Birthday #4 (on her actual birthday)

Back in Washington, we celebrated on her actual birthday with a GIANT cookie and vanilla ice cream

Happy 3rd Birthday sweet baby girl!! What a fun, precious girl you are, full of life, with a sparkle in your eye!

Birthday #3

Grandma took Ashlyn to "Monkey Joe's" as a birthday present - an inflatable wonderland for kids!

Then she got to pick out her own birthday cupcakes!

The Virgina Zoo, Norfolk

  Grammy Joy and Auntie Shannon took us to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk and it was so much fun! We rode the train, had lunch, and saw LOTS of cute animals, including a baby giraffe and meerkats. It was quite impressive, I have to say. Although it was extremely hot, especially for these cool weather north-westerners, we had a fabulous day.

Back to the Beach (Virginia) / Birthday Party #2

 To the beach!    

I was able to spend the morning alone with Ashlyn and we ventured out to the beach to play in the sand (she actually walked in the sand from the boardwalk to the water!) and go for a swim - it was a sweet time of mother/daughter bonding

 

- With Grammy Joy and Auntie Shannon - (Does he remind you of Hunter, Grammy Joy?)

Princess Ashlyn

Happy 3rd Birthday sweet girl!

Birthday Party #1

The two August 25th birthday kids got to celebrate together again this year (the other time was Ashlyn's real "birth"day), even though it was a week early, and we snuck Bailey's birthday in too!

Laura's creation, complete with a "3" for Ashlyn and "3-0" for David

 

(soon-to-be) Birthday Girl

presents!

Greensboro, NC

Aunties, playground, chalk, and pool = fun!!

Kickin' It

This is one active little dude

6 Months Old (August 15, 2011)

 Man, do I love this little cutie! He is rolling over, laughing, kicking his feet all over the place, interested in everything around him (and it all goes into his mouth), and just such a happy little thing all the time!

Sister just had to give brother his birthday hug/squeeze 

Norwegian Boy / Ice Cream Girl (with the cousins)

I think this may be Ashlyn's first ice cream cone 

with second cousins Emily and Jacob

Aww, sweet family

Portrait Innovations

While we were in Virginia, I took the kids in to get photos taken - these are a few of my favorites :

(Ashlyn- one week away from being 3, Brenden - 6 months)

The Wedding

My cousin Julie got married in Fargo (the reason for the trip out to ND) and we had such a fun time reuniting with the family!

The 6 girl cousins + spouses (- mine) + kids

The beautiful bride and all the cousins 

The stud in his vest and tie

Easy on the lemonade, kid!

Sweet girls

getting lovies from Auntie Mel

the highlight of the whole day

This is Ashlyn on chocolate cake and no nap - the personality really comes out!

sweet brother/sister moment