adventures in asherland

grandpa!

2012-02-13T08:22:00.006-06:00

I have been a little overwhelmed lately with life, pregnancy, and balancing it all. Thankfully, my dad came to visit for a few days. The timing was perfect because Asher picked up a nasty bug last week and ended up having to go on an antibiotic for a cough and temp. My dad took the train into the city and was a huge help. He might not admit this, but he even cleaned my stove top and microwave. It was great! Will was working late so it was nice to have an extra set of hands around the house, especially since I am getting more and more pregnant by the day!

2012-01-13T15:59:00.006-06:00

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.

2012-01-12T14:24:00.006-06:00

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.

2012-01-06T13:14:00.002-06:00

a brief article for you

2012-01-05T17:04:00.003-06:00

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

2012-01-03T07:51:00.002-06:00

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.

2012-01-02T14:25:00.007-06:00

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

2011-12-28T11:46:00.004-06:00

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!

christmas in review

2011-12-27T08:15:00.008-06:00

The past couple of weeks have been non-stop Christmas. Will's family came to visit last week and we spent actual Christmas day with my family because Will didn't have much time off work this year for travels. We are now back home and looking forward to a quiet week with no therapies (all of our therapists are on vacation!).

The weekend before Christmas Will's family drove up from TN and we were able to celebrate with them in our home.

Asher got this beautiful hand painted picture from his Nana that shows Asher & Pearl on the farm. We love it!

Will got a Keruig to make his morning coffee. I think I will definitely get some use out of it as well!

And lucky me... look what I got! I am so excited.

Asher really got into opening presents this year. He would rip off one little piece and hand the paper to the nearest adult. This process took awhile, but he loved opening all his gifts.

We did our own family Christmas Sunday morning in Michigan and Asher had a blast. We got him a few small things and he still had to open his big gift from Grandma & Grandpa. It was definitely a hit!

Overall it was a great Christmas. We are so blessed to have wonderful family and friends to celebrate with. I got to go to my extended family's celebration with aunts & uncles and it was so good to see each and everyone of them. It will always feel like home when I'm with my family. Not to mention this girl...

We hope each of you had a very Merry Christmas, wherever you were!

101 things to do with your kids

2011-12-21T12:41:00.003-06:00

I just found this great post over at Counting on Me, 101 things to do with your toddler. If you're anything like me, it's easy to get caught up in a world of distractions - laundry, cleaning, computer, crafting, etc. Not that those things are bad, but my time interacting with Asher is so important. I have started to notice how much more well behaved Asher is when I give him just 30 minutes of one-on-one play time. It sparks his creativity and keeps us both active.

I'm just copy & pasting this list and had no role in coming up with the ideas. But I did find it to be so helpful, especially on long winter days like today!

Color
Blow Bubbles
Play Hide-and-Seek
Peek-a-Boo
Play Chase
Do Finger-plays
Sing a song
Collect rocks in a basket
Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture
Make a fort out of cushions and sheets
Go for a Walk
Make a Car out of a Box
Read a book
Go to the park
Finger-paint
Play with Play-Dough
Toss Bean bags into a Bucket
Play the shell and pea game
Dance to music
Download games for toddlers from the Internet
Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags
Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch
Roll a ball back and forth on the floor
Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)
Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other (only with adult
supervision)
Put on a puppet show
Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn
Make a Horseshoe game
Make a Shape Puzzle
Play paper basketball
Run through a Sprinkler
Play with a bucket of water and a sponge (PLEASE WATCH CHILD AT ALL TIMES!)
Make a Drum out of an oatmeal box
Play with a kazoo
Wash windows together
Bang on Pots and Pans with a spoon
Brush each other's teeth
Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes
Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other
Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other
Make a playhouse out of a large box
Let child play with a sticker sheet (make sure your child doesn't eat them!)
Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets
Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.
Go on a Smelling Hunt
Frost Cookies
Plant a flower or vegetable plant together
Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket
Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers
Play hide and seek together- trying to find a stuffed animal or other object
Have a splash party together in the bathtub
Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house
Record each other on a tape recorder (great for scrapbooks or journals!)
Make and try on paper hats
Give a piggy-back ride
Play "Horsey"
Talk into an electric fan (it distorts your voice)
Play tug-of-war with a blanket
Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real...)
Make a camera and go on a Safari
Play games with frozen juice lids
Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives
Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives- let your
child talk too
String large beads onto or along a shoelace
Squirt each other with squirt bottles
Glue shapes onto paper
Make sock puppets
Make paper puppets
Fill an old purse with toys
Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone
Make binoculars and go "Bird Watching" or "Stuffed Animal Watching"
Put snacks in different fun containers (paper sacks, empty canisters, etc.)
Act out a story from a book
Walk on a balance beam- use a 2x4 placed on the ground
Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper. Makes a great card for
loved ones.
Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror
Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich
Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through
Do the Hokey Pokey
Make a super-hero costume out of household items
Do Knee-Bouncing Rhymes
Play "Red Light, Green Light" saying "Go" and "Stop"
Make a shoe-box train for stuffed animals
Make a pillow pile to jump on (keep it clear from any hard surfaces, including
walls!)
Make an easy puzzle with felt and Velcro
Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells
Learn numbers from a deck of cards
Play the matching game with a deck of cards
Make a domino chain
Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!
Play dress up in Mommy or Daddy's clothes
Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it
Make a nature collage
Mirror each other
Make a "Mummy Mommy" with toilet paper
Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in
different ways
Make and walk along a toilet paper trail
TAKE A NAP!

asher + pearl = lots of giggles

2011-12-15T16:49:00.000-06:00

Turn up your volume for the full effect!

an early christmas

2011-12-12T12:52:00.006-06:00

We made a quick trip to Michigan this past weekend to celebrate Christmas early with my family. My brother & sister-in-law will soon be having their 2nd child (due date in early Jan), which means no traveling much later than now for them. It was nice to spend time with my family & exchange gifts a little early. Asher had a blast seeing his cousin and Grandma & Grandpa and getting out of the city for a bit. It was a bit warmer (key word... BIT) yesterday so he even got to play outside for awhile.

Will's parents are coming to Chicago next weekend so we can celebrate Christmas with them. Luckily, we have a few extra presents tucked away so Asher will have something to open Christmas morning (as if he hasn't opened enough). Besides spending time with family, I have been swamped with Blue Eyed Pearl orders, which I love!

It officially feels like Christmas -- now, if only we had snow!

good news...

2011-12-07T15:36:00.002-06:00

Asher is going to be a big brother at the end of April! We had our 20-week ultrasound today and everything looked good. The little guy is weighing in at 12 ounces and was moving like crazy!

2011-12-06T09:29:00.004-06:00

I recently had dinner with my friend Amanda over at the fix it's and have been inspired by her "currently loving" series. So... i'm doing one of my own! Here are a few things that are on my "favorite things" list this year.

1. Anthropolige fractal medallion maxi - I got this beauty on sale before Thanksgiving. I had been eyeing it for some time and absolutely adore it.

2. Asher's "river" slippers from Baby Things By Jessica. These are the perfect slip on shoes for a little one, and they have a rubber bottom so he doesn't slip & slide while walking. She doesn't have much listed right now but hopefully she will get some more boy styles back in soon.

3. Peapod. Have I mentioned that we live on the 3rd floor? Hauling a 2-year old + milk + whatever else we need up the stairs is a major task -- and one that I have not been doing lately thanks to Peapod. It's affordable, the delivery guys are not creepy at all (huge plus) and they bring it right into my kitchen. Highly recommend if you are busy or don't like hauling around groceries!

4. Levana video monitor - I would be lying if I said this was perfect. We have had a few problems here and there but they always seem to fix themselves. I absolutely love the comfort of a video monitor and getting to see Asher in his crib. The price was good on this -- much less than others, and the quality of the video is really good.

5. Lush's comforter bubble bar. I don't know if I could survive winter without these. They run about $10 a pop, but you can get about 4-6 baths out of each one. I break off a little piece, crumble it under the running water, and am quickly surrounded by amazing smelling bubbles. I love all of Lush's products -- but this bubble bar is by far my favorite.

6. Pear Tree Greetings - we recently ordered our Christmas cards from Pear Tree and I am so excited to get them. On cyber monday they offered 40% off your order so we ended up getting a decent deal (although MAN... is it just me or are holiday cards costing a small fortune these days?). Either way, the designs were adorable and it was an easy website to work with. The hardest part was getting a dog, a child, and a husband to all cooperate with a self-timer photo shoot. Get excited for that.

What's on your favorite things list right now?

gobble gobble

2011-11-30T12:08:00.008-06:00

Happy Belated Thanksgiving! We stayed in Chicago and celebrated Thanksgiving with some dear friends from our small group. It was nice to have 4 days to ourselves -- we even got the Christmas tree put up.

