Ash's birthday party

Mom invited our small group, Aunt Lindsey, and Uncle Mark & Aunt Melissa to my birthday party. A couple of the families in our small group couldn't make it, but we all thought the size was perfect in the end with the friends that were able to make it. Mommy didn't get a chance to take pictures of all the kids playing outside, but the new sandbox was a hit with everyone! We served a finger food lunch with a veggie tray, a cheese & cracker tray, fruit salad and Chick-fil-a nuggets. We had a Disney Cars theme, with decorations and coloring pages and a cake from the grocery store bakery - yum! I got lots of awesome presents and had a ton of fun playing with my friends, and then crashed hard when everyone left. It was a complete success, and the best part was having people who love us come hang out for a couple hours to celebrate. Photo credit on this one goes to Aunt Lindsey, who took pictures so mommy could play hostess and mom for the day.  (For more pics, check out the album on FB)

We all loved the cool birthday card from Mrs Rachael

All my friends gathered around

Putting quarters in my new piggy bank from Lola & Papa

These are my fancy party clothes

 

The big cake (I got my own personal giant cupcake)

The candle blowing sequence.  Looking, puffing, smoke rising.

The cake demolishing - or should we say frosting demolishing since that was mostly all I ate

Ash - 24 months

Two years old!!

 My apologies on skipping my 23 mo post, and on being so late with the 24 mo post.  As you may know, it's been a busy, crazy couple of months in our house.  First there was Thanksgiving week with Lola & Papa.  Then was the two weeks where mommy was watching two kids (plus me), while fighting off being sick.  Then Nanoo, PopPop, and Uncle John came to visit for a couple weeks.  After Christmas we caught the flu, so we all started 2014 sick as dogs.  Then we were healthy for a week, just in time for my birthday party.  The weekend after my birthday we all came down with the cold.  On top of ALL this, mommy is pregnant; I'm still not clear on what this means, except she complains about feeling sick and being tired a LOT.  Needless to say, it took a long time to get her to sit down and upload photos & type my post for me.  Thanks for your patience!

Chicken noodle soup during the flu

Size:  I'm wearing all 18-24 mo clothes now.  12 mo pants still fit my waist, but my legs are way too long for them.  At my 24 mo appointment, I weighed 23 lbs (3%) and measured 34" (39%).  I'll be 3' tall soon!

Eating oats on a breakfast date with mommy

Physical development:  I've gotten pretty good at going up and down the stairs by myself, so mommy & daddy don't even supervise anymore.  I can climb up on the furniture by myself.  I'm starting to jog a little.  My fine motor skills are still exceptional.  I can use my spoon to pick the raisins out of my oats and I love doing puzzles and playing with toys.  For Christmas, Nanoo & PopPop got me a sandbox, so when the weather allows I love playing outside in the sand. 

My new sandbox

Verbal development:  I'm talking up a storm, of course.  I'm getting better every day at expressing myself and what I want or don't want.  I'm getting pretty good at phrasing very specific requests.  I'm starting to make up stories about my toys.  Of course, my sense of humor is developing nicely as well.  I had a blast with uncle John when he was here b/c he loves to teach me new things.  He taught me all the parts of an airplane and a truck, he showed me his ukelele and played songs for me, and he even let me load his hands full of sand at the park playing construction vehicles. 

Lola & Papa got me a cool new hat like daddy's

Routines: Since the flu, mommy has been trying to make sure to get to the gym at least 3x's/wk, so I've been spending M/W/F at the gym with the kids.  I moved up to the bigger kids, so I get to rotate rooms every 30 min.  At first I had a hard time with the new setup, but I'm starting to adjust.  I love playing with the trucks in the free-play room, and I've enjoyed being in the big gym too.  One day we played with basketballs, another day we had hoops, and this week we got to bounce in the bounce house like Tigger.

