Hand 1, I'm raising pre-flop 4BB. Raising in these situations will sometimes win the pot outright. Also if you are called, you have a better idea of your opponents hand and it's a lot easier to play post-flop.

Hand 2. I can't see a weak ace holding up against 4 limpers. A near pot-size flop bet was more than I would have bet. About 1/2 that amount would have got you the same information. But after that I'm check/folding to any serious bet.