Asher is doing much better then when I last posted. Thankfully he has not had any more seizure activity and he seems to be back to normal. We met with the neurologist last week and felt very reassured after our appointment. The doctor said that since all the seizures have been provoked (meaning they could be traced back to a virus or fever), he did not recommend a daily anti-seizure med. We will just continue to do what we're doing. Keep an eye on him, especially when he's sick, and watch for any sign of an oncoming seizure. He always seems to do weird neurological things for a few hours before a seizure (eye crossing, difficulty walking or balancing, and general lethargy). And as strange as it sounds, I always have an intuition that it's coming. At that point, we can either choose to give him his medicine, or wait until after he's actually had a seizure.

On that note, if you're in the Chicago area and looking for a pediatric neuro doc, I highly recommend Leon Epstein at Children's. He has been wonderful.

Here are a few pictures from our long weekend at home!

a lonnnng week

2011-11-22T16:39:00.003-06:00

We've had a sick little boy. Thursday he woke up in a funk -- kind of out of it, slightly feverish. I kept his morning therapy but cancelled our plans for the day to opt for a sick day. However, by nap time I could tell things were getting worse. Low & behold, around 1:30 I glanced at our video monitor and saw the little guy having a seizure. Thankfully, it didn't last long and we know the drill. He came out of his seizure with a fever of 102.5. We gave Asher his klonopin, which he gets for 2 days after a seizure, and treated the fever with tylenol. We are on the upswing now -- recovering from both the sickness and the medicine (it REALLY wipes him out). We have an appointment with a neurologist tomorrow to follow up and check in.

I'm reading this beautiful book on suffering by my mom's best friend's daughter-in-law (follow that?). It's called Struck Down But Not Destroyed. The author shares her experience as a mother and what the Bible says about suffering. I can relate to it in so many ways, and it certainly hasn't been easy to read. Yet the main focus on God's view of suffering has been a good reminder that God shares in our suffering and life isn't meant to be easy. These days filled with sickness and stress are very wearing on me. I can't sleep or relax at all because I am hypersensitive to Asher's every move. It's so hard to see your child sick and not be able to do anything about it.

Despite the hard days, this week I am reminded of the many blessings we have to be thankful for. Thanks for following along in our journey! Here's hoping to a better week.

a lovely day

2011-11-16T08:13:00.003-06:00

Some things never get old.

And here are a few more pictures from our unseasonably warm midwest weather yesterday. It was the perfect day for the park & walking outside.

daddy's home!

2011-11-10T13:37:00.004-06:00

Will has been getting home from work a little earlier now that he has his new job. He now has time to do things like this before the little guy has to go to bed.

2011-11-02T13:45:00.003-05:00

Parents, do you ever feel like you just can't do it all? I am sitting here after Asher finally went down for nap, my house is a disaster, the laundry needs to be folded, and dinner needs to be put in the crock pot. And all I want to do is catch my breath for a minute. Asher woke up at 6am, we had a quick breakfast, ran to the grocery and got home just in time for therapy at 10, then hurried out the door at 11 to make dinner at a friend's house who had surgery today.

I've been wrestling a lot with what it means to be a parent to a child with special needs. I have been struggling with having 5 therapists, many specialists, and other parents who are constantly telling me what to do and what is best for my child. I love Asher's therapists, but it is frustrating to hear from one that Asher needs to stop playing with a certain toy because it's not helping him developmentally, or that we need to join a playgroup or add another therapy. Or that we need to get to the park more or go for more walks to further develop his skills, or do this exercise where I make him stand on one foot when he screams the entire time. A therapist recently suggested that Asher go to bed earlier, but that would mean he would never see his dad during the week and I would do bedtime alone. Some days, I just want to clear his schedule and let him play like a "normal" 2 1/2 year old. It seems impossible to maintain a therapeutic mindset every waking moment, yet somehow I have been re-wired to do just that. I continually feel guilty as if I'm not doing enough on all fronts.

I did a quick online search and the word "still" is written in the Bible 216 times. Some of these occurrences are most certainty not in the context of the lack of movement definition, but even considering that, there is a lot of stillness taking place. It seems God longs for us to reach that point of stillness, so why is it so difficult - both inside and out? There's a great deal of pressure on us as parents, employees, spouses -- and throw the special needs factor in and it seems to be multiplied. Is it possible to do it all?

I wish there was a way I could tie up this blog post with a nice little bow, but the truth is I can't. I'm not there quite yet. I'm kind of muddling through what it means to attempt balance everything. Sometimes I wish I had a 40-hour work week, because perhaps I could distinguish more between work & home life. Or maybe not. It's probably never that easy.

I'll get back to you on this point once I figure it all out. :) Until then, if you've found a way to balance it all, please share your secret.

halloweekend

2011-10-29T16:41:00.013-05:00

Earlier this week, my old friend Kim visited from Tennessee. We've been friends for 8 years now & met when we worked at the University of Tennessee Yearbook in undergrad. It was so good to see her again and reconnect on life. She also got to meet this kid for the first time:

Yesterday,Asher donned his superman costume yesterday, complete with a cape.
And while it appears to be raining, hailing, and even snowing in much of the midwest -- we are getting a gorgeous and sunny day here in Chicago. I went for a brief training at my new part-time job, which I am SO excited about! After that I met up with my dear friend Emily for coffee & conversation at a local coffee shop.

After nap time, Asher & I went for a nice long walk around the neighborhood to pursue the halloween decorations everywhere.

And all walks end like this:

Hope you have a spooky & fun halloween weekend!

a weekend in michigan

2011-10-25T12:06:00.009-05:00

We hit the road again this weekend to head to the mitten state to celebrate my brother & sister-in-law's birthdays. Ash had a great time at the pumpkin patch with his cousin Lydia. This time, he was not so sure about riding on the pony but I snapped one picture before the tears came.

I just love being outside and away from the city during this time of year. Asher is still a little hesitant to walk on the grass without having a hand to hold, so we got a lot of walking time in my parent's yard. They recently put up a swingset for their grandkids which gave Asher a lot of motivation to move those feet.

And just an FYI - the pictures were all taken on my new-to-me canon rebel xsi, thanks to my mother-in-law! I am so excited to experiment more with it and get to snappin.

2011-10-18T08:23:00.016-05:00

We headed south this past weekend for Will's 10 year high school reunion & a baby shower for a dear friend. It was lovely in every way. I had a great time catching up with college friends (and even making some new ones) at the reunion, and the shower was a great celebration of the new little baby that will be coming in December. We even got to have breakfast with our Colorado loves, Ryan & Kristi because they were randomly in Nashville for a wedding. Life is good!

Asher was thrilled to pieces to see Nana & Papa Joe and Aunt Maggie. And after coming home to temps in the 50's (and turning the heat on this morning for the first time), it was great to experience the 80-degree weather in Tennessee.

And another quick update -- today is Will's FIRST DAY at his new job! Whooo hoooo!

lots of updates!

2011-10-12T08:57:00.004-05:00

It seems change comes in seasons -- at least in our household, and lately our family has been buzzing with change.

After five years of working with a large, public accounting firm Will has decided to take on a new position at much smaller company here in Chicago. It was a tough decision because despite the traveling and long hours, his employer was good to him and our family and Will enjoyed his work and felt very fulfilled in it. But the travel and long hours were very wearing on him & our family. If you know us well or have tried to make plans with us during the week -- well, it probably never happened because it was next to impossible. And same story for anytime during the months of January through March. We weighed out the pros & cons for both Will professionally and our family and decided that a career move would be best for all. And thankfully, Will had no trouble finding a new job and is excited to start next week. His last day at his job is Friday and he starts his new job Tuesday.

As for Asher, he recently added developmental therapy to his weekly regiment (and if you're counting, that makes FIVE therapies). I have to say, it is quite challenging for him, mainly due to the structure of the therapy. He has to follow rules, complete tasks, and stay focused -- which can be quite a feat for any 2 1/2 year old! We do the therapy in-home at the moment but I am considering moving to a group setting where he can interact with other kiddos. Decisions, decisions! The main point of D.T. is to prepare Asher for school. Can you believe I've already gotten information on what we need to do to get the ball rolling on SCHOOL? Yes, it's true. We will probably send him next fall, which will likely be harder for me than for him considering his love for people and socializing.

As for me, changes are brewing too. I recently applied for a part time/seasonal work. It would just be weekends and since Will's job will be more flexible, I will have the freedom to work on the weekends. Who knew retail could be so exciting! I have an interview later this week and am hoping all goes well. I also recently got back on the horse with the blue eyed pearl. I took much of the summer off due to Asher's medical stuff and just an overall crazy schedule. I'm excited to get back to crafting, just in time for the holidays which was a really busy time for TBEP last year.

