It’s been almost a month since Asher came home and we have established a nice routine with the newest Pig. We are all very helpful. We get Asher’s clothes when he needs a new outfit, and we help by grabbing diapers when he needs changed. We bring blankets to help swaddle him. Riley even uses the step stool to get already-made bottles off of the kitchen counter when Asher’s hungry. We are all very interested in what he does.

When he cries we want to help make him feel better. We hug and kiss and snuggle him. Riley even tries to pick him up to hold him, but Mom tells him no. Emmett likes to whisper things to Asher. It’s like they’ve been talking about stuff for a long time and Emmett is just picking right up in the conversation where they last left off.

Asher is getting so big! He’s out of premie clothes and diapers and into newborns. We guess he’s almost seven pounds about now, but his next doctor’s appointment isn’t until the beginning of October so we won’t know for sure for a while. But he’s eating a ton. He’s developing a double chin and his extra chunk is slowing making it’s way to his thighs, which we all love to see.

And he’s got so much hair! Emmett likes to say that it’s fantastic hair, just like his. It gets very, very curly right after his bath. Riley likes to rub his cheek on Asher’s head and say, “I love his hair. It’s so soft!” It’s like satin. With his hair and funny faces, Asher is still reminding Mom and Dad a lot of Emmett when he was a tiny Pig. We all love it.

He’s still waking up every few hours to eat at night, with some night being better than others. So stay tuned with that. Although he’s not a crier, he just fusses, we’d still like for Mom and Dad to get a decent night’s sleep one day. Until then, they both drink a lot of coffee.

We are definitely a bit of a handful, all us Pigs, when Dad is at work or when Mom is at work and only one person is taking care of us. But it is all worth it, and after a big blow up–where maybe we aren’t sharing well or we fight over something–we settle down pretty quickly.

Us big Pigs got some new toys recently that we love. Mom and Dad got us these inflatable balls that are hollow inside so we can climb in and roll. We’ve also been playing with balloons a lot recently. We like to put a small LED light into them and go into a dark room and play hot potato.

At school, the boys are working on their writing and Tessa is wow’ing her teachers with her incredible memory. We are all three enjoying the new school year, but we’ll all be happy when our routine isn’t disrupted by so many Jewish holidays–as much as we enjoy celebrating them! We are looking forward to our Sukkot BBQ on Sunday…

Mom will post new pictures of everyone ASAP. As soon as Asher takes a nap…

Be well.

With love,
The Four Fantastic Pigs

It’s Back-to-School time! We all started back to school last week. Well, everyone except Asher. He’ll just be back. As in back home. We all moved up a grade! And we are so excited about it. We all love our new teachers and we were getting into the groove when, bam, we came down with colds. Because Asher’s coming home, Dad was extra cautious with us and kept us home from school and worked hard to get us all well. And, it worked.

Anyway, we have all been a bit out of sorts this past month, what with a new baby brother who was born out of state and Mom and Dad shuttling back and forth to see him. And we are all very insistent that our little brother comes home. We don’t understand why he has to stay with the doctors. We don’t stay that long with the doctors when we go to see them. How come Asher can’t come home now? Emmett especially has been very concerned about Asher. But the wait is over!

This month we’ve seen rainbows and hail and rain. We’ve played in the pool, and visited Monkey Business, and had playdates. We’ve had great babysitters when Mom and Dad have to do things for Asher. It has, given the circumstances, been a good month. We’ve been listening to a lot of music and doing a lot of dancing. We’ve taken tractor rides and helped mom weed the flowerbeds and rode our bikes. All around, a typical, wonderful summer.

We’ll check back in soon, and we’ll let you know what’s it like having a new baby brother in the house.

With love,
E, R and T

The day has finally come! After three weeks of living with strangers, albeit nice and caring strangers, I get to come home to my family. Mom and Dad have been out to see me a ton. And I’ve FaceTimed with Emmett, Riley, and Tessa, but I’ve never met them. It’s time to get home to all of the Pigs in the pen.

I’ve grown a bunch in the time that I’ve been here. I’m right around five and a half pounds. That’s huge! I’m ridiculously cute, which is to be expected. I remind Mom a lot of a baby Emmett. The way I purse my lips. The way I scrunch up my nose. Even the way I arch my back and search for the bottle when I’m hungry. We are, for sure, brothers.

I am, everyday, growing more alert and interactive. I smile a lot. And sometimes I even chuckle at the right parts in an overheard conversation. But mostly, I am eating a lot more. And letting people know when I’m hungry. I am sleeping well, and taking good, deep breaths. So, now I am ready.

***

I flew home. The people on the plane gave me a certificate and wings and everything. No one believed that I was real, given my size. Sometimes Mom and Dad don’t believe I’m real, either. But that’s just because they’ve had me in their plans for so long, that they can’t believe that the long road of Pig-acquisition has come to and end. They told me that I completed our family. Now we all get to live. Together. Yay!

When I got home, everyone was super excited. Emmett, right away, became very protective. He wouldn’t allow anyone else to touch me, saying, “No touching Asher!” He kept repeating, “Wow. Asher. So cool.” Tessa and Riley were not to be put off loving and snuggling me though. They pushed their way to my side and tugged and petted and kissed and hugged me. If ever there was a more exuberant crowd to come home to, I’ve not seen it. It’s clear: I am loved.

Riley asked, right away, when I will grow up. I am so small and, although everyone agrees that I am cute, I am no Pig-Piler at my current height and weight. He asked if I could sleep in his race car bed with him. Sleepovers are right around the corner!

Tessa kept pulling on my feet and legs. She tried to pick me up, out of Mom’s hands. She’s an insistent one, I can tell already. Not to be ordered around. I have a feeling that she’ll be the one organizing our play when I get a bit older.

Pop-pop and Ms. Ann were there too. Taking great pictures and waiting for a turn to hold me.

Check out the pictures of me that Mom uploaded.

Thanks for everyone’s love and support!

Asher