When Ethan Gets a Haircut

Picture yourself in a small room with no doors or windows and huge giant coming toward you with a chainsaw. Your reaction would be extreme stress and probably some hysteria. But your reaction would be nothing compared to Ethan's when he gets a haircut. You might say, all heck breaks loose when we get the clippers out. To say the child hates it would be an understatement. Holy smoke. I dread when the time rolls around that there is no denying that Ethan looks like a sheepdog. Yesterday Eric decided (with my support) that it was high time we whacked Ethan's mullet. The mention of a haircut strikes fear in Ethan's heart. He started freaking out. When we actually got the buzzer out he was in complete and totally hysteria. Eric managed to strip him down and wrestle him into Libby's booster seat to strap him in. The child was in a frenzy. Then Eric held his head as still as possible while running the buzzer over it. Ethan was bawling and screaming like there was no tomorrow. I am astounded that the neighbors didn't call CPS. I would have taken a video or picture or something but it would've been cruel. Like telling someone to say cheese while they were experiencing a stroke. Anyway, needless to say, Ethan's new hairdo is a bit crude. In fact, its really pretty bad. But, its shorter. And that's what I'm going for. It'll get us through another couple months....I dread the next mop chop...

Ethan Sings

Just in case you can't understand the words when Eth sings solo:

Three little monkeys swingin' in a tree
Teasin' Mr. Alligator, "Can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be
And snaps that monkey right outta that tree!

Ethan learned these cute little songs at Music Makers and he has been singing them in his adorable voice ever since.

Bathing Beauties

Ethan and Libby love getting in the tub, and I can't stand it when they are sticky, so we often have 2 or more baths a day. It is so dang funny to see their cute, chubby little bodies in there. I get a hugest kick out of them pouring water on each other and trying to drink the bathtub water out of the rubber duckie. Oh baby!

A Few of Her Favorite Things

Libby's #1 favorite thing to do is stand beside the bathtub while Ethan is in it. She gets the biggest kick out of it. Whenever she hears the tub water, she takes off for the bathroom.
Another thing she loves to do is scream with Ethan. One will screech, then the other; they'll take turns until they are hoarse. Here is small sampling. (Don't mind the fact that Ethan is naked.)
What can I say? I LOVE Libby!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Ethan Question and Answer About Grandpa Dearden's Birthday

Q:How old do you think Grandpa is?
A: 2

Q:What do you think Grandpa will get for his birthday?
A: A Bob the Builder Cake!

Q: Do you think Grammy will get Grandpa a present?
A: Yeah.
Q:What?
A: A present with a birthday cake in it!

Q: Where do you think Grandpa was born?
A: In Utah!

Q: When do you think Grandpa was born?
A: In the children's school...

Q: What do you think Grandpa should have for his birthday dinner?
A: Birthday cake!
Q: Anything else?
A: Candles...wait...no candles.

Potty Time!

K, for those of you who are around me a lot, you know I have been scared half to death about potty training Ethan. I have actually been trying to ignore it as long as possible. But alas, with his 3rd birthday approaching in December, I figured I should at least start thinking about it. So I read the book Toilet Training in Less Than A Day, got my potty seat and big boy underwear and started revving myself up. So after I get the potty seat, I get it out of the box and set it in the front room. I tell Ethan its a potty and he is gonna be a big boy and go in it and all that jazz. No pressure or anything. Next thing I know, after he gets outta the tub, he says he wants to go potty. He runs downstairs to the potty and aims. After standing for a second, he tells me "its not workin'" so I just nonchalantly say "ok." I am secretly thrilled that he wants to have anything to do with the potty at all. Anyway, next day, with a few extra drinks and only a small bit of coaching, the kid goes like 6 times in the potty with no help! I was stunned. He just ran around playing and when he had to go he just ran over and went. (Always standing. None of this sitting down stuff for big boy Ethan!) Like I say, I am completely and totally shocked and pleased. We've been working for 2 days and he's had only two accidents and has gone independently many times. He even held it through a 3.5 hour nap! Go Effers!!!
Anyway, I know this is a long and probably boring post to most of you, but this is one of the finest hours in the Pelfrey household. We will keep you posted on how it goes...

Back in NC

Wow. We are finally home from our summer escapades and back in NC--with internet. We had a wonderful summer filled with family friends, reunions, good food, hot weather, you name it... We are glad to be back and moved into our new apartment at Taylor's Pond, however. I think poor Ethan has been confused about where "home" was for awhile now. Anyway, a few new things with us:

• Libby is crawling and clapping like a champ
• Ethan has some new transformers shirts
• Natalie fits into some old jeans
• Eric is starting his new 1-year business masters degree at Fuqua (he'll finish law school next year)
• Our new apartment is spacious (ok, to us) and has great carpet
• Ethan forgot most of the alphabet
• Libby is in 97 percentile for height and weight
• There are 20 new families in our ward that we are excited to get to know
• Natalie is going to start potty training...someday...

So anyway, there we are. You will be hearing from us again soon!