Photobooth Fun

Love playing around with this happy little munchkin.

He always has rosy red cheeks.  And the cutest dimply smile.

And usually a long strand of drool hanging out of his mouth.  

Asher is wondering what the heck mom?

And our photobooth sessions usually end like this.  

And never mind the fact that it looks like a bomb went off in our house.  We're having fun!

Day of Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be grateful for.  So, so much.  Last year on Thanksgiving I had just found out I was pregnant.  I could not have been happier and knew that it was the best Thanksgiving of my life so far.  And this year, with my sweet baby boy, is about a million times better.  I feel so blessed and so thankful to have my sweet little family.

I feel so grateful for everything I have.  For my family, our health, our education, a wonderful place to live, and for the gospel in our lives.  

I have a wonderful husband and a beautiful baby and I am so, so grateful.

Happy, happy Thanksgiving!

*My good friend is so sweet and took these beautiful pictures of Asher.  I just love them.*

Happy Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Marcus!  I love you with all of my heart.  I am lucky to have such a wonderful husband and Asher is lucky to have such a good dad.  

Happy 29th old man!

Worry

Sometimes I really get caught up in all of the little things that make me worry.  I can always, always find something to worry about.  It seems like if it isn't one thing, it's something else.  Poor Marcus.  It drives him crazy the way I worry, but I swear I can't help it! (And I try to tell him it is part of my responsibility as a mom...but he isn't buying it.  Someone please back me up!)

So I used to have a job, and I didn't really love it or anything, but I was good at it.  I knew what I was supposed to do, and I did it.  I would always get it done and I always did it well.  I worked from 8 to 5, and my days were predictable.  So now, instead of a job, I have a baby.  And you know what?  Some days I don't feel very good at it.  Some days I don't know what I am supposed to do, or how to do it.  And it makes me feel CRAZY!  I get so stressed out, and I worry about poor little Asher, and his schedule, if he's getting enough to eat (hah!), enough sleep (and at the right times), if he's warm enough/cool enough, and on and on.

  

And to make matters worse, Asher had his first real cold this week, and things were a little crazy at our house.  And that is when I worry even more.  I worry about his snotty, stuffy nose, and if he's going to be able to breath.  I worry about his little cough and I worry that he's going to get sicker.  I worry if he needs to go to the doctor?  Or I worry that he doesn't.  And our schedule goes out the window and I'm not very flexible.  So then I just get stressed.

And then yesterday I had a few really eye-opening moments.  I visited two brand, brand new babies.  Each one week old.  And they were darling, and oh, so, TINY.  And I realized that Asher is not tiny anymore!  And it made me just realize that life is passing by so quickly, and I just really hope that I am soaking all of this in.  

And my sister texted me and asked how I was liking being home, if I was sick of the "mom" stuff or if I was loving it.  And I had just been complaining that all I felt like I did was dishes and laundry!  But WHAT was I thinking?  I get to stay home with my baby and play with him all.day.long.  

Life is so good!  I have the sweetest little baby in the whole wide world.  He is healthy.  Oh so healthy and growing like a weed.  And not to mention cute too.  I have a wonderful husband who thinks the world of me and completely takes care of us.  I am so blessed.

I really hope that I am living in the moment and noticing every last thing about baby Asher.  I hope that I am noticing his cute little toes, even his little toenails, his chubby belly, his throaty giggle, and every single last thing about him.  I wish that I could take pictures of every second of every day, because things are changing so quickly and I don't ever want to forget any of this.

Life is good.

A Few Favorites From the Weekend

These two are such good buddies.  Asher gets SO happy and excited when Marcus gets home from work.  Even if he is being a little bit fussy, the second dad gets home he is full of smiles.  So naturally he is especially happy on the weekends.

Just finishing up some of dad's work Friday afternoon.  Asher was happy to help. :)

I love this happy little baby and his chunky little body!

3 Months Old

Asher is three months old!

At three months:

-Asher now sleeps the night.  He started this at about 11 weeks and it is so great.  He goes to bed at 9:00 now and usually sleeps somewhere between 7 and 11 hours.  Usually 8 or 9.  

-He talks and talks and talks.  He is so loud!

-He blows little raspberries all the time and therefore is constantly drooling.

-He can always break out of his swaddle when we put him to bed.

-He hates his carseat.  The second we put him in it he lets us know he is not happy and the second we get out of the car he wants OUT.

-He is still doing really well with his naps.  We put him in his crib and he may cry or fuss for a minute but he'll almost always fall asleep.

-He doesn't like to sleep anywhere really except for his crib.  He won't sleep in our arms or very well in his carseat.  He just wants to be laid down and then he'll fall asleep.

-He sucks his thumb.  

-He turns himself 90 or 180 degrees in his crib.  He also likes to roll himself onto his side and lay there.

-He loves just lying on his back, looking up at the ceiling, kicking his arms and legs and just talking.  It seems like he is happier doing this than even being held.

-Although the hair on the top of his head is slowly starting to come back in, he has continued to lose more hair and only has hair left down around the back and sides and looks more and more like a grandpa everyday.

-He is getting so interactive and just loves to smile and play.  We love him and are having so much fun with him!

see one month here and two months here.

This is Halloween

My sister Tierra loves Halloween and threw the best Halloween party this weekend.  She seriously went all out and had the place completely decked out all creepy, had so much yummy food, fun games and an awesome donut eating contest.

Tierra made all of the food so dang cute.   It was all creepy looking but tasted delicious.  My mom helped with a few things but other than that Tierra did it all, and it was incredible.   

And the yummy treats.

And it wouldn't be a Halloween party without costumes!  I finally convinced Marcus to do a themed costume with our little family.  Here we are.

Chef, Server, and the main dish -- Lobster.

Asher was really a good sport about his costume.

All of our family dressed up -- here are the costumes:

Hippie Dad and Witch Mom:

The host herself -- Tierra -- A Cheerleader.

Stokes Family -- The Situation, 80's Rocker, Rondo, Boba Fett, a Butterfly and little Bumblebee.

Lise and Mike -- The Hippie Couple.

Angel Grandma -- scary mask Grandpa unfortunately didn't get his picture taken

And one more of the baby lobster.

Thanks T for such an awesome party!  Happy Halloween.