Count on us to always keep things interesting! Who knows what change will be next!

punkin patch

2011-10-06T16:20:00.006-05:00

All weekend I have been lamenting to my southern husband that I wanted apple cider and donuts at a pumpkin patch. He was totally confused by this scenario and suggested I go to starbucks where I could get both things quite easily. Of course, I was insulted at such a thought! Nothing compares to a homemade donut and delicious apple cider on the farm. Will was flabbergasted by this idea of hayrides, pumpkins, gourds, pony rides, fall treats, and various kid's stuff.

Is it true -- are there no fall pumpkin patches in the south?

I can hardly believe it! Well, regardless, Asher, my friend Natasha, and I went and brought home pictures to prove to Will the glory of midwest pumpkin patches. And I'm hoping we can all go back as a family so Will can experience it for himself.

Happy Fall!

time to boogie (during lunch)

2011-09-27T14:19:00.002-05:00

this kid LOVES to dance. My personal favorite move is the arm swing at approx. 21 seconds.

SMOOCH!

2011-09-23T18:04:00.001-05:00

We've been apart from Pearl for 2 weeks now. She was having a vacation of her own at my parent's house in Michigan while we were in Florida. As you can imagine, we all miss her terribly. Thankfully, tomorrow I will be meeting my mom half way and picking up Ms. Pearl. YAY!

2011-09-22T18:33:00.012-05:00

Fall is here in Chicago, but last week we were lucky enough to be in Florida soaking up the sun and beach. We had a great time with Papa Joe & Nana, Great Grandpa Bill, and Uncle Ben. Will & I even got to go out on a long overdue date one night. Asher LOVED the pool and could've floated in that little yellow floaty for hours if we let him. Nana even found him a cool pair of sunglasses that he actually kept on -- cute and functional!

Thankfully Asher did great in the heat. He stayed hydrated and got plenty of rest. After our July, I was a little anxious about bringing him far from home in a very warm climate, but he stayed healthy and happy for the entire trip. On another note, flying with a 2 and a half year old is NOT fun! Ash got very antsy. Thank goodness for Elmo. That little red monster often saves the day!

Here are a few pictures from our trip. I will post more soon!

for your entertainment...

2011-08-30T13:26:00.002-05:00

Ok, what does a proud mama of a new walker do during nap time?

WALKING MONTAGE!

vacation & more

2011-08-30T09:37:00.008-05:00

We just got back from a week long trip to Michigan. It was so nice to get some beach/pool time and cooler weather.

The biggest development on the trip -- WALKING! Here is a short video I took yesterday of Ash walking. I am hoping to get a better one in the next couple of days. Enjoy! We couldn't be more proud of our little walker.

2011-08-01T12:27:00.014-05:00

Hi!

We had another great weekend filled with visitors. Three of my aunts and my mom came from Michigan to spend the weekend in Chicago and we had a blast.
We ate a lot of delicious food, including breakfast from one my favorite Chicago spots, Over Easy.

Julie, Cathy, My mom, Asher, & Kristi

Saturday we checked out the Chicago Architecture Tour. Sometimes I forget the amazing history this city has and loved hearing about all the buildings. We finished off our downtown visit with a classic Chicago hotdog.

Here's my mom looking cute on the boat:

But now it's back to reality. Will is working one more super busy week and then life will become a little more normal. We are excited to have him back! Will is headed off to a much-needed guys weekend on Friday and I am getting a girls weekend of my own (well, girls + asher), when my dear friend Natalie and her 5-month old Tessa come to visit.

Have a good week!

2011-07-29T09:12:00.004-05:00

Three months ago today I decided I was ready for a change. Winters in Chicago are long and lonely. January through March marks (one of) Will's busiest times at work, which leaves me alone & generally snowed in. This past winter was particularly rough -- remember? But regardless of external circumstances, I had grown a little too accustomed to snuggling up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate every single night. Three months ago today, which was just a few days after Asher's 2nd birthday, I decided that I was ready to get active again and reunite with my passion of exercise and healthy living.

I've always been active. I played sports in high school and remained very active and athletic throughout college. But after I had Asher, all my energy, physical and emotional, was poured into that little guy. Taking care of myself and expelling energy on exercise was the last thing on my lengthy "to do" list. We didn't always have the time and energy (who does?) to cook -- so fast food was our choice a few too many times. I don't beat myself up over this, because I did the best I could at the time. But after Asher's 2nd birthday, when our 5 pound, hypotonic, tube-fed, sleepy baby had grown into a 25 pound, active, strong, energetic, independently fed, silly little boy, I knew it was time to pour some of that energy into myself and my own health. I was ready.

From a therapeutic standpoint, I can exercise grace on myself when looking back. It's all about the stages of change and my personal readiness. When Asher was consuming all my energy, I was in the precontemplative stage -- not even thinking about getting to the gym every day and watching what I eat. I wasn't ready or able. Then, around March of this year, I started feeling that little tug to go for a run or reconsider those sweet treats. And then came April -- I was ready for the full on action stage.

And this is where I am now; slowly transitioning into the maintenance stage -- where I plan to stay active & healthy, but not to the detail & intensity I have been living. I can honestly say I feel the best I felt in years -- and fitting into my favorite jeans I bought in 2007 doesn't hurt either.

And in case you're wondering, I'm down 22 pound... and even more amazing, 16 inches. If you decide to embark on your own health journey, I would encourage you to take measurements! When you don't see the scale moving, re-measure and you might be surprised what you see, especially if you are doing any strength training.

Lastly, here is a link to a colleague from The Family Institute's recent blog post on a similar subject. And here is a link to the app that Will & I both use to track my calories and exercise.

Have a great weekend!

2011-07-25T11:45:00.005-05:00

Happy Monday!

This weekend, Aunt Maggie came to visit and we were sad to see her go yesterday. This was the best picture we could get, because someone was being a wiggle worm.

We had a great weekend and we all enjoyed spending time with Daddy; his time is a rare commodity these days.

We even squeezed in a little walk last night and Asher insisted on holding Pearl's leash the entire time.

I'll leave you with this awesome video. Asher is getting VERY close to walking on his own. We even went on a long walk this morning!

2011-07-22T10:22:00.011-05:00

It's been a very uneventful week, and I am actually quite happy with that. Asher is back to his normal self and we even got to go for a walk this morning. It's been so blazing hot in the midwest, and heat + temperature regulation issues is not a good combination, which means we've been stuck inside for most of the week. Will has been a busy bee at work, working over 12 hour days. He's been missing his boy and his boy has been missing him. But tonight should provide some good daddy + son time -- which means hopefully this mama will get a break.

I also have an hour long relaxation massage scheduled for tomorrow -- just 28 hours and 5 minutes from this very second. But who's counting?

This long, quiet week has forced me to get creative with our days. Here are a few things we accomplished.

This one's hair was becoming quite shaggy. Time for our every 4-month haircut!

I think I got a little carried away.

But the end result was just perfect.

And today brought with it a thunderstorm, which thankfully has cooled things off quite a bit. Eager eyes watched the rain & lightening from our third floor window.

Of course watching the rain provided a nice environment for kisses & snuggles.

I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing weekend, wherever it takes you!

on the upswing!

2011-07-17T10:15:00.005-05:00

We are home from the hospital and starting to return to normal life! We were so thankful that the MRI results came back normal and we were able to go home on Friday afternoon. Asher has pretty much returned to his happy self. I am definitely in hypermom mode as far as watching his every move and looking for any signs of an oncoming seizure -- but so far so good. We will soon be getting the prescription of Klonopin to have on hand if he has a seizure.

WHAT A WEEK -- my stomach & digestive system are starting to return to normal, but this week was incredibly difficult for all of us. We are so thankful to be home. Asher is back to terrorizing Pearl and she is back to letting him rough house her.

We are asking for continued prayers during this time. If he were to have another seizure out of the blue, we would likely put him on a daily anti-seizure med. If he gets another virus, it will be a time of anxiety because so far it seems that a virus triggers seizures. But we are hoping and praying that we are through the worst of it, and certainly the fact that we have a plan in place alleviates some anxiety!

Here is the little guy this morning:

On another note, I ran my first 5k this morning! It was rough, especially considering the week we've had, but I did it and I am excited to find another one soon.

crazy July days

2011-07-13T23:15:00.002-05:00

What a week! Here is a brief update of the craziness that has been going on the past couple of days here:

Monday afternoon Asher had a seizure similar to the one he had last July. He has had various symptoms of a virus and had a fever on and off. We went to the ER and were cleared to go home -- then Tues he had another one and we were finally admitted. Since then, he has had 3 more seizures, all at neuro dept of the hospital. Last night he had an EEG and his brain activity was monitored and the seizures were recorded.

Of course, true to Asher fashion-- he had his last seizure when 6 neurologists (including the chair of the neuro dept) were in our room, meeting with us and discussing what was going on. Even though I hated seeing it, it was helpful to have the docs see exactly what was going on... Asher is such a show off!

