Springtime Flies

April was quite the month as Ryan helped us move settle into our new home – we are almost there, but making some great progress – and we have been able to enjoy our new space quite a bit!  

Daddy and Ryan started the month out in the pool at swim class!  Ryan is quite the “fish” – probably one of the happiest guys in the water – even when it’s time to float on his back.  He’s just like his mommy!

After swimming one day both boys got haircuts.  This time around Ryan wasn’t as comfortable with the situation.  Poor guy was very apprehensive and upset … but he made it – and recovered instantly as soon as mom and dad picked him up!

Here he is enduring his hair cut …

And here’s our handsome little boy afterwards!  Sure looks good!

Usually in the spring we head to the race track for a weekend of car fun with Ryan’s Grandma Cec and Grandpa John – but this month we skipped the trip since we were still getting settled in our new home!  Ryan wanted to wear his track shirt in honor of his Grandpa and other Faster Farms friends …

Ryan helped us run a few errands as usual … We have spent a lot of time at our local home improvement stores … Ryan has enjoyed the endless aisles of “boy toys” …

And true to form he hung in there and took his naps where possible … here he is in the car – conked out right in the middle of his book!

Now that we live in a house, Scott has taken on the task of mowing our lawn!  Ryan loves his new lawn so we thought it best that he take part in the first lawn mowing experience.

Here are the boys ready to mow the lawn … looks like Scott’s mower will do a better job, but Ryan scores a lot of points for trying to help!

Ryan and I watched as Scott mowed the lawn – sure looked good when he finished! 

Time at home isn’t all chores and tasks … When it comes to playtime, Ryan has kept very busy!

He’s recently taken to a new activity – he loves to push toys around, whether they have wheels or not!

Here he is pushing is dump truck around the family room …

We also tried out play dough for the first time!  Ryan’s friend Eliana had her 2^nd birthday party and one of her adorable party favors was play dough!  Ryan’s first thought was that it could be a good snack … but he quickly decided that it wasn't his choice for food!  Mommy showed him how to squish it, squeeze it, and roll it … but he still wasn't sure what he was to do with it!  Maybe next time he’ll have a better idea …

Here he is as he examines his play dough …

Outside we have had quite a lot of fun!  In addition to his long walks all the way around the block (he sleeps well on those nights!) he loves spending time on the grass in our yard.  It’s been very warm in our area so one of our new favorite activities is water play!  Mommy put some water into bowls and we tossed in some kitchenware and bath toys for some outdoor water fun.  It didn't take Ryan long to be completely soaked – but it certainly didn't bother him one bit!

Ryan’s vocabulary has suddenly blossomed from a few sounds and lots of signs – to his own words for so many things and even more signs!  He’s come a long way with communication – and he’s much happier for it – as are mom and dad!   He covers the important words like:  “Nah”  (truck), “JahJah” (jacket), “Daa” (duck), “Dauh” (dog), “Keizzs” (keys), and “Cheezz"” (cheese) …

Here we are enjoying some "Cheezz" ... and avocado.  Ryan has had avocado almost daily ... he loooves that stuff right now.  But I guess it could be worse!

A fast and most wonderful month it has been!  May is sure to bring more joy as we get ready for Ryan’s little sister and officially settle into our home!  Summer is just around the corner!

… on to the next adventure!

Over the "18 Month Hill" and off to a new house we go!

March was quite the busy month! 

Scott and I started the month out right with a nice date night together.  We had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants – it was nice to sit down and visit together just the two of us!  We got to eat together at the same time too – what a concept!  In fact, we had to remind each other that we didn't need to “speed eat” … we actually weren't racing the bath time or bedtime clock :)

After the relaxing start to the month, we took off running.  Four weeks away from our current lease ending, we started looking for a new place to live!  We decided it was time for more space – and we were also hoping for something outside of a complex. 

The next 3 weeks were spent searching, calling, scheduling and then running around all weekend viewing potential places!  Ryan was a trooper as usual.  Most weekends we were out from 9am to 5pm and he just slept and ate “on the go” – such a tough guy! 

Here’s Ryan making the best of our outings!

After a long and exhausting search we found a house that we liked!  It’s in a great neighborhood, has a good layout – Ryan and his sister get their own rooms!, and has a great backyard! 

Time to start packing … you would think that this process would be upsetting to a toddler, but not for Ryan!  He made the best of it – finding ways to “help”, usually by UNpacking boxes, experimenting with packing tape and moving boxes around for us!  What a great helper!

Here’s Ryan taking a break from packing to give his sister a nice big hug!

And in the midst of our busy schedule, we did some more experimenting with different foods and flavors!  This month Ryan sampled a few interesting things …

Olives are a hit!

… we ate them with two hands they were so good!

Cajun style red beans and rice are also a hit!  Guess we like zippy flavors!

And before we knew it, the end of the month had arrived!  First came Ryan’s 18 month birthday on the 29^th!  Time if flying by, I can’t believe my baby is a year and a half old!

Here’s a quick glance back … this is Ryan in his first week …

And here he is at 18 months old!

… he’s not a baby anymore!  What a big boy!

This year the Easter bunny brought Ryan a new home, so it was a very low key holiday for us in that regard … but we did a little bit of celebrating over the holiday weekend between our last minute packing needs!

