Getting Ripped!

My boys have become very interested in exercising, or epersise as Asher calls it, lately. They love to watch Mitch (since he has started P90X) work out and then they want to take a turn themselves. I turned on an exercises DVD the other day to entertain them and this is what we saw.

The Magic of Asher

What better time than a birthday to gush about someone you love. I just have to take a few minutes and write about how completely smitten I am with my Asher. He is nothing but pure joy and happiness.

He went through a rough patch a few months ago, I really wasn't sure what had happened to my angel baby. Then, due to circumstances beyond my control, our daily schedule changed and Asher and I ended up spending more time together. What I thought was a terrible thing, turned out to be a huge blessing. The extra time with him showed me what I was missing and helped him over come his mean streak. He has turned back into that little person who could always return me to a place of peace. He can change the way I feel with just one look. He has the most amazing smile, (he got it from his dad.) He is also extremely funny. And not like he does funny things because he is a kid. He has a sense of humor and uses it to make us laugh. He makes up funny words to songs, or makes up funny scenarios and plays them out. He also pulls faces at us when he know he is on the verge of getting into trouble, and he is amazing, it works! He is also just funny because he is a three year old little boy.

Asher is completely obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine right now. He wakes up in the morning, walks down stairs and starts playing with his train, I can usually pull him away for meals and nap time, but other than that, he is happy being with his trains as long as we will let him. He sings all the songs and know all the characters and what they say. I love it when something happens and he say, "bust my buffers," or "cinders and ashes." It is so funny. He also loves anything big brother loves and right now that is jets. Jackson knows all about fighter jets and he talks about them all the time. Thus, so does Asher. He talks about F-22 raptors, or A-10 warthogs and F-16s. He has a Harrier bomber and and SR-71 he loves and likes to take them with him wherever he goes. The jets go with him, but the trains stay on the track in the island of Sodor, they don't leave, he likes it that way.

And then there is my favorite. This boy is a singer. He is always singing, and he is good! He learns word super fast and he is right on with the melody. I know that I am biased but I also think it is the cutest little voice ever. My favorite is when he sings "Baby Beluga." or "Close to You" which was the song that I sang to him from the time he was born. He is the boy from the song; "On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true/So they sprinkled star dust in your hair of gold and moonbeams in your eyes of blue."

I can't seem to put into words how magical this little boys is. He is a miracle and I am so grateful that I get to be his mother. He is Happy and he makes all in his family Happy. We love you Asher!

My boy turns three!

Today my baby turns three. We celebrated when we were in Utah with our families, but we also decided to have a little family thing since Mitch had MLK day off. We went to Pizza Hut, not because it is his favorite, but because I didn't want his favorite (McDonald's chicken nuggets.) Our plan was to go to a movie afterwards, but there just wasn't anything playing here for a three year old, so we his up Redbox for a movie. Then we did cupcakes. Since it was his birthday we let him go to town. he ate three before we finally cut him off. I think he would have eaten the whole dozen.

This is the boys in the car on the way to the restaurant. I just think they look so cute.

Asher trying his hardest to show us three!

cupcakes!

Asher eating his cupcakes last night and eating his birthday cake at one year. Not much has changed.

The three year picture

And what feels like yesterday.

The best day of the year (so far)

Yesterday we went skiing at Showdown, our local ski resort. It was a perfect family ski day. It was Asher's first time skiing, and he did great. Jackson was fearless, and we had a great time being together as a family.

When I was younger, I didn't necessarily love skiing. I hit a tree when I was 9, and didn't enjoy it much after that. But my parents made me go despite my protests. They kept telling me that if I didn't go skiing with them, someday I would regret it. So I went with them. I was never great, but I was okay and I eventually grew to like it again. Today is the day that I say, "thank you so much for making me go skiing!" (I realize how ridiculous that sound.) We have been taking Jackson skiing since he was 2 (and just barely two.) And when we go, Mitch takes Jackson and I just follow behind. Today we took Asher for the first time, so Mitch needed to be with Asher, so I skied with Jackson. It was so fun. I had a little buddy, and for the first time I wasn't riding the lift alone. I was so happy that I was a good enough skier that I could help Jackson. He skied all by himself, but he would need help if he fell and got tangled up, or if he lost momentum on the flats. Jackson amazed me. He wanted to do everything, and he could. He wouldn't even let me help him off the lift. He decided on his first run that he would like to go off a few jumps, and so he did. He was so good. He worked so hard that by the end of the day he was saying that his legs were "cracked". Asher was a little champ as well. He is fiercely independent. He wanted to take off from the very beginning. He was able to ski short sections by himself. By the end of the day, he had to get on and off the lift by himself (with a little boost), and was constantly saying "faster daddy, faster!!". Not too bad for a two (almost 3) yr old. When he got up this morning he tried to run from his room to the car so he could "go ski, go ski!" We had to hold him back and tell him there was time for breakfast.

Asher was obsessed with t poles, he called them "ropes." We gave in and let him have one for a little while. It didn't last long, but it was pretty cute.

Resolved

I have a very dear friend who made her New Years Resolution for 2008 "Survive 2008!" And I have to say, she had a crazy year. Survival is a big accomplishment. Yeah, Jen!

I was inspired. 2008 was not so bad. Nothing crazy we could see on the horizon at the beginging of the year. But 2009...that is another story. With our up coming move and selling our house among other things. I believe that my New Years resolution for 2009 will be SURVIVE 2009!

Thanks for the inspiration Jen.

One more time with feeling

Here we go again. We are potty training. I think I got over pregnancy and childbirth faster than I recovered from potty training. And Jackson really wasn't that bad comparatively. I don't know why it was so hard for me to deal with, it just was. I tried a book last time and it was terrible. This time I am going to go with my gut and good old fashioned bribery. We'll see how it works out.

Asher is showing all the signs that he is ready and I know it's time. So last night we got a jump start. So far so good. He did his first poopy in the potty and received a great reward as a result, and he seems really excited about the candy. We are only 24 hours into it, but I am optimistic. I think the older brother thing will help this time around. But we do have a problem with the older brother. He wants big rewards for going in the potty. I am letting him have the candy (in an attempt to show Asher what he has to gain,) but I will not be buying my 5 year old who is well potty trained, a remote control airplane (that he seems to think would be an appropriate reward) for doing something he would do anyway. He did add that he wouldn't miss his target, and I must admit that was tempting.

Asher first reward was Emily. For some reason this is the train he really wanted. He was so cute. There is an Emily song and he was walking around the store singing the song and showing everyone his train. But no more trains until he is good for a few weeks.

Party Time!

Asher's third birthday is right around the corner, and so we thought that it would be fun to have a big birthday blowout with our families while we were in Logan. It was super fun and I have to say that, for the most part, the guest of honor was pretty darn good.

Gifts were given. Thank you everyone for his gifts, they have all been a huge hit! Jackson has said "thank you that Asher had a good birthday," in his prayers the last couple nights because he is thoroughly enjoying his little brothers new toys.

A #3 candle was blown out. This is the same cake that I did for Jackson for his 2nd birthday. Asher loves trains so much right now that I had to do it again.It was a great party and we are so grateful for all those who came. And I am personally grateful for the little guy who brought us all together. I am absolutely smitten with this boy!