He was put on anti-seizure meds (clonazepam) shortly after that and I am happy to say that we are 12-hours seizure free at this point. That is a very good sign. It sounds like these seizures could be related to a virus and his lowered threshold because of his syndrome already. So... it's just nice to have some answers and feel like the seizures can be treated. Tomorrow we have an MRI scheduled at 5:30 pm. They will put him under general anesthesia for the procedure. That will tell us if there are any other neuro issues that could be causing the seizures.

There are various treatment options at this point. The doctors are hoping that the seizures are related to the virus and we won't have to be on long term anti seizure meds. So Friday we will probably go off the meds and see if Asher can make it through without any problems. So it will be a little touch and go until we figure out exactly what approach to take with the meds. Otherwise, he may have to be on the meds everyday, depending on what happens.

The doctor said that the seizures do not put him in any danger of losing oxygen and thankfully they are very brief (30-40 seconds). So that is good news as well.

A dear friend sent me this verse: "Even there your hand will guide me and your strength will support me" Psalm 139:10. Pretty amazing! Thank you all for your encouragement and prayers throughout this.

Next July, I might just crawl in a cave and sleep for the entire month. Consider yourself forewarned. :)

2011-07-05T12:50:00.010-05:00

Have I mentioned that I love summer? Because I really, really do. We have been keeping busy since we got home from vacation. Will was off work Friday-Monday so we took advantage of our family time by doing lots of fun things. Will took Asher to the park, we went out for breakfast, and we went to my brother's house in Michigan. I hadn't seen my niece since March and she is growing so fast. It was great to spend time with all of them.

Really and truly Asher is having a great summer. He is growing so much in every way imaginable. At a recent endocrinology appointment, I discovered that he is in the 39th percentile for height -- not too bad for the guy who started out at 5 pounds. He is using more words ("TV! TV!) and getting closer and closer to walking. We added developmental therapy to the mix and he now receives that twice a month. He is improving at pool therapy, although it is still hard work. Physical therapy is centered around independent standing and walking and incorporating both of these skills into his daily routine. Overall, I am feeling incredibly blessed that he was born to me. It is a joy to see him grow and learn so much -- and his personality and cuteness doesn't hurt either!

Here are a few pictures from our long weekend.

Happy 4th of July!

vacation!

2011-06-26T22:03:00.014-05:00

I am happy to say that we all survived vacation and had a great time! Grandma & Grandpa did great with Asher and spoiled him lots. Grandpa even did Asher's shot every night. I am very proud of him and thankful that we were able to get a real break from "Asherland". Asher was VERY happy to see us Sunday morning when he woke up. Will & I had a wonderful trip out to Portland & Seattle -- spent time with dear friends and explored 2 great cities.

We arrived in Portland on Saturday night after a long day of travel. We met up with Art & Liz in the airport -- it was so much fun getting to spend a week with them. Later we met up with Dave & Nikki - 2 friends also from Taylor. They are the cutest ever and were so gracious to show us around their awesome city. Lucky for us, this event was taking place right when we got there!

The next morning we ate what what was probably my favorite meal of the entire trip at this great Portland gem called Screen Door. We waited for over an hour and a half to get in, but it was totally worth it. Their praline covered bacon was amazing -- the best calorie splurge of my week for sure!

Next we went outside of the city a little and explored Portland's amazing waterfalls and hikes. That is one aspect of living that we really don't get in Chicago -- the great outdoors. I love the mountains and being outside and felt totally refreshed from our adventures out west. We did a nice little hike and got an amazing view of the Columbia River Gorge.

We spent the rest of our time in Portland just seeing the sights, eating delicious food, and enjoying our break from parenthood. After a few days, we drove up along the coast and eventually ended up in Seattle. We took a stop at Cannon Beach and hung out with some starfish and saw the Haystack Rock.

Seattle was awesome as well. We ate great food and loved the city. We went on a kayaking trip in the Puget Sound and saw some cute little seals peeking out of the water. We spent some time in the Pike Place Market and experienced the joy of seeing fish be thrown across the market.

Overall it was such a refreshing trip. We needed to get away for a bit. Asher was in good hands and he had a little vacation of his own with Grandma & Grandpa. Our trip was amazing, but I have to say, we were pretty excited to get back to this guy!

another awesome weekend

2011-06-16T09:27:00.006-05:00

Old friends, ribfest, shopping, cubs game, family, flag football -- this pretty much sums up the past few days for us! Our dear friends Afton & Will came up from St. Louis and we loved getting to spend time with them. Also, Will's parents were here until yesterday and we were able to catch a Cubs game and eat some delicious food with them. Nana's highlight was being able to rock Asher to sleep on Tuesday night! Thanks, Nana!

Here are some pictures from our whirlwind of a weekend! Next week we are headed out west for our 7-day-stretch away from Asher. I have to say I am pretty anxious about it, but I know he is in good hands. If you see my parents looking sleep deprived and exhausted, now you know why. :)

true love

2011-06-08T12:52:00.001-05:00

city boy

2011-06-03T12:16:00.003-05:00

Here is one of the perks of living in a big city. Asher loves riding & watching the train!

so much to update!

2011-06-02T18:27:00.005-05:00

Since I last posted:

1. Aunt Maggie came to visit from Memphis! She also recently graduated from med school and will be moving north to start her residency! We are so proud of you!

2. Grandma G came to visit! This allowed Will & I to have some time to ourselves and Asher was thrilled to have his grandma here.

3. We put our house on the market. Any takers? :)

4. Will & I finally got on the healthy train. We are exercising and eating better. It feels great to finally be doing this after a long winter! I even signed up for my first 5K with Emily. If you know me, you know I'm not a runner, no matter what shape I'm in, so this is giving me something attainable to work towards. It's July 17th -- I will keep you updated on my progress!

Needless to say, it has been a busy month. June brings vacation and our first time leaving Asher. We will be apart for a whole week while Will & I head out west for a much needed vacation away. We are looking forward to it, but anxious to leave the little guy, even though he will be in good hands.

Here are a few pictures from the past couple of weeks:

the ZOO!

2011-05-10T13:10:00.010-05:00

It's in the 80's today in Chicago, which meant that Asher & I had to get out of the house. I am ashamed to say that I have never taken the little guy to the zoo, so we decided to go today. Asher loved the tigers and camels and even got to feed a cow (check out that tiny hand in the 5th picture). Towards the end of our stay (around 11:30 am), there seemed to be a dramatic increase in crabby kids everywhere, mine included, which indicated one thing -- naptime was upon us! And that is exactly where Asher is now.

Here are a few pictures from our morning at the zoo!

Couscous & veggies

2011-04-25T18:08:00.005-05:00

Hi friends, I wanted to share an easy and awesome recipe that is a staple around here.

Start with whole wheat couscous (found in the middle eastern or organic section of your grocery store). Prepare it as described on the box, I usually omit any suggested salt.

Take as much as you would like and scoop it into a bowl. This is the base of your pasta dish. If your child isn't much of a water drinker (like my sweet little guy) -- you can add up to 3 ounces of water. The couscous soaks it all in. It's a nice way to sneak some liquids into your little one's diet.

Next, you can add any veggies you would like. I love to add peas, corn, carrots, sauteed spinach or kale, or cut up broccoli -- anything you would like.

Then add any meat you would like. I usually add tuna or chopped up chicken. The tuna is great because it is a nice source or omega 3 fatty acids -- good for little developing brains! Make sure to cut it into small pieces if you child doesn't normally like meat. Sometimes I will skip the meat and include lentils. Trader Joe's has some great steamed lentils that already prepared -- I usually have these on hand as a protein -- quick & easy!

Lastly, I like to add a small amount of goat's cheese. It's a good fat and adds some yummy flavor. You also could add parmesan cheese or any other type of sauce.

One cup or so of this delicious concoction can be an entire meal for your kiddo. It includes a protien, veggie, fat, and grain ... not mention lots of liquids. Be creative and add whatever you would like. The great thing is that one cup of unprepared couscous goes a long way. You can refrigerate the rest of it and use it the next day! Great for quick meals.

And really, any grain can be substituted for the couscous -- you could use barley, quinoa, brown rice, millet -- anything you would like.

Let me know if you try this and what you decide to add. Also, check out Isaac's Mom, who is also blogging about what her little guy eats. We would love to hear your recipe ideas, as well!

2 years old

2011-04-24T17:07:00.014-05:00

Happy birthday, Asher! Yesterday, we celebrated the little guy's 2nd birthday. It was a wonderful weekend filled with family, friends, and so much goodness. Both sets of grandparents arrived Friday. We attended our church's Good Friday service and it was a lovely and somber reminder of the meaning behind the day. Saturday was the big day -- complete with a party for Asher. Today, we celebrated Easter with our families in our home.

I took a minute to look back at our posts from right after Asher was born. Check it out here. I was reminded of how how we've come and how much Asher has overcome, already. His birthday is always a reminder to me of the progress he has made and the amazing little person he is.

Here are a few pics from Asher's big bash!

what he eats.

