Owen and Ashton

As many of you know, I have been watching Ashton basically 3 days a week for the past year and a half. It has been a great experience for Owen who has been blessed with an instant friend -- or really someone more like a brother and for me I have been able to prove to myself that I can juggle two kids only 8 months apart and fill them with love and guidance while they have both taught me the true meaning of patients and unconditional love.

It has been great to be able to watch Ashton and I am grateful that his mom and dad have trusted him in my care for so long. But with everything in life, another change for us has hit the horizon as Ashton is about to become a big brother any day now and will be staying home with his mom. It will be sad for Owen not to see or hang out with his partner in crime 3 days a week and I hope he knows know how much Owen, Lexi and I are going to miss seeing him daily.

During our time together the boys have had to learn from each other the importance of sharing, working together, respecting each others boundaries, teaching each other new things but more than anything, how to become best friends. I have learned that you should ALWAYS have two of everything, always have snacks on hand or in your bag and keeping the boys busy usually insures a nap which is always a good thing ;).

We try to stay busy and have gone on many adventures together. We have gone to parks, splash parks, farms, playgroups, indoor play spaces, malls, target, bjs, grocery shopping, enjoying our backyard and of course taking advantage of all of our toys in the playroom which has been especially handy this bitterly cold winter. Probably one of the funniest things that I am asked when we are out is if they are twins. Now, from the pictures you can see they are polar opposites -- one brown eyes, brown hair olive skin and the other blue eyed, blond hair with white skin. My usual response is no, just best friends but it still makes me laugh when people ask. We have had some great fun on our adventures and memories I know I will treasure.

I managed to go through some of my pictures and pulled out some of my favorites from the past year and a half. They were so little -- and if you think about it have been hanging out with each other for half of their little lives which is crazy.

Such little peanuts 

 Big Boys 

We will miss you Ashton, but know you will be a great big brother! xoxo