birthday girls

We celebrated two birthdays in Utah.

Ashton turned SIX!

And Tatum turned TEN!

These girls are so sweet! They are incredibly different not only in looks but also their attitudes and personalities.
Tatum is blue-eyed. Ashton is brown-eyed.

Tatum is 100% Baum. Ashton is 100% Rogers.

Tatum is quiet in public. She doesn't want attention in any way. Ashton loves attention, from family and strangers alike.

Tatum never stops moving. Not in a hyperactive way. It's just like she doesn't have time enough to do everything she'd like. Ashton would be content being carried, pushed or pulled everywhere we go. Forever! 

Tatum hates to feel like people are laughing at her. Ashton strives to make people laugh at her.

Tatum's birth was a cinch. I recovered almost immediately. She was a teeny, tiny baby and cute as can be. She was bothered by an intensely upset tummy for months. She was content only if she was being held. But even while held you could count on her screaming every night from about 5-9pm. She'd cry. I'd cry. It broke my heart. I've never felt so completely helpless in my life. Despite those crazy nights I think the hardest of all was that she literally screamed bloody murder every single time we went in the car until she was one year old. The day we moved her to a forward-facing car seat the crying stopped. Just like that.

Ashton's birth was incredibly painful. I was induced (I was always induced). The pitocin was coursing through my veins. My contractions were raging. And I couldn't have an epidural. If you think black NBA players sweat heavily you obviously didn't see me in labor and delivery on the morning of 7.18.06. The air temperature in our room was 58 degrees and I was still pouring sweat. Poor Dust! His lips were blue. He kept going into the hallway to warm up. Thankfully Ashton was born pretty quickly. I told Dust I felt like I'd just pushed a flaming watermelon out of my bum. I'm not kidding! That is exactly what it felt like!! Once we got home I got a horrible case of thrush. My chest has never hurt so intensely! Ever. Nursing was completely horrifying. Beyond painful! Dust thought I had postpartum depression because I was so weepy. My chest was on fire...with or without her attached. It was awful. Thank heavens Ashton was pretty much a perfect baby! She was so easy. She was always happy!

As hard as those first days were their determined little personalities just bound me closer to them. I am theirs forever. Completely, hopelessly, utterly devoted to them and absolutely honoured to be their mama.

Happy birthday to my little babes!