Twenty Three Weeks: Hiking and Lots of Summer Fun

Asher-

Twenty Three Weeks was so much fun!  You are a delightful boy, always so happy and ready to meet new people!  This past week you went on a really long and difficult hike with mommy, daddy, and Uncle Patrick.  Daddy carried you up the entire mountain and you slept most of the way up.  We took some pictures at the top, but you were definitely not really awake.  You didn't seem too excited about the view.  Daddy was so sore the next day from carrying you that far.  You weigh just under 17lbs. now!

You are still the best sleeper in the world and we are so grateful for it!  You take three naps a day- the first one is for two hours and the other two are for 1.25-1.50 hours long each.  You go to bed at 7pm and I feed you at 10:30pm before I go to sleep.  You then sleep until 7:30am.  You are such an adorable little one in your crib.  You often sleep with your little bum in the air and when you wake up you roll over and talk to yourself.  We watch you on the video monitor and can't believe how good you are at scooting all over your crib.

The other exciting event this past week was that your Grandma Mary came and stayed with you for two nights while mommy and daddy went to a wedding in California.  At first you were going to come with us, but then we found out that the wedding didn't start until 7pm and we decided it was just too late of an evening for you.  It was so hard for us to leave you for two nights, but we knew that you would have a blast with Grandma and you did!  She had her friends come over to see you and play with you and you particularly loved Miss Vicki and Miss Karen.  Some might say you even have crushes on them!  You were love struck is what I've heard.  Thankfully when I got back you only had eyes for me.  You were especially excited to see mommy's boobies!  You are such a great eater, Asher!

Hiking with Daddy and only half awake!

At the top with Daddy and Uncle Patrick- you aren't too impressed!

Being woken up by Mommy from a Nap

Twenty Two Weeks: Trying Out Day Care

Sweet Asher-

Twenty Two Weeks came and went so quickly!  You have been such a busy little guy this first summer of yours.  This week you had a big first- you went to day care at the gym for the first time.  I think it was an even bigger first for your mommy!  I had such a hard time leaving you there, even though the first day was only for 15 minutes while I sat outside twidling my thumbs waiting to go back in and get you.  You did great and seemed to sort of enjoy looking at the other babies in the infant room.  The second day mommy thought you were more ready for it than you were and I tried to leave you there for 45 minutes.  At the 30 minute point they called and said you were pretty upset.  I rushed back to you and it made me so sad to see you upset!  Thankfully you calmed down and forgave me.  Since that rough second visit there you've gone about five more times.  The longest you've stayed is 40 minutes and you tend to cry at about the 30 minute point.  We are definitely taking our time with this as we want you to like it there eventually!  You do seem to enjoy watching the other babies, however there was one that was crying pretty hard when I dropped you off the other day and you seemed rather annoyed at her yelling.  Seeing you with the teachers makes me proud, but also breaks my heart at the same time.  I'm glad that you like them, but of course I'm used to being the one special person who takes care of you!

This week you also enjoyed a dinner with your Grandpa Don and Uncle Patrick while daddy was traveling and you had a very late night at the Lombardo's house for their special grill party.  You did great on both evenings.  You are such a happy baby and when forced to deviate from your schedule you adapt so well.  You definitely got frustrated toward the end of the Lombardo's party, but thankfully we got you home and in bed and you woke up at your usual 7 am, ate breakfast and then went back to sleep until 10:30am.  We were so proud of you!

You and Mommy laughing together!

You and Grandpa at dinner!

Twenty One Weeks: First Taste of Oatmeal!

Asher, you are growing so quickly and everyday with you is truly a joy.  As you get older and bigger you are getting to be more and more funny and quite the entertainer.  You have started doing this fake cough whenever you want to make mommy laugh or get my attention in the car.  It's adorable and the harder I laugh at it, the more often you do it.  Last night you performed it for your Grandpa Don and Uncle Patrick.  They were impressed and amused for sure.

This week you tried solid food for the first time ever.  It wasn't the biggest hit with you.  You were definitely interested in the spoon and mouth movements, but you didn't seem too keen on the taste of the baby oatmeal.  Plus you started waking up multiple times at night the days you tried the oatmeal.  We decided to take a break from it for a few weeks and will start it again when you seem more ready.

This week you went to Daddy's Blue Angels Party at his work's rooftop deck.  You enjoyed chatting with lots of coworkers and friends.  By the time the Blue Angels flew overhead you were fast asleep in the Ergo.  You also went to a BBQ at your friend McKinnley's house.  You enjoyed chatting with new friends there.  It was also at the party that you started trying to grab everything in our hands.  This is a new development and seemed to happen overnight.  Now we have to be careful what we put within your reach.

We love you so much, sweet boy!  You are truly a joy to be with and the love of our lives!

Ready to Try Solids!

Excited to see how Mommy does it!

Not so sure about this stuff!

Playing in the yard with the puppies!

One happy boy!

Too many kisses, Mommy!

Okay, these aren't so bad after all!

