He's five folks...

Asher turned five! I know... gulp... five! Like ready to start kindergarten five. Yikes.



At five this kid is cute and funny and adorable and bossy. He is the life of the party. Everyone wants to hang out with him (although I wonder why sometimes, because did I mention the bossy part?). He says the funniest stuff. He remembers everything. Including all the funny stuff we say, which he total understands and repeats later at the perfect moment.

At five, this kid can talk. We're talking like better than a 10 year old sometimes. He says what he thinks, he doesn't hesitate to tell people what to do, and he isn't afraid to ask what everything means (so that he can see if he wants to catalog it in his huge brain and repeat it later).

Even though he is such a great speaker, he still uses the wrong words for some things and I find it adorable. Maybe because it reminds me he's still a kid.
Instructions = Constructions
Beginning = Be-g-endings

He loves to scream and dance. Anytime I try to take a picture this is what I get:

One of Ash's greatest traits is that his moral compass points due north. There is no crossing the boundaries. He doesn't want to be in trouble. If I offer him a sip of my diet coke in public, he's like but they will get mad at me mom. Who? The workers and the other moms. He won't take candy without asking first. He won't even go to the bathroom without asking first. (he still poops naked though... I find this very odd, but it works for him). He knows the rules and he doesn't break them.

Ash has been playing soccer and it's become apparent that he is a natural. He is a great forward. He doesn't like to get involved in the little pushing groups (goes against that moral compass thing) that surround the ball in the 4 year old teams, but he stands around the edge, waits for the ball to come out, scoops it up and off he goes. He can kick the ball so hard he can score from mid-field. He usually scores about 4 goals a game. He can't understand why Tom and I don't do the same.

Ash's faves at 5:

Activities:
Fishing (anytime, any place)
Playing with Legos
Playing Wii or Xbox
Soccer
Playing with friends

Foods:
Chicken Nuggets
Stacy's famous phili clubs
Cheese Sticks
White donuts
(he's a picky eater... I usually have to force him a little)

Treats:
Captain Ahoys (what he calls chips ahoys!)
M&Ms
Hershey Kisses
(reeses have taken a back seat... I think he ate too many)

He has grown so much in the last month or two. At his doctor's appt he weighed 42 pounds and was 42 inches. I think last I measured it was 39 pounds and 40 inches.

At Ash's doctor's appt his eye site measured 50/20... so it looks like we are off to the eye doc to get that checked out. Get real... glasses or no glasses this kid is still so freaking cute.

Too cool for school...

Ash is registered for kindergarten. I'm completely sad and excited at the same time. It's too soon. He's too young. And I can't be old enough to have a kid that big. BUT he will have so much fun that I know he will love it.

They took pictures at preschool the other day and when I saw this cute picture I thought that pretty much sums him up. So funny and cute and happy. I love it.

Four came so fast...

Ash has been saying for weeks that his birthday was coming and he would be TEN... No way buddy... FOUR is bad enough. I can't take how quickly he grows.


My child is so CUTE. Adorable. I can't get enough of him. He talks like an adult and he is so FUNNY. Take for example the day his grandma Noralyn took the kangaroo to daycare and then he got to leave early with her. What does my child say to all the kids as he leaves? "See ya suckers!"

He is a riot.

Favorite Toys at 4:
- soccer ball and goal
- wii or iPad
- nerf guns
- superheros
- dirt and shovels

Favorite Foods:
- McDonalds Nuggets
- Corndogs
- Spaghetti
- Toast (but only the Bountiful Basket bread)
- Special K Bars

Favorite Treats:
- Peanut Butter Cups (he still loves em)
- Caffeine Free Diet Coke
- Licorice
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Airheads

Favorite Activities:
- Reading books (especially from the library)
- Playing video games
- Helping his dad in the yard
- Riding his four wheeler
- Sleep over parties

For his birthday he woke up and asked if he was taller. He thought he would actually get bigger since it was his birthday. It was very cute.

We had his birthday party on his birthday and it was actually sunny this year. Small miracle. It has rained every year.

He started things off by riding his four wheeler around...



Addi was here and jumped on for a ride.



She looks like such a little lady already. She walks around with a little purse now. She's adorable.



Ash had wanted water guns for everyone to play with, so we got a bunch for all the kids. And some adults. They had a blast with them.


Ash is such a kook.




Ash opened his presents. He was completely spoiled as usual. He got a big Captain America from Uncle Rory that Ash called a "nerd". Even though he loves it. He picked it for show and tell this week which means he loves it.


We got him a Wii game and the Squinky skull dispenser (he earned money doing chores to buy the superhero squinky's last month). He got so many great presents from everyone. He loved them all.

Ellee was hanging out jumping on the tramp:


I had asked what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday, and of course he chose a superhero... Batman. We also got some cute Batman cupcakes. Ash was very excited to eat them (mostly just the frosting... he doesn't love the cake part).



