Love, Laughter & Ladybugs: Happy 2nd Birthday, Ashley!!!

Hi there, C here,

Today is the big #2 for our little Ashley. Happy Birthday!!!

We started the day with another trip to the movies - this time we saw "Tangled".

Everyone enjoyed the show - even Ashley, up until about 5 minutes before it ended! She completely lost interest and started wailing. I (having the lost the pre-show rock-paper-scissors contest with Mom) had the responsibility to shuffle her out to avoid a scene. But as soon as we started to head out, she quieted right down and we saw the last moments of the movie from the hallway leading out of the theater. Still not sure why she flipped like she did...very unusual.

Anyway, after the movie, we went back home to prepare for Uncle Mark's family and the little birthday gathering for Ashley. Dinner was mac & cheese with veggies and a spiral sliced ham - very good. This was followed by a chorus of "Happy Birthday" for the littlest Lockhead. I'm not sure that she got what the commotion was about, but she seemed to go with it and enjoyed the song and cake. She really enjoyed her gift from UM's family - a cute little princess dress-up it, complete with glittery dress, pink high heels, a wand, and of course, a tiara. Grandma and Poppa got Ashley a fun little purse with all sorts of neat things to explore.

It so happens that we hosted an "off-the-guest-list" partier as well. Cousin Paityn attends an agricultural school and she drew chicken-watching duties over the New Years holiday. Unfortunately one of the chickens from the school's farm was having some "getting along" issues with one of the other chickens, and was in some trouble and danger of being hurt. Paityn thought it best to separate the foul fowl from her chicken in trouble. So we were joined by a chicken (my typing is bad, but not that bad - I DID TYPE: CHICKEN) for dinner. It's important to point out that we had the chicken "over for" dinner - NOT "for" dinner. Not to worry, the chicken hung out in the downstairs bathroom, and really wasn't a bother, except for a little nervous chicken puup.

After dinner, Ashley donned her dress and her jewels and held court in the living room. It was a lot of fun watching her bound from person to person as if she had know everyone all her life (and not just a week!).

I think she had a lot of fun, despite perhaps not fully understanding that she was the guest of honor.

Well, tomorrow we head home for PA, after a great week of R&R and visiting with the Wedder grandparents and cousins. Thanks to G'ma and Poppa for their warm hospitality and for permitting us to turn their home upside down, sideways and inside out!!

Here are just a few of the many photos we snapped tonight...