i don't want to forget...

Joshua, I don't want to forget...

how you are obsessed with tea parties

your love for tea party soup and pretend pizza 

the way you say "jump-in-the-watee" and "clifford-the-big-red-dog"

how much you love green beans, peppers, and anything i call a "special treat"

how every time we get in the car you want to listen to "tyler's song" & "kaci's song"

your special friendship with Jocelyn

how you kindly share toys with your brother

your love for the snow 

how you always look for "luna" (the moon)

how you sleep with all your blankies, animals, and lightening mcqueen 

your no-fear, i can do everything attitude 

how you always want to jump in puddles

how you wear your cowboy boots 6 days of the week

your monster/dinosaur/dragon roars 

this age is fun. this age is hard. 

we love you Joshua!

Asher Gray: 8 months

 My big boy! 

I can't believe you are 8 months old, wearing 12 month clothes, and about to crawl. 

The pajamas you are wearing in the picture below- your brother wore at 18 months. That's crazy! 

 Speaking of your brother, you think he's pretty great. He makes you laugh, gives you snacks (behind my back), brings you toys, and is always checking up on you. I love seeing your little relationship blossom & can't wait to see your friendship grow!

You are now a pro at rolling around and getting what/where you want. 

You can get up on your knees and rock back & forth, but no crawling yet.

 You are funny. 

You like to laugh & are very ticklish.

Story for the photo below- We had been out running errands. I thought you would fall asleep on the way home so I put your cover over your car seat. We stopped to get some gas. I got back in the car and you had pulled the car seat shad and canopy down and were peeking out at me & giggling! Too funny!

I love that grin!

You're back to sleeping through the night no problems! 

You still nap three times a day and eat 5-7oz about 5 times a day. 

You still HATE real food.

 

You are a joy & such a treasure. 

We love you more and more everyday!

love, your momma & daddy

Asher Gray: 7 months

 Asher Gray, 

Happy 7 months! My sweet boy. Not much has changed. You're still chubby & kissable, sweet & cuddly, ticklish & smiley. You're content but like to be held when it's almost sleepy time. You're grin is contagious. This month was your first Christmas! You are beginning to recognize those you love & LOVE to stare at your daddy! Your brother makes you laugh and you cuddle with anyone and everyone who is willing. You are still sucking your thumb, especially when you are sleepy. But you are not a fan of sleeping anywhere besides your crib, no matter how tired you are. Unfortunately, you got another nasty cold right after Christmas. It made for a few cranky days and some extra feedings in the middle of the night but most of the time you were just as smiley and never complained too much. Towards the end of this month, I seem to have lost some of my milk... Right now I am exclusive pumping and supplementing with formula. It seems to be what you need so we will keep that up as long as we can. 

This month was your first time in the big swing- loved it! 

Your first time in the big seat in the grocery cart (at Costco)- liked sitting next to your brother.

 

 You can sit up totally unsupported. 

You are not really caring about trying to crawl. 

Towards the end of this month you finally started to roll around with more determination.

 

7 month stats: 

Clothes- 12 months

Diapers- size 3

Teeth- none

 

This month we started solid food. Around 6 months, 3 weeks. 

I knew you weren't quite ready, so I held off a couple weeks. 

But you pretty hate food. You turn your head to the side and refuse to open your mouth. 

I've tried everything in the book- 

sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, bananas, oatmeal cereal, applesauce 

chunky, pureed, from a jar, on a spoon, from my finger, just let you play

you want NOTHING to do with it. 

Kind of driving me crazy but we'll just keep trying...

 

Your schedule is still pretty much the same. 

Lately you've been liking to get up between 5 and 6:30am, eat and go back to sleep till 8 or later.

Not my favorite, but it's fine... You go sleep at 7pm, so I can't complain! 

I love seeing more and more of your personality. Seeing what interests you and what makes you laugh. I love that you love to cuddle.Your sleepy, sucking my thumb cuteness is the best. You are wearing clothes your brother wore when he was one and walking- that is crazy to me! 

You are my sweet Asher man.   