After everyone left he played with all the toys. We let him stay up late to play for a while. It was a fun party and he told me it was "so so great". We are so grateful for everyone for coming and making it an amazing day for him.

I can't believe it's time already...

Ash's soccer...

Ash and Tom practiced playing soccer to get him ready. Every night when Tom would walk in the door, Ash would run up and say "wanna go play soccer?"




At the first team practice Ash had a ball. It was cold and rainy but he wanted to keep playing. He loves interacting with everyone and kicking the ball around.




Then came the first game. He was not so sure he liked that part. I keep wondering if I nag him a lot about things. Like taking toys from other kids. He refused to take the ball from anyone. He didn't like the chaos of the of the game. He just wanted to come out and practice on the sidelines.

So we worked with him at home on stealing the ball and playing a little aggressive. By the next game he did much better. He still needs to make sure he can see where I'm at (once again... I am always telling him if I can see him someone can take him and to stay close... another nag, but kind of necessary, right?). He got right in the mix and played with the kids.





By the next game he played the entire game and LOVES it. We bribe him with McDonalds after the game if he won't whine to come out, but by this game he didn't really need it. He just played and played.

It's really funny to watch the kids that age play. They are 3-5 year olds so Ash is kind of in the middle. All the kids just know to kick the ball to the goal, no matter whose goal it is. There is one 5 year old who gets it and stands mid field to turn the ball around. Ben... he's the little defender. Everyone else will run with the ball right into the next field and keep playing. Its hilarious.

Hopefully soccer is a long term love of Ash's. He still bugs Tom to play with him and Tom can't get away with grilling in the backyard without playing. Sometimes the neighbor kids will join in.

Today Tom asked Ash if he likes to play soccer with the kids. Ash said, "Yeah, but playing with dads is better..."

He gets just a *little* excited...

Ash tends to be a little wild when he gets excited.

Whenever he gets around Ellee they just run and scream and be a little crazy.

When he plays video games with his dad he jumps up and down and yells at the TV.

Yesterday we took him bowling at Boondocks and he literally jumped up and down the entire time.

1. roll the ball
2. jump up and down
3. get another ball and roll it
4. jump up and down

repeat over and over.

It's hilarious.

You'll see what I mean...

It makes me laugh so hard.

Big brother (and little munchkin)...

So it's official...


There's a baby in the baby cave. (as Tom would put it)

One more munchkin headed our way.

We are all excited!

Due date is August 8th. Doc says probably do a c-section more like the 2nd.

Baby is baking up nice...


Wiggly just like Asher was. Took time out of its dance moves to wave hello.

I keep calling it a "he," but Asher swears we will have a "baby Addi." But sometimes he follows that up with "you just never know." I'll be happy either way :)

{of course I'm leaning towards wanting a girl... so I ran right out and bought a boy outfit. To jinx myself the opposite way. Yes... naughty of me. But I bought a little pink tanktop with a flower for Asher... and then he was a boy. So maybe it will work!}

Potty updates...

We are fully switched to underwear (spiderman and hulk are the faves) during the day! It is amazing (and so much cheaper!).

It wasn't really even hard after we made the switch. Ash doesn't really have accidents. The worst is just things like going to the bathroom four times during one grocery trip because its so much fun (barf).

We still do pullups at night. That will be the next goal.

Because he goes in the potty now, he gets to move into the next class at daycare. A class where they learn the alphabet... and have show and tell... and get to use the big kid playground every day. Oh the excitement! Today is the last day with the Preppers (2 year olds), so he took treats for all his friends. He starts on Monday in the new class. Luckily they are moving like 5 kids, including his best buddy Killian, so he'll be right at home!

Potty updates...

We've been trying to potty train Ash for months now... he goes just fine at home, but at daycare he REFUSES to go. He told his teacher he would "NEVER" go there.

What worked well at home is to just let him roam naked and fancy free. He peed once on the floor and I made such a fuss about it that he never did it again. He made sure to get to the potty everytime. Now I can put him underwear and pants during the day at home and he does just fine. No problems.

He has an issue with loud noises. He hates them. No fireworks. No sirens (we barely made it through half the parade). He freaks out if he sees someone blowing up balloons and starts yelling "don't pop it!" We saw a little boy holding a balloon the other day and we had to leave the store he was freaking out so bad about the kid popping it.

I don't think its something we've done to cause the fear. He had it before he was born. Whenever we went to movies while I was pregnant I always thought I was going into labor because he would just roll and roll in my tummy. As soon as we walked out into the quiet, he was back to normal.

