Merry Christmas! We had some good times. Whitlee really enjoyed getting into everything! Hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas 2008 as well.

Ashlee and Whitlee

Whitlee throwing her new ball

" On dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Broke Ear!" Haha, too funny!

update

here are some pics. see bottom Whitlee on the way to vandy for surgery 1st birthday party

yummy cake

after surgery

after surgery-sleeping

this summer at the zoo with nanny

all of us a few days before her passing

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We have had a lot of things going on. My sweet Nanny passed away with thyroid cancer. Also, Whitlee had her palate surgery. YES, it went well. She is doing great. She doesn't yet know how to suck. We are working on that. Oh, how could I forget that we celebrated Whitlee's first birthday. Anyway, here are some pics.

On the farm

We went to Aunt Val's house to hang out last week. We decided to take some pics on the farm. We really should have rounded up some cows for the background. Maybe next time. We were going to get the big tractor out but I was too afraid Whitlee would fall off. Please enjoy these pics. We had a blast taking them! This is my favorite picture of Whitlee on this old Radio Flyer bike. I just love it!

Sitting on the wheel

" My first wreck. My Aunt Andrea is supposed to be watching me. Imagine this happening". I can't believe I caught this in action. Whitlee's first bike wreck. AWW!

"No shoes, no shirt, no problem. Hey, where is the Kenny concert"?

I love this one too!

Crawling everywhere!

Our little angel

"Cheese"

Hey girls!

"Abracadabra"!

"Look at me go"

Last week Whitlee started to crawl. She is everywhere and into everything. She chases Zella all of the time. It is too funny! She also has a tooth that came in last week.

Whitlee rocking the WRONG way on her caterpillar.

Whitlee has a couple of caterpillar rockers. She loves them. This one plays "Twinkle, twinkle,little...." When she sits on it, she tries to rock herself. That is great but she always rocks the wrong way. It is too cute! I can't help but laugh. I just wanted to share this. Enjoy! -Ashlee:~)

Hello everyone! Sorry that I haven't posted in a while. :~( Whitlee is doing so good! I sure love that I am blessed with the chance to see her grow everyday. We had a Plastics appt. a week or so ago. He's not satisfied with the way that her lip has turned out. He says that it could fill out on it's own, but if not, he wants to do a lip revision in May 09. We'll see. I wanted to share our little Whitabug with all of you. Please enjoy the pics. Hope to see you ALL soon! _Ashlee`,:>)
This little piggy....... Whitlee at the zoo playing at the toddler station.

At Grammy's House, beside the impatiens.

"Welcome to Hollywood. What's yo dream? Everybody comes to Hollywood......." Haha! Guess the movie :~)

Mommy and Whitabug at Drakes Creek July 4th Fest. Hanging out at Cousin Wayne's play area.

Watching the fireworks in amazement with mommy and daddy.

Whitlee is doing well. I was videoing her a week ago and she actually pulled up on the side of the crib to stand. THE FIRST time caught on camera. I can't believe it! She still has no interest in crawling. O.K with me. I am working on planning her first birthday party. It is an Autumn theme with lil pumpkin cakes. HOW FUN? Can but can't wait if you know what I mean. They grow too fast. -Ashlee

Having fun

Today Whitlee seems a bit better. She is definitely teething. Her high temps. have subsided. YEAH! I got a new camera for my birthday and I can't wait to use it on her :) -Ashlee

sick

Whitlee has had a little virus. :~( Diarrhea and fever 101.0-103.8. She has been very fussy. I'm sure that she will get back to her self soon.-Ashlee

hey

Here are some pictures. Also, I put a note at the bottom. We had fun taking these. I can't believe she kept the bracelet on!

Here is Whitlee with her cousins and PawPaw on the lawn mower. Whitlee and cousins

" What a little bloomer".

Whitlee is eating a little better now. She loves vegetables. I can only get her to eat bananas, no other fruit. :( Weird? I thought it was supposed to be the opposite? We visited the zoo for the first time recently. We have been three times this week. She loves it. I do too! Take care-Ashlee:~)

Hey there!

Two- three weeks post-op close-up

Whitlee LOVES bath time. I only get her out when she is completely wrinkled. Haha!

We don't always do bubbles.; however, she is so fascinated by them. Often, she tries to grab them or move them to find her feet.She tries to catch the water. It is too funny!Sorry. It has been some time since my last post. Whitlee is doing well. I am still working on her solid feedings. She will eat squash and chicken & broccoli from a baby food jar. I make everything else that she eats. I try different foods frequently. I pray that she will just decide to shovel down food ONE day? Seriously! I think she has gained a little weight after recovering from her surgery. YEAH!

I hope that everyone is doing well. C-ya -Ashlee:~)

Eating improved a little

As you all know, Whitlee has had some difficulty eating solids. It has been an ongoing issue. Even after she had her surgery, she didn't have an interest in food. After visits to the ped and getting some different food ideas, Whitlee is starting to come around. She may still need to meet with the feeding specialist. It depends on how the next month goes.
I'm certain she will eat better when she is ready. She does NOT like baby food. Now, I make all of her food. It works out great with Justin being in the produce business. I just wanted to let all of you know how she is doing. Take-care! -Ashlee:~)

Cousin over to visit

Baby Jaedyn came to visit Whitlee today. We had so much fun. I haven't laughed this much in a long time. -Ashlee:~)

Whitlee sitting beside Jaedyn. Whitlee holding Jaedyn. Haha!<>Jaedyn resting. Of course, Whitlee is sleeping.

" "

Mommy had fun!

I am amazed at how Whitlee has changed. Dr. Kelly did an excellent job.
I wanted to share more pictures. Can you imagine that? Haha!
"This is Whitlee laughing at me. Of Course"!

Hey

Our little butterfly!" I caught a fish, and it was this big".

"Ice anyone"?

Whitlee is doing extremely well! We couldn't ask for a more smooth transition. Wow! I look at our little butterfly and I'm still amazed. I know that there are many more surgeries to go. This was a small step of many. Here are some more pics. -Ashlee

Surgery complete

The surgery went well. As soon as I saw her she tried to smile. Of course, our little butterfly had to show us that she as OK. :) Words CAN NOT decribe my feeling at that moment. That memory is the most PRICELESS memory that I'll cherish forever. I was in disbelief. Overwhelmed, YES, to say that least. She wasn't in recovery long. Now she is in her own room. OF COURSE, everyone expects pics. I couldn't just leave you guys hangin'. ENJOY! -Ashlee
Feeding. YEAH! Close-up(Sorry, a bit blurry)

This is Whitlee immediately after surgery."What just happned?"

Whitlee talking?

Whitlee has been doing this, babbling, for about three days now. As her mother, I think it is too funny, imagine that. Haha! I asked her to say Mama..... This is her version?

Photos taken

Whitlee had her photos taken here at the house by Angela Crutcher. She is a local photographer that has a special interest in children affected by cleft lip/palates or both. She likes to take before and after pics. She hopes to have her new site up and running soon. She has tried to make Jonathan's Gift a non-profit organization. The current address is www.angelacrutcherphotography.com . She hopes to have www.jonathansgift.org available soon. Whitlee's pics will be available for viewing today or tomorrow. I know that they will be beautiful because Angela does such a great job!
Thursday is the big day and I can't wait. I'm going to take plenty of Kleenex. Haha! You all KNOW I'll need it .-Ashlee
“There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty.”-Joseph Addison

Hanging out by the pond

Shelley, we had so much fun! I know Whitlee enjoyed it. I know she LOVED the ducks and geese. I can't wait to see the little babies. I had fun with the kids and the bubbles too. Haha! -Ashlee :~)