We have to do this AGAIN, mom???

We've been out of town today so we took a real quick photo shoot of a borderline fussy baby before we left. :)  At least we posted a bunch of videos the other day so you can watch (or re-watch) those if you want a little more from today's weekly picture post. :)

Asher continues to get more fun all the time.  He's starting to mimic us (clapping, among other gestures- pointing, tapping his fingernails on the table, etc.) He adds more consonants to his vocabulary every day, it actually sounds like he's talking half the time (if only we could understand him!), and as you saw in the video, he's discovering VOLUME!  

After being a VERY stationary baby for the last 8 months he is finally starting to move of his own accord - attempting to pull up on things, getting up on his knees, etc.  It's so fun to see, but also strikes a little bit of terror in my heart wondering how I'm going to adjust to a mobile child after being a little spoiled to still be able to plop my 8 month old down on the floor and not worry about him going anywhere when I'm in the shower.  We'll figure out how to adjust somehow.  :)

Anyway, here's his pic! 

Against tradion of the weekly picture post, I just couldn't help not posting this pic we took last night... pure JOY!  :)  Thanks Aunt Heidi for passing down your kids' lamb chair to us.  It's a new fave! :)

 #Meagan

  

Milestones in Video

Well, it's been a crazy week this past week, but it's also been a week of milestones for Asher.  We've been fortunate enough to catch these on video, so here they are:

Last weekend we felt that Asher really started to find his voice.  As such, he's gaining volume, but it's super cute.

Also, one that was somewhat unexpected last weekend was Asher mimicking us by clapping. 

And this weekend, Asher has been working on gaining mobility.  I got to experience it tonight as he tried to pull up on Meagan.

Can't wait to see what he pulls out of his  hat next!

#Eric

Moving along

This weekend was the wedding of Meagan's sister Bethany, and it was a wonderful, beautiful event.  Many congratulations go out to the newly wedded couple, who I'm sure are now having tons of fun on their honeymooon.  This was Asher's first wedding, and much to my relief he fell asleep right before the ceremony started, and woke up to the applause after the announcement of the couple.  Perfect timing to say the least.  We'll try to scrounge up some pictures from the weekend.  No guarantees. 

Anyway, without further ado, here's the picture of the week.  This kid is a blast.

In other news, Asher is now clapping too.  We've got a great video that we'll post soon.

Later!

#Eric



Summer Furniture Finds

When I was starting out in my first apartment, I bought a lot of my furniture at auctions and estate sales.  I was able to get a good deal on a lot of great furniture!  In the last couple of years, Eric's really gotten into auctions as well and sought out the auction house here in Marshalltown.  We go from time to time, maybe 3-4 times a year.  I love to stay till the very end when they just throw a bunch of stuff together for dirt cheap, like getting a punch bowl and 30 matching glass for $5, or 8 sundae glasses for $1! Unfortunately this time, Asher was getting a little antsy and we had to leave before the end, but that isn't to say we didn't come home without some great finds!

I personally always go to look at the furniture (to help furnish our home on our budget!), but this last time was the first time that I actually won the bidding on a few pieces before it got beyond what I wanted to pay for it!  They all need a little work,  but I like having projects to do... though unfortunately it's a little harder to find the time nowadays. I keep telling myself that Asher will eventually go to sleep sooner that 9:00 and someday we'll have our evenings again... :) 

Anyway, my favorite piece is this solid mahogany vanity that we got for $45.  It's in great condition other than a few water marks on the varnish... you know, when it gets a little white-ish in spots.  It doesn't look bad though, so it might just get put to use for a few years before I get around to stripping the varnish and re-staining it.  I will re-upholster the chair though sooner than later.  :)

The other piece we got at the auction was this solid walnut headboard and footboard for $15!  I think it fits a full or maybe a junior matress...I haven't done the measurements yet.  It's bigger than a twin, smaller than a queen. :)  It'll be great for one of the guest rooms-turned-kid's room down the road!

These next three pieces, I got at garage sales this summer, but I wanted to share them anyway.

I found this solid wood desk for $15 with beautiful detailing in the grain of the top drawers!  Can't wait to re-do this piece!   But before I say anything else, let me first say that solid wood furniture, while beautiful and lasting, is HEAVY!  We definitely had to call in the reinforcements to get this desk as well as the auction pieces home (thanks to my willing hubby as well as Ian McClellan on the auction pieces and Eric's dad for my garage sale finds)!

I love the story behind this solid wood kid's play table that I found for $10. I was on a walk with Asher and passed by a garage sale about three blocks from our house.  There were two older couples selling a bunch of their now grown kids' things.  One of the older gentlemen shared with me that he had handmade this table for his own kids many years ago. It's still super sturdy and the wood grain on top is beautiful (though it needs to be sanded and re-finished.)  Anyway, there was no way I was getting it home with Asher in the stroller, so we went back for the car, and alas it didn't fit in the car, so the older gentleman voluntarily picked it up and walked it the three blocks back to my house for me. And then he was so glad it was going to a good home that he threw in a little booster seat for free. :)

I was so excited when I found this kids quilt rack for $5, because Asher has got many loving quiltmakers in his life who've blessed us abundantly with beautiful quilts!  Great Grandma Anderson, Grandma Dobbs, Jan - our pastor's wife, and the church ladies quilting group all made a quilt for our lucky boy.  Even I tried my hand at my first quilt when I found out I was expecting!  This is going to be the easiest piece to re-do because I'm just going to slap a coat of white paint on it and put it in the nursery to display the quilted works of art that Asher will get to use and enjoy for many years to come!

