A few pictures

Proposed birth announcement

Is there a statute of limitations on sending out birth announcements? I hope not, because I just got around to making Asher's. I designed this one...what do you think?

And please be excited when you receive yours in the mail even though you have already seen it.

Last Day of School

Today was the last day of school. I haven't been in the classroom since February 7, but I went up today to tie up some loose ends and to tell my students goodbye.

The whole time I have been a teacher, I have looked forward to the day when I could be a stay-at-home mom. There were mornings that I would dread going to school. In fact, for a while I thought that the reason I became a teacher was because I wanted a job that I could leave easily when I had kids. But as it turns out, leaving is a little harder than I thought it would be. It seems like when something draws to a close, it's much easier to remember all of the good things.

Most of teaching, I will not miss. The pushy parents (some, not all,) the paperwork that has nothing to do with teaching a child, the kids who never listen or never turn in work. But I will miss seeing the look on a child's face when he finally "gets" how to add double-digit numbers. I will miss watching a kid sound out a really big word and then look up at me to make sure I am impressed. I will miss 25 minute lunch periods and that puppy dog smell that second graders have after recess and PE...wait a minute! Seriously though--being a teacher is hard and often frustrating, but I have had a great 3 years, and I am grateful for them.

And it's not like I'm not a teacher any more. I have the amazing oppourtunity to teach every day. Even now, when Asher lies down and when he rises up and as we walk along the way, I am charged with teaching him who God is and what He requires.

Double-digit addition was nothing!

Sip N See

On Sunday, my very good friends held a "Sip n See" for Asher and me. If you are unfamiliar with this, it is kind of like a baby shower but the baby is actually there...and you see him...and you sip something (punch and tea in our case.)

It was a lot of fun! My good friends that I hardly ever get to see anymore where there. Here are a few pictures...

Angie and Asher


Tina, Asher, and me


Hilary, Donna, and Reese


Stacy, Sandy, Kara, Carolyn, and baby Cameron


And here are a few of Asher in his new bumbo that Donna gave him. He loves it!

Date Night

Kris and I have been wanting to see Shrek the Third so Asher's wonderful Mamaw came over to babysit last night. We haven't been to a movie in quite a while, so we were really looking forward to going on a date. Since we didn't want to be gone too long, we went to the theater near our house. We usually like to go somewhere else, because this theater is not the cleanest. We were reminded why we don't go there as the evening progessed.

First of all, it was filthy! To find a seat, we literally had to pick the one with the least popcorn on it and brush it off. It was so bad that Kris actually went and told a manager how gross it was. A few emplyees came in and started sweeping the trash around, not really "up." Then there were problems with the movie so it started late.

The movie finally begins and we chuckled at a few things, but it wasn't all that great. I was so tired and missing Asher on top if it, so I wasn't having the best time. Then, with about a quarter of the movie left, the screen goes blank. We looked at each other and Kris said "Let's get our money back and get out of here."

So after haggling with the manager, who wanted to give us passes and not a refund for a movie theater that we never intend on going to again, we got our money back and went home. The tickets, by the way, were $9.00 each! Ridiculous! Our new policy is to wait until movies come out on DVD and rent them from the $1 a day kiosk at the grocery store.

To sum up...Shrek is not that good, tickets cost way too much, and I would rather spend a night at home with my husband and baby then go out. I think I'm officially old now.

Our Family

I feel the need to post

...but I can't think of anything fascinating to write. I really wanted to come up with some thought-provoking, insightful words to really give my readers something to chew on, but that just doesn't seem like it's going to happen. I haven't slept through the night in over 3 months so my brain activity is not quite up to par. So I'll just give you a few tidbits of what is going on in our lives now.

1. Asher is doing great. He is sleeping better (although right now he is in his bed protesting his morning nap...loudly!) He is smiling all the time (except for when the camera is out.) He is 14 weeks today!

This one is a little dark, but you can still see the smile.


Here's one with Uncle Micah.




