4 months old

Honestly, it feels like last week that I was writing about Ashley turning 3 months old! With our work schedule and the weather (slowly) turning nicer, I feel like things have been crazy and apparently they have been going fast! Thankfully Ashley has recovered from her cough/cold. Now that we are on the other side of it I can say she certainly did not feel well and was pretty fussy last week. But, this week is a different story. We have seen a very happy baby. You are so quick to smile and have started to giggle and laugh at any silly thing someone does to you. You have little ticklish spots on your neck and under your arms. You haven't been sucking your thumb as much as before, but most of the time you do have 2 fingers in your mouth. Or 4 fingers (2 from each hand). Lately when you've been eating you try to add your 2 fingers to your mouth, but that mix just doesn't work out. You hold your head up very well, and support yourself well in the Bumbo chair. You are able to put a lot of pressure on your legs and "stand" up very well too. You have started following people with your eyes when they move around the room. Your sleeping schedule at night is still a little off. We were doing about every 2-3 hours for the last month, but the last few nights (since you've been feeling better) you've been able to make it about 4 hours and then about every 2. So, we are getting closer to those longer stretches. Mommy still loves to get up with you though. Daddy offers to do a bottle, but I think that's more work for everybody and I love our time together even if we are both half asleep. You love being in your carrier back pack. Right now you ride in the front facing out so you can see what is going on around you. Recently you went outside and helped daddy rake leaves and loved every minute of being outside. Then you also helped mommy bake some chocolate chip cookies too. You liked baking too, and the cookies were delicious! Your hair is starting to get a little longer on top. It can form a mohawk and stand about an inch tall. In the back you have lost some of your hair from laying down, it's not completely gone, but is a difference. It looks as though it might be starting to fill back in though. You have officially outgrown your 0-3 month outfits. There are only a couple that still fit (mainly the ones that are 2 pieces). We have moved on to the 3-6 month, and when I see those on the hanger I think you are not that big! And when we received some of them as gifts I remember thinking "it will be such a long time before she will wear this one." But, the time is already here! You are in  size 1-2 diaper, you weigh 12lbs 14.5oz (31st percentile), 25 inches long (76th percentile). Your head circumference is in the 93rd percentile. In one month you gained 14 oz and grew 1.5 inches! You are a big girl! The doctor said everything looked great at your appointment this week and we don't have to go back until you are 6 months old! We love you, and thank the Lord for blessing us with this sweet baby girl!

A quilt for Ashley

In January I began a quilt for Ashley. I am pretty impressed with how it turned out. I did the whole thing by myself. I did get some pointers and advice from  a few people, but no one had to actually help make it. It's a disappearing 9 patch quilt in a crib size. Which turned out to be bigger than I thought and think it's a perfect size. I embroidered the year and an "A" on it too.

Now daddy is ready for me to make him a quilt!

Shopping

We went shopping over the weekend with Cousin Callista. Ashley got to wear some cool shades during the ride....

 And Cousin Callista got to try on all sorts of clothes and accessories and go dancing all over the store!

Meeting Uncle Pete

Uncle Pete came home from Iraq a couple of weeks ago and we got to go to Manhattan and visit him recently. This was the first time for Ashley and Pete to meet. She was asleep when we arrived, but it didn't take long to wake up. We drove up on Friday night and got to have dinner with Pete, Caitlin, and Liz (Claira went to bed). On Saturday we had a big celebration for Pete's return. Lots of family and friends came to visit and had lunch at a park. It was super windy. Ashley was not really enjoying the wind and cold. After being wrapped in a blanket for a couple hours, I decided she needed a break. So, we drove around the park a few times and she fell asleep. Then Papa Rog stayed in the car and took a nap with her for awhile. After lunch, we went back to Pete and Caitlin's apartment. Nate, Ashley, and I were going to go fishing, but after being outside all day and since Nate wanted to go for a few hours, we decided to stay and play inside. So, Nate went fishing with Uncle Jake....and they didn't catch a thing!

