Asher turns 3!!

Before I get to posting all the pictures, I have to do the Mommy thing and just reminisce about the day my sweet boy was born.

At my 37 week check up, we scheduled a repeat c-section for exactly a week from that day. The next week was spent busily getting all the last minute things ready around the house and spending lots of extra quality time with Kyrie. On Monday night, March 7th, we dropped Kyrie off with Derk's brother, Drew, and his wife, Rebecca, for her first sleepover. We had to be to the hospital by 6am, so they had offered to keep Kyrie for us. Derk and I tried to go to bed early, but we were both pretty excited and didn't sleep much that night. We woke up around 5:30, got showered, and headed to the hospital.

When we first got there, I had to get changed into the always-fashionable hospital gown. Then the nurse came in and tried to put in my IV. Tried being the operative word. She tried at least 4 times and never got it in. By that time, my entire hand was completely swollen with a huge lump on the top from all the fluid, and Derk threw a huge tissy fit and demanded she get someone in there who knew what they were doing! Another nurse came in, told the other girl she should be able to insert an IV by now, apologized to me, and got it in on the first try.

The c-section was scheduled for 7am. Of course we didn't get right in at 7am, but it wasn't too long until it was finally time.

The surgery begins.

Derk watching and waiting.

He's here!

Asher Neil Stephens was born at 7:46am, weighed 6 pounds 8.5 ounces and was 19 inches long.

He cried a little bit when he was born but calmed down very quickly when he got into his Daddy's arms. I remember Derk bringing him over to show me while I was still on the operating table, and I just kept rubbing his soft little cheek. He was so beautiful, and we were so thrilled that he was healthy. Asher means "my happiness", and he truly is.

He had such a great day. Kyrie was so excited about his birthday that she woke him up around 6:15 this morning. He came out of his room and just kept saying, "It's my birthday!" He had such a hard time waiting for 1:30 to roll around so his party would finally start. Derk's mom came down around 9:30, so he had tons of fun playing with Grandma and forgot all about being antsy. He even relaxed a bit and laid down to watch a movie to kill the last hour before his party started. Too excited to nap, but at least he was preoccupied enough to let me get the decorating done without any help. :) He started asking questions about the day he was born, so I got out his scrapbook and showed him all the pictures. He really liked that.......until more people arrived, and then he was so done with that silly scrapbook. :)

His party turned out great. A lot of the family had other things come up and weren't able to come (we missed you John and Katie and Abby and James!), but it turned out really nice anyway. Both Grandmas were able to come, Jenna and Kevan and Zariah came (Derk's sister and her family), and our friends Michael and Heather came. Asher had a blast playing with everyone and being the center of attention! He got such fun presents and was so sweet about telling everyone thanks for the gifts. Every time we'd hand him a present, he'd say, "What IS it? What's IN dere?!?" So I'd have to remind him to open it and see! :)

I think Kyrie's gift to him was the best gift of all. She earns "Charter Bucks" at school, and the kids get to trade in their bucks for prizes out of the treasure chest. She came home on Friday and said she used her Charter Bucks to get a little toy car for Asher out of the treasure chest instead of something for herself. She wrapped it all by herself and could not wait for him to open it. It was the sweetest thing, and it's moments like those that just melt your heart as a mother. Another great moment for me was when he opened the present I made for him. He's been begging for an apron for months now (the one he's been using, which I made for Kyrie when she was Bri's age, got too small, so we passed it down to Cambria). So I went to the fabric store and found fabric with firetrucks, airplanes, and trucks all over it and made him an apron. It's so fun giving them something you know they're going to really love!

Once we'd opened presents, it was time to eat dinner. I just did a nacho bar with all the yummy fixings. For Bri's birthday, I made homemade soup and rolls, and it was SO much work. I really enjoyed how relaxing and easy Asher's party was, and I think I'll just do easy things from now on! Then it was time for cake. We sang him happy birthday, and he sang along with us ("Happy birthday to ME!"). He blew out his candles, cheered for himself, and then went back to playing with his toys. I asked him if he'd like some cake, and he said, "Oh, yeah!" like he'd completely forgotten about that part! :)

After the party was over, we went to the U of I vs. Utah State basketball game at the Kibbie Dome (which isn't actually a dome, right, Rebecca? :) ) with Jenna and Kevan (Idaho lost, of course.....by a lot). Asher refused to leave the house without his new sword, so it came along with us, and he had fun dueling Joe Vandal a few times. :) Grandma wanted to stay and watch Cambria at home, and it was fun to spend time with just Kyrie and Asher at the game. He got to eat way more junk food than I ever care to think about again, and then it was time to come home and thoroughly sanitize every inch of his body before we put him to bed. Derk and I went in and laid with him for a while and told him all about the day he was born.

I promised Rebecca that I'd take tons of pictures, so brace yourself for picture overload (I do keep my promises, after all!)! :)

This is the left half of the party table. I used his toy bulldozer to hold some mixed nuts and raisins, and I used his smaller dump truck as the cake.

The cake. Asher sure got a kick out of being able to "eat dirt". :)

This was the right side of the table where I used his large dump truck to hold the chips.

Opening his movies from Derk and I. The movies are about firetrucks and rescue vehicles, construction vehicles and airplanes.

Opening his truck book that we got him to replace the one that's hanging on for dear life from being read SO many times.

Jenna, Kevan and Zariah gave him these really neat cards that tell all about each construction vehicle and what it does. They also got him a pop-up book.

Abigail, James and Logan gave him a flat car with lots of little cars inside. He absolutely LOVED it and didn't want to put it down, even to open other presents.

Grandma and Grandpa gave him a Lightening McQueen chair. They also gave him a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that has a bulldozer on the front.

Enjoying his foam sword from Nana. Nana also got him some cool new trucks and a megaphone (like he needs any help being any more loud? :) ).

Admiring his new truck from Abby and James while sitting in his new chair from Grandma and Grandpa.

Modeling his new apron.

Blowing out the candles!

Saying, "Yay, I'm three! Hooray!" after blowing out the candles.

Having a sword fight with Uncle Kevan.

Derk got him this shirt while he was in Boise this week taking the NCE exam. It says, "I listen to Led Zeppelin with my Daddy". I think the shirt was more for Daddy than for Asher. :)

Happy 3rd birthday, Asher! We love you so much and are so blessed to have you in our family!