A visit back East.....

Howdy folks- hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful fall weather that is starting to appear- this is my FAVORITE time of year!

We are doing pretty darn good here- Ashlyn is learning all sorts of new things- she has learned how to sit from her belly- and is just almost crawling! She tends to get up on all fours and rock back and forth, and takes a knee forward.. then sits. She gets around by "commando" crawling everywhere.. she moves forward on her forearms and propels herself with her feet- she gets going pretty fast, but I have a feeling that once the "real" crawling starts.... I am in for some TROUBLE!!! She has also started to pull herself up on things, and is reaching for anything she sees.. I feel like I gave birth to a little monkey most days!!! :P

As a result of my little curious monkeys activities, I have begun to childproof the house.. locks on doors, sliding outlet covers, locks on the cabinets, a table pad on the coffee table- all the goods.. but I have waited on the toilet locks.. I think my husband will protest that one... I keep thinking about a scene in the movie "Baby Mama" where Tina Fey's character has the house baby proofed (including the toilet locks), and she walks by the bathroom where Amy Poehler's character is peeing in the sink saying "There's something wrong with your toilet"... let's hope we don't reenact that one at the Smedstad house.....

This past weekend, we took a family trip to Virginia Beach with my Mother to visit Grandma and Grandpa Allen, and Uncle Drew. It was really wonderful to see family, and to introduce Ashlyn to her Great Grandma, Grandpa and Great Uncle Drew.

Here we are in the airport during our AWESOME 2 hour flight delay- all things considering, baby girl did pretty well...

"I'm ready to FLY!!!!"

Enjoying a cookie while mom and Nana ate dinner- "so tasty"... yet so messy...all the good things in life are.

"The first picture with my Great Grandma Allen, and my Nana- this must be where I get my looks from, I certainly don't get them from mommy!!"

Daddy and Great Grandpa Allen

Four Generations!!!!!

Uncle Drew, and his boy Geoffrey

Geoffrey is thinking "what do you mean I can't nibble on Ashlyn's toes???- they are snack size and everything!!!"

"Me and my Great Grandma Allen- Not too Shabby!!!"

Grandpa helping baby girl learn to walk

Some might be wondering "what the heck is that thing she is in??".. Well folks, it's a pea pod- you betcha!!!- a little travel bed that pops up just like a tent. Worked like a charm until she rolled right out of it under the bed.. then... didn't work so well... but she looks happy, right?

"Me and my Nana!"
"Great Grandpa Allen is my buddy!!!"

"Ready to go back home, Mom!!!"

humm.. I wonder if they would charge me extra to check her in at the airline counter.

We had a really, really good time. Uncle Drew was so hospitable in letting us crash at his house. It can't be easy to drive a screaming crazy baby around everywhere, plus waking up to baby tantrums at 3am, if you aren't used to it!!! We tried to make things a little easier by offering ear plugs, but no one took us up on our offer!!! :P Mom stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Allen. They had a wonderful time catching up, and I think they really enjoyed meeting Miss Ashlyn. The only thing that would have made our trip more enjoyable would have been more time! (oh!! and no flight delays, AND no lost luggage!!!- we are still waiting on ours!!)

On another completely unrelated note.. I finally decided on an umbrella stroller for the girl. Soon she will grow out of her travel system, so I had to buy a new carseat, and needed a stroller that I could just throw in the back and take with us when we go out.. and (drum roll please) here it is folks.. the Zooper Twist.

Chris thinks I should be a spokesperson for this company the way I pimp this stroller out. Everyone who comes over HAS to see it and "oooohhhh".. and "ahhhh" over it the way I do.... and if you don't, you will by the time I finish selling it to you! I seriously took like 10 pictures of this thing.. you'd think it was our second child- but I figured there was bound to be a few of you who could care less, so in honor of you (and you know who you are), I spared you the detailed summary and related pictures... no need to thank me.

Politics... We got 'em!!!

So my Uncle Bill got a super cool assignment last month- Flying Sarah Palin around!!!! Who knew??? Here are some neat-o pictures! (Uncle Bill is on the right!)

Sarah Barracuda and the boys!

"de plane!! de plane!!!"

Uncle Bill isn't the only one with political ties around here.. we ran into SENATOR JOHN McCAIN AT THE DULLES AIRPORT!!! How crazy!!! What a small world!!

He was a really nice guy!- but kinda quiet... and shorter than I imagined. :)

That's all of the political jargon allowed on this blog.. AMEN!

"And these are the days of our lives...."

Hi to all!!!!

Things are pretty normal around here- with exceptions, of course!

I decided that Ashlyn needed to support Daddy's team (the Vikings), so we had a hat made just for the lil munchkin!!!!

Ain't she cute???

