Baby Ashlynne Rules The World

My niece Ashlynne is about to turn one. How is that possible? She is going to start walking any minute now. Seriously? She has started saying “Mama” and “Da Da”. I’m hoping that her next word will be “Ju Ju”! I’ll be sure to tell you when she masters that one!

I was there the night she was born. I stood on a wobbly chair and peeked through the window, trying to catch a glimpse of her as Jeremy brought her into the hospital nursery. Of course my vision impairment prevented me from actually seeing her, so I had to rely on the descriptions of the other five family members that were crowded around the window.

“I’ve never seen so much dark hair!” and “Look at how tiny she is!”

I couldn’t see her, but I could definitely hear her! There is nothing like the sound of a newborn baby crying. But this wasn’t just any baby…This was MY baby! I fell in love with her the moment we found out she was growing inside Kristin’s tummy, and the love grew stronger when her cry reached my ears. We went to visit Mommy and Baby the next morning, and I watched as my mom held her in her arms. Every little noise she made melted my heart into a puddle. Every coo, hiccup and sneeze seemed like the cutest sound in the world. No baby could possibly be as sweet as Ashlynne Denise. Later that night, I held her for the first time. I gently traced my finger around her tiny ear, her little hands and feet, and her itty bitty nose. I stroked her little head and felt the massive amounts of black hair that everyone was raving about. She was perfect. Over the next few weeks, she and I got better acquainted, and I treasured every minute that she spent in my arms. She gradually grew bigger until the sad day came when I couldn’t hold her anymore. I watched in awe as she gained new skills and passed big milestones. When she was three months old, she surprised us all by revealing that she had a very big giggle tucked away inside that little body. To this day, her giggles can make an entire room full of people go into hysterics! She is so hilarious!

I will never forget the night we celebrated her first Christmas. She had just mastered the art of crawling and was cruising around our living room. I was sitting on the floor nearby, watching her play with her new toys. All of a sudden, she crawled right over to me, pulled herself up and wrapped her little arms around my neck. Our first hug!! I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present!

As time continues on, she continues to amaze me. Like when she got her picture taken with the Easter Bunny. All the other babies in the mall cried when they saw that big floppy eared rabbit. But not my Ashlynne. She looked up at the bunny and burst out laughing! It was a perfect picture.

As we approach her first birthday, I just wanted to tell you that I am hopelessly in love with my baby. I cherish every second that I am with her, every sound that comes from her little mouth, and every time my fingers get to touch her soft baby skin. I know that the older she gets, the more fun we’ll have together. In about a year she’ll be as tall as I am, and not long after that, her little hands will be the same size as mine. I can’t wait to teach her our favorite songs. I can’t wait to swim with her in our pool, take her to the park, and watch The Little Mermaid with her. I long for the day when we will make cookies and cupcakes with MiMi Karen in the kitchen. My heart beats faster in anticipation of the fun we will have in the next few years.

I love you, Peanut. Happy Birthday!

Julie’s Joke of the Day

Q. What do you call a test tube that gets his diploma?
A. A graduated cylinder!

(I’d like to dedicate this goofy joke to my friend Monica who just graduated from college! You go girl!)

Jack Attack

I have been watching so much 24 lately. My family and I started with season 1 last year, and we just finished season 4 last week. We are so addicted. I don’t know how Jack Bauer always manages to save the world! He’s pretty amazing! If you’ve never seen the show, I have to warn you. Don’t start watching unless you think you can handle it. It gets pretty stressful! What did we do before TV shows were released on DVD? I don’t remember what life was like back then.

Good Fortune

I recently went to a Chinese restaurant, and when the fortune cookies arrived at our table, my friend Alyssa read my fortune to me. The tiny piece of paper said:
“You will become more passionate about your vision.”
How ironic that a blind girl would get that fortune!! Talk about a double meaning!!

Biker Chick

We’re still having lovely weather in our neighborhood, and I have found yet another way to enjoy it! A couple of weeks ago, we bought a little trailer that hooks onto a bicycle. It’s really meant for kids, but I fit into it pretty easily. I suppose that’s one more advantage to being 3 feet tall! Rob hooks the trailer (AKA “my chariot”) onto his bike, and he pulls me behind him. My mom rides her bike too, and we all go on great adventures together! We have these fabulous bike trails in our neighborhood that wind around through the trees. You feel like you’re out in the forest, surrounded by the splendors of nature. I love listening to the songs of the birds, smelling the sweet fragrance of flowers, and feeling the cool breezes on my face. It’s so nice to be tucked away in my little tent on wheels! We’ve taken trips to the store, the park, and other various places around town. We’re thinking about conducting a little Candid Camera experiment someday. When I’m sitting in my chariot, it’s hard for people to really see me in there. Most people probably think I’m a baby or a small child. If someone walks over to the trailer to “see the baby”, I might just have to say something really intelligent, just to see how they react! “So, what’s your view on the issue of global warming?”