Love is Grand!

How does one love something soooo much?!?!?! Ashlyn feel asleep after eating last night. I held her and stared at her for like 5 minutes. I seriously just want to squeeze her and smoother her with kisses. Ugh, i love love love that little pumpkin pie and her adorable dimples!!!

My gilfriend Anika, lives in Charlotte, stopped in for a visit on Wednesday. It was so nice seeing her and catching up. Ashlyn was all giggles and smiles, she sure loved having Miss Anika around. We can't wait for the next time she comes to visit!

8 Months

We have scarily hit the 8 month mark. I can't beleive Ashlyn is 8 months old. I seriously feel like it was yesterday I was telling people she was 3 months old. This is such a fun time. Ashlyn is a ball of smiles, laughter, and enjoyment. She is learning and doing new things everyday. I'd heard that the 7 to 9 month mark is a great time, I have to agree. I just love love love her and everything she is. Even on a bad day, she makes me happy!

Had a good memorial weekend. Went to Dayton with my sister on Saturday. We met Sarah for pedicures and ran some errands. Sunday went to a great cook out at my friend Abby's house. Didn't think we would know many people, but Matt knew almost everyone there. It was fun having something different to do with other famalies.

Monday we went to the Red's game. Uncle John entertained Ashlyn during the 2 hour rain delay.

We finally left the game and walked around downtown cincinnati (saw Ashley's apartment and went to the Taste of Cincinnati.....yum). Overall a laid back, warm, Memorial Weekend.

Here are a few cute photos of Matt and Ashlyn hanging out on Sunday afternoon. Gotta love dad's and their daughters! She needed mommy to mellow out on after all the fun!

Camera Crazy

Been testing out different settings from our new camera. Always takes awhile to get it all figured out. So far I am very pleased. It is the Canon SD1200. I think it takes pretty clear, crisp photos. And the video looks good too (can't get it to upload). Mommy went a little camera crazy at the Red's game on Tuesday, noted in the slideshow below. Enjoy my overload of stuff.

Music to my ears!

Tuesday Ashlyn started babbling her m's. Started with a "mmmmmm", then she was saying, "mamamamama". The words every mother longs to hear. Made my day, even though I know it doesn't relate to me. Here is a picture of Ashlyn and Mama from Mother's Day!

I have been a total blogging slacker these days. Not even sure where the time goes, but at the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is sit down in front of the computer. I think since it has been so beautiful outside, i spend more of my hours out than in. It's refreshing really! Busted out Ashlyn's sunglasses and the jogging stroller. Gonna take a few times of a slow jog to get myself back in outdoor running shape. It's hard work pushing that thing up the neighborhood hills.

We've had a pretty good last week. Had my first wedding of the season last weekend. Bride was adorable and sweet, an overall fun wedding to work.

Ashlyn's other top tooth popped through, we now have 4 baby teeth. Watch out fingers-they hurt when she bites. Hate to jinx it, but she's also been sleeping really well. Only get's up once, around 5, then sleeps till about 8:30. Makes mommy very happy!!!!!

Sarah and Todd came down to cook us a fabulous birthday dinner on Monday. It was out first formal dinner in the dining room. Sarah made delicious lasagna and garlic bread, and brought my favorite (cookie cake) for dessert. It was super sweet, and oh so good. Hoping to return the favor for her in the upcoming month.

Went to the Red's game on Tuesday night. I'll post pictures tomorrow. We broke our camera (every mom's nightmare) by cracking the screen, so I treated myself to a new one with my birthday money. Takes great pictures but am having trouble transferring them off my card onto the computer. Hoping to share my "new camera" action fun with you in the next few days. Be on the lookout:)

Plus 1 Equals 3

Tooth #3 has finally made an appearance. Been waiting for the little bugger to pop through for like 2 weeks now. The little blister busted, and the nubbin was freed this week. We now officially have 3 baby teeth. Two sharp daggers on the bottom, and a fresh little nubbin up top. Oh the things we get excited about!!!!Hoping the freedom of new teeth brings better sleeping nights. It already seems better over the last 3 nights, hope that continues and the late night wake up calls become less frequent.

Ashlyn officially only sleeps on her side or belly now. The second she hits the bed she flips on her tummy, sometimes staying propped up on her knees while sleeping (Visual below). It is super cute, yet makes me aware that crawling is upon us. She got up on all 4's and rocked back and forth a few times on Thursday.....eek, i'm not ready for mobility!

As for mommy, still been having a rough week. Thought I would be better after Mother's Day passed, but did not feel much better. Could blame it on this nasty cold i've been hanging on to for 10 days now.... but overall I just feel sad, very sad, a bit empty. Things that remind me of mom, or make me miss her keep popping up. I know it will take time, but this was an especially long and lonely week without her! Thank god I have some fun and great girlfriends close by who fill my days with play dates, phone calls, and fattening foods.

Moving On

Trying to move on from the very emotional Mother's Day I had yesterday. I knew it would be tough, but figured I'd make it through. I was not expecting the hour of crying, and empty feeling I carried with me all day long. Felt proud to be a mother myself, but felt worse that I couldn't call my own mom and share that excitement. I miss her so very very much! I miss our phone conversations about nothing, sitting around the house together cause I was bored doing it alone, going to Zumba classes and laughing at ourselves, taking the dogs or Ashlyn for a walk, her cooking instructions, shopping for cute clothes for Ashlyn and Madison, her singing to Ashlyn as they cuddled on the couch, her "I love you's" everytime we said goodbye! Basically everything, I miss everything about my mom!

I'd like to think I will be the same type of mother to Ashlyn she was to me, loving, selfless, always put us first, giving of her time and herself, beautiful inside and out, just a really good person. I fear that I will lose bits of her as time goes on, that terrifies me. I want to be just like her, a best friend, an amazing mother! My little girl has already grown so fast, I hope she feels safe and loved, just like mom made me feel.

To all the Mother's out there.....Hope you had a wonderful, care free, Mother's Day!

Delay

I never got a chance to post Ashlyn's 7 month picture and update. As is obvious by her pictures the last few weeks, she started to sit up. It has made life a lot easier. I can sit her down to play with a pile of toys and walk away, aaaahhh! It also makes bath time a lot more fun. She sits up and splashes her arms like crazy! She now flips over on her belly to sleep the second you lay her in the crib. Unfortunatly, her sleeping pattern has been way off recently, partly due to being in dayton for a week and traveling, and also teething. I can see a little nubbin coming through on her top gums. Seriously, why does teething have to be such a pain in the rear?!?! She is also babbling a ton, ba ba ba ba, daddy is anxiously waiting for that to change to a "d". She also started giving kisses, even if they are slobbery and open mouthed, I love it! She makes me so extremely proud and happy, and has helped me smile on some very sad days over the last few weeks. 7 months is a really fun time, I love this age, and I love her to pieces. She is a beautiful, happy little girl.

Weekend of Birthday Events

I had one heck of a 29th Birthday. It started off with a bang when another one of my college girlfriends, Carla, came into town from Nashville. Friday we had a few good tears watching my wedding video, and caught up on life. Saturday got off to a great start with Zumba, and then we took advantage of the nice weather and went for a stroll around the neighborhood. That evening my mother in law hosted an amazing evening for my dad, Tai, and my birthdays. Yummy appetizers, tasty wine, delicious grilled dinner, and then some moist cake. We topped the cool evening off by sitting out back enjoying laughs around the fire. It was a relaxing, and very enjoyable birthday dinner.

Sunday, My Birthday, we slept in till 10:00. Thank you to Ashlyn for that one! Matt made us eggs and blueberry muffins, then we headed back up to Dayton that afternoon. Stopped in for a quick visit of mom, got Carla and Ashley some Buckeye Blast popcorn, then went to my cousins house for another birthday dinner for me and my cousins fiance, Laura. (Also Ashley and Nick's anniversary) It was another gorgeous evening, so we played a few rounds of corn hole before dinner. My uncle bob made huge slabs of ribs, and we feasted on baked potatoes, beans, veggies, garlic bread, and of course more cake. It was another great birthday dinner.

It was a perfect Birthday weekend, and Ashlyn got spoiled from all the family time and attention too! Carla left today, so we once again have an empty home. After watching Regis and Kelly this morning and seeing all the Mother's Day commercials, I know this is going to be a tough week for me. I am so appreciative that my friends made sure i was surrounded by people and things to do over the last week. It means more than they could possibly imagine. Knowing I am loved and thought of by so many makes every day a little easier. Thank you!