Asher things to remember

• You LOVE apples. All kinds. But especially crab apples. You'll run to the window, point out at the neighbors crab apple tree, throw your head back and say 'Aaaaaaaaaple.' As soon as Papa comes in the door you run to him and say 'Aaaaaaaaaple.' When you eat an 'indoor' apple (one from the store) you never seem to chew up and swallow the skin. Mama always has to fish in your mouth to pull out any leftovers before bed.
  
• You love to play chase around the divider wall in the living room. But you only run out of view and then you plop yourself down on the floor and wait for us to come find you.
  
• You love video's. Mama tries to only let you watch a few minutes every day, but each time the computer is opened, you run over, shake your arms in the air and excitingly say 'Da...da...da....da!'
• You love your baths. You love to splash and play with toys, but you especially like to let the water go down the drain. You like to cover the drain to feel the suck and you wait for all the water to empty and them you lay tummy down in the tub and pretend to swim.
  
• You LOVE the Barnyard Dance book from Sandra Boynton. When we sign it, we slap our knees like a hoedown song. You ask us to read it over and over by slapping your knee or our knee. And when we read the part of the book that says 'bow to the horse, bow to the cow'....and 'all take a bow and the dance is over', you bow your head all the way to the ground.
  
• You like to give the baby 'kisses' by zerberting Mama's tummy. You're a pretty talented zerberter, making some impressive tooty noises! And when Mama asks where the baby is you point to her belly.
• Whenever you get a sticker you want to place it on Mama or Papa's nose.
• You love balls and everything that's round is a ball to you. All during October you were calling pumpkins balls. And no matter how many times we tried to correct you, you still shouted 'BALL'.
• You're a screamer. You're one of the loudest children I know. You scream when your happy, scared, sad...you love to hear your own voice. It's funny mostly...but ear piercing as well!
• When you get excited, you pucker your lips and say 'Oooooooooo!' and then point to whatever you want us to see.
  
• Many of your words sound the same. For instance ball, boy, bug, bus and bird all the sound the same as well as baby, papa and bye bye. If you say something and I repeat the word I think you're saying but is wrong, you yell at me and say the word over and over until I understand.
  
• Speaking of words, you don't say a ton, but you're starting to try and repeat anything I say. Right now the words we somewhat understand are: Mama, Dada and Papa, ball, all done, milk, bread, apple, bug, bus, car, shoes, cheese, bird, baby, diaper, no, yes, ouch, juice.
• When teaching you to go down the stairs on your bottom, Papa inadvertently taught you to grunt. Now you grunt with any physical movement. Especially going down the stairs. Each stair you hit has to be followed with a 'ugh'. When pushing in a chair, you grunt. Anything that requires effort...grunt. It's pretty funny.
• By Mama trying to get you to understand the meaning of yucky, she taught you to stick your tongue out when something is yucky. You may not say the word, but when asked how to say yucky, you stick your tongue out and make a noise of disgust.
  
• You've learned to say no. But I can't figure out if it's just a response or if you really mean it. When you say it, you shake your head with a devious smile and quickly say no. Always with a smile. It scares me a bit!
• You're staring to really become scared of things. For a few weeks you got scared when walking past windows at night. You'd scream and run towards us for reassurance. When you're sleepy, and we leave your sight for a minute, you scream and run to find us.
  
• If you're being held by one of us and the other needs to take you, sometimes you'll scream and kick your legs in protest. If we give you a few moments and explain again why one of us is taking you, you settle down and relax.
• You like to clench your fists, tense your body and teeth so hard you shake. Mama can't tell if you think it's funny or what. You always smile after it.
• You have a major stinker face. You pucker your lips and push your face out at the person you're trying to stink on. It's seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen.
• When I ask you to chew your food, you open your mouth up wide and show me how you chew.
• You love to dance and you have a major sense of rhythm and moves that you regularly show off.
• When ever you hear music, you stop and listen. If it's on TV, you stop what you're doing and crawl up on the couch to watch and listen. I think you may end up with all of musical talent that your parents sorely missed out on!
• You love to be chased, but it scares you at the same time. You are constantly getting Papa to chase you around the square, but your squeals of laughter quickly becomes squeals of fright and you then you find me and jump into my lap.
  
• You love to 'help' in whatever your Mama or Papa is doing. Especially sweeping. As soon as the 'big' broom comes out, you run to find yours to help sweep up the kitchen. You also love to vacuum.
  
• You love the ocean. You love splashing in the water and you LOVED chasing all the birds.
  
• Though you hate to get your diaper changed, you're starting to lay down and ask for it to be changed when it's dirty. It doesn't happen all the time, but it's so nice to see you realizing that you've dirtied your diaper.
  
• You still sign for more, thank you and please. You also like to blow kisses.
• You are great at giving hugs and kisses. You love on anyone who asks and you still love to cuddle...Mama loves that.

Well, I think that may be all for now. I'll keep posting these memories of you. You're growing up so fast. I wish there was a hold or rewind button! You are a joy in our lives sweet boy. You are MUCH loved.