The normal face when Solomon is playing with Asher. Happy, but I might cry at any moment. 

Sweet Asher,

It's crazy how much my love has grown for you in this past month. You are growing into the sweetest baby boy each day. There are so many things that I have learned about you as you are changing, and I love it. I honestly didn't expect the newborn phase to be hard this time around but it was. I'm sorry for that, but I'm so happy that we have found our way through it together. Being a mother of two is not always easy, but it is always easy to love you and kiss your massive yummy cheeks!

Learning all your quirks has also been fun the past month. Little things like how you need 10 seconds of butt pats once I lay you down in the crib. Exactly 10 seconds or you will wake up. Or, how you smell exactly like your daddy. It's the strangest thing, and even your Amo Fadi notices it all the time. And how you turn your face and open your mouth when I kiss your cheeks sometimes. I like to think you are trying to give me a kiss back. I really love how you constantly watch your big brother, too. Sometimes I will leave you with him, if i need to use the bathroom or go get some water, and you are so content and happy. Just looking up at him and watching him play. He loves you too, and even calls you "his baby" sometimes. I love how you two need each other already, and I pray that need will grow more every day.

I also love all the many smiles I get during the day. You have so many different ones. There's the middle of the night smile that I can see in the dark as you see my face. The sleepy grin that finds comfort beside me in the bed and holds my hand while you nurse back to sleep. And then there's the middle of milk smile, definitely one of my favorites! You pull away and babble and stare at me, never taking your eyes off of my face as you grin, and a little bit of milk escapes the corner of your lips. But my favorite grin is the big, wide mouth, happy smile. The one that makes your eyes squint and nose scrunch. The one that almost makes you laugh a little bit. You are so happy, and I love receiving all those perfect smiles every day.

I recently got lost scrolling through my forever long Instagram feed looking at pictures of you and your brother. I ended up all the way back to Solomon's photos when he was your size. I felt the lump in my throat and wanted to cry. Time is such a thief, and it has already taken three months of your life so quickly. How is it possible that you are already so big, and that your brother is even bigger. I just watch you two every day in awe of this life that I get to live. A life of loving two precious boys with every bit of me. Even when it's hard and I feel like I might break, you both get even more of me, that I didn't think I could give. You pull it out of me, and you make me better because of it.

Thank you for loving me and needing me, baby boy!! I love you so much, and I need you even more, trust me. 

Love, 

Mommy

stats //  17.4 lbs & 25.5 in.

you are growing like a weed!!!

eating // some days are more of a pattern than others, but Asher has his first stuffy nose and cough from all of Solomon's kisses. :( he has been nursing more than normal which I'm totally ok with, hoping the breast milk will help fight the cold.  

sleeping // most nights he wants to sleep by 8:30-9 and will sleep in his crib till 2-4. I'm never really sure when he is going to wake up but it's nice that he has such a good chunk of sleep in his bed. There have been several nights that I have put him back in his crib after he has some milk and he will sleep again till morning. I never expected to switch to the crib in his room so early, but he really does sleep best that way. 

But,  this cold is also throwing that off since he wants to nurse more often, even at night. Either way, I love having him in the bed beside me if he needs it, but I'm hoping he will get back in his crib soon since he does sleep better that way. & obviously, so do I. 

wearing // all his clothes are 6 months and even some 9 month things. His legs are so chunky and won't fit 80% of  the pants and pjs that Solomon wore. It's so funny to me how different their body types are. 

favorite things // sitting up, he rarely likes to lay down, unless he's having some milk. Loves chewing on his hands still, mostly his index finger and thumb. Watching Solomon play, especially with his lightsaber. Going places and seeing new things, BUT WE STILL HATE THE CAR. God, please help us! 

Solomon // three months.

The past month has been the most fun for our family, I think. Solomon is growing so fast and we see his little personality showing through more every day. He is silly and so happy which we love. As always, I can't believe another month has gone by, but I'm so thankful for all of these days. Even when they are long and tiring. It's definitely the best time of the year, and we love having this little guy around for it!

Dear Solomon, 

11.16.15

You made me such a happy momma last night!!! You started to eat without the shield for the first time. It was so unexpected when it happened so I was shocked... I was walking around the bedroom trying to get you to sleep and you started to act like you were hungry so I sat down on the bed to feed you and I thought I'd try without the shield just to see what would happen. I have been trying a couple times a day so you can practice but I always end up needing to help you out with the shield. I didn't expect much but you latched and started drinking with no problem. I almost cried! Then the rest of the night you ate with out any problems!! It was the best feeling. 

I was nervous that your first morning feeding out of the bed would be a different story but you had no problems at all. After you were finished with your meal, you just lied there looking up at me with your big eyes and seemed so happy! I'm so thankful that we are able to have these moments together and that our breastfeeding journey is still evolving and getting better, even after two months. I can't imagine the day that we stop this nursing journey. 

11.21.15

You found your tongue today. It's so funny, you have always enjoyed moving it around a little bit, but today was different. You constantly licked your lips like you had a pretend lollipop. It was pretty adorable. You are also smiling and chatting with us all the time. I think you save most of your smiles for daddy but he deserves them. He says the funniest things to you. 

Today while we were on the living room floor talking to you he said the sweetest thing. You were smiling at him and he asked you if you loved momma. I asked you as well and you turned to look at me with no smile. Then daddy said that it's more than just love, I was your sustenance, I was everything, so much more than love because I'm your whole world. And then you smiled so big, as if you were agreeing with him. I could have cried & I then I told him that he should write Mother's Day cards or something. We are so lucky to have him, he's a good one, that daddy of yours! 

