Hard to believe two more days and then it will be 2024. Ashton has grown up so much this year, both physically and emotionally. In the last 3 months, he has really stepped up his game. He has become more mature, more responsible, and more enjoyable to be around.
He continues to amaze me with his engineering brain even though sometimes it drives me nuts. He has a fascination with how things work and is always taking things apart and exploring how things work. Even if it includes breaking things such as playstations and bikes, and drilling a gazillion holes into our walls so he can hang his hammock from the ceiling! He loves creating and building things such as basketball hoops, and wooden Christmas trees out of pallets, and turning his closet into a gaming space. He continues to build amazing creations with legos, watching videos. He loves using Daddy's drill and got his own drill from Mr. Rick for Christmas. He is excellent at figuring out how to solve problems such as putting on bike racks or putting together a bicycle.
 |
| Christmas Drill from Mr. Rick |
 |
| Christmas Tree made from pallets |
 |
| Homemade basketball hoop with rim from an old bicycle |
 |
| Just hanging around after drilling a gazillion holes in the ceiling to find the joist |
We spent Christmas Eve with one of Ashton's best buddies from Lisbon and our family friends. They went to church with us and enjoyed a raclette dinner together. And Christmas morning we spent with Pop-Pop and in the evening we enjoyed our traditional Chinese food dinner with the Pop-Pop, Lily's boyfriend Raymond, the Rinkes family, Jennie, Steve, and Jax Lane.
 |
| Christmas morning! |
 |
| Christmas Eve with the Conte family |
 |
| Someday maybe he will smile for a family picture! |
He also has developed some more friendships. Being invited over to other people's houses and having friends over to our home. He continues to love to ride his bike and for Christmas, he got a Jetson electric scooter bike. He has expressed an interest in mountain biking and has even built some mountain bike trails in the woods in our backyard, but still hasn't taken me up on my offer to go actual mountain biking yet.
We had a Chanukah party with our family in December and Ashton pretty much kept to himself until Cousin Eric pulled out the Nerf guns. Then Ashton was all in!!!!
Praying that the awesomeness that Ashton has exhibited towards the end of 2023 continues into the New Year!
