August

This month was a great one! We had a couple of weeks of summer vacation, then school started for AJ and two weeks later, Rian started.

 

I just have to share this image. It's from my other blog, when I did Project 365, it was the very first post:

 

Taken August 20th, 2010

 

How quickly these last four years have flown. Like they say, in the blink of an eye. I can't imagine life without Asher, but I would love to go back in time, for just one day, to these days. I would squeeze those little babies so hard. Because now I have two big kids, two school-aged kids. And it just blows. my. mind.

 

We spent as much time as we can outside this month, which is just bits and pieces of the mornings and evenings when you live in triple digit weather. Ew! Go away summer!

 

Asher loves when the kids push him!

We had a stormy week the very beginning of August and it brought 80-degree weather along with it!

Steven's 32nd birthday.

Family pictures on his birthday are a must! (Even though we missed it last year, boo.)

 

The day after, we headed to San Diego for one last hurrah before school started.

Sea World was perfect that day, cloudy and not super crowded!

Rian wanted to get her face painted our last trip, I told her, "Next time." The second we stepped foot in, it was the first thing she asked to do.

Asher's first pack & play experience. He did great! We were all exhausted, we turned the lights off at 9:30 and he fell right to sleep.

How?! I don't know. I ask myself this every fourth of each month.

Asher now gives kisses (says "muah!" and if he sees a hair brush, he tries to brush his hair.

I didn't keep track of his developments this month, bad Momma!

My beach crew.

Asher's first trip to the beach was so good!

I'd put him down on the blanket and he'd crawl back to the water for more.

He liked the waves knocking him around and he'd pick up the sand and let it fall between his fingers. He's such an explorer, I love that about him.

My little builder, always with the Legos!

Twinsies!

August 7th, Asher took three steps

My biggest babe, off to first grade open house!

My boys and their cars.

 

Can you believe it?! I have a first grader.

My third "first day of school" drop off. It's getting easier! As we walked away, my throat got a little tight, but not one single tear.

So obsessed with these two and their bond.

He cracks me up, always! He finds all of the kids whistles and tries to blow them.

That face.

S+R=A.R.A

August 21, 2014

5:12am, officially six years old!

Making a wish.

s i x

Looking more and more like a big boy, wah!

He's been awful with his sippy cup lately! He makes such a mess.

Aiden and Rian were both off of their bottles by his age, before they turned one, I'm not taking his away right away. Ten days after his first birthday, we're going to an "adults only" wedding out of town and we're leaving the kids with my parents. It's going to be his first time away from me during the night and I'm so worried! He's getting better at sleeping, but he only wants to nurse when he wakes up, no bottle. I hope he doesn't give my mom a hard time, I've been praying so much about it! So I'm going to let him have his bottle a little longer than I'd like, so our night apart isn't too much for him.

He thinks he's a big kid sometimes. :)

Tv-bug twins!

August 23rd, 2014

 

On the 22nd, Asher walked from his bedroom all the way to the couch. The first time he did more than just a few steps without stumbling. The next night, that was it, he was officially walking. Ugh my momma heart!

Rian's first day of preschool!

She has been beside herself with excitement!

I didn't expect to be emotional, but I cried a little when I got back into the car. These years just go by so, so fast. But I'm so happy she loves it so much. I couldn't imagine how hard it'd be if she didn't want to be there.

I love this picture.

 

 This month I painted my kitchen for the millionth time! haha. I do love the green, it just makes it way too dark in here. I was ready for something lighter and brighter and was kicking myself in the butt for not doing it when our kitchen was a disaster area without flooring and baseboard, for over a year! But of course, I had to wait til it was done and make it harder on myself!

This wall is now done. I have one more to go, but I have to wait for Steven to patch up where we knocked a little wall out of the kitchen entryway. It was the VERY first thing we did when we bought the house and it's still not finished. (Ask me if I'm surprised.)

August 30, 2014

Asher's first haircut!

So handsome.

And of course he flirted with everybody in there.

 

We chose to do a double birthday this year at my parents' house. Sadly, I hardly took any pictures. I'm so bummed! I made these cute Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles lanters and hung them up with a TMNT store-bought banner. I am SO all about store bought parties these days! They make everything soo easy. I love party crafting, but these days I just don't have time for it. 

We had pizza and the kids swam. Then they played the cutest, most hilarious game of tackle football that I've ever seen! It was a lot of fun.

Asher's my first baby who actually participated in his cake smash, I was so excited!

All of my pictures from the party are of this haha!

 

The thing I was most sad about was not getting a picture of Aiden and Asher together. Maybe we'll just have to reenact it on Asher's birthday!

 

He just loves this hat! The only thing he'll keep on his head, he bring it to me when he wants it on.

Now that September is here, we're only days away from my baby's first birthday. While it does make me emotional, I'm not dwelling on it. We're healthy, happy and loved. As hard as it is watching my last baby grow, it's so much more fun and amazing, than it is sad. I'm really excited for this next month! Never, ever a dull moment in my household. Wouldn't have it any other way!

