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!