06.06.02


Ashlyn semi nude

Ashlyn turned 8 months today! Gee, how time flies! In the above picture, you can see her red birthmark (strawberry melangioma) on her ribcage. When she was born, it was a tiny lil' smidge...but as she grew, it did too. Aric and I were a bit concerned at first, but the doc said that it's normal and should start to diminish by age three. She's also got this "bruise" (Mongolian mark) on her buttocks. That, too, will eventually go away.
Anyhow, what are my observations this month? My...my...there are so many, I don't know where to begin. She started making a bunch of silly faces this past month...the "scared face" the "blowing face", the "razzberry face", and variations of all of them. She "talks" and babbles a lot...
with different intonations, and the sounds are more distinguishable. She also started yelling and screaming out of sheer enjoyment....often times startling herself. hehehe If she's holding onto something, she can pull herself up to a standing postion. She can stand up better and longer than before. She's a pro at rolling now. If she spots something appealing from across the room, she'll get to it by rolling. She can't yet crawl, but it's just a matter of time now. On her tummy, she can lift her chest off the ground and rotate 90° toward a different direction. She can also scoot backwards. They say that babies at this age cannot grasp the concept of object-permanence, but if Ashlyn drops something, she'll actually strain to look for it. If we hide something under a pillow or blanket, she'll move the pillow or blanket. She's definitely smarter than your average bear. =P She still loves to eat, albeit she can't consume as much as before....but can polish off 4oz of baby food in less than 5 minutes. Her favorite snack is graham crackers. She loves music and singing. She still grabs for everything.
And although she's grown bigger, she hasn't picked up any extra weight...she's still beefy at 21 pounds!
With each passing month, I anticipate a change in her personality or temperment. I expect her to get worst or demanding or fussy, but...nada. Everyone who spends time with her says that she's a really good baby. *smile* I have to agree...Aric and I are very fortunate. Ashlyn is so easy-going and fun. And when there are lots of people around, she turns into such an entertainer! =D

Today was a really nice day. Ashlyn and I hung out at home. I went through some mail and bills, checked email, surfed the net, and watched TV. I talked to Glenda on the phone....it's been a really long time since I last spoke with her. We made plans to meet up this weekend.
I should really start packing for our trip to China, but didn't feel like it today. I have such a horrible habit of procrastinating. I like to think that I work better under pressure, but if or when I forget something, I get really mad at myself for not allowing myself more time. *sigh* It's a self-perpetuated problem. I can assure you that there is a method to my madness though. =P

Tonight Ashlyn and I went to Liz's Bridal Shower. Unlike other bridal showers I've attended, this one forgone the large party, mother-of-the bride and groom, games, fanfare, etc...
Liz's bridesmaids hosted a small and cozy dinner for some of Liz's closer friends...and they picked up the entire tab! For not having known Liz very long, I was deeply flattered and honored to have been invited. This dinner was such a reflection of her personality: big enough so that everyone had fun socializing, yet intimate enough so no one felt neglected. Liz is such a wonderfully warm person. We ate at Cafe Piccolo in Long Beach. A tiny restaurant with a very lively atmosphere, delicious Italian food, and the best service I've seen this year! It was a beautiful evening as we ate outdoors on the back patio, amidst the candle light, heating lamps, and firepits. I had a great time meeting all of Liz's friends. I instantly felt comfortable with everyone there. You know what they say...birds of the same feather, flock together. But for the sake of MY homegirls' feathers getting all ruffled, I won't go into detail about how much fun I had. *wink*
While eating, I quickly glanced at our surroundings, and noticed the most gay male couples I've ever seen dining in one place. Not that I had a problem with that...it was just an observation.

CAFE PICCOLO
3222 East Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90803
Tel: (562) 438-1316

Pictures from this evening:


Liz's Bridal Shower


Jess and Liz


Katherine, Ivy, Connie, Ashlyn, and Rachel


Vicky and Tramie


Liz, Sissy, and me


Liz and her cake


Liz, her bridesmaids, and guests

Everyone from tonight's shower (not including me) are leaving tomorrow to a spa resort in Palm Springs for Liz's Bachelorette Weekend. *sigh* I would love to join them, but Aric, Ashlyn, and I are leaving for our own little excursion. *grin* I'm taking requests for knock-off goods. Anyone need a Vouis Luitton or Frauda bag? hehehe

I got kinda lost driving home. But since I knew that Aric was out working on his group project with his classmates, I was in no rush to get home. The cool thing about getting lost is that you become more familiar with the area. Ashlyn and I finally got home around 10pm. Caught the last half of the MTV Movie Awards. I love seeing how fabulous and fashionable everyone looked.
*yawn* I'm pooped! G'Nite!


*WOO-HOO!* Nudie pics! She looks like a sumo-wrestler...boobies and all. HAHAHA!


Ashlyn's pics of the day


back to journals