Mischevous

We THINK Asher figured out that if he slams his legs hard enough on his mattress it will knock his alligator off his bed frame and on to his bed.

This evening we realized that all of a sudden we lost the picture on our monitor screen.

It turned out that Asher knocked the monitor off the bed frame and then it knocked the alligator into his bed.

This is how I found him laying in the dark (my flash was able to capture the true essence of the moment) . Of course as soon as I put the alligator back and left the room he was dead asleep.

"I got busted, ma!"

Meet Amanda

Amanda is our new nanny.

We love her. She is the perfect piece to our family puzzle.

She is Ah-mazing with Asher.

She sings and talks to him constantly, plays non-stop, challenges him, does his excercises with him, reads to him, kisses and cuddles all day...he is in heaven.

She is patient, kind and loving. She truly cares about Asher.

Asher smiles and talks constantly with Amanda. He rarely even whines now.

This is a huge change. A huge relief for mom and dad.

Amanda is exactly what Asher needs. And Asher loves Amanda.

We are now at peace.

Change #1 for 2010

Footsies

Asher's new gimicks involve his footsies...

Lounging in his sleep with his foot up on his bumper.

(he is sleeping in a sleepsack)

He sleeps like this almost every nap and we think it is hysterical.

Playing with our footsies

He particularly loves to pull them to his face when he is naked

Hello Thunder Thighs!

If only I could get those footsies in my mouf!

Tot Shabbat

We were finally in town and able to attend Tot Shabbat at the Temple.

Approximately 60 people attended a musical service led by Rabbi Micah and a Pot Luck Dinner. Asher had a great time and Softa even joined us for the fun!

Uh mom....the big kids are watching, cut out the mushy stuff ok?

Intently listening to the Shabbat songs (he gets so serious & focused when lots of people are around just like his daddy)...also check out his Shabbat outfit (18 months!) and cute shoes. We are trying to put shoes on his feet because he tends to "stand" better with the support.

Asher's friend Jacob eating a cupcake for dessert. Definite sugar high!

Rabbi Micah leading more songs with the kiddos after dinner

Micah as 3 boys of his own. He does an amazing job accommodating and engaging them all.

Asher truly enjoyed Tot Shabbat. Kid watching and music. His two favorite things!

He also drank out of a big boy cup at the dinner with help from Softa and actually "took a sip" of watered down juice. Although most of it missed his mouth he seemed to enjoy it vs his normal flipping out. He also sucked on challah bread and fingers dipped in tomato sauce.

We will be going back to rice cereal this weekend...hopefully he is this happy about that!

Shabbat Shalom!

Junk Mail

What is it with all of the junk mail?

Paper junk mail...

Email spam...

I've been trying to think of ways to combat the ridiculous amounts of waste that come into my mailboxes. Piddly, I know...but so wasteful!

We house sat for our next door neighbors for 3 weeks while they were in Venezula in the month of December. I took in their mail every day. The amount of mail they had in one week equaled what we had in just 1-2 days. I was real curious as to how and why they received so little junk mail. Upon their return I asked being the nosy person I am and this was the great idea my neighbor, Carola shared with me....

For every piece of mail that she gets that comes with a return paid envelope she mails it right back to the company with a note, "Please stop sending, Thank you". She consistely has done this for over a year.

Genius! It must be working because they get very minimal junk mail.

Another way I attempted to curb the spam mail from entering my personal email was by creating an email account for freebie sign ups so that it doesnt clog my regular email. I am sucker for freebies, coupons etc...but they also come with a lot of other JUNK that you somehow get signed up for even if you clicked NO, Thank You. I still end up obscene amounts of junk mail.

I have had the same email address with AOL since I was 8. Yup...20 years. I've tried to keep it junk free, this could be a full time job!

I started unsubscribing to all of the useless mailings that I am getting.

Granted it can take up to 4-6 weeks to be removed from some of them I feel the end is in sight.

I envision a Monday morning I can sit down at my computer after an entire weekend, open my email and it be free of the typical 50+ junk emails that I have to sift through to find the REAL mail. Or a week where my recycling bin isnt filled with wasteless pieces of paper and envelopes from junk mail. Us humans create so much waste!

