Asher's Big Boy Room

Okay, this post's a few months old now, but the little dude is sleeping, so I thought that since I am so often bragging on my little guy on here, I should make the time to do some bragging on my hubby too.    Besides, I totally need a break from all the laundry, dishes, cooking, "nesting", packing for the hospital, washing baby clothes, cleaning out the nursery, etc., etc., etc. that I normally try to cram into the hour and half nap Asher takes every afternoon.  Life at home is blessed for sure, but repetitive, no?

Anyway, I mentioned previously that we moved Asher into his big boy room on his birthday... it was in fact his birthday present from us... for while we attempted to D.I.Y. most of it, it's ridiculous how much paint, and lumber, and materials, and curtains, and sheets, and all that adds up when its not something you do often and have extras just lying around.  Regardless, I'm EXTREMELY proud of my husband's handiwork and his ability to bring my vision to life!  It's still a work in progress for sure, but I'm very pleased!  :)

So let's start with this awesome bit. 

 

I really wanted a corner toy cubby but could not find one like my brain was imagining for purchase so Eric offered to take on the challenge.  The little lift up cubby in the middle was a delightful surprise!  With a nice slow falling hinge so fingers don't get smashed.  Seriously I think this might be the first real piece of furniture my husband has ever built and I could not be more delighted!   

 

Secondly,  I wanted gutter book shelves, as seen ALL over Pinterest these days.  Asher loves reading and I wanted him to be able to see the front of his books so he doesn't feel the need to pull every book off the bookshelf in order to find the one he wants (so far success in that dept!).  Anyway, gutters it turns out are super cheap... end caps and corner caps - not so much.  So Eric used his newly found skills again and made me some wooden ones.  A second shelf is in the works to go above the one pictured, but life preparing for Christmas and then #2 on the way has me pulling him in other directions at the moment. :) 

 

 

 

As for the homemade "art" above the dresser, this is one of many wall decorations I'd eventually like in the room, I'm just still undecided about what else I want to do.  I thought about some wall vinyls, or something, but I also didn't want to do too much as I want to keep the room fairly easy to shift into a 10 year old boys room as he grows (think G.I. Joes in the toy cubbies, and chapter books on the "gutter" shelves) take down little boy prints and put up whatever interests my growing boy down the road.   But anyway, in my husbands terminology, "I digress." 

 

 

 Pretty simply, I bought some cheap stretched canvas at Walmart, painted it the solid background color with those little paint sample bottles you can buy when choosing a color, and then Eric freehanded, yes freehanded, the vehicles on a piece of cardstock which I cut out to be stencils and painted with leftover wall color.  Any credit for skill goes all to Eric... execution with it's imperfections are mine. :)  But I am non-the-less pleased.  We chose an "on the go" theme, as that is exactly what our little guy is.  But there was definitely some waffling as he also loves everything music, animal, and for some unexplainable reason - basketball.  :) 

 

 

Lastly, I couldn't help myself and splurged on this awesome car mat I found online.  He hasn't quite got the hang of it yet... (I don't think he "sees" the streets as streets) but I think it'll be something he enjoys for sometime down the road  (pun not intended, but we'll go with it.)  :) 

 

 

 

Anyway, we've still got some work to do (getting the 2nd bookshelf done and up, getting some organization in his closet  (don't judge, but half of it is still full of all Eric's guns and equipment from when this was the guest room... promise it's all VERY securely locked and safe!), etc, etc. BUT for the time being we've got other things prioritizing higher.  Only 20 days until the new little one's due to arrive... which really means anytime in the next 0 - 4 weeks.  Life goes on and laundry continues to stare me in the face from across the room so I better attempt to do something of normalcy before the little guy wakes. 

 

So far it's been well loved. :) 

 

 

Two years, can it be?

I give you Asher's last picture in the yellow chair, as is my trend - a couple weeks late. (And his first ones I took at two weeks... just 'cause I wanted to.)   For his birthday we moved him into his "big boy room" as we're keeping the nursery... well... the nursery for baby #2.   So in ten weeks time, hope we'll be posting pics of a new baby!  Cause seriously... when did this happen??? 

 

Man, a lot changes in two teeny little years! 

 

This is how Asher smiles anytime he sees a camera and says cheese.

And these are just sweet. 

I love you, little guy, more than I ever thought was possible.  At two, you talk ALL the time.  You're stringing 4-5 word sentences together.   You're super polite, overusing "thank you" and finally having figured out "please."  :)   We get so tickled when you say "good job, mommy" and "good job, daddy" over the silliest things like cutting up your food, or getting ourselves dressed.   And you're in a phase right now of asking us to "try" to do things in the sweetest little voice.  "Mommy, you try (to wash my face)."  Or come here, Asher, so Mommy can change your diaper ... "No, Daddy, try."  Like we haven't done it a hundred times before... :)   You know a few letters, most all your colors, a handful of shapes, and you count 1,2,3,4,9,10.  I may be biased, but I rather think you have a HUGE vocabulary!  A mom's allowed to brag a little, right?

