Your beautiful half-sister

Dear Ashton,

Yesterday both you and I had the opportunity to go up to Hagerstown to visit your birthmom, Ms. Taylor and her parents Jo and Sid. In some ways it was a wonderful visit!  Your maternal grandma (Mimi), step-grandfather Sid,  and birthmom  got to see how big and awesome you have become and fuss over you! The pictures of you and Ms. Taylor really say it all.

The more difficult part of the visit was discussing the future of your new half-sister Ariana Nicole. of the presumed birthfather Mr. Joey.  Unfortunately, Ms. Taylor learned that Mr. Joey is not the birthfather and at the current time she is unaware of who Ariana's birthfather might  be.  That being said,  Ms. Taylor  has come to place where she has to make another really difficult choice. She knows that just like she loved you with all her heart and it just tore her to pieces to choose adoption for you, she knew it was in your best interests. 

Your mommy and daddy really wanted to adopt baby Ariana for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is because of you.  Knowing that might struggle with different issues as you age, we wanted to give you whatever consistency we could provide for you.  However after lots of thought and prayer, mommy and daddy have come to decision that as much as we want to adopt Ariana, that Ariana would be better off in another family that does not have as much emotional, physical and financial demands on them.  It is my prayer that whatever family adopts Ariana, that you will be able to remain in contact with your half-sister as you grow up.

I do hope you understand!  I also hope you realize how much you are loved by so many people and that adoption is a wonderful way to have the most unique and special family and extended family ever!

 

We love you baby boy!

OUTSIDE

Ashton's happy place is outside.  It doesn't matter if it is hot or rainy.  OUTSIDE=HAPPINESS!  This winter should be interesting!

Ariana Nicole

Today I received a text from Ms. Taylor that she gave birth to a little girl today..Ashton's 1/2 sister....6 weeks early just like Ashton.  She was 6 lbs and 3 ozs.  Apparently she has lots of dark hair.  Her name is Ariana Nicole.  She is currently in the nicu at the Hagerstown hospital because she had some trouble with breathing intially, but from all reports she seems to have improved tremendously.

It appears as if Ms. Taylor wanted to keep with the A theme:  Annabelle, Ashton, and now Ariana.  Hopefully I can post a picture of her soon. I believe she is choosing to parent Ariana because the birth father is willing to be involved.   I am filled with mixed emotions about the whole thing especially since at one point she asked us if we would consider parenting the unborn little girl. 

Word Wall

I remember when I lived in Guatemala our roommate Erin recorded her daughter's vocabulary words until she no longer could keep up. So I want to try!

Mama
Dada
Uh-Oh
Ta-Da
Outside
Hot
Da (doggy)
Ashton
eat eat

Strong Sense of Self

Could I be any cuter?

Well Ashton has officially departed the infant stage and has entered into the toddler stage!  He has a strong sense of self with both a mind and a will of his own.  Interrupt his plans...and you get huge temper tantruns, including throwing himself down the ground and crying!

I guess the good thing about this is that developmental the last weeks he has had a developmental jump.  At his 15 month Dr. appt. the pediatrician recommended we contact infant and toddlers to have Ashton evaluated since he still was verbalizing language.  She was concerned that he was using his motor skills to compinsate for not using language.  Well fast forward 2 to 3 weeks and all of sudden he started doing all the things the pediatrician thought he should be doing.  In fact, the infant and toddlers teacher's said he was about 18 months on psychomotor and about 14 months on his social/verbal.  He now says mamma, dadda, uh oh, ta da, hot and he tries to mimic other words like outside.  He knows Lily and puppy...and gets very excited when we say those words.  He alss loves to wave to everyone.

Ashton has gotten really comfortable in the water as well.  He has very little fear.  He wades out very far not wanting anyone to hold onto him.  When you ask him if he wants to swim, he lies on his belly and kicks his legs and his little arms are in a superman pose.


Lastly this summer Ashton has the opportunity to paint two times...needless to say the photographs are quite fun!

Jibber Jabbering Monkey boy

Caught in the act!

TA-DA!

                                                                    

So excited!

Got caught!

4th of July fun at the Baker Park Creek

Who me?

Ashton is so cute nowdays.  He is jibber jabbering all the time!  I wish you could capture it in a photograph!  Who knows what he is saying, but he goes on and on!  So cute!  Physically he is absolutely fearless!  You turn around for one second and he has climbed on a chair or table.  Give him another few days and he will have mastered both the sofa and the bed. At the playground he loves to climb up and down stairs and try to climb up the slide.  He also goes down the twirly slide at Baker Park all by himself.   He continues to love the water!  Any chance he can find just the slightest drop of water, he will indulge!  Puddles....creeks....dog bowl....etc.  Olav says he even understands the word bath and get all excited and goes to the bathtub trying to turn it on!

Nearly 14 months!

Wow hard to believe 14 months have flown by!  Ashton is one adorable and busy dude!  He is totally our outdoor boy!  If he is outside he is happy.  If he is brought inside....so no happy!  We ended up tying baby gates to both the front and side door so he can go outside on the porches safely if we are inside.  He has spent many happy hours playing on his chair on the front porch!

He is also really beginning to communicate.   When he wants to eat sometimes he will point his finger into his mouth.  Sometimes he will do the sign for more when he wants more.  Sometimes when he wants something he'll come up to you with his hand like he wants you to take it and then walk with you to what he wants.

When he doesn't get what he wants or something is taken away from him, he let's you know in no uncertain circumstances that he is mad!  Oh the will of a toddler!

Also next Friday we celebrate Ashton's Heir Day!  The day Ashton officially became a Gjerde!  What a blessing he is to us!