giggles galore

first month with baby ashton!

...and my 3 other boys! That's right, 4 total--Derek, Kaleb, Ashton and Cassius, our puppy! Okay, it's Uncle Jerod's puppy we're keeping until he closes on his house but don't tell Kaleb that! Never a dull moment pretty much sums up this past month! Ashton is just too precious! He smiles and coos all day for anyone that pays any attention. We are so blessed!

The first week we brought ashton home was ROUGH!!! Kaleb was waking up in the morning and after naps in screaming fits. The doctor told me to bring him in to check for an ear infection and sure enough he had one but good grief! Most children just look miserable when sick but Kaleb lets the whole world know it! I'm sure adjusting to the new addition and practicing for the terrible twos had something to do with it as well! After the first week everything was AWESOME! We had decided to pay for full time daycare for Kaleb just until we had gotten breastfeeding established but, of course on the second day that plan went into action we got a call asking for kaleb to be picked up because of 3 dirty diapers. So I just kept Kaleb out of daycare completely for the first two weeks of ashton's homecoming. Who needs to get nursing down pat, pump incessantly, alternate between cold packs of peas and hot cloths to lessen engorgement, study, nap, clean house, EAT?!! Well this girl definitely did but we successfully got most of these tasks accomplished anyhow and I had a blast with both my boys!

Kaleb absolutely adores ashton, will lay next to him on the couch and cuddle, nuzzle, and rub his head just like I do. He'll bring me his diapers, help pour water on him during bathtime, put in his paci (and if the paci is missing he'll improvise with his finger and let him suck), and each morning he says "baby" or "ashton" (no more annie =)) and looks for him for morning kisses. He got pretty jealous when nursing but got over that pretty quickly. He has realized he has a new role to fill as big brother, has taken to his responsibilities and has matured so much!

So here's some of what we've been up to this past month. We've had so much fun never being home!!! Ashton was out more than he was in the first week of his life! We've had lots of family fun time and are having a blast adjusting to our new, busier, more blessed life!

aunt jenny and mamaw visit!

love hanging out with uncle jerod!

visit from lily!

shopping with mommy

ashton just cuddles into his sling and that's how he strolls! loves it!

pajama day at school!

another visit from lily and meemaw!

first trip to chuck e cheese! I think this is the spot for birthday #2! Kaleb adored the singing animals

twins dylan and dalen come over to play

love the singing--now headless--monkey. Bit creepy but fitting for Halloween

Doctor Kaleb in the house

pumpkin patch

not too into picking out his pumpkin. He kept saying please more trateesh (tractor). LOVES riding. This kid could ride on a tractor all day long!

Halloween party with the fam

bradley, jesse, and kaleb

Papa, nana, chelbi and newborns owen and ashton

The kiddos made an awesome haunted house but kaleb wanted none of it! He preferred sliding around on his knees with jesse

ready to get candy

kaleb's first time trick or treating was so much fun! Chenal circle was perfect as they block off the circle so there are no cars and it's the perfect length for getting a good amount of candy! There were tons of kids! Kaleb's face just lit up with all the festivities and each time he received candy! He happily said "happy halloween" all night! Kids decorated their golf carts so cute!

1 month/22 months-speaking in sentences!

Asthon at 1 month:

• continues to hold his head up so well as he did at birth
• rolled completely over at one week when it was time to nurse--he is a feisty fellow! I was expecting as much from all the somersaults IN my belly and assaults ON my belly! What a kicker!
• is still nursing pretty well despite all the hangups! Harumph is all I have to say! Why do some girls have it so easy?? I've spoken to the lactation consultant on the phone more times than I've talked to my own husband, have gotten mastitis, and have found that God gives unbelievable strength and energy when I've gone 3 days in a row on one hour of sleep! Amen!
• ashton is just so precious and looks completely different than Kaleb now although I thought he looked identical the moment I saw him. He sleeps 4 hours at most, loves to cuddle, and can sleep through anything! We love him so much!!!

Kaleb at 22 months:

• said "I'll do it!" which I thought was his first sentence but Derek and Jerod corrected me as he said "no way daddy" a month ago. Then the very next day he said "it's all gone!" while at the mall. It's like something just clicked! I always say "I know it" when ashton cries because he's hungry and I know it and I'm just letting him know, you know? So now whenever ashton cries you'll hear kaleb say "I know it, I know it!" Sooo cute! Any time Kaleb spills something we say "uh oh buddy" since we love calling him our little buddy. Well now any time he accidentally spills something or "accidentally on purpose" throws something down he says "uh oh buddy." The sentences sound perfect except for the "buddy" in "uh oh buddy." It's pretty funny. And he still continues to repeat EVERYTHING we say. What a big boy!
  

baby ashton is here!!!

Or "Annie" as Kaleb likes to call him! We are so blessed and thankful for our perfect gift! Ashton you are loved by so many! Thank you to all who came by to love on him! I tried to get pics of all but missed some in the joy of the moment--Ashley & Laurie, love you! Will post so many more updates soon! This month has flown by as we have been out and about way more than we should be with a brand new baby but we are having a blast keeping busy!

ashton michael

September 18

7 lbs. 3 oz

1:32 pm

21 Months and Bye Bye Paci!

3 big changes this month! Bye bye paci, forward facing car seat, and first mini buzz cut! Kaleb sat perfectly still while daddy buzzed his head!

