My mom knew because she was in the Doctor's office with me...but we waited to call everyone else! The next day, February 7, 2006 would be your birthday!

Big Belly

2006-01-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

This was Friday night, about 1 week before I gave birth to you! Look at that belly...I was so ready to hold you in my arms...and have less my feet to have to carry less wieght! Look how swollen they were with those extra 27 pounds!

Goodbye to School

2006-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

What a happy & sad day for me! Definitely mixed emotions about leaving Mabelvale. I had worked there for 3 years, I loved my "kids", I loved teaching about computers, and I liked the faculty. It was a major decision to stay home with you, but I think it was the best one for me. Still, there are days when I miss those kids, my classroom, and being a "teacher." But..I'm still a teacher, but now I only have one student..you, Ethan.

My fellow teachers threw me a baby shower and we recieved so many nice things! Even the cafetaria workers bought a gift! Lots of blankets and hooded towels were monogramed and it was really neat to see your name actually on your stuff. I will miss roaming those halls of Mabelvale. I look forward to going back one day, maybe when your in preschool.

Church Shower

2006-01-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

The ladies from church threw the next baby shower for us! It was at 10am and we had all sorts of brunch food. After opening all the gifts, Claire led a Baby Blessing for you, Ethan. It was advice, prayers, and special thoughts all about healthy delivery, strength for the first few weeks, and a lifetime of memories with you. It makes me almost cry, just thinking about the wonderful guidance shared at this shower. The ladies almost thought that I wouldn't make it to the shower, because I was dialated to 4cm and the doctors said anytime! Little did I know it would be a few more weeks!

"Jump" for Joy

2006-01-14T15:09:00.000-08:00

Paula, Andrea, and Amanda threw an amazing baby shower for us! The theme was "Frogs", thus the "Jump" for joy. All the family, people from BRBC, and old friends. It was my first shower and we had a blast. Everyone looked at my belly and couldn't believe how big it was! The game we played to was cut a piece of yarn, the same size my belly was. It was hilarious because everyone had these huge pieces of string..some of them doubled my belly! Thank you Paula, Andrea, and Amanda for such a wonderful and memorable baby shower!

Surf's Up!

2005-12-20T10:05:00.000-08:00

We knew we needed to decide on a "theme" for your room. You know, we thought of the normal...animals, insects, sports...but, Randy thought of the best idea ever..wakeboarding. Of course, no one had any decorations for wakeboardind, but guess what the next best thing is. "Surfboarding" Everyone loves your room. The minute they walk in, they say, "This is just a perfect fit for your family who loves the water." It will be a great room for you now and for later hopefully! Ronnie, Randy, and my dad painted the walls for you and did a really professional job. I bought all the decorations on Ebay, and at Burlington Coat Factory. Surf's Up!

"Huge" Christmas Gift

2005-12-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

The "big" joke about the title is...look at my belly. Even though, I had only gained 20 pounds at 7 months, it must have all been in my belly. My "huge" Christmas gift was you, silly! I had been feeling you kick me, move in circles, and even push your hands and feet on my belly. One night, I was lying on the couch, and you starting moving..Randy & I could actually see your elbow or something..it kinda looked like an alien in my belly. It was really real then, that I had a baby in my belly! We received lots of 1st Christmas for baby things....shouldn't they wait until your really here?

Bigger and Bigger

2005-09-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

I was still teaching Computer Eduation at Mabelvale Magnet Middle School and I had to dress up everyday. All my clothes were suddenly getting a lot smaller... hahaha. I had only gained 6 pounds in 4 months, but my belly needed maternity clothes. So these are the last pictures of me in my regular clothes.

Baby Ultrasound

2005-09-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

We decided to have a special 16 week ultrasound to find out if you were a boy or girl. We ALL thought that you would be a girl... "Addison Marie Powell" We had a daunting task of figuring out a boys name. At the top of our list was Blake, Wesley, and Ethan. I made sure we had decided before we found out! Ethan James Martin Powell was such a strong, dedicated name and we all loved it! Even though, we were prepared with both names...it was wonderful, but shocking news to find out that we were having a boy. Randy said, "I'm glad I know we are having at least one boy!" Of course, we were all so exciting and began dreaming of things we would be able to do when you got here! Even wakeboarding...I guess we will wait until you get a little older.

Start to a new life

2005-06-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

All our church friends were pregnant, and we had decided to wait a few more months. Besides....getting pregnant was supposed to take at least 6 months right???? We thought if we started trying in May..then maybe by August or September. Okay, the first month I got pregnant, but we really didn't know it! We had a yard sale planned for the middle of June and I really had to use the bathroom several times during the day..unusual, but still no idea. We went on our vacation to Branson, rode everything...even the rollercoasters. On the way back to Little Rock, I felt really nauseous..just car sickness right? NOT! I was about a week late, so I decided to take a pregnancy test...okay, I took 4 pregnancy tests..just to be really sure. WOW! We were so excited, and couldn't really wait long to tell everyone. We found out June 27th and we told everyone the July 4th weekend..the longest week of my life.