Happy 4th Birthday, Ashlyn!

Well, it's hard to imagine that my angel is already 4 -years-old. It just seems like the other day that I was in the hospital holding her. I am so thankful for my precious girl. She has given me so much happiness....and also some craziness.

I woke her up in the morning on her birthday (November 19th) singing, "Happy Birthday." She was NOT in the mood to get up...so much like her mother. (I can't wait until she's a teenager!) Maybe it was my singing, but she didn't really budge. I finally told her that she was four today. She popped up her head and said, "I'm four?!" That's all I had to tell her, although one would think singing Happy Birthday would be a dead give away. I guess for all the hype about her birthday, it finally dawned on her that the day had arrived and she was actually four.

I had told her about going to her new doctor since she was now four-years-old. I did go ahead and warn her in advance that she would be getting more shots. (I think this really is the first time she actually remembered what shots were.) Thursday evening, a day after her actual birthday, she came up to me and said, "Mommy, you forgot to take me to the doctor to get my shots!" Ashlyn actually seemed alarmed that she had missed out. Luckily I was able to tell her that she was going on Friday. I think she told just about everyone we saw that she was four-years-old and was going to the doctor to get her shots. I don't think she'll ever forget what shots are now after the last doctor's visit! She got 5 shots and ended up with about three or four bruises from the shots....poor girl. I'll post some bday pics when I'm back at my computer...

Disturbing Incident

The title pretty much sums it up. Ashlyn changed out of her church clothes mid-afternoon (finally...I'm practically undressing as I walk in the house!). OK--after writing that last statement, maybe I'm somewhat at fault.

Anyways, Ashlyn was outside playing by herself on the swing set while I was doing things around the house. I peeked out the blinds and saw her standing at the highest point of her swing set with her jeans AND panties down to her knees! I was shocked when I saw her, needless to say. Thank goodness she was inside the little "hut" area where it's mostly enclosed and the neighbors weren't out. When I opened the door, she hid in the tunnel part of her swing set, obviously knowing that what she was doing was HIGHLY inappropriate!

This just happened about 30 minutes ago and I'm still shocked. I guess she needs to know that you're only allowed to walk INSIDE the house jaybird! :) We're heading out on a bike ride...with clothes on.

Halloween

Yes, I haven't posted in a long time, and it's a tad late to be posting Halloween pics. Oh, well...her birthday is coming up soon so I'll have some pictures then, too!

Ashlyn dressed up as a cheerleader. It was all her idea this Halloween. At this age, you quickly realize that kids make their own decisions. She enjoyed the church "trunk or treat" and also loved going house to house. She would be in such a hurry to get to the next house that she would ramble, "Happy Halloween, thank you, trick or treat." She would say those three in any order, most of the time not making any sense.

Well, this is all for now!

My cheerleader

This last one is of her at the Fall Festival party. They had karaoke...Ashlyn saw the microphones and started singing. She sang her ABC's first. Out of all the songs she knows, why the heck did she pick the ABC's? So I suggested "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"....something....anything besides the ABC's! I don't think I have a shy daughter. She may be following her older cousin, Alannah, with the "center of attention syndrome." :) I'm just glad she is already so confident.

Fall Festival Party

Avlyn's school had a party yesterday afternoon/evening. All the kids got to dress up in their Halloween costumes. Alannah, Avlyn and Ashlyn had a blast. Here are a couple of pics.

My ballerina

Ashlyn loves going to her new dance class she recently started. If you ask her, however, she's been doing ballet for quite some time now. Like most little girls her age, she loves to sing and dance. Anytime and ANY place she hears music, she starts dancing. I have told her to "shake, shake what your momma gave you." Guess I'm partially to blame!

Grandparents' Social

Ashlyn went with Pippi and Pops to her school's Grandparents' Social last Friday. Since school started, Ashlyn has been talking about this boy named Diego. Seriously, it's Diego. I found out that when Ashlyn first saw Diego at the social, she blushed with her face turning bright red. Isn't she too young for this?! We then saw him at Target yesterday with his dad. She was trying to hide behind me then he kind of chased her around. She wouldn't even talk to Diego. (Oh, and he is a real cutie...sandy blonde/brown hair witht he cutest smile. Wait, who has the crush now!) Ashlyn was constantly looking for Diego the rest of the time we were at Target. Ashlyn is rarely shy but she must have a little (actually big) crush on this boy. Once again, isn't she too young for this?!!!

