Christmas Highlights

Cars, Dad! New remote controlled Thomas train!

Ethan did not enjoy his interview with Santa.

We had a good Christmas here in Durham with our little family. I enjoyed the warm weather, Eric did not. Ethan didn't know the difference. We are just patiently waiting for Baby Sister now. Thank you extended family for the wonderful gifts you sent us! We are enjoying them so much! We can't wait to see you! But he did enjoy unwrapping gifts......and his new Thomas boots...I got excited about my hairbrush from Brandon...Ethan preps to open more gifts. Mom, look at my Thomas haul!

What I Would Do with a Million Dollars

Eric asks me every once in awhile what I would do if I had endless money. Well, I have been thinking about it and I have a few ideas. First, I would get my whole body lasered (lased?) so I would never have a shave again. No more Venus razors or eyebrow plucking. That would be wonderful. Then I would buy as many Yankee candles as I could handle. Yankee candles are a love of mine, but they are too expensive. Next, I would drink eggnog year round. Is eggnog more expensive than milk? I feel like it is. Finally, I would go on a vacation/cruise to a tropical place. In fact, I would go on several vacations to tropical places. So anyway, when we make our first million (or Eric, rather) these items will be on the list.

Counting is Fun!

I personally have never found 1-10 very funny, but I am glad Ethan gets a kick out of it!

Big People Toothpaste

So the other day I was standing in the bathroom brushing my teeth. Ethan (2) came in and informed me that he wanted to brush his teeth as well. His little Thomas the Tank Engine toddler toothpaste was in the other bathroom and I didn't feel like going to get it, so I just put a tiny bit of Crest Wintergreen on his toothbrush so he could brush. He stuck it in his mouth, got a really funny urgent sour expression, and yelled, "HELP!"
Guess he didn't like it. Ha ha. I'll stick with Thomas.

Birthday Videos

Not a Baby Anymore

Ethan Joseph Pelfrey, 2 years old on December 1! Ethan is such a sweetheart, we love him so much.

The Thomas cake I made for his birthday. Here I am pretending to strangle Thomas because he was such a pain to frost!

Eric putting together Ethan's Thomas bike from Grammy Dearden. What a great present!

Some things Ethan knows and likes:

• Mill Dilly (Amelia Bedelia)
• Mewk (Milk)
• Pies (Fries)
• Cars
• Trucks
• Jeeps
• Pooper (Clifford...the big red dog)
• Thomas the Tank Engine
• Baby Sister
• Wash dishes (pulling a chair up by the sink to play in the water)
• Getting the mail with mom or dad
• Bocks (Blocks)
• Vacoom (Vacuuming)
• Makers (Music Makers, a little joy school program we go to on Mondays)
• Nursee (Nursery)
• Jackers
• Car bankee (Car blanket that he sleeps with every night)
• Daddy Duke! (Taking Eric to school)
• The Park
• Counting to 10 (he has no use for 5, however)
  
• Elmo
• And much more!
  

