It is such a shame that I slacked so much on blogging throughout Allison's first year. I did it religiously when Ethan was a baby (and all through his pregnancy, too!). I guess life just started to get in the way. The urge to update people was met by myspace first, and then facebook. I didn't have to rely on my journal or blog to keep my family updated, because I could make quick updates and show pictures on another forum. But even though it was more convenient for me at the time, now I have nothing to look back on.

So let's play catch-up. Ethan is 6 and is starting first grade in a week. He is NOT excited. He is so smart, though, and I am excited to see what he learns. I have some concerns about his anxiety and his lack of desire to leave the house. He's just different, in that sense. He worries about crazy things. Things that make sense to worry about, but things that most kids aren't even aware of. Things that, to me, prevent him from just enjoying his childhood. But we are working on that, so we'll re-address that later.

He is so smart! I know I already said that, but he is. He loves designing things. He loves the concept of different levels in a video game, and will take that and draw endless pictures of all these different levels in a made-up video game. He also likes to write out steps to things... like the steps involved in rearranging his room, for example. He also loves to build with Lego's and just tonight he created a "board game" out of his Lego's. It was very intricate and he had a set of rules to go with it. Very clever and creative. The boy has an amazing mind.

He also has an amazing heart. His love for his family is just overwhelming. This is part of where his anxiety comes in, but he is so protective of Allison. He adores her and he loves making her smile (which isn't hard to do, because she equally adores him!). He also is just as much a daddy's boy as he is a momma's boy. It makes me smile because he will say things like "when I get older, you will still snuggle me, right?" and I think to myself "I hope so!" but in reality, I know there will come a time where snuggling your mom is totally NOT cool.

Allison is just a doll. She is fearless and tough. She just learned how to give kisses, including the "smack" sound with her lips. She loves baby dolls and is frequently found walking around with them and occasionally pulling them away from her little chest to check on them. She will pat their backs and say "awwww". We often have to remind her to "be nice!" when petting the dogs because she gets overly excited and starts whacking away at their heads as they blink defensively. She is a GREAT eater (unlike big brother) and loves anything and everything, including lima beans! ...just don't offer her watermelon because it makes her gag.

She is cutting teeth like crazy. Her two bottom teeth are in, but her top teeth are coming in quite strange. She just has one of the fang type teeth on top, then the middle top tooth is slightly coming through. To put it bluntly, and I can say this because I am her mother and nobody loves you like your mother...she looks like a little hillbilly with their crazy teeth (or lack of). But she makes hillbillies look good, because, aside from the strange teeth, she is just gorgeous. She has super blonde hair, super blue eyes, and the most kissable cheeks I have ever seen.

So in a nutshell, the kids are doing great. Jay and I are doing great, too. Our kids are our world and we just love being parents. Everything we do is for them. I will get some pictures up here very soon, promise! And I promise to post more often. Not for an audience (I have one on facebook) but for my memories. Time goes by so fast, it's so easy to forget. I don't want to forget.