Disasters, Torture and Destruction...

DISASTERS...

Chuck and I are enjoying the fact that Ashton is getting older, and is able to eat a good portion of the things that we eat (so we don't have to buy too many extra items for him), but I don't know about this whole clean up situation.

For example: In the following pictures, you are not in fact looking at a mini "oompah loompah" or an overdose of self tanner... but merely Ashton's first experience eating spaghetti and meatballs.


Now I'll be the first to admit that I have given into the temptation to torture him by placing food on his head, i.e. the "Cherrios Mohawk" you see below, but every single spaghetti noodle on his head and body, he put there himself.





I guess the good part is that at least he likes my cooking!!!


Now if only I had my niece Abby around ALL of the time to help me feed Ashton. She's very good at living up to his demands and keeping him neat and clean. She's definitely ready for her little brother to arrive next month.





TORTURE...

Yes yes I know we are mean parents for tricking Ashton into making funny faces by giving him lemons, but we just couldn't resist this one time.





and DESTRUCTION...

He's got to be the only kid that enjoys going to the doctor's office. It's gotta be because they have that FASCINATING, crinkly noise paper that is so fun for babies to tear up.

Utah... so many relatives, so little time.

But what a great time we DID have with the people we were able to see. Here are some pictures of our "Adventures in Pleasantville,"...I mean Utah. haha only kidding... sorta



He was very excited to have his own personal TV on the flight. Hooray for Jet Blue!


Our "four generation" picture.


Enjoying making a mess.


Ryan (my cousin) and Ashton hanging out at the restaurant.


Second (and one 3rd) cousins. =)


Cousins/Mommies and babies.


The famous "five generation" picture. It includes, in relation to me, Grandma-Aunt Carol-my Cousin Gayle-her daughter Melissa-and Melissa's son Bryance... and a partridge in a pear tree..... =)


Cousins hangin' out.


Jenna (my cousin) seeing a glimpse of her future. Haha, only teasing Jenna.



Happy travelin' man.


I love this picture. I asked Abby to "smile pretty for me" and she gives me her best "cheese" face. So cute.


Ready and excited for Abby's birthday party to start.



Abby liked her new headband so much, she wanted Ashton to have one too! What a sweet cousin.


Ashton and Uncle Darrin hanging out in the patio section of Kohls while the ladies shop!



I wanted a picture of the 3 1/2 of them (Andrea is due in April, it's a boy!) with Ashton but Abby wasn't into it. I took a pic of them anyway and snuck Abby in on the side. I thought this picture was so cute with her poor sad face on the side.


"Are we home yet? I think I see the Airport!"



Ashton passing the time in the car by playing his new "drum."





Note to self: In addition to cell phones, balloons can be used for long periods of entertaining babies.

After over a month of teasing us...

ASHTON IS FINALLY CRAWLING!!!

Here's a video of his very first "across the room crawl."




Mastering his skills after only one day! Go Ashton GO!

"Baby Boomers" and their electronic skills.

We are back from Utah and we had a great time with all of the family that we were able to visit. (I will show pics of that in my next entry.) I was scouring through all of the pictures and video that I/we took and I found myself laughing at the video clips that I had left to the responsibility of my mom. Now of course I love my mom more than words can say, but I just can't resist teasing her about her video taking skills, or lack there of. She has become pretty technologically advanced over the past few years. She even has her own cell phone now and fancy digital camera. But come on... what am I supposed to do with this video footage of the green gymnasium floor... and my butt!? I'll let you see for yourself...


Once she got the hang of it, the rest of the videos she took were GREAT!

But Darrin and I were the ones who really captured video GOLD!

For example... My Mom showing off her snazzy trampoline tricks she apparently learned in high school. All I learned in high school was how to sleep with my head up during class so I wouldn't get caught. Times sure have changed haven't they.
I love how Ashton is staring at us wondering how he got stuck with such "crazies" for family members.


Mom showing off more "childhood" skills. Next thing you know she's gonna be climbing a tree or setting up a lemonade stand in the neighborhood. haha (I totally used to do that all the time and the only person that would buy lemonade from my friend Christina and I was the mailman.)


I LOVE YOU MOM! YOU ROCK!

Just in case you forgot... babies DON'T belong in the Dryer!

Okay, I was all ready to go to bed when I clicked on my cousin Emily's blog and couldn't contain my laughter. She posted these pictures on her blog (she has a young baby as well) and I have never seen anything more hilarious in my life. So I promptly told her I was going to steal them from her so I could share them with all of you. Thanks Emily! =)

I'm not sure where she found this website, but I believe it is some sort of instructional website in Spanish. I was just going to post a few, but I couldn't choose favorites because they are all just too funny. So I will apologize now for the EXTRA LONG BLOG post.

Now let's see how many things I'm actually doing incorrectly with Ashton...

I'll let you be the judge. If you feel the need to report me to the department of Child and Family Services, at least give me a heads up so I can flee the state. Or maybe I'll just stay in Utah a bit longer.

Hey, it's better than a chicken bone. And there's NO WAY that huge piece of pretzel could possibly be a choking hazard.

Oooh, Daddy gets positive points with this one. Although I don't necessarily agree. I've heard that kids who learn to play chess have a higher IQ. So I'd say either one is right.

I'd say his forehead is supported perfectly.

Hooray! I get positive marks for this one. I even wedged him in with larger objects.

Uh oh, negative point for Dad. I think the score is even now. Don't worry, he didn't get hurt. Our kid is always doing crazy acrobatics.

I keep having to remind Chuck of this one...

Well, I wouldn't go THIS far. But I definitely wipe his snot up with my clothes. But what parent doesn't?

He likes it, he likes it!

Hey, if they wake US up with ear piercing screams, I'd say the air horn thing is only fair, wouldn't you!?!

Now come on, who DOESN'T toss their kid in the air...

What's wrong with a little positive encouragement?

Whatever... I'm teaching him survival skills he can definitely use later in life, like, how to hold your breath when someone is spraying you with water. That's an invaluable skill I'd say.

He came out just fine... all fluffed and nicely folded. The dryer works like a charm!

How bad can it be if it's his own shoe!!?

It was for his sore teething gums, I swear.

But the Baby Einstein video says to watch DAILY! (well, it doesn't really, but everyone swears by those darn videos. At least it's not Barney!) The honest truth, he's only watched this video once. He's usually subjected to "Rock of Love" or "Scott Baio is 46 and Pregnant." Please don't judge me because I watch such heinous shows. It's like a car wreck, I can't turn away. And at least I'm not letting him watch "Flavor of Love"! Yuck!

This is my FAVORITE picture out of them all. I love how the baby is staring at the coffee cup and wondering how he got stuck with such a crazy mom. Kinda the same way Ashton stares at me sometimes. haha

Phew, at least we managed to do this one right.

Once again, whatever!... Everyone knows that a pinky nail is MUCH more efficient than a booger sucker! And I've never figured out how to efficiently clean those darn things! How sanitary can it be to stick a thing up my kids nose that has old boogers from 2 months ago inside of it! Gross! I'm definitely sticking with my pinky!!!

Now I'm undecided on this one. Because on one particular VERY funny episode of Seinfeld, there were 3 or 4 Japanese men that slept quite comfortably in Kramer's large chest of drawers. They STILL do it in Japan today. They're called Capsule hotels. I'll let you guys make the call.

A DEFINITE negative on my part for this one!! haha just teasing Uncle Tim.