Playing in the snow

Also, Ryker's mommy got a job in Boulder, so we don't get to see him anymore.  And we watched a baby named Rayden for a couple weeks, but over the holidays his parents split up and he hasn't come back to us while they figure out who is going to take care of him.  So mommy took a job watching the kids for MOPS twice a month; between church with the family and mommy's volunteering on every other Sunday, plus MOPS - I've been spending lots of time at church.  It's a little hard for me to be there for so long on Tuesdays for MOPS (8:30-12:00 is a loooong time for a 2 yr old), and since it's only a couple times a month it's harder to adjust.  But it's good for mommy to have a little work while she's waiting for a nanny job to work out.

My fancy new clothes from Lola

 Special events: Obviously this two month period was full of most of the big events for the year - Thanksgiving and a visit from Lola & Papa, Christmas and a visit from Nanoo & PopPop and Uncle John, and my birthday.  It's been a lot of fun and a LOT of presents.  I've really enjoyed it.

Elijah & PopPop helping Isaiah open his presents on Cmas morning

My favorites: I love all the new toys I've gotten.  Whichever toy is the newest present is usually my favorite at the moment.

This dump truck was from Lola & Papa

Daddy's favorites: Daddy has enjoyed getting his voice back so we can go back to our nightly routine of reading stories before bed.  He stopped singing songs, and added an extra story or two to the routine.

Elijah opening presents and Uncle John in the background

Mommy's favorites:  Mommy's favorite joke this month was when I was eating a veggie mix and said "eh-da-MOM-eh" while pointing at her for the "mom" part.  I'm a funny kid :)

Opening my new Otis Christmas book

Upcoming: We've got no visitors planned in the next few months, so it'll just be hanging out at home, the gym, and church mostly.  But now that I'm two, I may not get around to posting every month.  Don't worry if you don't hear from me so often; I'm just busy having fun!

Mommy lit candles on a cupcake on my birthday so I could practice for the party

Ash - 22 months

Reading to Superbear :)

Finding Goldbug in Cars & Trucks & Things That Go

Physical development:  I've gotten quite good at climbing up on the furniture and usually don't need any help getting up anymore (unless I'm particularly tired).  I've been spending a lot of my time the past few weeks playing outside with my construction toys.  I'll spend 30+ minutes outside by myself just focused on digging and scooping and dumping the dirt.  Mommy says she wants to get me a sandbox to dig in instead of the spots where the grass isn't growing.  Unfortunately the time change means that the sun goes down earlier, so it gets pretty cold in the evenings, but I still want to go out and play.

Playing in the dirt till my hands turned red from the cold

Verbal development:  I continue to excel at expressing myself.  Right now I'm loving reading Richard Scarry's Cars & Trucks & Things That Go every day.  We just checked it out from the library, but I heard daddy telling mommy we should probably buy it b/c I can spend an hour a day looking at it.  I love to find Goldbug on each page and name all the vehicles I see.  I've started singing songs, especially the ones I hear every day as part of my bedtime routine.  The other day I sang "You Are My Sunshine" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep" for mommy in the car.  I'm also developing strong opinions about things.  I picked out a very cute hat when we went shopping for cold-weather gear, don't you think?

After we finally got hat and gloves so I won't freeze when I play outside

Other developments:   I've also started to get really affectionate.  I like to initiate snuggles and hugs and kisses every day, and mommy & daddy are loving it!

Playing outside with Ryker

Routines:   I don't remember if I told you about climbing out of my crib or not, but this month we've spent a lot of time getting me settled and used to my "toddler bed" with the rail off the front.  I have new Cars2 sheets and a dump truck blanket that has to be snuggled with me in bed too.  Mommy & daddy are patiently teaching me to stay in bed when it's time to sleep and even helping me to drift off at naptime so I'll get my rest.  Also, though we've fallen into a comfortable normal with Ryker, his mommy got a promotion and they're going to be moving to Boulder at the end of the year, so we're trying to enjoy our last month with him before he moves.