2011-04-13T12:56:00.007-05:00

Many people have asked me if Asher is on a "special diet". The answer to that is "not really", but to some, Asher's diet is very modified. I have put a lot of time and energy into creating Asher's meals. As parents, we are given a huge responsibility of feeding our little ones. So many kids exist on happy meal's and veggie-void diets -- and for Asher, this will never work.

Asher's diagnosis means that he will always feel hunger. The part of his brain that registers hunger (the hypothalamus) does not work like most other people's. Because of this, it is very important that we introduce him to healthy foods at an early age. He has never had ice cream or candy -- to him, applesauce and yogurt with honey are sweet. That doesn't mean he will never have ice cream or other sweet treats, of course he will, but I want to provide him with nutrient-rich foods that will help him grow and thrive as much as possible.

About the time I got pregnant, I became very interested in Nina Plank's writings on Real Food. I loved this idea and it really resonated with me.
The idea behind real food is that traditional foods are better; foods like real butter, local grass-fed beef, fruits and veggies (non genetically modified), etc. This idea challenged me so much that we now get our meat from a local farmer and when we can, we get our fruit and veggies from farmer's markets.

As a mother, I feel a sense of accomplishment when I mix kale into my child's dinner. Because Asher has never had sweets or processed food, he doesn't know the difference. A recent study proved that rats became addicted to junk food - showing the same addictive behaviors related to heroin addiction. As a culture, are we addicted to junk food? I'd say this is very likely.

Asher's favorite foods are cous cous, applesauce, yogart, oatmeal, bananas, goat's cheese, peanut butter, lentils, and sweet potatoes. I use cinnamon to add a little delicious-ness to otherwise bland foods. We're working on liking avocado, but I usually can sneak it it something. I usually try to have Amy's Organic Soup's on hand in case I don't have time to cook something. Another quick meal is organic chicken hotdogs.

This is what works for us now. Asher's diet plan will likely be different in a few years -- but I hope to always incorporate real food and healthy eating.

What are your children's favorite meals? How have you incorporated healthy eating into your lives?

summer!

2011-04-10T17:12:00.007-05:00

Ok, I know it's only April, but it really felt like summer today! The storm clouds are rolling in now, but it was a gorgeous afternoon. We went for a walk, played at the playground, played with Pearl, and got a lot of good family time. It made me very excited for the months to come and all of the fun we will have in Chicago. We hope to frequent the zoo and aquarium and take advantage of living right next to a playground.

And just to forewarn you so you can get your card in the mail and present ordered, this little lady is turning 5 next Sunday!

ready, set, go!

2011-03-29T18:45:00.001-05:00

now & then

2011-03-27T20:04:00.006-05:00

Asher's 2nd birthday is quickly approaching, which has made this mama become slightly reminiscent. Tonight, I took a few minutes to look back through pictures of when Asher was first born. For awhile, those digital files were like a fresh wound that needed to heal. I wasn't able to look at them without feeling that pit in my gut. However, lately I've been much more willing to look through Asher's early days. I think back to his nearly-a-month stay in the NICU. I remember waking up in the middle of the night to pump and call the nurse to see how our little man was doing. I vividly recall spending hours upon hours sitting by Asher's bedside, holding him, talking with specialists, hanging on their every word.

But more than anything, I remember one of the best days of my life. The day we got to bring Asher home from the hospital, which was the day he really seemed to become ours.

I doubt that I will ever look back on his early days with fondness, but I am growing to appreciate the experience and the wisdom it gave us. I love seeing Asher's growth, success, and incredible personality, and I am thankful for all that we've been through as a family.

just another day...

2011-03-18T15:39:00.006-05:00

two words for you - poor pearl.

wee little man.

2011-03-17T13:42:00.002-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

giveaway!

2011-03-15T09:51:00.002-05:00

Hey Friends!

I am having a little giveaway on the blue eyed pearl blog!
Check it out HERE.

2011-03-11T10:12:00.011-06:00

Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss - I'll Fly Away

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My grandmother passed away earlier this week and Will, Asher, & I have been spending time in Michigan remembering this amazing woman.

It's been a difficult week for me. My grandmother has battled cancer for over two years, but was able to lead a fairly normal life up until recently. She was a strong-willed, opinionated, and loving woman. Even in her last days, she made sure to get her point across. My parents & aunts & uncles were able to spend many hours and days with her at the end and I know that is something she cherished. She loved it when her 4 children and their spouses were together; laughing, eating, and enjoying one another's company.

This is a picture of my grandparents. My grandfather died in 1992 and my grandma was lucky enough to remarry an amazing man who became like a grandfather to me.

Grandma & "Bud" in 2006 -- she was beautiful even in her older years!

Grandma, Aunt Julie, and Asher in the summer of 2009.

* * *

I am thankful for the 28 years I got to spend with my grandma -- and also thankful for the many skills and traits she passed down to me (including pie making, antique collecting, and the ability to have a voice as a woman). Thank you, grandma. You will not be forgotten!

And lastly -- here are a few pictures from our time in Michigan:

walking!

2011-03-07T14:45:00.004-06:00

Here is a video of Asher walking with his push toy! You can see how much progress he has made from this , when he first got the toy, which was a little over a month ago.

Way to go, buddy!

get me out of here!

2011-03-04T08:45:00.003-06:00

this is how a squirmy, tired, almost-two-year-old behaves when his parents force him to go to a restaurant.

2011-02-21T09:59:00.004-06:00

Here are a few funny events that took place last week!

The weather was much nicer last week and I finally got to take my car to the carwash. I wasn't even paying attention and then suddenly I looked in the back seat and someone was making the worst cry face ever! He was very scared by the monstrous swishing tentacle machines and loud noises. I tried to snap a picture of the little cutie, but this was the best I got.

Being such a sweet boy and sharing with his baby:

A new skill - ripping off the fitted sheet in his crib.

new blog!

2011-02-20T18:20:00.003-06:00

Hey guys! I started a new blog for my etsy shop! Check it out HERE!

for your entertainment!

2011-02-16T14:44:00.001-06:00

I thought this was SOOOOOOOO cute!

2011-02-14T14:36:00.007-06:00

here are a few more pictures for you on this lovely holiday:

anyone have a shovel?

2011-02-03T13:08:00.009-06:00

In case you somehow missed this:

( E. Jason Wambsgans, Chicago Tribune / February 2, 2011 )
Abandoned vehicles litter northbound Lake Shore Drive on Wednesday morning.

We survived!

Tuesday night was crazy. I've lived in the midwest for most of my life, and have never experienced a snowstorm quite like this one. And while most people are back to work today, things don't feel so normal around here.

See that blueish/gray thing popping out under the snow? Well, that just happens to be my car. Right now. Will is out of town until tomorrow and we apparently do not own a shovel. I'm hoping he and I can dig it out once he gets home tomorrow. The plows came and so kindly plowed in the 'ole honda accord.

Here are a few pictures from our very own snow day!

Ash got to play with our neighbor friend who also had a snow day!

Asher & his new toy

2011-01-29T10:32:00.000-06:00

naptime?

2011-01-26T11:35:00.003-06:00

ok. maybe not.

happy friday!

2011-01-21T09:30:00.005-06:00

Just for the record, he doesn't always have a smile on his face.

But... most of the time, he does.

2011-01-20T09:42:00.003-06:00

We are all called to different purposes and God instills unique passions inside of us. I wanted to share a beautiful story with you about the Blomgren's, a family who have been called to adopt a child.

"Our motivation for adoption also stems from our stance on the importance of life. In response to our belief and support of mothers who do not want their unborn child or cannot support their unborn, we feel adoption is standing in the gap for that child’s right to life. Adoption is literally life-giving for some babies--without the option of adoption, they may not live."

Read all about their calling to adopt HERE.

* * *
Ways to give:

An online donation
Purchase delicious COFFEE! (everyone needs it, so why not skip the starbucks and support an awesome cause?)
Purchase one of their t-shirts

postpartum depression article

2011-01-19T15:42:00.002-06:00

Hey guys!

I thought this was a really beautifully written article on postpartum depression and I wanted to pass it on in case anyone was interested.

Click here to read it!

my penpal

2011-01-18T10:20:00.010-06:00

About 14 years ago, I went to Pittsburgh, PA for a mission trip with my church. As a 14-year old, my eyes were opened to many people, most of whom where very different from myself. I left that trip with a newfound love for a group of people from Knoxville, Tennessee, including a sweet southern gal named Jessica. We became best of friends and promised to keep in touch. We kept our promise for many years - mailing letters and pictures. She updated me on the boy I had a crush on who went to school with her and told me about her own crushes. However, high school came and our letters slowed and eventually we lost touch. However, I never forgot about my penpal from Tennessee.

Flash forward a few years and I'm at Taylor in Indiana. I was planning on transferring to a larger school, I just didn't know where yet. A friend from Taylor was also transferring and told me I could live with his girlfriend - who was a total gem. I was excited to have a solid group of friends in a new place. My new school just happened to be the University of Tennessee - in Knoxville, TN. Guess who else was attending UT?

