Ashton at age 2

Happy Birthday to the youngest member of the Stevens clan:

ASHTON COLE!

In the past year, Ashton has emerged from a baby to silly, high energy, streak-loving little boy! With the help of his big brothers and sister, this fun little guy is learning the ropes of childhood fast! In honor of Ash's big day, here's a look at this vivacious kid at age two:

* Ash loves books, Elmo, mom's ipod, and the Wiggles. But his favorite toy of all time is still a ball. He's got some amazing skills for a 2-year-old. You can actually play catch with him... Really!

* Ash has recently discovered the wonders of costumes! His favorite combination is sunglasses, a cowboy hat, and these two necklaces. Here's Ash in his classic camera pose--arm up while leaning to the side!

* Ash is the official scripture retriever. At scripture time, Ashton runs to the drawer and finds everyone's scriptures and delivers them to the appropriate person. (He's learned whose is whose!) He also puts them away when we're finished--carrying at least two at a time. (He's a tough kid.) He absolutely loves this job and takes it very seriously!

* Ash is very popular with all of my piano students. One student in particular always asks the same question the moment he walks through my door each week: "Is Ashy awake?"

* Ash refuses to leave his bed without his two favorite blankets and binki.

* Ash has a special kinship with Grandpa Stevens. He just loves it when Grandpa uses his pen to tickle his face!

* Ash was born with the boy sound effect chip--and he makes sound effects all day long... as he throws and catches balls, jumps, runs, sits...

* At the mere age of two, Ash has already mastered the art of comedy. He'll do anything for a laugh! Here's Ashton putting on one of his goofy shows at lunch time...

* Ashton loves the B.Y.U. acapella group, Vocal Point. He demands this C.D. the moment we strap him in the car by screaming "We Will!" meaning the song, "We Will Rock You." He tries to sing and beat box along to the entire C.D. When we come home, he sometimes prefers to stay buckled in his car seat listening to the C.D. rather than getting out and going inside the house. Now that's a dye hard fan!

* Ashton has always been a long napper. He still naps 4-5 hours a day!

* Ash loves his Daddy's truck. He also loves sitting on his Dad's motorcycle making uncanny motorcycle noises. I swear... little boys come programmed.

* Ash really loves it when the kids' friends come over to play. He especially loves tormenting Carson and his buddies by chasing them around with a sword. They are scared to death of him... because he hasn't yet learned how to play soft.

* Ashton LOVES food, and he'll eat ANYTHING! If you don't believe me, watch this video of him devouring a lemon at Johnny Carinos.

* Ash gets great satisfaction by yelling "No!" and "My" (meaning 'mine') at least 100 times a day.

* Ashton is crazy talented at destroying anything if left alone for more than five minutes.

* Ashton has always been so good about going to bed. The second we say, "Time for bed," he puckers his lips like a fish and kisses every member of the family and then happily goes to bed.

* Ash's most used word is "uck." Meaning "Look!"

* When Ashton wakes in the morning, he'll just play and talk softly to himself forever until someone finally goes and gets him. He is such a good natured boy.

* Ashton loves running to greet Dad and the kids when they return home with a hug.

This past year has been a big one for Ashton, and the next promises to be even bigger... potty training, sentences... let the fun begin! Happy Birthday Ashton!

An Oz-Some Weekend

My Mother's Day weekend was pretty FANTASTICAL (as Gaaaaa-Linda would say)!

It's going to be hard to top this one. It started off

with a surprise delivery...

A beautiful bouquet of flowers from the very first man to steal my heart... My DAD! He sent all six of his daughters a bouquet with this message:

My girls are the best Moms in the World! Love, Dad

I'm not sure about the truth of that statement... but I am absolutely positive that I have the best Dad in the world. My flowers are still sitting on my kitchen counter, and they continue to fill my soul with a bit of sunshine every time I walk by them. (Thanks Dad! I love you.)

On Saturday morning, we headed down to Boise for a day of family fun. We found a kids wonderland in Meridian--a little play called BOUNCE. It was filled with huge inflatable jumping toys where our kids jumped their little hearts out for hours until we could bounce no more!

Aston loved Bounce as well... as long as Mom or Dad was holding his hand the entire time. That meant that Justin and I were sliding, climbing, and bouncing too. We looked like we had run a marathon after the first ten minutes.

But wouldn't you know it... when it was time to head out, Ashton suddenly had a surge of courage and decided to go down the giant slide... SOLO!

This picture doesn't show how vertical this slide truly is!

Go Ashton!

No Fear!

Now that's a brave 2-year-old!

After our 3-hour workout at Bounce, we cleaned up for our long awaited night in the Emerald City--the Broadway musical, Wicked! You could describe our excitement as... "unusually and exceedingly peculiar and all together quite impossible to describe!"

We dropped Ash and Carson off at niece Amy's house. (Did I mention that Amy is a Saint?) The boys were more than thrilled to miss out on a Broadway show in exchange for a few hours of playtime with Amy's twin boys. (Thank you Amy!)

This night fulfilled a dream of mine. I saw Wicked with my parent and siblings over 3 years ago. It was magical... but my heart hurt a tiny bit because Justin & McKenna were missing it. McKenna has had the Wicked soundtrack memorized word for word for years, and I've told her the story umpt-teen times. I vowed that if I ever had the opportunity, I would take Justin and McKenna to Wicked. Opportunity doesn't get any better than when Wicked comes to your state!

We bought the cheapest tickets possible, and surprise surprise... we got what we paid for! I was so disappointed that we couldn't even see the actors' facial features, but it didn't really matter to McKenna. When the lights went down and the music began, McKenna gasped with sheer delight and grabbed my hand. All throughout the show, she would reach over and hug me. She simply "Couldn't Be Happier!" And that's all that mattered.

On Mother's Day (the following day), I got treated like a Queen. I didn't make my bed. I didn't make breakfast. I didn't even hang up my towel.

Thank you Hampton Inn!!

Our hotel had a really great pool, and the kids had a blast swimming for hours .

What a hunk of burnin' love!

We left Boise on a theatrical high and with new beloved memories. The road trip got extra fun when we came upon a cute, little red VW bug on the highway... Yes! It was Grandma Luke! The kids were giddy with excitement as we passed her waving and giggling wildly. I even made a makeshift "Happy Mother's Day" sign to hold up as we drove along side her. We stopped at a gas station where Grandma proceeded to buy all the kids a pack of gum. Here's McKenna with the entire package in her mouth! (It's amazing what kids will do for entertainment on a 5-hour road trip!)

I Feel Pretty

Every now and then, I became suddenly aware that I have been doing something for ten consecutive minutes without being interrupted, that no one is hanging on me, and that the house is eerily quiet...

(PANIC!) "Where is Ashton and what is he destroying?!"

When this terrifying moment happened last week, I bolted through the house fully expecting to find markers on the walls or a half eaten jar of play dough. But to my surprise, I came upon this...

Ashton doing his hair and make-up.

(And yes, he was naked as a jay bird. We're still dealing with the diaper ditching problem at least once a day.) Cue the West Side Story soundtrack now...

"I feel pretty,

Oh, so pretty

I feel pretty and witty and bright!

And I pity

Any boy who isn't me tonight."

"I feel charming

Oh, so charming

It's alarming how charming I feel!

And so pretty

That I hardly can believe I'm real."

"See that pretty boy in that mirror there:

Who can that attractive boy be?

Such a pretty face,

Such a pretty bod,

Such a pretty smile,

Such a pretty me!"

"I feel stunning

And entrancing,

Feel like running and dancing all day long,

For I'm loved

By a pretty wonderful... Mom!"

What No One Told Me

In honor of Mother's Day,

I thought I'd share my thoughts on my own journey so far...

Before I was a Mother, people told me that motherhood would change my life. People told me it would be my most important and rewarding work. People told me that my kids would grow up too fast. People told me to enjoy every moment. They were right... but there were a few things they all forgot to mention.

* No one told me that being pregnant is an open invitation for mere strangers to touch my stomach.

* No one told me that being in labor was an open invitation for strangers to see me in the most unflattering position imaginable. No one told me that I would pee in front of an audience or have countless nurses rummaging their hands around inside my uterus.

* No one told me that nursing would at first feel unnatural and impossible.

* No one told me that even after I lost all the baby weight, my clothes would never fit the same way again... ever.

* No one told me that after I had a baby, my hair and eyelashes would fall out.

* No one told me that getting a shower some days would feel like an Olympic sized victory.

* No one told me that after I had a baby, I would do the very thing I swore I would never do: Sport a 'Mom Haircut'!

* No one told me that once I became a Mom, getting out the door would take a minimum 25 minutes.

* No one told me that once I became a Mom, the next time I 'slept in' would be 15 years later.

* No one told me that after years of music lessons, straight A's, and a college degree, my main job would be wiping kids' bums.

* No one told me that the first time my child pooped in the potty would be the single most triumphant moment of my life.

* No one told me that my children would mimic everything I do and say... and consequently showing me who I really am.

* No one told me that I would fall asleep every night feeling guilty and inadequate.

* No one told me that my children would all come with completely different personalities and needs, and that once I figured any of them out--they'd change!

* No one one told me that finding a dinner that pleased every member of my family would become a matter of prayer.

* No one told me that after suffering through pregnancy, labor, and years of sleepless nights, Daddy would always be loved most.

* No one told me that to make a little boy double over with laughter, I need only mention the word 'burp', 'fart', or 'booger'!

* No one told me that I would become an expert on dinosaurs, ninjas, super heroes, and wolves.

* No one told me that talking to my daughter about maturation would be scarier than speaking in church.

* No one told me that I would transform into a protective, blood-thirsty mama bear every time someone did or said something to my child that I didn't like.

* No one told me that I would not understand my own capacity to love until the moment that my first born was placed in my arms.

* No one told me that I would not understand true pain until I had to watch helplessly as my child experienced something hard.

* No one told me of the pure joy that wells up inside you the first time your baby smiles--knowing that smile is meant just for you.

* No one told me that a game of Patty Cake can be as exciting as Christmas morning.

* No one told me that raising children would allow you to see your spouse's greatest qualities and talents.

* No one told me that children will forgive you no matter how many times you mess up.

* No one told me that once you become a mother, you're a mother for eternity... so you better be ready.