Step one. If no hat is currently available, compromise.
Step two. Ensure an appointment with the tub.
Ethan, upon showing me this picture in the future you can...
Get out of a spanking
Get an extra scoop of ice cream
Stay up passed your bedtime
Purchase a hamster
Have some more M&M's
You never know when the perfect moment to rock someone's face off with a mind-blowing guitar solo, so you should always be prepared... axe in hand.
So, like, I got this fab, like, new phone and I, like, totally for real texted my besty Ella and she, like, couldn't text me back cuz her rents, like, took away her phone and all I wanted to tell her was, like, I am going to the pool.. do you wanna come with?
Once nicknamed "The LionHeart" for his fierceness in battle and justice in worldwide conquest, Uncle Joe can easily be tamed by the slightest smirk of his nephew.
Ethan's first day of hard manual labor.
We are really trying to bend the child labor laws in the state.
Cousin Luke is always very generous with his toys. He always teaches Ethan and Ella how to play and have lots of fun.
No one knows trains inside and out like Luke!
No one knows getting loose like Cousin Ella!
Here's the birthday plan; Make a few phone calls, visit a few businesses, set a few appointments, feel productive overall.
Here's the birthday reality; Sleep in, make less than a few phone calls, visit no businesses, set no appointments, go to the museum during business hours, feel slightly less productive overall. The picture says it all.
First birthdays are the best. We never imagined how fun it would be to watch Ethan enjoy his company and presents and cake. You are our special little boy Ethan and you have brought us so much joy in your first year than we could have ever hoped for.
The sand! The swings! The merry-go-round! The train! Nothing compares to spending a day at the park with Mommy and Aunt Jessica and Cousin's Luke & Ella.
Um, where's the chocolate? 
So do we have a deal? You turn on the cute, stumble into the kitchen and snatch me a goodie. Since I can't walk, I'll sit here and distract them with slobber. I'll give you half my birthday cake.
This boy's seen it all this year.... Daddy's truck broke down so he got a new car, daddy's job broke down so he got a new company and moved everyone out to Raleigh. It's only April... I hope there are no more surprises this year!
Once he figured out how to stay on the firetruck, there was nothing slowing him down!
It is unbelievable how quickly Ethan has been growing. It seemed like such a short time ago that he was as mobile as a sack of potatoes. Now crawling and climbing and falling and rolling, he cannot get enough of his new found freedom. We see so much more of his personality as he shows us the things he is truly interested in;
Alright! Ethan is beginning to enjoy little daytime treats from a bowl. He has quickly mastered pinching his food and 3 out of 10 times, he can actually get it in his mouth!.jpg)
"Steadfast"... I don't think I ever understood the depths of what it meant. Nobody could really tell me about it in words or describe how it works. I would probably fail at painting the appropriate picture that encompasses the word but I am severely impacted daily by how well Erin demonstrates her steadfast love for her son and her husband. It is a thorough and unfailing love. It never fails. Can I take you out to eat this weekend?
There is only one thing that Ethan loves more than anything else in his toybox.... his first guitar! He has already learned to pluck the strings and to use it as a step stool. He is genuinely fascinated with it everytime he sees it.
Indeed, he has arrived. He demonstrates his omnipresence on a daily presence and is learning the meaning of the word "no". It is very exciting to see him wander all over the house. It's such a neat way to see another side of his personality... to watch him interact with what he truly wants to play with. He's a mover, but we already knew that.
It's always important to provide proper cushioning and support for the common backwards fall that takes place in most infant's playtime activity. This, however, is unfortunately an unapproved safety helmet for such a backwards fall.
Celebrating his first Bowman Family Christmas, Ethan enjoys the traditional non-traditional Bowman Christmas Pizza-Making Feast. Where's the cheese?
4 Generations of Pizza Eaters.... Grandpa, Daddy, Me and Great-Grandpa! Okay guys, where's the cheese?
Aha! Mozzarella! Grandpa and Grandma Bowman are so fantastic!
Here's Dad with Uncle Joe and Uncle Jon.
