First off, I would like to say "Thank You" to our service men and women...currently serving and veterans...and their families. I know I mention that alot, but I don't think we could ever give enough Thank you's to the people who are willing to put their lives on the line to ensure that we can enjoy the freedoms that we are so blessed to have available to us. I am also so grateful to God to have been born in The United States of America. We definitely have our problems, but we DEFINITELY have our blessings! Just the fact that we can know and debate the issues...our freedom of speech is so unique...and we just take it for granted. I know I do so often. For at least this one day, I want to consciously be grateful for the freedoms afforded me because I was born in this country that men and women gave all fighting for and now defending. I didn't really know the kind of sacrifices that military families make until I lived in Mary Esther, FL and became friends with people who were serving or had immediate family members serving. I watched spouses be separated for extended periods of time, not even knowing specifically where their spouse was. I witnessed children missing their Mommy or Daddy. I saw friends part ways because it was time to move to a new base, possibly not even in this country. I had friends in school that had been trying to get the same degree for years on end because they would take a few classes, then get deployed. They didn't give up though. They did this all willingly and ungrudgingly because they love this amazing place we call home. So the absolute least I can do is say a mere "Thank you.".
Now onto the more lighthearted stuff...
My VERY first picture taken with my new camera! David surprised me with a new Nikon camera so we can take better pictures of our adventures with our little family! I LOVE IT! Please note Ashlyn's bedhead...she soooo takes after her Momma. :)
Another fun day at the river!
She truly ADORES the water! She just can't seem to get enough of it! We leave the river - she takes a MUCH NEEDED nap on the way home and then we wake her up for a bath and she screams when we take her out of the bath because she STILL wants to play in the water!
Aunt Lindsey spent the 4th of July week with us. Ashlyn LOVES Aunt Lindsey! We are chillaxin on the river here. Ashlyn will sit on my tummy and float with us. I love girl time!
Ashlyn's first experience with crayons. She was a hoot!
Ashlyn watching them throw pizza dough at Wings U.
I think she looks so much like me as a baby in this picture!
Her favorite toys are definitely those of the "should actually be in the trash can" variety. She loves empty plastic bottles, empty baby food canisters, any little, tiny, minuscule drop of whatever is laying on the floor that got missed by the vacuum or broom. In a 300 square foot room, she can find the one string that is laying on the floor and guess where it goes...yep...right in her mouth! This red, white and blue paci and diaper was her 4th of July outfit for most of the day. She LOVES being 'nekkid' (as we say it in the South)!
This was her real 4th of July outfit. She was so full of energy, I couldn't get her to sit still to get a decent "My First 4th of July picture".
She was much to busy playing with her toys and Finn (Joe's dog).
Getting tired...you can always tell by her eyes. She will go 90 to nothing until she drops unless I make her stop and rock her to sleep (usually amidst a fit of screams). Ahhh, the glorious life of a Mother! I truly do LOVE IT! Besides...I know full well what my Mom knew when I was 10 months old...when Ashlyn's little one is 10 months old...she'll be calling me (just like I do my Mom) and thanking me for all the hard work you just have no idea your Mom put in until you have one of your own! It's the hardest, most tiring, thankless, sometimes tedious, most absolutely wonderful, fulfilling, wouldn't want it any other way job in the whole entire world! I love my precious princess more than I could ever imagine was even possible!
No comments:
Post a Comment