Thanksgiving Holiday

We were lucky enough this Thanksgiving to be able to go on another trip up the coast. We left after Eric's class on Tuesday and drove up to DC. That night we had a delicious dinner at a seafood place in Annapolis. Cream of crab soup--absolutely delectable! We grabbed some gelato for desert and then took a little drive around Annapolis. It was dark, so we couldn't see much, but it was okay because we had been in town checking out the Naval Academy (where Eric went to school for awhile) in the last couple years. We spent the night in DC at this really fancy hotel--Motel 6. I doubt anyone reading this has ever been able afford a stay at one, so I will just tell you: it was awesome. Anyway, on Wednesday morning we took our little family to a Smithsonian; the museum of American history. We had a great time. Unfortunately, Ethan didn't last very long. After the transportation exhibit, he pretty much signed off. He didn't even appreciate the Gettysburg Address--written by Lincoln's own hand, no less! After the museum, we walked around the mall a bit. Ethan got a chance to chase the birds by the Washington Monument and get a little energy out. I, on the other hand, could barely walk, let alone run. Oww! My big tummy seemed bigger than ever. After DC, we set off for New York City, our final destination. We figured it would take around 4 hours, pretty much the same as the last time we drove the stretch. Uhhh, no. We left DC about 2:15 pm and didn't arrive in Manhattan until about 10 pm. The traffic was abominable! I think every single person on the coast was driving to New York. I could go on and on about the traffic, but I shall suffice it to say: it was bad. Thank heaven Ethan was as good as gold in the car. Anyway, we got to Sarah and Jonathan's (our cuzzies) at last and chatted a bit, then crashed. We took Thursday pretty easy...got the dinner ready (or I should say, Jonathan got the dinner ready), took Ethan and Christian to the park, watched some football, etc. The meal Sarah and Jonathan fed us was absolutely delicious! Thanks guys! I personally ate enough for 5, I believe. Yum, yummy. That evening, Sarah and Jonathan were kind enough to tend Ethan while Eric and I jetted down to Times Square to see if we could get some Broadway tickets. We were lucky enough to win the lottery for White Christmas! Most Broadway shows have lotteries, which means that if you don't have tickets in advance you can show up outside the box office an hour or so before the play and put your name in a bucket for a drawing. For this one, eleven couple were chosen. The seats are front row and the tickets are only $25 bucks. Crazy, huh?! They must do the lottery for the hype, because they are certainly losing moolah on the deal. Anyway, like I say, Eric and I were some of the lucky winners, so we got front and center seats. The play was wonderful. I had such a good time.On Friday morning we got to go see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis island. What a blast! The weather was freezing and the walking and standing nearly killed me, but it was so worth it. Ethan was very excited to ride the subway train and the boats. Lady Liberty was really something else. Looking at her was almost spiritual--the way she represents America. The freedom and opportunity that people sought when they came to this county. The same freedom that allowed the church to be restored and flourish. I can just imagine seeing her there in New York harbor after an incredibly long, hard journey on a ship. Wow. We also got to visit Ellis Island which was very interesting. I think Eric and I could've spent a lot more time there, but we had a 2 year old that just didn't appreciate the history. Again, amazing stories; so many people came through those facilities. On our way back to Sarah and Jonathan's apt we grabbed some pastrami sandwiches and NY cheesecake. Yum! Sadly, after these adventure it was time to go home. We took off on Friday afternoon, letting Ethan have one more play with Christian (undoubtedly the best part of the trip for him). The traffic was no problem this time--no one was coming home of Friday night. It was a wonderful trip--our jeep worked great, we ate some delicious food, were in good company and made it home safely. Thank you Sarah and Jonathan for letting us come again!

Sneaking Veggies

Ethan doesn't like to eat anything that is actually good for him. So today I decided to take seriously getting some fruits and veggies into him. I made him a smoothie and snuck in beets, carrots, an apple, and some other mixed veggies. Mwahahahaahhaha! Mwahhaa! (Evil laugh) He drank two cups of it, referring to it as "yummy juice" and I froze the rest and fed him some as "ice cream" later. Mwahaha! Now if I could just get him to eat meat...
PS--As I was making the smoothie, the beets started smelling really yummy to me. I had a bite, and then practically finished the can. They tasted...I dunno, like what I have been craving in dirt. Something very earthy about them... Guess I'll hafta stock up!

"Sleepeating"

Mud Pie

I have been craving dirt and mud and sand like crazy lately! I've always had low iron, so I've always loved the smell of dirt (I even tasted it once...mmmm), but since I've been pregnant this time, nothing sounds yummier than to go the the park and eat a mud pie. Isn't that crazy?! So weird that our bodies have these kinds of responses... Anyway, last time I was at the doctor, I told him about this issue and, after making sure I wasn't daily chowing down on the lawn, he put me on iron twice a day and suggested I eat lots of spinach. So here I am fixing spinachy recipes (I'm sure Eric loves that!) and taking iron twice a day. Unfortunately, it hasn't taken away the desire to get the nutrients the old fashioned way--out of mother earth. Anyone else who feels me on this: good luck with your "dirty" cravings!

Gas--Petrol, that is...

Today I filled up my jeep at $2.12 a gallon! I am so happy. I dunno about everywhere else, but here in Durham gas prices have fallen tremendously in the last couple weeks. It just puts a big ol' smile on my face! Unlike my husband, but more like my father, I am usually willing to drive all over town looking for gas that is 2 cents cheaper than the next place. Small joys...

Halloween Parties!

