A Day in the Life of Ethan Bradley

The Times They Are a-Changin’

Brad C — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:33:28 +0000

The past three years have gone by so fast. When we first found out we were pregnant with Ethan, we, as a couple and as individuals, experienced many emotions, ranging from shock to frustration, ending in excitement and happiness. Looking back, we know that Ethan was the greatest blessing we could have possibly been granted by God. And if I could go back and talk to myself three years ago, I would tell then-Brad to be thankful, give Match lots of attention, and prepare for the ride of your life.

Looking back over this blog, we documented so many great memories, but as Bob Dylan sang back in 1964, the times they are a-changin’. And while we know we have many more memorable moments ahead, we will document them as we will experience life, as a family.

So, it’s with both a mixture of sadness and joy, that we will no longer be posting new entries on this blog and instead posting our new adventures on www.clarkcarousel.com. Why a carousel? For the obvious reasons of course… Life isn’t just an adventure… it’s a crazy whirlwind of laughter, sadness, stress, and joy that spins you around and around… just like a carousel.

So hop on board, and we’ll see you over there.

The Final Days

Brad C — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:37:15 +0000

Before Ethan was forced to share everyone’s attention with his new baby brother we made a point of spending some good quality one-on-one time with him. Below are a few images that captured the “final days”.

Mom needed some time to herself, and I needed to grab a few things from Lowes. Perfect opportunity to get Ethan out of the house, but of course, a little bit of balloon bribery was required.

Once we got back from our errands, Mom wanted some love.

And since it was a gorgeous day, why not spend it outside? Someone was feeling a little more adventurous than usual.

After a solid hour of play time, Ethan was ready to help with the yard work…

Yard work… with a few breaks to play a little tug-of-war with his dog.

Then, on Sunday, we all decided that the time to count calories had ended and we all needed a little tastiness from Krispy Kreme.

All in all, we had a wonderful weekend together as a family and were all feeling ready to take on whatever Alexander was ready to throw at us on Monday. More on that to come…

Christmas Toys with a Little Hot Chocolate

Brad C — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:26:20 +0000

Taken at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub

I think we found our Christmas photo.

Brad C — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:06:47 +0000

Morning Fun

Brad C — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:30:53 +0000

One of my favorite times of the day is in the morning, between the time Ethan wakes up and when I have to head to work or drop him off at school. He’s fully refreshed from a good night’s sleep and can range from cuddly to happy and energetic. Here are two fun examples from the week…

Before heading to school, we took Match for a walk to the coffee shop where we split a bagel AND a hot chocolate. Ethan actually walked the whole way there while holding Match’s leash. And Match did her part to behave, earning herself a little treat.

Then, this morning prior to heading to work, our little holiday elf was ready to hang our Christmas stockings.

I love our little boy, and all of the fun adventures we have together!

Ready for an Early Cold Walk

Brad C — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:07:18 +0000

Weekend Adventures

Brad C — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:34:15 +0000

It’s been awhile since I’ve actually posted a quick recount of our weekend so I figured I’d throw up a quick photo and video montage that highlights some of the fun we had over the weekend.

The fun started on Thursday night when Uncle Phillip was nice enough to volunteer and watch Ethan for us while we visited our new parish, St. Rita’s, to attend a baptism class for our impending arrival in February. As a nice gesture, Ethan volunteered to help his mom make Uncle Phillip some cookies…

Then on Friday night, Ethan couldn’t wait to tell his “best friend (because he brings me presents)”, Santa Claus, what he wanted for Christmas.

The next morning, after Mom went to work, Dad took Ethan to Barnes and Noble for story time, but ended up spending a solid hour playing Legos instead…

After so much time building blocks and running errands, it was time to take a nap with his dog…

Then, as Daddy promised, once Ethan woke up, it was time to make brownies for Mommy. Though as we have learned over the past few days, Ethan’s favorite part is cleaning the bowls AFTER we’re done making things…

Obviously, there was going to be a need to work off some of that energy, so Dad took Ethan outside to play with Match and his neighborhood fun center.

Which quickly devolved into a lot of yelling and running around the yard… they were at this for quite awhile. I finally had to cut off the video after two and a half minutes.

And then on Sunday, we wrapped up the weekend with a trip to the National Zoo. Which Dad decided was the BEST time of the year to visit. No crowds, plenty of parking, and no one to stand between Ethan and his pandas.

Though after watching Tien Tien munch on this bamboo for awhile, Ethan turns to me and says, “Daddy, I’m hungry too. Can I have a snack like the panda?” Good thing there is a cafe right there…

All in all, a great weekend to enjoy with our family before the holiday travel rush kicks in, beginning on Thursday. What a whirlwind it’s going to be…

T’is the Season

Brad C — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:19:57 +0000

Wife’s Got a Hot Date for Sound of Music

Brad C — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:38:28 +0000

Early Play Time: Still haven’t adjusted to the time change…

Brad C — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:19:44 +0000