Happy 1st Birthday Ashlyn Ryann

Gosh where has the past year went!! Looking back its been a year filled with a lot of firsts and great memories with many more to come. I still remember the anticipation of you being born, who would you look like, how much hair would you have, how much you would weigh and so on. When you arrived it was the happiest day of our lives, I never thought I could love someone so much. Today is a little bittersweet, our precious little girl is fastly growing to the toddler stage. Everyday you amaze us with something new you have learned to do or say. Some of her favorite words are Dadada, Mamama, Dog, Hi, and if you ask her questions she will nod no, if you ask her if she is hungry or ready to eat she will click her tongue, not really sure how she learned that but I LOVE IT! My favorite is when she waves bye or you ask for love or snuggles and she gives the biggest bear hug!! Our little girl has one unique personality, she isn't scared of anything or anyone. As far as eating goes that isn't a problem, with 6 sharp teeth she will eat just about anything you put on her plate, and the best part is she has pretty much weined herself of the bottle! Ashlyn is definately an outside girl, she loves to swim, swing, play with Zelma, jump on the trampoline with the neighbor girls, dig in the dirt, eat rocks and japanese beatles (yes Ryan found one in her mouth) YUCK! Now that she is officially walking there is no stopping her. She is the most inquisitive little girl I have ever met, she will sit and study things and as soon as you think she is content playing with something she is off and getting into something else. We are already starting to miss the moments when you would sleep in our arms for hours, you have brought so many joys to our lives this past year and we look forward to many more to come. We love you so very much~Mommy and Daddy

On a side note we don't have her 1 yr appt until the end of August b/c the dr. is moving to a new office so I had to try and get some stats on my own- weight 22.4 pds and height-just shy of 29 inches.

I will post pictures after her party on Saturday-but you can view her 1 yr pictures we had professionally taken @

http://www.kdesignphoto.net/pickpic/gallery/splash.php?gallery_id=89

password: welborn

Tadpole Lessons

Ashlyn started Tadpole lessons last week and loves them!! She is doing so well, loves to kick her feet and be her independent little self.

Fun in the Sun!!

Zelma and Ashlyn having a little snack!! This is the only time Zelma will come near her:)

Look how cute!! Zelma really does love her. . .especially when there are treats involved.

What another gorgeous weekend!! I just pray its this nice next weekend for the BIG BIRTHDAY BASH!!

Walking

Its official, Ashlyn is walking more than she is crawling!! I captured a video this morning right when she got up-nice hair huh! :) I'm excited to say my little girl is walking before her 1st birthday.

Fon Du Lac Farm Park

Ashlyn loved the goats, they kept licking her fingers, so cute.

Wasn't sure about the horse, I think they were a little to big.

Milking her 1st cow:)

Saturday we took Ashlyn to Fon Du Lac Farm Park in East Peoria, originally we thought about Peoria Zoo but thought that be a little to much for her. I think the Farm Park was perfect, kept her attention the whole time, she was so serious watching the animals.

We had such a great time!! The past few days have been bittersweet for mommy and daddy. . .Ashlyn is growing and changing so quickly. She is officially walking EVERYWHERE!! Just in time for her 1st birthday party:)

1 week until I'm 1!!

Gosh so hard to believe our little peanut is going to be 1 next week! The time has just flown by and I have a feeling every year here after will too. I will wait to post the long mushy post next week:) Tonight we go for her 1 year pictures-out to be interesting, she is a very busy, demanding, little girl and I have a feeling she might not co-operate! We are going to include Zelma this time, I hope we get some good ones:)
Thanks Grandma A for my adorable new outfit!

Ashlyn's Baptism

This past Sunday, Ashlyn, Asher and Randy all got baptized!

Ashlyn is so serious-she couldn't figure out what pastor Tom was doing to her.

Tried to get a good picture of the 3 of them but of course Ashlyn doesn't like to sit still anymore. Ought to be interesting Friday when we go to get her 1 yr pics taken.

I forgot to get a picture of Ashlyn with her godparents-Matt and Rachel.

