We were awfully busy trying to get the hang of parenting immediately following Ashleigh’s birth, so we didn’t get a whole lot of spare time to snap tons of photos. It wasn’t long before things settled down and we were able to get some great shots of her, but by that time she had put on her cute baby fat and become Ms. Roly-Poly. Although definitely cuter as a chunk with more facial personality, she did allow us to snap a few photos of her as skinny Ashleigh the month following her birth - the most opportune time being Easter on April 15, 1990.
I partially kid about the busyness, but there were some chaotic moments in the first few weeks. Once we got Ashleigh home, she wanted to sleep continually and we soon realized that the Codeine that Christi was taking for pain was causing her breast milk to be laced with the drug, knocking Ashleigh for a loop.
Attempts to feed her formula didn’t work because she would just spit it up. This then lead to big altercations with Christi’s Mom, whose interference, we felt, was unwarranted. Her parents also set ground rules for when we could take Ashleigh ‘out’ and when she needed to be home. Of course we resented the ‘advice’ but naturally upon reflection, I understand that it was given (and enforced) out of the genuine concern of turning a brand new life over to two teenagers.
Christi began being home-tutored in order to keep up with her education but soon fell far behind in schoolwork. It was an understandable struggle, but she ended up pulling through with good grades for the year. I would occasionally take days off to spend with Christi and Ashleigh and sometimes help babysit so she could concentrate on her lessons.
Ashleigh’s umbilical cord fell off on March 31 and afterward she was able to take baths. She fussed at first but then seemed to enjoy it as we splashed the warm water over her. Ashleigh gave me a nice ‘splash’ as well in the midst of changing her diaper one day early in her life. While I was cleaning her off, she sprayed me severely – and not with pee. Despite having her days and nights mixed up, as most babies usually do for a while, Ashleigh was a very good baby, though.
Another thing that I recall about this time period was that I attended the annual Regional Youth Conference (R.Y.C.) at Manchester College. This was an annual get-together of youth from the Church of the Brethren and a good opportunity to see friends from camp again. Obviously, Christi didn’t go since she had Ashleigh to take care of, but I went for the weekend with my camp friend Lee McAdams. Here I met up with Matt Bohlander, the younger brother of two counselors, Chris and Brian, who I had known from camps in the past. Matt and I became fast friends, at first based mostly on our mutual enjoyment of music, cigarettes, and alcohol. From then on, Matt came and visited quite often throughout the Summer and beyond and we became great friends. He was older and able to puchase alcohol (beer for me, wine coolers for him) so we generally always had warm, mellow evenings of playing music for each other while drinking and smoking on my patio. This usually followed dinner at Pizza Hut, sometimes with Christi along as well.
Remembering my life at this time, I was certainly happy at the prospect of a future with Ashleigh and Christi, but certainly stressed by going to school, working as a bagger at Beavercreek Kroger, and unwarranted squabbles with Christi. One of my major regrets of this time period is that I was more concerned in being jealous of Christi’s male friends than simply concentrating on our relationship and baby.
Easter Sunday was a nice time with Christi, Ashleigh, and me going to Beavercreek Church of the Brethren for services, where we had been attending church and Sunday School classes. Both her Mom and my Mom (and probably Denise) went with us as well and then we all went out to eat. (At left is a card my Mom gave Ashleigh, not a photo of her.)
Next up: Senior Prom…
hey.
ash leg
December 10th, 2006
I didn’t fall behind in my schoolwork…I did very well all that year…including with the home tutors…
christi
January 3rd, 2007