Moments from Our Week

Floor time with Daddy

His "funny face" of choice these days - I don't know where he got it, but it's his automatic response when he's trying to "pose". It's quite funny!

Bathing Beauty - Our "Flower Burrito"

Snow Day

Asher played in the snow with Daddy yesterday.

And he had fun throwing snow at Mommy!

This is what Ainsley was doing while the boys played outside. Fat and happy. =)

Ice Storm at Night

We're still here! We lost electricity yesterday for about four or five hours and weren't quite sure what we would do - except for use lots of blankets and candles. The truck wouldn't even make it out of our driveway to go get the generator, but we got electricity back yesterday afternoon. Thank the Lord! =)

We're going to attempt to get out of here this afternoon. It's really melting out there now, so hopefully it won't be a problem.

Ice Storm

Well, we've experienced a new meaning to the phrase "iced in" in the last couple of days. It's been nice. =) Beau tried to drive up the little hill from our house to the main part of the camp this morning, and his truck wouldn't make it. It looks like the ground is covered with snow outside, but footprints aren't even left when you walk on it. It's just slippery ice! So, we're trapped. And it's beautiful to look at!

"He pooped!"

Asher was playing with one of his Little People this morning, and he said, "He pooped!" Then he touched his hand and said, "He touched it!" I said, "Gross! Are you going to change his diaper?!" So he layed the little two inch "guy", as he calls him, on the floor, then he said, "I get a diaper. I'll be right back." So he went and got a diaper, sat back down with his little guy, and said, "Poop on the floor!" (What an imagination!) "He sad!" And a few minutes later, "He better. He happy now." I loved my little boy's version of playing with dolls. =) Only it was a Little People construction guy. =)

Daddy's and Ainsley's First Dance

This was one of the sweetest moments they've shared so far.

Check back for a video. I'm trying to upload it.

Naked Cowboy (well...almost)

This morning, Asher slept until 5:30! Yea! One hour later than the last two mornings! =) When he was all done with "trying" to go back to sleep, he climbed out of our bed, and said, "Mommy, you want to play with me?" I had been SO sleepy and did NOT want to get out of bed, but when he said THAT...how could I resist?! He's never said that before! I loved it! =)

We made a pit stop in the bathroom on the way to his room, and after he "tooted in the potty" as he says, he made a diaperless escape before I could catch him. He climbed up on his horse and said, "Ride 'em cowboy!" Then he said, "Mommy, I need my cowboy hat." So there I had it, a bottomless cowboy! Of course I had to grab the camera. And when I did, he started posing and making a different face after each picture. He's never done that unprompted. It was so funny!

"Ta-daaaa!", he said.

Then we played with his "Thomas the choo-choo train" as he calls ALL trains. And he read his favorite book with his warm "reindeer shoes" on. It was a fun morning.

Also, we're under an ice storm warning starting at noon today, so I made a trip into town for necessities and left the kids with Beau for a while. When I got home, Asher told me, "I step on her." (He had stepped on Ainsley, but it was an accident.) I asked him about it. Then he told me, "And I kiss her." He was very sorry that he had hurt his sister. It was sweet. And she's fine, by the way...sleeping like a baby now. =)

My Beau

My man's been a really good husband lately. =) The other day I came home and he was cleaning up downstairs and doing dishes! He wanted me to be able to have time to read the book that I was trying to get through. The next day (I think), I had dropped Asher off at King's Kids and was buying a few groceries at Wal-Mart. He needed to come meet me right quick to get something from me, so while we were there, we had a McDonald's date. =) Then when we had gone our separate ways, I went out to my car, and there were roses under my windshield wiper! I LOVE roses!!! Yesterday morning, he fixed us a big breakfast and gave me the whole day "off" (as much as he could with a four month old/mother-dependent baby) so that I could finish my book. And all of this was without me asking! What a GREAT HUSBAND!!!!!!

And he's an equally great daddy! He loves his kids so much! One of my favorite moments with him and Ainsley so far was just the other day when he danced with her for the first time. She was upset, and he found the key to her calmness. =) It was a very sweet moment. I got it on video and everything! =) I'll have to post pictures a little later, because I have a little two year old who just said, "Mommy, hold you."

Never-ending...

I tried to put Asher down for bed a little bit ago, and it didn't work. (His schedule is a little weird from his sleep lately.) But what resulted was some special time with Daddy. He had already stolen Beau's heart tonight by being super sweet and affectionate with him when he went to tell him night night. And then when Asher wouldn't go to sleep, they came downstairs to watch a show, and Asher said, "Our show!" He usually just says, "My show". He loves his daddy!

