It hit me the other day that Asher is 3 1/2 now. He just keeps growing up! Here is a little update on this sweet boy of mine.
(February 4th)
Little man, I really feel like you have grown up in the last six months. You try so hard to please us and I always worry that I'm a little too hard on you. You are sensitive and so smart, and such a good little boy.
First, your baby sister was born. You were so full of love and never showed any signs of jealousy. I was worried you would struggle with sharing my attention, but you always loved your sister and wanted to take the best care of her. You get her diapers, pajamas, toys and binkies. I love the high little voice you use to talk to her. I love when you lay down next to her and rub her head. You love to kiss her forehead. You go climb into her crib (after you get my permission) and lay there with her after her naps. You are so sweet and so affectionate to her. You embraced the roll of big brother without even skipping a beat.
About a month ago we made you stop sucking your thumb. We had tried a few ways before, but nothing worked. This time, we used a very strong, horrible tasting polish that cannot be sucked off. We decided to get rid of your blankets at the same time since you usually sucked your thumb when you held onto your blanket. You were awesome, but this was such a huge challenge for you. As your mom, I hated making you go through this. I remember the second night of no blankets and thumbs, and you were lying in bed crying. This wasn't a whining cry, but such a sad, sad cry. You couldn't fall asleep and were just so sad. I'll never forget the way you said to me as you cried, 'but mom, I just can't do it! It's too hard.' I cried myself and felt just heartbroken for you. After a very long and hard week, dad wanted to stop and let you have your thumb back. It was just so hard to see how hard it was for you to sleep, stay asleep, etc. It was a huge adjustment and affected most parts of our day. I am happy to say you did it though! No more thumb sucking and you are doing awesome. I knew you could do it. You are so strong and I have so much confidence in you.
You are now attached to your teddy bear, 'doc' and sleep with him in your arms every night. We sing Zippity Doo Dah every single night together as we put you to bed. You still always ask if it can be dad's turn to put you to bed.
You started sunbeams in January and you absolutely love it. I love hearing all about it after church. You love your teachers and I'm pretty sure they love you. Your favorite song is I am a child of God and a child's prayer.
You have two fish-"fortress", a black goldfish and "sucker", a tiny sucker fish. You feed them every day and seem to really love them.
Your favorite thing to do is art projects. You love coloring, stickers, painting, and just creating. You color the entire page before going on to the next page, and you fill a coloring book in order.
You take about a 1-2 hour quiet time almost every day. You go in your room and (mostly) quietly play. Sometimes you play legos, color, read books, do stickers, play with your stuffed animals, or anything else to entertain yourself. You talk to yourself and I can hear you in there playing games and using your imagination. You often line your crayons up in order (smallest to biggest or by color) and sometimes you clean everything up and then yell out to me that everything is clean so quiet time can be over. :)
You still love riding your bike snd scooter and running races outside. But usually you pick your scooter. You will scooter all the way to the park and back with dad which is about three miles. You seriously cruise on that thing.
You love books and going to the library is probably your favorite place to go right now. You would have me read to you all day long if I would. You love the llama llama books, frog and toad, amelia bedelia, and the little engine that could. But there is really not a book that you don't like. You would sit and listen to me read you books for hours and hours, and some days we do. I love how you read the story out loud to yourself after I have read it to you a few times.
You call dad either dad, daddy, and sometimes even Marcus. You call me mom or mama. It is so cute when you say mama. You call Isla baby boo, sister, and of course Isla.
While you are usually calm and love reading and coloring, you are still very much a boy and love fighting and playing rough. You turn sticks, golf clubs, and just about anything into swords and for some reason you are usually running away from a bear or trying to get the bear. One of your favorite things is to play "whack a doodle" - a game you made up where you use my big foam roller to hit and fight dad. Then you give it to him and tell him to get you with it. You stand still and let him get you with it (he's gentle, of course!)
You are very social and make friends pretty much everywhere we go. Strangers talk to you at the store or anywhere. You are fiercely loyal to your friends. You love them so much and especially look forward to seeing your friends you do joy school with.
You love with all of your heart. You love our family - you are always wanting to see your granny and grandpa, grandma and grandpa, all of your aunts and uncles and especially your cousins. Now that you are not the youngest cousin on both sides, you carefully watch the babies and you are starting to love them so much too. You love your mom, dad and Isla. Each night you ask dad if tomorrow is a 'work day.' You love the weekends when dad gets to stay home with you and want dad to play with you each day before he goes to work.
Your biggest challenge is that you are so sensitive and learning to control your emotions. If you are having a hard day, so many things can make you cry. Just today you ate something you didn't like and burst into tears over it. Sometimes you keep crying and tell us that you just can't stop. You have big blue eyes and cry beautiful crocodile tears.
I am trying so hard to be patient with your sweet little emotions. Sometimes when I get upset or frustrated I will apologize to you and you always tell me it's ok and apologize too. We are really working on this together and you are teaching me so much everyday.
I love you to the moon and back little buddy.