Mommy, when can I make my very own chocolate gravy pumpkin lamb pineapple rice alfredo onion big mac strawberry pizza?
Aunt Amanda! My favorite Aunt Amanda in the world!
I spent some much needed quality time with Grandpa Bowman.
There's nothing like sitting with Great Grandpa....
Or hanging out with Great Grandma. What a great visit!
Happy Christmas to all! Ethan loves the Christmas season, the tree, the decorations, the family, the cheese trays, the gravy, the lights, the Johnny Mathis CD, the push-to-sing-and-dance ornaments, the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, the Notre Dame vs. Hawaii Bowl Game, the cousins, the crazy dogs and even the fruitcake!
A sea of gifts nearly leaves Ethan and Ella stranded.
Ethan and the estranged Grandpa Herman.
Mommy and me take a Christmas Day walk down the street.
Le Bigwheel!
Yes, it's true... I'm clean-shirt-a-phobic. I have trouble conducting myself appropriately when my mommy dresses me in the morning. I insist on voluntarily destroying my entire wardrobe with slobber and food items as quickly as they are available to me. My greatest asset is my youth and my parent's low expectation of my eating habits and motor skills. But I cannot lie, I am three shirts away of purposefully and summarily annihilating every piece in my wardrobe and I am working heavily on expanding my clothing caper to every piece in my parent's wardrobe. Almost there.
How fun it was to spend time with my new friend Christian and his mommy Kate. I am soooo jealous that he can walk anywhere he wants... ESPECIALLY halfway up the stairs before his mommy runs and gets him! I gotta get in on some of that action.
Such a monstrous difference a year makes... Here's Ella, just days old.
Party time! Cousins unite on the magic ottoman.
Free pictures with the party princess.
Although not showing much interest or ability in crawling these days, Ethan is relentless in his quest to stand up and walk. We suppose he just likes to feel a lot taller. He constantly looks for anything he can pull up on and he has successfully done it on his own.
Cousin Luke is in training to be a Boush Christmas Tree Inspector.
Thanksgiving Day! Food + family = Pass the stuffing. Here's a brief summary... 
Ethan's first Christmas! Accompanied by Ethan's first electric shock! Just kidding. I promise we're great parents... I created the glowing lights with my computer to make this ordinary piece of rope look like a child's safety hazard. Ethan got to see his first Christmas tree set up in his own house. Every time he sees it, it's like he is discovering it for the first time. He already enjoys the dangly ornaments, carols sung by Johnny Mathis, wrapping paper, nativity scenes, music boxes and sap.
Pay attention now, this information may help you out. I can tell you how to get a brand new pair of jeans.... jeans as cute as mine, name brand too. Hold all of your poopie until the very last second... then, hold it longer. Wait until you are sure your mommy has NOT packed an extra pair of pants for emergency situations. Then as soon as she loads you up to run errands with daddy, begin releasing your poopie slowly but assertively. Be certain that you are nearby a Marshall's, Target, Walmart, Baby Gap, Old Navy, etc and act sweet as you press against the back of your stroller while releasing said poopie This technique will certainly cause your poopie to find its way beyond the confines of your overpriced diaper. Your shirt may become a casualty... a sacrifice you are willing to make. If some poopie gets on the stroller, don't worry, daddy will clean that up too. I guarantee your mommy will run into the store to grab you a new pair off the rack, no matter the cost, to replace your soiled pants. I scored these sweet Levi's a couple weeks ago. Follow all the steps carefully and success will be yours.
Yes, it's true, we are accepting all major credit cards for a print order of your favorite picture from our "Ethan: Autumn in the Leaves" collection. Operators are standing by. We are completely biased as parents but we really, truly, honestly believe he is the cutest 6 month old in the entire freakin' universe. His cuteness surpasses all others.
Another fantastic weekend in Raleigh! Ethan can't get enough of cousins Luke and Ella. There's so much to learn and enjoy with little people like him. 
An early morning turnout to the polls to cast our vote. Ethan didn't seem to mind the 5:00am wake-up call and the half hour wait topped off with a trip to McDonald's on election day. 