11.29.15

We celebrated our first Thanksgiving as a family of three!! It was so much fun to spend the weekend with family in Charlotte and meet your new cousin. I can't wait to see all the fun you two will have in the future since you are so close in age. 

A lot of fun things are happening this month for you! You are talking so much and constantly want to interact with me and your dad. You have also realized you have legs and feet which was so funny to watch. You kept looking down with your big eyes and touching them with surprise in your face, it was so cute. Your also helping me hold your legs and feet up during your diaper changes which is so helpful, but you are also wanting to roll over and twist around while changing your diapers, which is not very helpful! Good thing you are cute.... 

We went to church last night for the Saturday service and you woke up during the middle of the service and wanted to talk. I walked outside with you and realized you were getting hungry so I went to the nursing room so I could watch the service and feed you. After the service was over we rocked and listened to the worship music.... They sang my favorite, Seas of Crimson, and you lied in my arms smiling at me, it made my heart so happy. I think you definitely know that song by now. They also sang Worthy, Worthy and I sang the words as a prayer for you. The following lyrics hit me in a brand new way.....

When You return, we'll hear the trumpet sound You'll lead us home riding on the clouds Where we will stand and sing forevermore The honor and the praise, the glory is the Lord's

It made me think about that day when God returns for His children and I prayed that you would be one of them. I know that you are not mine. I'm your mother but you belong to our Heavenly Father, and I pray that you realize that one day, giving your life over to him. That is my one desire as a mother, that my heart and my life will point you to Him. 

12.6.15

You started talking like crazy yesterday. You've been blabbing for a while now but this was different, you were rarely quiet. Honestly, it was only when you were sleeping! It's so cute to watch you smile and squeal and be excited to talk to us. You are still loving your hands and constantly have them in your mouth. I believe your a new baby after your third Wonder Week Leap and it's so fun to watch you grow! 

You also got to meet your friend Charlie last night. It was so sweet to see him and watch you look at him. I can't imagine all the fun you two will have together. Holding him in my arms only made me more aware at how big you have gotten. You were that small less than three months ago, just a little peanut that slept in my arms all day long. I can't believe how big you are getting.... It is flying by so quickly! 

12.8.15
Last night after thirty minutes of nursing and rocking you in your room, you finally nuzzled into my neck around 11:30 and you started your heavy breathing, giving me your sign that you were asleep. I tiptoed into my room next door to lay you down in the pack & play next to the bed and you snoozed away. Almost three hours later, I started to hear you cry and when I leaned over to pick you up you grabbed onto my arm. Once I had you in my arms you held on and buried your face in my chest, it was the sweetest little hug. As I laid you down beside me you kept your eyes closed but opened your sweet little lips because you knew what was coming next. You knew that I was ready to feed you and cuddle next to you, and as I did this you kept your hand on my arm the entire time and softly squeezed it. All of this made me thankful for the way you need me. My heart felt so much happiness in that moment and my eyes filled with happy tears. Who knew I could feel so much happy at 2AM?

wanting to sit up constantly but not strong enough to hold himself up!

12.14.15
Today is the day, you are my three month old boy! I can't believe it. As I'm typing this, I'm watching you snooze away on the monitor beside me. I see your little chest moving up and down and your holding onto your hair. You have started sleeping with your arms above your head while lying on your back during the past few days and you always hold onto your hair when you start to stir. It's pretty cute! 

Last night you grabbed onto your little ball for the first time and you played with it for a little while, squealing and yelling with excitement. It was so funny to see the excitement in your eyes. You are growing so fast and I'm trying to soak it all in, as much as I can. All the little things you are doing now make me smile... you snuggle so much, you show me that you really need me and you smile at me all the time. 

Sometimes I just want to scoop you up and feed you so I can feel you close to me and hold you like my little baby, not my growing boy who never wants to be cradled. You constantly want to stand and look around but that is fine, you are watching and learning. I'm so thankful that I get t spend my days with you and experience all these little changes. You are my baby, no matter how fast you grow or how big you get! I love you, I love you, I love you!! 

Love, Momma

and a special picture taken by Gigi when she was babysitting one night. I died when she texted me this while we were out at Peter's work Christmas party. Hilarious!!!


stats // around 14lbs 6 oz & 25 inches long

eating // he is becoming a little snacker, especially in the early morning hours from
4-8AM but we spend those hours cuddling in the bed so I don't really mind. During the day he can normally go 3 hours, maybe 4, if I'm lucky. He is also showing signs of teething which makes him a little irritable while eating. Bottles are always 4-5oz and he loves taking a bottle from Gigi when she babysits.
sleeping // he still won't go to sleep before 11 no matter what I do but naps are getting longer during the day, especially the mornings, which helps with my cleaning and laundry! We are trying to start the night in the crib and then transfer him to the bed when he wakes up for his first feeding but this doesn't always work so we are still being flexible at night.

wearing // just switched to size 2 diapers and 3-6 month clothes thanks to his chubby belly and legs! I'm planning to start the cloth diapers this week so we won't have to buy a ton of size two diapers.

favorite things // laying on the floor & rolling around blabbing, looking at the Christmas tree, falling asleep in the sling while shopping, momma singing Frosty the Snowman and eating his hands all day long.


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