Up in the Mountains

Marcus was out of town with his friends this weekend so I went up to stay with my parents at the cabin up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  It was cool and rainy, but something about being in the mountains was so refreshing.  Even though it rained most of the time we still got out and it was just beautiful.  Asher was spoiled with attention as usual and loved having his grandparents basically all to himself.  

Asher just loved this little squirrel and was just squealing while it ran around his stroller. 

Tierra came up later Saturday night and Asher had fun playing with her too of course.

Sunday after church Asher and I went on a hike towards the silver mine while everyone else napped.  We didn't make it there because of the rain but we had a good time anyway.

He was being so happy and content I just had to videotape the cute sounds he was making.

Thanks for having us mom and dad!

This Little Boy

I feel like I don't have a baby any more.  I have a hyper, into-everything, happy and energy-sucking little boy on my hands.  Despite the fact that he can be so crazy and completely wear me out, he is so cute and so much fun.  He is a little ham and will smile and pull faces for days if he is getting attention out of it.

Lately the kitchen is his favorite place to hang out.  He loves playing in the barstools and will be entertained there for so long, especially if someone is watching him.  The first day he went in he got stuck, but quickly figured out how to get in and out easily within just a few days.  It amazes me how quickly little babies learn so much about the world around them.

He also loves the cupboards and pulls everything out of them.  It can entertain him for hours so my kitchen is usually a mess just so that I can get a few things done.  I sure love this little bug of mine.

Little Succulents

Yesterday I was wanting to make something.  Asher's naps have been pretty short lately so I knew it couldn't be anything very big, so I decided on some new plants for my bathroom.  I headed to home depot with Asher before his nap and collected the supplies (terra cotta pots, succulents and cactus soil).  (Other supplies I already had were painters tape, paint brush, and acrylic paint.)  During his nap I painted the pots and planted the little babies.  It was a quick projecting since I finished just in time for him to wake up from his one hour nap.

I followed the tutorial by Armelle found here.  Her pots were so fun and I just had to have them.  I went with a deep coral to match some of the art hanging in the bathroom.  They aren't perfect, but then again neither were hers.  It's pretty impossible to get a straight line around a round pot.  But I love them.

Asher's First Haircut

Asher got his first haircut last night.  I wasn't sure if I should have it cut or not, especially since it is still so sparse up top, but it was getting pretty long and crazy in some places.  I decided to go ahead and do it and my sister Tierra was willing to cut it.  It turned out great, although he really didn't like it getting cut.  Now he looks more like a handsome little boy and less like a mad scientist.

The cute little guy afterwards.  Now he just needs to grow some hair up top!

Oakley Rodeo Weekend

This weekend we went and stayed with Marcus' family up at their cabin near Oakley.  We met Dave and Marie at Gateway Grill in Kamas and had a delicious dinner before we headed up to the cabin.  There was no highchair for Asher so he got lucky and got to play with grandma and grandpa and eat rolls while we waited for our food.

The weather was beautiful.  It was sunny and nice but had that cool, crisp mountain air.  We rode the four wheelers and Asher rode in the side by side with grandma and grandpa.

We stayed up late talking and had so much fun with everyone.  We were sad Matt and Marilee weren't able to come because of sick kids, but had fun with Marcus' parents, Scott and Julie, and Laura and Phillip.

We went to Smith and Morehouse to go off a rope swing.  Sadly it got stormy and so we headed home.

We went back up the next day and Scott went off the scariest, probably most dangerous rope swing ever.  We all realized that so the rest of us just floated around in tubes a little bit and jumped in the ice cold water.

Friday night was the Oakley rodeo and the main reason for the trip.  It didn't start until 8:00 so I worried about how Asher would do, but he absolutely loved it.  He was completely captivated by all of the animals and just loved watching them.  When it first started he couldn't focus on one thing and his head was bouncing all around watching all of the different horses and riders.  He watched almost the entire rodeo, and alternated between that, watching the kids behind us, or playing with his aunt Laura.  At the very end they had fireworks and Asher was mesmerized.  He would stare up at them, then point, and say "ohhh..."  It was so cute and so fun to watch him take it all in.

HaPpY fOuRtH

We had a relaxing fourth of july celebrating our independence.  I am so grateful for the freedom we have and the country we live in.  We spent the day swimming and just hanging out.

11 Months

Asher is Eleven Months old!

and Happy Fourth of July!

What???  How can my little baby be one month away from turning one?  I cannot believe it.  I know it's the most common thing that moms say, but I can't believe how fast he is growing up.

At 11 months:

-Asher has been doing a little better with sleeping.  The last few nights he has slept the night again but was waking up randomly once a night for the last few weeks. 

-He is resisting going down for his naps.  He'll play, fuss or cry up in his crib for quite awhile before falling asleep.  I'm not sure why he suddenly hates sleeping.   

-He now has his top two teeth.

-He is starting to spit things out that he puts in his mouth when he realizes they are yucky.  (Sometimes.  Other times he will just chew on a rock or a piece of bark for a really long time.)

-He loves to go outside.  He will go stand at the door and bang on it to go out.  Once he is out he usually heads straight to the garden and either eats bark or picks my flowers.

*He plucked an entire marigold out of my garden, roots and all.  Then he ate bark while I tried to take a picture.*

-He loves fruit.  I don't think there is a fruit he doesn't like.  He loves strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, grapefruit, oranges and watermelon.

-He doesn't love vegetables as much.  Most he pushes off his tray but he will eat squash, sweet potato, carrots, cucumbers and peas.  Sometimes he will eat tomatoes, and especially likes them if they are in pico.

-He also eats eggs, greek yogurt and bread, and doesn't seem to really like cheese or meat.

-He bear crawls (hands and feet) a lot of the time.  Regular crawling seems faster, but he bear crawls if he is on the cement, grass, sand, tile, or anything else he doesn't like the feel of.

*My friend Christine took this picture*

-He is starting to catch onto the idea of going down the stairs backwards.  Now he doesn't always try to dive face forward, but still always goes off the bottom stair forward.

-He pulls up on and walks along everything.  He will let go and stand for a few seconds.  He pushes and walks around with things like boxes, laundry baskets and tall toys.
-Because of that he is always falling and hitting his head on everything.  He always has bumps, bruises or scratches on his head.

-He is starting to stick his tongue out when he is really focusing on something.

-He pretty much is constantly babbling and is so loud.  He loves to make a high pitched squealing sound.

-He says "oh" all of the time.
-He shakes his head frantically side to side when we say "no no no" and has even started mimicking us saying no.

-He loves to throw things, especially balls.
-He has gotten more cuddly and loving.  He will reach for people and give hugs.  He loves giving loves and always gives hugs before going to bed.
-He is a happy and fun baby, but he isn't always easy.  He is so stubborn and definitely knows what he wants and when he wants it.  If he doesn't want to eat, he'll seal those lips up and refuse.  Same with brushing his teeth, it can be quite the challenge.  But when he is in the mood he will eat for days or love brushing his teeth.  It just depends on what he wants.  He wants to be in charge.
-He is quite hyper and gets really excited about things.  He holds them up high or else to his face and shakes he is so excited.
-We just love this little baby boy so much.

See last month here.