Happy Birthday Asher!

Asher is now 1!!! His birthday was two days ago on February 18th.

Asher is
Height: 31 1/2 inches
Weight: 25 lbs.

He also has 4 teeth now. He's had his two front bottom teeth for a long time, but has recently just gotten his two front top teeth. Careful, they hurt!

Asher is getting so grown up. He has been walking for months and just keeps getting faster and better. He just learned to walk in shoes, so now we can go outside. He loves being outside (even if it's cool). He is so independent and wants to walk all by himself and pushes our hands away if we try to hold his hand, which is frustrating sometimes because he doesn't follow us very well so going somewhere takes forever. He also thinks it's fun to wander off by himself and doesn't realize a sidewalk is for walking on:) The road and grass are much better.

He is getting to be a tease. We knew this would happen since both his parents like to tease, we were just hoping it would take longer. He knows when he is doing something he isn't supposed to because he looks at us and makes sure we are watching, then he does whatever it is (playing with the fireplace is his favorite). We of course tell him no and he just thinks it's funny and keeps doing what he's not supposed to. Then when we get up to go stop him, he runs away from us laughing like it's a big game. Then he goes right back to doing it again and the process starts all over. He will do this all day. It's so frustrating sometimes because it's a big game to him so he just doesn't get that he's in trouble!

His new favorite hobby is to throw things in and out of the bathtub and to throw things down the stairs.

We have stair gates on as he can only go up, not down, and he finds whatever has been left out and throws it under the gate down the stairs. It is really funny to watch him collect everything down the stairs, of course it leaves a mess for us to clean up later!

We have also gotten to the point that if he is being super quiet and not bothering us, then he is into something he shouldn't be, like pulling all his wipes out or unrolling the toilet paper, or in cupboards that are off limits. He definitely keeps us busy and is a hand full. He is such a boy and is always on the go go go.

He also recently learned to cry when we take things away from him and to throw a tantrum if he doesn't get his way. Well, throwing a tantrum means crying and falling to the floor where he is standing. He is still young enough that we can usually distract him easily and quickly. I just hope he doesn't figure out any worse strategies for throwing tantrums.

Asher has a new fascination: Bellybuttons! He has discovered that we all have a bellybutton. Many times throughout the day he will stop and pull up his shirt so he can poke his bellybutton. It is funny when he tries to find his bellybutton when his pajamas are on. He just pulls at the zipper and tries to find a way to his belly:) He also loves to poke his dad's bellybutton. He doesn't much care for mine, maybe because he can't stick his finger in since I have an outy and am pregnant. But he can sit for 10 minutes or so just pulling his dad's shirt up and poking his bellybutton.

Overall, he is still a happy boy, but is no longer my little baby! I got some hand-me-down clothes from my sister, who got them from my aunt:) and since Asher is such a big boy we are dressing him in them, and they make him look so grown up that I feel he is suddenly a toddler. I am excited for him to grow up but it's bittersweet to realize he's no longer a baby.

He has made us realize how important family is to us and we love him more than anything. My friend once told me that having a child is like having your heart walk around outside your body. This is so true. Asher completes our family and we are excited for him to be a big brother. We love him dearly.