Another year is coming to a close and we are amazed everyday at what a wonderful little girl Riley is. We continue to have to remind ourselves to watch what we are saying. Riley LOVES to repeat us and loves to remember everything we say - even if it wasn't for her ears. OOPS! She is such a good girl! She loves to remind us that, "I am such a great listener! And I don't go to timeout!" Which is very true. She does listen well and very rarely visits timeout.
We visited Santa a few weeks ago - that didn't go so well. Riley was really excited to meet him and to sit on his lap. She waited "patience" in line but the second it was her turn she screamed, shouted, kicked, hit, and yelled, "GET ME AWAY FROM HIM!" She loves to SEE him, but not be near him. She loves Christmas lights, our tree, our Elf on A Shelf, and our nightly fire. Santa was really good to her this year. He brought her a bike, Thomas the train, Barbies, and lots of other wonderful toys! However, after spending the day with her cousins Gavin and Jack she played with their cars and trackers. Now, that is all she wants to play with! So, on the 26th we had to hit up Target and buy her more trains and cars! She hasn't stopped playing with them since!
I am currently 18 weeks along with our second little munchkin. We find out on Wednesday what the sex of this one will be. Can't wait!! Hopefully the little nugget will cooperate!
Hope you and your family had a WONDERFUL Christmas and have a safe New Years!!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
OOOPS!
It is almost December and we are growing so fast. Not only is Riley growing fast but our family is too. We are expecting our second kiddo on June 1st!! We are all very excited. I don't think Riley knows what is going on, but she sure pretends to know! She is 2 and 8 months!! Full conversations, understands everything we say, and is a complete and total mommy's girl. She tells me all the time that I am her best friend, but will quickly take that privilege away when she gets mad or in trouble. She is a wonderful little girl and really does not like to be in trouble. She is very independent and constantly tells us, "I will do it myself." This includes getting undressed, dressed, potty, getting milk or juice, and doing stuff around the house. We can not ask if she needs help, it has to be her idea to ask for help.
She is fully potty trained. It took only a week - we went with the no pull-up method. (only for sleeping). She even hates to pee in the pull up and will occasionally wake up in the middle of the night to have us change it or to take her to the potty. So proud of her! She loves to inform me of her friends at school who have accidents. There were 3 of them that we all being potty trained at the same time, she has only had 1 accident at school, and she loves to let me know when the other kids have them.
We are still really lucky with her sleeping. She is still great about going to bed around 7:30/8:00 and sleeping on the weekends until 8ish. Then one of us will go get her from her bed, hit the potty, get undies on and climb into bed again. Joe and I will continue to sleep and she lays in between us and watches toons. A great little system!! Finally around 9ish we all get up and head down for breakfast. FNT is still in effect - we try for Saturdays and Sundays. Riley still naps for 2+ hours. The girl plays hard and sleeps hard.
She thinks she is trying out for American Idol and will sing her heart out all day long. She loves to lay in bed and sing until she falls asleep. For a while she was singing until 10pm! She would finally fall asleep mid song. Too funny!
Riley is very happy and honestly a really well behaved little girl. Occasionally a little sassy - but not a fan of getting into trouble, so one look from Joe or I and she will stop, or if we start to count to 3 she usually will stop after 1. We could not ask for a better little girl!! Here are some updated pictures of her:
Riley as our little ladybug!
Hayride at Great Country Farms
Joe and our cowgirl
A fun summer day!
Swimming at Grandma and Papa's house
Dressing up in mommy's boots
Spending time with Carol
Our BIG announcement!
She is fully potty trained. It took only a week - we went with the no pull-up method. (only for sleeping). She even hates to pee in the pull up and will occasionally wake up in the middle of the night to have us change it or to take her to the potty. So proud of her! She loves to inform me of her friends at school who have accidents. There were 3 of them that we all being potty trained at the same time, she has only had 1 accident at school, and she loves to let me know when the other kids have them.
We are still really lucky with her sleeping. She is still great about going to bed around 7:30/8:00 and sleeping on the weekends until 8ish. Then one of us will go get her from her bed, hit the potty, get undies on and climb into bed again. Joe and I will continue to sleep and she lays in between us and watches toons. A great little system!! Finally around 9ish we all get up and head down for breakfast. FNT is still in effect - we try for Saturdays and Sundays. Riley still naps for 2+ hours. The girl plays hard and sleeps hard.
