All things new

After a great suggestion from our nanny (she always has great suggestions!)

we put together Asher's high chair which has been sitting in a box since March.

I was debating if we were going to keep the Svan High Chair or return it for the Stokke (same price. different functionality). His high chair was a gift from Asher's great grandma Pearl. We are thrilled that we decided to keep it. Asher LOVES it! He looks like such a big boy in his high chair and loves being up "high", sitting secured without toppling over and at the table with us! We love it too! No more rushing to the swing or the floor or holding him while we eat (he was becoming my napkin). He has already mastered throwing things off the high chair tray!

We put on the our new "Oy Baby" CD that Softa brought Asher from the Reform Jewish Biennial Conference. This is Asher's 2nd Oy Baby CD and he LOVES THEM! All of the songs remind me of camp and Philip was shocked I knew almost all of them. We are getting Asher started early on his Jewish education and ready for Hanukkah! He was jamming out, laughing and singing. More like mommy and daddy were dancing and singing while he laughed at us. Sounds good right!?Somehow we didnt capture a photo or video of this but we will later.

I can picture what he is thinking here, "I can rest my feet down there and put toys up here!? Can I do this naked too?"

Talking on his "cell phone"

Philip testing Asher's strength and grip. Quite impressive for 5 months! We have no idea where this toy came from but of course the plastic toys are always his favorite...

Can I rip this toy apart with my big muscles!?

Asher's new smile...always accompanies his pointy tongue sticking out!

Pointy tongue smile...while being brainwashed by daddy. He is already learning to hold his NC State football. We start early. He will be throwing next week.

...and that wraps up all things new in our house this week!

Weakness...

You are my weakness.

I cant stop once I start.

Where is my self control that I used to be so good about?

It must have left when the breast feeding (diet) began...

Oh excuses...

I need help.

I should've taken Philip up on the offer to bring these to work and get them out of the house!

The Sunday Student

Sunday night Philip always turns into the "student"

He sets up shop with his computer at the kitchen table and begins his hours of homework.

Homework and quizzes are always due Sunday night before midnight.

With our crazy schedules he is very limited on time that he can actually commit to homework so Sunday night has become "the night".

He has been taking one class each semester for the past three semesters. He took the summer semster off since I was due in June.

Typically class is Tues & Thurs nights from 6-8 or 9.

I have attempted to be as supportive of a wife as possible over the past three semester's through pregnancy and now parenthood...

I admit. Its very tough. On him and on me.

Some weeks he goes 2-3-4 days without seeing Asher because he is asleep when he leaves for work and asleep when he gets home at night.

Tonight he decided to spice homework night up with glow sticks that we got from a birthday party this weekend and a beer (blog to follow). Needless to say it "lightened" the not so light mood and called for a photo. He always sets up shop so that he can watch Sunday football. I snapped a photo when Philip wasnt expecting it, hence the facial expression. Doesn't he look thrilled!? Thankfully tonight he finished at 9 PM vs the normal midnight!

Through all of the stress of daily life, family, work, school and caring for Asher...this simple glow stick made us both smile & laugh. I am so very proud of him for sticking to his classes even though right now is probably the toughest time in his life to be a student, husband, father and son.

Oh yeah...next semester he is taking a class online so that he can spend more time with us at home while Asher is awake! He will be starting his MBA classes next fall ... he had lots of pre-req's to get out of the way before he began his MBA journey!

We are so proud of you...our Sunday Student!

Reunion Rewind

Over Ten Years ago I graduated High School

Ten years ago is 1/3 of my lifetime.

Although it seems like quite a long time ago it felt like yesterday (minus a few marriages, weight gains/losses, kids, and different hair do's).

Last weekend we took a road trip to Raleigh for the night to attend my 10 year high school reunion. We started the day off with a picnic at Pullen Park with a few friends who also had kids since we were in high school. We had gorgeous weather and the kids enjoyed a picnic lunch, feeding the ducks, riding the carousel/train and playing in the grass.

Cassidy, one of my best friends dating back to before high school, with Asher and her younger daughter Keelyn. Keelyn is a few months shy of 2 and her other daughter Hailey is 4. Cassidy is married to Andrew and Philip gets along with him famously. They are dying to play golf and have been talking about it for the past 2 years...probably since the last time they played together. They joined us at the park for some fall fun! Check out Keelyn's shades...she is stylin.

