fifteen months

Asher, you are 15 months old!

{actually, you turned 15 months on Sunday}

Today was A's well-baby visit to the pediatrician, so I wanted to have those stats before posting.  He got a clean bill of health and his doctor said he's the happiest 15 month old she's ever examined.  I'm pretending she doesn't say that to every baby.  ha ha!
 
Little man has grown a lot since his 12 month visit...

weight:  22 pounds, 13oz {28%}
height:  31"  {47%}
head circumference:  18.5cm  {45%}

This visit called for two vaccinations - Ash did great!  There were some big tears, but only for a couple of minutes.

Doesn't he look like a tough guy showing off his MMR vaccine band-aid?  :o)

Asher is doing so much these days!  I feel like he's learning and doing new things at an exponential rate.

At 15 months, Asher:

• eats a combo of solids and purees {Dr. said this is fine for now.  If he's not completely switched to all solids by 18 months we'll see a feeding therapist}
• drinks whole milk {about 20oz/day}
• sleeps 12 hours at night {7pm-7am}
• takes 2 naps a day {9am and 1pm}
• loves to sing!
• has started building with his blocks, rather than just throwing them around
• knows the signs for: more, all done, milk, water, please, thank you, and bath
• makes some animal noises
• can say: Dada, apple, dog, Mama, balloon {and babbles tons of stuff I can't understand}
• gives high fives
• blows kisses
• LOVES dogs
• took a few independent steps last weekend!  {not officially walking yet}
• loves to read books 
• has 8 teeth and the 2 bottom molars are poking through!

Asher isn't a mama's boy at all.  In fact, I kind of wish he was a little bit.  :o)  He certainly loves me and looks for me in the morning, but any other time of day Ash is happy with anyone who will play with him.  He adores his daddy!!   Asher gets so excited when he looks out the window and sees Drew pulling into the driveway - it's pretty darn adorable.

Asher Thomas, we love you so much.  You are absolutely the best decision we ever made.  Daddy and I love seeing how much you are learning and growing every day.  This stage of life is so fun!  Our hearts swell every morning when you greet us with a big smile.  You are absolutely living up to your name - happy is your typical demeanor!  Daddy and I feel so blessed to have you in our lives.

eleven months old

Asher, you are 11 months old!

This past month has been your most active yet.  You are constantly learning to do new things!  Daddy and I joke about this being your 'Renaissance.'  It seems like you surprise us with a new ability each day.

You are moving so much, it's hard to get a good photo!  It was nearly impossible to get a shot of you with Ellie {the elephant} - you do not like to share the spotlight and kept shoving her aside!

Once again, I have to say that I can't believe how fast this year is going.  How is it possible that in just 1 month you will be a whole year old?!  That honestly baffles my mind.  It seems like just yesterday you were a tiny baby who did nothing but eat, sleep, and poo.  Now you are moving everywhere, jibber-jabber up a storm, and, well, still poo-ing quite a bit.  :o)

At 11 months, Asher:

• nurses once a day and drinks 3, 7oz bottles
• eats baby food twice a day 
• gobbles up Puffs, but won't eat many other finger foods
• sleeps from 7p-7a
• naps 2x per day at 9a and 1p
• wears size 3 diapers
• wears size 9-12mo clothes and size 5 shoe
• loves bath time!  You are starting to play with some bath toys now.
• does 'so big' and 'where's Asher?' all the time
• gives kisses and high fives
• loves to snuggle and play in Mommy and Daddy's bed on Saturday mornings
• stands up and cruises around the furniture
• can't yet get down from a standing position - that's a problem
• is super ticklish under his chin
• talks and talks and talks {but I can't understand it}
• says 'Dada' and 'Dad' {but doesn't seem to associate it with Daddy yet}
• loves to ride in the swing at the playground
• sits up on his own!

Asher Thomas, we love you so much.  You bring smiles to our faces every single day.  Thanks for being our little boy.

ten months old

Asher, you are 10 months old!

In his now traditional way, Asher is growing and changing at warp speed.  This month has been a big one for Mr. A!  He started 'army' crawling to get from place to place and just a few days ago starting pulling his belly off the ground.

