Fun in the Sun :: a post with too many pictures

Grandmama (my mother) gave Asher a teeny tiny pool of his very own. The day he received it, he didn't really care much for it and would much rather spend all his time traipsing around Pop's big yard of wonderment. I, too, spent much time in that yard when I was young and it is full of wonderment.

We brought the pool home (it's funny to look in your rearview and see a giant giraffe staring at you in rush hour traffic) and set it up on the back porch. Most mornings Asher wakes up, has a fresh diaper and heads to the kitchen for some oatmeal and spoon practice. This generally means a giant mess, which lead to the post-breakfast pool dip. He just play out back in his diaper, rotating from his pool to the dog's bowl. Don't worry, I clean both the pool and the dog's water bowl every day so it's fresh water. Someone (Hi Shara!) kindly pointed out that there were no recent pictures of Asher, so here you go. Enjoy him and all the cuteness he has to offer. Oh, and you're welcome. Oh, and by the way, there are like fourtyseventhousand pictures. You're very welcome. I'll try to keep my comments to a minimum.

See his hand? That's from the bar-be-que pit. 

We wave bye bye to all airplanes. So if you fly over us, know we're waving. 

This is the day he figured out he didn't need any help to go up or down this little step. 

Each up and each down was followed with either "yay!" or "ta dahhhhhhhh" from Asher.

Please tell me you can see the mischief all over this face...

We keep him swimming in those regular diapers ... the weight slows him down just a tad...

And a very very very happy birthday to Daddy today! 

Babying My Baby

It has occurred to me lately, on a nearly daily basis, that my little baby is growing up. He is by no means grown, but he is still much much more than he was only a year ago when we met. It's funny, because Justin and I were apparently both thinking about this yesterday.

Justin called, as usual, on his way home and I did not answer, also as usual. Sometimes I can't get to the phone fast enough, or last night it was still on silent from church, or I'm in the middle of changing a diaper or cleaning up from dinner or whatever the current mess situation. Last night was different though.

I'm not sure why or how, but I stopped rocking Asher before bed. It must have been when he stopped taking a night-time bottle. Ick, just reading that sentence makes me feel like a poor mother. We've always bragged on how easily he goes to bed at night. We just plop him in his bed, hand him his sleeping buddies, turn out the light and leave. So sometime in there the easy became the norm and I find myself missing all those opportunities to rock him and snuggle him and pray over him and be his mommy just a little bit longer. Last night before putting him to bed we sat in our chair and  I caressed his curls and rubbed his back. I prayed for more moments like that.

Justin can't wait for him to get bigger. He wants to "do stuff" with him and teach him things and talk with him. I want him to grow up, too. I dream of my baby growing into a strong man of faith and action. A man with his own family and ministry. But if it's alright, I'd like him to be a baby for just a little while longer.