Christmas Time (Asher's first!)

As always, a picture heavy post.  It'll be a story told mostly by pictures.  But, I'll give a little preface to the picture story:  This year was a really special Christmas for LOTS of reasons.  It was Asher's first Christmas, it was the first Christmas in our new home, and Jenny and Jeremy (Chris's sister and brother in law who live in Scotland) were in the states for Christmas.  Also we did Christmas with my family WAY early because Ira and Kelley were expecting baby Cora and couldn't travel.  So, it was wonderful, but a little different than most Christmases we plan.

This was at a small group Christmas party.  The kids did a little exchange and it was so cute!

right before we opened presents with my family

just a cute little Christmas treat!

"guys" spent the night with us the night before Christmas at Ira and Kelley's.  it was lots of fun!  You can see Griffin has been running around with them and is alread sweaty.

Asher's first time with the "under the blanket" tradition

our family of four opening presents

hooray!  Griffin and Asher with Santa

Griffin and his list for Santa that he carried around for weeks

making cookies for Santa

at the Christmas Eve service at church.  it was pretty fun.  all the kiddos wear their pajamas and there is a wide variety of worship.  griffin, i guess, planned on being a spectator, too, because he brought popcorn. :)

getting milk ready for Santa

setting out the cookies...

Look what Santa left!!

as is tradition in our family, you gave to get under a blanket and get dizzy before you open presents!

Chris may never forgive me for posting this picture, but it's the best on of sweet AsherBear

this picutre is super special.  It's Griffin and his Rocky train - the thing he really, really, really wanted from Santa...

the mess...

after we opened presents Christmas morning, Chris's family came in for lunch and more presents!  (shirtless Christmas, much?)

Griffin "helping" Nana with a gingebread house.  She had much more of a sense of style for it than Griffin did, but he did think it tasted good!

Aunt Jenny and Asher

What a fun December we had!  Asher, we are so glad you've joined us - and Griffin, we can't imaging our lives without you!  You get more and more fun everyday.

One month for Asher!

Can't believe - well, actually I can - that I'm this late posting a one month blog for my newest little treasure.

At one month Asher-bear is doing what most one month olds do: eating, sleeping, and pooping.  But - he does it all looking soooooo cute!

At one month, he has already been to the zoo, the aquarium, doctor (of course!), Chic-fil-a, church, mommy's work (CookChildren's Medical Center), Christmas tree shopping, to Griffin's school, and had tons of visitors.

Asher is so pleasant.  He gets the hiccups when he wants to eat and then right after he eats.  He cries pretty much when he's hungry.  At his first baths he cried and then really, really let me have when I put on lotion, but he doesn't cry with the bath part any more.  He really seems to enjoy it!

His umbilical cord came off before he was two weeks old and the other little thing that baby boys get if they have a certain surgery didn't fall off until he was almost 3 weeks old!  Daddy was getting worried!

He did have a little bit of clogged tear duct on his left eye, but with some warm compresses and mommy massaging, it cleared right up!

Asher doesn't seem to mind tummy time too much and is really starting to lift his head up.

He was 11 pounds 13 ounces and a lot of inches long.  Chris actually took him to his appointment and can't remember how long he was.  What he does remember is that the doctor said his length was in the 99th percentile!

Griffin is really sweet to Asher.  He's not super interested in him yet, but he has moments when he is, he wants to hold him, talk to him, etc.

PICTURE OVERLOAD.....

Aunt Lindsay coming to get some cuddles...

Asher's debut at Griffin's school.  AsherBear, can you believe I took you to preschool before you were even a week old!  You were 6 days old here.  It was Griffin's Thanksgiving celebration at his school and he was SOOO proud to show you off!

just some of those sweet newborn faces - wish I had the sounds with the pics!

(that's his coming home gown that he's wearing...)

caught him with his thumb! about two weeks old here

middle of the night - trying to learn to grin...

first trip to chic fil a!

shopping for a Christmas tree!

Mommy's friend from work, Nicole, coming to get snuggles

love that face already!

first trip the the aquarium!  It was soooooo cold!

and here we are at the doctor's office.  had a little bit of a clogged tear duct...

brothers!

check out the mess in the background... big brother that's three??

soooooo excited to be headed to the zoo!

LOVE this pic!  My little Zoolander!

Our friend Holly coming to get cuddles

love me a sleeping baby...

tummy time!

cousin Bonnie meeting Asher for the first time!

first trip to church!

Asher Bear - we canNOT wait to see what our lives are going to be like with you!  We are so very thankful God picked us to have you.  We love you so much, sweet baby boy!