It's a brand new world up here! So much more to do! So much more to see! So many new places to slobber on grandma's measuring spoons!
Someday, when I'm older, I will dress up like Charlie Brown and get almost enough candy to fill my cheeks enough to make them burst. Until then, I will spend my Halloweens watching Mom and Dad fill barrels and barrels with Hersey delights and purposefully turn off the lights early so they can eat all the candy themselves over the course of the days after Halloween and complain about toothaches. 
Ethan is Mr. Big Time in his shopping cart seat! Now he can flirt with the older ladies at Wal-Mart much easier.
Here's good old Uncle Jon having some much needed bonding with Ethan after he tried to saddle him up on Jack, the family beagle.
Around the house with Jim-Jim and Aunt Amanda.
Grandpa is either showing him a really cool video or warning Ethan of the dangers of Shredded Wheat.
There's nothing like a porch swing on a breezy fall day in Virginia. Ethan loves his Hampton family in the big Bowman castle.
After his triumphant slaying of the mighty beast of the wood in the most terrible and magnificent battle of man versus cute-stuffed-toy-puppies, the young lad Ethan reached down and beheaded his honorable opponent as was customary in those days and removed the filthy and unappetizing remains from the scalp. Majestic Ethan made for himself a wonderful helmet of power from the ruins and adorned himself with his holy war-tattered snowboarding coat. He broke bread with his companions and feasted until dawn. Crowned with glory, he proceeded down the road while his mommy pushed him in his stroller.
Look at Ethan so comfortable on Grandpa Boush's knee. What kind of secrets is he hearing? What stories is grandpa telling about grandma and mommy?
Ethan's first autumn. As far as we can tell, these are the things Ethan loves about this season:
I love my little dog Bella. She's so funny and playful and she likes it when I pet her and smile at her and drop food off my tray onto the floor for her to gobble up.
Once upon a time, there was a boy named Ethan. Ethan was a special boy filled with the happiness and strength of a boy ten times his size. And he lived in a magical land of milk and puppies. Blah, blah, blah.. and to make a long story short, Mommy needed him to sleep through the night. So, here's some rice cereal buddy boy. Sweet dreams. The End.
Just in time! Ethan is an on-the-go baby boy and laying down and being held just aren't cutting it anymore. It was one of the funnest evenings we've had when we bought his jumperoo. At the store, as soon as we put it in the cart, he was eyeballing it in amazing wonderment. He knew something special was happening. Then, when we got home and began assembling it, he just stared. We like to call it excitement and we couldn't wait to finish it and pop him in. He loved it the minute he saddled up. So much to look at, so many sounds, so many things to do! Hooray!
Fresh from his exotic overseas desert job...... Uncle Mike! A super duper weekend is guaranteed when Uncle Mike visits. Like everybody else on the planet, Ethan looooooved Uncle Mike. O'Charley's, shooting hoops at the park, college football, Firebirds, the mall (twice), the PSP and the Kuwaiti cell phone... another jam-packed weekend for Ethan and company. 
Daddy is so excited that Ethan is interested in music. Ethan keeps a watchful eye on Daddy's strumming hand and glances occasionally at his fretting hand. During his first lesson, he learned how to strum and fret with the same hand making beautiful musical chaos. Genius! Of course his other hand had to be lodged halfway down his throat.
Mommy and Daddy agree that Ethan looks fantastic in blue. 
Let's put on our "Sunday-go-to-meetin" clothes stuff our bellies full of some of the finest seafood in Calabash. Ethan got a head start, apparently.
A calm breeze. Slightly overcast. The sound of waves. A clean diaper. Then.. BAM! You have never seen a beach party grab their towels, chairs, flip-flops, offspring and bags and zip to the boardwalk faster than we did. Mommy, Aunt Katherine and Aunt Jessica must have run track in highschool. And we were so sure Daddy was potty trained.
Ripley's Aquarium! Definitely worth a visit if you can spare the admission. Ethan enjoyed exploring the fish with mommy and daddy and sharing secrets with his cousin Ella at their rendezvous behind the tank of stingrays. 
