Tattoos

Ashlyn is fascinated with Daddy's (and Mommy's) tattoos, so when she found some "Mimi Cat" tattoos, she insisted she put them on her arm, just like daddy:

She turned tough with the addition of her tattoos - show us those muscles!

and then she wanted one for baby boy

Showing Off A Few Christmas Gifts

Christmas

Her one present on Christmas Eve - Snoopy and Mickey Mouse socks. Thanks Auntie Laura! (she slept in them that night)

Santa brought a new baby doll and gear

book and birdie from Auntie Mel

new Bible and purple monkey from Auntie Laura (antlers from mommy)

orange tutu from Grammy Joy

Ashlyn was a bit overwhelmed and overstimulated by all the presents on Christmas, so we had to open them in spurts and then stop altogether. She will be opening the rest of her presents throughout this week :) She loved opening the presents, but wanted to spend time with each one afterwards, which is admirable.

She sends thank-yous to all her present-giving family and friends!!

Movie Please, Mommy?

Ashlyn has discovered a love for "movies." Her new favorite is a DVD with toddler songs that plays on the computer; then Daddy gave her the headset to wear while she watched it and she was all set for enjoyment!

Making Cookies

Ashlyn's introduction to baking - making Christmas sugar cookie. Not as easy as anticipated, and she ended up with her own pile of dough to "play" with, but in the end, she had fun (and mommy was only slightly frustrated with the whole experience, forgetting how much time and effort it takes to make those cookies).

After making the dough, while it was chilling, she tried out her chair dancing skills:

Finding Just the Right Tree/Decorating

This one's just my size

But I think this one is perfect for our house

Now it's time to decorate it:

and to have a treat of "hot apple juice" and popcorn!

Adios, San Diego

Our "home" for the week - the Lawrence Welk Resort:

Wait for me Daddy!

Always wanting to help

San Diego - Zoo

The San Diego Zoo was the highlight of our trip, and a perfect way to spend our last day in California. It is enormous and even though we spent the whole day there, we didn't get to see everything. Ashlyn's favorites were the flamingos and monkeys.

Wow, this place is big - which way should we go?

Let's go play!

Yes, that's Ashlyn asking for snacks in the middle of the panda exhibit

Stopping for a quick rest

Family photo in the Japanese garden (of course)

San Diego - Sea World

making a stop in Elmo's play land

family photo in front of the fishy Christmas tree

Happy Birthday Melanie

Third time's a charm

San Diego - Carlsbad Beach

one nice family photo, one smushing Ashlyn's cheeks by kissing photo

Another beach day! Ashlyn discovered that kicking down the sand castles daddy was making was more fun than helping to build them. She also discovered sea shells and is working on refining her seashell-picking skills (pretty much every one she saw went into her bucket)

San Diego - A Day at the Beach

After the traumatic day at Disney the day before, we decided to take it easy and head to Coronado for a morning on the beach. Ashlyn had a blast running and digging through the sand (once she got warmed up to the idea of her toes actually touching the sand) and building sand castles with daddy. A much happier day all around, ending with a special ice cream treat.

(baby boy belly at 27 weeks)

San Diego (Anaheim) - DisneyLand

Spending the day at Disneyland should be the excitement of a 2 year-old's life, right? Not for Ashlyn. Sure, she was excited about the prospect of seeing Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pooh Bear, Tigger, etc., but getting anywhere close to those characters sent her into a meltdown. Same with the rides; riding a flying elephant? Awesome! And then she got on it and the tears started. Oh well, at least we were there with great friends and mom and dad had a good time!

"All done, train stop, get off!"

Trying to make her stop crying (it didn't work, but nice try Pluto)

Emery and Ashlyn are only a few weeks apart and now Heidi and I will both be having little boys only a few weeks apart!

Sweet girls, giving hugs

Me and my baby girl

The magical Christmas Disney castle all aglow

San Diego - Visiting with Hunter's Godmother

Look, that's your family - mom, dad, Pop-Pop, Grammy Joy, Auntie Shannon . . .

Content with a kitty, book and a cozy lap - what else could a little girl ask for?

San Diego - Wild Animal Park

We had the opportunity to vacation in San Diego last week and it was fabulous! Sunshine, warm weather (during the day at least), sand, and lots of animals! I had been telling Ashlyn that we were going to get in the car, drive to the airport, get on an airplane, and go see the animals in California. All that day of travel, she kept retelling what we were doing, "car, airplane, then animals." The animals were definitely keeping her going through the travel. So the first thing she says as we are walking through the airport in San Diego is, "All done airplane, mommy - where the animals?"

So, the first thing the next morning, we visited the Wild Animal Park. She was thrilled of course and had a blast walking around pointing out all the animals she knows and loves.

"Come here duck"

Waiting in line for the train that travels through the open land where some of the animals roam. She is excited in the video at the thought of the train, but flipped out when we actually got on it. Eventually she calmed down and enjoyed it, but man was she not happy to be on it at first!

She was not afraid to pet the goats? deer? (whatever they are)

This handprint eventually became a cheetah that is now displayed in her room (cheetahs are her favorite animal)

taking a wander through a hollow log

watching the elephants being released to the grasses for their morning grazing

"Come here peacock" (we later learned it was actually a pigeon but she doesn't need to know that)