My first night away from Ashlyn

Last night I spent my first night away from Ashlyn since we brought her home from the hospital. It was my 10 year reunion at Austin College and I went to Sherman with my girlfriends. I was a little anxious about leaving Ashlyn over night, but I knew she was in good hands...her daddy's! We left around 1 pm, just in time to drive through a torrential downpour pretty much the entire way to Sherman. We met all of the gals at Cellarman's. The weather wasn't cooperating and rained out most of the afternoon's activities...tailgaiting, football/soccer games, strolling around campus. So, what a better way to spend the afternoon with good friends drinking bloody mary's! We went to City Limits for dinner (the old bar and grill I worked at for 3 years in college). It seems like time stands still in that place...same menu, same red checked table clothes, same beer on tap! After dinner we stopped by the 10 year reunion. My favorite part of the evening was spent wandering around the campus (in the dark) and reminiscing. We actually snuck into Clyce Hall, the dorm we spent 3 years of our lives! Good memories. We stopped back by Cellarman's before shutting it down for the evening. My little eyes popped open at 5:30 and I tossed and turned for an hour before getting up. We were on the road by 7 and home by 8 before Ashlyn woke up! Ashlyn and her daddy spent the afternoon evening watching college football and eating pizza (and drinking milk). Many phone calls were made, text messages sent and pictures taken to keep me pacified throughout the day. It was good to see the gals, but it was great to be back home! Here are pictures from the reunion and some that Chance sent me while I was gone. Thank goodness for iPhones!

The gang at City Limits

Post college roomies

Me, Kourt & Nic

The Lovely Ladies of Clyce

Class of 2000!

Emily, me & Kourtny at City Limits

Amy and Charlotte (8 weeks)

The Argentina Crew

Me, Jeff & Emily

Flipping through old yearbooks at the reunion

Me, Peeps & Carolyn

A giraffe for a snack

Playing

Smiles

Mazzy checking on Ashlyn

On the monitor, sound asleep :)

5 Months Old

Ashlyn turned 5 months old on October 9th. She is getting so big. She weighed 11 lbs 14 ounces at 5 months. She is still wearing size 1 diapers and mostly 0-3 month clothes. She eats 5-6 times a day and is up to 5 ounce bottles. She usually has 2-3 bottles during the day and still nurses 3-4 times a day. She goes to bed around 9 pm and I have to wake her up at 6 am to eat before I go to work. She goes back to sleep and doesn't wake up until 9:30 or 10:00! She takes a short morning nap, 30 minutes to an hour, and then a long afternoon nap, sometimes over 2 hours! She dozes a little in the evenings before bed. She is still taking her medicine for her hemangioma and her reflux. Her reflux is SO much better and we are considering dropping it down to once a day. She followed up with a craniofacial doctor who reassured us that her plagiocephaly would continue to resolve on its own...no need for a helmet (we didn't really think she would need one).

She still sleeps in the co-sleeper next to our bed at night, mostly because we like having her so close. We will be making the move to the princess bed sometime soon. She naps in her nap nanny, her pack-n-play or her crib during the day. Our family has been helping out and taking turns babysitting Ashlyn during the days until we get into a day school. Believe it or not, we got on the waiting lists back in January! We are hoping to get into Dealey Developmental Day school by the end of October.

Ashlyn received her first round of Synagis, the monthly shot for RSV. It is basically an immune booster to help prevent her from getting RSV which could be very dangerous for her preemie lungs! Ashlyn has started rolling over and actually rolled from her back to her tummy for the first time the other evening while I was getting her ready for her bath...yes, on the tile floor! Fortunately, I was standing right there and scooped her up before she banged her head on the hard tile! Her head control is so much better and she is getting so much stronger. She loves to stand up (with lots of help of course) and really doesn't like to be facing in. She wants to look out and see the world! She has begun reaching for toys that are within her grasp. She isn't crazy about tummy time, although she is getting much stronger and can stay propped up on her arms while she looks around. She smiles all of the time and even chuckles on occasion. It is the sweetest sound I have ever heard. She is making all kinds of noises, coos, goos, ooogooo's, grunts, growls, aaahhs, haaa's and I think her first word was elephant! Neena bought her "Your baby can read" and I swear she said elephant...advanced...I know :)

She is an amazingly good baby. We truly are blessed. We hope to stay healthy through this winter and are looking forward to the upcoming holidays with our little angel. Here are her 5 month pictures and some other recent pictures!

5 months old!

Always smiling

Holding her head up during tummy time

Hemangioma is getting better

Everything goes in her mouth

Starring at her mobile

"Froggie" is getting smaller!

Portraits with Heather Essian

We had Ashlyn's 3 month pictures taken with a wonderful photographer Heather Essian. Here are a couple of our favorites!

Afternoon at the Arboretum

The weather was so nice yesterday so we decided to go to the Dallas Arboretum and take some fall/Halloween pictures! I hadn't been to the Arboretum since Robert and Teresa got married there several years ago! It was a lot of fun and the weather was perfect. Ashlyn loved being outside and was a trooper through the many wardrobe changes. Here are some pictures from our trip.

Walking through the gardens

It's a ladybug!

It was a little too warm for her costume!

Hope it cools off by Halloween.

This little piggy went to the pumpkin patch!

The Wimberly's

This little piggy has a mullet!

"Enough of the pumpkins, Mom!"

Meeting Mimi and Papa!

Ashlyn got to meet her great grandparents from Illinois last weekend. It was a great time with family. Friday evening, everyone (Mimi, Papa, my Dad, Karen and Sarah) came over to our house for dinner. Ashlyn was showered with gifts from her great grands and her aunts and cousins from Rockford.

Saturday we stopped by Kally and Meredith's shower for a little while and then headed to Arlington to hang out for the weekend. We watched some college football and had a nice dinner. Sunday morning we were up early for church. Ashlyn did really well in church and only fussed a little bit as she was trying to fall asleep. We headed out for brunch after church. Sunday afternoon was lazy! We napped a little and tried out the new hot tub...I think we will all really enjoy using it! Sunday evening, Dave and Pat came over for a yummy steak dinner to celebrate Sarah's birthday.

Ashlyn spent a lot of time in Mimi's arms. Some of my favorite comments from the weekend, From Mimi, "I really would like to help, but I have to hold Ashlyn." "How am I going to get on the plane with her?" "Is she awake?" (as Mimi pulls on her leg to wake her up) "I guess I will eat now that I am free from my burden" (Mimi after not moving an inch as Ashlyn napped in her arms...for 2 hours!) "I think she wants me" (anytime Ashlyn would make a peep) From Papa "Anything else and she would be sore for a week" " You have to be able to eat when this is over" (Both comments referring to Mimi holding Ashlyn completely still for her 2 hour nap).

It was a wonderful weekend! Here are some pictures.

Mimi and Ashlyn and the blanket Mimi made for her

First time to meet Ashlyn

4 generations!

The 2 hour nap!

Karen, Andy, Chance, Kristi, Sarah, Papa, Mimi & Ashlyn

Dave, Pat, Mimi & Papa

Are you sensing a theme yet? Mimi's arms were pretty full all weekend!

Playing with Aunt Sarah

Asleep on Aunt Sarah