Here’s Ryan enjoying an Easter visit with Scott’s side of the family.  They have a little putting green in their yard and Ryan likes to throw the balls …

Ryan got a lot of Easter cards wishing him a very “hoppy” day!  Here he is checking out the card from Grandma Cec and Grandpa John:

On Easter Sunday we went to our new place to do some painting!  With moving day 4 days away, we thought it best to get the painting out of the way so that we could move in without having to deal with paint odor.  We painted an accent wall in all 3 of the bedrooms – it was a long day, but we got through it!

Ryan took a little snooze on mommy … he’s just waking up.  Such a trooper.

Since it was Easter after all … we thought it appropriate to have some Easter cupcakes!  While daddy finished the painting, Ryan sampled some cake … looks like it was a hit!  I think I know where he gets his sweet tooth … he and I polished off the cupcake in a matter of minutes!

And before we knew it, moving day had arrived!  It was a long 4 days of boxes, cleaning and other last minute items to take care of before we could feel at home.  Moving into a house required a great deal of work and we took it one day at a time …

Boxes and more boxes!

Ryan helping daddy!

Thanks to Scott being as patient and loving as he is, Ryan and I are getting through this change and some extra challenges … and we are finally getting settled into our new home!  There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are getting much closer!

The kitchen is almost done ...

Ryan's room! 

Ryan starting to feel at home ...

Hanging out in the front yard!

Ryan just loves his new home – his favorite things include walking up and down the hallway … over and over again!  Before we know it, he’ll be running up and down the hall!  His walking is getting stronger everyday!  He is even standing up on his own!  

Another favorite is all of the outdoor space!  He loves waving at cars as they drive by in front, and at the trees and birds in the back. 

Our family will thrive and will make so many memories in this new home!

… on to the next adventure!

Short and Sweet

February is a short month, but we somehow managed to cram quite a bit of exciting things into the quickly passing days!

The month started with the Super Bowl weekend … While daddy went golfing with some friends Ryan and I went to the park for some fresh air and a swing!  Ryan loves the outdoors, but he’s had a change of heart when it comes to swings!  

Clearly, he is not a fan!

 Super Bowl Sunday was a relaxing day at home – we were hoping for a 49ers win, but regardless we had a great time rooting for our team!

The day wasn't a total loss either, Ryan gained his 2^nd cousin that day!  Scott’s sister and husband had their first – a baby girl – born just before the end of the game!  Now Ryan is the proud cousin to Freida, his 4 legged cousin :) and to Alexis, his Super Bowl Sunday cousin!

The month also started out on a good note with a couple of doctor appointments.  Ryan is thriving and he proved it at his appointments.  We were beyond relieved that his sleep study results were good and he passed his hearing test with flying colors!

Here he is smiling big at the doctor enjoying our good news!

We kept very busy this month getting some things lined up for Ryan’s sister-to-be, meeting with friends and family and our usual errands that are always part of our weekend.

Sometimes while running errands we get a bit sidetracked … here’s Ryan “test driving” one of his favorite cars …

As you can see from his shirt, he’s seriously considering a career in auto racing …

Racing and cars is in this kid's DNA ... as you can see!

And somehow between all of that, we managed to have some fantastic quality time at home! 

Here’s Ryan’s first experience with crayons … not really too sure how they work yet, he had more fun “organizing” them and probably would have eaten a good chunk of them if we weren't watching closely …

Ryan has been busy this month – he’s picking up so many new skills it’s blowing us away!

He’s taken up cooking … here he is "helping" in the kitchen ...

Now it's time to whip up some dinner for mommy …

Sign language has become a major part of our everyday life.  Ryan has picked up so many signs now.  He can tell us when he’s hungry, when he wants milk, if he wants crackers, when he’s “all done” or if he wants “more”.  He’s most recently learned to sign “ball”.   Sometimes we get a little mixed up about the context – but in general he’s embracing the signs and loves his new found ability to communicate!

Here we are studying our sign book:

Shapes and colors are still a challenge, but we are starting to get the hang of them.  Ryan loves his new puzzle … he’s pretty quick to celebrate – even sometimes if we've managed to fit the wrong piece into a spot :)  But overall he is really picking this up quickly.

Here he is as he figures where to put a puzzle piece – my smarty pants!

Food is still a big part of our daily adventures.  Ryan has been experiencing all sorts of new flavors.  Some new favorites include artichoke hearts, sharp cheddar cheese, hummus, tomatoes, eggs and more.  Somehow vegetables are getting pushed aside for “tastier” foods … funny how that works!

Here we are enjoying some eggs for the first time!

And as you can see hummus is a big hit!

Our BIGGEST and most exciting accomplishment of the month would be Ryan’s FIRST STEPS!  He’s officially standing on his own – he’ll let go, stand upright on his own and claps and squeals until we congratulate him!  

And only a day after he discovered standing, he got even more brave …  He’s already taken a few steps and turns and is getting more stable everyday.  It’s only a matter of time until he’s running around our house!  

Here is my big boy – standing all on his own!

Ryan is so excited about his new accomplishments and we couldn't be happier.  He continues to amaze us each and every day - words cannot express how proud we are!

... On to the next adventure ...