happy birthday, bambina!

Asher's friend, Miss O, is celebrating her first birthday today!

Asher really wanted to wish her a happy birthday, but was much more interested in eating our birthday sign than he was in smiling.

 He's smiling on the inside, I promise!

Little lady's mama calls her the lovely bambina, so when we received this onesie as a gift from Asher's grandparents I immediately thought of her.

How cute is this shirt!  It's from California wine country and suits Asher perfectly!  I can't wait until he's big enough to wear it!

Happy birthday sweet girlie!  We're excited to celebrate with you on Saturday!

an asher by any other name

I realized that while I most often call Asher by his 'real' name, Drew and I also have a ton of different nicknames that we use for him on a daily basis.

He's our:

bear

baby monster

A-train

Ash-a-rama {that's a Grandpa Gene special}

tiny dinosaur

Ash

wiggle worm

Ashy

stinker pot

Mr. A {for formal occasions}

and, the original,

Bean.

Yes, I still call him that.  I think he'll always be my bean.

losing track

It turns out that I completely lost track of a few important posts!  See, I have two cameras.

It's true.  I have two cameras.  One - the big camera - that I use in the house day-to-day and take on big trips for the highest quality photos.  The other - the little camera - that I keep in my diaper bag for those impromptu shots when Asher and I are out and about. 

The little camera was an anniversary gift from Drew and I love it!  There are lots of times when I want to take a quick photo and there's no way I could haul the 'big camera' everywhere I go.  It needs its own bag and my hands are full enough as it is.

When Asher and I were in Raleigh visiting my parents and attending my grandfather's wedding I used both the big and little cameras.  However, the 'big camera' was the star of the show at Poppy's wedding so I got photos off of it last.  I sort of forgot about the 'little camera' shots until a few days ago when I downloaded our photos from the park and found some great pics from the last few days of the NC vacation.

That was a really long way of saying - I have some photos and stories to share from a few weeks back!  I'm a little embarrassed at the rambling direction this post has taken, but I've already typed it out, so it's staying.  Oh well - hope you're still with me.

Rewind with me back to the Friday before the wedding - October 1st.  Mom had already headed over to my Grandfather's town {about 2 hours away} and Ash and I were hanging out with PopPop {my Dad}.  We needed a few last minute things from Target and BJs, so the guys and I headed over. 

Who loves shopping?

These guys! {just kidding - but they were patient}

After our adventures in Target Asher was pretty hungry.  PopPop had to run into Petsmart for a fish tank pump, so A and I waited in the car and had some milk.

At one point we were sitting in the car and someone parked right next to us.  Our car windows were down and he naturally glanced in.  Even though the windows were down he clearly didn't expect to see anyone and jumped pretty bad when we smiled and waved at him.  HA!  Sorry mister!

After all of that we headed home and Asher got some dinner.

I clearly didn't get it around fast enough because the poor guy started eating his toys.

The next morning Aunt Erin, Uncle Ryan, and Phinley arrived!

Have you met Phinley?  Hi.

He's an excellent watchdog.  Not really.  He'd sooner lick you than bark.  And tends to sleep a lot.  And loves to snuggle.  He's my kind of dog! 

He also really likes to do dishes.  What a great helper!

Asher loved him and wanted to touch him all the time!

Dad loves Phin too.  Nice modeling here.

He even let him up on the counter for a second to see Asher.  {don't tell Grammy - I'm pretty sure that's not allowed - even for grand-dogs}

We can't wait to see you all again at Thanksgiving!

cribs are not for eating

When Asher first stood up in his crib I knew immediately that I needed to find a way to protect the crib rail from his razor sharp teeth.  He has been biting down on anything that finds its way in his mouth, so nothing is safe.

Drew and I figured this 'crib teething' was a possibility before Asher was even born so we had bought a clear rubber guard and put it on the rail immediately.  Our thought was that it could stay on there all the time and, if someday, Ash decided to gnaw on his crib that we'd already be set.

That was a complete disaster.  It left all kinds of residue on the rail that took me forever to get off.  I liked that it was clear and unobtrusive, but that was the best thing I could say about it.  Needless to say, it went back.  We couldn't find a better solution at the time, so we let it go.

After I caught Asher chewing on his crib slats the other week {sigh} I knew that as soon as he could pull up we'd have a huge problem on our hands. 

When I saw him pulling up over the video monitor a few days ago I immediately got online and started searching for 'crib rail guards.'  Have you ever shopped through Diapers.com?  It's fabulous!  I have ordered formula and toys for Asher through the site and it's so, so great!  The first time you place an order you get 15% off and free shipping.  Any time you order $50 or more you get free shipping - and there are almost always coupons for 10% off available. 