My turn to kiss Mommy!

Twenty Weeks: Lots of Summer Fun and Your First Sips of Water!

Dear Sweet Asher,

Twenty weeks old has come and gone!  That's half of the time it took for you to grow in my tummy before you were born and those twenty weeks seemed to take a lot longer than these past twenty weeks since you were born.  It's incredible how big you are growing, how much you are learning, and how fun you are to be with!  We love you so much, your laughter is truly our favorite sound in the world, and we still can't stop staring at you while you sleep.

This past week we went to the pediatrician for your belated four month check up.  You weigh a whopping 15.5lbs. and are 25.5 inches long.  Your grandma came with us to the check up for extra help as you had to get a shot, which is not fun for anyone- especially you!  You did great though and cried a bit and then were all better shortly thereafter!

This past week you also tried a sippy cup with water in it for the first time.  It was adorable to see you hold the cup on your own and try to mimick mommy.  You made some adorable "what on earth is this stuff?" faces and kept smacking your mouth tasting the water.  Pretty cute!

We also went to Grandpa Don and Grandma Mary's Lake House again this weekend where you had a lot of fun playing with a sweet two year old named Mika.  You definitely love seeing "big kids" and interacting with them.  

Holding your sippy cup all by yourself!

Proud smile!

 

Asher and his sweet friend Mika!

Nineteen Weeks: Swim lessons and a sleep over!

Nineteen weeks was a lot of fun, Asher!  You are such a great sleeper and wake up so happy and ready to eat and play!  This week you had your second swim lesson and this time you went in the water with mommy.  You seemed to love it for the first fifteen minutes and then when it was time to practice your back float you decided that maybe this wasn't for you.  We tried to just hang out in the water instead of floating on your back, but that wasn't cutting it for you.  You wanted out of the water!  There was another little boy about your age who felt exactly the same way.  We are hoping that this week you'll enjoy your pool time a bit more!

You also had your first sleep over with Grandma Mary.  Mommy and Daddy had to go to Portland for a work dinner for Daddy.  It was so hard to leave you even though we know you have so much fun with Grandma Mary.  Mommy cried as they drove away.  You didn't seem too concerned and were happy in Grandma's arms.  We called Grandma countless times to check on you and rushed home to you the next day.  How we missed hugging and kissing you!

We also had our first big backyard BBQ at our new house.  We had 76 people here!  It was quite an event- lots of family, friends, and neighbors.  You wore a little gopher costume as it was  Caddyshack themed party.  I have to get some pictures from Grandma.  Your cousin Kyle came to the party with a huge bear for you.  You have made a friend in this big bear.

Waking up happy!

Your First Swim Lesson with Daddy

Practicing Your Back Float

 

Your new buddy from Cousin Kyle!

 Cousin Delaney giving you a bottle

Looking like quite the big boy!

Eighteen Weeks: You Found Your Thumb and Swim Lessons Start!

Dear sweet Asher!

You are already 18 weeks old and time is flying by.  I find myself always thinking and saying that, but it really is flying by.  Everyday you show us something new about yourself. You are such a happy baby and such a joy to be around!  On Sunday we went to your friend McKinnley's house and you did such a great job being flexible with your schedule being changed.  You even took a nap in her Pack n' Play and woke up happy and ready to join the party again.  You continue to sleep great at night and your naps have lengthened out so much!  We are so proud of you!  One of the cutest developments this week has been your thumb- you've started sucking it at night and it's so adorable.  We can't get enough of seeing you do it- you just look so adorable!  This week we also went to the Nordstrom Pre-Sale and got you some "big boy" clothes.  Your Grandma Mary was sad to see them, because she said she doesn't want to imagine you being that big soon!  It's hard to imagine those days are really coming, so instead we focus on enjoying everyday with you as it comes.  We cherish our time with you, Asher!  Lastly, tonight you start swim lessons at Waterbabies.  Your daddy is going to do your first lesson with you.  We are so excited to see how you take to the water!

 Thumb in mouth!

Your "big boy" clothes from the Nordstrom Pre-Sale!

Seventeen Weeks: Swimming, Sleep Training, and Your First Fourth of July!

Summer is finally here and full of exciting firsts for you, Asher!  This past weekend you went to your Grandparents' Lake House for the first time, you celebrated your first Fourth of July, and you went swimming in the neighborhood pool for the first time!  You loved every minute of it all and it was so much fun to watch you experience these things that your daddy and I love so much.  Life with you is so sweet!

You've also started sleep training and we are so incredibly proud of you!  You are sleeping from 7:30pm-7:30am, with only one feeding at 10:30pm.  There were very minimal tears at first and now the only time there are tears are when you roll over onto your back and get stuck like that.  We call it your turtle position, because you look like a turtle on his shell, arms and legs flailing.  We love you to pieces, Asher!

At the Lake with Daddy

Family at the pool

Loving the water!

So excited to swim!

With Daddy on your first Fourth of July

With Mommy on your first Fourth of July!