Four Months!

Wow!  What a difference a month makes!  Month four has been a month of leaps and bounds...or maybe just giggles and coos.  Either way, it has been amazing to see the growth, changing, and reaching developmental milestones that have taken place over the past month.  Months two and three were mostly good, but a bit on the rough side.  Month two saw lots of fussiness due to what we think might have been tummy issues and month three saw the unveiling of the "Mommy's Girl" monster!  Month four, however, has been pretty great!  Ashlynn is finally letting other people hold her (some) and has decided that she likes her daddy after all.  For most of the third month, I was the only one who could hold her, but now she loves it when Daddy holds her...as long as he is giving her his undivided attention!  She has been happy most of the time this month, with the exception of a couple Sunday mornings when Mimi wasn't at church due to her knee surgery.  Poor Grandma had to work overtime those mornings trying to get Ashlynn to not scream her head off while Lucas and I were leading worship!  Check out a few of Ashlynn's milestones this month:

• Singing: A few times this month when I was singing to/with Emily, Ashlynn would start singing along with me.  I don't remember Emily doing this at all, but it really sounds like Ashlynn is trying to join in.  Fingers crossed that she'll be very musically inclined!
• Talking: Ashlynn has started really babbling alot this month.  In the last week, especially, she has started adding in some consonant sounds that actually sound like she is trying to make words.  Of course we know she isn't, but it's fun to hear her add more sounds to her repertoire.
• Laughing: We have started for real laughing this month!  Mostly it's just giggles, but Daddy has been known to evoke some major belly laughs during tickle time.  She smiles and giggles tons and it's just the cutest thing ever!  I feel like our somewhat high-maintenance girl is finally getting into the swing of things and having more fun with life in general.
• Tummy time: I'm still the worst mom ever when it comes to enforcing tummy time, but the past few times we've done it, it's been much less painful.  She is finally able to raise up high enough to prop her arms underneath her and stay in a head at 90 degrees position, which is much more enjoyable to her.  It's amazing how quickly they go from barely holding their head off the ground to head up and looking around.  Still no rolling on her own yet, but we aren't far off.
• Standing up: Ashlynn has really started bearing weight on her legs and trying to stand up this month (when we're holding her, of course.)  She loves to be in the upright position!
• Sitting/crunches: The majority of the time she is on her back, she is crunching her abs and pulling up her head, as if she is trying to sit up.  Sitting certainly isn't far off!
• Bumbo: We've started sitting in the Bumbo the last week and she really feels like a big girl when she's in it.
• Reaching: These past few weeks, Ashlynn has been loving her rattles and has even started reaching for them when held within reach.  She loves it when we put them on her Bumbo tray, where she can just pick them up and rattle to her heart's content.  
• Grasping: Ashlynn has really begun grabbing on to her lambie that's attached to her pacifier.  She will also pull the paci out, then try to put it back in.  She usually ends up with part of the lamb in her mouth.
• Drool: Just like Emily's fourth month, Ashlynn has become a little drooly monster.  Lots and lots of it!  And lots of blowing bubbles, too!
• Eating: She eats about every four hours if we're out and about, but at home, she's pretty demanding.  Three hours between feedings tops, but usually more like 2.5 hours.
• First Thanksgiving: Ashlynn got to celebrate her first Thanksgiving two days in a row, with both Mimi and Papa's sides of the family.  She was a bit overwhelmed with all the people, but still had a pretty good day both days.

Sweet Ashlynn,
You are our precious love and we can't even remember life without you.  We thank God everyday for giving you to us.  We love you, baby!


This month's stats: Weight- 13.5 lbs (34th %,) Height- 26.1inches (97th %,) Head- 16.54 inches (87th %)

And a few more fun pictures from this month:

Wrinkled nose and stuck out tongue.  Anything cuter than this?

Precious baby.

Sweet smiles

Happy girl

First bath together

Sisters on Thanksgiving

Playing on the floor

Standing up already!

A little tummy time

First time in the bumbo...I think she likes it!

Her new trick

Sweet girl in a sweet hat

With her big sissy

Waving with her fist. :)

Happy little elf girl

Three Months!

Our little Ashlynn is three months old and we are loving life!  This month was a great one with just a few moments of roughness here and there.  She is just getting sweeter and sweeter by the day although she is still quite the mommy's girl.  Ashlynn doesn't fuss much at all...as long as she is with me.  If someone else gets ahold of her, it's a different story!  We had an exciting month and did all kinds of fun things.  I started back to Jazzercise this month which has helped us begin to establish a schedule.  I get the girls up every morning at around 7:00, get Emily dressed and ready for the day and then get breakfast for Emily and feed Ashlynn.  On MWF, we go to Jazzercise and on TR, we head to pre-school.  Throughout the rest of the day each day, we run errands, visit family, play with friends, nap, and get dinner ready for when Daddy comes home.  It's a fun little life we're living and I am so thankful to be with my girls each and every day.  We still haven't begun a nap schedule, but that will be happening soon.  Here are a few highlights of our month:

