In a Rut and Randomness

It seems like every single January I get in a rut.  A "I hate winter" "it's way too cold" "I'm stuck inside" and "it's dark way too early" kind of rut.  I just don't really like the cold and don't like the winter.  I feel cooped up inside and miss being able to enjoy the outdoors.  I hate to sit and complain, but the truth.is.the.truth.

This winter has been almost a.million.times.better so far without all of the snow, but I can feel it finally getting to me now.  I wish I could take Asher outside running with me or just go on nice little walks.  I miss the long summer days and can't wait for winter to be over.

I also feel like I'm in a bit of a creativity slump.  There are so.many.things I want to do -- to my house mostly.  Paint, backsplash, paint furniture, and re-decorate.  But they are just ideas and I have yet to carry any of them out.  I feel like if I could just get myself in gear and do some things I would feel so much better.

But life is good.  Asher seriously keeps us on our toes.

Last week I got together with my friend Jamie and her baby girl Millie.  Millie is a doll and such a calm, sweet little girl.  I don't think I realized it until that day how active Asher is.  He was constantly screaming (not a crying screaming, but a screaming-screaming), kicking, rolling and just going a little bit crazy in general.  Millie just stared at him and watched everything he did.  I felt like if she could talk she would have said "WHAT is he doing, and why can't he just hold still?"

The other day Marcus and I went to lunch at Olive Garden and our waitress was super nice, but she thought Asher was a girl.  He was wearing a darling little gray and white outfit, one that I have waited for him to finally fit into.  I was excited for him to finally wear.  Apparently it is somewhat gender neutral though and Marcus has determined Asher should NEVER wear it again.

The first thing she said to us was that Asher was a beautiful baby.  I wasn't phased.  But the next thing she said was "She is just so darling."  Marcus and I both just smiled and thanked her.  We barely managed to hold back our laughing until she had walked around the corner.  I think Marcus might have actually been a little bit mortified.  And then for our entire meal, every single time she came back to refill our drinks, bring us our food or our check, she commented on "what a darling little girl" or "oh she's just so cute." 

It's even more funny because in small cursive writing across his shirt it said "mommy's little guy".  I'm not usually one for little sayings on my baby's clothes, but this one was so cute it was an exception.  After a few comments from the waitress I covered Asher's shirt whenever she came back because at that point it would have been incredibly awkward if she had read the shirt and realized that he was actually a boy.  And that we never corrected her after a dozen comments about "our little girl".

Little Muscle Man

I do love to dress Asher up in cute button up flannel shirts so he looks like his dad, in tiny little curduroy pants, and I love his grandpa penny loafers.  But on cold days when we're just staying home, I think he looks especially cute in his tight white onesie and sweats.  I guess he just looks like a little muscle man to me.  

*and I am resolving to take more pictures with my real camera rather than my phone*

Lucky Boy

Asher is completely adored by his cousins on both sides.  It melts my heart to see the cousins just play with him, cuddle him, hold him and just love him.  Sweet little Stella is obsessed with him and it is so dang cute to see.  Love these little kids!

a week in phone pics

1. he should be sleeping right now

2. "give me that phone"

3/4. tummy time

5. always smothered in kisses

6. just hanging out in the tub, loving his little rubber ducky

7. such a happy baby

8. big boy in that stroller...i know moms always say this but, i can't believe how big he's getting!

9. you can tell it's close to naptime

10. a much needed dinner at Cafe Rio with Heidi, Jessie and Kendyle

11. yay, a bubble bath

12. little buddies at their dads' basketball game

Food

We first gave Asher some rice cereal yesterday and again today.  He didn't love it but he didn't hate it.  He didn't seem nearly as interested in it as he is in our normal food.  He really wanted to help get it into his mouth and hold the spoon himself.  He ate it for a few minutes and then decided he wanted out of his bumbo.  Overall I'd say he was more interested in eating his bib.

And, I've always said I wouldn't post millions of pictures of my kids with food all over their face.  I think I still stand by that decision, with two exceptions:  1st time eating solids and 1st birthday.

5 Months Old

Asher is five months old!

At five months:

-Asher still goes to bed at 8:30 but since his surgery his sleep has been pretty inconsistent.  Hopefully when he gets back to feeling normal his sleep will too.

-He is so aware of everything that is going on and just constantly watching everything.

-He is so interested in food. He just stares at us as we eat, opens his mouth, and reaches out for it.  We haven't started him on any solids yet but think we will soon. He especially wants our water whenever we are drinking it and loves to suck on the edge of the glass.

