Wonderful Christmas Time

I was in love with Christmas this year.  Can you take a guess why? I love reliving everything through Ashton's eyes.  Everything is new and exciting and magical.  He was obsessed with Christmas lights and ornaments.  Everywhere we went this year was full of "ooohs!"and his cute little finger pointing at everything.   I snuck and bought a tree this year, Jason didn't want one, scrooge right?  I guess he had a point though, Ashton was constantly trying to pull everything off of it.

Work was the busiest it has ever been and honestly it about did me in, but it made me really appreciate and enjoy every moment I had with Ashton. 

 Hard to believe how small the little man was last year.

Christmas Eve we went for a drive through the lights at Thanksgiving Point.  I'm not sure what Ashton was more excited about, the lights, or the fact that we let him drive.  He's obsessed with steering wheels.

We had our traditional Chinese Take Out Dinner and read Ashton the story of baby Jesus.   Then once Ashton was asleep Jason and I got to play Santa for the first time.  We just got him one big present, a bike with a detachable steering wheel.  I was giddy putting this together for him, and could hardly sleep that night being so excited for him to wake up in the morning.  I thought we would have to point it out to him when he woke up, but as soon as we walked into the living room, he about jumped out of my arms for it.

I have never seen him so excited over a toy.  We were feeling like very good Santa's Helpers.  He just sat on it and giggled and couldn't stop smiling and looking at us like: "is this really mine?!"

This was by far the best part of my Christmas, just watching all of his excitement over just one toy.  We also had an amazingly perfect white Christmas, I love living in Alpine for the views alone.

We joined the Beckstrands for Christmas Lunch and more gift exchanges.

Then headed to the Snyders for Christmas Dinner and more gifts.  Between his birthday and Christmas Ashton has pretty much tripled his toy ownership in the past month.

I have a feeling Christmas will just keep getting better and better.

Merry Christmas.  Love, the Beckstrands

The Stats

12 Months

Weight: 24lbs. 9.5oz. = 77%

Length: 32" = 96%

Head Circ: 46.5cm = 53%

Birthday Baby Boy

Ashton's Birthday, where do I even start.  I swore I wasn't going to go all out for a birthday that he wasn't even going to remember.  I stressed and stressed over what to do for him.  Jason would say I went overboard, but I think it was perfect!  I restrained myself from inviting all of Ashton's buddies (aka my friends) and we kept it simple with just our families.

I took work off and Jason didn't have school that day so we started the day off by heading to Wal Mart to buy cupcake making goodies.  Ashton is obsessed with balloons so we let him pick out his very own Birthday Balloon.

When we got home there was a package waiting for him from Great Grandma Morehead.  This was his first present he got to open and was so excited for his new puppy dog.

Making cupcakes for his party was a huge "Mommy moment" for me.  I don't know what it was about making and decorating 40 something cupcakes that made me feel like a real mom but it sure did the trick.

For Ashton's party we went to Jungle Jim's Playland.  

I really loved how his party table turned out.  It was probably a little much for a place like Jungle Jim's but this was me restraining myself. 

We didn't want anyone to bring presents so we asked everyone just to bring a balloon, since those are his favorite anyways.  No one listened though and he got spoiled (Thanks everyone!). 

We had pizza and treats and played in the arcade and rode all the rides we could.

I know Ashton did not really understand all that was going on and that everyone was there for him, but I know he sure had a great time.  I'm so grateful for everyone for coming and spending the evening with us. 

The kid was completely exhausted by the time we got home.

Can't even begin to tell you how much we love you little man. 

 Feel free to slow down anytime now. 

Hair, then and now

Ashton has gone through many phases with his hair.

From long and dark when he was first born.

To nearly bald.

To blonde fuz-ball.

To crazy awesome.

 

For a while he had one crazy long hair that he never lost from when he was first born.  It was super goofy, and reminded me of a Dr. Seuss character, but I wouldn't let anyone cut it.  Not sure what happened to it now, just blending in I guess.

Grandma Morehead gave me my first haircut when I was little and many more after that.  I kept holding out on cutting his hair because I'm sentimental like that and really wanted her to do his first hair cut.

He sat amazingly still and looked so grown up and handsome.

No, we didn't drive all the way to Idaho just for a haircut, we also squeezed in some Thanksgiving Dinner too.