Can I get an amen?!?

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who voted for the Ash-man....

HE WON! We can't wait for our shoot with Nicole in March.
Asher will be 9 months and it will right at the end of his cranial band therapy.
We will catch some shots with it on and some off with his beautiful round head.

We can't wait! I might have a slight obsession with photos of my family!? Ya think?

Feel free to check out Nicole's site in the mean time www.nicolefabyphotography.com!

Vote for Asher....

Please vote for Asher..."Bookcase Photo"
Even if you lurk and read this blog and never comment.
It takes three clicks and about 10 seconds.

http://www.nicolefabyphotography.com/blog/vote-for-your-favorite-2009-photo-and-win/

Click this link above.
Asher is photo #8.
Scroll down to the bottom and select Asher's name (8th name)
Submit!

Simple huh?
Thank you so much!

Feel free to check out Nicole's photography as well.
She happens to be a very very good friend of mine and lives in Raleigh :)

Get a Grip

We've always been budget conscious.

Bargain shop, sale shop, chase deals, coupon, put extra money into savings every month etc.

2 years ago we followed quite a strict budget, utilized Microsoft Money, but when I got pregnant we strayed away from tracking like we used to and started spending... a little here, a little there, yummy dinner etc. Mistake.

I am stressed. I dread looking at our bank account daily. Medical Bills, mini trips to the grocery store or random stops out on the weekend that are piling up at an uncontrollable amount.

Bottom Line: We need to get a grip.

We laid out all of our fixed expenses. WHOA. Life is expensive even at the bare minimum.

Life Insurance, Car Insurance, Disability, Home Owners Dues, Electric, Gas, Car Payments (one is ALMOST done!), Mortgage, Medical Insurance, Deductibles...and the list goes on.

Step 1 - Equal Payment Plans for Gas/Electric
Step 2 - Lay out Fixed Expenses - Elimintate anything unnecessary
Step 3 - What is left ... make the budget
Step 4 - We must keep each other in check. We tend to crumble to each other's weaknesses and give in. Stick to our budget. Just say NO!
Step 5 - Utilize what we have currently to do things. ie. I want to paint a wall in our bonus room. DIY and use paint we already have.
Step 6 - Re-Finance our house....one day we will be able to do this. Our neighborhood and the market have sabotaged several attempts at this.
Step 7 - Continue to save anything extra to continue building our savings/money market!

A lot of things are going to change for us over the next year (no, I am not pregnant) and we need to Get a Grip on the spending PRONTO. 2010 is a time to turn a new leaf!

What is your best budgeting advice? Please feel free to share!

Apples & Toes

We are having way too much fun with Asher these days.

Although he isnt eating baby food he loves Pickles, Limes, Lemons, Teething Biscuits and now Apples. Daddy and Asher were having some fun rubbing the apples on his teething gums. Oh and Asher can finally touch his toes. He is trying to grab them and put them in his mouth now but isnt that long, skinny or flexible YET.

I love these boys. I live for them and moments like these.

Bad video quality. I used my cell phone!

7 Months - Lots of Monkey Business

7 Months - What!?

Where did 6 months go?

Lots of great things are happening these days!

We have gone 6 weeks without an episode.

That means 6 weeks without stepping foot into a Doctors Office!!!!! (sort of)

Huge milestone. Praise God!

Maybe it really was the caffeine!?!

Asher has adjusted to his Cranial Band. He has follow ups every week and they shave out the foam inside the band to allow for more growth. His grandma's typically take him to his appointments which has been a huge help! He is now wearing it 23 hours a day and it doesnt seem to phase him like it did the first week. His head already looks different and it hasnt even been a full 2 weeks!? The specialists said that he is already making great progress. A shape is finally forming!

Saturday we took Asher's band to Huntersville to have it painted by a local artist Leigh Anne Gibson (www.treasuredinteriors.net). She is so talented. When we saw her work we just knew she was the right one to paint Asher's band. We dropped it off and gave her some ideas and 2 hours ladies she called us back to pick it up. AMAZING!? We snapped a photo with her before we headed back to Charlotte with our masterpiece of art. One day we will do a mural on a wall in the bonus room and we now know just the right person to do it. Thanks Leigh Anne!