• Sleeping:  This month Ashlynn started sleeping through the night without waking up to feed.  She also got to a point where she was being disturbed when Lucas and I woke up in the morning to get ready, so we decided it was time to make a move to her...
• Big girl bed: We moved Ashlynn out of our room and into her crib this month.  It was a terrible experience with Emily, so we made sure to do it earlier with Ashlynn.  So far, it has been smooth sailing.  She has been a wonderful sleeper from day one, but since she's been in her crib, she's been even better.  I've heard rumors of a four month wakeful period, but we're praying against that. :)  She sleeps swaddled, on her back, with no pacifier.  I put her down around 10:00 and she is up around 7:00.
• First babysitter:  Ashlynn got to go with big sister to Mimi and Papa's for the evening so Mommy and Daddy could go celebrate Mommy's birthday.
• First State Fair visit: This month Ashlynn got to go to the great State Fair of Texas and meet Big Tex!  We had a FUN time!
• First pumpkin patch: The Sunday before Halloween we went to Hall's Pumpkin Patch to take some pictures, pet some farm animals, eat some kettle corn, and just enjoy the lovely Texas Fall.
• First road trip: Ashlynn took her first road trip this month to east Texas for our friend Carrigan's birthday party.  She also got to meet Carrigan's little brother, Caleb, born exactly one week after little miss.

Ashy Kate,
It's hard to believe you could love a little person as much as we love you, but somehow, you can.  You are so precious to us, more than we could have ever asked for.  I love being your mommy and I love that I am your very favorite!  I pray every night that the Lord would capture your heart at a young age and that you would cling to him all the days of your life.  You are a precious gift from him and he is going to use you in mighty ways.  We love you, sweetheart!

Nakie baby

Blue Steel

Riding in style at the great State Fair of Texas

Just working on her modeling portfolio

Snuggle bunny

Say cheese!

Waving to her adoring fans

Who needs a paci when you've got a thumb?

Hanging out at the "Ice Cream Place"

Plum tuckered out

Baby blues

Her sister adores her...what's not to love?

Butterfly baby

Ashlynn Two Months

It's hard to believe that two months have flown by since our little Ashlynn came to join us!  This month has had it's ups and downs for sure, but overall, things just keep getting better.  Our girl is so sweet and beautiful.  At times she can be a bit high maintenance, but I'd still say she is an easy baby.  One thing is for sure...she is a Mama's girl!  It's sweet and difficult at the same time.  It will only last a short time, though, so I'm soaking it all up while I can!  Right around four to five weeks, Ashlynn got super fussy for a few days.  We aren't sure if it was tummy related or what, but we're over it now.  It was fairly short lived and during that time we discovered pure magic in a bottle.  It's called gripe water.  I had heard of it with Emily, but we never used it.  Ashlynn loves it, though.  When she is fussy it is an instant calmer.  We've used it quite a bit this month!  Our days are looking pretty similar.  She usually goes to bed around 10:30 or 11:00 and gets up around 4:30 or 5:00 to eat, then I put her back down for a couple hours while I get ready and get Emily up and ready.  She eats again around 8:00 and then catnaps off and on throughout the day.  No real schedule yet, although I'm ready for one!  On Tuesdays and Thursdays we take Emily to school and run errands.  On MWF, we usually find something to do, whether it is visiting family or going on playdates.  Soon we will be starting back up with Jazzercise, so we'll be pretty scheduled throughout the week.  Saturday will be our only (much needed) "off day."

A few firsts:

• Smiling:  Ashlynn started smiling consistently right around six weeks.  It's just about the most precious thing ever! (9/19)
• Cooing:  The cooing came right along with the talking.  One of our favorite things to do is for Ashlynn to lay in my lap, propped up with the Boppy and we just talk and smile at each other.  (9/19)
• First bottle:  Ashlynn finally got a bottle from her daddy this month!  She did great with it as well as the few bottles she has had since then. 

We went to the doctor and Ashlynn is finally putting on some good weight!  She is 10 lbs, 5 oz (20th percentile,) 23.6 inches (90th percentile,) and her head is15.47 inches (70th percentile.)  She's up almost two pounds in three weeks, which is wonderful!  She's still a skinny one, but her legs are getting a bit chunky!

Ashy Kate,
I never thought there would be another girl as sweet as your sister until I met you!  You are precious as can be and I LOVE being your mommy!  We are all smitten with you...especially Emily!  She can't wait for you to get bigger so she can play with you!  You are our precious angel baby and we love you more than life!

with cousin Julie

first smiles

"Whatchoo talkin' 'bout?"

Sweet, happy girl

 

Sissy love

Precious little fingers

Sleeping angel

Say cheese!

Preshie

making eyes at Mommy

doing tricks

peekaboo

"There were never such devoted sisters!"

the girls

love

Surprise!

sweet angel baby

first bottle

snuggles

incognito

"Timberrrrr!"