Claira liked the chocolate cake!

We stayed for dinner and enjoyed some other little friends that were too. Ashley didn't enjoy the ride home so much. She cried for the first 30 minutes, and then was finally able to fall asleep for the most of the way after that. The ride up wasn't too bad, we stopped about halfway and fed her a little and that was enough to keep her happy until we got to the apartment. It's a lot of work to travel with a little one! We only went 2 hours away and for one night, but we didn't pack light!

Much needed day at home

Last week Judy's daughter Addie was sick with a terrible viral infection, double ear infections, cough, fever...all the yucky stuff. So, we stayed away. Ashley ended up only being over there on Monday. On the other days Nate and I switched off half days and Awma and Gigi helped out for the other mornings/afternoons! Thank you grandmas! We can't do this working thing without both of your help!
Ashley and I had some fun playing. She has really started to play with toys a lot and is starting to put them in her mouth. We got out a few new toys to play with, one of her favorites is this colorful one...it's lightweight and easy to put in her mouth...

 

We borrowed the Bumbo chair from cousin Tate and tried it out. I think she likes it!

I'm a big girl!

Thumb Sucker

Ashley has found her thumb. She loves it. About a week ago she realized that she had this fun little thing on the end of her hand. It usually takes her a bit, she starts with the whole fist in her mouth, but eventually she finds that thumb and goes to town! I love it, I think it's adorable.

I love how big her eyes get!

Sick little one

Ashley came down with a cough over the weekend. I noticed on Saturday morning that she was coughing some. She has been acting fine though. The dr said to really watch her when she gets a cold to make sure she is still breathing okay. She has been eating fine and sleeping fine at night. We stayed away from Judy's one more day to make sure everyone was feeling better. I went ahead and took Ashley in to the doctor and they said she looked good. Her lungs sounded clear and ears looked good. That was a relief. I went ahead and went to work for a couple of hours in the afternoon. She is still coughing quite a bit, and she was fussy this evening, but I think she was tired. We'll see how she sleeps tonight. We did find out at the doctor that she weighs 13lbs 5 oz. That was with clothes and diaper. I'm not sure how much that adds, but she gained at least 1 pound since her last appt. almost 3 weeks ago. YEAH!!!

Cousin Tate

After 3 months and 17 days I finally got to hold little Tate! For the longest no one was allowed to hold him in the NICU, then at home mom and dad were waiting until they were ready and then after that every time I was there, he was sleeping or Ashley was crying. So, about a week ago, we went to visit determined for my snuggle time. Luckily Gigi, Cassie, Jamie, Nana Wilma, and Traci were all there so there were extra arms for Ashley. He is a cutie! He looks so much like his brother Hudson. And he doesn't look so much like a newborn anymore. Getting bigger and bigger every time I see him!

Tate and Hudson - 3 months

SMILES!!!

"Queen" Lizzi

A couple weeks ago was Homecoming at Trinity. Aunt Lizzi was nominated for Homecoming Queen. We went to the basketball game on Friday night to cheer her on. She looked b.e.a.u-tiful! She was not crowned the queen, but we're pretty sure the voting was rigged. :) Aunt Caitlin, cousin Claira, and uncle John all came into town for the fun too.
Ashley had fun at her first basketball game. It certainly was noisy, but she really didn't seem to mind.

On Saturday we went by the school to see the gym decorations for "A Knight in New York City." The decorations looked amazing as they always do. Part of the decorations for Central Park included a "horse drawn"carriage. It reminded me of one that was at Homecoming my sophomore year (Feb 2000). We jumped in to take another pic.

Dance Party

A couple weekends ago we went to Papa and Gigi's and had a dance party with Callista! That girl is all about dancing and she was showing off all of her moves!

"pretty"

"dancing"

Look at me!

Daddy can do it too!

So can GIGI!

Precious!