She thinks she is trying out for American Idol and will sing her heart out all day long. She loves to lay in bed and sing until she falls asleep. For a while she was singing until 10pm! She would finally fall asleep mid song. Too funny!
Riley is very happy and honestly a really well behaved little girl. Occasionally a little sassy - but not a fan of getting into trouble, so one look from Joe or I and she will stop, or if we start to count to 3 she usually will stop after 1. We could not ask for a better little girl!! Here are some updated pictures of her:
Riley as our little ladybug!
Hayride at Great Country Farms
Joe and our cowgirl
A fun summer day!
Swimming at Grandma and Papa's house
Dressing up in mommy's boots
Spending time with Carol
Our BIG announcement!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
UPDATE!!
Well, I again have been very bad about updating this!! It has been 5 months and a LOT has happened.....Riley is 2 now, actually she is 2 and almost 4 months. She is a bright, funny, sassy little girl! We are having full conversations, she fully understands everything we say or ask of her, she talks back, and has no problem telling us when she is not happy! Riley still is fairly well behaved and listens well. She rarely has to go to time-out and if you explain to her why she can't do a certain thing or have something she understands and doesn't complain. She is big into telling us that we are "her best friends". We are enjoying our summer together, although she is going to Gigi's a few days a week. She loves it there and loves playing with her friends. On May 1st we moved to Gainesville and Riley LOVES the new house. She has a bunk-bed now and loves our new neighbors Lauren and Jesse (and their dog Rooney).
Riley is LOVING the pool. She has a float that is wears in the water and she has NO FEAR! Just jumps in and goes under water and pops right back up. Riley is totally a water-rat. She would stay at the pool for the whole day if we let her!
Here are some updated pictures!
Riley and I on a wagon ride to go pick peaches.
Joe and his little Cowgirl!!
Riding her bike outside our old townhouse.
Grandma and Papa at Easter!!
Riley riding a horse at her friends house.
Wearing her tiara!
Riley, Joe and I on her 2nd birthday!!
Riley and Ms. Hilary at the Little Gym
Enjoying the Little Gym
Having fun on Grandma and Papa's boat.
Riley is LOVING the pool. She has a float that is wears in the water and she has NO FEAR! Just jumps in and goes under water and pops right back up. Riley is totally a water-rat. She would stay at the pool for the whole day if we let her!
Here are some updated pictures!
Riley and I on a wagon ride to go pick peaches. 
Joe and his little Cowgirl!! 
Riding her bike outside our old townhouse. 
Grandma and Papa at Easter!!
Riley riding a horse at her friends house. 
Wearing her tiara!
Riley, Joe and I on her 2nd birthday!!
Riley and Ms. Hilary at the Little Gym
Enjoying the Little Gym
Having fun on Grandma and Papa's boat.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Snow, Snow and More Snow!!
We have been spending a LOT of quality time together lately. Last Friday we got a huge snow storm that dumped close to 25+ inches! Then, a few days later we got another 5-10 inches!! We are in a winter wonderland and have been cooped up inside for the last week. Riley has been a great trooper through it all - seeing that she is not a big fan of all the snow. Riley likes to walk outside to look at it, but not to touch or get it on her. As we learned early on Riley does not like to get dirty! So we have been playing some new games inside. We have had to be come creative - drum on an empty water jug, painting, LOTS of play-doh, playing with mommy's old Garbage Pail Kid cards, and giving mommy and daddy a lot of fake tea from her talking tea set. Riley has learned what time-out is over the last week. However - she LOVES it and puts herself in it for fun! Normally we will have to just say, "Riley, you have until the count of 3 to ________" and by 2 she has stopped or come over to us. But one time she didn't and I asked her if she wanted a time out and she said yes - so I put her in the time out and now she LOVES it! She will say, "mommy, I go to timeout" and will walk over and sit on the steps for a while, just nice a quietly. It is quite cute!! I guess we should be blessed that she is very well behaved and that she really has not hit "the terrible two's" yet. Granted, she gets moody and sassy, but the second you tell her no she is sad that she upset you and offers up hugs!!