Our beach trip was the everything we needed in a vacation. It was a great time away from work and life at home and an awesome opportunity for Ethan to see the ocean for the first time and spend time with cousins and aunts and uncles and grandma and grandpa. 
¡Adoro sentar en el piso con papá! Ahora que he aprendido a incorporarse, yo puedo ver mucho más. Estas necesidades de la alfombra para ser limpiadas.
Ethan would make a great salesperson one day. He would say, "Excuse me lady wearing white gloves, would you like to buy a ketchup popsicle?"
I had soooooooo much fun with Aunt Amanda and Uncle Jon this weekend! Uncle Jon had the silliest faces and Aunt Amanda even changed my stinky diaper. However, I am trying to figure out who started the rumors that I have cankles. I think it was Uncle Jon.
For the longest time, I've been wanting to throw a recipe on this blog to show off my wife's superior cooking skills.
Gimme my sippee cup and some cheetos and "WonderPets" and you'll never have to hire a baby sitter. Ever. 
Another awesome weekend with our great friends Jon and Sally and their two girls Julianna and Isabella and traveling compadre Erin (who just so happened to be their photography wizard, hence, unpictured). These are some of our favorite people in the world. We miss you already!
There really is no secret about it anymore. Upon exiting any indoor area into any outdoor area, the switch is flipped. Ethan's paradise, be it Grandma Boush's backyard landscape wonderland (pictured here) or our apartment parking lot, is outside. He marvels at the colors and sounds and smells. A feast for his senses! 
August 16, 2006 - the day I met Erin and knew she was the one for me. 
August 16, 2008 - the day I changed diaper number 623. Erin is still the one for me.
If you would like to donate to the Infants Impersonating Roy Orbison Foundation, (I.I.R.O.F.) please dial the number that appears on your screen. 
Wetness is the essence of diapers. Diapers are the essence of Baby Snap-Cargos. Baby Snap-Cargos are the essence of Ethan. New out this fall, he hits the streets (in a stroller) of Charlotte with his fresh new look (hand-me-downs from his cousin Luke). I bet you $10 Grandma Bowman prints this one out and puts it on her fridge.
Ethan looooooves Bella. He really gets into watching her wander around the apartment. She is very serious about her little boy, too. Anytime he's getting a little uncomfortable and fussy, she paces up and down the stairs and will stop and stare at us until we go and rescue him. The Alliance has been formed.
Here's the dealio. When Daddy carries me around on his shoulders and I puke on his hair, it limits the amount of time he can carry me around on his shoulders because of the messy cleanup. I am a baby on the loose and I need my Daddy-Shoulder time. So a couple weeks ago, while Daddy slept peacefully, I grabbed the clippers and went to work. Problem solved, disaster averted, a town saved.
We are so obsessed with Sleeping Ethan that this category deserved another entry. Is it because he looks so peaceful? Is it because he looks so adorable that he could be captain of th adorable army? Or is it because he has just stumbled upon a very high-pitched way of expressing the discomfort of cycling through his system some spicy foods he got from mommy and sleeping prevents high-pitched expressions? We'll just have to keep that to ourselves.
This is one of the only rare moments Ethan actually kept his pacifier in his mouth long enough for daddy to race downstairs and get the camera.
Uncle Joe came into town this past weekend and the two were inseparable. Ethan shared his toys and vomit, Joe taught him about pipe fittings. All in all, a mutually beneficial weekend for everyone! And we think Ethan took away a little something to remember Uncle Joe by.
This post is long overdue. We were debating on the amount of sugar our audience could handle. Our doctor advised us that this was an acceptable amount for one sitting. Please regulate yourself on the frequency of dosage for your own well-being.
Ethan loves starting his day off on daddy's side of the bed. Here, he chats with mommy about the silly dream he had about building a go-kart with his ex-landlord. They make their big plans for the day while daddy gets ready for work. Maybe they will see Grandma Boush and Max. Maybe they will vacuum. Maybe they will work on stuff to put on Erin's Etsy Website. Maybe they will go for a walk in the stroller. Maybe they will look for change in the couch. Maybe they will prank-call the governor. Maybe they will visit daddy for lunch. Endless possibilities. Let's go back to sleep and think about it.