July

It's last day of July and I'm updating on time! Thanks to my baby who finally (consistently!) naps in his crib! He usually takes one in the morning and one late afternoon, but there are days he'll just take one after lunch. I can't tell you enough how much I love him napping in his crib! Sleeping through the night, still not happening.

 

Asher loves exploring. He's so curious and loves to check everything out!

On Independence day, he turned ten months old.

His itty bittiness makes it extra hard to believe.

 

This month:

-clicks his tongue and makes weird, froggy type noises with his throat

-if you say "strong" he grunts and balls his little fists, as if showing off his muscles

-imitates blowing on food and whispers back to you if you whisper to him

-waves and says "hi" (haaa)

-says "uh oh" (uh uh)

-if you nod your head, he'll nod his... as good as big bobble headed baby can. :) He does it pretty crazy, cracks me up.

-gives high fives

-currently has five teeth, his sixth is just about to cut through

Aiden has pretty much always been a tv bug and has been going to the movie theater since he was two. Rian is totally opposite and just got into a few shows this last year. She's obsesssssed with Frozen. Since AJ was gone, my mom wanted to take her to a movie, she chose Maleficent. I didn't really want to see it, but since it was her first time, I had to go! Couldn't miss that. It was such a good movie.

So excited!

Always exploring.

Loves grass, mud and rocks.

Rian was blowing bubbles and he was cracking up.

It was seriously the cutest thing I think I've ever seen. Ever.

He loves making silly faces, he knows when he's being funny.

Aiden came home! Safe and sound.

I was so excited to see him and he started crying when he saw me, because he wanted to go home with Grandma and Grandpa. :( Wah. He got over it quickly thank goodness. The kids ran around like crazy that day, so happy to be together. Didn't take them long to start fighting again though. Steven's parents told us they were told so many times about how sweet and polite Aiden is, so happy to hear that!

 

Asher was napping when AJ got here. When I heard him wake up, I sent Aiden in instead. I should've recorded it. Asher started laughing when he saw him and couldn't take his eyes off of him! So sweet.

My mom's bathroom is Rachel's selfie spot, had to try it out. ;)

I love peaking in on him at night.

I especially love that he has to sleep on his blanket. If I don't place him on his blankie, even when he's asleep, he gets up and finds it so he can be on it. My babies are big time blanket lovers!

The kids ask to take pictures with my phone a lot. I smiled so big when I saw this one that Rian took. Ten months breastfeeding strong.

Three love bugs.

Rian has become obsessed with all of these ridiculous headbands and bows. I don't know were half of them came from. I don't like them, but I more so don't like being a controlling mom that won't let her what she likes and feels pretty in. Being a mom means letting your kids be/find themselves, even if you don't like what they choose!

Asher is super obsessed with his big brother.

My parents got Ashie this big cow, we named him Cow Cow. He loves his Cow Cow. He lies down on it and says, "ni ni." (na  na)

They drive me crazy, but I'd be nothing without them.

I'm glad he likes being in his crib now, but I do miss waking up to his sweet little face.

Rearranging my living room is one of Asher's favorite activities! He's so ready to walk, Momma's not.

 

Looking so grown up lately.

We went and did something for the first time without Asher.

Dating my husband has taken a big time back seat since #3 came along, we need to get back on track. Asher did so well at Grandma and Grandpa's house! He even stayed sleeping when she put him down, which was the biggest thing I was worried about. We had a fun couple of hours being Us, instead of Daddy and Mommy. And now that I know Asher's fine without me, we can do this more often.

Later that night... back to being Mommy.

Cute, even when he's being a booger butt.

Oh and this, I have about a million pictures of Asher in this thing. He sits in it, stands in it, pushes it all over the place. Such a silly baby.

Library fun!

I sent this to Steven with a text that said, "I think I can fit one more baby head in here!" haha totally kidding. We are complete.

After bath snuggles.

My biggest and my littlest.

Like any baby, Asher's bond with me is his priority. And because of breastfeeding, Steven doesn't get to help out as much as he could if we were bottle feeding, he often makes remarks like, "He doesn't like me anyways." :( But the last couple of weeks Asher has taken a big liking to being with his Daddy. It makes me so happy to see their bond finally growing stronger. 

As of 7/8 Asher can drink from a straw. And if he sees a cup with a straw in it and you don't share, ooooh boy! He gets upset. He especially gets upset if you don't share green smoothies. He recognizes the blender and when it comes out, he crawls over to the cabinet where I use it. Or if he's in another room and hears the blender turn on, he comes crawling as quick as he can! Green smoothie addict.

 

He's always after the soccer balls in the backyard, so we got him one at the grocery store the other day. Oh my he loves it! Best $2 I ever spent.

If you ask him where it is, he looks alllll around, then points when he finds it. I love it! Then he'll crawl over to it and roll it to you.

 

And he loves crawling towards you as you roll it back and the ball crashing into him!

 

Asher's one month away from turning one and we only have three or four family pictures together. Makes me so sad. I used to take them allll the time, I need to start up again. As much as it'll annoy the four other heads that have to squish together.

 

Goodbye July, hello August.

Aiden will be off to first grade, turning six, Rian off to preschool and soon Asher will be one.

 

Holy cow.