Happy Halloween!!

When Ashton was a baby he had 3 characteristics that didn't go unnoticed:

1. His eyes. I'm very fortunate that Brads blue eye gene dominated my brown eye gene which left me with 3 very blue eyed boys. Couldn't be happier about that. 

2. His head. Ashton had a huge head from the second he entered this world which may be why both my other deliveries welcomed the epidural. When he was a baby and toddler I could only buy him button down shirts. If I did get a regular shirt to go on him, it was very traumatizing to get off for both of us.  Now I realize his large head was just due to his super smart large brain. Couldn't be happier about that. 

3. His belly button. I was 19 when I had Ashton and certainly not a belly button expert. I had no idea his belly button was abnormal at all. I knew it was huge, but I had never seen a baby with an outie belly button and thought it was just that....an outie that would shrink down into a smaller outie. Made sense in my 19 year old head. Then at one of his routine check ups I learned it is in fact not normal for an outie belly button to squish in and out, or be as big around as a 50 cent piece. I was told he had a hernia. (his stomach muscles aren't closed quite all the way which leaves a small hole behind his belly button. Fluid, or tissue, or intestine will poke through the hole which makes these particular belly buttons squishy).

Two years later it was a little smaller but still about the size of a large grape. I was told it was fine and it should be gone by the time he was 5, but if it wasn't then they would do something about it. It was the same. Fast forward 3 years and a different doctor we were sent to a children's hospital to have it checked out by a surgeon. Better to be safe and have it looked at now before it did become a problem. Turns out he wasn't pleased it was not closed by now, and while not an emergency wanted to get him scheduled to have it fixed. So glad we have a doctor that goes the extra mile to make sure my kids are healthy and doesn't brush off a hernia that sticks around 8 years. Couldn't be happier about that. 

That said, I have been a little sad about the fate of Ashton's belly button. I love his squishy belly button. Good thing we can still squish Syphr's.

The patient with his super cool belly button

He let everyone have a last opportunity to squish his button.  Such a nice kid.

Surgery was yesterday. After an almost 3 hour wait, and 12 hours without food for the patient, we walked down the elephant hall where we had to say goodbye and leave his new belly button in the hands of Dr. St Peter. The anesthesiologist gave him some banana flavored sleeping gas and the next thing Ashton knew he was waking up with a gauze filled belly button. The surgery only took about 30 minutes and according to Dr. St Peter everything went perfectly. Couldn't be happier about that.

A few seconds ago we removed the gauze to see what lies beneath.....

It smells a little, is a little swollen and bruised, but still is super cute. HERE IT IS!:

Pumpkin Patch 2010

It has become a tradition every year to drive to the middle of nowhere, get lost in a field of corn several times, and take a tractor ride to find the perfect halloween pumpkin. (by perfect I mean a pumpkin that you can lift yourself and hold over your head for 10 seconds without dropping. If I didn't make that rule Ashton would only find the biggest pumpkin in the entire patch, and I would end up carrying it.) It is a super fun tradition that our whole family looks forward to. We were sad Brad couldn't be there with us, but we are all excited he will be here for trick or treating this year.

Syphr is unsure of the corn, but is pleased to have lots to look at.

Syphr really wanted to play on all the cool slides and climbing things like all the other kids.  Next year Syphr!

Talan jumped at the chance to pee on the corn.

Sadly, my camera bit the dust half way through our adventure. Thanks to the trusty old Flip camcorder I now have tons of videos which may be better than pictures.

5 months old

Likes:

• being held
• standing
• toys that make noise
• being outside
• sleeping on his tummy
• the binki
• his vitamin d supplement

Dislikes:

• the vacuum that makes a little too much noise
• being woken up from his nap
• teeth ripping their way to the surface of his gums 
• anything to do with riding in the car or the carseat

Talents:

• laughing
• talking
• sleeping through the night (occasionally)
• putting things in his mouth

For the past few years Ashton has been playing soccer. His team is not exactly great. In fact, they have only won 2 games in that three year career. Despite their lack of winning, all the boys seem to have a great time...that is really what it is about, right?

Ashton is a thinker. He is incredibly smart, loves to learn new things, and is a bit of a daydreamer. Often times I see him looking at the sky, pretending he is a ninja and fighting invisible bad guys, or doing a new dance move only to be startled back into reality as the action of the game comes into his entertainment zone. The boy just can't help it. 

So...95% of the game we see him like this:

The other 5% of the game Ashton spends in full action mode. It is almost as entertaining as ninja mode. 

Lately Talan has been referring to himself as if he is his own species. Here are some secrets Tal has let me in on lately:

Talans are good runners.

Talans like chicken nuggets.

Talans like to wear boots.

Talans don't take naps.

Talans like the letter 'T'.

Talans like to eat hot dogs.

Talans are allergic to peanuts.

It is exhausting taking my children in public. Especially when the waiting room at the doctors office is full of people over 65 who don't so much like when kids act crazy, which is something Talan does on a regular basis. The highlight for today was definitely when Talan crawled under the chairs and shouted to the entire waiting room,

"I'LL GET YOU LITTLE FREAKS!"

Yeah, old people do not so much find that amusing. I, however, thought it made for some great entertainment.  Much better entertainment than later in the day when he decided to start referring to himself in the third person, or when he added the word 'butt-face' to just about every sentence.

I can't wait until Talan turns 4.

4 months old...

Syphr likes:

• chewing on his hands
• his crazy brothers
• gargling his spit
• being outside
• taking a bath in the bathtub (there is more splashing room)
• eating baby cereal
• staying on a schedule

Talents:

• rolling from back to tummy
• grabbing toys to chew on
• grabbing and holding tiny little Syphr toes
• surviving being Talan's personal play thing

Dislikes:

• riding in the car
• being hot

Syphr rolled half way over and grabbed Talan's snake and began chewing on it. 

Talan realizes Syphr has his snake and demands it back. When I told Talan that soon he was going to have to share all his toys with Syphr he said, "No, that is not right. Those toys are for Talan." 

So far we love 4 months old!!! 

I fell asleep while feeding Syphr today and woke up to find a very quiet Talan not intensely watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The possibilities were endless as to where he could have gone because Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is just about his favorite thing on earth right now. Luckily nothing was destroyed...Talan just thought the back cover of his Phonics book needed some toy story band-aids.

Here is what he said about the situation:



Yes, his story is that the trains on his bed and Ashton both told him to do it. I should probably be more concerned that lying comes so easily for the 3 year old.

Preschooler Talan

Tuesday marked a significant day in young Talan's life. He started preschool. Nothing too major...just dipping the toes in 4 hours a week. It is really nice for him to have to learn how to listen to other adults (not that he even listens to me), and play with other 3 year olds, but I think it is also really good for me to get into the habit of leaving him with other people realizing his peanut allergy isn't going to stop him from having a life, and I can't control it forever. And it helps that we are doing a co-op preschool and all the other ladies are good friends.

Here is Talan's recap of school:

He colored, played with toys, went on the slide, cut with scissors (clearly the highlight), and sang 'here we are together'.




I had plans to get this great picture of Talan doing some sort of preschool activity when I dropped him off. Turns out he just wanted to hang on my leg. The second he let go I had to grab Syphr and run out the door before Tal realized I left. Sadly that leaves me with a picture of Talan clinging to my leg, but isn't the top of his head so grown up??