The Kids Lately

Asher just had his two month appointment and boy has he grown!  It was interesting to compare where Aralyn was at at this age...

                 Weight               Height
Aralyn      12 lbs / 86%       22.5 in / 55%     
Asher       14 lbs / 92%       23.5 in / 70%

Aralyn was sleeping through the night already at this age...Asher not so much.  Some nights he's up every 3 hours though the past two nights he slept 5 hours straight so that was a pleasant surprise! 
Asher is cooing and smiling a lot and is starting to bat at his toys on the play mat.

Aralyn is really into two movies right now - Willy Wonka and Bednobs and Broomsticks.  They have completely taken over our lives.  We are either rolling Aralyn to the juicing room because she turned into a giant blueberry or else we're flying around town on her bed and turning each other into rabbits.  She has such a wonderful imagination which is a lot of fun the first few hundred times we play these games! 

I have to brag about the one big thing I wanted to accomplish while I was on maternity leave which I finally got done - I've compiled all of our home videos, put them together into a movie and burned them to DVD.  YES!  I ROCK! 

P.S. Asher's Baptism has been scheduled for April 15th.  Invitations will go out shortly.

Update on Asher's Heart

Great News!  We had a follow-up appointment with the cardiologist today and he thinks Asher is doing great!  He's gained a lot of weight which is a key indicator that his heart isn't causing him any significant problems.  The doctor can hear a very faint murmur but thinks the holes have definitely gotten smaller.  Asher doesn't need to go back until he is one at which time they will do another echocardiogram to see if the holes have closed.  Even if the holes haven't closed up completely, Asher won't have any physical restrictions and won't require any medication.  Thank you everyone for your prayers!  Asher is doing wonderful!

Heart is great and looking darn cute too

Meeting Brother and Sister Bear

Matt and I bought a family membership this year to the Building for Kids which I'm really excited about!  Erin and I took the kids there today for story time.  Today's book was the "Berenstain Bears Don't Polute Anymore".  Aralyn LOVES the Berenstain Bear books...or "Papa books" as she calls them.  Aralyn got to take her picture with Brother and Sister bear!  We spent the rest of the morning playing in the museum.

On a side note, we witnessed a car accident in the parking lot just feet from our car as we were getting out to head over to the Building for Kids.  We were all startled, especially Aralyn who kept screaming "they crashed, they crashed"!

We couldn't get Aralyn to look at the camera...

Sister Bear, Aralyn, Aunt Erin, Brother Bear

Asher

Aralyn is in the "green home" using the energy efficient washer and dryer.  Now we need to get her to do this at home ;-)

Super Aralyn!

Eating the lunch Aralyn prepared for us in the "green home".

Aralyn getting ready to fight fires

Asher hanging out at the museum

Looking cute

Just Hanging Out



Aralyn loves her little brother so much!  She is always giving him hugs and kisses, sharing her toys with him and reading him books.  Here they are getting some "tummy time" together.

Sometimes she's a little toooo hands on. 

Here's Matt and the kids watching the Packer game all decked out in their Packer attire.



One of our new favorite things to do at home is having dance parties!  Aralyn always has to put on her new Dora dress she got from Great Grandma Cowan for Christmas and an ample coating or two or three of chap stick!

Aralyn getting her groove on.

And of course Asher's favorite thing to do is just lounge around and look cute.  He does a pretty good job at it.

Christmas

This was the best Christmas yet! Aralyn is at such a fun age and of course it was great to have Asher here with us!  Aralyn must have been a good girl this year because she got everything she asked for from Santa - tools and a hippo!

Erin took some wonderful pictures of the kids for Christmas!  Some of the pictures were used on our Christmas cards, but here are a few others you haven't seen.

We had a blast decorating Christmas cookies.  I think more of the icing ended up in Aralyn's mouth than on the cookies.   ...must have learned that from her mom ;-)

Here are some pictures from the many Christmas' we celebrated with our families.

Uncle John and Asher

I wish I could remember what was so funny!

Uncle Michael and Asher. 
See Mike, there was nothing to be scared about - you didn't break him!

This shirt is a classic John statement.

Aralyn got glow in the dark stars which we hung in her closet. 

Playing with her new drill from mom and dad.

Celebrating Christamas at Grandma and Grandpa Bruss's house in our customary pajama attire.

That's right - coolest shirt ever.  You're welcome Erin.

Grandpa "Snook"

Too cute!

We even got to celebrate with the Russells!

Special Delivery

Our "little man" was born December 12, 2011.  Asher William Peterson was 8 pounds 9 ounces and 21 inches long.  He looks just like his dad with the cutest little turned up nose!

Perfect...just like his sister.

Our new family!

Aralyn was so excited to meet her brother!

Asher is all strapped in for his car ride home from the hospital.

Giving This Blog Thing a Try

After much encouragement from my friend Dave from work, I've decided to give blogging a try.  I thought it would be a good way for my family and friends to see what we've been up to.  And best of all, I won't hear my mom saying "I never have any pictures of the kids"!  Here are a few recent pictures to get started.  Enjoy!

Erin took some fantastic pictures of our family at High Cliff shortly before Asher was born.

Aralyn and Mommy

Aralyn and Daddy