Ethan Otea's 6th Birthday!

( yes I know I have Corbin Bleu on the music box.. Ethans favorite song so I put it on for him.)

So I owe my youngest son a birthday tribute Ethan has Finally turned six... He has waited FOREVER to turn six ( everybody friend and sibling has had birthdays before him) He could hardly wait for his birthday. We were counting down for over three mo!!!!!



Well July 11th FINALLY came and he wanted to go see the dolphins "just like mommy did." Or the baby elephants. well we figured the baby elephants would be cheaper... so we looked around at all the zoo's we have here.. It turns out the Indianapolis Zoo has the best of both worlds! Both Dolphins, Baby Elephants. Sharks you pet. And rides to ride. It sounded like a win win situation to us!( and especially to Ethan)



So as I was confirming plans with him.. .he was sure to add on that he wanted lots of presents...( I was told not to forget!)



We went to pick out a cake the day before his birthday and he quickly picked out the Kung FU panda cake.He was soo excited as soon as he saw it in the book... he gave me the quick" Ethan surge" of excitement.. ( if you haven't seen this yet. just imagine his whole body tensing like a bolt of lightning hit him. with a big teeth clenched smile.. he tenses up so much fist clenched and everything.. to the point he shakes just for a few seconds! ) when he does this. you know the boy is very very excited!



We took the 3 hr drive down to Indy.. And had a blast at the zoo! we rode roller coasters. went and saw sponge bob square pants 3-D movie/ride. Now... I have never been to a 3-d ride.. I had no idea what I was in for.. honestly I thought it was going to be quite lame. with a little shake of the seat. and obviously some 3-d action... And then the lady was ordering me to put my camera and purse on the ground. seat belted us all in.. and told me to hold on to my daughter! Now I know why... I was laughing so hard from being thrown all around! Zoey wasn't a big fan.. but survived.( yet she loved the roller coaster!) And of course Ethan and Jameson loved it!!



We saw the giraffes and elephants. ( don't forget the baby elephant of course!) And we got to see a polar bear swimming .. A very friendly walrus. who apparently is attracted to bright green dresses. Seals. We Pet the sharks( okay Ethan hated this part and refused to be apart of it! But Jameson was all about it!) Went in the underwater dome where the dolphins swim... It really was quite fun.. But it was also quite hot.. and the kids were starting to complain.. so as if a godsend was set before us.. alas a sprinkler/water park... which was basically lots of cool sprinkler and water splashes for the kids to cool off in.. This cooled them off and let them run out some More energy( excellent!) They all had a good time in there. ( as did Paul!)



Then it was off to the Dolphin show..( look at me, I'm a flipp'n little dolphin!!! ) now I had asked Ethan if he was having a good birthday.. and the repeating response was that he didn't have his Kung fu panda cake and presents yet.( sigh...) As we sat down. ( mind you were are soaking wet from the sprinkler park.) the chorus of whining and complaining began.. of being cold..( hey! I didn't know it was going to be indoors!) and they were bored. blah blah blah... Ethan whispered in my ear he just wanted to go home and have his kung fu panda cake and presents.. lots and lots of presents..





So being the mom and refusing to miss the stupid dolphins.( reason numbero uno of why we drove 3 freak'n Hours!) I started play'n up what the dolphins were going to do . . all because it was Ethan's birthday ( wink,wink.) SO every time the dolphins flipped, splashed. waved. talked.. I would whisper down to Ethan. that they were doing it JUST because it was HIS birthday.. when they clicked and whistled. I would explain that that was the dolphin happy birthday song just for him. So the Ethan surges of excitement began to return.. and he would yell at the dolphins that he was indeed six! And of course and soon as the dolphins began to perform the kids forgot how cold,tired and bored they were. and I think just for a second Ethan forgot about his Kungfu panda cake and presents waiting at home.. But only just for a second. We head back home to finish off what I felt was a pretty kick'n birthday.. And the biggest surge came as soon as I pulled the cake out!!!( you know I think he would have been just as happy if we just did the cake and presents gig!) He confirmed after that, that he did have a very good birthday!


I really was quite fun. SO if you ever get down this way go the Indy Zoo!





I love this kid. . . from the beginning he has always been his own soul and on his own time schedule.. and definitely is our "onion boy". He changes into a whole different kid in one big swoop. instead of the typical gradual changes like most kids. This kid has a memory of an elephant. So so smart... He is our computer whiz/electronic guru that is for sure!!! He makes us laugh. My favorite is when he and Paul will quote movie lines( and sometimes the entire movie) line for line, actions and all at the dinner table. He has the best sense of humor. I believe he was born with the most wit in the family!





He is my quietest kid by far. and often gets away with more because he is so quite. you have to watch him close!!!


I think my moment of realizing this. is with Zoey.. they were playing with zoey's toy phone, on there bellies. And Zoey was getting upset and screaming at him to leave it alone. so she sat up and grabbed the phone and whacked him on the back a couple times... and then went back to playing with the buttons... Well, Ethan just sort of sat there and took it.. barely made a face about it... after a minute. he slowly sat up... I saw his hand reel back and whacked her upside the back of the head... and then went back to playing as well, as if nothing had every happened. Had I not been watching I would have never known what really happened. He just has the look of innocence! Now I must admit when I watched this all happen, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically.( Zoey really did have it coming to her!)


But that is my Ethan.. He will tease her or Jameson with a glint in his eye , ever so quietly. and willing to take any kick back. because I swear in his mind what ever he did it was worth it!


But with me and his girlfriend Liney Lou. he is the sweetest thing on the planet!! This kid always just melts my heart.





We have struggled quite a bit with Ethan since Change and Ethan don't go well together.. And when he gets an Idea in his head He becomes quite insist ant about it. I think with him most of all I had to learn a whole new way of parenting and approaches to help this kid grow and develop. But I adore him and he truly is a sweetheart of a kid. He can make the whole house giggle with his sense of Humor.





And I am soo glad we finally got to celebrate his 6th Birthday..





Happy birthday baby you are SIX!!