Birthday Bash in Emory

We went to Emory this weekend for the annual birthday bash. Ashlyn got to spend some time with Mimi, PaJ, Aunt Bottoms (Teresa) and Uncle Big Bert (Robert) and her cousins Brennan and Dillan. Ashlyn did very well considering all the stimulation. She stayed on her schedule very well and was never lonely! Chance spent some time fishing and shooting guns while we were out there. The girls stayed inside where it was cool. Ashlyn got some very special gifts, a soft blanket that Mimi made for her and her first duck call from PaJ! It was a wonderful weekend.

Yes, her duck call is pink and engraved!

This is the card that came with her quilt. Very cute!

Brennan, Dillan & Ashlyn

Ashlyn is basically the size Brennan was when he was born!

Spending time with Brennan.

Sleeping through the night!

Well, I waited for over a week before I posted because I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke...but Ashlyn has been sleeping through the night for over a week now! She has her last feeding around 9 and sleeps until 6 or 7. She usually goes back to sleep after that until 9! It is wonderful! Hopefully I didn't curse it...we'll see after tonite!

60th Birthday Party at Lake Bridgeport

My dad and some of his best friends turn 60 this year. The Estes kids rented a house on Lake Bridgeport for the weekend. We drove over on Saturday to celebrate the birthdays! We had a great time. There were probably over 50 people there including all of the kids. There were boats, jet ski's, a nice pier for swimming, lots of good food and good cold beer! It was pretty hot that day...like 107...so we stayed in the house most of the day with the other babies. It was fun to hang out with everyone and celebrate the 60th birthdays!

The "sexagenarians"

(I had to look that one up)

Dave, Pat, Andy, Linda & Ed

View of the Lake from one of the balconies

Staying cool inside with Auntie Sarah and Gma

She has the most kissable feet in the world!

Brandon and Brady taking a break!

Ashlyn (15 weeks) & Brady (4weeks)

Katie and Brady

We finished off the weekend with a good brunch with Grandma Sally and dinner with The Garrett's. It was a wonderful weekend!

Ashlyn & Kristi with Great Grandma Sally

I have been working a little more and Chance has been working from home and staying with Ashlyn. I get frequent pictures throughout the day. Here are a couple of my favorites!

She smiles and laughs all the time!

She loves this pacifier with the bunny attached

She naps on her tummy during the day

Just hanging out!

My, how times have changed...

I don't have any pictures to accompany this post...but just wanted to share some funny stories. What a difference a year makes! My birthday was last week and we had BIG plans! Well, ok...not big plans...but a fun evening. I met up with some girlfriends for happy hour. Chance and Ashlyn dropped me off and went to run some errands for an hour or so and were going to pick me up for dinner. Well, she had a BLOW OUT in the car requiring lots of clean-up and an outfit change and then needed to eat. So by the time Chance picked me up it was almost 9 o'clock. It was too late to drag her to a restaurant for dinner, so we drove through Taco Bueno. Happy Birthday to me! I did have a "party taco".

Fast forward 3 days to our 5 year anniversary. We went to Ft. Worth to have Ashlyn's pictures taken. It was an all afternoon event. We had planned to have a low key anniversary, but celebrate nonetheless. We were going to go to Central Market and cook dinner and have some good wine and maybe watch a movie or play games. We got home after the very tiring photo shoot and decided to take a family nap. We laid down around 6:30 for a "power" nap. We woke up at 9:00! We weren't sure if we should get up or go back to sleep. Happy 5th Anniversary to us! Oh well...I wouldn't change a thing!

The Dallas World Aquarium

Ashlyn and I were able to take a trip to the aquarium with Auntie Sarah and her good friend Rachel on Monday. I have never been to the aquarium, so it was a first for me. It was really neat and I can't wait to take Ashlyn back when she is a little older and can enjoy it! We met up with Chance afterwards for lunch at Eatzi's. Here are some pictures from our outing.

Sarah, Ashlyn & Rachel

This crocodile creeped me out!

Outside at the penguin exhibit (Ashlyn was getting sleepy)

Crashed out in her stroller!

Very weird shark!

The coolest animal in the aquarium...go figure...a leopard!

3 months old

3 months! I can't believe it. I think I said the same thing about 2 months and I am pretty sure I will continue saying it for the rest of her life! She is growing up so fast! Here is what Ashlyn is doing at 3 months old...

She weighs 10 lbs!!! She wears newborn and 0-3 month clothing and size 1 diapers. She eats 6-7 times a day and we have been switching between bottles and breast feeding trying to find what makes her tummy happy! She still naps several times a day and usually sleeps on her tummy during her naps. She doesn't sleep that well on her back, but is doing better at night. She naps in her pack & play or in her crib (or sometimes on top of me if her tummy is upset). She still sleeps in her bassinet next to our bed at night, but that is going to change soon. She goes anywhere from 2-8 hours at night in between feedings and usually gets up at 9 am. She likes to be swaddled at night, although she fights it a little at first. She is very alert during her wake times and has quite a personality. She still likes her tummy time and we have been working on rolling over...she rolled over once, but I think that was because she was stretching and moved just right! She hasn't done it again without my help. Her neck muscles are getting much stronger and she can hold her head up. She loves to look at mouths and she tries to mimic movements with her mouth. She smiles and laughs and coo's a lot! She likes her baths and usually takes one a day...sometimes 2 a day if she has a blow out!! She loves being in the car and does very well in noisy, social environments. She is an easy traveler, but requires lots of packing! She still takes medicine for her birthmark and her reflux. Other things Ashlyn loves...her daddy's singing, her pacifier, her baby lounger that plays "if you're happy and you know it clap your hands", her sound machine that displays images on the ceiling at night, stretching, cuddling and smiling at her mom! She is a very happy baby...unless she gets hungry, then she will let you know! She is a true blessing. Here are some pictures of her at 3 months!

