Ashley's 3!

Ashley’s birthday was quite an event this year. My mom had the Swine flu and bronchitis and was very sick the day before they were suppose to come she had been taken to the hospital by ambulance because she was having a hard time breathing. She was released the same day and claimed she was feeling a lot better so she convinced my dad to still come for Ashley’s birthday. We were kicking Ashley out of her toddler bed for her birthday and my parents had her “big girl bed.” We have been trying to potty train her for a while now and she keeps insisting she’s a baby and babies wear diapers. So we decided that we were going to try to convince her that 2 was a baby but 3 was a big girl. We took away her “baby” sippys, her toddler bed and kept repeating that 2 was a baby but when she turned 3 she would be a big girl. My mom felt it was important to have her new bed there for her birthday to reinforce this concept. So my dad came bringing the bed. Blake’s mom and sister, Jill also came for Ashley’s birthday. We had homemade pizza and then chocolate cake and ice cream. Right before dinner one of my parents neighbors called and told my dad that they were taking my mom back to the hospital, so needless to say my dad stuck around for dinner and presents and then headed back to Idaho. It was kind of a stressful evening, but we tried to make it as fun as possible for Ashley. It was nice to talk to my mom the next day and hear for myself the improvement in her voice. That was the worst of it. It will be a long recovery, but at least she’s recovering.
Ashley has turned out to be such a fun loving girl. I remember a time when she was little that I really worried about her because she was 10 months old, still waking 5-6 times a night and cried so much. Now I look at the laughing go lucky girl she’s turned out to be and am so grateful. She is such a tease and loves to both get it and give it. She often begs to be tortured by her dad. She has so much love in her. She’s the first to give hugs and kisses when someone feels sad or hurt. She also is the must stubborn person I’ve ever met! If she doesn’t want to do something there’s no way to make her (like potty training). We have to make a lot of things sound like it’s her idea so she’ll go along with them. I know I had a stubborn streak when I was little, but nothing like this. I blame Blake and his sister Jan. From all the stories I’ve heard Jan was just like Ashley. But I look at how Jan turned out and think there may be hope for Ashley after all.
The day after Ashley’s birthday she woke up and told me she was giong to wear panties. There was no convincing her otherwise. So off went the diaper, on went the panties. She had a few accidents for 2 days and has been diaper and accident free ever since. I knew she was ready to be potty trained, but it had to be her idea. I’d like to claim that it was the whole 2 is a baby and 3 is a big girl scheme we came up with, but I’m not sure. I’m just glad to be done with diapers at least for a while.