The Huh Files: mae mae

Ashley will be 15 months old at the end of December – wow how the time has flown by! It seemed like yesterday that I was praying to have a little girl who will share all of the things I love. (Pete’s got Jimmy who loves baseball, the Yankees, Star Wars and watching Little Giant Ladders’ infomercials and declaring “I need this ladder!”) I had hoped for my daughter to be a Libra (just like me!) and be born in the year of the Tiger (just like me AND my mom!). Sometimes the Universe delivers everything I ask for and more.

Ashley is such a happy girl – most mornings she wakes up with a big smile on her face. She is already starting to talk and says her version of words such as banana, book, doggie, hi, down, cheese and milk. We taught Jimmy some sign language as a toddler and when we tried to get her to motion for “more” and asking her “do you want MORE?” Ashley simply says “esss”. (I guess we will just skip signing and go straight to talking).

She has a few nicknames such as mae mae which is little sister in Chinese or Hurricane Ashley because she usually leaves a path of destruction wherever she goes. The best one is Little Human Garbage Disposal because she eats everything. Anything you’re eating, she’ll want to eat. If Jimmy can’t finish his meal or snack, Ashley will eat it.

It is so much fun having a daughter especially in contrast to Jimmy who is very “boy”. Without any prompting, one day Ashley picked up a lunch bag and put it over her shoulder and started walking around like she’s carrying a purse. She also loves dolls and stuffed animals and likes to hug and cuddle with them. She is also a complete DADDY'S GIRL - whenever Pete enters the room, she looks for him and her entire face lights up! (It's okay, Jimmy's a mamma's boy so we've each got one)

Recently she started trying to play peek-a-boo by hiding behind a blanket or her hands and saying “ba-boo!” then bursting into giggles. But it’s not always a bed of roses with Ashley – sometimes she can be very demanding. She wants to be held A LOT and requires constant attention and entertainment.

She is cautious around strangers and doesn’t like loud noises. When she gets scared of something or someone, she will run and grab me and bury her head in my legs. But when she gets to know you, she will smile at you so sweetly that you may be tempted to take a bite of her cute cheeks.

Jimmy’s Tae Kwon Do teacher Master Aaron got a taste of this recently. After weeks of trying to win her over, Ashley finally smiled at Master Aaron and went to him when he held out his arms. He was so happy he swooped her high in the air making her laugh and laugh. Right then, almost in slow motion, I saw something drip onto Master Aaron’s face. She was having so much fun that she didn’t close her mouth and the saliva just pour out…

Here are some fun photos of Ashley from the last year.

Please don't hurt yourself from laughing at the incredible cuteness that is this picture. This was taken at our dear friends Scott and Tracie's house Christmas 2010. I think Scott's mom got this outfit for her at a craft fair and by the time we got it on her, it barely fit!

Here's Ashley with my grandma at Chinese New Year 2010 - getting a red envelope! (and this is when Ashley's hair stood straight up)

Ashley rockin' the cutest pink Puma track suit given to her by Uncle Rob and Auntie Moni.

Ashley's first Easter - photo taken at the Hohnbaum house.

Bath time fun!

Looking cute trying on Yoda hat...

This is the face she makes when she wants to look cute for the camera. Look at her shirt - it's the same one that's on the Princess Jasmine doll she's holding (she just happend to have this shirt - another awesome gift from Uncle Rob and Auntie Moni)

Master Yoda for Halloween "Cute I am!"

Bath time fun with brother

First time on a big girl swing - holding on for dear life as mommy snaps away with her camera

She had just squirted apple sauce all over her face. Don't know if she was mad about that or the fact that daddy got his phone out to take a picture rather than clean her up!

This may look like child abuse to some people but for the Lee family, most children under that age of 8 are subjected to this kind of face-making by my Uncle Terry on a regular basis.

Sexy off the shoulder swim suit in Hawaii

Possible thoughts running through her head at this moment, "What is the state of the world and what is my part in it?" Or, "What are they eating over there - malasadas? shaved ice?" Photo taken at Halona Blowhole in Hawaii.