Montana Continued

On July 19th at 9:30 at night I left Ethan with my parents and I left for Oregon by train to check out Portland and see my sweet hubby. Ethan still hadn't walked yet (although he had taken a few steps) and I told my mom she wasn't allowed to let him walk until we got home. It was kind of hard to leave Ethan for almost four whole days but I was SO EXCITED to see Trent that I only noticed some of the time. Trent was staying at my parents best friends' house so it was good to see them too (and, of course, they adored Trent. I think they like me a lot more now that they know Trent :). Ranice (my mom's best friend) took me around while Trent was still working and then for the next few days when Trent wasn't. We went to Canon Beach and to the Tillamook Cheese Factory (white cheddar pepper cheese....*sigh*). I was in love with Portland and the idea of living there. The closest job option to both our families, Dan and Ranice close by, a beach nearby (*sigh* again)...but even as I wanted it I kind of felt like we were still supposed to go to Albuquerque. But I didn't tell Trent quite yet. We had so much fun being back together and then we drove back to Montana on Saturday hoping to get home by 6:00 PM in time to see Ethan for awhile before he got to cranky. Before we pulled into the driveway Trent told me that he wanted to go in separately. He was worried that Ethan wouldn't be excited to see one of us (like he wasn't excited to see me when we got back from Albuquerque) so he thought seeing us one at a time would be better.
I went in first and Ethan was playing in the living room. He looked up at me, smiled big and crawled over really fast to see me. Oh my heart melted. I was SO happy to hold him again. I jumped around with him and kissed him a bunch. Then Trent walked up the stairs. When Ethan saw him he stopped and stared. Then he got this HUGE grin on his face and started laughing and clapping his hands. He was seriously so excited. I was glad too, I think Trent was a little worried that Ethan would forget him. We played for about15 minutes throwing a beach ball around when Ethan took a step. Then, holding the beach ball, he took a few more steps. Then again with a few more. We ran and got the video camera and recorded him walking! He only took about 5 steps at the most. But it was so awesome to come home and see him walk for his first time. My mom promised that he hadn't walked, that she had sat him down every time he looked like he was going to. I guess I believe her ;).
During our stay in Montana we did some fun things (boating, swimming, hanging out with friends) but we worked too. Trent put in a french drain for our good friends and Trent and I built a staircase! I know crazy. We were just going to replace the treads on my parents old staircase but it was so rotted that we ended up making new stair jacks and building a whole new set of stairs. They are quite beautiful if I do say so myself ;). Trent and I make such a good team because we both think in different ways to we bounce ideas off of each other and are able to come up with really good plans. I think building stuff is our favorite thing to do together.

 After we had already torn out the old stairs and the old handrails

 Cutting and installing the stair jacks

 

The final project. I am quite proud ;).

We headed home to Provo on about August 2nd. It was so awesome to spend so much time around my family. I am sure that this opportunity will not happen again, or at least not for a long, long time so I am really glad we were able to go. I love my family so much. My parents inspire me with their testimonies and examples and I hope to be more like them every day.

4th Leg of Journey: Montana

My mom came and picked Ethan and I up in Idaho and we drove up to Helena and then Kalispell. Ethan and I stayed downstairs and it was weird because my room was always upstairs. It was nice though to have our own space.

I had so much fun in Montana. I love being with my mom. I just like being with her and talking to her. She listens to my stories and laughs and sympathizes when necessary. I can be myself with her, and that is a huge blessing. I love my dad too. He is so fun and fun-loving, we always have a good time. I also spent lots of time with my brothers and their wives which was super fun. Sylvia and I got together the most to cook and play with the kids. Ethan just adored her little Isaac and wanted to do everything that he did. It was pretty cute.

Here are some pics of Ethan and Isaac.

We of course spent a lot of time at the pool. As I have mentioned before, I plan on spending most of my summers for the next 10 years or so at the pool!

 My  brother Nick, his wife Sylvia, and their kids.

 

My brother Doug, his wife, and their kids.

My mom and Ethan, apparently coming up on a waterfall.

Ethan in his cool sunglasses that he actually wears!

 

 My good friends Melea and Valissa-I have been friends with them since I was two!

