Mornings are the best....

So what is better than waking up to this?



(just picture Lorin in this outfit...)



This!

Ashton has been sleeping since 2:30. It is now 5:20. He woke up once in between but I was able to rock him back to sleep. So it has almost been two hours of quiet, but not so much peace. When he is awake, I run out of things to do with him. You can only play peek-a-boo so many times and I don't want him to get bored of this toys. I really should be doing my dad's website instead of my own blog, but that stuff just gives me a headache. I don't know how to do a website so trying to figure it out is driving me crazy. I used to like to design but now that it is work for me I really don't like it. But that is probably because I don't know what I am doing. I would rather work on Ava's bows or Ashton's scrapbook but I have to do this website thing.

But first..............pictures of my beloved wittle baby boy.

I. Am. Obsessed. He is just so cute I cannot stand it!

Here he is eating Julia. She thought she felt something funny....

I had to sneak this one of me and the girls. Oh, how i heart them!

His first night in the crib....I don't know if we should leave him alone...he looks kinda drunk....

He woves his wittle monkey....

Ah. Must. Stop Baby Talk....

With Great-mama Dory....he usually doesn't cry hewas just sad that day.

I love nakie pics of him. He came home from the hospital in that shirt...hewould be bursting out of that likethe hulk. I guess you can't tell in the pic.

He loves this little jungle thingy. It has flashing lights and music. Thanks mom & dad.

Baby's Day Out

Today marks the start of a new era. And no, I am not talking about Obama.

The monitor has been moved from our room to his room.

His clothes have been transfered out of the cubes into his dresser.

His toys have a new home now: his toy chest in his room.

He is no longer sleeping in the bassinet- he has his nice and spacious crib in his very own room.

Ashton is now sleeping in his room that was designed and decorated especially for him:

The curtains are up, his closet is almost full, his shoe collection is almost complete, his toy chest is no longer empty, his dresser is fully equiped with onesies, burp cloths, bibs, socks, hats, pants, and of course his pjs.

Tonight is bitter sweet. I miss him already but I am sure Lorin was getting anxious to have him in his own room. I am not sure how I will sleep tonight. Every night for the past 4 months (today is his 4th month birthday!)I have woken up in the middle of the night to make sure he was still breathing. Lorin set him down in his crib where he quietly looked up at his car mobile (which I will switch out tomorrow for his skier one) and he has slowly drifted to sleep. I hear nothing from the monitor and feel slightly lonely. His breathing used to soothe me to sleep. I think I need him more than he needs me, and I think it will always be like that. I am going to miss looking at this sweet little face at 3 a.m.

Why Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways

Reasons why I love my husband (really!!) Besides his amazingly good looks, his charm, his fondness of making up new words and starting every word with "schn"

10. He forgets everything so when it has to do with me I don't feel as bad

9. His play by plays: He tells me what he is going to do step by step, detail by detail...."I'm going to say, Hey, How are you? I'm doing well..........and then I am going to hang up and call someone else." Ok, I may be exaggerating a little bit....

8. He befriends anyone and everyone- no judgments (including the homeless man he brought to stay at our house, and that store owner and his building manager and the building manager's dog's vet, etc.)

7. His voice. He is not ashamed and neither am I. Ashton prefers nothing more than his daddy singing to him.

6. His laugh. He finds so much joy in everything and is not afraid to show it. He is that guy in the movie theatre that finds everything hilarious. It is contagious!

5. He is ready and always willing to help other people no matter how much he has to do. He usually overbooks himself, which is why I got him a planner one time, but he forgot where he put it....

4. Which brings me to this next one: He loses everything. It is slightly annoying but mostly funny. How many pairs of gloves have we gotten you, babe? How about those books? Beanies? Should I go on?

3. He is brilliant yet totally clueless sometimes! Babe, people DO celebrate Valentine's Day! You are also supposed to be with me when I am delivering YOUR baby- not watching ESPN.

2. He'll warm me up when I am cold. He radiates heat like a furnace. He'll let me put my ice blocks of feet on his warm legs. He'll also let me wake him up in the middle of the cold night to warm me up because I am too cold to sleep. And when I am mad at him, he has a way of warming up t me that makes me forget why we even started arguing.....

1. Can I have two number ones? I can cause it is my blog. He is frugal/cheap to a T.

B: "Hey, Babe, we need a new furnace. We are freezing at home all day!"

L: "Didn't you just get some sweaters for Christmas?"

He also doesn't knoew how much things cost.

B: "Babe, we need to get the baby furniture and everything before he's born."

L: "He's a baby. He doesn't need anything."

B: "Um, actually, he does. Let's just start with the crib."

L: "That's easy. They're like ten bucks at DI."

