Still rockin'

Well, the ukulele (or as Asher has named it, "my birthday guitar") is still functioning... just barely. Grandpa has lovingly glued it back together twice now, and daddy finally had to resort to some clear packaging tape. But it is still a favorite! Luckily, Holly also got Asher a guitar. He also loves his electric guitar and being a "rock star" who can "rock and roll!"

Here is a picture from a relaxing Saturday:

Daddy catching up on soccer scores and Asher rockin' out. Well, until he saw the camera and got all shy on me ;)

Asher also likes to tell me how daddy has two guitars... one for him and one for baby Ezra... when they "grow up." But he will still take any chance now that he can get to play daddy's real, big electric guitar:

Hold Your Head High

Ezra continues to work on holding his head up...


It's been fun to see him focusing and tracking the things he sees and hears. He has figured out the kick 'n play and that he can bat at toys in his crib or on his play mats and make them move. He consistently turns toward us and smiles, and Ezra coos at us during his alert time. Al even got him to laugh recently! Here is another picture of his great smile:

Brotherly Love

I am trying to make sure I do something special for Ezra, just like I did for Asher. So, each month I take a picture of him in the same place on the couch. After 12 months I'll scrapbook a page for him, and we can see how he has grown. Can't believe Ezra is 2 months old already this week. Here are some pictures from this morning...

Asher is our big helper. This morning, he and daddy jumped around mommy with her camera making silly sounds and touching Ezra's cheek to try and get him to look in our direction and to smile. Asher agreed to some pictures holding baby brother.



I was so touched, when I was done taking pictures, when Asher said he wasn't done holding Ezra and they just sat there together for a little while longer.

Bigger and bigger

The boys are just growing so fast! Almost immediately after he arrived, Ezra (like his brother, Asher) started trying to hold his head up.

I can't believe Ezra is 2 months old already this week. It has been so great to see him grow and change so much already. At his check up, Ezra weighed in at 11 pounds 9 ounces! He has started to express himself more in the last month. We just love how he can track our voices, look in the direction of the person talking, and has started cooing and smiling.

Asher still sings to brother, brings Ezra lovey bear or a toy when he cries, talks to him throughout the day, and touches Ezra's cheek to try to get him to smile at him. Speaking of growing up, Asher certainly continues to amaze us. He finally gained a pound (now he's up to 35 pounds) in addition to growing taller and taller. Lots of people ask if he is three because of his height, and Asher loves to talk about how he will be three in "September" and will be going to "preschool in Shell Rock in my birthday month." Oh, and Asher has decided he is old enough to drive now. Here he is with grandpa...

Water, water, water!

Mid-May Asher was excited to have a day hot enough to get out the sprinkler. Running through the water was fun, but so was trying to spray dad with the hose!


In anticipation of Asher starting swimming lessons for the 1st time, we took Asher and Katelyn swimming at the W. We were glad to see that Katelyn's enthusiasm was contagious. He was a little hesitant the first day of lessons, but soon he was kicking his feet and trying to float with dad.

Asher tends to be too busy with pretend play to want to swim on vacation. So, I was surprised last weekend (when we were at the hotel in St. Paul) that Asher asked with disappointment why we had not brought his swim trunks so he could swim in the hotel's swimming pool. I think we will have a lot more days spent at the Waverly and Shell Rock swimming pools now that they are open and Asher is so ready to get in the water!

Children's Museum

We braved a car trip that took too long to fit in between feedings. I think that part went okay, but we found that a baby will wake up everyone in a hotel room quite quickly. ;) Aside from a little less sleep, we had a great time visiting friends in the Twin Cities and I think Asher loved every exhibit at the Children's Museum. Here he is as restaurateur, mailman, construction worker, and scientist...




Although, it seems Asher's favorite part of the trip was sleeping at the hotel in "my own BIG bed."

Dr. Asher

Enjoyed celebrating Ben's graduation and seeing family. We got to meet Teresa's boy, Emery for the 1st time...

Asher now has a real stethoscope thanks to nurse Teresa. I don't think he put it down for a week straight! Here are 2 pictures of our busy little doctor...

(Great) Grandma's 85th Birthday

Happy 85th Birthday to Grandma Gleason!

Celebrating with family was wonderful. Her great-grandkids played "school," just like we did as kids. Thanks to Jesse for passing it on to another generation...

Our kids love playing outside with their grandpa. Asher, Katelyn, and Chase pile on my dad...

Mother's Day

Me and my boys Mother's Day morning:

Sleeping Boy

Amazing how wonderful a sleeping baby can be. Thanks to Holly for capturing handsome little Ezra close up...

Photo Session

Thanks to Holly who came over on Tuesday to take some posed shots of Ezra. We will post some more pictures of baby soon. I was excited to finally get a picture of our whole family together. Here is one she took of us:

And a cute candid shot of the cousins:

Time with Family

We have been enjoying lots of time with family. A few weeks ago, my mom and I went to visit my grandparents and they got to meet Ezra for the first time.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped over to visit too. Asher has been excited to have visitors and to go to various "play dates." Still, I spend a lot of time at home with the kids. Ezra obviously does a lot of sleeping and eating... and you know.


He has had more times when he is alert lately too.



Asher has been great at entertaining himself when friends are not around. He even has tried to include baby brother in his play at times. :)