It has been a really exciting month for Ethan - he's grown up so much! He was 17 lbs and 28 inches tall at his four month visit. He has become a rolling maniac and has completely mastered the back to front maneuver. Somehow, in all the excitement, he has forgotten how to go from front to back completely! So he ends up on his stomach a lot - crying to be put on his back only to roll again in three seconds. It's very amusing. He has also started trying out different stuff with his voice - squealing, grunting, screaming and giggling. He's very vocal and spends lots of time squeaking and squawking to himself and anyone else who will listen. He's finally big enough to start on solid foods and gets one meal of rice cereal (cooked rice mixed with breast milk) a day. He seems to like it pretty well and the faces he makes while eating it are priceless!! He gets is everywhere, so I have also instituted nightly baths. Then, after bath time and snuggling, it is off to bed. Since he is sleeping through the better part of the night, I have finally moved him into his crib. He had been sleeping with me for feeding purposes and while that has been a BIG improvement over having to get up two or three times a night, I still haven't been sleeping too well. He's flails a lot at night, so this seems to work much better.

We spent a week in Albuquerque attending the ProLaw conference and had a blast! The trip out was very easy. He slept and ate at all the right times and the plane was mostly empty so we even got our own row (very convenient for discrete feeding!). It could have been a REALLY long day since it was 10 hours from door to door. Thankfully, he was a great little traveler and I felt very lucky to have such a happy and flexible boy. I worked a 40 hour week and taught at the conference while Ethan spent his time in the capable hands of the woman who used to run the ProLaw daycare center. I have to admit that we both had a pretty rocky Monday morning. It was SO hard to see him drive off, even though I knew I was going to see him in a couple hours for feeding. I cried off and on all morning and raced over at the appointed time only to find that he was been crying almost all morning too! So we spend some QT and we both felt better after that. The rest of the week was a whirlwind of work and visiting with lots of friends (here I am with my good friend Joan). I also locked Ethan in the car for the first (and hopefully last) time. But he didn't know there was a problem and I just played peek-a-boo with him until AAA arrived ten minutes later and he was none the wiser. Once the door was unlocked I fell apart (for about a minute) and then I was fine :) The flight back was a little more challenging with a totally full plane and a captain that kept coming on the loud speaker to tell stupid stories right after Ethan had fallen asleep EVERY TIME. But we made due and got home safe and sound. I think the funniest thing that happened was when we got to Chicago. I had picked up my luggage and had taken everything out to the car when I realized that Barkley (Ethan's stuffed dog) was missing and was probably still on the plane. I went into baggage claim and told the woman at the counter that I had left something on the flight. She asked "your wallet?". I thought for a minute and realized that I had left my wallet!! How funny that of the two things I left, the dog was the important one! Guess it shows where my priorities are these days. :)

It was such a fun trip and I was very proud to have such a happy and healthy son to show off. And although we both eventually adjusted to such a hectic schedule, I am truly grateful that I get to come back to a life I love.

While I have a little extra space here at the bottom, I would like to send out a general call for help. Lumpy, my sweet kitty, is peeing on our carpets. I thought he had quit for good, but I think he may have been doing it all the time :( I have been through an exhausting regimen of litter boxes and litters and doctor’s visits and pills. You name it, I’ve tried it. And I've come to the conclusion that he just isn’t going to stop and I need to find him a new home. So I am looking for a situation where he will be able to be outside (because I think that is what he really wants anyway). He is four and a half and has had all his shots. He has no front claws, but is still a great hunter and is very fast. If you know of anyone that you could personally recommend, please let me know. It’s very sad for me to have to give him up, but I will feel much better about it if I know that he is going to a good home.