"Ainsley Gracie" (as I call her sometimes)

Just so you don't think that I love one kid more than the other...=)...here is a VERY BRIEF update on Ainsley Grace. I spent so much time on the last post that I don't have much time left for another one. So I'll just suffice it to say (for today) that she's doing GREAT! We took her for her four month appointment this last week, and she is STILL in the 95th percentile for height and weight: 16lbs. 8oz. and 26" long. This is her fourth day to eat baby food, and she gets better at it each day - although that doesn't mean that she's "good" at it yet. =) She's getting so fun - lots of smiles and occasional laughs too! She has fun (for brief periods of time) on her activity mat, in her swing, or in her johnny-jump-up. But her favorite thing to do is interact with us face to face. She's our cute little rolly-polly!!!

My "Sweetheart"

Ok, I've been wanting to post for days, then I get on the computer - check facebook, blogs, email, and then a kid needs me or something. =)

So the kids are down for naps. It was a test of endurance to get Asher down, but it finally worked, and now the house is quiet. Aaaaaaah... While I was rocking him, he reached up and touched my face and said, "Sweetheart." I loved it! Then he kind of mumbled to himself, "No. Mommy." As in, no, your name's not sweetheart, it's Mommy. So funny! Then he said, "Mommy, I want to hold your shoulder." He had been lying down in my arms, but he wanted me to hold him up on my shoulder. =) Then he was patting my back and rubbing it and squeezing it, expecting me to shadow him and do whatever he was doing to my back, to his. He's just the cutest little thing. =) And in the midst of all that sweetness, I was patting his bottom (you know, like you do when you're holding your baby), and he tooted on my hand. Such a BOY!!! =)

Yesterday he said, "Ainsley bootiful." (Ainsley's beautiful!) And he also says, "I love her." "I like her." "I play with her." "Goo!" (which is so funny!) I told him once when I was holding Ainsley, and he was playing with her, "Asher, you're making her happy!" And he said, "I happy too!" It's just so SWEET! I hope he's always so sweet with his sister!

The other day, I was getting Asher ready for King's Kids (mother's day out), and he said, "I want to wear my boots like Daddy's." So he wore his red rain boots that day, and he loved them so much that he wouldn't let them take them off of his feet for nap time. So he wore them even during his nap! =) This morning, we were walking up to church, and he said, "I need my boots." I guess he now thinks that his boots are for church. =)

We've had volunteers here at the camp bringing in dirt on a dump truck and getting a place ready to build another cabin. He's very into dump trucks and tractors, so he'll watch them out the window or go outside and see what's going on. Then he will RUN to me and say, "You've got to see this!" It's hilarious.

Oh, here's a good one. The other night at dinner, he wanted marshmallows. Of course...doesn't every kid want marshmallows for dinner?! =) Anyway, he was having a hard time eating his real food, so we made a deal with him that if he would eat half of his banana, he could have five marshmallows (little ones). So he did, and Beau gave him SIX marshmallows. Then he ate the other half of his banana, and Beau said something like, "Ok, here are your marshmallows." And Asher held his hand up, fingers spread wide, and said, "FIVE!" That was pretty funny, but it was even funnier last night, when Beau asked him if he wanted his vitamin, and he said, "Six!" He wanted six vitamins! Don't worry, he only got one. =)

On a little bit different of a note, we switched Asher to a toddler bed a few weeks ago. He has done fairly well with it, but for the last week or two (I lose track of time) - until the last three nights - he's been having something that seems to be what is known as "night terrors". I'm not sure if that's technically what they are, but he wakes up several times a night, extremely upset, crying and crying, not really awake, and not able to be reasoned with for a few minutes. It's as if something else has got a hold of his little mind. I know that sounds freaky - and it is. It's very sad! We pray for him every night. We have his whole life. We try to be careful about what he sees and hears, etc. We were feeling pretty helpless (and sleep deprived ourselves), but a few nights ago it started getting better. He has not had an episode like that in three nights. (However, the last two mornings he has woken up at 4:30 and NOT gone back to sleep. Aaaargh!) We've been taking him up to his room to wind down for a longer period of time than we had been. We'll go up there, rock him while he looks at his "Disney On Ice" book (his favorite right now), and listen to a "Praise Baby" cd. Then we pray for him, give him his cup of milk, and he goes to sleep. This routine - including our more fervent and more specific prayers - seem to be helping. And, he's been sleeping with his lamp on. So, all that to say, please pray for him!!! And pray for us to have wisdom in raising our little man. We want what's best for him - of course! And pray that he'll sleep later than 4:30 in the morning!!!! That is NOT ok! =)

