Vitamin Saver and Strike Update

I feel like I should report on Asher's food strike although I don't think there is much progress. Over the weekend, we ate out most evenings for dinner and he ate at Panera (loves broccoli cheddar soup), did not eat La Gondola, did not eat a Subway sandwich (until bedtime), did not eat hotdogs at a cookout. So what did we learn? Either wait until bedtime to feed the boy or go to Panera every night! I think I like that last option!

Since I'm on the oh-so-exciting topic of Asher's diet, his funny new thing is to save his Flintstone vitamin that he gets each evening. Last night after he ate his Subway sandwich and it was time to go to bed, we gave him a vitamin and decided to let him walk around while he ate it - or as Walter would say "let him run around like a crazy person."

I was always a little girl who saved all of my candy. I am the reigning champion in my family for making my ice cream cone last the final 45 minutes of our frequent trips to Ohio. I often had the goal of making my "church candy" last through the week and would sparingly eat maybe one lifesaver per day. So I think Asher gets this new habit from me. He will hold on to his little vitamin and run around the house making us pretend that he has eaten it by putting his hand up to his mouth every minute or so. Then he will go to one of his toys and hide the vitamin in it as another way to make us think he has actually eaten it.

I'm not sure how long he would save the vitamin, but last night this game ended with Daddy having to make Asher eat the vitamin before he counted to three.

Our Son is on a Food Strike

So, it has been two days now since Asher has eaten anything for supper.

The boy is currently obsessed with raisins and refuses to eat anything else except for raisins by the handful, his morning cereal and banana and maybe some yogurt for lunch. Oh yes, he also eats pretzels continuously while we are grocery shopping.

This picture of Asher with spinach all over his face was taken several months ago. I would be happy these days if he would put vegetables that close to his mouth again.

I'm hoping that by making public Asher's recent fasting habits, it will be enough to make him start eating again - just to make mommy look like she's over-reacting.

Summer 2007

Even though it still feels like summer, I know these summer days are quickly coming to an end. This is a snapshot view of our highlights over the past several months.

Isn't he sweet?

Walter started the summer off working REALLY hard to refinish the hardwood floor that was under our carpet in the dining room and entryway. It looks SO impressive, now, but it was a messy and hard job.

Every summer when my parents come home from Ethiopia, we go on a little Ifft getaway. This year we went to Arkansas (yes, Arkansas) and spent a week relaxing by a lake and also went through a cave that was like being inside of Fraggle Rock.

A momenteous event happened at the end of June when Asher got his FIRST Haircut! This place for kids to get their haircut is so fun! Asher got to watch a DVD, sit in an airplane, wear a cape, and all the while never letting go of his sippy cup. What a handsome young man!

A real highlight was when one of my best friends from college came from Portland, Oregon to visit for a few days. She came with her daughter, Grace, who I got to meet for the first time. We had fun going to the pool together and just walking around pushing our babies in their strollers - something we talked and dreamed about while in college.

My family happened to still be in town for the 4th of July this year, so we celebrated the Nations Birthday together as well as all of us kids' birthdays since my parents were scheduled not to be back home again until next summer. There's nothing like celebrating your birthday six months early (in my brother's case)!

Continuing a summer tradition, our small group went camping together at a local campground. It was just for one night, but we had a fun adventure. This picture shows the challenges of putting a child to sleep in a tent. Asher's friends (who were not having naptime) kept stopping by to say "hi" to him through the tent screen. It probably goes without saying, but that nap didn't really last long.

They came back! My parents came back unexpectedly to take care of some business with their visas. Their trip coincided with birthdays so we did get to celebrate together. We also have had the privilege to host an international student at ISU. Mpale is from Tanzania and we've enjoyed getting to know her and helping her settle in to life in the U.S.

Well that's it. I guess summer isn't officially over until after Labor Day, but school has started, the pools are closing, and all of the busy activities for the fall are about to begin.

It has been a fun one!

This is it

So...I finally have a blog. After much deliberation and sighing everytime I see another friend who has a cool blog, I decided to jump in! Walter and I (mostly me) are hoping to use this to keep our friends and family updated on our lives - with the goal of not adding more stress into my life!

Anyway, on this steamy hot day when Asher and I are not venturing outside, what better way to spend an afternoon then to do something I've talked about for a LONG time! Let the fun begin...