3rd Leg of Journey: Idaho

After spending a day in Provo to recuperate (and believe me, we recuperated. Ethan slept 16 hours in a 24 hours period. Amazing), we drove to Idaho to visit Mom and Dad Spratling. Carlee was home for the weekend from Girl Scout camp (where she was working) and Sierra was home between sport camps and we had a good weekend. Mom made her AMAZING Burnt Almond Fudge Ice Cream for the 4th of July...and well, yeah, it was amazing. I also said good-bye to Trent on the morning of the 4th as he left for Portland, OR for his internship. It was kind of surreal to have him leave without me, but I really missed him. I had fun with his mom though, and that pretty much made up for it. We rode bikes to yoga, cooked fun to meals, had green smoothies, and watched movies. I hope we make this a yearly tradition. It was a BLAST. For some reason I seem to have lost my photos from this part of the trip! AARG! During our time in Idaho Ethan learned how to go down stairs (he learned how to go up them when we were here before the MA part of the trip) and how to stand for extended periods of time! So exciting, although I didn't want him to start walking until Trent could see him. I will keep looking for the photos...I hope they are on my mom's computer.

2nd leg of journey: Cape Cod, MA

After the 10 hour return trip from Oregon on Sunday we spent Monday resting in Sugar City and spending time with Trent's family. Then we left at 4:00 AM on Tuesday morning so that we could catch our flight out of Salt Lake City to Boston. I was so worried it was going to be a nightmare. Luckily it wasn't. Thank goodness for the benedryl which helped Ethan take a nap in Trent's arms (the first time since he was 4 months old!) and my brother and sister-in-law who flew out with us and sat with us so that Ethan could spend 4 1/2 hours crawling across our laps and the aisle. It was actually a fun trip and we played the inflight trivia with each other and laughed most of the flight. After getting to Boston we were picked up by my uncle and drove down to the Cape. Ahh, the Cape. A wonderful paradise. Trent loved it. While we were there we went to the beach, ate fish 'n chips, losbster and clams, went whale watching, did a bike tour in Boston, had lots of family time, and I got to see my sister NATALIE!! who has recently moved to Connecticut. Plus other things that I can't think of at the moment. Here are some of the pics I got:

Ethan fell asleep right before take-off, and Trent shortly thereafter. Aren't they cute?

Sweetly asleep in the crib at the house we rented.

On our bike tour in Boston.

We got to see the outside of Fenway Park! Someday we will go to a game there...unfortunately the Red Sox had all away games while we were there...

Both Trent and Ethan's first time in the Atlantic Ocean!

Deciding whether to go in...

Definitely a yes!

We can't keep him out of the water, he just charges right in.

Cousin Oliver, Daddy, and Ethan all in their sand-seats.

Ethan with cousin Jamie, born just a few weeks apart.

We were at the reunion and didn't have a pack 'n play so I spread this blanket on the floor with some blankets/pillows around it and he fell right asleep!

Back at the beach and building in the sand.

Uncle Nathan and Cousin Oliver with Trent and Ethan.

Where's the other half of him?

They buried him in the sand! But he liked it when they put the water in front of him.

I think he wants to go back in!

He sat in this same position by Aunt Mary playing with the shovel and bucket for at least an hour! He LOVED the sand (but luckily he didn't like the taste of it).

Sleeping on the floor again on our last night on the Cape. What a trooper.

Sleeping in the crib in the hotel in Connecticut during our company visit there. This kid slept in so many different places. He is amazing!

Too many things to explore.

On our way to catch our flight out of Boston.

This is all of our luggage. Trent and I shared the big suitcase. Ethan got the little suitcase, two diaper bags, car seat, stroller and then we split the backpack. Traveling will never be the same again!

The flight back to SLC wasn't as easy as the one out. Ethan didn't take a nap and we didn't have Nathan and Natasha with us. Trent slept beside me as well as the man on the other side of me. Ethan loves to hit sleeping people in the face (I don't know why) and I spent at least an hour trying to keep Ethan entertained without letting him hit Trent or the other guy. Then he kept trying to grab the lady's hair clip in front of us. When they told us we were starting our descent into SLC I was elated and exhausted. He didn't cry though, and that was really all I wanted.