Asher is much too cool to be seen with his elephant.

I could only really get a picture when I let A play with my camera bag {bribe? no, of course not}

Ash has also been super busy in general.  This boy never stops moving!  Even when he's laying down, apparently zoning out, his feet or hands are tapping.  He is curious about everything and constantly tries to jump out of my arms to grab, touch, and reach for things.

So far his milk allergy appears to have vanished.  I have been eating dairy products all month and haven't noticed any blood or mucus in his poo.  Praise God!  When he's 12 months old we'll try to give him dairy products directly to see how it goes.

At 10 months, Asher:

• weighs about 20 pounds
• is 29 inches long
• wears size 3 diapers
• wears size 9-12 month clothes
• has 4 teeth
• drinks 4, 7oz bottles a day
• eats 3 cubes (3oz) twice a day
• eats 2 cubes (2oz) at lunch
• eats Puffs, but refuses all other finger foods
• loves bath time and tries to jump from my arms into the tub!
• sleeps 11-12 hours at night (7p-7a)
• takes 2 naps (9am + 1pm)
• talks constantly {but I can't understand anything yet!}
• gives kisses and high-fives
• will show us that he's 'so big!'

 Asher, you are such a fun little boy.  We are seeing your personality come out more and more every day.  It's a thrill to watch you learn new things.  You clearly understand what I say - I can't wait to understand what you say!  Your Daddy and I love you very much - happy 10 month birthday!

nine months old

Asher, you are 9 months old!

Normally I take the monthly photo with your stuffed elephant, but over the weekend Daddy and I took you to the National Zoo in DC, so we got some photos with the real thing!

They throw our scale off a little.

You had a lot of fun at the zoo! 

I think it was our first major trip out somewhere like that.  You loved watching all of the other people watch the animals.  Did you actually notice any animals?  Well, not that we could see.

Haha, oh well! 

I say this every month, but I'll say it again.  If possible, the time is passing more quickly each month.  It literally feels like days ago that I was writing your eight month post and here we are at nine months already.  Slow down, little mister!

These days you change and learn new things so quickly I almost can't keep up.  Just yesterday I was working in the kitchen and Daddy yelled at me, "Mommy, come quick, he's crawling!"

And you were.

You have this adorable little half scoot / half crawl thing that you do to get around.  You still barrel roll to get from here to there, but you are starting to abandon that for a more direct route.  I'll try to get it on video before you move on to the next stage!

At nine months, Asher:

• weighs around 20 pounds
• wears size 9-12 month PJs and onesies
• wears size 6-9 month pants {except for 2 pairs of 3-6 month pants that still fit!}
• wears size 3 diapers
• has 2 teeth, with 2 more coming in
• drink 4, 8oz bottles a day
• eats 3 cubes of food for breakfast and dinner
• eats 1 cube of food for lunch
• eats sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans, applesauce, bananas, blueberries, peaches, pears
• has tried, but hates chicken
• loves dill pickles!
• won't eat finger foods of any kind
• drinks water from a straw sippy cup
• plays with lots of toys!
• loves his music table, plastic keys, stacking rings best
• 'talks' all the time, saying mmmm, blah blah, and dadada
• splashes like crazy in the bathtub
• has moved into his 'big boy' car seat and loves the extra space!

Asher, you are so loved.  You keep us laughing and guessing all the time.  Every day we look forward to seeing what you'll do next!

eight months old

Asher, you are 8 months old!

Another month has flown by us at warp speed.  I know every parent says this, but I really can't believe how quickly the time is going.  Can it really have been eight months since I first met this wonderful boy?

Asher, you are growing in leaps and learning new things exponentially. 

Just this month you learned how to blow raspberries, drink through a straw, sit up independently {if I help you get up}, and roll over {really quickly!} in both directions.

You are so interested in everything that goes on around you.

Mr. A you make your Daddy and I smile all the time.  You are our biggest joy and the reason we don't mind waking up at 7am on the weekends.  :o)  Keep learning and growing little man - we can't wait to see what you do next!