There's nothing like a nice warm bath after a hard day of puking and drooling and pooping and peeing on myself. What's that floating in the water?
There comes a point in every young man's life when it is necessary to include him in the most thrilling underdog story ever told through the eyes of a little Italian man whose whole life was a one in a million shot. We chose Ethan's 11th week for such a rite of passage. Originally, we wanted to show him Rocky III because it is the best, but we wanted to avoid the awkward Rocky/Apollo-hugging-in-the-ocean scene that everyone typically fast-forwards. Rocky IV was a far better story to show him and Ethan proceeded to drool all over daddy's hand as the fight against the Russian unfolded. We can't tell whether it was because of Rocky's comeback or because of Grandpa Boush's mega big screen phenomenon of entertainment.
Base jump from a skyscraper.
Yet another excellent find from the family video archive. When the Lamb's Book of Life is opened and Uncle Joey's name is found, it is possible that there will also be a bright button to press that allows Almighty God to watch this little boy giggle and dance as many times as He can handle it.
So here's the timeline of our adventure to the Boush's neighborhood pool in Raleigh:
Here's one of Ethan on his new sport utility transport. He gets a lot of miles to the gallon on this beast. He can pretty much go over any terrain, up and down stairs, in and out of the kitchen and on and off the changing table. It has several cockpits, including, the left knee, the right knee, over the shoulder, around the neck (pictured here) and even more! It's really a multipurpose, sport, utility vehicle. It's not as safe on the environment as he would wish. It emits large portions of methane from time to time. .jpg)
We wouldn't dare show you some historical footage of daddy without letting you see a classic picture of mommy. It's hard to imagine my wife as a little girl with dreams and silliness and girls scouts and kittens and report cards and bike rides and getting into trouble and laughter and chasing ice cream trucks and skinned knees and crab-trapping and crying and crushes and kickball. I love the wife you have been and continue to be and I am amazed when I see you take on the superior ability and identity of a mom. This little girl grew up to be someone special! It is so EASY to be overwhelmed with joy when I realize how much you love Ethan and me. I got so lucky, it's ridiculous!
Although this is not his favorite book, "Everyone Poops", Ethan enjoys relaxing with mommy as she reads to him. I believe we got this one from Oprah's book club. 
We took our first big time trip with Ethan up to Hampton, Virginia to visit our family a few weeks ago. (Uncle Mike and Uncle Joe were running late for the photo shoot) As seen here, Ethan can get comfortable in just about any place you put him. Despite being strapped in and unable to move, he did so well during the 14 hour round trip.
Ethan sure loves his Grandparents. Mommy and Daddy are so happy that he has two superb sets of Grandpeople. We got it good.
Sometimes you have to bust out the rhymes. Freestyle battle. And when the crowd wants an encore, you dang-well better give them and encore. "It's a hard-knock-life of messin' my diaper, pukin' on my onesie, sippin' milk and crackin' smiles. It's not all swimmin' pools and cadillacs."
We live in such pitiful circumstances. Air conditioning. Cable Television. Paved Roads. Xbox. Remote Vehicle Ignition. Already-shucked Corn. Direct-Deposit. Pay at the Pump. Grandma Boush's Bowl of Easy-Peel Shrimp. $1 DVD Rentals. Blogs. Jesus' Love. Fingernail Clippers. Particle Accelerators. Online Bill-Pay. Celebrex. Ramen Noodles. Beet Farms. Electoral Colleges. Liquid Hand Soap. Fat Daddy's. Google Maps. Sometime's, you just gotta sit down and ponder, "could it get any worse?"
Yes folks, that's a 5.75 inch vertical lift of the head by the ever-talented, always-advanced, top-of-the-class, second-to-none Ethan. Isn't it great when parents imagine their child to be the best child ever invented? Erin and I agree that he is quite superlative in every way but we remind Ethan that "with great power comes great responsibility".
