back in time

On Saturday we went for our first vacation as a family of 3!  Drew and I have taken Asher lots of places, but usually it's to visit family or friends.  This time was our first away-from-home-staying-at-a-hotel legitimate trip.  I've been wanting to go to Colonial Williamsburg for awhile and early last week Drew and I decided to plan a last minute getaway.

Because it was last minute and early in the season we got an amazing deal on an on-site hotel and tickets to the historical site.  Yay! 

{that's not our hotel - just a lovely part of our Colonial past :-)}

Friday evening after Drew got home from work we headed south to Williamsburg.  The trip was pleasantly uneventful - with DC traffic you never know what might happen.  The most surprising thing was the Asher didn't sleep in the car AT ALL.  He normally goes to bed at 7, so this was waaaay past his bedtime. 

We made good time and got in to our hotel around 9ish.  That's when the wheels came off.

I brought A's pack 'n play for him to sleep in, but he was really over tired, disoriented, and scared of the strange surroundings, so he cried, I mean, screamed, when I put him down.  We gave him about 5 minutes to see if he'd settle down, but the poor guy just kept it up.  I felt terrible that he was scared, so we pulled him into bed with us for the night.

We never do this at home.  I have to ask how you co-sleeping mamas do it??  I slept for about 20 minutes all night.  Asher insisted on laying on me.  I tried to scoot him over once or twice and he'd whimper and scuttle back over to grab my neck.  So sweet, but hard for me to sleep well.

Anyway, the next morning we got going early and headed over to the historical site to see everything 18th century!

Our first stop was a plantation where they are making shingles for the new roof going on the blacksmith's shop in town.  Asher was invited to wield the tools and make a few shingles {kids started working young in 1751}.  He declined and I was left to hold the baby and do the manual labor.

I have a feeling that isn't so far from the way things were done in 1751 either.

Asher did have fun "moo-ing" at this ox.  We have to go to the zoo soon - Ash is noticing animals a lot more and really enjoyed seeing the farm animals!

At one point we realized that it was extremely hard for Asher to be put in and out of the stroller to go into the buildings, so Drew volunteered to go back to the car for the Beco.  Since our car was a bit of a hike away Asher and I took a break to play in some Colonial stones.

This might have been the highlight of A's day.  He had a blast moving these rocks from one place to another!

I tried to instill a sense of history in these stones while he was playing.  I think my lecture had an impression because Asher decided to taste a rock to see if it was more delicious than our boring 21st century rocks at home.

An explanation on why eating gravel {from any century} isn't a good idea quickly followed.

Sorry, mommy!

Once Drew got back we walked around for awhile and let Asher stretch his legs in this beautiful garden.  I swear I could sit and enjoy the peaceful gardens all day long.

Unfortunately, this guy kept trying to destroy enjoy the flowers, so we had to skadaddle.

Asher's hands-down favorite part of the day was when the fife and drum corp marched by.  He jumped and danced and laughed to the music!  We have to get him to a parade soon too.

Throughout the day Asher took 2 short naps in his stroller and did a fair bit of fussing when he wasn't free to roam.  We expected some degree of this - he is 16 months old, after all.

All in all, I'm really glad we went, despite the bad night's sleep and fussing toddler.  If we don't do stuff then we'll just stay home all the time and that's no fun!  We'll definitely go away again, but now that Asher is older and more able to interact it will be something that we can really enjoy.  A children's museum perhaps?  Can't wait!

Hope you all had fun mother's day weekend adventures too!

moms rock

At least, Asher thinks his does.

How awesome is this shirt that Drew's mom sent for A?  It was all the rage in the nursery at church this morning.  The workers loved it!  ha ha!

The boys met me with hugs and a gift this morning.

I've been trying to make more vegetarian meals {but didn't really know where to start} so Drew and Asher got me this HUGE vegetarian cookbook.  I'm so excited to flip through it and start cooking meatless a few times a week!

The message in church this morning was so encouraging.  The minister spoke on how, as mothers, we influence our children in great and, often, unrealized ways.  We have an amazing opportunity {and responsibility} to instill God's word and instructions in their lives.  Mothers can teach their kids from birth about how Jesus loves us and want good and amazing things for us!  Yay!

My small group leader shared a bible verse with me the other day that I think sums up motherhood for me in a challenging - and encouraging! - way.

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.                  
1 Peter 5:2-4

What an awe-inspiring blessing and responsibility it is to have these little ones entrusted to our care.  My prayer every day is that I will raise Asher to be a man after God's own heart.  To have him know and love God would be my life's greatest joy.

Speaking of great joys, these ladies fit the bill!

Happy Mother's Day to my mom {Asher's Grammy}

and Drew's mom {Asher's Grandma}

who raised each of us to able to love each other and our children.  You are both a continual blessing in our lives.  We love you!

mom's day vacay

Guess where Drew and Asher took me for Mother's Day?

If that isn't clear enough, maybe these buckle-topped shoes and three cornered hats will give it away.

All of the details {good, bad, and ugly} to come next week!

we've been babyproofed

It's official:  I'm a prisoner in my own home.

Everywhere I look, gates meet my gaze.

For those of you who don't know, we live in a townhouse - which means that there are lots {and lots} of steps.  Since Asher started walking more, Drew and I decided that we needed to maximize his play space.  We have a sunken living room and, at first, it was an easy solution to simply block it off and keep A contained within those bounds.

