Happy Birthday Ashley

Yesterday, April 27, was Ashley's fourth birthday! Oh how I would love to be four again. I love her innocence!

She woke up early yesterday morning in time to hear her name read on the radio. She beautified herself in the bathroom mirror by "pefectly" combing her hair, putting a clip in her hair, and appying some lipgloss. As she was admiring herself in the mirror she proclaims, "I'm so excited!"

We took Ashley to Casper's Ice Cream Shoppe for a birthday treat but the real festivities will happen on Wednesday when she has her birthday party with her daycare friends at the Cache Valley Fun Park. A post of the event will appear at a later date.

As Ashley was chatting with Uncle Glade on the phone while we were riding home from the ice cream parlor, I could hear her telling him that her party and presents were going to be on Wednesday and again she was "so excited!"

I too cannot wait until tomorrow to see her excitement of being the "birthday girl" and experiencing her first "real" birthday party.

To Ashley:

I cannot believe it has been four years since you joined our family! I remember very vividly how difficult it was for me to get pregnant with you. It was many, many, many months of an emotional roller coaster until I finally became pregnant. I can vividly remember a Sunday as I was sitting in Relief Society thumbing through the scriptures while listening to the lesson and a scripture popped out at me. It was after months of trying to get pregnant and each month being dissapointed because it hadn't worked. I remember someone else I worked with getting pregnant before me even after I had been trying for months and she was going to have her baby in the month I wanted to have you. I was so heartbroken. However, as I was sitting in Relief Society this scripture popped out and I cannot remember the exact scripture but it basically told me that all things happen according to the time frame of the Lord and according to my time frame. At that very moment, I turned the timing over to the Lord and it wasn't too much longer that I found out I was expecting you.

It sure was an interesting time having you in my stomach. While I was pregnant with your older sister I was diabetic and had high blood pressure but not with you. You were awesome in that department. The only issue you really gave me was not allowing me to drink Diet Coke......even the caffeine free kind. It would make me so nauseous even though it is my favorite beverage. The only pop I could drink was Barques rootbeer. MMMMMMM....however, look at you now, you're always up for a good swig of Diet Coke. Not long ago you could find my Diet Cokes anywhere and sneak a little drink!

I was so nervous the day it was time for you to enter the world. Delivering your sister was not all that easy and I was scared of a repeat performance. You were great though! No problems at all during the delivery. I was hoping to be able to have you naturally but nope.....my body is not built for those types of deliveries so another c-section it was. Your's was much easier than Hannah's and it was so fun to be able to hold you in the operating room and see you for awhile, which I didn't get to do with Hannah.

The first month after you were born was a bit rocky. You cried and cried and cried. It wasn't until I finally had reached my breaking point and I called the doctor to explain your symptoms and he suggested that maybe you had acid reflux and to try giving you some Mylanta. What a miracle that medication was and what a miracle it was to finally figure out why you kept crying. You had non-stop heartburn. No wonder why you wouldn't sleep while lying flat and it made you cry. After we got you on a daily perscription you were a completely different baby.

Ashley, you are such a joy to have in our family. I love your beautiful blue eyes and your sweet smile. I love watching you grow and learn new things every day. I love hearing you say, "Mom, you're the bestest mom in the whole wide world" and "Mom, you're the bestest cook in the whole wide world." Well let me just say that I think you're the bestest Ashley in the whole wide world and I am so thankful you're part of our family.

Happy Birthday! We love you!