Happy Three!!!

Ashton turned 3 today! My little baby has grown so much!!! So much that he cannot be called a baby, although he will always be my baby, my first baby! So here is the birthday boy on his special day...He started the day with a present from papa and Nana Rust.

Then his present from Mom and Dad. He quite liked his Big Wheel. It took him a while to get the hang of it but he sure enjoys it. The only problem, like all our toys, is that there is only one.

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Here is little Izey after finishing his turn on Ashton's bike.

Then we had a little birthday party with his friends Alijah, Kate and Kimberli. He was pretty sad that his friend Eli couldn't make it. But the kids loves a party and he sure had fun. He just gets soooo excited when his friends arrive and that excitement remains the entire time: games, pinata, cake and presents. He LOVES every minute of it. (I have to confess that he had two parties this year, one in Colorado with family...don't have any pictures of that one yet and then in San Antonio). So here are some pictures of his special day...

The Pinata!!! Boy do kids ever LOVE pinatas!!!

LOVE IT!!!!

18 month stud

Isaac Isaac Isaac. Or shall I say Izey Bizey..How is it that you are 18 months old all ready? I simply must take some time and write all about you, the things you say, the things you love and of course the the things you do...Here's to you baby!

Your vocabulary is beginning to sky rocket. You've discovered that you can talk in phrases to more fully communicate and it's often more effective. This morning you handed Dad some candy and said "open please". "What's that" "uh oh" "NO, you!" and the simple words like "mom" "dad", "bubow" (bubble), dog, "ba" (bath), "ju" (juice), "HOT", "milk", "cheese", "don't", "eyes", "air" (hair), "atuh" (ashton), papa, andoo (andrew). You are even getting good at single the alphabet, well, tune mostly, with Ashton and I. And while still sign a few words like more, all done, and your own special "I want to eat that NOW" which is done by gaping your mouth open as wide as wide can be and then just stare at the what it is you so badly want. ADORABLE!!! You understand more than I thought possible for a 18 month old. You're good at following directions like, put the toys in the box, put your plate in the sink, give this xyz to Ashton who is in the other room, etc. You just know what is going on!

As far as your loves go I would say that you are a very passionate person. Your number one love other than your family is your little monkey "Boo". He is your side kick. You've taken to him just like your brother, but unlike your brother you love all stuffed animals. You LOVE trucks and cars and making crashing sounds. You love balls, you love bubbles, you love dancing. You love junk food particularly chocolate, pudding, candy, cake, and pancakes. You LOVE raspberries, blueberries, granola bars, carrots and broccoli. You love trains, running, hitting (playfull of course), trees, ballons, water, and killing ants, panting, and well, doing whatever Ashton is doing. You have learned so much about life just by doing what he does!

I love the way you sqeeze your eyes shut when you say cheese. I love the way you love to eat, no matter how messy you are! I love the way you hold up your shirt over your belly. I love how ticklish you are and your great big chuckle. I love the way you love animals. I love the way you love your brother! I love the goofy things you do to make us laugh. I love how you wrap your arms so tight around my neck and hold me for long periods of time. I love how you love read books after you wake up. I love the way you sing along to songs. I love being your mom and knowing you love me too!

Letting Go

With Ashton's first surgery coming up at the end of the month, I worried about what to do with little Isaac while I am with Ashton at the hospital. My mom with be here in June for the big surgery, so no worries there. What's difficult about it is Tyler is on nights. This means the inability to take a "day" off other than what is on the schedule...It really became difficult when the intern who covers for him on his off days would be on vacation the week of the surgery...ughhh..So Tyler tried to work it out with a few of the other iterns to get cebvbb rtain nights off and it was near IMPOSSIBLE!!!! We felt extremely frustrated when even the resident in charge of the schedule was not accomodating to our needs. It truth I wanted to make those hurt they way that I felt hurt. I wanted to write a letter to the wife of the intern who so heartlessly refused to switch Tyler his nights off simply because he did not want to hold an extra pager the next day. In that letter I wanted to say something like, " I hope that your child never has a critical surgery because it is terrifying and if one day they do I hope that your husband is able to work out his schedule with his co-workers so that he is able to be off for that surgery". Terrible, I know. I had no charity, only pain. It was eating at me, I was hurting myself. Then I decided enough was enough. I could let the actions of others influence me for good or for evil and I was choosing the later. So I decided to let go. I decided to pray for that family, that their family needs would be meant and that I could love them and serve them. It worked, it was hard at first but when I committed it was incredibly easy and I could feel my self-inflicted wound heal. All I can say is I am grateful for the gospel, grateful for what I have learned, grateful for my faith in Jesus Christ and for the power of the atonement. Grateful that I have won this little spat within myself!

