Ashten - 11 months

It's almost the end of my monthly update posts on Ashten.  What a big girl she has become over the last year. 

She's walking behind stuff all the time now and walking holding onto our hands anytime we'll let her.  She cruises around furniture and chooses to stand rather than sit if she has that choice. 

She's starting to expand her menu, which now includes spaghetti, pickles, goldfish, yogurt, graham crackers and juice.  She's a texture girl, so there are times she won't even give something a chance if she doesn't like the way it feels on her fingers or tongue.  And she won't eat anything that is broken, which means all those crumbs at the bottom of the goldfish bag = not edible according to Ashten.  She's got three teeth now and is working on her fourth. 

The girl LOVES books.  If she is crawling around and playing by herself, nine times out of ten, she'll end up over at the bookshelf, pulling the books off and then sitting down to look through them.  Her favorite book right now is "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear", which she reads every morning while I'm in the shower.

I love my baby big girl Ashten!

Olive fingers

Preston enjoying his lunch of olives, grilled cheese and graham crackers:

Preston loves olives.  Personally I think it's a very strange thing for a 3-year-old to like.  I don't even like them, and I'm 10 times his age.  In fact, the only other person I know who does like them is my dad.  The last time I was at the grocery store, Preston saw a can of olives on the shelf, picked them up and begged me to get them.  Who does that?  Not any 3-year-old I know!  I'm not complaining, it's way better than the sugary cereal and candy most kids want (not that Preston doesn't beg for that too!).

And what are olives anyway?  A vegetable?  If so, Preston could easily get his 5 servings a day in one sitting.  Are they even healthy?  Preston will eat them straight out of a can, pick them off of pizza and fill up a bowl of them at a salad bar.  It's what makes Preston unique and olive (I love) him for it!!

My Valentines

I know this is my second sappy post in a row, but what can I say?  Love is in the air.  Speaking of love.....

My #1 valentine: Chris.  He is more than my husband, he is my best friend.  Honestly.  There is no one else in this whole world I'd rather hang out with, talk to, live with, share my life with....  His opinion and approval mean more to me than anyone else's.  It's funny that the longer we are married, the more I realize just how opposite we are, yet how much we complement each other.  He's the calm to my storm (and vice versa).  He puts up with my irrationality and need to talk (and talk and talk) when I'm worried, and he does it in a way that is so comforting and reassuring.  He's my protector, even when it's from something as dumb as a scary movie or a freaky chapter in my book.  He's my support and my supporter.  He does all he can to make my job as a stay at home mom the smoothest and easiest it can be.  He is so on board with me staying at home, even though that means so many sacrifices on his part.  He's such a wonderful dad, giving his limited time and energy for wrestling matches, bedtime stories, building pinewood derby cars, etc.  For all these reasons and so many many more, I just grow more and more in love with him every day. 

Brayden, my firstborn.  He made me a mommy and taught me what it was to love someone unconditionally before you even met them.  I can't believe how grown up he is getting, it's fun to experience each new stage for the first time right along with him. 

Logan, my middle boy.  I love his humor and carefree attitude.  His compassion for others is contagious.  He has really blossomed as a big brother this year to Ashten, he loves her so much.  I'm lucky to be his mom.

Preston, my big boy trapped in a 3-year-old's body.  As much as he is looking forward to doing the things his brothers do, I am thankful for all the time I get to spend with him at home for a couple of more years.  He loves to learn new things and enjoys beating me almost daily at Go Fish!

Ashten, my girl.  We're still outnumbered around here, but at least she helped even it up a bit.  She's a mama's girl right now, and I don't mind one bit.  This if her first year as one of my valentines, she has a special place in our family and in my heart.

I have been blessed in abudance.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Things I'll never ever get tired of

In this season of life, there are plenty of things that I wish weren't here.  Things like mountains of laundry, stepping on toys, picky eaters, exhaustion, the list goes on.....

