Claire's Birthday Party and Other Things

We had a great time at Claire Bear's FIRST birthday party today! I can't BELIEVE that a YEAR has gone by! It's been a GREAT year, and it makes me sick to think about time going that fast at the same time! On the way home today, I was thinking about how we celebrate that Claire has been with us for a year, but I also cannot EXPRESS HOW THANKFUL I am that my dear sister Emily is with us too!!! She hemmoraged after Claire was born, and we were literally scared that we might lose her. That is the most TERRIFIED I've EVER been, and it's the HARDEST I've EVER prayed!!! Thank you GOD that you saved her!!! I love you Emily!!!!!!!! You know that.

I was also thinking about Allie! The day Allie was born, I cried all day! =) She was the first baby born in our family! And she has always felt like she was MINE! =) (Beau calls my nieces and nephews my "pseudo-kids"!) I was not in the room when she was born, but we could hear what was going on outside the door, and I held my breath with every push...and cried and cried! And I remember when she was little bitty, just going into her room and watching her sleep in her bed...then picking her up because I couldn't resist and just rocking her for the longest time! I just stared at her and...you guessed it...cried. I was so in love with her! And as I held her in my lap even today...I still am! I love you Allie Jill!!!

Ugly Mommy

It's amazing how you can feel all warm and fuzzy inside, then switch to an evil witch in a split second. =) All is well now. No worries. But earlier, I was exhausted. Asher had a bad night last night, then he didn't take much of a nap on the way back from Claire's birthday party - even though he was tired. And I had just had it! He cried in the back seat, while Beau drove, and I plugged my ears with my fingers. I just felt so mad, and I wanted him to BE QUIET!!! But looking back, it didn't last that long, and we're all fine. I suppose we moms just have moments like that. Asher, of course, never knew I was losing my patience with him, but sometimes you know the way you "should" be, and you just can't muster it up. I'm glad it's over. He actually ended up going back to sleep for a little bit, then I was able to keep him pretty happy the rest of the way with puffs. Those things are magical. =) Then, when we got home, I fed him, then Beau played with him for a while, and I took a little nap...which was probably what I REALLY needed! =) I get upset with my man sometimes, but when I stop and think about him and how great he is at loving Asher and me, then I know how senseless it was to get upset in the first place. Granted...that "stopping and thinking" part sometimes takes a long time. I'm lucky he puts up with me. If only I could choose the responses and attitudes that I know I "should". Ay-ya-ya!

Grammie and Grandad

Asher and I went on a trip to Grammie and Grandad's in Livingston for a few days last week. I was sorry that we hadn't gotten there earlier in the summer, but I think I was just intimidated by the drive with just Asher and me. But it was GREAT - there AND back!!! I was SHOCKED! It is about four and half hours one way, and we MADE IT! We stopped in Waco for a few hours both times, and that really helped. Asher even got to stay with Gibbie for a little bit at her office while I went and ran a few errands. Thanks Gibbie!!! He slept both times in between here and Waco basically the whole way. And he slept about half of the way both times in between Waco and Livingston. He started to get a little fussy after he woke up, but I was able to give him "puffs" and toys to keep him happy. It was a success!!!

Mark and Barbara, Beau's parents, are THE BEST in-laws I could have EVER dreamed of!!! Barbara and Asher have a BLAST together! And Mark loves working on our car! =) I'm sure that sounds funny, but EVERY time we see them, he finds something to put his time and energy into to make our car better than it already is! We're SO BLESSED by BOTH of them!!!

Asher is their first grandchild, so, as you can imagine, he does not lack for attention and love! We had lots of fun going on boat rides, taking a walk across the dam (Beau's dad is the assistant manager at the Lake Livingston dam - or Trinity River Authority.), visiting Grandad at his office, going to Nacogdoches to see Asher's great grandparents, great aunt and uncle, and two cousins, and just playing and playing! Barbara played with and took care of Asher a lot, so I got some much desired rest!!! Thank you Grammie!!! =)

We're beyond blessed to have parents who love us SO MUCH!!!

Firsts

Asher has had lots of fun firsts recently. First time to play on the ground outside. First time to get sprayed by a water hose (which he thought was fun!). First boo-boo. First time to "kiss" me. First time to "dance". (He bounces up and down - sometimes when there's music, sometimes when there's not.) First taste of a sucker (bad Daddy!). First boat ride. First swim in a lake. First time to pick peaches with Pawpaw. First time to stand without holding on to anything. (This isn't a frequent occurence yet, and it didn't last long at all!) He also got his top two teeth and is working on the two on either side of those. Life is fun!

New Pictures...again

There is more to come, but for now you can look at our new pictures from Asher's and my trip to see his grandparents and other family in East Texas. (See Picasa link to the left) We had a great time! Gotta run for now...

Not Enough Time

There's never enough time. Now, for instance. I am so sleepy, so I will go to bed soon. I did finally get some cleaning done after Asher went down at 8:00. So I feel better but not great, because there's still so much to do! I do good to keep things straight...much less CLEAN (which I prefer - and was pretty good at it before I got married and had a kid)!!! And then there's the clutter, the closets, the laundry, taking a shower, getting dressed, going to the grocery store, having a social life (which unfortunately I haven't been very good at since Asher came along - except with my family), etc., etc., etc. It's a little overwhelming sometimes. But sometimes you just have to stop and go to bed. So good night.