One day, Jess & I ran into each other in the stairwell of the humanities building. "MANDII???!!" "JESSSICA???!!!" After many years, we still connected and have remained BFF's ever since.

And this BFF came to visit this past weekend. It was a wonderful weekend full of friendship & fun and I miss her already. I love her -- we've been though years of life & friendship and I am so thankful for her. Here are a few pics of Jess & I throughout the years!

Christmas party - 2005

Jess's wedding - Nov. 2008

Jess & I at Asher's baby shower - Winter, 2009

And here are a few pictures from this weekend:

my birthday!

2011-01-12T22:08:00.000-06:00

Chris Rice - It Is Well With My Soul

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I'm 28! Yes, I had a birthday this past weekend. We celebrated in typical fashion, which involved family breakfast, a new pair of uggs, cupcakes, and dinner at our favorite French restaurant. Will's sister Maggie was in town for her residency interview at a hospital here in Chicago. Thankfully, Maggie was more than willing to hang out with Asher while Will & I got dinner. It was a great day. I felt loved & celebrated.

The next day at church we sang one of my favorite hymns -- "It is well with my soul". This hymn has taken on a new meaning in my life since the birth of my beautiful son. I think the words speak for themself. I was thankful to sing it the day after my birthday - such a perfect reminder that it truly is well with my soul. My favorite line in the song is:

"Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul"

I love all of the lyrics in this powerful song, but it is this line, in particular, that reminds me where my hope lies in this world. At the end of the day, when it's all said and done, the worries of this world can be surrendered to someone much bigger than me. It's not something that I do easily, but I really do trust God with our future. I trust that he is sovereign and that it will be done to His will. This song proclaims hope for the future. A future with the Lord and without the struggles of this earth. I cling to this promise, and it is one in which I am thankful. I will always grieve over the struggles that Asher was born with, but that grief has helped me to better understand the meaning behind this song. Whether life is good or bad, we can be thankful for the promise of things unseen. Because of God's promises, it is well with my soul.

snow day!!!

2011-01-11T22:23:00.016-06:00

We got quite a bit of snow here in Chicago today (as did the rest of the country apparently). So before the fresh snow got trampled, littered, shoveled, salted, and "yellowed", Mandii and Ash went to the park across the street for a little photo shoot. Enjoy!

makes me giggle.

2011-01-10T12:14:00.002-06:00

This picture was taken a few weeks ago, but I think it needs to be posted. This is Ash & his Uncle Ben.

happy sunday!

2011-01-09T09:02:00.002-06:00

Asher playing with his BFF.

2011!

2011-01-03T10:54:00.019-06:00

Woah! first off -- sorry we have not posted anything in quite awhile! We have been traveling non-stop for the last couple of weeks. We started out our Christmas break in Nashville, then flew up north to be with my fam. Asher did quite well this Christmas and thoroughly built up his toy collection. A few of his favorite toys include a super cool basketball hoop, a penguin punching bag, a "going to grandma's" suitcase, lots of elmo & sesame street stuff, clothes, books and lots more. He was apparently a very good boy this year.

We had a great time reconnecting with friends in Nashville and were thankful to see people we hadn't seen in quite awhile. Here are a few pictures from our Nashville Christmas.

And here are some pics of our MI Christmas:

pulling to stand

2010-12-14T17:54:00.002-06:00

Asher decided to pull to stand on Sunday, and he's been loving his newfound ability to get to toys, the ipad, and of course, Pearl. Here is a short video showing off his new skill!

so much goodness!

2010-12-12T21:34:00.006-06:00

Last weekend I was in the mountains of Colorado with some great girl friends. This weekend, we were lucky enough to have our dear Tennessean friends Carolyn & Cullin in town. Life is good! We've gotten rather snowed in for the time being, and I'm holding onto hope that Carolyn & Cullin's flight is forever delayed so they just have to move here. :)

Here is a video of Asher dancing to some Christmas tunes:

And here is a picture from my weekend in Colorado:

And here are C&C with Ash:

cruising!

2010-12-02T09:39:00.003-06:00

Ok - one day later than promised. not too bad! Here is the little guy in P.T. this week. He makes this mama proud!

thanksgiving recap.

2010-11-30T14:45:00.017-06:00

It's always hard getting back into the swing of things after a long weekend. BUT.... my wonderful husband is giving me a weekend in Colorado to visit my dear friend Kristi. I am leaving later this week. We are having a girls weekend in the mountains and I couldn't be more excited.

Asher has been having some great therapy sessions lately. I will post a video tomorrow!

I think these pictures pretty much sum it up. Food, friends, family, and shopping! Hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

the thanksgiving edition

2010-11-25T11:20:00.009-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of the season of thankfulness, Will, Asher, & I wanted to compile a list of what we are most thankful for in life. It's so easy to float through life and focus on the negatives, isn't it? But if we step back from time to time and look at what our lives are filled with, it might be surprising to see the abundant blessings we really have.

Will:
My beautiful, creative, funny, and hard-working wife
My blonde-headed, blue-eyed, toothy-grinned, little man
My selfless, loving, and supportive parents, siblings, and in-laws
My friends in Chicago, Nashville, Knoxville, St. Louis, New York, and everywhere
My pup
Lincoln Square Presbyterian Church
PwC... sometimes
Good doctors and therapists for the Smasher
A roof over my head and food on the table
An iPod full of good music (currently giving my ears a break from constant Christmas music... The Tallest Man Earth)
The Tennessee Vols (yes, even in these down times)
XM radio
Twitter (reading more than tweeting)
Good TV (current guilty pleasure... "The Walking Dead")
A warm cup of coffee in the morning and a hoppy microbrew at night
ESPN
My Ugg house shoes
Long weekends to sleep in, eat too much, and watch football
And most importantly, the endless love of God for blessing me with all these things that I don't deserve and don't thank Him for enough

Mandii:
William Charles Atkins - my husband of five and a half years. Our marriage and relationship has changed through the years but I continue to discover new things about him and see what a selfless, loving, and sexy man he really is.

My lil baby pumpkin pie sweetie peety Ashy - I mean really, this little human being just warms my heart. He is an absolute lover, gentle hearted, resilient, strong, and joyful. I am thankful he is my child, exactly as he is.

Pearl Cecilia - my blue eyed puppy. Love this one.

Mom, dad, & mom-in-law & dad-in-law - Just about the 4 most supportive and loving people you could meet. They have been there for us throughout the hardest seasons of our life, celebrated & mourned with us through it all. For them, I am thankful.

Brother's & sister's-in-law, sweet precious neice --- love these people.

My 20-year old cousin whom I adore

My friends - I cherish each phone call, email, text, and card from each of these people. My support system and the people who have walked this journey with me. I simply wouldn't be who I am without my best friends, and I am so blessed to have these creative, loyal, transparent, fashionable :) people in my life. It doesn't hurt that some of them live in awesome places that I love visiting, too.

Church & small group - Our Chicago lifeline. Full of incredibly Godly and honest people. Our small group has been together going on 3 years now. When Asher was born, we got meals delivered to our home for weeks. These people have cried tears of sadness and joy with us, and I am continually thankful for each and every one of them.

My baby's team of incredible therapist (who i like as both people and therapists) and doctors and the friends we have met through our experience with Asher.

The Blue Eyed Pearl - my little business, not my pup this time. This little endeavor keeps me busy and gives me a creative outlet.

Anthropologie - enough said.

Music & concerts - this year has been full of great concerts! the tallest man on earth, local natives, mumford & sons, pitchfork music festival. ohhowiloveittall!

Seasons - both literally and figuratively. I love seeing Asher grow and change along with the color of the leaves and (soon-to-be) snow on the ground.

Sesame street - helps my little guy drink his sippy cup and occasionally gives me a minute to restore my sanity

Leggings & jeggings, high waisted skirts, belts, a perfect pair of boots

My hubby's job - I just realized that this is listed after jeggings. I appreciate his job much more than jeggings, just for the record. I'm thankful for the kind people he has met there and the fact that he is good at his job, and his paycheck that supports our family.

Coffee, hot chocolate, pesto, macaroni and cheese, goat's cheese, twizzlers, trader joe's, chipolte, spinach, hamburgers.

Our farmer, who raises grass-fed cows, amongst other things, who we then eat. :)

Health - for myself & those around me

And God. Who sovereignty has brought me to this place in life and given me every good & perfect gift.
Ephesians 3:20
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us"

Asher:
mommy & daddy - they are the best and give the best snuggles. I love them very much.
grandmas & grandpas - love them, miss them.
aunties & uncles & cousins!
BFF's
my puppy pearl. SHE LET'S ME SNUGGLE AND PET HER!
ELMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Toys, toys, toys!
Growth hormone - OUCH, it hurts every night, but it really helps me grow big and strong!
Bananas & sweet potatoes
pesto cous cous (my favorite meal)
Jesus!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Atkins family!

gobble, gobble!