Snuggling with Aunt Chellie

Special events: Halloween was awesome!  Mommy made me a backhoe costume; with a shirt she found in my closet, jeans, my brown "boots", and a hard hat (with one of my hats taped inside to make it fit my head), I looked just like a construction worker.  I had so much fun trick-or-treating in our neighborhood; everyone said how cute I was, and I had great manners saying "thank you" to everyone who put candy in my bucket.  Then it got too cold and my hands started to hurt so we went home and I got to eat some SweeTarts.  Yummy!  Then after I went to bed, mommy went to pick Aunt Chellie up at the airport and we got to spend a couple days with her.  She brought me some awesome presents (including a new Truck book!!) and I enjoyed snuggling and reading with her.  I think mommy might have enjoyed her visit even more than I did! :)

Wearing my backhoe costume, ready to go trick-or-treating

My favorites: I ask mommy and daddy to play me What Does The Fox Say at least once a day.  I'd listen to it all day long if I had a choice.  It's definitely my favorite thing right now.  And like I said, I'm loving Cars & Trucks & Things That Go lately too.

Enjoying the "fruits" of my labor on Halloween

Upcoming:  On Saturday we're having Thanksgiving dinner with Aunt Lindsey & Elijah & baby Isaiah.  I can't wait for all the good food mommy & Aunt Lindsey have planned.  Then on Sunday evening, Papa & Lola fly in for a short visit.  They were supposed to come longer, and we're all bummed they had to cut their trip short, but we're going to pack all the fun and lovin' into 4 days that we can.  We're going to decorate the house and tree for Christmas and have our own little early Christmas celebration before they leave.  I can't wait to give them lots of hugs and kisses!

Crazy morning hair!

Ash - 21 Months

Now at 21 months and one year ago at 9 months

Physical development: I've been working hard at climbing up on things this month.  I love to pull myself onto the couch or a bench, or anything low enough for me to get onto.  Mommy keeps reminding me to sit (not stand) so that I'm safe, and I've had very few spills.  I've also enjoyed going to the park and being able to do more than just run around the mulch.

Playing with daddy at the slide park

Verbal development: I am constantly talking up a storm.  I still haven't figured out my pronouns yet.  I think mommy is I/me/my and that I'm you/your.  I generally refer to myself in the third person b/c that's easier for now. 

A playdate with Ryker and Nathan

Other developments: My canines are mostly out, but they still push and cause discomfort from time to time.  I love to chew on my burpie some days to relieve the pressure.

Parallel play with Ryker

Routines:  We have settled into our routine with Ryker, and I'm getting pretty good at playing and sharing.  I'm learning to wait my turn and trade toys. 

"Driving" a tractor at Miller Farms

Special events: This month I got to do the most exciting thing!  We took a long drive to Miller Farms and got to see antique tractors, monster trucks, and all kinds of machines.  We took a trailer ride out into the fields and got to harvest our own vegetables.  I helped mommy & daddy gather onions, potatoes, and carrots.  I ate a (dirty) carrot, a sweet chili pepper, and a whole ear of corn on the ride; I was hungry!  It was such a fun time, I asked to go back before we even got home.  I love to go back and look at the pictures from the trip.

Standing on the excavator tracks at Miller Farms

My favorites: I've been enjoying reading books a lot this month.  I love getting a new batch of books from the library and picking new favorites.  Right now I'm enjoying an old favorite, Pete & Pillar, and a new Seuss book called Scrambled Eggs Super.  I've also borrowed a truck from my friend Nathan, and I take it everywhere.

Reading Yummy Yucky to Nathan's blue tow truck

Daddy's favorites:  On the weekends daddy gets me up and dressed, and we go downstairs to watch a couple shows together.  My favorite is Mighty Machines, so most Saturday & Sunday mornings you'll catch us together watching a couple episodes and eating cereal on the couch.  It's pretty much the only time I watch any TV.

I woke up from a nap fussy and tired, so daddy got some snuggles

Mommy's favorites: Mommy loves the way I say things.  She's posted a couple of the funniest ones on FB, like my comment about her empty feet or her eyes covered in water.  It's always interesting to hear how my little brain perceives things.