Indescribable Love

How can I love this human being SO MUCH? You hear before you have kids how great it's going to be...but there's NO WAY to describe what it's REALLY, REALLY like until you're experiencing it! Well...even now I can't DESCRIBE it, but now I understand. There are NO words to adequately express what I feel for Asher. Not to say that I don't have countless "ugly Mommy moments" - unshaved legs, unwashed hair, yesterday's makeup, boredom, helplessness, the feeling of being trapped, etc. But that NEVER takes the place of the DEPTH of awe that I feel when I look at him. To think that he started out as a little thing we couldn't even see... He is a complex human being-part Beau, part me, formed by GOD HIMSELF! He is BEAUTIFUL. He was born with his own, very unique personality, which we see unfold more every day. And I love it. To me, he's the cutest, funniest thing in the world. It's AMAZING to watch him as he discovers his world. I love it when he holds up his hand and just LOOKS at it - like, "Wow! This thing is so cool!" I LOVED watching him look out the window on his first plane ride the other day. He was DISCOVERING something new! He's PERFECT! (Well, not perfect, but you know what I mean.) I love his eyes, the way he looks at me. The way he looks at Beau. The way they literally LIGHT UP when he's happy. The expression in them when he's figuring somebody out. The look of confusion that he might have. Or just the calm and serenity that he possesses so many times. He's beautiful. I love his hands and feet, and the dimples in them. I love his tubby tummy. I love his soft skin. I LOVE his smile. I LOVE HIM!!! Thank you God for our PRICELESS GIFT! Asher Case Waters.

Peanut Butter

I'm usually the one who just "loves" silly little things, but Beau just "loves" peanut butter when he opens it for the first time. Isn't that funny? So yesterday, I had bought some pb, and we had a "family moment", and Asher got to experience the SMELL of freshly opened peanut butter for the first time! I've got a strange family! =)

More New Pics...

New 4th of July and other pics on my Picasa link to the left...

Here I Am!!!

I'm BACK! Sorry Amy...I didn't abandon you!!! =) Where do I begin?

I was all set for the fam to come here for the 4th, but then at the last minute we decided to go up to Emily's, since we were flying from there Thursday anyway - and since Beau had to work on the 4th, and the Powells and C. Selkes weren't going to be able to come. Sooo...we had a good time. Asher enjoyed his first fireworks, and the next day he LOVED his first flight!!! I didn't know what he would think of either of those things, but he did GREAT! He was so cute as he pressed his face to the window as we were taking off and as we got up into the air to see ALL that he could see. He was SO interested! I didn't think he would know to care one way or the other. But he DID. He loved it! =) On the way back, he was so funny as he pressed his little face up against the crack between our seat and the one beside us and stared at the people in the row behind us. People were also QUITE impressed with the way Emily and I handled our two babies, two strollers, two car seats, and two diaper bags!!! (THANKFULLY Mom and Dad toted the rest of our stuff in the car...I don't know HOW we could have done it otherwise!)

Where did we fly, you ask...We went to see my grandparents - Asher's GREAT grandparents - my Mom's parents - in Clarendon (near Amarillo). We don't get to see them very often, so it was really nice to get to be with them so that Asher could get to know them a little better. It was short, so we hope to make it back again before too long. On the trip he ate "real food" a couple of times: sweet potatoe and cooked carrots. And he REALLY liked it! How do babies know when you're giving them "adult" food??? We had a great time except for our drive from the airport to Clarendon and back. Asher and Claire do GREAT together UNLESS they're in a car together! It's just a vicious cycle. Asher would fuss because he was sleepy, then Claire would get empathetic towards him, say "Ooooh", then start crying, which would make Asher cry more, then Claire would scream, which would TERRIFY Asher, and it went on and on! Emily and I had to find our "happy places"! Thank GOD that we did not drive all the way there and back!!! I mean it...THANK GOD!!! =) It would have been HORRIFIC!

We returned home on Saturday and were so happy to see Beau. Asher was SO HAPPY to see him. He couldn't stop bouncing and smiling. It was pretty cute!

My throat had started hurting at Grandma and Grandad's and by Saturday night I wasn't feeling too hot at all. So yesterday, Beau had to work, and I experienced the first day of being a "sick mommy". Life does not just instantly stop when you're sick. Can you believe that?! =) It wasn't possible for Beau to take off, so I toughed it out. Thankfully, Asher was pretty laid back yesterday himself, so it wasn't TOO bad.

I think he might be feeling a little of the same junk as I am, PLUS he's teething big time right now. His two top middle teeth are making their way out, and the one to the right of that is about to. So today wasn't as easy as yesterday. The morning was good, but this afternoon he was very fussy and clingy - he only wanted ME!

Three of the summer staff girls came over, because they were going to play with him while I got some stuff done around the house, but he would have no part of it. It was still fun to have them here though. They looked at wedding pictures, and I told them how Beau and I met and about finding out that we were pregnant and stuff like that. It's always fun when I get to go back down memory lane. =) We also went into town after Asher had a little nap in my arms and went to Sonic, the bank, and the grocery store. It was a fun afternoon.

Beau is off the next couple of days, so tomorrow I'm going to the eye doctor, then he's going to the dentist the next day. Those are our only "big plans". Maybe we'll do something else exciting...like go to Wendy's or Wal Mart! (Just kidding...that was for Emily...she just thought it was too funny when I talked about our "outing" to church, Wendy's, and Wal Mart the other day.)

And that's a wrap! Nighty night! Maybe I'll post some pics tomorrow.