Loves putting on daddy's boots and shades. But these are our 3d glasses from the movies!






Thinks he is so stylin' with daddy's glasses. He'll wear them for our entire walk but upside down, of course, since they don't stay on right side up! Such a cool dude!

We are weaning Kaleb from the paci on a trial basis only as he can be quite the fussy one! So far so good! We just started 4 days ago and he has succesfully been off the paci for 4 days and 3 nights. I know the longer we wait the more difficult it will become and once his baby bro is seen sucking on the paci he will never want to let it go so I was really wanting to do this before baby arrives. Naps have been great with the exception of today when he cried it out for about 5 minutes and then daddy caved and brought him in to our room to cuddle. When he calmed down I put him back down in his crib. I thought he'd lay right down but instead he sat up and clutched his blanket. Then I was worried he'd fight it again but I blew him a kiss and headed for the door as quickly as I could and he said "BYE!" and waved so I had high hopes. He fell right to sleep.

Nights have been more difficult. He's had to fall asleep on Derek or myself with the exception of tonight since we were driving home and he fell asleep in the car. We'll just have to let him cry it out and not rock him at bedtime although I couldn't resist the past few nights. He got his first short haircut (bye bye curls--so sad!) so he looked so similar to when he was just a baby! And he was curled up on mommy holding me tight! So precious! I could have held him all night!


I'm sticking to my guns since I wanted to wean him a while ago. The plan was to wean him while in Michigan but that trip ended up being one of the most difficult times I have ever had in dealing with him. He was sick and he's always super fussy when ill but even so, it was worse than ever! Needless to say, he wouldn't let go of his paci that entire week! My biggest concern is restaurants when he gets restless and wants to expend energy and run around. Oh dear! Hopefully, he'll go down at bedtime the rest of the week without having to fall asleep on us. He's been really great this entire week without the paci during the day so I hope this keeps up!

Another change, we turned his carseat around to face forward. Derek has been begging me to turn him around but we had learned in our child safety course that rear facing until 2 is safest so I kept saying "no!" Until this past week when Kaleb had his little body turned around the majority of the time on car rides anyway to give me big smiles and to try to see what was going on behind him so I figured it was time. Boy was he excited to see everything from a new perspective as you can see!



what's new at 21 months?

• attempting more difficult words with not much success, but attempting nonetheless! He'll try so hard to say "presentation" or "razorbacks" and it sounds almost like it!
• says "no" quite often and appropriately when asked if he wants more juice or milk for instance
• such a wild man! he makes these deep throated manly noises when he gets excited or is acting mischevious! no clue where he got this from!
• loves babies so I'm hoping he'll adore his baby brother! the last two times we went to the park he ran after one mother and her baby saying "baby!" all the way and when they disappeared inside to cool off he threw up his hands and looked to me and Derek for answers as to their whereabouts. Another baby he just kept touching his little feet and giggling =)
• putting together two word sentences but just a few: "up please" and "my daddy"
• 13th tooth is coming in!
• such a big helper. still throwing food sometimes but he'll help pick it up after dinner.
• doing the cutest things! he got a grocery cart from the rhea lana sale complete with fake food boxes (brand new!) and one box has a pic of icecream cones and he brought it to me and said "please!" This child LOVES icecream! I had to show him there was nothing inside and explained that it was just a play toy. Well, he understood and didn't see the need for keeping pretend icecream around so he marched right up to the trash can and threw it away. So funny!
• I also bought him a tractor which he adores. Brought it in the bathtub with him and to bed!
• he seems to understand nearly everything I say which I know is certainly not true but he'll respond when I say something I honestly didn't believe he'd understand. Understands a ton but still waiting for his funny little language to sound more like English!

Holiday Weekend Fun

Trying to get in lots of quality time before baby brother arrives, Kaleb and I had tons of fun playing together over the weekend while daddy helped on the farm. At night when daddy came home we made tents and chocolate chip cookies! When Kaleb discovered what tent making was about his mouth dropped open and he shook with excitement! His squeals of delight made my night! He was so content sitting under his tent watching the football game daddy had on. This kid loves watching a good game! And if he had to get up to grab his blanket or sippy cup, he'd walk right back to sit under his tent. The next night, all 3 of us cuddled under a new tent. We turned off the lights and shone lights in the shape of the moon, stars, bugs and clouds above us on the sheet. The next day was spent swimming all together! Kaleb wanted to go on the slide and diving board but settled for standing by and watching everyone jump off. He would then walk up to every cute girl in the pool, point towards the diving board and speak in his gibberish, striking up a full conversation as far as he knew! Fun weekend!

A Big THANK YOU!

I thought there had been a consensus that throwing one shower for each of the eight girls in our church group was enough since each of us were hostesses to the other 7 and we didn't want to break the bank! But of course they wanted to shower baby Ashton too! What a surprise when Ashley called to inform me of my breakfast shower...truly unexpected and such a blessing! I thank God for such sweet girls and sweet blessings! Thank you to all the girls who joined us for breakfast and for the sweet gifts!

Thank you to our awesome family in Arkansas who also showered us with gifts after our monthly family dinner! Another surprise and awesome blessing! Every little and big need we have has been met! Love you all to tears!