Something else that we would really appreciate your prayers about regarding him is his allergies! He is allergic to milk, egg whites, and peanuts (and soy, cats, dogs, and mountain cedar - but none of those are that big of a deal). Peanuts is the REALLY big deal!!! For those of you who don't know, he's made a few scary visits to the ER, but in December, he had probably his worst reaction so far. He even stayed in the hospital over night for observation. Again, we pray EVERY DAY that he will miraculously be healed of these allergies! It's likely that he'll naturally outgrow most of them, but that is not as common with a peanut allergy. And that can also be one of the most dangerous allergies. But we know that God can do ANYTHING! So we really are asking that He would take these from Asher, and that he could live a very healthy life - with no worries about what he eats!!!

Well, thanks so much for visiting. =) I always feel kind of guilty when I post a blog that's so full of my kids. But like I've said before, it really is a great way for ME to remember and to record the things I hope to remember forever. So if you happen to enjoy it too, that's just a bonus. =) I hope you do. Thanks for your love and prayers!!! Really! =)

Asher Funnies

Yesterday Asher patted Ainsley's tummy and looked at me and said, "Is this Dr. Wilson?" (his pediatrician who he pretends with a lot) Then he started saying, like you would to a baby, "Hi Dr. Wilson." Then he shook her hand and said, "Nice to meet you Dr. Wilson." It CRACKED me up!!!

Then today he looked out his window in the car and said, "Hello Santa Claus. Did you have a good nap?" That boy! He keeps us in stitches!

Ainsley's starting to work on keeping us entertained too - with her new sound. She almost constantly is growling, saying, "Aaaaaaaah! Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaah!" She lay in her bed for almost two hours in the middle of the night last night doing that. It's funny. =)

My Grandparents

I love my grandparents! I would never choose another Grandad and Grandma besides them! Here are some pictures that have been taken over the last couple of years with them and my kids - and the other "Selke" grandkids.

WE LOVE YOU GRANDMA AND GRANDAD!!!

"Daddy's Boy"

The other day we asked Asher if he was Mommy's boy, and he said, "No. My name Daddy's Boy." We loved that! He usually just says, "No. My name Asher." when we ask him if he is this or that. That boy loves his daddy! They've been having lots of fun lately pretending that our bed is a boat and the floor is water. They swim in the water and pet the dolphins. And then the dolphins help them get back into the boat. They're pretty cute. Also, when we ask him who loves him, he usually says, "Miss Tricia". She's his teacher at mother's day out. But the other day he said, "Daddy". I'm so glad my boys love each other so much!!! Below is a collage of pictures of them from 2008. As you can see they've: built a fire, watched fireworks, gone on pony rides, looked at the clouds and the rain, eaten together, snuggled, played chase, colored, had birthday parties, and the list goes on and on. We've had a fun year with our boy!!!

Christmas Pics and Such

Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/beauandsarawaters if you're interested in seeing new pics and videos of our fam. There are HUNDREDS! =).

Yippeeee!

We just got high speed internet - although I'll have to say it's not quite as "high speed" as I was hoping...but it's BETTER! We've been without internt for a month or maybe a little more now, so this should be fun. We've even got wireless, so I can blog or whatever more conveniently! I know, I've been living in the dark ages. But here I am. Hopefully this will help. =)

Ainsley Laughed...

Ainsley laughed for the first time two days ago. It was just a little laugh, but I loved it. And she did it again today when her Grammie was playing with her. It's one of my favorite things! I remember laughing out loud the first time Asher laughed. I just love it. =)

And she's sleeping through the night too. Heaven! The other night, I think she slept ten hours before she woke up to eat, then she slept for another two or three hours. Thank you Lord! =)

Nose Problems =)

Poor Asher. He's had some nose problems lately. He busted his nose at Poppie and Gibbie's. I'm not sure how that happened. He's been all stuffy, but because of that episode he can't blow his nose very well. And then today, he said, "Mommy, flip." And so I did a somersault on the floor and somehow flipped right into his face! OUCH!!! For both of us! =) His nose bled, and my head did. It was sad and quite funny all at the same time. Then he wanted to "show Grammie", but I wasn't about to re-enact my somersault for anybody! Some things are only meant for your two year old to see. =)