What a happy Halloween we had! The Ethan skunk outfit of 2007 was so cute, and the 2008 dinosaur costume may even have trumped it! My mother-in-law in Seattle whipped up this darling, darling costume and sent it to Ethan so he could be a big green dinosaur for Halloween. Thanks Grandma Pelfrey!
We had two awesome Halloween parties and we had a ball at both. Our ward party and trunk-or-treat was on Thursday and then our friends had a tasty chili party on Friday. I was a Hawaiian women of some sort, Ethan was a dinosaur and Eric was...oh wait...Eric didn't dress up. I gave him a hard time, but he had excuses galore. Oh well.
Now we are just dealing with Ethan asking for suckers 45 times a day...

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair!

I'll be darned if the fair didn't come around again this year. We had such a good time last year that we figured we'd better go again. We weren't disappointed! Ethan got much more of a kick our of it this year what with being able to recognize the animals and such. We also chose a weekday evening instead of a weekend day, which meant it was a lot less crowded and hot. So basically we chowed down on some delicious fair food, including (between the 3 of us): a bbq sandwich with slaw, a polish sausage with fixins, a chicken pita, a lemonade, homemade ice cream and a funnel cake. Yum-O! You may ask, "Didn't that cost a fortunate?" And the answer is: Yes. Let's just say we were pretty much eating beans for the rest of the week after I examined the budget...But it was worth it!! At the expo center we got to see the huge pumpkins and a whole bunch of animals. Ethan was delighted. We've been talking about the baby piggies ever since. The event was very stimulating as a whole. I already can't wait till next year!

Hanging Rock State Park

A few days ago we went on a little camping day trip out to Hanging Rock State Park in western North Carolina. We met a few of our friends there and we all had a blast with our kids. The drive was about two hours and well worth it! The weather was perfect, the leaves were gorgeous and the food was yummy! It was an ideal little trip for our Fall Break. Eric and I took Ethan on a itty bitty hike to a waterfall. He was so excited! He had a great day splashing around in the water, playing in the dirt, eating hot dogs, and playing trucks with his little buddies. Check out the footage!

Is My Son OCD?

Well, Ethan is really kinda funny about things. For instance, lining up his cars and trucks. Most of the time playing with his cars (his favorite toys) consists of lining them up. On the couch, on the floor, on mommy's tummy, wherever. The cars must be aligned. I think this is hilarious. He will spend decades arranging his cars, then rearranging, getting them in the order he wants. I find them lined up everywhere. Another thing: it really bothers Ethan when things are dirty. If he falls down at the park and there is so much of a spec of dirt on his hands, he runs over to me yelling, "Dirty, gross, yuck!" and wipes them on my pants. (Never his, always mine!) Driving down the road, reading a book, watching something on Sesame, he always points out when things are dirty. It is hilarious! About 2-3 times a day Ethan will bring his trucks or cars to me and say, "Dirty, mommy, wash!" So we go over to the sink and wash each of his cars. I find cars in the sink waiting to be washed all the time. (When they fall down the disposal it bugs.) After I wash the cars (sometimes they need to be washed twice or three times), I give them back to him and he drys them on a towel. Using towels is also essential to Ethan. If he gets wet, or one of his toys, he runs panic-stricken to the kitchen shouting "Towel, towel!" I get the biggest kick out of it. This week he even went so far with cleanliness as to put Elmo in the tub with him. Elmo is a hand puppet, not dirty, and not meant to get in the tub with 2 year olds. But he was concerned about Elmo's eyes being dirty and gross. Poor Elmo. So are all kids this quirky? I certainly did not expect that my two year old very-boy-like-son would be so incredibly worried about sticky, dirty, yucky. It didn't come from me. I still do not, nor do I think I will ever believe in germs. Maybe the thing he is a little OCD about are just coming out at an early age. Who knows?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I've Been Tagged

Three Joys

1. Naps
2. Venus Razors
3. Long fingernails

Three Fears

1. Drowning
2. Burning alive
3. War movies

Three Goals

1. Keep my house as clean as possible
2. Get Ethan to take a nap everyday
3. Not spend all my husbands money at Ross

Three Collections/Obsessions

1. Birdhouses--making them and painting them
2. Taking lots of pix of Ethan
3. Blogging

Three Surprising Random Facts

1. I like meatloaf
2. I try to watch Jeopardy every night
3. I think Donny Osmond is something else