You're in big time "do it myself/big boy mode".  (which tries mommy and daddy's patience to no end... but we're proud of your abilities to perform new skills by yourself too!) You want to dress and undress yourself, go up and down the stairs yourself, buckle yourself in, eat your food uncut, use "real" cups without a sippy lid, not wear a bib... we're hoping this mindset transfers over well when we attempt to start potty training this weekend! 

You amaze us with your ability to catch and throw balls, how much you love music and dancing (especially with mommy :) ), and your awareness of the baby in my tummy.  You pat it and talk to it, and tell me it is crying and then you tell him/her "it's okay, baby."  You also amaze me with how much you love seeing your friends and how many, many, many peoples' names that you know!

You crack us up by how sensitive you are to new textures and experiences.  While you'll FINALLY touch playdough and fingerpaint, I had to drag you outside the first time it snowed this year (and you still haven't worked up the nerve to touch it), and you wouldn't touch or taste the frosting on your birthday cake when we were frosting it, because it was too "sticky" and you kept having to wash your hands. :)  We love all your little quirks though.  Especially how much you love snuggling with your hands up our sleeves, as you are sleeping on my lap now.  I love these rare moments when you still will fall back asleep in my arms after a nap that wasn't quite long enough. :) I know I won't get to snuggle with you like this too much longer. 

What I'm still waiting for is for you to sing.  I'm sure you know some songs, but the only time I've heard you're sweet voice, you acted embarrassed and timid and wouldn't continue.   What a personality you already have!  

Cute things you've been saying lately: 

-When laying in bed you often ask for "something else"  as you often do when you are bored.  When I ask you what you need you just repeat "something else."  However, yesterday, when I asked what you needed, you answered "Jesus."  I know you were referring to the plastic one in your nativity set, but it was still sweet... and I still tried to tell you, at two, about how to ask Jesus in your heart.  :)

-When we were at the store buying a pizza crust, the clerk asked you what you were going to put on your pizza, and I genuinely did not expect you to answer her.  After several minutes, you smiled up at her and said "sauce."  :)



You are not perfect, and God is using you to make me more patient and self-sacrificial every day, like when you only nap for an hour most days, or when your little temper and independence flares, but I pray daily that God will soon be active in your little life as well, making us both into the people he wants us to be... so I don't get mad when you wake up earlier than I want you to, and so you will be transformed into the Man of God I pray you will be someday.  I love being your mommy, and I know your daddy desperately loves you too. 

We're so proud of you!  I could go on and on. 

Happy 2 years little guy!

23 months!

A week ago Tuesday, our sweet little baby turned 23 months... he can't be two in less than a month, can he???

 

A cute one, I thought, of him showing Daddy the monkeys in the book.  :)

And then the shenanigans started....

 

 I've been getting so frustrated (?) lately with how often socks are NOT on his feet any more when we're in a hurry and it's time to put shoes on and run out the door... 

 

 

 

 

But alas... why would you keep them on when you can have sock puppets, instead!

 

 

Happy Halloween!  A more fitting post will follow tomorrow of our pumpkins and adorable little scarecrow! :) 

Meagan

Summer 2013

Well the summer flew by in a blur.  We were ridiculous about posting... er... not posting, I guess.  I blame it on being pregnant... I'm allowed right?  The first trimester of this pregnancy seemed a whole lot worse than when I was pregnant with Asher.  I was EXHAUSTED... like all the time!  Also rather nauseous.  At this point of my last pregnancy I'd gained almost 8 pounds.  Due to having to make myself through much of those sickly days,  I'm currently negative four pounds this time around.  Poor Eric kept asking how many more weeks until I was done with the 1st trimester.  Thankfully that is all well behind us and I'm already into the 5th month! 

I got so far behind on everything we were up to this summer that I just kind of gave up on getting in posted, but there are so many fun memories of things we did as a family, milestones in Asher's little life, etc. that I didn't want to NOT get it recorded, since this blog is my personal resource every few ...er 6-8 months when I actually carve out the time to put something in his baby book.  Did you know there is a company (ies?) out there that will print your blog with pictures in a nice format so you can have it bound on paper as a family scrapbook?  Totally need to look into doing that annually or something.  Anyway... 

June

*Most importantly we found out baby #2 was on the way over Father's Day weekend!  Nothing but joy and thankfulness over that one!  

