Pickles and Plans

Our little pickle is in the living room with her daddy squealing with delight as she pounds away on her piano with a plastic Easter egg from that silly Easter basket she still loves so very much. I tell you this little one has nothing but pure joy radiating from her today. I guess her little rearranging of the bowel adventure from last night has left her memory because today she is all smiles and silliness. Oh how I love this pickle! As much as I love her and because I love her she will be spending the night with her Nan(Nan's house is a mere 3 steps out my back door). Nan has been offering to help with our little Blues Clues addict for days and today I realized that if I am going to be any good to anyone I must have a little sleep. So tonight the pickle and Blue will be banished from our room to party all night long with Nan(THANK YOU mom!). Today grandma went out and picked up a variety of DVDs for the gherkin in hopes of breaking her addiction. I don't think it will work, but we are willing to give anything a try. Ash continues to entertain me as I type with her giggles and growls from the living room. I have no idea what her daddy is doing but it sure is causing her to make some noise. Earlier she got great joy out of watching him lift up the wand on the blinds and then quickly drop it. She belly laughed and giggled harder and louder than I have ever heard. It doesn't take much to cause the joy from inside of her to spill out and take over a room. She is a funny little pickle.

We have a new plan for our sweet Ashley Kate. We have decided that the only words allowed to be spoken in her presence will be "My mama". I'm serious. There is absolutely no reason that she shouldn't be able to form those sounds again. She coos, and giggles, and hums, and growls all day long. I think she is just being stubborn. Once she has mastered mama we will move on to dada. We think it would be easier for her to say mama first since she used to be so good at it. I have been showing her the videos of herself saying it and she really does enjoy watching them. Hey, maybe I should play these videos all night long instead of Blue? Perhaps I have just stumbled upon a new plan? I know this all sounds crazy, but why not get a little creative with her? You should hear Dave and I trying to have a conversation together without her hearing any word but mama. I have been laughing so hard at the two of us. Whatever it takes to help Ash, right? I am afraid she thinks I have lost my mind. I must have said mama a thousand times to her today. What I am secretly hoping is that she will get a gut full and say to me, "Would you please stop saying that word." Wouldn't that be amazing! OK, maybe we have lost our minds, but when all you hear every hour on the hour as you try to sleep is Steve or Joe trying to convince us to keep looking for more clues what do you expect.

Well, its time to get the pickle packed and ready for her night time adventure with Nan. I really am looking forward to getting a little sleep tonight. Thanks so much for checking on our pickle today. She is just as ornery as ever and I can still hear her going strong from the other room. Hope her Nan is ready for this. Your prayers and your presence are so appreciated. Take care and God bless. Trish