But there are also things that I will never get tired of, things I'll be sad when they are gone:

• snuggling on the couch with my kids
• hearing that I'm the "best mommy in the whole world"
• rocking my baby to sleep
• watching my children play nicely together
• getting to be a stay at home mom
• helping my kids with their homework (someday their homework will be too hard for me!)
• experiencing the simple things in life all over again through a child's eyes
• drawings and stories and pictures littering the refrigerator
• spending a whole day in my pajamas because I have nowhere to go
• taking care of my kids when they are sick
• HK's (as Brayden would call them, i.e. hugs and kisses) at bedtime

Logan - 100 days of school

Logan celebrated 100 days of school last Friday.  His teacher makes it really fun.  They have a party and all the kids get very excited about it!

They painted shirts a few weeks before the party and then on the 100th day, he got to wear it all day.  He made a "How to Train Your Dragon" shirt with Toothless on it.  They also got to eat 100 snacks, like 100 M&M's, 100 marshmallows, 100 goldfish.....

The truck is stuck!

The kids and I are taking an unofficial snow day today.  Chris' truck got stuck this morning pulling out of the driveway in that little gully between the sidewalk and the street.  Poor guy, his truck is horrible in the snow and I know he wants a new car/truck so bad, I just wish it was a possibility for us right now.  I tried to help him get his truck unstuck this morning, but turns out, I'm not that good of a helper in these kind of situations!!  I could've driven him to school, but all 4 kids were still asleep and I really didn't feel like waking them up and then driving in the bad weather.  So, we just stayed home!!!

It's actually been a really great day though.  The boys have gotten along so well.  I was a little worried it'd just be one of those days where I was breaking up fight after fight since we're all cooped up inside, but thankfully, it hasn't been. I made muffins for breakfast, which is a treat around here since usually we just have cereal.  I gave all the boys haircuts and they took a nice, long, warm shower afterwards (read: all the hot water was gone!). 

Then, we built a big fort with blankets and pillows and stuff.  They've been playing in it all day.  I've heard them play "bad guy, good guy", "haunted house" and "inventor's factory" and when I told Brayden and Logan to read, they both snuggled up in there and read their books.  I love their creativity!

Ashten missed her morning nap, so she was a bit of a fuss monster.  But she took a really good afternoon nap and she's happier now!

After Preston's nap, I let the boys snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie.

Today was a good day!!!

Shorts in January?

I thought I'd follow up my previous flip flop post with another, more drastic one.  This time?  Shorts in January!!  It really was pretty fantastic weather, although I might not have gone as far as shorts.  Isn't it funny how 60's in the middle of winter feels a whole lot warmer than 60's in the middle of summer?  Anyway, the boys donned their shorts and spent a hour or so outside, running around, swinging and blowing bubbles.  Good times!

And then, 48 hours later, bitter cold and snow.  Gotta love Colorado!

What's new with Ashten

Ashten is at the stage where almost every day is something new.  It's such a fun stage, watching her learn new stuff and seeing her personality and prefernces shine through.

She loves books (both pulling them off the shelves and reading them)

Her favorite foods? Spaghetti, potato salad, baby goldfish and pickles!

This one was Logan's idea, I think: pulling Ashten around in a "horse drawn" carriage.  She enjoyed it a lot!She's got the princess thing down pat.

She cruises around furniture, walks behind her walker, stands on her own and climbs up the stairs now

She loves her bathtime, I can usually get a whole chapter read in my book while she splashes and plays.  Her favorite bathtub toys are rubber duckies.

Brayden and his "helper"

I can't believe I never posted about Brayden doing piano.  I keep thinking I did and maybe I just can't find it?Oh well, who cares....

Almost every time Brayden starts playing the piano, Ashten crawls right over to "help" him.  He's very good about it and doesn't usually let it bother him.  I love how patient all the boys are with Ashten, I just with they were that patient with each other too!

AWANA Grand Prix

Yesterday Brayden and Logan participated in the Pinewood Derby at our church.  They were involved in the whole process of making their cars, including the cutting, sanding, painting and adding the details.  I'm so proud of how their cars turned out.

Brayden won 2nd place in design for his killer whale.  Poor Logan was pretty upset and hurt that he didn't win too, but it was a good lesson in being proud of himself and accepting praise from and giving praise to others.

Oh, and if you're wondering what the inspiration behind their car designs were, this book (one of the boys' favorites!) might have a little something to do with it: