ladida

It's been a while again, hasn't it? Watching the boys has kept me BUSY this summer! By the time Riley and I finally get home in the evening, it's time for dinner, a bath, and bed. But the summer is winding down, so hopefully I'll be able to update much more often!

Pray for us... we have a few BIG decisions coming up. I am excited and nervous about what the future holds for us. We'll see where God takes us over the next few months.

Update... not too much is new around here. Riley is doing great. She FINALLY cut those bottom 2 teeth! Hallelujah! Now I think she is working on the top 2. Teething SUCKS. It ruins lots of sleep! Other than that... she's crawling around EVERYWHERE and FAST! It's getting hard to keep up with her! We are about to do a re-vamp to her schedule because she has started waking up around 3:30 a.m. wanting to play. Um NO. Not gonna work kiddo! But she is taking close to 5 hrs in naps during the day still... so that can be cut down a bit! haha. She is still pulling up and can *usually* get herself down... when she feels like it. Last Wednesday the Rooster stood on her own! I think it was an accident and she hasn't done it again. But oh my, it hit that walking is not too far away! EEK! Watch out world... here she comes!

Update on Ryan and I. Well not much really. Trying to get things squared away so that Ryan can hopefully do his internship this fall. let me tell you... when I never have to deal with Liberty's student center again, I will rejoice! We have some decisions we're having to make right now that could change our immediate plans. I'll share more about that when we know a little better about what's going on.

I'll post some pics right now... and then some more later or tomorrow. I have a lot of pictures to update!

Hooray for being 9 months old!

She sneezed right as I was about to put the spoon in her mouth... it landed on her eye.Riley with her new friends Maddie and Koen

Let me see if I can make a bracelet out of this stuff...

at CRBC with Alyssa... we miss you, Alyssa!

what a ham!

By the way... yesterday was Riley's 9 month birthday... we can finally feel the roughness of her 2 bottom teeth!

So (somehow) my sister got Riley to do a new trick... whenever the red eye flash starts blinking, she does her big smile!

Here is a few of the "series"...

Big smiles for Aunt Mandie!

Yay! Noni is picking me up!! You guys are so funny!And then at home that evening... she was a tired little rooster!

Aw mom! I missed you! But I'm soooooooooooooo tired!

whew. Busy week

My word. Life has been INSANE! I am looking forward to relaxing a bit when I go home!

Last Friday we had Riley's 9 month drs appt! Can you believe it?? She was 15lbs 4oz and 26.5 inches. She is 3rd % for weight and 10th % for height! She babbled away at the dr the entire time! No shots this time, yahoo! She got her hemoglobin checked and didn't even cry at the finger prick/squeeze! I was so proud! Dr M says that she is ahead in physical/social milestones. Yay!

She is a crawling champ now! The girl can GO! ahhh... our life of peace and quiet is gone. Riley is on the run! In to everything and we're loving it! She's so fun and has a GREAT personality! So funny!

So... this week I am working at camp again. It's a ton of fun. I really do love this job! But man is it exhausting! Riley has stayed with Mandie (my sister) the last 2 days and she's done great! Today at about 2:30, Riley was done though. She wanted me and that was that. So Mandie was close by and she brought her up to me. She was an angel! Ate and then played. My mom took her home and laid her down for a nap. But yesterday she stayed with my sister ALL day! What a big kid! Tomorrow is the juggle! Babysitter in the a.m. and my dad in the afternoon! Same thing on Friday. Thursday is up in the air. I'm not sure who is going to watch her in the a.m.! We'll figure it out!

Anyways... tomorrow I'll post some funny stories and some HILARIOUS pictures. I'm too tired tonight! Here are a few pictures to get you through! A couple of them are blurry... but you get the point. She LOVES her toy box!

kinda cool

made this on a site that someone on my message board recommended.

she's her daddy's girl and her momma's world

if you can tell me who sings that song... you win a prize.

I finally found the little usb hook up for my memory card, so I finally have pictures!

Let's see what's been going on.

4th of July - fun! We went to Lee District Park for a few minutes... ate... it started POURING down rain! But... we got out for a little bit! We came home, Riley went to bed, and we made funnel cakes! It was so fun! We were gonna go meet Katie down in D.C., but it just didn't happen.

Next day... took Riley to visit my grandmother! We had a lot of fun. It was a fast visit since Maw-Maw had to go visit Paw-Paw in the nursing home. Soon (if he isn't already) he'll be home again. So, we'll go back to visit them the next time we all are up for a weekend. After we got back, Riley took a nap and then we headed downtown with my parents. Riley got to go to the Folklife Festival in D.C. . That was a lot of fun!

Sunday was back to Lynchburg and back to real life. It's bitter sweet. I LOVE working at camp and LOVE being around family. But I missed my Lynchburg friends... and I missed Ryan like CRAZY. At least Ryan came up on Friday morning, so we weren't apart TOO long.

We were supposed to head to Ohio this Wednesday... but we've had to cancel those plans. Gas is just too ridiculous. I'm SO disappointed! I was so excited for Riley to spend time with that side of the family! She hasn't met a lot of Ryan's family... and hasn't seen any of them since EASTER! That's so long for a little one! So hopefully in September, we'll be able to make a trip up. Even if it is just Riley and I... she needs to visit her family.