Ryan's 1st Birthday, Road Trips and lots of outings!

Saturday, July 31st-Sunday, August 8th

Happy Birthday sweet Ryan Layne! We attended Ryan's 1st birthday party. It was quite the celebration. I don't think I have ever seen so many kids in one swimming pool! It was pretty warm outside, so we stayed inside most of the time. We had a great time and were happy to celebrate with the Ivie's. Looking forward to seeing these girls grow up together!

The cupcake!

Blowing out the candle

It's hard to hold your tiara and eat your cake

On her way to rinse off

Jessi, Ashley & Ashlyn

That next morning, Ashlyn and I had brunch with 2 of my girlfriends from work and their sons. Jace was born in March and Jaden was born in June.

Me & Ashlyn, Seema & Jaden and Beth & Jace

That evening we took our first trip to Gpa & Gma's house for Sunday dinner. My Godparents, Dave and Pat Estes came by to meet Ashlyn for the first time! They have 10 grandchildren! While we were there, we went and saw Gpa & Gma's new house with a pool! We can't wait to go swimming.

Deno & Ashlyn

Pat & Ashlyn

Ashlyn and Gpa sneaking in an after dinner nap!

Monday evening, 2 of my good friends from college, Ginger and Michelle came by to meet Ashlyn and brought us dinner! YUM! It was very good to see them!

Ginger, Ashlyn and Michelle

On Tuesday, we had a lunch date with Stephanie and Sarah (our NICU roommate). It was so good to catch up with them. The girls are getting so big. Both girls had BLOWOUTS while we at lunch and had to be changed. That was my first public diaper changing experience. My picture from lunch didn't turn out too great, so I am hoping I can get Stephanie's. I will post it when I get it!

On Wednesday we saw Dr. Burns, her hemangioma doctor. We have been to his office many times, but usually see the nurse practitioner. This was our first time to see him since her initial visit. He was VERY pleased with the progress of her birthmark. He feels certain that by the age of 5 we will be asking "now which cheek was that on again?" He said her skin will be like butter and he wants to use her photos for his teaching on this new medication.

On Thursday we packed up and headed on our first road trip to Abilene. Ashlyn slept the entire way in the car. She is a very easy traveler! We celebrated Scott and Kristin's birthdays while we were there. Ashlyn got to spend lots of time snuggling with Neena! It was a wonderful, relaxing long weekend. Here are some pictures from our trip.

Papa & Neena with their girls

Neena and Ashlyn

Jules modeling the teeny bikini

Crew, Chance & Ashlyn

Ashlyn posing in her bikini

Scott working on an awesome dinner one night!

Monday, August 9th-Sunday, August 15th

We headed back home on Sunday. On Monday, Emily came over to see Ashlyn. We hung out for a while and then grabbed some barbecue for lunch. Tuesday, it was back on the road again. Ashlyn and I headed out for our first trip to Emory. Chance joined us after work. We had lunch with PaJ and the Landry's at Chubby's and then a big dinner at Mimi & PaJ's house with Roy, Dana, Gabby and the Landry's. On Wednesday, Ashlyn and I went to the bank so Mimi could show off her newest granddaughter. We had lunch on the square with Mimi and Mindy. Mimi was able to get a little snuggle time in with Ashlyn amidst all of the hustle and bustle!

Mimi and Ashlyn rocking

Dillan holding her newest cousin Ashlyn

Friday morning we had coffee with Cassie and Gwen. Cassie has gone back to work but has Friday's off so we enjoy still getting to meet up with them. Ashlyn and I joined Great Grandma Sally for lunch in her clubhouse. She got to show off her great granddaughter to all of the staff and residents! Ashlyn was quite the hit. Grandma Sally even got to give Ashlyn her bottle. I got some great videos of Ashlyn smiling and laughing with her great grandmother. Unfortunately, I do not know how to upload those to the blog yet! Still working on that!

Great Grandma Sally feeding Ashlyn her bottle

On Saturday, I worked half a day and Chance had to go to a funeral for a co-worker's wife. I was going to cancel, so I could stay home with Ashlyn, but he thought he could manage. And he did! He got her up, fed her, bathed her, dressed her and got himself ready, loaded up the car and made it to the church...and all by 11:00! I was impressed. Say a prayer for Glen and his children. His wife and their mother lost her battle with ovarian cancer. After work and the funeral, we drove to Arlington. Karen, Sarah, Rachel and I went over to meet the newest member of the Baughman family...Brady James! He is looks just like his dad! He is a cutie pie! Went went back to Gma and Gpa's house and had surf & turf for my birthday dinner! Dave & Pat joined us for dinner. It was a lot of fun!

We have been enjoying all of our travels and outings...but I must admit it all takes a lot of organizing, packing and coordination! It is a little exhausting, but I am taking advantage of my free time while I am still off work! We are loving every minute of it! Here are a couple more pictures that I thought were too cute not to post! I hope to be a better blogger and post shorter blurps more often. I have had lots to catch up on!

Dinner at Tony's

Smiling after her bath!

Snuggling with her "Pacimal"

A small stuffed animal that holds her pacifier!