As the newest fan of Viking football, she did watch the game:

The "Before"

The "During"- notice the slightly smarmy face on Daddy...

The Aftermath- the Vikings lost (can you tell???)

It is amazing all of the new things babies learn everyday, take this example:

She already takes an active interest in showbiz: "What cho talkin' bout Willis???"

She really grabbed on to that one....

Again..................and again...

In other news.. I had a little "whoopsie"...

Yes.. this IS part of my car.. on the garage floor...

This is where it was "supposed" to be

So, "allegedly", I ran into the side of the garage. NO- I was NOT jamming out to my "booty" music- I was listening to Carrie Underwood (thank you very much!). Seriously, I really do NOT know how this happened.. I just heard this squeaking, crunching sound, I looked into my mirror, and it was like slow motion "oooooooooooo-nnnnnoooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!".. allegedly... I'm just sayin'.

Serenity NOW!!!!

My GOODNESS!! Where does the time go?? I say- it's crazy around here!!!

Chris and I have been traveling a bit, which is good times until "somebody" has a meltdown because she can't find her sunglasses... (it's not me.. promise... would I LIE??)

We went to Mt. Ida (Arkansas) with Brian, Heidi, Ella and Grady to celebrate Brian and Heidi's 7th wedding anniversary- it really was beautiful there, we really had a lot of fun together, playing games and complaining about the front desk (they were R-U-D-E!!!)- nothing says bonding like the mutual agreement that someone super sucks.

A pic of the happy family!

Proud uncle Brian and Ashlyn- aren't they ADORABLE???!!

Also joining us were our good friends, preggo Melinda, Gordon and their baby girl, Sienna...

The Brewers!

Needless to say, things got a liiiitttle crazy.


There was a fireman involved (OK, YES, it IS Gordon.. but still)....


a vicious celery eating dog...


and copious amounts of Yahtzee playing.....

"It's called YAHTZEE- You go for yahtzee EVERYTIME!"

By people who cannot count....

"SEE- this is my THIRD roll... I know how to count.. I DO IT EVERYDAY!!!"

In the dark... (Biggie props go out to Hurricane Ike..)

We returned to OKC in one piece, albeit a little later than we had planned.... (detours, you see.)

The Monday we returned, we had Ashlyns 6 month check-up with Dr. Olay- everything looks really good, baby girl is growing like a weed, and took her shots like a champ. She is weighing in at 14lbs., 13 oz. and measuring 26 3/4 inches long.. she is a string bean!!!! As always in our house, there has to be a little drama to lighten up the day.. so here we go.

There are smiles and laughter....

Sometimes a few tears..... (yikes!- she looks MAD!)

And always PEAS... (this looks like some warped 70's portrait)

This past weekend, we took a trip to Dallas to visit some friends of Chris'. We enjoyed chicken fried deer meat ("nothin like some good ole BACKSTRAP!!"), and lots of good friendship- One thing I really can say about my husband, is that he has some of the best friends around- they are the kindest, most fun, entertaining bunches I have ever come in contact with!! A special note to Hamp and KiAnne- you all are the BEST!!! Thanks for being so hospitable- can't wait to welcome your new little one in March!!!

Our Chauffeur, Miss Ashlyn

Ashlyn and I with Sabrina and Miss Emma
On a side note, while we were gone, The Reeder house kept Lucy. Lucy has a tendency to eat things that do NOT belong to her (puffers, jaguar kitty, etc.). Her latest casualty is a caterpillar Ella made. Ella was not at all happy about that.. so she took the matter into her own hands..

...and decided Lucy needed a time out.... "Look out world!!! There's a new Sheriff in TOWN!!!!"

Who Needs a Vaccuum?

So, things are good here at the Smedstad house. We have had lots stuff going on!!! I have been hitting lots of consignment sales looking for fall duds for the little girl- who needs designer labels?? All she is going to do in them is eat, poop, pee, and drool.. so why not save myself some money and go get a pedicure instead?? I bet my husband loooooves that one!

Ashlyn is in the middle of a growth spurt, and teething to boot-(which, by the way, makes a VERY cranky baby).. BUT- she is also learning all kinds of new things:

Paper tastes good...

Measuring tape tastes good...
Turtle-tush tastes good..
Blanket tastes good...
Carrots taste good....

Plastic fishy tastes good...
Ummmm.....
Peas do NOT taste good...

Other than teething, and the occasional cranky-pants she wears, she is a happy girl: (here is PROOF).. just in case Child Services is checking on me ;P

Ok, so she's not so happy here, but dang we are cute!

All she needed was Nana :)

Ashlyn also endured her first football Sunday. "Dear Ashlyn, over the course of the next 18 years, you will be forced to watch copious amounts of football... I am REALLY, really sorry. Love, Mommy".