We love you more and more everyday!

love, your momma & daddy

2013 recap

2013. this year...
manny started a new position at Church Community Builder. my sister {kari} and Craig got married. we completed the kitchen renovation. we found out baby #2 was a boy. ella was born. my sister {karla} & dan got married. we took our youth kids on a ski retreat. i lost a job. i got a new job. we served with our youth group on numerous occasions. manny and i traveled to orlando for a work trip/ babymoon. we completed our bathroom renovation. our great friend {jeremy} and koren got married. we completed our basement renovation. ASHER WAS BORN! manny took joshua on a road trip to South Dakota to be with family and celebrate the life of his Grandma Pollard. manny took AlethiaYouth to San Diego on a mission trip. my mom and I took the boys to visit Gram. we celebrated 4 years of marriage. my brother john played his senior season of football for Palmer Ridge. manny turned 27! we painted and decorated Asher's nursery. Joshua got potty trained. Joshua turned 2! manny and i took the boys to see Gram. i turned 26!
we laughed. we played. we walked hard roads. we pressed into Jesus like never before. we learned a whole lot. we stayed up late. we rocked babies to sleep. we pushed strollers. we played at the colorado beaches. we visited with family. we made our house a home. we grew. we lived the gospel. we parented and disciplined. we loved. we gave kisses and hugs. we sang. we danced. we ate. we watched two precious boys grow. we marveled at this blessed life.



a look into 2013. a favorite picture from each month.

JANUARY

walking to breakfast. love living here.

FEBRUARY

taking a peek at his baby brother {in my belly}

MARCH

park time.

APRIL

on our babymoon

MAY

a boy & his "ham"

JUNE

asher gray pollard. born 6.8.2013.

JULY

caught baby grins

AUGUST

my joy boys.

SEPTEMBER

football season

OCTOBER

wagon rides

NOVEMBER

joshie boy is 2!

DECEMBER

merry christmas!

life is good. God is great.
this life is beyond the greatness.

merry christmas {card}

"For a child has been born for us, a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore."

Isaiah 9:6-7

Asher Gray: 6 months

Asher Gray, 

6 months already. It seems impossible that you have lived for half a year. But it also seems like you have been a part of this family forever. You are loved and cherished, my boy. You are sweet and cuddly. You are smiley and a pretty good sleeper. You do not like to sleep anywhere besides your crib. You are pretty ticklish. You get compliments on your cuteness daily, sometimes hourly.

 

Those eyes. Those cheeks. 

Who can resist? 

 

This month we went to visit Gram with Daddy & Joshua. 

You were such a good boy & made the trip so easy. 

 

You are very good at sitting up by yourself. Unlike your brother, you aren't super mobile at this point. You are happy to sit up and play, lay on your back and play for a while, be held, and then go back to sleep.

 

You sure do love your brother though. He is making you very tough... You often get hit, poked, accidentally knocked over, books thrown towards your head, hair pulled, sat on, and all over big toddler brother tortured... But you take it like a champ and hardly even cry.

 

Most of the time you sleep on your back. Every once in a while you will fall asleep on your stomach, though I believe you have figured out you just don't like that. Lately, I've seen you curled up on your side, sucking your thumb. My goodness, how are you so cute?! 

 

 Another holiday in the books- Thanksgiving!

We are beyond thankful for you, Asher Gray Pollard.

 

You also are officially the most kissable baby in the entire world! 

I have never met a baby who loves kisses more than you. 

 

6 month STATS- 

Weight- 19.7 lbs, 85%

Height- 29.3 in, 100%

Head Circumference- 17.5 in, 81%

Size 3 diapers

9-12 month clothes

We love you Asher Gray. Thank you for your smiles and kisses. You are such a blessing to this family. You give laughter and love like no one else! 

we love you more and more every day!

love, your momma 

life lately...

i had such great blogging plans for November... 4 posts in the first week... and then nothing.
bummer. 
but moving on. 

life lately... 

 

my Asher man is almost 6 months old. so cute & chubby & cute. 

 

we've been talking a lot about baby Jesus born in Bethlehem. we went to say hi to baby Jesus and his mommy Mary at the little nativity set up on the corner by our house. now every time we drive by it Joshua says "hi baby Jesus" and tells him where we are going.

 

as part of Joshua's birthday celebration we spent the day with Jackson and went to the zoo. SO fun! 

 

November proved to have lots of warm days mixed in with some cold & snow.  on the warm days we went to the park and soaked up the sun and on the cold days Joshua displayed his love for snow.

{mostly eating it} but really he loves the snow.

 

as winter approaches {currently it's -9 out} we spend most of our days just me and these boys cooped up in the house. there are hard days but lots of joy. there are days when i can't wait for naps but also can't wait for them to wake up so i kiss those baby Asher cheeks and hear the funny things Joshua has to say. we're figuring each other out and loving each other through it all.

 

december is finally here. 

we've got lights {!!!} and stockings {!!!} and i'm pretty much done with my present shopping {!!!} 

life is good.