7 MONTHS OLD

Well we are a couple days late...but here is Isaac's 7 month pictures. He is just so cute! He is pretty proficient at rolling over, back to front and front to back, unless he doesn't feel like it. He is excellent at sitting up. He can sit up for quite a long time and is starting to go from sitting to tummy without any tears. He can go backward and do 360s on his tummy, so he is very interested in all of Asher's toys. Asher is learning more and more about sharing and is very sweet about it, most of the time. Isaac has no teeth to speak of, not even the beginnings. Best news, he is sleeping through the night, yippee!!! David and I have had a number of nights sleep now and feel like we can take on the world. Thanks to all the prayer warriors out there, we were very spoiled with Asher being such a great night sleeper so early in life, that the lack of sleep the last 7 months was pretty unbearable at times.

Asher at 7 months...they look a lot alike in these pictures.

Brother had to have some 'cheese' time!

Thank You Papa and Granny

Last Friday we went to the San Diego Zoo for Asher's and Isaac's first time. Granny and Papa had free passes that expired the end of October. We were really hoping to see the 'Grandpaaaaas' (turtles) up close, but it ended up being too cold. Granny and Papa have a desert tortoise named Grandpa. Asher goes out in their backyard and calls for him and he comes to find Asher who usually has food to feed him.

Anyway, Asher just loved the zoo. I think he only sat in the stroller for maybe the last 30 - 45 minutes and we were there for 5+ hours. He enjoyed all the animals. It was so fun to see his face when he saw the animals up close and alive that he has learned about in books.

We stopped in front of the Zebra's to feed the boys and were shocked to hear a zebra call out. I don't think I have ever seen Asher's eyes so big. They sound like a donkey.

Asher really enjoyed all the hands on stuff and being able to run free on the trails and sidewalks. He liked the elephants a lot, the exhibit was made really well, you really feel close to them while walking on the trail.




The Pandas were out and eating when we went through the exhibit. Apparently it is very rare to see them up and active, they sleep 22 hours a day. They are so beautiful and even better up close. The baby was way up in one of the trees, couldn't really see him well enough for a picture, he was about 3 stories high in a tree sleeping.
Asher was so good, we had to be very quiet in the exhibit. He kept pointing to them and whispering, "Lunch, lunch."

Isaac sporting his 'birth' present. Auntie Donna bought this Alpaca hat for him while she was in Peru when he was born. We took the 40 minute bus tour at the end to give our legs and feet a rest before heading to see the turtles and the children's zoo.
I must have seen something very exciting and was telling Asher to look at it...I love this picture of Isaac, but my facial expression makes me laugh.
Isaac fell alseep in my arms about 5 minutes into the bus tour and slept for the next 1 1/2 hours, in my arms. Wow, nothing like walking the zoo with a 22 pound dead weight baby. Boy were my momma muscles sore that evening and the next day. I loved every minute of it though, Asher would have and will not ever fall asleep anywhere if there is something to see. I love that Isaac is so laid back like his daddy.

Thanks again, Papa and Granny for such a great day at the Zoo. We all had so much fun!

Pumpkin Patches

We have been to the pumpkin patch 3 times in the past few weeks. Asher has loved every moment. He loves to run and climb, so the patches with big pumpkins are his play ground. We picked out a couple pumpkins for carving this weekend. I am excited to see what Asher thinks about the pumpkin guts and when they are finished with the lights lit. I will post more pictures after the weekend. We are going to the Harvest Festival with the Grandparents, Papa, Granny, Grandpa and Sylvia, so I am sure I will have lots more to share.

Our first trip to Bates Nut Farm with Grams, Allan, EJ and Erik.

... and More Pumpkin Patches

Peltzer Farms here in Temecula in Wine Country. They have a great family oriented farm with a fun corn maze, a great petting zoo and lots of pumpkins. I went with the MOMS group I am part of through church.

Our second trip to Bates Nut Farm, this time with Granny and Papa.
Asher loves to ride on ponies. His first time was at the Del Mar Fair this summer and this one he rode without Daddy standing next to him. Such a big boy. He
Asher loved feeding the baby goats, Papa showed him how and then Asher did it all on his own. Asher didn't want anything to do with the big animals, just the baby goats.

Isaac hanging out in the wagon...just along for the ride.
We posted pictures last year of Asher in these cut outs and had to get them with both the boys this year...will there be 3 faces next year...I don't know, but just maybe...




So hard to get family pictures with everyone looking the right direction and smiling, but it captures the moment at least.

NO MORE SWADDLES...

With much prayer support and a wonderfully strong, supportive husband, Isaac is sleeping without his swaddles. This morning he woke up at about 4am and wouldn't go back to sleep, so David walked out and said, "He's going to cry it out." Yikes, no discussion, just like that, yes, submission is hard sometimes, but this week all the time in God's word and the prayers being sent our way, I have to say, I didn't even grumble, not even in my heart and mind! Huge for me! After 9 years of marriage, I am a little better at submission, but not so much on my face or in my heart and mind, so this morning was a big deal to me. AND...the Lord totally blessed us, Isaac was asleep within 9 minutes. I awoke after 6am to squeals, raspberries and giggles from both the boys. I knew it wasn't going to be over, I had the day of naps ahead of me. So far, not too bad...it only took him 7 minutes to fall asleep for his morning nap. He only slept for 40 minutes which I knew was coming, but then went back to sleep for another 40 with puppy and I was able to grab this shot. The light at the end of the tunnel is now more of a flickering candle than a tiny pin hole. Thanks to all the moms in my MOMS group and the Tues. am bible study group for your prayers! And of course my regular prayer warriors - Donna, Grams and Gma Jan! I feel pretty good with 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.