2 yrs ago.....

June 3, 2008 at 6 in the morning I checked into the hospital in preterm labor. By 7 that night my water had broken & Ethan was on his way. At 10:02PM Ethan made his entrance into this world 10 weeks too soon. He was only 3lbs 9oz & 16.5" long. With 10 tiny fingers, 10 tiny toes, & a full head of black hair he was perfect. He was only an hour old when I finally got to hold my precious baby. It was love at first sight. He had his eyes open & he wriggled his arm out of his blanket & grabbed my finger. Right then he was named Ethan Russell Pacholski. Ethan was the first name that came to mind when I got my first glance at him, Russell was my grandfathers name & it was just perfect. Ethan spent the first 52 days of his life in the NICU. It was a long road that seemed like it was never going to end. During that time we got to watch our little preemie grow & get stronger.

He was just a few days old when we gave him his first bath. He was so tiny the size of a football. He loved getting baths though.

There was always an opportunity to grab a few snuggles here or there. There was never a better way to spend time together than giving him hugs & kisses. The one thing about having a preemie is that there is the honor of being able to hold a baby that small. Not everyone gets to say they held a 3lb baby. There is really nothing like it in this world.

Ethan had quite the personality right from the start. His facial expressions showed the many sides to his. He became well know for his many expressions.

Finally after 8 weeks in the NICU Ethan came home on July 25, 2008. We couldn't pack everything up & get the paperwork signed quick enough. It had been a long road that we thought was never going to end. Then that day finally came & all we wanted to do was get our precious baby home so we could finally be a family.

So we packed him up & headed out the door. We were not going to have to return to the NICU again. At 3pm that day Ethan felt the sun on his skin for the very first time. He was put in the car & he was on his way home

Since coming home Ethan has done nothing but shine. He has grown & never ceased to amaze us.

He turned 3 months on Sept. 3, 2008. What a handsome baby he was.

He turned 6 months Dec 3, 2008.

He was 9 months on March 3, 2009.

He turned 1 on June 3, 2009. It's hard to believe that's the same little boy there that we see today. He wasn't even walking yet in that picture. Now he doesn't walk he runs & jumps.

Today Ethan is 2. He has turned into a little man. He loves Curious

George & his aquariums. He doesn't go many places without his buddy

Moose. Who would've thought that my 3lb 9oz little preemie would turn

into such a handsome little man. Happy Birthday Ethan MomMom &

Dada love you!!