28 January

We just turned Asher's car seat around. So far, he loves it.

The lighthouse from Dunes beach. Waves and wind courtesy of Cyclone Iggy.

Asher and I at the Muldura wreck. This is what photos look like when Dave takes them and he can't see the screen well.

Dave and Asher at the lighthouse.

The view from the lighthouse.

And emus crossing our driveway the week before the cyclone.

January Asherisms

If Asher wants my attention, he will pull at my feet until they are pointed in his direction, then wave his hands as if to say "I'm down here!"

Asher talks to the ceiling. I like to think he's chatting with God. But perhaps he just likes the ceiling.

He has started bringing us books to read to him. Often he'll pull them off his bookshelf and look at them himself.

He loves putting things IN things. We find bits of food tucked in places like my bag, behind a toy in a bookshelf, in Dave's sports gear. He likes transferring balls from one container to another.

We are discovering his sense of humor. For example, his "baby vogue" game- sitting very still, then suddenly flinging his arms up in the air and grinning and giggling. It is like he is trying to startle us or something, the baby version of hiding behind a door and saying "Boo!"

I was showing Asher how to put the shapes through the shape sorter. He watched and put two of the three in, and then took them out again. He looked at me, carefully opened the lid to the shape sorter, and put all the shapes in, then shut the lid.

He still hasn't figured out chasey. He sits there and lets us catch him. Sometimes he scoots at us.

When he pushes his toy cars around, he makes this sound- "Wuvwuvwuv!"

Instead of saying no, he says "nein." It seems Asher speaks German now.

He knows when he's doing something wrong. He'll put his hand on (our phone, the rocks in the garden, etc) and then just look at us. Sometimes he'll just hover his hand over it and wait for us to take it away. He doesn't protest.

Asher's First Birthday

Asher spent the few days before his birthday in Perth as we sorted out his American passport.
Here's a phone photo of his passport photo.

He was one tired baby! He fell asleep in the car on the way to the photo place and I had to wake him up for his photo.

It was nice spending time with family in Perth but Asher wasn't happy when I went shopping without him so I didn't get much done on my to-do list.

The morning of his birthday he woke up at 5am (yay, not!) and was grumpy and had his nap at 8. I had to wake him up after 9 so we could drive to the airport.

Travelling with an active 1 year old in a plane is not fun... he did NOT want to stay in my lap or in the seat, especialy not after a long car trip. He kept arching his back and hitting me in the chest or face with his head... which didn't make either of us happy. Part of the problem was that it was naptime again. He drifted off to sleep... just as the plane was landing.

He slept in the car on the way home (about 15 minutes) and then would not go back to sleep... so essentially he had been awake since 9am. So we put him in his birthday shirt, and got a few photos...

Asher in a tub of balls- his birthday present from us.

In the rocking chair where we usually take photos each month. He was tired... not too many smiling photos here.

And his birthday cupcake, a no-added-sugar carrot cake with cream cheese icing (also no sugar). He didn't eat it, of course, but his eating difficulties are a whole other story!

Anyway, Asher was asleep before 6pm. Tomorrow will be a better day!

Some success with food!

Asher actually, eagerly ate some food today. He started with the multigrain cereal with fruit (Dave spoon feeding him), and then when he tired of that put the rice, mince (hamburger) and pasta sauce mix (where he feeds himseld) on his tray. He poked at it a bit, so we moved to the chocolate pudding (spoon feeding himself) and helping him aim his spoon into his mouth by holding his elbow. He kept holding out the spoon for more, and more, and more! (Poor Dave didn't have much time to eat his lunch). And then he went back to the cereal and the rice mixture. And then... when I went to get a wet washcloth to clean him up with... he kept eating!

Of course it is too early to say it is a trend, but it is at least a hopeful incident. It woul be great if we could keep this up!

Memory Verse Challenge 2012

I read a post on my friend Carol's blog. She is participating in She Sparkles Scripture Memory Challenge.

From She Sparkles website:

Basically, I'll be sharing a new verse every other week (A to Z style) through December 17th, 2012. I also have lots of fun prizes to share each week with Memory Verse Challenge participants!

Let's get started! Here is the first official verse - Joshua 24:15b

A - As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

So I am looking forward to this challenge this year. It has been ages since I have tried memorizing anything- Scripture included! One verse every other week seems do-able.

Join me!