11 Months

The last few months have really flown by, and I cannot believe, as I write this, that Asante is almost a year old! After the last month we had, this month seems so clam.  Asante has been healthy, and no scares what so ever! Summer has really set in, and we have been able to have fun outside! He is so busy, and into everything.  He has discovered how to open the kitchen cabinets, and loves to help me cook... banging pots and pans and throwing Tupperware all over the kitchen.  He has four teeth on top and 2 and a half on bottom.  He has been working on the third tooth for a while, so hopefully it will break through soon.  Walking is not far away! He has started to stand and balancing on his own.  Even if it is only for a few seconds.  I thought he would walk before he was one, but now I'm not so sure.  Crawling is so much faster, and frankly a lot easier.  Every day more of a little personality starts to show, not only does he look like his daddy, he is starting to act like him more and more.  He is a goof, and loves to laugh and be silly.  It is so much fun to watch him learn and explore things on his own.  Asante has also learned to clap and wave.  He only does it every once in a while, so it has to be a special occasion.  Clapping usually happens while eating.  He loves to eat, which is nothing new, but on a pretty regular basis people tell me how surprised they are by how much he eats.  I think he gets that from me.  I've always been an eater, and really enjoy food.  Any thing green, and chicken are by far his favorite.  Although spaghetti goes over very well, and makes a huge mess! We "took away his fingers" this month.  I thought it would be a nightmare; however it went over fairly well.  We put a Band-Aid around is middle finger on Saturday, he put them in his mouth, made a bad face, and that was the end of that.  We kept the Band-Aid on his finger Saturday and Sunday, just to make sure.  He didn't even attempt to suck them :-) Nap time became a little difficult, because he didn't know how to sooth himself, but after a week or two everything was back to normal.  Thank you Ms. Lena, for giving me the Band-Aid idea!!! The biggest news for Asante this month, is that he is going to be a big brother! I am due February 2014.  Asante and his baby brother or sister will be almost exactly 18 months apart.  He is going to be such a good big brother :-)

busy bee

always has that tongue hanging out! 

Clap for food!!

Last morning sucking on his fingers

The Band-Aid :-)

Dada put all his stuffed animals in the bed with him so he wouldn't be upset that he couldn't suck his fingers.

Dancing Boy!

Best Big Brother!

10 Months

May was a crazy month.  We were going non stop, and it seemed like we had one thing after the other. Asante turned 10 months on the 2nd. My mom came in town on the Friday the third, and stayed the whole week.  It is always sooo great to have her here.  I wish so badly she lived closer! On Friday the 10th at 3pm, we decided to get on a flight to Kansas at 5pm. It was such a crazy decision, but I'm so glad we did. Our cousins, Leah and Steven, graduated from high school this year, and both of their parties were that weekend. We flew home on Sunday, and by Thursday Asante had developed a little bit of a cough. His cough was worse on Friday, but he was acting fine.  When I picked him up from daycare on Friday, he was burning up. When we got home his temperature was 103. We gave him a cool bath and some Tylenol. The next morning I took him to the doctor. He had croup caused by a virus and gave him a steroid shot.  He still had a fever on Monday so I stayed home with him. We called the doctor on Monday night, and they said if his fever had not gone down by the morning to bring him in. Tuesday morning, Amar took him back to the doctor. He had developed an ear infection, and was put on Amoxicillin. His fever went down right away, and he started to feel better. We took him to daycare Wednesday, but they said he still wasn't feeling well. Aunt Jessie stayed with him Thursday. Thursday night he pulled a TV try down on top of himself…. blood everywhere! I freaked out! We were scared him teeth went through his top lip, and of course he wouldn't let us see. We took him to the ER, but thankfully he didn't need stitches, he did have one big fat lip, though. After that, Dad stayed home with him on Friday. He was down for about a week and a half, but then was back to his busy self! He has started cruising, and has discovered the stairs. We had to install baby gates, and baby proof our house.  I guess thats what comes with a baby on the move.  Asante's 10th month was a crazy one, and I cannot wait to see what we have in store!

All smiles…. look at those chompers!

He loves standing at and look out the front windows

Always on the go!

Mother's Day in Kansas

Friday night fever… not the good kind, poor little guy!

Busted lip :-( 

9 Months

After this post I am going to get back on track for blogging.  We have been so busy, I haven't had time to sit down and blog about everything going on.  Asante turned 9 months on May 2nd, and his check up was May 3rd.  He weighs 20pounds and is 29inches.  Dr. Cosgrove is so happy with his growth; he is now in the 50-75th percentile.  He is still drooling like crazy, but teething has been a breeze. Four teeth on top, and two on bottom.  The change from 8 months to 9 months has been huge.  He is so mobile, and independent.  He feeds himself for almost every meal; sometimes we still feed him oatmeal for breakfast.  Chicken and green beans are by far the meal of choice.  Although, we haven't found anything he really turns down.  Asante is pulling up on everything.  Most of the kids at daycare get stuck once they are standing, but Asante is so smart, he never did. Once he is standing he always leans over until he can touch the ground before getting down, so he doesn't fall over. He "talks" nonstop.  mostly it is babbling.  He says Dada a lot and sometime Mama.  Recently we have heard Baba, but we aren't sure what that means.  My favorite thing right now is his smile and laugh.  It melts my heart, and I just can't get enough.  He loves to cuddle and give kisses... wet, slobbery, open mouth, kisses! They are the BEST!  Almost every day someone tells me how much he looks like his Dad.  I think my husband is very good looking, so I'm happy my son is following in those foot steps!