The best thing?  All shipping is in 1-2 days!!  I love it!

Oh, sorry, what was I saying?  Right, crib rail guards.  So I found some fabric ones on diapers.com that tie around any size rail.  They promised to arrive overnight and seemed like just the ticket.

Well, they came yesterday and I'm in love {well, maybe I'm in like, but more on that later}

The covers are called CribWrap by Trend Lab.  They are made of super soft fleece and have a waterproof backing so all the drool doesn't soak through and erode the wood finish.  The ties on these are positioned in the front so little hands can't undo them - excellent!

The only thing I don't like is that I can't see my beautiful crib AT ALL anymore.  Between the rail guards and the breathable bumpers it's a white out over there.  I got the white ones so it will go with any decor we have for future babies, but for now it's super boring.

Oh well - maybe all the boring white will help Asher sleep.  :o) 

And hopefully someday when we covert this crib into his big boy bed he'll appreciate having furniture that isn't marred by teeth marks.

advice on stepping out

So, I need some advice.  What else is new, right?

Asher needs his first pair of shoes!  At the speed with which he is learning new ways to move {sitting up solo and standing in one afternoon - whoa there, son!} I can only assume his first steps will be tomorrow.

Well, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.  Even if he doesn't walk by next week it's starting to get cool here and this boy needs some protection on his tootsies from the elements.

Does anyone have a type of shoe to recommend for pre-walkers / early walkers?  I've heard that Robeez are great for little feet, but they are pretty expensive.  I can easily see us needing 2 different sizes over the next 4-6 months and really want to avoid paying too much, if possible.

Any ideas would be great!

But in the meantime - Asher would like to brag a little.

I caught the little bugger standing in his crib again {I can see this being his new favorite thing to do} and managed to get some photos.  He was so, so proud of himself!

 

See my ghetto crib rail protection system?  Yeah, that's a couple receiving blankets clothes-pinned to the crib.  HA!  It will only take him a nanosecond to destroy the rail, so I couldn't wait for something nicer to come in.  Once I get it you'll be the first to know!

favorite thing friday

Favorite thing Friday is back!

For awhile I've been searching for a lovie that Asher could take with him when we travel.  He already has his lamb, but I thought a simple blanket would be nice too.  This way he'll have something soft to cuddle in the car or stroller, but lamby can stay in bed.

I cruise by Baby Half Off every day to see what deals they found and last week I saw exactly what I was looking for!  Have you been to Baby Half Off?  It's a great site that offers baby-related products for 50% or more off the retail price.  It's awesome! 

During one of my daily perusals I saw this adorable travel blanket from Z. Daisy being featured. 

 When it arrived I was so pleased with the quality.  It's made of super soft minky fabric - I take it away from Asher all the time so I can rub it against my cheek.  Sorry, buddy.  :o)  In the spirit of full disclosure I need to say that I definitely wouldn't pay full price for one of these beauties.  It is just too small for the $24 price tag.  Half off, however, was perfect!

So far Asher could take it or leave it, but we're looking at the big picture here - one of these days it will be falling apart and stink to high heaven because he won't leave it alone.

Can't wait.

Happy Friday - and check out Baby Half Off.  You'll find great stuff!

sneaky baby

Remember just the other day when I was lamenting the fact that Asher is strong, but can't yet sit up on his own?

Well, apparently all I needed to do was put him down for a nap when he wasn't tired.  I heard some chatting over the monitor and turned on the video to see what was going on instead of sleeping.

Um, this is what was going on!

Laziness confirmed.  This boy can totally sit up, just doesn't want to!

Then, just to shock me even further Asher did this!!

That's right - he's standing by himself!

I couldn't believe it.  At this point I figured that sleeping was not going to happen so I went up to get him.  You should have seen the GRIN across his face when I walked in and he was standing up.  He was so, so proud of himself!

Next time I'll have to take my camera with me - sorry for not doing that this time.

Oh and in related news - anyone know of a good crib rail saver??  It's only a matter of time before Baby Jaws strikes again and this crib becomes scrap wood.  We tried the Prince Lionheart sticky kind before Asher was born and it left a ton of residue on the wood, so we need another option.

safety first

Asher and I took a trip to the park yesterday.  There is a great children's playground near our house, so we often hop in the stroller and walk over on nice afternoons.

 A loves to swing and, of course, I had to get some photos!  The sun was behind us, so these photos aren't the best are rather artistic.  Enjoy.

Every time Asher gets in a swing he immediately grabs onto the chains.  I didn't teach him to do this - but I do embrace the sentiment.  Safety first.  Sounds good to me! 

Mr. A looks terrified, but he actually did laugh a lot.  He's smiling on the inside!

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!