2010-11-23T20:58:00.004-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving week to you & yours! We are headed to the mitten state tomorrow for a few days filled with turkey and fun. We will miss our friends and family in Nashville but are looking forward to getting down there for Christmas.

On another note - I wanted to share this blog with you. It's the story of a little guy named Bowen. I've been following this blog for sometime now and hope you find hope in it and see God's goodness! Check it out here.

Here is a picture from this past weekend. Asher & I went out to lunch with some of my beautiful small group girls because our Texan friend, Melissa was in town. And in honor of thanksgiving ... these are some people I am truly thankful for!

friends!

2010-11-14T08:39:00.015-06:00

Last week was packed full of visits with old friends. First off, my BFF Liz flew in from a week-long work project in Canada. Asher and I loved spending 3 full days with her. She learned the ropes of taking care of a toddler full-time, and she did a great job. Liz is back home in NJ now -- and we miss her!

On Friday of last week we had lunch with my old friend Rebecca and her 2-month old sweetie, Claire. I LOVE CLAIRE -- and so did Asher! He couldn't stop kissing her (and ripping off her socks). I hadn't seen Rebecca in years and it was lovely seeing her again. And did I mention I loved Claire?

And last but not least, Will & I got to have dinner with our old friends Dawn & Lynn from Tennessee. I nannied for this amazing family for 3 years in college (four kids -- good preparation for mommyhood!). They recently moved back to Tennessee after a year in New Zealand and it was wonderful hearing about their time there. Dawn is as lovely as ever and I can't say enough about how much we miss and love this family.

What a week. Needless to say, this week was spent sleeping, snuggling, and not doing much -- partly because Asher and I were both sick, but also because we needed a quiet week after all our socializing last week. We are all on the upswing health-wise but this crazy Chicago weather isn't helping our case much.

Have a great week!

weeee!

2010-11-13T12:02:00.002-06:00

learning the meaning of "gentle"

2010-11-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

boo!

2010-11-01T11:42:00.006-05:00

Check out this cute lil buzzy bee. Hope you all had a fun & safe halloween!

new bathroom!

2010-10-18T15:40:00.004-05:00

Here are a few pictures of the new bathroom. It's not 100% finished yet, but it is getting there. We still need to install the overhead light, which partly explains why some of the pictures are so dark.

Mirror that I have been scheming to get in our home for months. Seeing my husband hang it brought joy to my heart! :)

the joy of sharing

2010-10-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

Asher recently discovered how fun this is:

2010-10-11T08:22:00.007-05:00

Happy Monday! Our condo is currently filled with boxes of tile, and a ripped-apart bathroom. It will be a long few days with our small home being disrupted by banging and busting, but in the long run it will pay off. Here are a few before pictures (take this morning):

We had a great weekend and it feels like summer in Chicago. Asher's nana came up and spent an evening with Asher while Will & I went to a super fun surprise birthday party. We were extra ambitious and went to a 10pm movie (after the party) and did not get home until after midnight -- yes, that is two weekends in a row!

Asher is still crawling all over the place. It never gets old -- we are 2 very proud parents! Have a great week, friends!

exciting days!

2010-10-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

this started last night!! :)

out til midnight.

2010-10-03T09:19:00.004-05:00

Grandma G. came this weekend! Will and I had dinner with our great pals Dennis & Emily and got to go to a concert we've been super excited about -- local natives. It was great to have grandma babysitting so we could get a night out. Local Native are a great indie band from LA and if you are into music, i highly recommend giving them a listen! Anyway, I came to a scary conclusion while we were at the show. I was looking around and realized that most everyone there was younger than us. KIDS, i say!! Kidding -- maybe. We may be older then than them, but I like to think we are way cooler, right?

The show was incredible and we didn't get home until after MIDNIGHT! Here are a few pictures from the concert.

2 crazy pictures.

2010-10-01T09:39:00.001-05:00

I took these 2 pictures the other day. Here are my thoughts.

Photo #1 - how does my son look so dreamy? I mean seriously, the perfectly swooped hair and hazy smile. Uh oh.... I've got trouble.

2nd picture -- when did my teeny tiny little baby turn into a toddler!? HELP! (on a side note: please notice the adorable new balance tennies!)

duckaduckaducka

2010-09-29T09:57:00.001-05:00

Hi! Sorry it's been awhile since we've posted anything new. Here is a video of the lil guy just chatting away this weekend. Nothing much to update for now.

Enjoy!

grandparents & dancing

2010-09-14T09:31:00.006-05:00

Hello! We had a crazy busy weekend that included church softball, the renegade craft fair, and hanging out with grandparents! Will's grandparents were in from Arkansas. They are doing an amazing cross-country train tour that will take them west to California and then to Texas and back home to Arkansas with a few stops in between. It sounds really amazing and Will and I would LOVE to do something like that someday. Of course, Granny and Papaw were thrilled to hang out with Asher, and he showed off (as usual). We ordered deep dish pizza and spent time just chatting and catching up.

Here are a few pictures from their visit. (and PS - i'm looking a little rough in this picture because we came directly from a softball game!)

And I've been meaning to post this video for a few days now Asher's new favorite thing is DANCING! And he is very good at it, if I do say so myself. Here is a little insight into his mad dancing skills.

new look!

2010-09-07T16:46:00.002-05:00

surprise! we have a new blog layout and design. we want to send a huge thank you to our friend Sarah D., who designed the adventures in asherland logo. how cute is that? she did a great job! Ash looks pretty cute in that lil rocket, if I do say so myself!! Thanks, Sarah!!

supplements!

2010-09-07T10:24:00.002-05:00

I am reassessing Asher's supplement dosage and wanted to give a brief update for any other PWS parents out there who are navigating this confusing road! I find most of my info from connecting the dots, although it can be difficult to understand at times. Feel free to comment or mention what you have found helpful for your kiddo.

He is currently taking the following supplements:

L-Carnitine Fumarate -- He is on a pretty low dose of this because we have switched around a lot. I think we've finally found one we like, made by pure encapsulations, so I think we will up the dosage soon.

B12

C0Q10 - He's on a powder, but I am thinking about switching to a liquid such as this... thoughts? I especially like this one because it uses stevia and xylitolas the sweeteners!

Ribose - we just started this supplement. Asher is receiving 1/4 a teaspoon spread out over 2 feedings.

HGH - We just had an endo appt and Asher got his GH levels tested. They are still high, even on a low dose of .2 (injected daily). I was disappointed with this because I am eager to up his dose, but we will wait until his GH level lowers.

There you have it -- hope you found this helpful!

lake MI

2010-08-27T08:11:00.009-05:00

We just wanted to say a quick hello from sunny Lake Michigan! We've had a wonderful week here, spending most of our days at the beach and just relaxing. We are headed back to Chicago tomorrow. I will write more later but just wanted to post a few pictures from our trip so far.

just some early morning thoughts

2010-08-20T07:34:00.004-05:00

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever,"
Isaiah 40:8

It is a lovely, quiet morning. Asher is all done with his morning milk and back to sleep for a few more minutes. We have an exciting week/weekend ahead of us -- Will is headed south tonight for his cousin Jeremy's wedding. And while I haven't met his cousin's betrothed (miss southern vol) face to face, we have exchanged messages via facebook and she seems lovely, fun, and spunky. I wish I could make it to their wedding, but Asher needs a break from the traveling. When Will returns from his weekend getaway, we will pack up again and head to a cute little lake town in Michigan for a week with my family.

I was just reading Better on Paper and sharing in Em's sentiments about the arrival of fall. I love me some summer -- don't get me wrong. But with the craziness of THIS summer, I am looking forward to the chapter of "the craziest summer ever" ending and hopefully commencing "sweet, relaxing fall". There is something about the change of seasons -- and being able to so literally observe the once-vibrant-green leaves morph into their new shades. I love the feeling of pulling out my old college sweatshirt for the first time of the season, or trading in my flip flops for warmer shoes. I could go on about how the change of seasons is something we look forward to, yet a deeper change is something we often resist - it's so much harder. But I won't go there today. It's not even 8am! See the above verse if you're in the mood for an internal discussion on change. :)

Anyway, all this talk of fall inspired me to make my first seasonal coaster set! Since I posted them yesterday, they have not been a huge hit. But... they will find their home eventually in some man cave (i hate that term) or country-loving room.

Well those are my deep thoughts of the morning. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

blogger award!

2010-08-18T11:37:00.002-05:00

Isaac's Big Adventure passed on this wonderful little award to our blog! As part of the nod, I am supposed to share 7 things about myself!

1. I seriously have the best friends a girl could ask for. My friends mean the world to me and I am beyond blessed by them!