Ashlyn's "new" bedroom

Troy has been wanting me to put curtains up in Ashlyn's room for some time, mainly to block out the early morning sun. I was shopping at Bed Bath & Beyond but couldn't decide on ANYTHING. I finally decided to get Ashlyn a new bed in a bag that was on sale and then went to pick out some curtains that would go well with it. I've got the curtains up over her French door-windows and then I picked up some more today for the other two windows that flank her bed. I'm finally starting to decorate her room. It's nice to get some curtains up so now I can pick out some things to go on the walls, etc. We're hoping to get some drapes for the living room. We're getting help picking out the fabric, having them made, and then installed...I'm not hanging those things!

It's all about the hair...

I ask Ashlyn everyday what she does at school. Her answer is always, "I don't know." Are we already at that age yet? I actually have to pry to find out if she went to garden, computers, art, spanish, music, etc. and then find out what "work" she did and who she played with on the playground. I'm finally able to get some answers then.

Well, I found out about a week or two ago that there is this girl in her class named Abigail (oh, and don't get her confused with Abby...Ashlyn will keep you straight!). Apparently Abigail wears her hair in two braids. This style seems to have become quite the following of some of the other girls in the class, too. I mentioned it to Carissa, and she's been doing Brielle's hair in two ponies and in braids (Brielle's hair is a little too short to be pulled straight down in two braids Carissa said).

I decided to start a "new hair trend." I put Ashlyn's hair in a French braid for school one morning. The first time it took me quite some time, but I think I'll get better at it. It looks so cute on her with her hair all pulled back and out of her face. I'll get a picture of the French braid soon and put it on here, too. She asked me on the way to school one morning if I would make her a French fry braid. Silly girl! She loves to take her hair out of the braids to make "crazy hair." She just laughs at herself in the mirror with her wavy, frizzy hair.

Bike Riding

These pics are from right around Troy's bday, which was the 8th of September. I just love that one of her and Troy, and then I ran across these right before I was going to write about our bike ride tonight.

When we have some time and energy to kill, Ashlyn loves to ride her bike. Troy was still working so it was just us two girls. We had a great time, and Ashlyn decided not to wear her elbow and knee pads (she usually HAD to have these on). She told me she wasn't going to fall. When I'm riding behind her, no matter if she has pads on or not, I'm scared to death she is going to fall! She gets going so fast, usually when Troy races ahead of her. Yes, we're on the same theme...she is very competitive, but I'm not complaining...ha. So we were riding with helmet only. She was on the very last turn right before crossing the street to head to our driveway when she forgot to slow down and make the turn. She went off the curb and landed on her "precious" right elbow and knee. She started to cry but I told her to pick her bike up, and so she picked it up and rode the rest of the way home. When she was washing her hair tonight, I told her that she was "one tough cookie." She thought that was funny and wondered why I was calling her a cookie. Being her silly self, she said that she was "one tough twizzler." Once again...really?!

Too many things...

OK--like I had said previously, one of the main reasons I wanted to do this blog was so I could write down (and obviously share) some of the things Ashlyn says and does. So here are two more...

1. Ashlyn got up in bed with me one morning with her pink blanket. She decided that she wanted me to be Ms. Sorensen, her Montessori teacher. By the way, she LOVES Ms. Sorensen, and I think I may have already been replaced! She wants to show me how the kids lay down their mats/towels for quiet time. So, being Ms. Sorensen, I was asked to tell all of the kids to get their towel and roll it out. Ashlyn does this with such seriousness, I almost laughed. Then, I am to tell everyone to lie down. Ashlyn closes her eyes for about 2 seconds and it's time to get up. "Ms. Sorensen" tells the children to sit up on their towel, and then roll it up. Once again, she is so serious...I'm laughing at this point. She carefully folds her blanket in half, being careful to match up the corners. She picks it up, lays it back down, and then rolls it up. I'm figuring she can now fold clothes, too! I'm loving the things she's learning at Montessori. She's already helping cook and do the dishes...hmmm...what can I have her do next?!

