Ashtyn

I told myself that I'd write about each of the kids on their birthdays in order to remember my vision of them at that age, a snapshot for later. Well, I missed doing that for both boy's birthdays, and I'm late on Ashtyn as well. But I'll start with her and then go and do my precious boys too.

As noted in an earlier post this week, Ashtyn is currently a handful. She is a very independent child who loves to do things herself. She likes to pick out her own clothes, dress herself, choose which hair pretties to wear that day, get her own cereal (although I still insist on pouring), pick out which cup she'll use that day. This is a great characteristic in a person, but the one that we normally butt heads over. She wants the control and has a hard time understanding that she can't have it all the time.
At the same time she is such a loving child who already likes to "mother" everyone around her, making sure that we've all had breakfast, that no one forgot their socks, sharing with those who are without (or already finished) their snack, comforting those who are upset, etc.
She likes things to be neat and orderly, is very thrilled to help me clean, organize shelves, put things back in their places. But she's still a kid and doesn't mind leaving some stuff out. 80) She loves to play in the dirt, with playdoh, etc. but wants clean hands the second that she is finished. She just about loses control if she spills something, being just so upset until it's cleaned up.
Ashtyn's great joys are dancing and singing. Any song she ever hears causes her to break into dance, and she is constantly walking around the house singing a song-whether one that she heard or one that she make up as she's singing. Other things that she loves-anything girlie (she is such a girlie girl it makes me laugh), drawing, animals, reading stories, cooking, stickers, and riding her bike. OH, and she likes to try to scrapbook alongside me-such fun!
While Ashtyn can be very shy, she is quick to warm up and then usually has no inhibitions within a few moments. She loves to talk, cuddle, and have people watch her dance. Her favorite color-PURPLE, she'll tell you that without hesitation. Oh and she LOVES Cinderella, she likes a lot of princesses, but Cinderella is definitely her favorite (hence her birthday cake). She announced this week that when she grows up she wants to be Princess Leah (Daddy is very proud to have Star Wars rub off on another of his children).
She's very expressive. Christmas and her birthday were so much fun as she'd start squealing with every present that started to be unwrapped. She's quick with "I LOVE that" and "That's beautiful" and really good at saying her please and thank yous and really meaning them.
Ashtyn is great at praying. Her "Thank you God, I love you, Amen" prayers have turned into lists thanking God for she part of her day. She amazes me in the thankfulness she expresses for little things I forget completely about, and her prayers for others who she knows are sick or her Daddy at work and brothers at school are just precious.
She really is such a delight and such a fun element in our family. I think we're in trouble as she gets older as she really is too cute for her own good. We love you girlie!