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! =)