The guardian, the yapper, the digger, the sneakthief, the bug. She has really adjusted well to Ethan. She is always very interested in what's going on in his little world and is very gentle and caring when she is near him. The most memorable moment in the past few weeks was when she tossed her toy at his feet while he was in the car seat expecting a game of fetch. It won't be too long before he can play with you Bella!
Here's a video of Uncle Jon from the family archive. We believe this was an audition tape for Broadway or what the doctor labeled "sufficient video evidence for necessary and immediate admission".
It is the best part of our day when he looks at us, hears our playful tone and whips out one of these. He has been smiling for a while now. He practices every day and gets better and better at it and although he's not smiling on a professional level yet, we are excited to have him represent our fine country in Beijing this summer as an amateur.
...the young child Ethan, born from the womb of the virtous and fair queen Erin, shall rise up with justice in his left hand and truth in his right hand. His enemies shall behold his glory (and the cute airplane on his onesie) and he will smite them and they shall fall like water on rock. Then, the Valiant One shall survey the land he hath conquered and return to his mother and boldy proclaim, "Forsooth! I craveth milk".
Here's a picture of Dad, Ethan and Mom. Everybody's got their opinion on who Ethan resembles the most. Dad says he looks like mom, mom says he looks like dad. Most objective onlookers believe he takes after his dad the most. What do you think?
This little buddy can gorge himself on milk like you'd never believe. His hyperactive appetite and increasingly impatient gulping often results in lots of burps and gas. He's just like his daddy.
Like most babies, Ethan loves a car ride. We'll take him out for a spin and it usually means some good peace and quiet for mommy and daddy. And yes, it's always tempting to leave him sleeping in his car seat when we return. What most people call "neglect", we like to call "a chance to unload the groceries before he realizes he's hungry again".
Does it really get any better than this? Ethan and me. After work. Couch. TV. Throw in some ice cream and/or peanut butter m&m's and I've got myself a little slice of perfection.
He already has the most amazing expressions at just a few weeks old. Each day he shows mommy and daddy a new face he's been working on. Here are some of his possible thoughts as best as we can judge; "Gosh, I'm handsome." "Is this shirt 100% cotton?" "It wasn't me mommy, the dog did it." "Obama? - what a joke" "Milk, milk, milk, milk, milk, milk, milk" "Okay mom, gimme the remote" "MAYDAY! MAYDAY! Incoming kisses at 11 o'clock!" "Maybe they WON'T smell that." 
Here's Ethan in one of his many complex camera poses. It requires so much energy on his part to be so adorable during photoshoots with such little complaining. He must get paid a lot of money or something. Between you and me, I think mommy likes his pose, too.
Grandma Boush discovers Ethan's happy place! Whenever he gets to go outside, he calms right down and can't help himself from enjoying all the new sights, sounds and smells.
At home, this swing has proven to be the knockout punch Ethan has needed on several occasions. With 5 speeds and peaceful music with adjustable volume, how can he NOT be satisfied? I look forward to the day when they make these things for adults.
The 24 hour days have begun for mom and dad. Staying in the hospital had its rewards and drawbacks. The nurses were very helpful and sweet other than when we spent three hours to finally get him fed, changed and settled before they came and had to take his temperature or fix a monitor and wake him up again. We certainly enjoyed our one year wedding anniversary during our stay. We celebrated by getting Erin's I-V removed once and for all. 
Here's one of the first pictures of Ethan on his first day hanging out with mom and dad on the outside of the belly. 11 days late, 20 hours of labor and a c-section were tough enough and the poor little rascal didn't even know that he was getting circumcised the next day. It's hard being a baby boy. 
Here's mom and baby reunited for the first time since the doctor sliced and diced her to get him out. Born on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 3:12am, weighing in at 8 lbs 7ozs and measuring 21 inches, he is the most precious thing mommy and daddy have ever seen. The only things mommy wanted besides a healthy baby was that he would have a head of hair and daddy's nose. Spot on!