2. My first car was a 1980-something Mercury Marquis. I cried when my dad drove it up the driveway.

3. I was deemed "best smile" and "most likely to host their own talk show" when I was in high school

4. I'm kind of neurotic. Generally speaking, very large structures give me major anxiety. Such as the Indiana wind farms -- I hate driving by them! And if the lighting in a room is not right, I get stressed out. NO OVERHEAD LIGHTS, please! Unless we're in a classroom or a store.

5. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a good scary movie.

6. I used to sing the national anthem at high school basketball games!! (that was a long time ago and I can't sing like that anymore!!)

7. I played college softball for 2 years at Taylor University.

I am going to go ahead and pass this award on to my 2 friends, Bekah and Emily. They both have lovely blogs that I really enjoy reading.

sippy cup

2010-08-18T11:00:00.002-05:00

Here is a short video of the lil guys showing off his newest talent -- drinking from this sippy cup! We are SO proud & excited about his progress. You can tell he is very excited about being a big boy and getting to hold his own cup! Enjoy!

v a c a t i o n !

2010-08-16T07:18:00.025-05:00

Last night we arrived safe & sound in Chicago after a week-long vacation. We started out with a night in Knoxville. Will showed Asher Neyland Stadium and UT's campus. I was so thankful to meet up with my good friend Jessica, who I hadn't seen since her Asher's shower in Nashville last year.

Last Saturday afternoon we arrived in Meggett, South Carolina and met up with Will's family, including dad, mom, brother, sister, granddaddy, papaw and "granny" Anita. The home we stayed at was lovely and definitely evoked an atmosphere of relaxation. Will, Asher, and I stayed in the log cabin (complete with central air and a dish washer -- that is my kind of log cabin!).

It's a nice kind of life when your biggest concern revolves around when the tide will come in and out. We watched dolphins swim by -- It was amazing to watch so closely!
Here is a video of the dophins:

We spent our days fishing, laying in the hammock, sitting on the dock, and kayaking. Will's papaw became very accomplished with the crab trap and we actually had a couple of meals involving crab caught from the bay. Less successful were our attempts at fishing -- I don't think anyone caught a fish the entire week. We spent one afternoon at the beach and took Asher along. It was HOT -- near 100 degrees probably. But we kept Asher nice and cool and lathered on the SPF 65. He LOVED the waves but was not so sure about the sand.

Towards the middle of the week, Will and I had a getaway to Charleston. We stayed at the Vendue Inn in Charleston. It was gorgeous and historic and very southern. I loved Charleston -- such a sweet city. We went for a walk along the battery. Many of the buildings and homes are preserved historically and look just as they did in the 1800's. There are even cobblestone streets in certain areas.

Here are some pictures from our week:

hello friends!

2010-08-05T18:58:00.006-05:00

Hey Guys!

It's Asher writing. I just wanted to let you all know I am feeling much better this week. I've had a very quiet and uneventful week, which has made my mommy very happy. Thank you all for your calls, visits, and emails (I read them all). We are looking forward to going on vacation next week. I will do my best to blog pictures of vacation. But until then, here are a couple of pictures of me during breakfast today.

scary day.

2010-07-30T14:06:00.002-05:00

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you," -Psalm 5:11

Yesterday Asher had what appeared to be a fever seizure. His fever was over 102 after the seizure. As I'm sure you can imagine, it was very scary. I normally don't post too much medical information, but I wanted to share this for other PWS families out there, because I think it could've been prevented. Here is the back story...

The night before last, the power went out and we had no air conditioner or fans. The air was very stagnant and sweltering, and Asher was extremely warm to the touch. People with PWS have a difficult time with body temperature regulation, and where my body responded to the warm room and maintained a normal temperature, I believe Asher's body couldn't handle the warmth. He woke up around midnight crying and was hot. I rocked him and he fell back asleep. I honestly didn't think anything of it. The next day (yesterday) we did our regular routine and he ate and drank and did all of his normal stuff. EXCEPT - he was lethargic. When he was sitting up, I observed his head bobbing. It was clear that he was tired and did not have much strength. Throughout all of this, his skin was very warm. When we got home, I tried to take his temperature under his arm but he was very irritable and would not let me get it. I again marked this up to overreacting and bathed him and got his nightly milk around as usual. However, I did give him a dose of tylenol around 6:45 pm to reduce irritability and treat any fever that might be there. (Believe me, as I'm reading this I see lots of bad mommy moments... that is why I'm sharing this with you!).

Suddenly he started shaking and grunting. The seizure lasted for approx 1-minute. I called 911 as soon as I realized what was happening and the ambulance arrived quickly. After the seizure subsided, he was somewhat alert, but very confused and physically exhausted. During the ambulance ride he started to be more responsive (even smiled at the EMT), but he was irritable and didn't want them touching him.

So, we spent a few hours in the ER, they ran some blood work, his temp went back to normal, and he was one exhausted little boy. We were sent home with instructions to give him tylenol every 4 hours and increase liquids. The blood results showed that he was dehydrated and possibly had a virus. But.... my mother's instinct tells me that the fever, due to the previous nights heat, peaked and the seizure was his body's way of dealing with it.

He slept through the night and woke up happy, snuggly, and slightly groggy. Today we have been continuing liquids and his normal feeding schedule (I am skipping all of his supplements today and did not do the HGH injection last night just to reduce any stimulation). His temp is remaining normal today and he is tolerating his foods and liquids fine.

Side note - I also had a febrile seizure when I was young and the doctor informed me that these are often inherited.

Another side note - people with PWS are 3 times more likely to have seizures than the rest of the population, so that certainly could come into play as well.

I just wanted to share this in case any other parents notice your little one feeling warm and looking lethargic. I wish I would've gotten him to a cooler place, placed cool washcloths on him, and started the tylenol earlier. I also wish I would've kept him inside and had a more low-key day yesterday in response to his temperature.

These summer days can be wonderful and fun-filled, but it's important to keep an eye on our little ones and take notice if you feel anything is out of the ordinary.

our crazy life

2010-07-29T14:01:00.012-05:00

Hi, hi, hi! Oh man - we have been slacking in the blog department and for that, I am very sorry! Will is almost through with his July busy season (yay!). He has been working til the wee hours of the night (approx midnight) out in the suburbs, and then coming home to get about 5-6 hours of sleep, and then doing it all over again. Thankfully, this should be wrapping up this week. He will be rewarded for his hard work with a weekend trip to St. Louis for "guy time". Should be a blast to see all of his high school/college cuties and act like crazy men for the weekend.

August will be vacation-filled. We are headed to South Carolina for a week with Will's fam, and to a beach house in Michigan with mine. We are very much looking forward to some r&r with the family and of course, endless babysitting by 2 very eager grandma's. We are taking suggestions of fun things to do in the Charleston area if anyone has any! Suggest away!

This past weekend we spent time on the beach of Lake Michigan, for a small group weekend getaway. We were partly celebrating these fine people, as they are packing up and moving to Israel for a year. I am so, so, SO sad to see them go, but also so excited for the adventures that await them. While there, we ate at this great restaurant called Redamak's -- yummy burgers!

cheesy christmas photo!

we decided to go for a walk...

and got drenched in a storm!

After the lake, we headed west to my brother's house near Kalamazoo and celebrated Lydia's 1st birthday. Could she be any cuter?

Asher, Pearl, and I have spent the week at my parent's house to get a break from the city and Will's crazy work schedule. It has been nice catching up with a few friends and getting lots of relaxing time. The power went out yesterday from about 3pm until this morning at 5am. What's a trip to my hometown without the power going out? Ahh, the country life!

and just for safe measure --

4th of july & such

2010-07-11T12:57:00.010-05:00

As usual, i am about a week late in posting! We had a lovely 4th of July, split between Chicago and Michigan. We got to spend time with our niece, who is just turning a year old. Asher and Lydia had a lot of fun together until she bit him, but he forgave and all is well. Here are a few photos from last weekend. Hope you all had a restful and fun filled holiday!

Starting off, here are a few pictures of grandpa's cabin & garden:

And here is uncle Nick taking a nap with Pearl:

Bubby & Lydia having fun:

And here we are spending some time at the park:

a boy and his dog

2010-06-30T08:15:00.009-05:00

Most of you know that Pearl is our firstborn. We adopted Pearl in the Fall of 2006 when we first moved to Chicago and she has been a part of our family ever since. When I found out I was pregnant, I was definitely apprehensive of how Pearl would mesh with the new addition. She had been the center of our lives for long, how would she accept a little person taking over the spotlight? And as far as her personality, Pearl is an anxious dog, to say the least. Anyone who knows her has either been shunned, or licked profusely by her.
However, when little Asher came home, Pearl immediately stepped up to the role of protective sister-dog. And now that Asher is a little older, he LOVES Pearl. His first sign was "dog" and his whole face lights up with smiles when Pearl walks into the room. Here are a few recent pictures of the two cuties together.

and just to prove it started a long time ago...