There is another living space right next to the living room, but it has access to all of the aforementioned stairs.  We wanted to open this area up to Asher's play, but doing that meant we had to gate off the steps.  Did I also mention that this house is a rental and we can't screw anything into the walls?

Gah.

Enter Handy Manny, aka Drew.  He designed and constructed a great apparatus to secure one gate leading down stairs {my biggest worry}. 

 No, it's not an eyesore.  It keeps our baby safe.  {Repeat until you believe it.  That's what I do.} 

Yes, those are carabiners holding it closed.  We're not ghetto - we're creative.

For the other set of stairs - and to block off the kitchen - we used a gate propped up and wedged behind furniture.  That sounds ridiculous, but so far it's working great!  Asher got mad when I ran upstairs yesterday and gave it a good, angry shake.  The gate withstood his wrath with no ill effects.  Go gate!

We also decided to block the 2 steps leading down to the foyer, but this gate is only secured on one side.  The stakes are low here and Asher hasn't shown any interest in getting down there yet.

This new set-up seems to be working well so far.  Asher has learned how to get down into the living room - I love watching him barrel roll over the step!  He's getting better each day.  :-)

The only hard part is that the gates all come up to my mid-thigh.  I've only almost killed myself a few times so far.  Give me a few weeks and I'll have a killer high step.

Who needs step aerobics when you've got a toddler?

just a closer ride with thee

A few months ago Asher got his first Nativity.  We wanted a way to teach him about the true meaning of Christmas that was age appropriate and accessible to him.  Luckily for us, Little People makes a Nativity set!

After the holiday was over I packed up the Nativity with the intention of getting it out with all the other Christmas stuff next December.  The only problem was...our MVP was MIA.   That'd be baby Jesus.  He was missing.  Yikes.

I later found him stuffed into the top of a helicopter.

Anyway, by the time I discovered this bit of sacrilege the Nativity was long since packed away.  I keep planning to get it back out and put baby Jesus in his rightful home, but well, that hasn't happened yet.

Yesterday Drew asked me if I knew that Asher had thrown baby Jesus into the back of his dump truck. 

Drew:  Asher put Jesus in the back of a dump truck and is driving him around the living room.  Do you think that's ok?  I mean, Em, Ash didn't even put him in the front.  Shouldn't Jesus be in the driver's seat?

me:  Well, this particular Jesus is a baby and babies sit in the back.  Even Asher knows that much.


Drew:  True.  At least Ash has him rear-facing.  Way to go buddy.

Safety first, baby Jesus, safety first.

another year blessed

Yesterday was my birthday!

It was the best one I've had in recent history for a couple of reasons.  First, I was met in the morning by two sweet boys who had cards and gifts for me - yay!

You may wonder, is she 2?  7?  Perhaps 27?

Well, the answer to all of those is - no.

Asher was in charge of picking my birthday cards and these are the ones that caught his eye.

Drew was kind enough to explain this via some special messages inside the cards.

Seen inside my Elmo card:

Mom,
Isn't this card great?  I picked it for you because you are great.  It's your birthday and I love you.
Asher

What can I say - I cried.  Asher loves Elmo and me.  Doesn't get much better than that!

Then my card for a very special 7 year old.

Drew wrote me a note that I won't share here, but I will include the postscript to help explain....

ps - I know you're 29, but I swear you look the same as before you had the baby. 

{that'd be when I was 27}


hahahaha - thanks Drew!  I love you too!

The boys gave me a fantastic Vera Bradley case for my sunglasses.  I just love the red, black, and white pattern.

The next thing that made my birthday extra special was the weather.  Yesterday was perfect - sunny, breezy, and right around 80.  Asher and I headed to an outdoor shopping center to find my birthday gift and enjoy some sunshine.  Ash loves to be outside and is happy to endure a little shopping when he gets fresh air after each store.  :-)

Adding birthday luck to the mix - I found a purse that I've been searching for over the past few months.  My parents-in-law gave me money for my birthday to use on the purse when I found the bag.  I hoped that my birthday would bring the luck I needed and it did!

Look at this little beauty I found in the Michael Kors outlet.  LOVE it!  It's exactly what I've been searching for - black, braided handle, grommets, the whole deal.  Yay birthday!

Then, adding wonder to amazement, Asher fell asleep in his stroller for about 45 minutes while we were shopping and fell back asleep in his crib when we got home for another 1.5 hours.  WOW!  Happy birthday to me.  Thanks Asher!

Last night topped off the birthday celebrations with cupcakes {ate them before photos, sorry} and a cookie cake.  Drew knew that I'd been craving cookie cake and he made it happen.  Sooo delicious!!

I have to say that all of these birthday treats are extra special to me because I know how hard it is for Drew to get out and do any shopping at all.  He works really hard and has very little free time.  The fact that he spent that time on me is so thoughtful and loving.

I love you Drew and Asher!  You boys are the best thing that's ever happened to me by far.  Here's to spending many, many more birthdays together!

rock star

My little boy

is

just

too

cute!

Mornings are my favorite time of the day - and new jammies are my favorite reason to take photos.  :-)

not up to code

This is why babies shouldn't be contractors.

 Poor Elmo was an unfortunate victim of shoddy craftsmanship.

Hold on, little buddy, we're coming to save you!