Where do I begin...

First, I am sorry it has taken me months to post anything new. I guess the creative juices have been flowing in other directions...you should see the boxes I made for our new bookshelf! The holidays were good. Mike and I feel like we were cheated out of Asher's 1st Christmas, though. The poor guy puked and slept all day. We need to pose some "Christmas pictures" and when we do that I will post them. But here is one of Asher on his present from Santa. I don't know who likes the scooter best, Mike or Asher.

Asher has really started to move these last two weeks. He can push/pull himself across a room towards something we don't want him into in 0.3 seconds! And if Asher is not scooting he is rolling all over the place. I think I need to go buy a new pair of running shoes because the days of putting him in one spot and him staying there are long gone!

Asher has also started on some solids, but thus far all we can get him to "open up for" are pears. If I trick him he will keep sweet potatoes in his mouth. Today we are going to try mangos and if that does not go well we will head over to peaches. My new philosphy is to find what he really likes and start him there and then add the things he is on the fence about. As you can see the squash is not quite the hit I was hoping it would be!

At Asher's last doctor's visit he was 15lb 5oz (a skinny boy reaching the 35th percentile!) and 28.5 inches long (95th percentile)! Since his car seat only goes up to 29 inches it was time for a new one. With the help of Grandma Cindy and Grandpop Carl and Grandmom Trang (we used Christmas money) we got Asher a great new carseat. Mike and I ordered the Britax Diplomat and Asher seems to really like it. I can't believe that he is so big! Time flies...

Well, it's been a while

Asher has been doing new things almost every day. He is getting good at pushing himself up while on his tummy and will even tolerate being there for longer than 5 seconds. He "hollers" at us when he is not happy with a situation and smiles and talks to us when he is. Asher has started putting everything in his mouth and I am constantly catching drool or wiping down his face and hands. He is even picking things up and playing with them. It is amazing how much changes on a day-to-day basis. Daddy and Asher have fun wrestling in the evenings. It seems like those are the times we get the most laughs out of him. So far it has been true that each stage is just as fun as the last. Here are a couple more pictures of our little man. Hope all is well.

Sitting up already???

Okay, so Asher is not really sitting up by himself, but with the help of his Bumbo seat and he will only tolerate it for a short minute. But isn't he cute? He is holding his head up so well that I thought I would give it a try. The seat will help him develop his neck, back and stomach muscles making it easier for him to sit when the time comes.

Mike is headed out for the first "real" Cross Country meet of the season. I think they are anxious to see how the kids do. Mike and Jeff are excited about the season. We had the 3A girls state champ last year, maybe we can add a boys champ to it this year. It sounds like they may have a shot at it. Guess only time will tell.

Asher and I are headed to Afton this evening with Mom and Dad (aka Nana and Grandpa) for the Jackson/Star Valley football game. It ought to be good. I just can't forget to pack some cotton balls for Asher's ears. I have a feeling it will be loud. Well, have a good weekend...

New Tricks

Asher found his thumb this past week and quickly fell in love with it! It is pretty cute, but sometimes I have to fight with it to feed him. It actually couldn't have come at a better time with Asher being sick this weekend. It definately helped keep him calm and gave him some comfort. The poor guy needed it the past couple days.


Asher also rolled from his tummy to his back on Saturday. Mike heard him fussing and went to get Asher up from his nap. When he got in there Asher was sprawled out on his back with a look of shock on his face and when he saw Mike he burst into tears!

Well, we are off to the doctor...

First smiles were a long time ago, but...

Asher has been smiling for a while and we do not know when his "first smile" was because he has been smiling since he made his appearance. But Asher has been more active in his smiling these past couple weeks. Sunday I went to a movie with a friend and left the boys home to entertain each other. Mike did a brillant job (like we expected anything else?), even getting Asher to eat from his bottle with little fuss. When I got home Asher was all smiles and coos for me. I may have to plan more outings just to get that reaction!

We discovered the other morning that when we put these pajamas on Asher we have to put socks on him as well...I woke up in the middle of the night to find both feet out through the snaps. I thought Mike got up in the middle of the night and changed him into one of his gowns! But doesn't he look cute in (one of the many) outfit Uncle Dan and Aunt Becca sent? We can't wait to show him off at their wedding. Asher will attend his first wedding on Saturday, so he will be all practiced up!

Time to get some things done before the little man wakes up...more updates later this week, I promise.

Andrea

Mom, I told you I was done!

This darling little boy knows what he does and does not want and

has no problem letting me know when he is finished with something. Yesterday we were having some floor time and I caught this moment on "film". He was not happy with me, but the great thing about Asher is that he is easily consoled and within a couple seconds in Mom's arms he was happy again. Yesterday Asher kept thinking he wanted to eat more and I think we went through more laundry yesterday than we had all week. It didn't matter how often I burped him or how productive those sessions were, sometime within the next 30 minutes he insisted on spitting up! At one point Asher was lying on his tummy and sucking his fingers and got one in a little too far. The good news is that his gag reflex works just fine. The bad news is that we had to wash his play gym last night.

In other news, Mike has begun his 3rd summer job. Cross Country started on Monday. Life will be busy for a couple months, but it looks like we will have a good team. There may even be a chance for a couple state titles, both team and individual. Time will tell, but things are looking good. Everyone keeps asking us if Asher has runner's legs and when he is going to start practice. Next spring when his head is not quite so wobbly Dad will be able to take him out in the jogging stroller for runs, but until then Mike will have to be satisfied with the snuggles he gets from Asher. He is the snuggliest boy in the world. Once you pick him up you don't want to put him down (unless he has had a rough day and then you want to take turns). But that doesn't happen too often.

We are all looking forward to Grandma, Melanie and Ron coming out next week. We can't wait for them all to meet our little man and to love on him. Hope all is well.

Andrea

I know it has been a long time...

Life has been busy here in Jackson. Asher is learning to use his voice and coo and make noises at us. He is also spending more "happy time" in his play gym, looking at the lights and attempting to hit the hanging toys. Earlier this week he spent a full ten minutes on his tummy without crying (his record before was about 2 seconds!). Right now Asher is sound asleep in the sling. I have to say that the sling is one of my favorite baby items-it can really be a sanity saver. Just pop him in and bounce him a litte and he is a happy boy. He loves to move, I think due to the fact that I had to walk down two flights of stairs at work every time I needed to use the bathroom.

Mike start X-C practice on Monday, but has been running with one of the kids all summer. I think he is looking forward to what will happen this season. They should have a good boys and girls team. State titles, maybe? Mike will also be going to a new school again this year. He was asked to go to Summit High School (the alternative school) to work as a Special Ed Para. Hopefully all this will eventually lead to a better paying teaching job.

We are now a one car family. With us only putting about 1000 miles a year on the Blazer and putting money into gas, insurance and registration, we decided that we could survive with only one car. And it just happened that my brother needed a working, reliable car. So we gave Quinn the family deal and we have one less possession to worry about. My little Honda is still running like a champ. Not much to look at, but it gets us safely to where we need to be.

The whole family is looking forward to the next wave of visitors. Well, Asher doesn't really have a clue, even though we've been talking to him about it. All he needs to be concerned about it that there will be more people to hold him. Hopefully he doesn't sleep as much as he did when Carl was out here and everyone will be able to see how well he is developing!

Hope all is well...

Andrea