2. Kris has decided to get his teaching certificate. He loves working for his dad but the drive (over an hour each way) is getting to be too much, especially when you have an adorable baby to come home to. He hopes to find a PE job because his degree is in health so most of his upper level classes are Kinesiology based, but will probably also take a qualifying exam for grades 4-8, just in case a PE job doesn't come up. He will be a fantastic teacher and any school will be incredibly blessed to have him!

3. South Beach diet fun continues! It has been profitable though because I have lost almost 20 lbs. and Kris has lost over 20! I have promised myself not to eat the way I did during my pregancy with Asher when I am pregnant next time (which will be quite a while from now, Lord willing.) I'm almost at my pre-preg weight, but in order to get to my wedding day weight, I still have about 20 more to go. My goal is to be there by my birthday(Nov. 18), which is 9 months after I had him...following the 9 months on, 9 months off theory.

4. I entered the "Real Simple" magazine organizing contest. You send in 2 pictures of a room that needs help and hope they pick you to come and work their magic! Here are the 2 photos I submitted of our library/recording studio/office/sewing room/guest room.

I should totally win, right? I'll let you know...

I guess that's it! Have a great day!

A lot changes in 3 months...

I can hardly believe how much he has grown already! The sagging skin and wrinkled forehead are gone! In its place are fat rolls and two chins!

This weekend we will attend the NICU reunion. Apparently every year, The Woman's Hospital hosts a reunion for all the babies that have been in the NICU. I think it is to encourage those of us with babies still trying to catch up by seeing the older kids that have risen above their tiny beginnings. The nurses come too and I'm sure they are encouraged by seeing their little patients doing so well. We are definitely looking forward to it!

p.s. new pics on Shutterfly :)

I forgot to tell you...

I finished Asher's bedding!

And he is sleeping in his bed!!! I started the whole "Babywise" thing last week and he is doing great with it. He sleeps in his own bed and takes several naps during the day---which he never did before. I was worn out and so was he! Last night was a little rough, but he has been averaging about 4 hours from feeding to feeding during the night. It was every hour and a half so I am thrilled with the progress! He fusses a little when he goes down for naps, but at night, he goes right to sleep.

He is almost 13 weeks and packing on the pounds (roughly 10 of them.)


****UPDATE: We went to the dr. today (5/8). He's been waking up at night not able to breathe very well--she thinks he has acid reflux :( But the good news is he weighed 11 lbs. 4 oz. !!! Granted that was with a diaper, a onesie, and shorts on, but still...! *****


Here are a few recent pictures...

Check out the leg chub! We are most proud of it!




He went over to Tye's house and played a few days ago. Here is a great picture of the two of them...what do you think the caption should be for this one?

Cute little man

Art for Asher

I had this cute picture made for Asher's room. Christine at dreammore did such a great job!

Not a lot happening...

Things are pretty slow around here, which is good, but I thought I would give a run-down anyway of what is going on the the life of the Riveses.

*Grammar note: Rives is singular. In order to make it plural, you must add an "es" to the end since it ends in an "s." Contrary to popular opinion, you do not add an "apostrophe s" becuase that would indicate possession, not plurality. It looks stupid, but "Riveses" is correct.

Let us continue...

1. Asher will be 10 weeks old on Wednesday. We went to the dr. today and he is a whopping 7 lb. 14 oz. and 21 1/4 inches long! Poor little guy is still in the 5th percentile, but he is trying his hardest to catch up!

2. Kris and I are doing the South Beach Diet. As it turns out, I am SO not genetically wired for baby weight (or any weight) to just fall off me, so I'm having to work at it! Not fun, but I have a closet full of clothes that I want to wear. Maternity clothes, after you have had the baby, are just not cute.

3. I am still working on the bed skirt! I'm so close to finishing...I just need Asher to take longer naps (or I need to stop typing and go finish it now...)

4. There are new pictures on Shutterfly.

5. We have cooked at home everyday for the past 3 weeks with very few exceptions! That is huge for us and we are very proud of ourselves!

6. I got a new jogging stroller .

I think that's about it for now...Asher just woke up!