Playing with daddy's hat

Upcoming:  This Halloween I'm going to dress up in a home-made backhoe costume, so that should be fun.  Also, that night Aunt Chellie is coming to visit for a couple days.

Me with Lightning & Mater @ Miller Farms

Ash - 20 Months

Combing my hair for pictures

Mom wanted to be in denial about this one.  For some reason the big TWO-OH hit her harder than some of the other ones.  She's already started thinking about how soon I'll be turning two years old.  It's also been busy with Ryker around, so there hasn't been much time for pictures, so you get just pics from just a few scattered days and Superbear pics in pj's.  But to me this was just another month full of learning and growing and fun.  Let me catch you up!

Sweaty head from playing outside in the hot sun

Size:  I'm too tall for basically all my 12 mo pants, though a few of them still fit my waist.  Mom pulled out a bunch of 18 mo pants/shorts and 24 mo onesies (which snap very loosely yet, but fit well through the trunk and give lots of room for my cloth diapers).

Parking my cars in the "garage"

Physical development:  I'm continuing to work on my gross motor skills, climbing onto couches and chairs that are low enough for me.  I'm constantly working on walking and love to walk on uneven surfaces like grass and mulch and landscaping rocks.  I practice stairs every day and can take them slowly while "hanging onto" the wall, but prefer to go faster hanging onto mommy's hand.  My fine motor skills are awesome.  I've had fun with stickers and crayons, and I've been enjoying practicing putting the blocks on my wooden train and especially hitching my car transporter trailer to the big rig.  But one of my very favorite activities is to go outside and play with my digging toys and construction vehicles; I love playing in the dirt!

Digging in the front yard

Verbal development:  I'm starting to learn to recite my numbers 1-10 and my letters from hearing songs.  I am very specific and usually use descriptive words in my sentences.  I have started whining more often and mommy is always telling me she can't understand me.  I am naturally good at "using my words" when I'm unhappy with what someone is doing, so that makes life a little easier for my parents and caregivers.

Other developments: I've finally cut all my canines.  With a whole mouth full of teeth, mommy thinks I look like a big boy.  I'm just glad to finally be able to eat/chew well again, though I'm still chewing on my burp cloth a lot.  You can see my chapped cheek in some pics from where I'd been chewing and drooling constantly.

See my chapped cheek? Glad to have canines

Routines:  We're getting settled into our day-to-day with Ryker and he's getting used to us and our routines, so we're just excited to have a friend to grow and play with.  Mommy got a gym membership when she got her new nanny job, so I've been spending time a few days a week in the kids' area at the gym.  I like playing with the lawn mower and trucks in the toddler area.  Mommy has been working really hard the past week or two to get me to sleep at nap time b/c I hit the point where I was sleeping about once a week and getting pretty cranky by bedtime.  Now I'm sleeping more than 50% of the time with lots of "torture" from mom to lull me to sleep.

Sharing my toys with Ryker

Special events: Well, it's not exactly a "special event", but our basement flooded this week, so we've had big noisy fans drying out all the moisture.  We had the plumber out to visit too, and he drove a cool big purple box truck.  Otherwise it's been a pretty low-key, ordinary busy month with head colds and doctor visits and trying to get settled into a routine with Ryker.

My favorites: We've checked out some books from the library by an author named Linda D. Williams about various construction vehicles, so I've started tacking her name onto everything I say - "Ash is eating breakfast by Linda D. Williams" or "Mommy clean my hands by Linda D. Williams".

I love digging at the "sand park"

Upcoming: This upcoming month is pretty bland with no special company visiting or anything, but at the end of October Aunt Chellie is coming to visit, then in November Lola & Papa come to visit, then in December is Christmas and the Moriarty clan visiting, and January I turn TWO, so I've got plenty of excitement to get ready for.  I'll check in with you again in a month or two.

This is my favorite t-shirt