Best Buds!

Koda has finally decided Asante is alright, and we can keep him.  Now that Asante is moving, they are best buds!

8 Months

Asante is now almost 9 months, so I will make this post short and sweet.  These past 8 months have flown by!  Everyone always tells us how good a baby he is, but we already knew that.  He is so laid back; never really cries.  He started army crawling, and is now crawling on all fours.  He is so fast, and gets into everything.  He recently discovered Koda's water dish... It is his favorite thing!  He is starting to pull himself up on his knees and loves standing at his activity table.  Teething has been no problem, thank goodness! He has three: two on bottom and one on top.  The second top one is starting to come in.  It is hard to catch a picture because he is so busy.  Dada is his favorite, and only word.  He says it for everything, but I think he is also starting to understand what it means.  He talks nonstop, just babbling away! We have moved him to a big boy car seat, and he loves it!  He has also started table food.  He is a pro! His favorite is green beans :-) When we hold his hands he takes steps, and can stand if he put him up next to something.  Walking is not far away...That is going to be such an adventure!

8 month birthday

Standing at his table

Easter 2013

Knocked out in his new car seat!

Swinging at the park... too cool!

Taking a walk with Dada

Reading with his big cousin, Sariah

Playing hide and seek





Loves giving kisses!

 

Crawler :-)

 

Yummy Dinner, maybe a leftie?!

7 Months

This past month has flown by! Asante turned 7 months on the 2nd of March, so I'm a little late posting about it.  I guess I've been busy enjoying him instead.  This has been my favorite age so far! I of course have loved every single age, but he is so much fun right now.  He sits up completely on his own, and rolls over both ways now.  He is so close to crawling, just a few more days and we won't be able to stop him! February was a busy month, and with it being a short month, it felt even faster.  We went to Kansas the 9th through the 12, and had a blast.  The pictures with Angela turned out so great. (I will have another post with some of my favorites) Asante also got his first tooth this month, Feb. 26th.  He had been working on it for a while, and it finally came all the way through.  Teething was pretty easy, just a lot of drool.  His smile is so stinking cute with just one tooth.  The best thing right now is that he gets happy every time he see us.  When I pick him up from daycare, no matter where he is or what he is doing, he starts smiling as soon as he see me.  It melts my heart; I just can't get enough of that smile! He is exploring everything and loves picking things up, and of course trying to eat them.  His new favorite toy is one he got for Christmas from Gran.  It is a box with shape cutouts and shape blocks you put through the holes.  It also plays music, and he loves that.  He hasn't figured out the shapes yet, so he usually just puts them in the top and shakes them around so the music plays.  It is such a blast to watch him learn and figure things out on his own.  Every time I sit down with him to play I am overwhelmed by how much of a blessing he is.  I cannot imagine life without my little man!!

7 Month Birthday

He looks so big in his crib now!

Looking at some books Gran sent

Rolling around has made diaper changes a little difficult... but how cute is that little bottom!

His hair is starting to get a little curly, and more textured

He wasn't happy about showing us his tooth :-)

On the move



 Playing with his favorite toy

Second Trip to Kansas

We took our second trip with Asante February 9th through the 12th.  Asante is such a pro at flying, he was amazing!  It was a great trip! Asante did so much better this time, and no one got sick :-) We got in Saturday morning and Gran picked us up from the airport.  We went to get our rental car before going to breakfast with some of my family.  After breakfast we went to Mimi and Papa's house so Asante could take a nap before Hallie's 5th birthday party.  She didn't know we were coming, so it was fun to see how excited she was to see Baby Asante.  We also surprised her by bring my cousin's pony for pony rides.  After the party we met up with Grammy, TiTi, Uncle Justin and Baby River for dinner.  It was the first time we met River, and we couldn't get enough! Even though they are just a little over 4 months apart, its hard to imagine Asante was that small, smaller in fact!  Sunday was a very busy day! We went to brunch at Uncle Matt and Aunt Thu's house, and were able to spend some really great time with all of my family! After Asante's very long nap in Cousin Leah's room we went to Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Ryan's house to have dinner with the Aunties: Kirsten, Lizzie, Jenna, and Kaleigh, as well as Uncle Drew and Uncle Ryan.  Monday morning we just relaxed, which was nice.  We picked up Grammy from the airport in the afternoon, before having Asante's 6 month photos taken.  It was so much fun to have everyone there, and we even got some cute pictures of Asante and River.  We headed home Tuesday afternoon.  It was so great to be able to spend time with everyone, but it was WAY too short!  There are a few people Asante still hasn't met, and I hate that! Next time we go he will be over a year old, and hopefully we can stay a lot longer so we can have time for everyone!

Ready for take off!



Gettin' some lovin' from Gran

With Auntie Ang and Mimi at breakfast

Hallie's pony ride

Hanging out with his God-Sister

Grammy with her grand-babies

Kisses from Cousin Liam

Asante with Cousin Lily, they are 3 months apart

Had to get BBQ!!

Thinkin' he is a big boy on the plane

He actually slept the whole flight :-)