Can I turn on the TV instead of going to school? 

Ethan's camera from Anne and fancy giraffe chair from Janis. Did I mention that he has 3 new molars coming in? Thus the reason his poor ear hurts. 

Ethan petting Herman 

Ethan and Daddy after the race 

NBC 17 taking footage during the race 

Ethan getting a card from Wool E Bull (the mascot from the Durham Bulls baseball team) 

Go ducks go 

Ethan riding the turtle 

One of the artist's displays in an old warehouse 

Ethan calling in for race results (or calling his bookie to put $10 on number 628 in the first race) 

Ethan petting the turtle 

Decorating our ducks for the race 

Duck Race

So Saturday we spent the entire day away from chores and the farm and took E to the duck race in Durham. What is a duck race you ask? It is where you can buy a rubber duck and put it into the water feature at the Tobacco district in Durham and race it to the finish line for prizes all in support of hunger. We bought two and used our birthdays for our duck numbers. We even got to pin real racing numbers on Jeff and Ethan's backs. Ethan had a fabulous time playing with dogs, watching the Durham Bulls Mascot, and running around the park. We went to Mellow Mushroom for lunch and had yummy pizza and really enjoyed our day with Gray and Georgia who were nice enough to invite us. You can check out the N&O for some more information on the event.

The American Tobacco campus is beautiful and we walked around downtown Durham looking at some cool art painted in buildings currently being restored. You can only see the art with a camera lens at a particular angle. You can read a lot more about it at the Rousse project website if you are interested.

Approaching 15 months

Ethan is after the remotes. Note that we actually give him one he can play with but he KNOWS which one actually can turn up the volume and how. Lucky us. 

Things are getting busier as we chase him around the farm. He sits on the horses now and loves the cats and spends a lot of his time playing outside. Ethan loves daycare although he has been sick more than he attends and the trips to the emergency room and doctor's with 104 fevers are getting old. He does love the kids and the teachers and is very stimulated. Pick up time is the best part of our day as he lights up and runs over to greet us.

I got it and now I am going to take off running before you catch on. 

A wagon ride after breakfast among the weeds. Hoping we have a lawn in October but so far so bad. 

Reading the paper with Daddy. Ethan loves to sit in the rocking chairs on the front porch and emulate Jeff. The cat and I are on either side of him so he doesn't dive off onto the concrete. 

Ethan waving at Mommy 

Who me? What do you mean don't play on the stairs. I'm not playing. I'm just sitting here minding my own business. 

Learning new words

Ethan keeps asking us "eh?" for each item in his new word book....over and over again. We have to tell him what they are and then he points to a new one. He can find the kitten, horse, banana, tractor, truck and baby by himself.

His vocabulary now includes Bird, Bottle, Banana, Dada, Mama, Hi and the sound effects for kitty, tractor and airplane. Still working on stinky and bye which have distinct usefulness.

Careful studying of the magnets on Ethan's etch a sketch. He has learned they will stick to the refrigerator as well.