Sarah (Lane) Ivy was a very good friend in high school and we recently reconnected through Cassidy and blogging. She is a momma of two sweet boys, Lane (2) and Tate (6 months) and wife to Lee. During our recent pregnancy's we swapped stories and she has been a great resource and friend over the past year through pregnancy to parenthood. Spending time with her and her family was an extra special treat...got to love life with boys...!

Anna has been a dear friend of mine since college and she just returned from living in Hawaii the past 2 years. She met up with us at the park so she could finally meet Asher. We are so thrilled to have her back on the mainland!

Asher's first carousel ride!

Cassie is a dear friend from college and she met up with us at the park so she could meet Asher. Now that we are both mom's our time is so limited and we had not met up since Asher was born. Cassie is a mommy to Garrett who just turned one this past weekend! Garrett looks just like his daddy and is sweeter than pie. He is starting to walk and gave us a little show on the lawn at the park.

After the park we stopped at the NC State bookstore and Philip bought Asher a mini football, basketball and a soccer ball. Asher fell dead asleep in the car. He had not napped ALL DAY and was clearly exhausted. Our plan was to head over to Lauren and Shawn's house to relax, hang out and prep for the big high school reunion later that night.

Andrea, Lauren, Tara and I had a blast catching up all afternoon...just like the old days. Our sweet husbands hung out in the man room and watched football all afternoon. Before we left I put Asher down to sleep and got ready. Lauren's mom stayed with Asher and Lauren's daughter Ella grace for us while we went to the reunion. This was the first time we left Asher with someone other than family!

10 years later and not too much has changed...

The reunion was held at Foster's in Cameron Village. I THOUGHT it was going to be a sit down dinner however I was clearly mistaken. The food was less than impressive but the company was great. I LOVED high school. I have very fond memories of Friday night football games, playing soccer, diversity, chorus, random groups of friends, boyfriends etc. Almost ALL of my closest friends from high school attended so it was great to catch up...even if the conversations were so very generic ("Where do you live? What do you do? Kids? Married?).

Cassidy, Sarah & I stealing a quick photo....we took about 10 and this was the only one that one of us wasnt laughing with our mouth wide open, talking or looking ridiculous in...It was quite a nice night for the three of us who all have kids and don't get out often...just adults!

Todd, Alison and Angie...Chorus friends!

Scott Guirlinger was a very good friend in high school. Not only did we have the same birthday, March 27th BUT we both got the senior superlative MOST SPIRITED our Senior year!

Cassidy's husband Andrew and Philip hanging out. The photo that followed this was not blog appropriate...again they don't get out often...yet still act like BOYS!

Nina Cloud & I

Andrea (my best friend), Jon Frazier, Muwah and Stephen Jeffress

Jon and Stephen were two of my close guy friends in high school. Stephen actually dated Cassidy back in high school and my high school boyfriend (Steve) and I hung out with them often.

My girls... Lauren and Andrea.

As the night was coming to an end we busted up a conversation the guys were having...

It went something like this, "The girls still look the same: beautiful. They haven't aged like the guys have!" Too funny. Yet too true. Most of the guys showed there age a lot more than the girls...a few extra pounds, a lot less hair or no hair for that matter.

Thank you to the class of 1999 and the reunion coordinators.

It was truly a night to remember....

On the drive home we got stopped at a DWI checkpoint. The last time this happened to me I was 17. Not even legal age to drink. Although I knew I was safe I can not even begin to tell you the anxiety I felt as I passed through the checkpoint. Crazy that one of the first nights out for Philip and I as "parents" we encounter a DWI checkpoint. It was 11:30 pm. My eye make up was smudged (allergies) and my eyes were bloodshot (allergies). They passed us through and home we went to see our sweet angel still asleep in his pack n play.

Sunday morning we enjoyed Chocolate Croissant's with Lauren, Shawn and Ella Grace before we hit the road for Duke Gardens where we were scheduled to meet with Courtney (Berryman) Gray, a friend from high school, for family photos. Coming soon...

We had quite an eventful weekend and we were so exhausted by the time we got home on Sunday. Asher barely napped all weekend so we were thrilled to get home at a decent time and into our own beds! Cheers to another ten years!

Baby Steps...

Today was a Big Day for Mommy....

and a Big Day for Asher.