At 8 months, Asher:

• weighs around 18.5 pounds
• wears a size 3 diaper
• wears 6-9 month clothes
• nurses/drinks 4, 8oz bottles a day
• eats 2 cubes of food twice a day
• still doesn't like any finger foods
• has tried applesauce, sweet potatoes, pears, peaches, oatmeal, peas, green beans, avocado, and carrots
• sleeps 11-12 hours straight at night
• takes 3 naps during the day {at 8:30, 12, 4}
• rolls everywhere!!
• can't crawl yet, but scoots pretty well
• went to a whole summer worth of Little Bugs classes
• babbles constantly {you love to tell me stories! Ah, bla, mmm, ddd}
• loves your Jumparoo!
• splashes like crazy in the bathtub
• can now sit up like a champ in the highchair, shopping cart, and restaurant highchair
• has 2 teeth {bottom, center}
• smiles hugely every time I sing your favorite song {This is the day that the Lord has made!}
• thinks the mesh bag hanging from his closet is the coolest, most exciting thing {go figure}
• and Mommy's personal favorite:  you reach up for me to pick you up!

seven months

Asher, you are 7 months old today!

I think this past month has gone by the fastest yet.  How is my little boy closer to being a year old than he is to being a newborn already?

Sweet Asher, you are up to so much these days!

At 7 months, Asher:

• weighs about 19 pounds
• wears size 3 diapers
• wears size 6-9 month clothes
• has tried sweet potatoes, bananas, carrots, peas, peaches, and oatmeal
• prefers bananas over any other food
• drinks 4, 8oz bottles of breastmilk a day
• eats a bottle every 4 hours
• eats baby food 2x per day {2 ice-cubes per feeding}
• is completely unimpressed by the sippy cup
• loves his bath and has learned how to splash big time
• rolls both directions
• has started sleeping on his belly
• has great fine motor skills {passes things from hand to hand}
• could care less about sitting up
• will chew on anything that gets too close
• smiles all the time
• loves to tell me all about his night during his morning diaper change
• sleeps 12 hours a night {with some recent brief wake-ups to be flipped over}

Asher, you are such a great baby.  Not only are you super cute, you have a terrific personality -- so loving, so cuddly.  You aren't afraid to make your preferences known, but there isn't much that can't be satisfied by a big hug and kiss.

Daddy and I love you more than you can know.  We want to give you everything.  We hope you will always be as happy as you seem to be now.

Happy 7th month birthday, dear one.

You are loved.

2 doctors, 1 week

Asher is finally done with all of his doctor appointments for the week!

This has been an especially busy week for us, especially in the doctor department.

On Wednesday Mr A had his 6 month check-up and flew through with flying colors!  The doctor was very impressed by his growth, considering all of the food trouble we had over the past few months.

The new stats:

weight - 17 pounds (50%)
length - 26.5 inches (50%)

Our baby is perfectly average.  I'm going to put emphasis on the perfectly part of that.  :o)

Asher's pediatrician said that he should keep getting new foods every 3-4 days, but to go through all of the yellow/orange fruits and veggies first.  Apparently these are a little easier to digest and since Ash has some digestive issues that would be best for him.  We're going to skip rice cereal completely for that reason, but she did recommend that he try some oatmeal. 

So, what should be next??  I'm leaning towards the oatmeal, then maybe some butternut squash.  We'll save green beans and peas for a little later.

He needed 2 shots {boo} but handled them really well.  There was some crying, of course, but he was a pretty good trooper overall.  He needs some credit for his battle wounds. 

All in all he's a super healthy baby -- yay!

Then this morning Asher had his long awaited appointment with the pediatric gastroenterologist.  We made this appointment way back in May when his bloody stools were happening every day.  Since I changed my diet the blood has stopped entirely and Ash is back on straight breastmilk. 

The GI looked him over and said that it sounds like we're on the right track.  As long as the blood has stopped then we're good to go.  There's no reason to think there will be any long term effects from this bout with ulcerative colitis.

Around 9 months we're going to try slowly introducing milk back in my diet to see what happens.  The GI felt confident that Asher will outgrow this allergy, perhaps by 12 months, maybe longer.  There's always a chance that he won't outgrow it, but for now we're being optimistic.