Anyway, it's been a good summer for cheap furniture finds.  I got all 5 pieces of solid wood furniture for a grand total of $90!  Check back from time to time, I'll try to remember to re-post some "after" pictures... though you may be waiting a few years on some of them!  :)  

And check out your local auction! 

#Meagan  

A few old fashioned things

We got this old fashioned outfit from a baby shower a while back.  Eric thinks it makes him look like a girl, so we haven't worn it much, but if you think about it, back in the day all babies wore dresses and girlie looking clothes, so I guess it kind of makes sense that it might make him look feminine.  To Asher's benefit at least it's blue, and I, personally, think it's cute.  Anyway, I'm running out of clothing choices for the weekly picture because we're not quite in the next size yet, and for some reason I don't really want to post him in the same outfit twice.  So there you have it, you've seen our entire 6-9 month wardrobe. If his clothes look a little baggy next week, well, now you know why. :)  

I was also inspired to put him in this little outfit, because we visited our local auction house this weekend and I snagged some really cool, really old pieces of furniture for cheap. I was going to share them here; my old fashioned furniture finds with Asher in his old fashioned outfit... but as this is supposed to be a weekly post about Asher, I'll save that for tomorrow. 

Let me just say that EVERYONE loved Asher at the auction.  I don't know how many compliments I got about how good of a baby he was, how contented, how quiet, how cute. He smiled a ton, slept through half of it, and didn't make any more of a peep than a few happy squeals. :)  Granted the median age of attendees was probably 60 and most were grandparents, it's always nice to hear nice things about your kid. And I love how portable he is!  There really isn't much we can't do... though that is changing at night time.  Bedtime routines and being at home for them are more important for Asher than they used to be... anyway... that's a different story.

Hard to believe our little guy will be 8 months on Sunday!   

#Meagan

Crisis Averted (My niece was born!)

We've had some mild drama/stress brewing in the Anderson family for the last few months because my older sister Heidi was pregnant with her fourth child and due July 10th, and my younger sister Bethany will be getting married on July 22nd.  Heidi is the matron of honor in the wedding and really didn't want the baby to be overdue and have to stand up front two days after having a baby, or worse yet, still be in the hospital and not get to come!

So on everyone's behalf, I'm extremely pleased to announce that God heard and answered our prayers, and beautiful Lillian May joined the Buschbach family Tuesday morning - on her due date!

Anthony James (2), Acacia Dawn (8), Evelyn  Joy (4), Lillian May (1 day!)

Now, we cannot wait for the wedding weekend to arrive so we can meet her!  Thankfully we do not have to wait long!    (10 days Beth!)    I'm so excited for both of my sisters!  What a joyous month for our family! 

#Meagan

Our little bundle of energy

Asher continues to delight us... though there was never any doubt of that. :)   He's a little bundle of energy... squirmy squirmy squirmy!  If only he'd channel that energy and figure out how to crawl... :) Though moms are often telling us to enjoy this pre-movement phase!  

He's figured out how to wave hello and goodbye on his own! Just started doing it one day. It's not 100% consistent, but when he waves it tends to be at the appropriate moments. 

He's just a lot of fun!  Here's his weekly pic... 



My sweet little boy...

# Meagan

6 1/2 Months in Pictures

A while back I had promised a collage version of our weekly pictures (as requested by my mom, and inspired by our friend Bethany in her blog Sawdust and Embryos).  I finally got that done last week, but I'm just now getting it up.  It sure is fun to see him grow before your eyes :)

Also, I put together a couple pictures I took of him in his pumpkin hat from aunt Bethany.  The first was taken at about a day old, and the other at almost 6 months.  I may have to try and get him squeezed into it at a year!  (or just stick it on top of his head, Abu-style)

He's just growing like a weed...

#Eric

Happy (almost) 4th!!!

We got this outfit at a baby shower my church had for Asher way back in March and we've been anxiously awaiting the day when he could finally wear this adorable outfit!  He's been wearing the shorts for a while now with other outfits, and good thing, because as you can tell they're a little snug on his round belly.  But the shirt still fits perfectly and we're great at mixing and matching! :)  We're going to take it off here in a couple minutes to keep it clean for tomorrow but we wanted to wear it today for his weekly picture!  :) 

Asher's doing great!  We've been going swimming, on stroller rides, and to storytime at the library  pretty regularly because it's fun for both of us to get out of the house!   (The days tend to get a little long if we spend all day everyday at home.)

Anyway, here's his pic of the week! Such a sweet boy.  He's 7 1/2 months already!

 He scruches up his whole body when he laughs!

Hope everyone has a great Independence Day tomorrow!  We're sure grateful for the freedoms we have!

#Meagan