We missed it last year since the Dr. didn't think it was safe for me to travel that far (which looking back he was probably right, but at the time I was super upset).  I love Thanksgiving at Grandma's house.  We had over 53 people there this year and had to eat in shifts.  Something about it, but I just love the chaos of it all.

Tiger Love

Halloween is officially my favorite holiday now.  Be prepared for an overload of pictures, because honestly, I just can't get enough of this little tiger!

The weekend before Halloween we met up with the Larson's (Jason's sister's fam) and went to the Pumpkin Parade at the Shops at the Riverwoods.  

They had trick or treating in the stores, petting farm, wagon rides, a headless horseman, balloons, bounce houses, games, and lots and lots of pumpkins.  The whole event was awesome.  I love having a little one to give me the excuse to play again. 

Ashton's cousin Everett is just a few months older than him.  I love that he has a cousin so close in age and I love that Brittany will hang out with me.

Little animal bums.  Ashton has a thing for bounce houses,

and I have a thing for the Waffle Love truck.  It's just delicious and genius. 

Love these two boys with all my heart.

I had all sorts of plans for the actual day of Halloween, but little Ashton decided a nap was more important.  Instead we stopped by Blue Lemon to say hello to our favorite people and did some quick trick or treating at the mall.  Ashton picked out his pumpkin bucket about a month before Halloween, he saw it at the store one day and wouldn't put it down.  It's actually made quite the entertaining toy. 

This time Ashton understood a little bit more the whole putting candy in his bucket thing and would hold it out to people rather than just stare at them blankly.
We met up for dinner with Ashton's buddy Mack, and Brent and Krista.  On the way home I had set Ashton's candy bucket on the seat next to him, not thinking he'd be able to reach it.  He was being awfully quiet on the ride home and when I looked back to check on him he had half eaten about every piece of candy in his bucket and was a sticky mess, covered in partially opened suckers and half eaten tootsie rolls.  The kids a sugar monster I tell ya. 

I've decided that little kids should be able to dress up like this year round.  Seriously does it get any cuter?

9 months

9 Month Stats 

Weight: 21lbs. 4oz. = 70th percentile

Length: 30.75" = 98th percentile

Head Circ: 44.6cm = 31th percentile

Tall little love of my life. 

Birthday Love

I love having our Bdays in the summer. I don't love that mine is after Jason's so that no matter what I do for him he can always top it.  Well, actually I do love how he always tops it, every year, is the best.

I had to work one of my longest days of my Blue Lemon career on my bday, over 16 hours and 4 events.  However I sure felt loved.  All my girls surprised me with treats and cards in the middle of work, Aislinn brought me lunch, Jason brought Ashton in to visit me with a rose, friends sent cupcakes, and when I got home Alex and Annalise had decorated the house and left more candy than I even knew what to do with.  Jason had huge presents wrapped that said I couldn't open until August 10th (this drove me crazy having them just SIT there for so long)

Well August 10th finally came and amongst some great "little" presents there was some awesome "big" presents.  Namely a boat and wave runners.  Jase set up a day on the lake, my Dad rented a boat and Jason got two wave runners.  

We headed out to Utah Lake at like 8:00 in the morning and stayed out till almost 8 that night.  It was a blast.  Jason's brother Ty came, and everyone in my family, except Eric who was off exploring Peru at the time, was able to come.  

Jason even let me invite Aislinn, Alex, and Annalise, we kind of took over the wave runners for a bit, I think we are all obsessed with them now.  We did some tubing, and I even got up on the wakeboard, twice, mainly to impress Jason.

I'm wishing I had more pictures now, but unless Ashton's in it, theres a good chance there is no photo evidence of anything else going on. 

The Happy Fourth

I've always loved The Fourth of July, mainly because of the memories I have of spending it fishing and watching fireworks with my Grandparents in Idaho.  Also I really love fireworks, there is just something magical about them that I can't get over.  

This year was perfect.  We went to a pool party at our friend Aislinn's house in Provo, had the yummiest food and swam and played.  

Aislinn spoils Ashton and I think he loves her for that.

That night we went to another BBQ and watched Fireworks at Brent and Krista's.  They have a little boy, Mack,  just one month older then Ash.   Brent and Jason were best friends growing up, so they are destined to be buddies too. 

(I just love this picture of these two best friends with their little babes.)

Yes I made everyone dress in matching clothes and pose for a picture, you can just tell how thrilled both boys were for this idea.  But, hey your first Fourth of July is a special day.