Personally, I'm really looking forward having a little dairy again someday soon.  What should I have?...ice cream, cheese, buttery garlic bread?  Oh my, the possibilities!  My system is probably going to rebel big time.  Better take it slow.

Happy Friday everyone!

six months old

Asher, you are 6 months old!

I say this every month and every month I mean it more -- I really can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  How is it possible that my little baby who, a mere 6 months ago, looked like this

is now this big!

It's a little harder to get a still shot these days.  Asher is a very busy guy and often gets distracted by anything and everything around him.  See ya, elephant -- the area behind this pillow needs to be explored.

Asher, you are doing so many things these days.  You love to grab at everything, including my hair and nose.  You also love to put absolutely everything in your mouth.  I think your favorite trick is to suck on your hand for awhile to get it all wet and swampy, then splat it across my face.

For all the obvious reasons, this is my favorite too.

We were visiting Drew's parents this weekend and Grandma Linda made Asher a special 1/2 birthday cake!  He really, really wanted to smear his hand through the frosting.  Just wait until your official first birthday, Ash, then you can have a whole little cake to smash!

At 6 months old, Asher

*weighs 17 pounds, 13 ounces
*wears Size 2 diapers
*wears mostly size 3-6 month clothes
*LOVES to bounce in the Jumparoo
*splashes like crazy in the bathtub
*sleeps 12 hours in a row at night!
*takes 3 naps a day
*eats milk every 3-4 hours
*eats baby food once a day
*has tried bananas and sweet potatoes
*rolls from his front to back with ease
*rolled from his back to front only a couple times
*has one little egg tooth that popped through on the bottom left
*smiles and giggles so easily
*is a very mild tempered guy and hardly ever cries

Asher, you light up our world.  Daddy and I love you so much and can't imagine life without you.  Thanks for being our little guy!

five months old

Asher, you are 5 months old today!

I know I say this every month, but I really can't believe it's been 5 months since you were born.  My life is completely different than it was before you were here and I couldn't be happier!

Our first few weeks together were a little rough....lots of crying, lots of pooing, not much smiling.  But these past couple months have been such a joy!  You smile all the time, love to play, and get so excited to see me or Daddy walk in your room.

Asher, you are changing by leaps and bounds.  I love watching you discover new things -- like your hands and feet!  I never knew toes could be so facinating {although yours are particulary adorable!}

Thanks for coming to brighten my world little man.  I promise to 'say yes' as often as I can and make your world a special, happy place.  Next month you'll be a half-year old and we're going to celebrate big time!

At 5 months old, Asher:

*wears 3-6 month clothes
*wears size 2 diapers
*sleeps anywhere from 8-10 hours straight at night
*eats at 4am, 7am, 11am, 3pm, and 7pm
*eats from 6-7oz at a time {plus 2 nursings of mystery amounts}
*will smile at anyone who smiles at him
*has eyes so blue the whites look blue too!
*still hates tummy time, but is getting better
*will push up on his forearms
*refuses to roll over
*scoots backwards constantly
*loves to splash in the bathtub
*will chew on anything close enough to grab
*has the sweetest laugh {especially when you kiss his neck chub!}
*likes to be read to/grab the books

4 months old

Asher, you are 4 months old!

{2 days ago...Mommy is a little behind}

You are doing so many amazing things now!  I can't believe it has already been 4 months since we brought our little bundle home from the hospital.  Drew and I were both so nervous and excited to have him home -- now it feels like he's always been here.

Of course, he loves to throw us curve balls {see yesterday's post}, but for the most part we've fallen into a nice routine.  This makes us all happy and confident!

What are you up to these days, Asher?

At 4 months you:

*wear size 3-6 month clothes
*wear size 2 diapers
*eat every 3-4 hours during the day
*wake up a lot at night, but we're working on it
*talk, coo, and gurgle all the time
*still hate tummy time, but love it when we "help" you roll over
*love bath time!
*go to bed at 7pm
*wake up smiling at me
*love to play on your activity mat
*weigh 14 pounds, 5 ounces
*are exactly 24 inches long
*suck and chew on your fingers constantly

I didn't have Asher's elephant available for scale, so we'll have to make due with some other cutie photos instead.  We'll get those pictures later!