We are beginning to plan her 2nd birthday party - but I am in a bit of denial that it is approaching so fast!! I can't believe it! Here are a few photos from the past months.
Heading out for a walk!! 
Walking with daddy!!
Playing her "drums"
LOOK AT ALL THE SNOW!!
We are beginning to plan her 2nd birthday party - but I am in a bit of denial that it is approaching so fast!! I can't believe it! Here are a few photos from the past months.
Heading out for a walk!! 
Walking with daddy!!
Playing her "drums"
LOOK AT ALL THE SNOW!!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Time flies!!
Ok, so I have been really really really bad about updating. So here is my attempt to update what is new in our lives!! Riley is 21 months and VERY chatty. She repeats everything, says 3-4 word sentences, lets us know what she does and doesn't want, says her please and thank yous for everything, apologizes if she does something wrong and gives LOTS and LOTS of hugs and kisses. We have gotten back into the swing of things with me back to work and her back to Gigi's full time. She loves seeing all of her friends and talks about them all day. We just had a great Christmas and are getting ready to ring in the New Years. We have finally dug out from the big Blizzard of 09, but Riley was not a fan of the snow. It took 15 minutes to bundle her up, got out there and she was wanting nothing to do with it! So in we went. She would rather play with her toys and take care of her baby. We are getting close to her 2 year birthday, which I don't want to think about! She is getting WAY too grown up!!
Yesterday she seemed to have a bit of a virus and was pretty sick. But we stuck it out with pedialite and Motrin and she woke up this morning as if nothing was wrong!! Riley is still a GREAT sleeper. Bed at 7:30 and if you let her she will sleep until 8:30 or 9:00....plus a good 2+ hour nap in the afternoon. This makes Joe and I very happy!! Well, here are some pictures from over the last few months!!!
18 months - climbing on the chairs
19 months - hiking at Bull Run
19 months - Our little Halloween Lion
20 months - at a little bounce house for a birthday party21 months:
Not wanting to be out in the blizzard 
Riley and Buster discussing how they both don't want to be out there.
Visiting Santa
Standing at her table enjoying some juice.Christmas:
Helping get the tree ready 
Heading to church on Christmas Eve 
Christmas morning!! 
ELMO!!
Rileys new play station!! 
Her new bike from Aunt Tara and Uncle Tommy!!
Christmas #3 at Grandma and Papa's house with her cousins Jack and Gavin. 
Making "music" with GavinSaturday, August 22, 2009
Growing so Fast!!
I am sorry for the delay in posts. We have been too busy enjoying our summer!! We have been just going on day trips - zoos, petting animals, walks, beach, visiting family, and talking up a storm! We went to the beach last week and Riley had mixed feelings about it. We arrived at Virginia Beach on Monday and she was not a fan of the sand at all! She liked the ocean and the pigeons. Every time she got sand on her she cried, which meant we had to carry her from the towels to the ocean. On Tuesday she was a little better and she figured out that she liked the wet sand too. By Wednesday she was totally fine and was running everywhere. I think she figured out that the sand would come off in the water. Overall it was a great trip and we loved introducing her to the beach. Riley has gotten her 4 molars (making it a total of 12 teeth now) and we are very luck that she has had no problem breaking in teeth. It doesn't seem to bother her and we would never know she got new teeth if she wasn't constantly laughing with her mouth wide open! She is still a very good listener and still has no problem with us telling her NO. She may put up a little fight but it usually lasts about 5 seconds and she will find something else to play with or distract her. Unless she is tired, she is a very happy little girl. We are hoping this will continue and she will coast through her "terrible 2's" with no problems......I know - FAT CHANCE!! But we will try to hold off on that as long as we can!
Riley LOVES to dance - whether we are a store and she hears the music in the background or if we are taking a walk and a car passes by with music playing, she will stop what she is doing and dance. Riley knows that when we are walking if we are going in a street she has to be holding our hands.
