Aunty Anna comes to play

When Aunty Anna (AKA: Asher's Baby Fairy) comes to play, scarcely a sad face can be found. For this Aunty wonder swoops in to the rescue of her sad nephew or stressed out sister. Her visit came at just the right time. I was feeling like I was at the end of my rope-Asher had just cut two teeth and the weather was crappy, and I was just emotionally and physically exhausted and in need of Dr.'s apt's hair cuts/colors, in and out errands, etc. Ahhhhhh. Relief came that whole week, and together we accomplished everything on my long to do list and then some. PHEW!

Asher started rolling in giggles and has begun to enjoy playing a little rougher (meaning- rolling more, being tickled, etc).

Thanks Anna for coming to visit! We love you!

6.5 month pictures

Asher Clark 4.24.11 (Easter) 6.5 months old

Thank you ever-so-talented Aunty Liz for capturing his Littleness while we were at your house. We love these shots!

first swing ride

Dear Park,
We plan to visit you often this spring and summer. Thank you for allowing us to create wonderful memories with you. Cheers to many more relaxing evenings at your place!
Best,
The Johnson Family

Asher went to the park down the street from us for the first time on Easter evening.  Daddy gave him his first real swing ride- and Asher loved it. Daddy and Mommy were so happy to make YOU so happy buddy. That's a funny thing that happens to parents.  They become filled with joy and satisfaction when their precious little one giggles with delight and smiles from ear to ear as a result of anything they've done for them.

Ahhhhhh.  We're so thankful Spring has arrived!

Asher's first Easter

Before Easter we celebrated cousin Landon's FIRST birthday!

We were in Des Moines for both special days.

Here's a few pictures of the fun festivities:























Lando had his first bite of cake and decided to share with mommy and daddy- by the end they both had cake all over their faces. We had a fun time at their cook-out, lots of family and friends came to join the fun.

On Easter we went to the Caven's house and Grandma and Grandpa Johnson drove down and brought lunch with them. Yummy!  The little Caven's enjoyed an Easter egg hunt. Asher had fun watching all the activity.

We did discover, however, that Asher is slightly on the sensitive side. He wasn't used to all the activity and hub-bub and noise. He needed some breaks here and there to be quiet and be alone. If it was too loud sometimes he'd let out a scared little cry.  Pretty cute.  -I don't think second, etc. born children ever have this problem.  :-)

Big Boy/Little Boy -you don't grow out of it.

Landon taught Asher how to use the jumper.

yes, white does get old

The white that gets old is pictured above.

Snow.

ON APRIL 20th!!!!


Seriously.  It came on November what?...16th-ish 2010? -and wasn't gone until Around April 23, 2011.  That's a plenty long winter for our family, thank you.  Charlie says it's El Niño. I say, whatever it is: Enough already!

Asher actually thought it was pretty neat to watch. It was coming down in huge flakes.

shredded in 30 days

"That knot (she meant to say SCREAMING MUSCLES!) you feel in your stomach- that's fear leaving your body"- says Jillian during one of the workouts. (I hope it was more than just fear leaving, and that some major muscle toning was taking place!!!!)

my story March 1, 2011

day 1
cardio workout was horrible. I was on level one. I discovered I can't even sit with my legs spread open wide and sit up straight (when stretching)- gone are my low back and tummy muscles. Muscles felt weak and wobbly afterwards (surprise- duh Amanda! you. are. out. of. shape.)

PRE Measurements:
biceps: a (flabby) 11.5" not flexing, 11.25" flexing
waist across belly button: 32.75"
just below top of hip bone: 36.75"
widest at seat: 41.5"
thigh: 23.75"
just above knee: 17"
just below knee cap: 14.5

Day 3 and 4 - I noticed I didn't feel quite as sore and out of breath. I missed day 5, oops.
Day 6 started level 2. May I just say I HATE "plank-jacks".

Lesson Learned:
Day 10 & 11 I messed my knee up pretty bad- doing level 2, pendulum lunges (w/bicep curls) in combination with the lunging skaters... I think that's what I've narrowed it down to... my form was pretty good, but as I've been doing these circuits I've noticed that I can't/shouldn't be doing them as quickly as they do them, for only one reason, I'm a lot taller and to lunge that far down will always take me longer than a 5' person, so I was getting hung up on the time lag, and probably lost track of my form, I shoulda just went at my own (tall) pace.

Day 12 I couldn't do anything, my knee hurt so bad.
Day 13 I feel horrible for not being able to keep going, but my knee is super injured. I did the video, but no legs. I will continue oscillating between levels one and two, everything but legs until it's healed.  :-( BUT I am starting to be able to sit up while stretching now!

Back on Track: (and when the weather permits Asher and I also walk outside).
Days 14-19 I had to stop completely. The knee was really bad. Note to self, precise movement is ALWAYS better than fast movement.
Day 20- eased back into it with level 1. skipped the legs and instead would hop on the elliptical machine.
Day 21 I'm noticing a difference in my stomach and arm strength! YAY! bumped to level 3!

Day 23-30 rotating between levels 1, 2 and 3. At full strength. Sometimes I throw a level three move into a level one because i know I've conquered that level 1 move. YAY! Progress!

Even though it's day 30 (3/30/11)- I feel I need to make up for lost time, and I have 4 more pounds to go until my goal weight. But I already see a difference. I refuse to remeasure until I've actually done all 30 days.

