Being silly with Grandma

Funny faces with Grandma!

I like to eat my toys Ma!

After a month of family separation, Parker is reunited with Ashton!

Poor dog!

We're officially in Fresno

Who would have thought that all this rain that California is getting would make for a very scenic drive from Santa Maria to Bakersfield?!! For all of you non-Californians, the drive to Bakersfield is NOT known for it's beauty. But last weekend, it was beautiful!

The clouds were laying low... just over the mountain tops!

It was so nice to finally see the sun after a week of rain!

The snow tipped mountains were so pretty!

This may be my favorite picture!

We took the backroads to Bakersfield which made for a pretty scenic route! We actually were able to see some scenery!

Ashton tolerated the drive well. He stayed up the entire time!! Made me pull out all the tricks up my sleeve to keep him occupied!

One of his favorite activities is "No More Monkey's Jumping on the Bed." He loves to point his finger and shake it while we say "No more monkeys jumping on the bed." It's so cute!

Another haircut!

Ashton needed another haircut again so my Mom and I took him to a kids place. Wow! What a difference! I'm not sure if it's the age or he just enjoyed the airplane. He LOVES planes! Plus they put 101 Dalmatians on the tv.

Checking himself out in the mirror

Enjoying the movie!

Doesn't he look like a big boy now?! He transformed from a baby to a toddler with a snip of some scissors!

Ashton's Developmental Progress

Ashton seems to be so much more advanced in the past 4 months. I figured I should document his progress someone. I am not one of those good Moms who kept an official baby book for him but hopefully this blog is better than that! I think I still have 3 baby books that were given to me.


VOCABULARY LIST
1. Old words perfected - Daddy, mama, uh oh, that, hot, dog/doggie, shoe, ball.
Favorite words - That, hot, Daddy
New words added since ear tubes placed January 4th!
2. Plane - Ashton LOVES airplanes!
3. Bird
4. Cat
5. Sit
6. Sock
7. Truck
8. Cracker
9. Eat
10. Car
11. Hurray!
12. Ooh
13. No no no
14. Apple - which is used for all fruit and frequently changes to ball because all fruit is a ball you know
15. Cup - pronounced pup
16. Baby
17. Up
18. Balloon - sounds more like b'oon
19. Tickle tickle

Sign language - more, all done, eat, please

DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS

1. Ashton has taken an interest in using a fork to eat
2. He loves to color with crayons and pens - both #1 and 2 indicate he may very well be a lefty!
3. I have found him with my glass of water in his hands on more than one occasion and he is drinking it correctly to my surprise! I'm impressed with his daycare on this one! (He also has not used a bottle since he turned 1 year old, we have been 100% on the sippy cup, and he weaned off his pacifier at 6-7 months old)
4. He loves to dance to "Wheels on the Bus" and "If you're happy and you know it..." and loves to point and shake his finger to "No more monkeys jumping on the bed"
5. He can walk all ways (backwards/sideways/tip toes) and run
6. He knows some body parts: head, nose (yes, thank you to daycare again), ears, teeth, belly, knees and toes
7. He can ride/push on his scooter forward now... versus him only pushing it backwards
8. He has not perfected jumping but he tries
9. He loves to point at everything and wants you to tell him what it is or go to where he wants. He fully utilizes his ability to ask for "That... that??" I need to catch that on video one day
10. Waves hi and bye bye
11. He whines about everything!! When does this end??!!
12. His stranger-danger is not fully developed. He still goes to most people especially if he wants you to go outside or show him something
13. He has his front 8 teeth and finally is getting 2 of his molars
14. He has told us that he has "popped" twice and pointed to his diaper! No we are not potty training yet! He still isn't showing us many signs that he knows he has gone #1 or 2 in his diaper
15. He loves books! He loves to be read to and loves to help turn the page
16. He has discovered how to put stickers on a paper! Helpful hint... this comes in handy on the airplane!
17. He has perfected his temper tantrums...  full on kicking and crying with a slow fall to the ground. As parents, we are working on ignoring these actions
18. He still won't watch much tv or movies (wishful thinking that he would watch a movie on the airplane). But he is getting a little more interested in some videos. I learned today that he will sit and watch youtube videos of airplanes and some children's books
19. Animal sounds - cow and monkey

Hopefully Ashton will continue to learn and develop once the baby comes!

The weather has cleared

The weather cleared early this afternoon so Ashton and I went outside to play. He discovered puddles!

We are here!!

Ashton and I are officially Californians! Apparently the first week we are here, a continual rain storm is here to welcome us! It has rained everyday since we have arrived and will continue until Thursday! For all of you parents out there, you feel my pain of being stuck in a house with a 16 month old! Ashton is such an outdoor person that he absolutely hates being stuck inside! So we have ventured out to the mall and then attempted to go visit the Children's Museum in Santa Maria. Unfortunately, the power went out due to the storms and instead Ashton enjoyed a little front seat fun and a run to Target. I'm sure that wasn't a fair trade in his view.

A beautiful morning

On my last day of work, I walked out to a beautiful view. I was running late and I am usually very close to work before the sun comes up. Today, the sun was coming up above the bay. It was such a pretty sight. I will miss all the water surrounding the Hampton Roads area in Virginia - minus the bridge and tunnel traffic!

If you're happy and you know it...

More climbing!

You know when all goes quiet Ashton is up to something! So while I enjoyed some "quiet time" on the computer, Ashton was getting into trouble. He discovered he could climb up on the dresser by pulling out the bottom drawer. Some people call it "creative" - Mom calls it a little scary! What are we going to do when we have to transition him to the big boy bed?!

25 week prenatal visit

Based on both ultrasounds, I am running a week later than estimated. So today, my due date was officially changed to match the ultrasound measurements to April 27th. Everything checked out fine. I was in and out of my appointment. The heartrate measured between the 150s and 160s. My weight gain is only at 4 pounds since I started going to my OB appointments at ~12 weeks pregnant. This will make up for my lack of weight loss after Ashton was born. If I gain 1 pound per week from here on out, this will put me up to ~30 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.

24 weeks and counting!

California... here we come!

I can't believe after all these years, I am finally returning home to California. I left in 2003 for my internship in Tucson. Then headed out to Indianapolis for grad school. And now we are completing our time here in Virginia. I am glad I have experienced living in different places for a few years but am ready to come back home!

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's 2010! 2010 will bring a lot of new changes. Ashton will be 2 years old this year! And baby girl Besmer will join the Besmer family. And the Besmer family will rejoin the Tomate and Besmer clan back at home in California! In a couple of months, life should settle down and in 4 short months, we will have another baby! We'll see how Ashton adjusts to being a big brother!