Upcoming Surgery

Almost two years ago Ashton had his last of four surgeries. For most of you who don't know Ashton had a massive brain bleed when he was born. He underwent immediate life-saving surgery for which we are so grateful. To make a complete recovery from this surgery means that his skull needs to be patched up. He had two cranioplasties in the year following that initial surgery, neither of them took, so he still has a gaping whole in his skull.So, for the last two years we have had very little to worry about with Ashton...But know that it is confirmed that the last cranioplasty using bone morphogenic protein II didn't take and know that he is getting older and crazy rambunctious as expected for an almost three year old (getting his head stuck in his bed slats, falling down the stairs, flipping over in a runaway stroller in the seaworld parking lot, smacking his head a wooden chest), it's time to take action and make sure no future accidents cause permanent damage. He is scheduled to have surgery on May 24 (tissue expansion we opted to do for a scar revision) and cranioplasty on June 16 (this time with titanium rods and methylmethacrylate). Of course I am nervous and anxious, but I am trusting in God. I love the power of prayer, the sweet assurance of the Holy Spirit, for my knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father who knows us and of course for priesthood blessings. We can do this!!!

Oh the wisdom...

Ashton often likes to help out around the house...Doing dishes, cooking, throwing trash away, etc. Well, the other day he was helping out in the kitchen and Tyler and I were caught up with cooking. I knew Ashton was messing around with the microwave but he never turned it on, I just heard a lot of beeping. When I went to melt some butter a little later, this is what I found.
Here's a closer look!!!!

This microwave is almost ten years old. So glad that they thought of this protective measure!

The Mustache Man

I don't know where this crazy idea came from, but Tyler came home from work earlier this month and declared he was growing a mustache...because everyone at work was growing a March mustache...don't know why. He told his co-workers that he couldn't, his facial hair is so patchy...I'm not sure what all was said, but he decided he had to prove to him that he couldn't. So here it is, the picture was taken on March 31st, one full month of mustache madness, not even trimmed once. Rest assured, this will be the first and last mustache he ever grows. Here's to you Babe, I love you!!!!

UP Party

Today we had Ashton's long awaited UP party. We've been planning it ever since Bakerella posted these UP cupcakes and I knew what we needed to do...We had some friends over, each kid painted little bird houses and then played while they dried. We lunch, hotdogs were served for the kiddos, Russell's meal in the movie...I was happy they all liked them, I was worried because kids are so fickle. Anyways, the moms had a more suitable lunch, thanks Manda for sharing your delicious spinach pasta salad and her infamous no-knead bread. The kids watched UP while the moms ate and when the kids got to rambunctious we ate the sprinkled covered treats. Before the party ended the kids tied balloons to their birdhouses to take home. It went as well as could be expected with a bunch of two and three year olds. In any case, I love you Ashton!!!

Circulon

When Tyler and I first were married we registered for the least expensive set of pots and pans, knowing that they would do the trick and that they would be replaced soon anyways. It's been almost five years and while they have not only held up but are still functioning we are moving on...and moving up! We ordered our circulon 10 piece set off of amazon at a steal of a price and they are worth every penny! It is The Only Dishwasher Safe, Hard-Anodized Nonstick Cookware (oven safe too). Ooooooh, they cook so evenly, so perfectly, I am in love!

Cake Pops

So my kids are a little bit picky...Well, at least Ashton was when he was one. Normal for most, right? Well, I've dug myself into a very deep hole that will only get deeper in time. It started with a cookie monster sandwich. No big deal, little outline using a gel writer on his sandwich. We progressed to Elmo pancakes (quite an art) monkey cupcakes, and continued with new pictures on sandwiches using edible ink pens...Then of course I had to try my hand at all of bakerellas goodies and amongst them where elmo and cookie monster cake pops. So here are some pics for your viewing pleasure. I wish I would have taken pictures of the good ones, each time I make them I haven't taken out the camera fast enough and of course they want the best ones first!

RO-DE-O

Ashton has been pretty jealous of the daddy and mommy dates lately, so after our date last weekend we promised that we would take him on a family date. Yesterday here in San Antonio was free grounds admission for military at the Rodeo and Tyler had the night off so we went and met up with some friends! It was perfect! It was overcast and chilly so there were not tons of people there. We were only there for a few hours (Tyler sleeps during the day plus we went before dinner), but we had fun with the few hours we had. There were a bunch of the big inflatables which Ashton LOVES (jumping is his passion). He went out of his comfort zone and stood in line for the Nemo inflatable and played all by himself (well, without mom, dad, or Kate). I was so proud of him!!!

They had a huge carousel which the kids were head over heels for. It was indescribable joy for me too to feel Isaac's little tummy roar in laughter while riding his moving horse. Poor Isaac was sooooooo jealous from then on out as he was too little for the many rides Ashton enjoyed later with Kate...Overall, great time!!! (I would have taken more pictures but my battery died!)