Ashlyn's 1st letter to her Mommy and Daddy

So yesterday I received the cutest letter from Ashlyn (ok Grandma Welborn) about how she was enjoying her time with her cousin Lainie and her Grandma and Grandpa W. Ryan thought we needed to post it to the blog so everyone else could have the pleasure of reading it too. Just the cutest and sweetest letter, really made my day yesterday b/c we have been missing her so much.
Grandma W is off work in the summers and wanted to keep Ashlyn a week but there was no way we could part that long from her so she is stayed Sunday and Monday night and we are picking her up tonight after work. I'm sure after staying with my parents Saturday night and then Ryan's parents 2 nights our little girl is going to be so spoiled, not that she isn't already:) Ryan and I really don't know what to do with ourselves, the house is so quiet and so empty w/out her talking/yelling, crawling, getting into everything. Even though we miss our little sweetie like crazy it has been good having a couple days to ourselves, we got a lot done around the house and yesterday after work went out golfing together for the 1st time in almost 2 yrs.

HERE IS THE LETTER:

Just to let u know I am doing great!

I got to play with my cousin Lainie for about 2 hrs. yesterday and I had the best time.
We just crawled around grandpa and grandma's house playing with toys and even raced each other up and down the hallway. Actually I was just crawling around looking in the other rooms and Lainie decides to follow me. Then when Grandpa would call us back Lainie decided to see who could get there the fastest. I didn't know we were racing until I saw Lainie look back at me and laugh like ----Ha Ha I am winning. Then I caught on and would try to catch her. It really wasn't hardly a fair race with Lainie having such a head start till I realized what was going on but, I enjoyed it all the same.

I went to bed real good for Grandpa and Grandma. I fell asleep around 9:15 a little bit after Lainie left. I had to wind down from playing so hard. I slept till 7:00 a.m.
Grandma didn't go to the gym this a.m. because she didn't want to miss out on the coddle time. She could have gone - I guess I want to save the coddle time for U and Daddy.
I ate a good breakfast while Grandma read her paper.
I even finished before she was done reading but, I was a really good girl and just played in my high chair while she read.
We then took walk to Great Aunt Carolyn's house. I got to play with cousins there too. Courtney, Maddie, and a friend of theirs was there. I played for awhile.

On our walk home I fell fast asleep and am still sleeping.
I want to take a real good nap because we get to go swimming this afternoon with Lainie.

I hope U are not too sad and missing me too much. I do miss U and Daddy.
I am having a good time here and am being a really GOOD Girl.

Grandpa will be home for lunch today. He kissed me this morning and said see u at lunch Ashlyn. I am not sure what time he comes for lunch. I hope to be awake from my nap by the time he comes home. I do love him. He plays with me so much. He even dressed me this morning when I got up. I am not sure if he stayed home longer this morning than normal just to see me.

Don't work too hard and enjoy some quiet time with Daddy.

Love you much Mommy!
Ashlyn

Cubs/Cards Game

Not the greatest picture but Ryan and I never have any pics just the 2 of us so I thought I should post this one:)

1st Haircut

Saturday Ryan and I took Ashlyn into see Auntie Megan to get her 1st haircut. Ashlyn did really good and sat pretty good on mommies lap while Megan trimmed her ends. This was our 1st stop for the start of our busy weekend. Actually Ashlyn's weekend was just as busy. After leaving Megans, Ashlyn was off to Grandma & Grandpa A's house to spend the night b/c mommy and daddy went to the Cubs/Cards game in Chicago. After the game was over I called to check in on her and she was outside playing with Grandpa and her cousin Kane. Grandma said they took Ashlyn shopping at Toys R Us (I think for bday presents) and then to Sam's Club but she slept on Grandpa's shoulder at Sam's, probably not as much excitement there as Toys!!

1st Youtube Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_A1FsGkLDM

Well I have been having problems getting videos downloaded so I thought I would download them on youtube. Check out a funny video of Ashlyn talking to the dishwasher!! Would love to know what she is saying. If anyone knows how to put the video directly onto the blog so you don't have the link please advise!

4th of July

Ashlyn exhausted b/c she didn't take an afternoon nap.

Grandpa Bob and his 2 grandkids!!

Our onry little buggy!!

Little Kane, actually he is really growing. Soon enough he will be chasing Ashlyn around.

Ashlyn finally caught Zelma.

As you can tell from the picture our 4th was spent indoors. Oh well the party was still fun but Ashlyn didn't make it to see the fireworks, she was in bed by 8 b/c she skipped her afternoon nap. Way to many babies in the house to play with!!