Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Back to St. Louis - Her new arm is READY!


Okay, so this picture doesn't really represent the subject matter of today's blog, but I like it and that's all that matters. *tee hee*

I received a call from Shriner's today and Ashlyn's new arm is ready. I'm so excited. I don't know why, but when they called my eyes just welled up with tears. I'm excited, but I'm nervous and scared too. I just think it's so amazing what Shriner's can do for children and how lucky Ashlyn and I are to have them as a resource in our lives.

So we are headed back in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping to make a stop by to see a fellow blogger's house to meet her daughter that has the same limb difference as Ashlyn.

I think this is going to be the coolest thing ever...I just hope she feels the same way. Wish us luck!!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Ashlynisms - Week 1

Ashlyn started talking before she was one. What was once language only understood by those that where with her a lot, has now turned into a very clear and audible non-stop chatterbox full of things that continually catch me off guard and make be double over in laughter. How does a 2 year old have such a wicked sense of humor. It's in her blood I guess. She knows when she's telling a joke, she knows when she's being funny and she seems to thoroughly enjoy being an entertainer.

My family has been using "Ashlynisms" since she first started talking. She called my brother "Uncle Beep Beep", and it caught on and is still around. Oh there are so many I just can't think of them right now. So, with that said I'm going to try to post weekly "Ashlynisms". Enjoy!

April 19-25, 2010

1.) While sitting on the big potty with me holding her hand so she doesn't fall in she leans really far back and says, "I'm gonna fall in the potty". I say, "Oh no baby don't do that." She says, "I'll fall in the potty and you just flush me down". I say, "Oh I wouldn't flush you down, I love you too much." She replies with her head tilted and her eyes sort of scrunched up, "Yeah, you flush me down and you get a new baby." I looked at her funny and then we both burst with laughter.


2.) Wednesday nights we go to my father and step-mother's house (Ashlyn's Papa and Nana). We have dinner, visit, play and just have a nice evening. Ash and I don't usually leave until her bedtime, so I make sure to change her into her PJ's before we leave on the off chance she will fall asleep on the way home, I don't have to wake her up to change her when we do get home.

We were leaving this past Wednesday and she wanted to walk to the car. She had on her PJ's with socks, no shoes. I told her that was fine as long as she stayed on the sidewalk or in the driveway. She agreed, but soon broke the deal by walking on the large flat rock around my dad's flower bed and fountain. I told her to stay off the rock and out of the grass. She responded by stepping right off the rocks into the grass and looking at me rather smugly. I headed towards her and she took off around the other side of the bushed and down the driveway to where Papa and Nana were standing. I yelled her name, so she stopped, grinned and stepped right into the grass again with the same smug expression. I told her she was about to get a spanking if she didn't stay out of the wet grass in her sock feet (which I rarely do more than threaten because she normally straightens up pretty quick). She walked back up the sidewalk, stood right in front of me, wiggled her bottom and said "My bum's right here!" She had us all laughing like crazy with that one.

Ah...my darling Ashlyn. How cute it is now...how scared I am when you get older. *smile and cringe*

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

First Trip to the Movies

My entire life I have enjoyed cartoons. However, the ones I grew up don't hold a candle to the things they have today. Wow! Now I don't have to feel like a goofball going to see them as an adult, because now I have Ashlyn and she is my reason (and/or excuse) to see all the great new kid movies.

When we went to St. Louis a couple of weeks ago, we stopped by McDonalds. She got a Happy Meal that contained a two-headed dragon action figure from the movie "How to Train Your Dragon". Since then, everytime we saw a commercial she would say she wanted that movie. So we finally made it to the movies last night to see it.

We went to see the 3D version which is INCREDIBLE. To everyone, if you have not seen a 3D movie recently, I highly suggest going and doing just that. It's not the same as the old paper glasses with blue and red film over each eye. It's a whole new ball game. Even the previews were in 3D and it was fantastic. Ashlyn wore her glasses for about the first 30 minutes or so. Then she got tired of them. She watched the movie but (upon removing my glasses I saw this too) it was kind of blurry because it was meant to be watched with the glasses. I think she got bored with it because she didn't want to wear them, or the fact that she's only 2 1/2 may have had something to do with it.

The movie was great. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even with battling her to sit still and be quiet. She really did do great for her age though. At one point, she even screamed when the dragon's got a little nutty on the big screen. (Ha ha!) If you haven't seen this movie, I suggest you go see it...and make sure you see the 3D version. She was a little too young to catch the parts about the "prosthetic" usage, lol.

So, note to self. Ashlyn is a little young to go to the movies and sit quietly (unless it's Tinkerbell, then the rest of the world doesnt exist). Maybe we'll give it another shot in a year or so. We still had a good time. She had a new experience as did mom and I.

I'm hoping to go on our next adventure soon....to the ZOO!!

Monday, April 5, 2010

A Wonderful Easter

Ashlyn had a terrific Easter this year. She spent the first half of the day with her dad and his family. Then she got to spend the second half of the day with me and my family. She was all about the hunting of Easter eggs this year too. Isobella (her 2nd cousin) got to enjoy her first Easter egg hunting as well.

We colored eggs earlier in the week, but somehow they were still leaking colors onto our hands during the hunting festivities. It has all washed off, so there is another thing to be thankful for. *smiles*

I love this holiday. It marks the true beginning of Spring. The air is warmer, the grass is getting greener (by the hour it seems), the flowers are starting to blossom and it's just a great holiday.

Here are few pictures of our Easter day activities.