oh Christmas tree.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree....how lovely are thy branches (until they are all over your floor.)

We went to Ramona, CA for our annual tree hunt this weekend.  We actually didn't end up cutting down a tree on the farm since they only grow Monterey Pines which I found out last year means "all my needles fall off the tree by day 3 Pine".  We still went, and just picked out a Frasier Fur already cut down.

I really didn't get many pictures.  Jonah did ride a horse - not a pony - a large horse, which made me a little nervous, but he did great.  After the horse he spotted the jumpy and that was pretty much it.  He didn't even want to run through the trees or see Santa.  All he wanted to do was jump in the jumpy, so my images of the day are limited. 

 

This guy thought my phone was food.

 

Jonah on "cowboy".

B is for Brother.

So Asher is 4 weeks old.  BUT, it wasn't until just the other day that Jonah asked me if he could hold him.  I haven't pushed Asher on him at all and that approach has seemed to work, because he has been so good with him I can't believe it.  Every once in a while he'll ask me to "put Asher down" if I am holding him, but very rarely.  He's quick to let me know when Asher cries usually by saying "mom, your brother is crying," which makes me laugh.

Here is the best big brother in action, feeding Asher his bottle (which he asked to do!).

Thanksgiving thanks.

We had a lot to be grateful for this year.  My biggest being that Asher is healthy.  In the end, without our health we really don't have much.  I think we all take that for granted.  When one of your children is sick, it really puts things in perspective.  Piles of laundry, a dirty floor, unpaid bills, a temper tantrum, post-baby weight blues, yada yada.  None of it matters.  As long as you can tuck your babies in at night in their own bed with full bellies and healthy hearts - you are blessed. 

I heard recently this little quote and it really makes you think.  "If you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for today, what would you be left with?"  Something to think about when the day just isn't going your way.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 

Jonah, getting into the Thanksgiving spirit with a "perky turkey" from his Aunt Jessica.

 

We hosted again this year and were excited to have Brody's mom in town, Brody's Aunt Tuki and Uncle Ron drove down from Manhattan Beach as well as his cousin Curt and his girlfriend and their new baby girl Harlow who was born just two weeks before Asher.  Brody's other cousin Ben and his girlfriend were with us too.  A full house!  Here is Asher and Harlow the newest additions to the family.

 

The gang chatting after dinner.

 

Jonah not eating his dinner.  Apparently he's not my kid because I would eat Thanksgiving food everyday if you let me.

f is for friend. and z is for zoo.

 

After my mom left, we were lucky to have my best friend Vicky come visit for a few days.  I call her the baby whisperer as she was so great with Asher.  He always stopped crying when Aunt Vicky held him.  She even got up at 2a.m. to rock him back to sleep when he was done eating - score for mommy!

 

 

If you know Vicky, you know one of our stops during her visit  had to be the zoo.  Jonah had no complaints as he loves the zoo! 

 

Asher was a champ the whole day.

 

My little "old" man.  We call him Benjamin Button.  If you've seen the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" you see why :)

 

Now that I have a newborn, Jonah just seems so grown up to me.  Can't believe he is going to be 3 in a few months.

 

The double stroller and all the stuff!  Makes packing up and going anywhere quite the challenge.

 

Getting big!  Already 4 weeks old!!

Life with 2.

Life with two has proven to be...hmmm how should I put this.  C-R-A-Z-Y!!

As most of you know, Asher got pretty sick and was hospitalized for a potential staph infection.  We were there for about 3 days and he was a trooper.  At just a week old he had a lumbar puncture (which is pretty much a spinal tap), lots of blook work and cultures and an IV.  After 3 days of IV anti-biotics, he was looking MUCH better.  The cultures all came back negative and it's pretty inconclusive as to what he actually had, but all his doctors and the infectious disease doctor pretty much confirmed it was most likely a skin staph infection that was caught early.  I am so grateful for the doctors and nursing staff who took good care of us and that God healed sweet Asher and he is doing great now.  My mom was in town which was another blessing as she helped Brody out with Jonah while I was in the hospital.

Now that we are home, we are trying to adjust to life with 2 kids.  It's a big adjustment!!!  I have been having some issues with breastfeeding and Asher is still not up to his birth weight at 3 weeks, so his pediatrician had me see a lactation consultant.  I have decided the best thing for my family is for me to pump what I have and supplement with formula.  The most important thing is that Asher gains weight so I will just have to swallow my guilt of not being able to breastfeed again and do what's best for him.  I will try to pump as much as I can so he can still get some of the good stuff, but like I said earlier it is CRAZY around here and finding time to pump with a 2 1/2 year old and screaming newborn is quite stressful!!!

Jonah continues to be a great big brother!  He hasn't acted out toward Asher at all.  He still pretty much ignores him, but every once in a while I catch him saying "hi baby asher" and patting his head. 

Asher is an OK sleeper, pretty much an average newborn, up every 2-3 hours for food at night.  He tends to be pretty awake around 2a.m. too and has wide eyes open for an hour or two in the early morning hours so I am a very tired momma!

We've had lots of vistors, my mom was here for almost two weeks and helped cook, clean and take care of me!  It was a HUGE help to have an extra set of hands.  I was by myself for about 2 days after she left and I about went batty!  My best friend Vicky is visiting now and she even got up at 2a.m. and rocked Asher back to sleep so I could rest - SCORE!  I am getting spoiled!!!  Brody's mom arrives here on Monday for a two week visit too.  I will probably  have a mental collapse in December when all my help is gone and I am alone with two crazy boys, but for now I am happy to take full advantage.

Here are some pictures I have managed to take over the last few weeks.

 

 

The start of his staph infection...poor baby!

 

This is when I knew something was definetly wrong!

 

The IV was the worst part! 

 

Looking 100% better and happy to be home from hospital!

Asher Edward

Well most of you know but I gave birth last friday to Asher Edward!  It was a very uneventful and well easy (compared to my 1st) delivery and he is just perfect!  He is also a carbon copy of his brother.  I seriously thought I gave birth to Jonah's twin 2 years later.

He was 8lbs 5oz and 21 inches long.  Just about the same size as his big brother. (8lbs 8oz, 21 1/4).  We are adjusting to life with two children now and learning how to juggle it all.  My mom is here now which helps and Jonah is just being a rockstar of a big brother.  My fears of tantrums and jealously seemed to have been just that a fear, not a reality.  While I know we are only a week in and there are going to be plenty of times when he freaks out, I am just very happy to report that Jonah has adjusted to being a big brother quite well.  He is very protective of Asher and doesn't seem to mind when Mom holds, feeds, changes or coos at the baby.  The only time that he has freaked out, which was completely my fault, was when I called Asher "Boo Bear", which is my name for Jonah.  He was not a fan of that.

Here are some pictures of our first week together.  Unfortunately everyone is right and the second child definetly gets the shaft.  I haven't taken as many pictures of him, nor updated his baby book!!!  Poor guy.

Asher (means happiness.  It's a biblical name, Jacob's 8th child (2nd son) and God promised Asher a life full of abundance). 

Edward (named after my maternal grandfather Edward James Walsh, whom we miss every single day!).