Ashleigh is staring at me with this “why’d you spike my bottle, mom” look. Oh yeah, and like a dog licking the peanut butter off the roof of its mouth, she’s smacking her mouth and flinging her tongue every which way forming a puddle of drool. Yeah, Baby Orajel to the rescue (someone suggested rubbing whiskey on her gums but I decided to put off her drunken behavior a few more years). Three months and this teething girl is moving way too fast for me.

Here’s some more pictures, (month 3,
month 4) because Costco rocks with it’s one hour APS photo developing, and Ashleigh’s smiles were finally captured.

No more long waits for the pictures to load, I finally have the thumbnails working.

I finally put up some new pictures, though not all of them. Right now there are a few more month 2 pictures, and a few month 3 pictures. I apologize ahead of time if the page takes a bit to load (I haven’t done the thumbnail thing yet).

And believe it or not, I’m actually half-way done writing my birth story. See, I do something besides popping in boobs, shaking bottles, or wiping poopy butts.

It’s my twenty-fifth birthday tomorrow and for some reason I’m feeling pretty weird about it. Maybe it’s because just a year ago I had no clue, really, not one hint of an idea that I would be a mom on my next birthday. But I am, and I’m loving it. I think the most we’ll do to celebrate is buy some bottled Lynchburg Lemonades at the store and watch a movie at home and pray our Baby Butthead is an angel. Hah. What excitement.

Sunday we’re expected at John’s neice’s birthday party and I am completely not thrilled about the idea. Her birthday was last week, but they’re celebrating it this weekend. I’m quite sure the little “princess” celebrating her up and coming tenth year will be completely doted on by just about everyone. Blech. I can’t stand her mom (she’s the one that doesn’t have anything nice to say about me and how I take care of Ash), and well, John’s family is somewhat overwhelming to me. I’m used to the small family thing, no deluxe, tons of aunts and uncles, neices, nephews, and the whole shebang thing. Oh, yes, and I’m sure we’ll be the talk of the family afterwards if we don’t get the girl something. Which we won’t because, hello, we’re taking care of OUR daughter and don’t exactly have any extra mulah floating around.

Anyhow, time to get the both of us ready to head out in an hour. I have an in-take with the local mental health office and I’m actually looking forward to it. This bi-polar crap has got to end, or at least get under control. I’m driving John nuts, I’m ready to tear my hair out, and I’m sure Ashleigh can feel our tension. Let’s all hope they prescribe me some Lithium, or at least something to keep be in the middle of happyland.

Ashleigh snorts. She snorts when she’s laughing, she snorts hardcore when she’s pissed off and crying and I’m trying to control my hysterical laugher, and she snorts in her sleep (I thought it was snoring and then I listened…a distinct difference).

Oh yeah, and she snorts when she’s trying to squeeze that yellow-green kaliediscope of shit out. I’d like to think Ash is the snortiest of them all, but it would also be nice to know if she’s not the only one with this interesting way of communication.

I’ll try to record her, but that’s like trying to take a picture of her pout. Nearly skinny-elephant impossible.

I almost forgot, Ash is now imitating us and has been since the beginning of March. She sticks her tongue out now, but whereas she had to try SO very hard to get it out before, the whole thing just comes right out, nearly touching her chin. Oh yes, and squeakybutt waves at us when we wave at her. The coolest thing is she’ll actually use her left hand when we use our left hand, instead of just doing the mirror image thing.

The simplest little things are what make my world turn now.

This is what keeps me going through the days and nights. When I wonder if I’m every going to get a full night of sleep, she smiles at me and it doesn’t matter.

It is definitely frustrating, though. Ask anyone that knows me, I’m not one who enjoys being cooped up all day. I need to be out, soaking up the fresh air, walking, working out, something. We visited one of John’s friends yesterday and that definitely helped a lot.

Ashleigh was three months old yesterday. Wow, it’s so hard to believe she’s been with us that long. She’s grown so much, and expresses such a strong personality now, it’s amazing. The look on her face when she spits her pacifier out is just priceless. So stubborn and determined, she pushes out that bottom lip “I don’t want it, ma, don’t even try”.

Ashleigh’s best friends are the three goofy looking animals on her mobile, turning around and going up and down to Bach and Beethoven. Well, a couple days ago the batteries started to wear down and the little guys moved slower and slower. We hadn’t changed the batteries yet because the screwdriver was outside in the truck. Apparently, that didn’t fly with Baby Butthead. She fussed and pouted until I changed the batteries. So much for her not noticing they were barely moving.

Time to head out for my one hour walk to and from the bank. I’m trying to get my butt out of this apartment and if it means “making up” errands, so be it.

We made it down to California! Okay, so I’ve been here nearly a week, but it wasn’t until yesterday our apartment felt like home. Finally, everything is unpacked. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough room in our truck so we are still missing some things, but John will be getting those within the next month.

Ashleigh was an angel on our trip, sleeping twenty of the twenty-four hours on the road. She pretty much woke up to eat and that’s about it. No doubt the ride on the road put her to sleep.

I’ll have more to say, but I still have tons to do. Be back soon…