-The most random things will keep him entertained as long as he can get them into his mouth. Things like burp cloths, plastic cups, socks.  Books are no good to him because he can't chew on them very well.

-He will not take a bottle for the life of him. He used to, but this last month won't. He gets furious, grunts, glues those little lips shut, and spits out anything that gets in them.

-He smiles and giggles at practically anything we do.

-He has realized that crying gets our attention.  The second we look away or leave the room he will start squealing!

-He loves hanging out in his exersaucer and seems to have a pretty long attention span for it. He'll hang out there for 20-30 minutes sometimes. The only thing that gets him frustrated is when he can't get the toys into his mouth.

-He loves TVs, iPads, phones, etc.  He found his favorite store today when we went into Best Buy...He couldn't stop staring at all of the TV screens.

-We've discovered that he thinks it is hilarious whenever mom cries. He looks at me and just laughs!

-He absolutely loves baths.  He just kicks and kicks and splashes like crazy.

-He loves standing up and almost always prefers that over sitting.

-He is the sweetest little boy and such a little joy in our lives!

see last month here.

Christmas Came

I'm a little slow on posting these from Christmas, but they are so fun.  I am so glad Katie was the family photographer and got pictures at the party, lights, nativity and some on Christmas morning.  Here are a whole lot of pictures.

Christmas brought:

Christmas parties downtown.

Beautiful lights at temple square.

Staying up way too late.  

Christmas Bingo and prizes.

Last minute Christmas Eve shopping at Target.

tintin for the boys.

A last minute nativity.  Thrown together with whatever would work for costumes.  Directed by Elise.

Crying baby when placed in the "manger".

Being spoiled by our parents.
Asher carefully watching everything.  Taking it all in and soaking it up.
Christmas Eve ham.
Keeping the hamster a secret from Jackson.  Oh that secret was almost let out so many times!

Asher's first Christmas.
Candy cane striped jammies.
Loving the wrapping.  Especially eating it.
-Gingerbread cookies.  Homemade Oreos.  Eggnog pie.

Watching all of Katie and Nate's kids open their presents in their own little way:  Jackson calmly and quietly opened his and carefully examined each one.  Miles tore through all of his presents and was easily the first one done, wanting to open and play with each toy.  Lola squealed as she opened her presents and thoroughly looked them over before moving onto the next.  And cute Stella paused to pose for pictures in between her opening.

Asher's first ornament.
Talking to missionary Joe.
Opening so many fun presents.
Lots of attention for baby Asher.  He got new toys, new outfits, books and the present granny made him for his nursery.

Packing up in a frenzy to get to the Webb's before Asher's next nap.
More attention for the little bug.
New toys for Asher.
Flying helicopters.  Loving helicopters.  Breaking helicopters.

Sibling gift exchange.
Waffles. Berries. Cream.
Watching The Santa Claus.
Biggest pile of wrapping paper I've ever seen.

All in all we had a very, very Merry Christmas.

2012

2011 was definitely a good year for us, especially with adding little Asher to our family.  

To-do, 2012:

1.  Go on a fun family vaca with the little bug.
2.  Put a backsplash in our kitchen.
3.  Run at least 1 half marathon and 1 full marathon.  (We are hoping to get into St. George and Marcus and I both are going to run it.  He's done it before but it would be my first full.  Can I do it???)
4.  Learn to actually use my camera and take good pictures.  Maybe take a photography class if I need to.
5.  Be more outgoing and friendly to people I don't really know.  More like my mom.  She can talk to anyone!
6.  Cook something gourmet.  Or at least delicious.  Just try to branch out a little bit more in my cooking and make new things that I wouldn't normally think to try.

Things I've Learned This Week

-It takes a lot of milk shakes, pudding snacks, mashed potatoes, yogurt and jello to satiate Marcus.  (He got a wisdom tooth out on Friday...)

-A lot of people care about us, especially our families.  

-Asher is a stubborn, stubborn little boy.  He does not like medicine.  And he can go without swallowing for an unbelievable amount of time!

-I would do just about anything for my little family.

-Babies are resilient.  And forgiving.  (Or else forgetful.) 

-Life sometimes is hard.  And we can get through it.

and a few more pictures of Asher pre-surgery, just because I like them and I haven't taken any other pictures this week.

We are all recovering and hopefully will be back to normal in no time.  Happy New Year!