Ethan turned 10!

 August 29th Ethan turned 10!  I can hardly believe it.  He has informed me that he is now a pre-teen.  Heaven help us.  Thankfully Ethan is one of the best kids around, so I'm to worried about this pre-teen business :) His first gift was a swiss army knife.  Rand decided he just wanted to leave the knife tucked in his shoe so he would find it when he was getting ready for school that morning.  When he found it he was so excited and shouted "Sweet Mama"!  I've never heard him say that before but it was really funny and we were glad he was so excited.  He has been offering to cut or open anything and everything ever since.

 We started the day off with... you guessed it German pancakes, a family favorite.

 Then he opened up some lego's, one of his favorite things.

 He had asked for roller blades and was really exciting about getting some,but when I went to get them they were sold out.  I thought he would just have to go without.  I was worried that when he opened his gifts and there were no blades he would say something and be really disappointed.  He didn't say one word about it.  I was so proud of him for being gracious and happy with what he was given.

 That being said, my parents found some and gave them to him, so the day was saved anyway.

 After yet another football game with thankfully a win on the big day, we came back home for cake and ice cream.  G&G Wilson came through with his favorite... Legos!  I think Lego's is one of the best gifts ever and can never have too many.

 Ethan requested this chocolate mousse crunch cake, otherwise known as death by chocolate.  He sure has good taste in desserts.

Ready...

set...

blow...

Phew.  Only he forgot to make a wish :)

 While I'm obviously biased, Ethan is really one of the very best kids around.   He is smart and kind and helpful and conscientious.  He is a deep thinker and is often asking out there questions about things he's been thinking about.  He can recall crazy facts and knows a lot about all different sorts of subjects.  I sometimes wonder if he has a photographic memory.  He loves to read and has read all but one of the Percy Jackson series this Summer and the Fable haven books.  We actually have to tell him to put  his book down and go to bed.

4 years old on Easter Sunday.  

 Ethan works hard in all that he does and truthfully we have pretty high expectations for him in all that he does because we know he is capable.   I tease Ethan relentlessly, out of love of course, and we joke that with me around, nobody could ever bother him because he can put up with anything.

 Ethan just finished his Bear in scouting and is advancing to Webelow and was worried that he "had just made it".

 We decided this week that we needed to make a change with his school and asked him how he felt about it.  We explained why we thought it would be a good choice but left the decision up to him.  He said "Sure,  I think I would like to do that".  Ethan really loved his friends and school in Jersey and was even going to start to play the trombone this year.   He has always been a good sport about our many moves and never fights us on the decisions we make.  Ethan is mature beyond his years and is one special boy.  I'm grateful I get to be his Mom and see all that he's capable of.  We love you buddy!