April 12, 2011
from 3/30 until now I've mixed up my routine and skipped a few days... I vary my workouts with running and various levels on the "shred" video, and sometimes even mixing different moves from different levels in one workout. I'm still building strength back into my right knee from the day 10 injury, but it's mostly healed. I can fairly effortlessly run 3.2 miles. I can sit up while stretching now!
I would do it again, because there were results!!
I plan to continue with runs, walks and doing the video a few times each week. -and lift my 22lbs Adorable Weight multiple times per day.

I lost a total of 5.25 inches and about 8 pounds!!!

Here's the breakdown:

POST Measurements:

biceps:  10.5" not flexing (I must have lost some loose skin! YAY!) 10.75" flexing (added visible muscle!)

waist across belly button: 32"

just below top of hip bone: 36.25"

widest at seat: 40.75"

thigh: 23"

just above knee: 16"

just below knee cap: 14" 

GO FOR IT!

zoo-riffic

Asher and I went on a little date this morning, and some sweet friends met us there. It's absolutely perfect weather for a slow stroll down the paths (although I'm positive that Asher had no clue where we were... and would have been equally as happy at a local park). But it was fun for me to get out and see friends and the cool and unusual animals. It's about 70 degree's out and a very slight breeze. Amazing.

I wish for many more days like today. And I wish for many more moments like this with my precious Little Mr. :

Asher and I with the camels.

 Meg and her to sweetie's and Anne and her little sir enjoyed the sunshiny stroll with us. 

Asher did notice the goats, and spent time checking them out.

He also noticed the big cows.

And I just thought that this was a cool "puff-head" chicken.

 The end.

6 month Asher

Six Month Stats: (At your well check)

You Weigh 22 lbs 2 oz (+97%)

You're 28.25" tall (around 93%)

And your head is 18" around (around 93%)

You like to stand against things, but are still a little wobbly.

We practice sitting up too!

Mommy and Daddy call you:

"Asher"- because we realized we call you lots and lots of names (and still do)... but have tried to use your real name more often or in addition to the other endearing names (Shmuvs, sweetness, friend, Captain Adorable, etc). 

You often hear:

"How can mommy help you" when you cry. 

"It's not ok to arch your back" -and we put you down, you stop.

Classical music, instrumental folk and Imogen Heap are often playing in the background lately.

On walks you notice birds chirping, and the wind blowing, and sometimes it makes you catch your breath. 
"Dadadad"- but not coming from you. Your Daddy is pushing pretty hard on this one, he hopes it'll be your first word. You hear it a lot.  :-)  You should look right at him and say "Mama!" -that'd knock his socks off!  LOL!

Noises you make:

You press your lips together hard (and sometimes sneak your little tongue between them) and blow, making a  "pppppppppthpppthhhhhh" sound. Spit flies everywhere (and your clothes are drenched most of the time). 

You love to make this sound. And you like it when we make this sound on your cheeks too. (see pursed lips in above picture).

You don't always make loud yelling/happy noises, you've changed some of them to a light singing tone, especially when you're moving (like in the car or being held or in your stroller).
Rolling GIGGLES. They are the cutes and most heart warming sound ever. You laugh at us playing peek and making silly faces and playing "Uggy-muggy". They come from your tummy!

Your many faces make Mommy and Daddy laugh Sweetie. 

You Can:

• Play happily by yourself in your gym or nap-nanny or bumbo for long periods of time. You look around, talk, make silly sounds, grab at the hanging toys.
• You can hold a toy in one hand and chew and can switch it to the other hand too. You also grab toys that are on either side of you- they all go directly into your mouth.
• Prefer to munch your first two fingers still. You self sooth easily.
• You highly dislike a bottle or passi. (very unfortunate for us). But we keep trying. And we try different brands. 
• Sit in your stroller without a car seat, easily. 
• Grab our fingers/hands and pull yourself to sitting and with a tiny bit of support to standing (which you LOVE).  You like to stand against the couch by yourself.  
• Standing or sitting is a thrill in front of a mirror or skypeing with Landon, you are so amused to see babies, it makes you squeal and laugh and smile.
• After your naps, etc when we walk into the room to get you, you spot us and your face lights up with a HUGE smile.
• Entertain yourself for an hour or two (with one or two position changes) with toys to chew, music to listen to, and fans to watch or looking out the window. I like that you're independent little man.
• Cuddles. You now put your head down and snuggle in every now and then. You like hugs. *melt*

Tid-Bit's and highlights from your fourth month Tiny Muffin:

• Mommy let you watch "seasons" video by Baby Einstein. Your little mouth hangs open and you watch intently. (We only do this a couple times per week).
• You enjoy the nursery at church still.
• You had trouble with naps and sleeping for at least a week after the spring time change. That's been tough for mommy.
• At 5 months, 2 weeks you decided naps were a good idea again, after a whole week of wonky/non-existent napping.  A solid 2 hour morning nap and 2.5 -3 hour afternoon nap- Ahhhhh, relief for mommy! And if we go on a walk, you talk/sing for about 2-5 minutes and then turn your head to the side and you're sleeping. 
• 5 months, 4 weeks- you're sleeping like it's going out of style! You're back to sleeping ALLLLLL the way through the night 8:30p-7:30a and two long naps. Ahhhhh. thank you! 
• You Listen very intently to new sounds, and conversations. 
  You don't have any teeth yet Buddy.
• We traveled to Waterloo to celebrate Daddy's 31st birthday with family. 

We love you Little Mr. And we can't believe you're already HALF WAY through your first year of life!
You're such a blessing to our family.