2. Last night Troy was going upstairs to sing to Ashlyn. He usually sings first, and his way of getting her up the stairs is to tell her, "I'm going to win!" She's already competitive (no idea where this comes from!), so she runs up as fast as she can. I can't believe it still works. Anyways, he was up the stairs ahead of her last night. He didn't even have to tell her he's going to win, but she's following up behind him. She says, "Daddy, let's not race." (Duh, she doesn't want to lose.) Troy was nearing the top of the stairs and she adds, "Daddy, let's hold hands." Troy pauses for a second, and then she runs right past him and says, "I'm going to win!" We both were dying laughing. My mom told me that I was quite the teaser and sneaky one, too. From hearing stories about Troy, I know he was like that as well. We all know the saying, "Paybacks are a _____!" I just love this girl...glad she can take jokes and joke right back with us!

What did you dream?

This was a question Ashlyn asked me one morning earlier this week. I'm not really sure how this question came about, but she happened to ask on a morning after a crazy dreaming night. So I started to tell her about some of them, and then I remembered that I also had a dream she had let out 3 of the 4 butterflies go (we're letting all 4 go today). I asked her what she had dreamed about, and she told me a couple of random things...rainbows, something else, and then added that she had also dreamed she let her butterflies go. What a coincidence. Funny the things kids think of to say/ask.

More on Barbie...

(This was actually earlier in the day.) I just came in the office to look on the computer...I do that way too often. Ashlyn came in here with her Barbie and sat on the desk. Her Barbie, as usual, was jaybird. I don't know why she feels that all of her Barbies have to be jaybird. I guess if I had Barbie's figure, I might be naked more often! She then told me that her legs were longer than her Barbie's legs. Uh...I would think so! The things kids come up with are just too funny and off the wall.

Oh, Barbie!

I'm on a roll, even though not many know I started this blogging thing. Ashlyn was upstairs playing in her play room. She was being very quiet. All parents know that when a child is especially quiet, he/she is up to something. I found Ashlyn in the playroom closet with scissors, "attacking" Barbie's hair. I really think she was trying to make it pretty (or it was simply something to cut)...probably the latter. At least it wasn't her hair this time!

I recently bought Ashlyn a little tiny, stuffed puppy...it came from Walgreens, but she still loves it. She has named her puppy Chila (chee-la). Where did she come up with that name?! Well, Chila "brushed her teeth" this morning. Ashlyn made Chila pretend spit in the sink. I'm taking Chila with me when I go pick up Ashlyn from school.

Ashlyn wants a trampoline. Her cousins have one so I'm sure that's why she wants one, too. The other day, she was talking about it being such a beautiful day and how she would love to take a nap outside on the trampoline. I know that part came from me! Whenever we have nice weather and I'm outside, that's what I think about....it's better than a blanket! She has a birthday coming up. Hmmm....do you think she'll get it?! A trampoline is a much better babysitter than the tv. :)

Well, I still really don't know what I'm doing. I know that I just need to read up on how to add all of the pics, video, etc. I'll get to that eventually...

For now, I'll write about Ashlyn. She was getting ready for school and was looking through a book...mainly with stickers and random things. She said it was like a diary. Guess she learned that at school since I have never discussed diaries with her! On our drive to school, she decided she wanted her name to be "Chicky." Once again, really?! Then it turned into "Chick Pea." What a silly girl.

She took in a picture of her caterpillars for show-and-tell. The caterpillars are hanging upside down and are about to form chrysalides (cocoons). Maybe she'll sound extra smart for show-and-tell! I'm going to let her take the butterflies in to her class once they emerge. Seriously, show-and-tell is EVERY Friday, and it subject must be educational! I'll be running out of ideas soon.

What am I doing?

Seriously, what am I doing? I guess I'm finally joining the blog world. I love stalking...you never know who you're going to find! This will also allow me to keep up with some of the funny things Ashlyn is saying. I asked her what she wanted for breakfast this morning and she said, "a tomato." Really? She later called me Ms. Tomato Head.

For those that are curious or don't know, we are living in McKinney. We closed on our house last November '07, and Troy started working at Baylor-Plano as a Hospitalist this July. Ashlyn, who will be 4 years old (yikes!) in November, started at Frisco Montessori last week. She just loves it. I am no longer working. Hmmm...maybe this is why I've finally decided to make my own blog!

I probably won't be as creative as some of the blogs I've read...give me some time!