Question

He's special...

Snipers.

Intimidating, isn't it?

The bucket is bigger than him... and he isn't sharing.

Mmmmmmmmm... popcorn.

Future intellectual.

Eating... and looking constipated

Starbucks... yuppie behavior like this is not acceptable.

Firetruck!

'Take a picture of me'

First things first.... it is imperative that the next time you see Ethan you ask him what the moose did to him. You won't be disappointed with the answer. I promise you that.

The weekend was semi-eventful. Once I got over the swine flu, SAARS or whatever strain of the plague I had Friday and Saturday. I haven't felt that awful since the day I helped my boss move a piano... after spending the previous night drinking an entire bottle of captain morgan. Easily top 5 worst days of my life. Note to anyone out there... drinking copious amounts of rum when you are already sick and you have to go pickup and move a piano the next day is never a good idea. Never.

Anyway... we took Ethan to the mall Saturday morning to get out of the house. He played on a couple of the moving trucks and in the play area. I was still feeling pretty miserable so I didn't do much other than stand/sit there and watch. I'm not sure if it was the SAARS but I had the incredible urge to slap other people's kids. That many kids in that small of an area is never a good idea. Especially when other people's kids are sh.... heads. Anyway, after playing for a while Ethan and Kari had lunch and I had ice cream cause that was the only thing that sounded good. After lunch, Kari went shopping and Ethan and I went back to play. Until he spotted the candy store. Than we went there and he picked out rock candy and I said no and instead got him chewy strawberries which he proceeded to eat half the bag in the next 5 minutes. After that, the play area didn't hold his interest so we went and rode the escalators by the food courts up and down.... and up... and down. Then, the elevator seemed like a good time so up and down that we went until Kari finished her shopping. Looking back that was actually pretty easy... the one time Ethan made me take the stairs I was winded by the time we got to the top. I blame the plague. After that it was nap time... for Ethan and me. Which, is pretty much the case every weekend.... but that day I think I needed it more than Ethan.

Sunday was a big day. That morning Ethan and Kari went to church. Ethan did great in the Sunday School class. He made a picture of his hands that says 'Hands are for helping, not for hitting.' I don't think the message has really gone to heart since he continues to hit us and get timeouts every day. After church Kari stopped to get coffee and Ethan informed her they were going in so they both went in to get snacks and some drinks. I'm going to try and discourage him from hanging out in coffee places... Pretty anti-heterosexual if you ask me.

That night we took Ethan to his first movie ever and he did really well! We took him to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. The movie was painfully bad, but Ethan seemed to enjoy it. We explained to him that there was a big TV behind the curtain and when it went up the lights would turn off and the show would start and we would have to be quiet. When the previews started I tried to talk to Ethan but was scolded by him because it was time to be quiet. Turns out he listens to us when it benefits him in the end. Ethan was really enjoying the show until the preview for the new Alice in Wonderland came on. It was pretty creepy... so, I can't imagine what it would do for a almost 3 year old. He snuggled up close to me after that and stayed like that for a while. Eventually he lightened up and did a great job watching the movie. It held his interest the entire time and outside of one potty break he never got up or talked or anything. I was worried his ADD would kick in 20 minutes into the movie and we would have blown money on a 20 minute show. I think the popcorn and pop helped him enjoy it more as well.

Monday, we went back to Bass Pro Shop to get out of the house. There we checked out the fish, all the dead animal carcasses, the vast assortment of toys and shot the guns again. He really enjoys that. 'We' did really well this time. Got 450 points in one round which is pretty good considering captain trigger finger was pulling it 2 and 3 times when I only wanted him to pull it once. But, it was still a lot of fun.

Lately, Ethan has become incredibly persistent. He keeps at things until he gets his way. He breaks you down with his relentlessness. I now know how interrogation suspects feel when they finally just give up and admit guilt. You'll do almost anything to make him stop. Including caving... Out-manuevered by a not even 3 year old. I thought I was better than that... not so much.

Last night I was watching hockey fights online and Ethan came running over to watch and he said, 'they not being nice to each other. they hitting each other. we don't hit.' I tried to explain to him that yes, we are to be nice to our friends but sometimes in hockey you have to punch someone in the face. I'm not sure that message is all that clear to him but as long as he's not throwing haymakers during play-doh time I think we're okay. I tell him the same thing when I have ultimate fighting on.

A couple days ago Kari showed Ethan a Chuck E. Cheese commercial on TV and explained to him that his party is going to be there in a couple weeks. Now, every time he sees a commercial for it he gets very excited and tells us his party is going to be there. He's very excited to turn 3... even though that's the day he's supposed to get rid of his binky. Can't wait to fight that battle....