Birthdaypartyitis

It is entirely possible that I went overboard for Asher's birthday party on Saturday.

But Mal & Josiah are going to be here!  It had to be the greatest party to date.

Unfortunately it is going to be too cold to have it outside like last year...but the good thing is Ben is now off the hook for hanging 200 balloons from the nine trees in our backyard. 

I am not a very nice party planner to work with for.

Asher is 2 :)

Today is Asher's birthday.  Oh my sweet Asher.  We were at breakfast this morning and Ben said "Two years ago Asher was 5 hours old and we were resting in the mother-baby unit," and I just drifted back to that place.  How in the world could we have possibly known what the next two years would bring?  I can't even believe it now and I've lived it.

I just finished a book and in it is one of my new favorite phrases: "maximum maternal velocity".   As a young mom lays dying she says to her daughter I gave you everything.  And the daughter narrates, She did.  She came at us with maximum maternal velocity.   Two years ago, exhausted after 27 hours of labor, holding my hours-old newborn, I wouldn't have known what that meant (I might have thought I did after going through 27 hours of labor...that counts as some amount of maternal velocity, that's for sure...but I didn't really know, not yet).  But I do now.  I have spent so much of my life trying to figure out what else to do, what to do better, what to do differently, what I should be doing instead.  And it is only since I have become a mom (and even then it didn't happen overnight) that my world has slowly found balance.  Ten years ago I would have been thinking about how to save the world.  And that is still true today, I haven't lost my ability to think globally or to care universally, but I'd be lying through my teeth if I said my world wasn't almost entirely the two year old bundle of tantrums and new words and sticky fingers sitting in my lap.  The truth is, when my life is winding down, I will certainly look back on what I did for others and if I used my education and if I did the right things at the right times...but I will measure so much of my achievement in whether or not my children would say of me, "She came at us with maximum maternal velocity." 

I love you Asher.  You are my world & my greatest joy.  Happy Birthday Little.

Some of our newest words

How old is Asher?

Lucky us!  Daddy joined us for birthday pancakes at IHOP before going to work.

(Yeah, these two aren't related at all....)

After pancakes we went to the balloon museum with our friends Max, Zach, Luke, & Gracie for story time.  We did an arts & crafts project and Asher was only kind of reprimanded by a volunteer for unwinding the yarn and throwing it through the air like a football (instead of neatly wrapping it up into a 'dust bunny' project).  

When Asher wakes up we will go get his haircut (pictures to come) and then have dinner and a birthday treat once Ben gets home.  All in all, it's been a great day.

Before the Haircut

After the Haircut (with gel in his hair...what?)

Rawr!

Blowing out the candles on his birthday sundae

This is a picture from when Asher was still 1 :)

February 24th

It was a lovely day here in Albuquerque.  

We kicked off Asher turning 2 with style (pantless for the most part).  Asher spent the morning being a crazy, exhausted little person.  He would lay down on me and whimper "book" until I read him a story.  Instead of falling asleep, he would goofily grin at me and start running around again.  Twice he snuck away like a quiet poop ninja while I was cleaning something up in another room, and then returned minutes later with no pants, holding a poopy diaper, proudly holding it up to me saying "Poop!  Trash." and then scampering to throw it in the garbage.   Yep.  Kid is going to potty train himself.  Or never potty train and just keep pooping and peeing and stripping naked afterwards. 

When it became clear that Asher was not going to nap, I called Ashley and asked if she wanted to grab frozen yogurt.  We had planned on a fun afternoon of crafts...but sleep-deprived Asher + markers + glue + focus = not possible.  So we opted for a treat instead. 

My favorite two little people to watch together are Asher and Payson.  Hearing them say each others name is about the most adorable thing in the world, and they just chased each other around the icecream shop shrieking and giggling (fortunately the person working has a 3 year old and didn't mind the chaos).  

Payson was Asher's first friend in Albuquerque (and Ashley was mine) and I 100% plan to pack them up (twins & Eric & kitty too) and bring them back to Minnestoa with us when we move.

Asher's Last Day Being 1

What.  How.  When did this happen?  Tomorrow Asher turns 2.   

His year as a 1 year old was something else.  There were so many "moments" that I'll remember forever, but thought I'd highlight some of his 'firsts' over the last year here. 

First birthday party

First trip to the botanical garden

I just love this picture.

First time I realized my son was capable of plotting against me

First professional haircut

First time on Lake Superior

First face plant

First cheers

First cigar (just kidding)

First date

First dentist appointment

First allergic reaction

First free throw contest

First adorable hat

First shiner

First tea party

First tour guide lecture

First trip to the balloon (bwoon) museum

First time camping on the gulf

First time eating ribs

First time eating corn on the cob

First time in a sprinkler

First time marching in a parade

First time under the influence of Versed

First Christmas in Texas

First time out

First train ride (not a fan)

First sucker(s)

First time at a fair

Snuggling Har

Another 'not a first'...just a favorite picture of my 1 year old

First appearance as a ring bearer

Bring It

After 4 reproductive endocrinology appointments, 1 rheumatology appt, 1 maternal-fetal medicine consultation, 2 'normal' OB appts, 2 'urgent' OB appts, 2 trips to the ER, 1 case presentation at high risk grand rounds, 1 [declined] cardiology referral, 1 pending perinatology referral, 3 ultrasounds, 1 24-hr kidney function test, 8 blood draws, 1 IV, 1 cervical cauterization, and 1 near-miss with starting a drug that can cause liver failure and death....my first trimester is finally over. 

Bring it on 2nd Tri, I'm ready for ya.

Goodbyes = Bummers

Karen & Jim were here for a lovely visit this past week and this morning we dropped them off at the airport, which was followed by Asher crying and asking for Grandma and Grandpa (heartbreaking to say the least).

We had a ton of fun and stayed very busy while also relaxing (funny how that works).

We had a tea party with the beautiful fabric tea bags Grandma Karen made for us....

We went to Los Poblanos Farm...

The bookstore...

We hung out with Aunt Sue & Uncle Joel...

Practiced driving...

Watched balloons...

Went to the zoo...twice...

Made Valetine's Day Cookies...

Played outside...

And relaxed :)

We miss you already!