What does this have to do with going potty at daycare? Well... Ash had just started trying to use the potty at daycare, and it was like his second or third time in the bathroom when they have a fire drill and the FREAKING FIRE ALARM goes off. Oh... and the alarm is IN THE BATHROOM (two big rooms separated by an open bathroom in the middle with low walls... so the alarm is in the middle of the two rooms). Now all he thinks about when he goes in that bathroom is that damn loud noise.

I've been working on it with him. I have to literally pick him up and carry him in the bathroom kicking and screaming. Even though I've promised him (and the daycare promised him) that it would not go off again, he's terrified.

It took about a week. Starting with me just getting him used to going back in there. Then progressing to me trying to take his pants off (while he screamed bloody murder... they think I'm a *great* mom). I bought a special treat... a Batman pez dispenser (combining Ash's love of superheros and pez) and offered it as a prize for going. I finally left work an hour early yesterday and told him he could come back to work with me if he tried. I took him to the big kids bathroom (private) and pulled off the diaper as he whimpered. Then held him on the potty while he went. I must have timed it just right for him needing to go. I can't image the joy of coming to my work is so great that it encouraged it... but you never know.

Everyone at my work congratulated him on this and it must have made a big impression because now he is EXCITED to try again. When I dropped him off this morning he tried on both potties (the big kids and little kids). I think we might finally be headed towards no more diapers!!!

I have no idea how to get him through the night still... but that will come. Everything is done in steps with this kid.

Then there's still the matter of that damn binkie...
{only at night now... but it's still hanging around}

Birthday presents...

He calls it a "lawn mower"


He's literally ridden it about 3-4 of the 5 hours he's owned it so far. I think we made a good choice.

Big boy...

Asher is getting so old! He is totally a little boy now. Sometimes I am so happy to see him learning new things, and other times I am so sad to see him grow so fast.

He has almost given up the binky. Yup... *almost*.

He only gets it at night and nap times. Every now and then he asks me so sweetly if he can have it for just two minutes (as he holds up to little fingers). I will put the timer on for two minutes and let him have it. But that is only once every few days. For the most part we are binky free and it is AMAZING!!!

We started doing this because the binky was taking over our lives. We spent half the day searching for a binky while Ash whined. I couldn't take it anymore.

We tried going off them cold turkey, but that only lasted half a night.

Then we did it in small spurts. We let Ash be the one to put it away (on top of the bookshelf... where the truck used to be {more on that in a min}). That worked really good. He replaced the binky with his backpack. He carries it everywhere. At first he also bit his wrists and shirts... but that faded after a while.

He only seems to miss it at night now. About a half hour before bed he starts asking to go to bed so he can have it. We get him diverted pretty easily.

Ohhhh... the joy of no binky. I can't wait until it's totally gone.

The other big boy thing he does now is pee in the potty. He started that first time at daycare. I tried everything to get him to go at home. After a few days he did it and the truck came down! Then... he didn't want to do it anymore. So I went to the party store and bought a bunch of cheap little fun things.

Thus began the pee pee prizes.


We let him have one every time he did it. That got things going again. Now we are at one prize for every two times.

The thing that works best... at night we take off his pants and diaper and let him roam *naked* and fancy free. He totally knows when he needs to pee, but was just lazy and did it in his diaper. Tom decided that would work after he kept looking at us and saying "I'm gonna pee in my diaper." He hasn't had any accidents and runs for the potty when he needs it.

I'm anxious to get him completely converted, but it's all done with baby steps.

Who is this kid?

I'm not exactly sure... But I think I'm in love.

He is adorable.

And grown up.

And so respectable like. A hippie no more.

Maybe he won't get called a girl now. {not that I cared}

He went into his aunt Crystal's work looking like this:




And came out looking like this:




Amazingly adorable.




And just for fun:




[grandma can scoot]

There is a rumor...

that my child used the potty for the first time today at daycare!

He had a "prize" in his cubby (a little stuffed animal). I asked why he got it and he said he was because he used the potty.

Hallelujah!!!

The scissors

It all started with the "are you sad" question. He thought about all the things I would teach him and decided how to use scissors was most important.

And then he didn't forget about it. Asked me to teach him every day.

So I bought him this:




And I taught him how to use the scissors. Which has brought him hours of enjoyment and lots of these:




It's the little things that make him the most happy.

And this:




almost blinded me. I bought it with the scissors so he would have something to do with all the little pieces. I opened it, looked in the hole and saw something blocking the opening. So I did what anyone would do. Sqwoze (sp?) the tube really hard while looking down the opening.

Um... whatever was in there came out with a big glob of glue... right into my eye.

Not the smartest move.

But, teaching him how to use scissors? Checked off my list. Next up... how to drive a car.

One quick thing...

So Asher moved into the next class at daycare now that he can walk. And he brings home artwork. WHAT? My little boy is big enough to make art? We have his crayon drawings hanging in his room, but check these out (the yellow page is stamped with apple halfs):