Finished Product Ready for Pick up!

5 monkey's total. Two hanging from letter's on his name.

3 representing: Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil.

Left side (The velcro strap is just to hold the band together)

Right side

Front of the Band

"Chunky Monkey"

A Video Tour of the Band and Live Asher Entertainment:

Asher will start physical therapy through the county's Early Intervention program this week. They will work on strengthening his neck, improving tummy time and helping manage his stiffness (relaxation techniques). Another new item that will be added to the list will be swallowing food.

We stopped baby food this past week after 3 unsuccessful weeks. Asher wasnt' getting the hang of it and we tried a lot of different techniques. The therapists and pediatrician recommended we take a 2-3 week break and come back to it. In the mean time we noticed that Asher has been putting EVERYTHING in his mouth because he is teething. We started to give him whole food items to knaw on and he has taken a liking to it. Just like his mommy he held and sucked the juice out of an entire dill pickle at Jason's Deli. He gums whole organic carrots and even squished/sucked and licked a banana today. Progress People! Maybe we will be skipping baby food? I think not.

"Why didn't anyone tell me eating could be this much fun!?"

"I put the food in my mouth myself mom!"

"Maybe that wasn't such a genius idea"

"Not so sure about this"

Asher is just about to cut his very first tooth. His gums are thick and white. We expect an arrival any day now. When his gums are really annoying him he does this classic "Renee face" where he pulls your hand or an item into his mouth and gets real aggressive with it. Check it out:

7 Month Milestones:

Sitting completely on his own (very rarely falling over)

Rolling belly to back (Working on Back to Belly still)

Creeping backwards but no scooting or crawling

Can hold himself up standing for several seconds at a time

Constantly talking, laughing and making new sounds

Transferring objects back and forth between his hands

Picking up and reaching for anything in his sight

Touching his toes (FINALLY!)

Wearing size 4 Overnight Diapers and Size 3 Huggies P&N Diapers during the day

Now taking baths in the big boy tub

Answers to his name

Mimics gestures (clapping hands, noises etc)

Flapping his arms to music

Expressing likes and dislikes

Playing instruments (piano, xylophone)

Hitting objects*

*(Not sure what this means but he slams his sticks on the ground repeatedly)

Pushing things away or off high surfaces

Loves to be upside down

Holds books while you ready to him

Wearing 12-18 month clothes (some 18 month)

Asher LOVES to be upside down and LOVES to get belly kisses from Daddy

Starting this week Asher will begin a Music and Me class once a week. He loves music and he loves other kids so this will be perfect for him.

"Clap Hands, Clap Hands"

"Nom, Nom, Nom"

"I can finally catch my own fall!"

"I caught on mom...cheeeese!"

Playing with Ugly Doll = Serious Face

We love our 7 month old Chunky Monkey!

Low Key New Years

Happy New Year!

We spent New Years eating appetizer's at Nana and Poppy's and getting Asher adjusted to his cranial band. New Years Eve was the first night he slept in it and he did great!

We had a low key weekend following New Years Eve and we spent almost all of it in the house.

IT WAS WONDERFUL.

We purged almost every room in our house of junk and got organized for the year ahead.

Our own little Hugh Hefner

I seriously could eat him up in those pajamas!

May this new year bring everyone health, happiness and success!

Piano Man

Uncle Rich would be very proud of Asher and his piano skills.

Over the holidays Uncle Rich sat Asher down at his real piano and taught him how to tap the keys.

Uncle Rich and Auntie Eliza gave him this piano when he was first born and he is finally ready to put it to use!

He is completely aware that if he hits a key music will sound so he tends to BEAT the keys instead of taping them.

Boys and their aggression....geesh!

We are thrilled that he loves any form of music...!

Start spreading the news...

Asher made it into the newspaper today!

I blogged about the Women's Solidarity event for Rosh Chodesh at our Temple a few weeks ago and today the very same photo appeared on the front page of Section E (Carolina Living) in the Charlotte Observer.

Not even 7 months old and he is already in the news!!!

The newspaper article is here!