Chicago had our first substantial snow yesterday. We got about 6 inches overall, which made for a couple of fun walks in the snow. We even ran into a neighbor friend while we were out. Asher was very into the snow for the most part, as long as he didn't have to trudge through it. I need to invest in some snow boots for him because his tennis shoes just weren't doing the job in this weather!

Here are a few pictures from our venture out into the tundra.

I celebrated my 29th birthday on Sunday. One thing I appreciate about this yearly marker is the feeling of reflection it stirs. I believe that we owe it to ourselves to occasionally look at our lives and see where we've come from and where we are going. I took a few minutes and looked back on my past few birthdays (that is one of the benefits of blogging for years!).

I can start around the time I turned 26 - 3 years ago! I love reading this blog post. I had no idea of the journey we would embark on just 3 months later. My life path would parallel "What to Expect While You're Expecting" -- or so I thought. Unfortunately, (or thankfully, I'm not sure), our experience has been quite the opposite of that handbook. I've learned so much since this time in my life and experienced some amazingly hard realities. I've grieved, I've grown, and I appreciate this simple and sweet time in my life.



I remember what life looked like when I turned 27. We had a sweet 9-month old who was fed mostly by tube and had just started rolling, My entry reflecting upon my 27th birthday still resonates with who I am today. I can still feel the wave of emotion from the events surrounding Asher's birthday, stay in the NICU, and moments of hope and loss throughout it all.



And last year when I turned 28. I recall walking over the coffee shop next door and having breakfast with Will & Asher. At 21 months old, Asher was really starting to take off developmentally and was getting stronger and stronger everyday. He was eating and drinking independently and starting to walk with a push toy.



And here I am at 29. It's amazing how quickly time passes. It's been a hard road and if I'm being honest, sometimes I don't feel as optimistic as others. Our lives are filled with therapies, doctors, giggles, joy, cries, and anxieties. But with each new year comes an opportunity to examine my outlook and my attitude towards the life we have been given. Not to mention the new little guy that will come in April and change our family in his own way. Here's hoping for a year of strengthening, growth, and joy -- for Asher, me, and our entire family.

twenty four compared.

a brief article for you

Please, I beg of you... read this beautiful article and pass it on to anyone else who would read it.

The word "retarded" is just as offensive as any other derogatory term. I understand many people don't mean to be hurtful when they use it, but it makes me shutter every time I hear it used.

And the above article sums it up perfectly.

Night #2 in Toddler Bed

WENT GREAT! until about midnight. In which the little creatures that come into your toddler's room at night and awaken him struck in full force. We heard his door crack open and the pitter patter of little footy-pajamed feet walk down the hall into our room. Asher was quite delighted with himself so you can imagine his disappointment when he was ushered back into his own bed -- over, and over again. Those adorable little smiles quickly turned into tantrums as he was put back in bed. Finally around 1:00 Will rocked Asher back to sleep and tucked him into his own bed.

And that lasted til 4:30. Repeat the entire above paragraph except this time it ended with me laying in bed with him til he fell asleep and I could creep out of his room.

And that lasted til 5:15. Which is when we broke down and decided we all needed sleep and let him crawl in bed with us.

This should all make for an interesting day. Will's back to work & the world is back to real life. We are jumping into 2012 with both feet!

new year, new bed.

Happy 2012! We went into the weekend having literally no plans. However, Asher decided to change that when he jumped/fell out of his crib Saturday morning. Don't worry, there was no trip to the emergency room involved -- just a trip to Ikea to get the boy a toddler bed.

At about 7 am Saturday morning I heard Asher chatting away in his crib. I glanced up at the video monitor only to see him hike his leg over the railing and proceed to tumble out. This was quickly followed by a loud "THUD". As you know, I'm 23 weeks pregnant and don't tend to move fast these days. Let me tell you... I moved fast. I bolted out of bed and into Asher's room. He was laying face first on the floor, uninjured but quite shaken and scared. After a long comforting session, I headed out on my bed-finding adventure.

When I got home, Asher & Will put the bed together. Ash was a huge help.



Ash took a break from working to snuggle.



And Will showed Asher how the ball drops in time square since we knew he wouldn't make it to midnight to see the real thing for himself.



So far Asher has done a great job sleeping in his new bed. First sleep in the new bed, he lasted the whole night. Naps are coming along. Here is the finished product:

lucky

Will & I have been so lucky to be part of an amazing small group since 2007 (maybe 2006?? I can't remember!). We've had one couple move away to Texas and some awesome new couples join, but through it all this group has been such a constant source of support and encouragement. Many of these people shared in our tears of grief when we learned of Asher's diagnosis, but they have all shared our joy with each milestone and new development. Here are a few pictures from our annual Christmas party.




I'd like to point out Baby Joan -- who is just 2 weeks old in this picture. I'm SO glad she could make it to our party!