The nanny took him in her car to her house TEN MILES AWAY.

Yeah I confess, I was freaked out over ten miles....but deep down I knew it would be just fine.

I am extremely comfortable with Debby (the nanny). Asher adores her.

I knew this day would come....and I was ready to face it head on.

I need to be comfortable with her taking him outside the house.

I want him to go to the library, song sessions, playdates, the park...

He needs to have interaction with other people & other babies.

She took him to her house for a playdate with her grandson Ethan who happens to be one week younger than Asher. Ethan and Asher couldnt be shaped more differently but side by side you really can't tell! Asher is squatty and heavy and Ethan is long and thin.

They had a great time together...

touching each other, rolling into each other and most of all smiling at each other.

Based on the photos they had an absolute blast. By the time she brought him home he was dead asleep in his carseat!

It's never a dull moment

I feel like I am constantly using this saying..."It's never a dull moment!"

I have a feeling I will continue to say this for the next 18+ years...

With this face I could be in big trouble!

I havent been the best about blogging or opening up about a lot of things that have been going on with Asher and honestly (and probably surprisingly to many readers) I am comfortable keeping it that way. I want to share, but I don't want to deal with questions. We have no answers for the questions. Frustrating concept huh? Imagine how we feel.

I will take prayers. What shoud you pray for you might ask? Pray for answers...Pray that Asher will continue to grow to be a healthy, strong and loving baby....

What I am comfortable with is that Asher is fine and we are confident he will be fine...

Every test he needed has been run. Everything is "normal". Whatever normal means these days. He has seen and will see some of the best pediatric specialists around to make sure that we give him the care he needs, when he needs it!

Asher is typically a VERY happy, smiley, babbling, 5 MONTH OLD.

Yup. Today he turned 5 months old.

He is hitting all of his milestones on time and even advanced in many areas.

5 months still sounds little to me. 6 months sounds big...and too old for my little (well not really) man.

Check out that chunky face!

Asher is huge. Almost 20 lbs huge. Bigger than most friends 12-18 month olds, but who is comparing? Philip asked the pediatricians at the hospital (yes, we have been to the hospital more than once) if what is going on with Asher (yes, not so normal things are going on) is possibly due to gigantism...Yes he really asked them this!?!? We all laughed out loud. I mean he is big, but he isnt THAT big. I love you honey. And No, he doesnt have gigantism hahahah!

We can't get enough of him. We kiss him constantly. He loves to hold our faces now when we kiss him. He loves to pinch our skin or pull our hair. His fine motor skills are really developing. He is extremely strong. He also happens to be extremely stiff and is not a big snuggler unless he is feeling crummy or very tired. I was a very very stiff baby and was not a cuddler either. Great. He has all of my undesireable traits. So far he has perfect eyes/vision (yes he has been to a pediatric eye doctor) and she said he tracked so well he was even advancd for his age. That definitey doesn't take after me. He is as handsome as his daddy. He is a spitting image of Philip. His eyes still have not made up their minds. Blue on the outside and green and brown in the middle. Quite striking with those mile long eyelashes and gignatic cheeks.

No Really. This kid is yummy. He loves to get attention. If you are not paying attention to him he will make sure he changes that by squealing and smacking his lips. He is content in his bumbo even though his legs are very squished in there. We think he will be sitting up unsupported very soon, but just isnt there yet. He is taking naps on his belly now (we are hoping his flat head starts to round back out!). He is still on breast milk excusively. He still hates the bottle. They tried to give him a pacifier in the hospital after I told them they could try. Guess what. He didnt take it...even with some sweet stuff they put on it. He would much rather his entire hand in his mouth. He gets shy in front of other people. It takes time for him to warm up. When there are a lot of people in the room he turns to "mellow baby". Quiet, calm, cool and collected which is good because he comes off as a very well behaved baby...

Happy 5 month Birthday to our our Angel Asher.

We love you and we are so blessed to be your parents.

Amelia Bedila is in the house!

Last night I decided I NEEDED to run the dishwasher because my MOTHER was nagging me about the dishes (2) that were sitting in the sink since LUNCH.

Our house has been in quite dissaray this week from neglect. I admit that in the least.

Priorities shifted elsewhere.

In addition to a miscommunication with cleaning lady ... she wont be coming till next week.