*Asher got his first hair cut.  I cried in my car in the parking lot of the hair salon BEFORE we ever went in.  It was just that I couldn't bear to cut off his little curls.  Our good friend, Jodi, cut it for us though and it wasn't anywhere near as horrible as I had feared. She was great with him (which I never doubted) and it was actually so much nicer to have the crazy gone.  But now three months later, we're in desperate need of another hair cut and I'm getting to see those curls again, so I'm relieved to know they weren't cut off for good.  :) 

This, folks, is what I cried over...

Much less crazy, and still super sweet...

*Asher and I took a Mommy and Me swim class at the Y with our good friends Paula and Ethan.  Asher learned to LOVE water, to not mind having water splash in his face, to blow bubbles, to put his head back in the water, and to jump in from the side, among many other early water skills.  It was a lot of fun for both of us, and we've enjoyed the pool many times over the course of the summer!  He's almost TOO brave for my liking in the water now. 

*  The garden Rhonda bought for me and helped me plant as a Mother's Day/birthday gift bore it's first green beans.  I was sooo excited to have my first produce, and then... rather disappointed when week after week, I collected the exact same number of green beans you see here before you.  Yes, every week or two, I cooked and ate my four green beans, and learned an important lesson that two green bean plants will not on their own enable one's whole family to eat green beans in one sitting... ever.  :)   Eric has promised to build me some larger container gardens for next summer so I can plant a few rows.  Watering a little more often might have made a little bit of a difference though as well...  ;)

July

*July took us out to Rapid City over the 4th of July.  We camped with Lyndsey and Brandon (and Emerson!) up in the Hills and spent time with Grandma and Grandpa Dobbs visiting all sorts of fun places (like Story Book Island!).  Eric also got to scuba dive with his dad while we were camping!

 

 

*We also splurged a bit and bought ourselves a van!  This purchase proceeded our public announcement of our pregnancy and many had growing suspicious because of it, but I promise, I'd been nagging Eric to go look at them with me since our trip home after Christmas.  I'd told him I absolutely wanted one before our camping/10 hour road trip over the 4th.  That didn't happen, but not having it just may have convinced him. :)  We bought our Honda Odyssey the very next weekend, and we've loved it so far!  ;)

August

*Grandpa Dobbs came to visit in early August just to go to the Iowa State Fair with us... well that and to see Asher, of course.  :)   We had a blast as always at the fair!

*August was a bit of a whirlwind as well, because Eric was in charge, yes, you heard me, in charge of our church's 150th Anniversary Celebration!   Yes, Eric, who's been at the church for 6 years tops, but all that aside, he did an AWESOME job, the entire weekend full of events came together smoothly, and fun was had by all!  Here's a few pics to show off all his (and his committee's) hard work!  And a HUGE thanks to Grandma Anderson, for coming up for the weekend to help us with Asher so we didn't run ourselves completely ragged! 

The committee planned a fun carnival complete with inflatables, face painting, free popcorn and cotton candy, carnival games, a dunk tank, and free dinner.  They drew quite a crowd!  :) 



Asher loving the bounce house!



Asher waiting in line to throw bean bags. :)



After the carnival there was more adult/family geared entertainment: a Christian improv group, FishSticks, performed and Eric Samuel Timm (painter/speaker) er, well, painted and spoke. :)   Both were AWESOME.  Eric also helped organize a very meaningful church service the next morning to "Remember, Rejoice, and Rededicate" our church body.  Below is a pic right after he'd introduced the past members of the pastoral staff who returned to share memories of the church.  He and his committee really did a great job!  :) 

 





*Lastly, and I think we'll be mostly up to date, Asher and I took a trip down to Clarinda to see MY grandmas (and mom!) because Eric was off on a business trip and my dad was off fishing in Alaska!  Unfortunately my Grandma Anderson was on a cruise to Bermuda (lucky duck) but we had a great time catching up with my Grandma Herzberg and Asher adored hanging out at his grandma's house!

While home, Grandma took Asher to one of our friend's farm, where he got to hold puppies, pet goats, feed chickens, collect eggs, and sit in a tractor.   One of the many highlights of the weekend for him!  :) 
            

Busy playing with great grandma Herzberg!

After all of that crazy summer we were blessed to have a quiet Labor Day weekend at home with just the three (four!) of us resting and relaxing!  We also look forward to all the fun that Fall will bring, including some cooler weather, and God-willing a trip up to New York soon to see Eric's Grandma Dobbs (along with a quick visit to the nearby Niagara Falls)!

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I wrote this post originally over Labor Day weekend, but never finished getting the pics added.  September flew by, and we actually just returned from our trip to NY and Niagara!  So keep your eyes out for that post as well!   We'll try and get it up sooner than later!

Grandma and Grandpa Anderson also stopped in for a short visit mid-September as well and took Asher to the zoo.  We'll see if we can't get a few pics of that up as well, because like I said... this blog really ends up being more than anything a family scrapbook for us! 

 

 

Signing off, The Dobbs