Thursday afternoon, Mandie and her family came to town. That was a lot of fun! We spent thursday evening with them. Went to dinner and then hung out at the hotel. It's so wonderful when we have family visit! Riley and I spent the day with the boys and with Mandie and her family. We went swimming and then to lunch and then to the park. Riley got about 30 minutes in naps ALL day! EEK! My child normally gets 4 HOURS! in naps during the day! Luckily, she was super happy and smiley. She had a tough first part of the night (just overtired and restless) but slept GREAT from about midnight on!

We've had a nice, relaxing, fun weekend. I've got the week off from watching the boys. Should be relaxing. I think I'll be watching a sweet little baby (she was born June 2) a couple of days this week. I'm so excited! I'll get my baby fix... and then I get to send her home to her parents while I sleep all night!

P.S.... update... that stupid tooth is still right there. Still not through the stupid gum.
P.S.S.... I added 2 new sets to the etsy shop this weekend. The link is on the side.

Crawling around at Noni & PawPaw's

4th of July. She looks so happy. NOT.

Check out her crossed feet. She was trying to sit like a lady.

On the metro heading to D.C.... She was making everyone smile. She was having a good time!

On the Mall downtown.
Riley and Ryan in front of the Washington Monument.
"OMG Dad! Did you see that lady's outfit!? She thinks we're still in 1979!"
"Um mom. I'm trying to get on your message board."

hiiiii

First things first... I need everyone reading to pray for us. Nothing bad - don't worry. But God's answered this prayer before and I need Him to answer it again.

Now...

Let's see. Riley and I traveled up w/ my mom on Sunday to no.va. It was a LONG drive. We left about 3 hrs late and it took us about 4 hrs to get up here! UGH! Luckily after we had dinner in Charlottesville, Riley was content. She slept most of the way... got in around 11, she ate and went to bed. Had to be up early for camp the next day... and Monday night Riley went to bed at 6:30!! She slept straight through until 6:30 the next day!

Riley has been a CHAMP sleeping this week! I'm so proud of her! She likes camp... and likes having her own personal babysitter! One of the volunteers has been playing with her all day while I "work"... it is nice to have a little break, but it is excellent that I can pop in on her whenever I want. I still get to go feed her and then lay her down for her nap a couple of hrs later. It's an ideal situation. A job I love w/ having Riley just steps away!

Camp is going well. I miss it. Some aspects, I don't... but for the most part, I do! I don't know what always draws me back to it. I miss Ryan like cuh-razy! Only 2 more sleeps! After this, I'm going to sleep and it'll make the day come faster! I think he is missing his girls... but is probably enjoying his freedom and the silence. lol

Omnicef seems to be doing the trick at keeping another ear infection at bay... so that is good. Caused a NASTY diaper rash. Poor baby. But I applied a bit of Boudreaux's Butt Paste and it is clearing up nicely! I think the zyrtec is starting to kick in... her congestion is getting a LOT better! So things on that front are looking promising.

now... on to pictures...

mmmm phonesmom thinks it's funny to stick my hair up

love those gold fish graham crackers!

"OMG!!! DID YOU SEE THAT!"

"mom... is that a boy in the bath tub w/ me?"

8 months old!!

Can you believe that the Rooster is 8 months old already??? 4 months until the big ONE! So exciting. I can't believe that she is growing so fast!

As of today, she is up to 14lbs 14oz. 5th %ile, but still growing nicely! Yes... she got weighed today because we went to the pedi AGAIN. Within 24 hrs of being off of the last anti-biotic, she started tugging at her ears again. I thought maybe it was a habit and then today, she was very congested and it was so beautifully colored. Pedi is GREAT! She said her ears look ok NOW but that this is the same pattern as usual and within a week it usually turns in to an ear infection. So, she went ahead and gave her a prescription. We are also starting on some Zyrtec because it seems that the chronic congestion is allergies. If we could get rid of the congestion, we could get rid of the ear infections. So we will see!

Last weekend was a big weekend! I went to a baby shower (by myself! WOOO freedom) on Saturday. Sunday we went to TRBC for church in the a.m.... when Riley was playing in the nursery, she pulled herself up on something and fell on the mat. Silly girl. That's the problem with her new tricks. She's a bit over-confident in herself. Thinking she can do all sorts of tricks her little body isn't ready for. Sunday night we went to the ConVerge cookout. Riley had a little puppy to play with. He is SUPER cute.

Next week is another big week! Riley and I are traveling up to stay at my parents for the week. During that week, we are going to be working at the summer camp that I used to work at. It should be fun and interesting. Hopefully Rooster does ok with that!

I'm 8 months old!!!

The out takes...
"um mom. Are you done taking pictures yet?"
"mom!!! PLEASE stop!!!" (don't mind the blurriness. I think the crying is hilarious"
"mom. I refuse to smile for your lame attempts at taking my picture"This is what I found when she was *supposed* to be napping. She said "happy 8 months to me, I'm learning how to pull up in my crib. I refuse to sit myself down, though! Suckers!"

Hi Dilenger... it's nice to see a puppy that is my size. Want a kiss?
Let me just go ahead and grab you in the face... will you bite me ? (he did not... surprisingly)