We are very lucky that she is still a great sleeper - 12+ hours at night and 2 2+ hour naps a day. Actually when we were at the beach she had a hard time sleeping the first night because she was not used to us sleeping in the same room as her. Around 2am when she woke up crying I tried to put her in the bed with me but she thought it was time to play. She has never slept in a bed with us, so didn't want to do it with us that night either...I brought her right back to the crib and she was out in no time. She has no fear of water and enjoys putting her head under water. She would have run straight out into the ocean if we let her!
Riley is chatting up a storm:
* ba-bye (with a open-close wave)
* hi (with a side to side wave) - interesting that she waves differently if she is saying hi or bye!!
*Puppy
* sky
* bird
* Boppy - which is for a bunny
* truck
* big truck (with hand motions to show that it is a BIG truck),
* car
* kitty cat
* no
* uh-oh when she drops something,
* mommy, daddy
* baby
* book
* Uppy - when she wants to be picked up
* mine - not in a possessive way, just stating that something is hers
She totally comprehends things when we ask her to do something "go sit in your chair" or "put your shirt in the dresser", "two hands please" "do you want this or this?" (she will point to the one she wants). If we ask her if she wants to go "night-night" she will lay down in her Night-Night position if she is tired. She is like a little girl now!! We are slowly getting rid of the paci....only in the bed or car (or if she hurts herself!). If Riley is awake then we are not sitting still! She loves to go for walks and pull her lawn mower or her baby stroller with her doll in it. Each walk is .5 of a mile and we do the walk on average 2-3 times a day (on her request!) as we walk she points to every house that has a "puppy" or "kitty cat" and every truck or car and tells us that they are "car", "truck"(SUV), or "BIG truck" (Pick-up trucks or delivery trucks). We are sad that she is growing up so fast, yet love that she is still such a little girl and so dependant on us.
I am really sad that I only have a week left with her until I head back to work. Here are a few updated pictures!!
Playing with her cousin Ike
Chasing the birds (notice that I was not a fan of them!!)
Our family beach picture 
Riley LOVES to dance - whether we are a store and she hears the music in the background or if we are taking a walk and a car passes by with music playing, she will stop what she is doing and dance. Riley knows that when we are walking if we are going in a street she has to be holding our hands.
We are very lucky that she is still a great sleeper - 12+ hours at night and 2 2+ hour naps a day. Actually when we were at the beach she had a hard time sleeping the first night because she was not used to us sleeping in the same room as her. Around 2am when she woke up crying I tried to put her in the bed with me but she thought it was time to play. She has never slept in a bed with us, so didn't want to do it with us that night either...I brought her right back to the crib and she was out in no time. She has no fear of water and enjoys putting her head under water. She would have run straight out into the ocean if we let her!
Riley is chatting up a storm:
* ba-bye (with a open-close wave)
* hi (with a side to side wave) - interesting that she waves differently if she is saying hi or bye!!
*Puppy
* sky
* bird
* Boppy - which is for a bunny
* truck
* big truck (with hand motions to show that it is a BIG truck),
* car
* kitty cat
* no
* uh-oh when she drops something,
* mommy, daddy
* baby
* book
* Uppy - when she wants to be picked up
* mine - not in a possessive way, just stating that something is hers
She totally comprehends things when we ask her to do something "go sit in your chair" or "put your shirt in the dresser", "two hands please" "do you want this or this?" (she will point to the one she wants). If we ask her if she wants to go "night-night" she will lay down in her Night-Night position if she is tired. She is like a little girl now!! We are slowly getting rid of the paci....only in the bed or car (or if she hurts herself!). If Riley is awake then we are not sitting still! She loves to go for walks and pull her lawn mower or her baby stroller with her doll in it. Each walk is .5 of a mile and we do the walk on average 2-3 times a day (on her request!) as we walk she points to every house that has a "puppy" or "kitty cat" and every truck or car and tells us that they are "car", "truck"(SUV), or "BIG truck" (Pick-up trucks or delivery trucks). We are sad that she is growing up so fast, yet love that she is still such a little girl and so dependant on us.
I am really sad that I only have a week left with her until I head back to work. Here are a few updated pictures!!
Playing with her cousin Ike
Chasing the birds (notice that I was not a fan of them!!)
Our family beach picture 
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