Asher Rives: Man About Town

Asher had a busy week...

He got to meet his cousin, Reagan.



He went over to Josiah's house and played with him and Tye.





Then, he got to meet my cousin, Ashley's little girl, Gracie. They were born 4 days apart. Guess which baby came early!



He stays pretty busy these days. How he does it on so little sleep though is truly remarkable!

The Bumper is Finished!

...now I begin the bed skirt!

Asher and Josiah

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desired granted is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12




We were so excited to go visit Dirk and Kathy's new little boy, Josiah, today. He is absolutely beautiful (I mean, handsome...sorry Dirk!) After both of us experiencing the loss of two babies during early pregnancy, it was extra special to be sitting there with babies in our arms. This time last year, we both wondered if the Lord would ever grant us children and now we are blessed with healthy baby boys!

Josiah is already a little bigger than Asher, but Asher is handling it well. He's a secure guy! I've decided, however, that I am going to make a onesie for him to wear when we go out that says "I am 8 weeks! Don't glare at my mother!" Everyone assumes he is 2 or 3 weeks old so I look like a horrible mother for having him out in public. But this Wednesday, he will be 2 months! But I digress...
We are thrilled that Josiah is here!! We rejoice with the Littlefields and Thompsons at the birth of this new little one!

More pictures on Shutterfly!

Stop by and check them out!

You are not going to believe this!

If you know me at all, or if you have read previous posts of me bemoaning my lack of "Martha Stewart-ness," you will be shocked to hear what I am doing!

After months of searching and finding nothing, I have decided to make Asher's bumper pads and dust ruffle! Everything I found in the stores or online was either way too expensive or way too ugly. So I went to Hancock Fabric and found these two lovely fabrics and am in the process of making the bedding. Here's the thing though...I don't really know how to sew!




Here are the two fabrics that I have selected.The chocolate brown polka dot will be the dust ruffle and here is the bumper pad waiting patiently on the floor for me to sew the ties on to it.

The goal is to get it finished in the next few days...we'll see!









And because no post is complete without an Asher picture...

My Boys

One Month Old!

Asher reached the all important "one month old" milestone yesterday! He celebrated by nursing, then sleeping, then staring at the wall for a while. That boy knows how to party.


He also had some company the other day. His buddy, Tye Leatherman, came over to play. Asher is confident that he can reach, possibly surpass, Tye's size in just a few months.

Guess who this post will be about...

If you said Asher Rives, you are correct.

Tomorrow he will be 3 weeks old. He is doing great. He is finally starting to get the hang of nursing. The bottles that they gave him in the NICU turned him in to what is known as a "lazy sucker," but he is recovering nicely from that and has almost resigned himself to the fact that he will have to work a little harder to get his meals now. He is not always happy about that, but he is coping. It is nice to not have to pump so much...speaking of pumping...you have to go to
Dad Labs. It's a website where dads try out various baby products. Trust me...it's hilarious!

Anyway, back to Asher, I posted some more pictures on Shutterfly. I've never taken so many pictures in my life. It's amazing how much you change in a matter of weeks.

Kris and I were discussing how much life has changed and how the Lord has used Asher already to reveal our selfishness and laziness. He's only been here 3 weeks and already I see the sanctifying effect that having a child produces. Not that the Lord doesn't accomplish sanctification in His own through other ways, but I have never been as humbled and as dependent on the Him for wisdom and strength and mercy as I have been in the past few weeks. We are so grateful to God for the grace He has shown us by pointing out our sinful ways that we were oblivious to. Through Asher being here, we are being shown(and will continue to be shown) areas where we need to repent...what mercy not to allow us to persist in sin, but to give us opportunity to recognize it and, by grace alone, turn from it.

As for other changes, our house has been taken over...and I haven't even had a shower yet. Family and friends have been very genorous and given us clothes and diapers and various other baby necessities. Our house is officailly Baby Central now. I look around at the swing and the bouncer and the bassinette and am in awe of how quickly the decor has changed around here---for the better, of course!