Or this one:

L:"Hey can you find a 1500+ sq. ft home, 3+ bedrooms, 2+bathrooms, 2+ level home for under 130K?"

Realtor: "Hahaha.....oh, you're serious. No. Well, maybe in Nephi or somewhere people don't live."

Ok, those were not actual conversations but pretty darn close!

1. He IS romantic...kind of. Here is proof.

Don't the scribbles and 2nd grade handwriting make you swoon?

**Actually, I have 3 no. 1s.

1. He is an amazing father. Who else takes a three month old swimming, sledding, four-wheeling, and 2+ hour walks? And reads greek, latin and history books to him?

Love you, Lor.

Christmas Break

Wow, it has been a long time. Every time I want to post I feel a little overwhelmed because it has been a while. We had such a wonderful time back East. We really miss our family out there and want to stay out there longer than we have time for. We spent Christmas with the Bird side and New Year's with the Gutierrez side. We really had a wonderful Christmas. Ashton was sooo excited to meet all his aunts, uncles and cousins. He was passed around and well taken care of all throughout our break. We received such great and generous gifts (thank you Craig and Debra! Val and Logan). Ashton had a wonderful Christmas and received such fun and thoughtful gifts! He got some great books and CDs from Aunt Val, cute clothes and books from Babba and Grandpa, and more cute clothes from Breitton. I love how Breitton calls Ashton "Baby Ashton." We had so much fun with the nieces and nephews and they really loved Baby Ashton. They'll be able to play a little more once Ashton gets a little more control of his body. He had a little bit of a rough start to the vacation- the time change and different environment confused him and he didn't sleep well through the night for a few nights. Once he got over that little hump, he asked his daddy to treat him like a big boy and take him riding! We have another Lucas on our hands. His first word is going to be "ride."

Baby Ashton's gift from Breitton

Uncle Steve with Ashton on Christmas morning

Babba and Grandpa preparing a great Christmas Eve dinner

Lucas giving Baby Ashton a sweet little kiss

Lorin and Ashton on the quad

A super cute dress from Craig and Debra

Mommy and Baby Ashton (with his sweet pjs) on Christmas morning

Grandpa cutting up the turkey on Christmas Eve

Uncle Devin and Ashton awaiting a sweet meal

Ashton is quite the adventerous one. We took him sledding right outside of our home before we left on vacation. I'm pretty sure he had no clue what was going on but he looked so cute in his puffy snow suit- just like on "A Christmas Story." He went sledding again in CT outside of our house. This kid is fearless!

Going to CT was interesting. There was no snow in Jersey but in CT there was a lot! It was fun to see the boys wrestle in the snow, go sledding, play Rockband and hear Lorin belt out classic rock tunes. I even joined in- it was soo funny! We played board games, took walks, ate ate and ate! I gained _lbs and stayed another week just so I could gain more! I just couldn't leave CT when Lorin did- everyone just wanted me to stay a little longer. And when I say me I mean Ashton. I have been put on the back burner. Everyone wanted to watch Ashton. All my little cousins would just hover over him and gasp at every move that he made. "Oh my gosh, his finger moved, that is soooo cute!" Hahah. He is the first grandchild on my side so I can understand all this enthusiasm. I was no longer the parent and had no idea what I was doing- everyone else took over. It was kinda nice to have a break but I sort of missed raising my own baby! There were tears when we left. I was so sad to leave. I missed Lorin a lot and missed my own home but if I could move there right now, I would. Family is incredibly important to me and I need to be close to my families. I grew up with my aunts and uncles and we are really close. I want the same for my little one. I want him to really know his aunts, uncles, cousins and especially grandparents. It was especially hard to say goodbye to my brothers. We didn't get along that well when I lived at home but once I left for boarding school things seemed to pick up. We get along but aren't super close because I was away for so long. I left home when I was 15 then went to college, got married, etc. But ever since I got married I think we have gotten closer, especially my relationship with Rick. He is turning 20 this month. He just turned in his mission papers and will receive his call shortly. I am so proud of him. He calls me his little sister and even though I am older, I feel like I am his little sister. I literally look up to him but he has really changed and matured (however he still has a lot more to go!). We fight one minute and are laughing together the next. I wish we could have been closer sooner. And the way he took care of Ashton! He is a natural. Leon and Ricky both changed their first diapers (both #2s hahah- I am mean, huh?) and I have never seen my brothers so enchanted with a little baby. Ashton is so lucky to have so many wonderful people in his life that love him and would do anything for him. This little guy is spoiled/majorly loved.

I can't wait to go back and see everyone again. Thank you Aunt Jessy and Uncle George for being so kind and generous with us, especially with Ashton.