Needess to say our house is a wreck and my hair is shedding EVERYWHERE.

I mean EVERYWHERE...in my purse, in Asher's diaper's, on the floor, on my computer, in my own underwear. It's out of control.

SO back to the DISHWASHER. Somehow we ran out of detergent pellets. You would think with my couponing that I would've stock piled...uh NO. Of course not...not when you need something!

Somehow I got this genius idea in my state of delerium to put dish soap in the dishwasher. Sounds like common sense, right?

Uh yeah. What the heck was I thinking and why did I think this was OK at 28 years old!?

I was so embarassed I did it I couldnt admit it to Philip for the first 30 minutes we sat there laughing at the site we saw in front of us...

(I didnt take photos of the actual overflow...but this is what it looked like)

We ran the rinse cycle 3 times now and still can't get rid of the suds. Suggestions!?!

Amelia Bedila is in full force folks...god help us all!

Ode to SALAD!

Oh dear Salad I adore you.

You were consumed at least once a day,

and then you had to go away....for the baby!

Welcome back into my life,
I am now an easy going meal time wife.
I have missed you the past 150 days
I can now go back to my old eating ways.
Losing more weight is now a reality
There is no denying I was losing my health food sanity!
I am so excited about the new meal possibilities....

I feel like shouting off the roof top, Yipppe!
...Asher is now tolerating salad...next up dairy (in my dreams!)...

Bills

First and Foremost I am thankful to have healthcare insurance.
By all means I am NOT ungrateful....but I only have so much patience when it comes to my coverage.

We have been receiving our fair share of medical bills lately...
For me and my millions of post delivery complications (which I am refusing to pay)
Asher and his check ups, sicknesses and other things Im not about to go into right now...
and then a bill from December 2nd 2008 (came in the mail on Friday October 30th, 2009)

Seriously?
Didn't they close the books back in 2008?

Insurance companies baffle me.
Actually they piss me off.
They treat people like they are just another number on a piece of paper.

The best part of the entire bill reads:
Wellpath Remark: Duplicate Claim/Service

REALLY!? Well then fix it yourself....what the heck can I do?
I can't use Flexible Spending Money from last year because you waited almots a year to send me a bill and they won't allow you to use this year's money on last year.
Bottom Line: I am not paying your stinking mistake!

Vent over....ugh.

Asher's first Halloween....Roarrrrr!

We started off the Halloween weekend enjoying the beautiful Fall weather.

Daddy raked the yard and Asher "jumped" into the pile...(more like he was placed in the pile)

Surprisingly he didnt mind the leaves one bit!

Asher got his first pumpkin...at first he wasn't very interested...

he quickly realized it was perfect for teething and drooling on...gross!

he really seemed to like this Fall/Halloween stuff...

Our first family photo where EVERYONE IS SMILING AND LOOKING!!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2009!

Asher trick or treating with mommy before it rained (we made it to two houses). We visited our two closest neighbors who were "expecting him"!

Cheesin' it up in his costume. Only our child!

The view from the street.....One happy family!

Why on earth was it almost 80 degrees on Halloween!?

Don't they know costumes are hot!?

Nana helped Asher cool off...

Pumpkins 2009

Carving pumpkins is one of my favorite things about Halloween.

I am very passionate about my carving as you can see on your left and right.

Philip, not so much! (although his pumpkin had a Schreibman clef dimple chin)

Friday night we spent 3 hours gutting and carving pumpkins while watching "The Proposal"

We loved the way they turned out this year!

Last Halloween I was secretly pregnant. This year I was the mommy to a sweet baby lion. Asher's first Halloween was perfect, aside from the rain. Our parents came over in addition to a few friends. We enjoyed chilli, beer cheese bread, salad, wine, beer, chocolate chip banana bread and chocolate chip ghost shaped cupcakes with chocolate chip pumpkin spiced whipped buttercream icing. DELICIOUS!

This Halloween was also special because it marked one year ago that our dear friends Robert and Sarah began dating (they are in the middle of the first photo in the link). Last Halloween they came over and it was their 2nd date. This year they came over and we celebrated their engagement as they just got engaged two weekends ago. We could not be more thrilled for them. More specifically I could not be more thrilled since I "set them up". They are getting married 10/10/10 and I will be one of Sarah's bridemaids....so exciting!!!

Happy Halloween from us to you!