Wednesday, July 27, 2011
current Riley stats
Riley had her 15 month appointment yesterday (even though she's now closer to 16 months!) She got a couple shots and her measurements taken. I was very close in my guess saying Riley was probably around 22 pounds. She weighs 21 lbs 14 oz and is still in the 25th percentile. Her height is 32 inches, which is the 90th percentile. Aaron said "no wonder she gets mistaken for a 2 year old all the time, she's tall and skinny!" Riley is super active so her weight makes sense right now. Anyway, the doctor was pleased with everything. She's a healthy girl! Skinny or not, that's all we care about.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
beast cat
I was asked about Tater (our cat) and how he gets along with Riley recently. I thought I'd go ahead and post it. After all, Tater is part of our family and before Riley we referred to him as our "son" when Aaron and I would talk about him.
Well, the quick answer is -- Tater doesn't really get along with anyone, let alone Riley. And, we haven't called him our "son" since the day Riley was born.
Tater is our cat. He's a cat. He's a pet. An animal. Not our "son."
Tater was always weird, to be honest. From day one he ate his food entirely too fast and would turn around looking as if someone were going to take it away. He scarfs his food down. We feed him twice a day. He used to be on a diet. We haven't taken him to the vet in awhile so I don't know what they'd recommend for him now, probably a diet still (he's huge) but we feed him if he's hungry. Why not? I hate diets. Tater must too.
Tater (his full name is Tater Tot, by the way) never liked people - especially men. Any repair man of any sort scares the meow out of him. He's a wuss. I've found him hiding under the bed, couches and even in the bathtub before. He hisses. He growls. He swats and kicks. He attempts to bite. Being scared makes him do nasty things.
Tater is mean. People come over and want to pet him, so as they attempt to he'll immediately swat at them, or try to bite them or just run away hissing. We have to explain our cat every. single. time. someone comes over. It gets old. We have to explain that he's different and to just avoid him - ignore him.
Tater does not like Emillie, Hannah or Riley either. He tolerates them to the point he has to but he really doesn't care for them. And actually, the girls don't care for him much either anymore. They just tell him to shut up as he hisses. They are totally used to him and his ways. Riley, on the other hand...
Riley still loves Tater. She's too young to understand that he's mean. Actually, I take that back. Tater has growled and swatted at her - and she's pouted and started to cry before. She's had her feelings hurt several times by him already. Riley loves cats. "at" was her first word besides Dada, of course. She loves cats. Loves meowing. Loves Tater. She loves touching him, following him, etc. Tater will let Riley get close sometimes but eventually he gets annoyed and turns mean or just runs away. He's never bit Riley. If he ever does, Aaron will probably remove him from this house immediately (not that I could argue that).
Tater tolerates me and Aaron too. If it weren't for us feeding him, he'd have nothing to do with us. He's not affectionate. Not a lap cat. You can't hold him (only Aaron can) and he's nice only a small amount of time. Many times I start petting him thinking he's being nice and sweet and...nope! He goes to bite me and I yell at him. The end. Same story, different days.
Actually, my allergies are getting worse (probably because I'm off allergy shots currently) and I can't even pet Tater or hold him. His fur instantly bothers me. I vacuum like crazy. Lucky for me I'm a neat freak anyway so vacuuming doesn't bother me in the least. It's a chore I enjoy. (If any of you want to pay me to vacuum your house, please call!) Aaron has to brush Tater because I can't handle his fur flying in the air.
I love cats. I grew up with cats. I'm so sad that I'm really allergic to them. Aaron wants us to get a nice cat and for me to get my allergy shots again. Ha ha. Well, that may happen in our future. We'll see.
Seriously though, what do you do with a bad cat? We've had him 5 years already and he's about that old. While I don't like his behavior I do get sad when thinking of getting rid of him. He's our cat. I just feel weird even talking about getting rid of him. But truthfully, he's not enjoyable to be around. Our emotional ties to him are growing further apart - thanks to having Riley now, a "real" child. Ha ha. Oh, Tater. How I wish you'd snap out of it and be nice already!
Aaron and I would love for Riley to grow up with a sweet, affectionate cat. That's what we want. And it's not what we have. It's frustrating.
Tater does have one thing going for him though - he's a hunter. He catches nasty crickets and mice that we get in this old house of ours. He's good for something. One thing.
Anyway, if anyone wants a mean cat - let me know. We may be able to arrange something! He is declawed - so his swats are just that. He can't claw you...oh but he can with his back claws. Oops, forgot that part. Well, regardless, let me know if you want him. He is handsome!
Well, the quick answer is -- Tater doesn't really get along with anyone, let alone Riley. And, we haven't called him our "son" since the day Riley was born.
Tater is our cat. He's a cat. He's a pet. An animal. Not our "son."
Tater was always weird, to be honest. From day one he ate his food entirely too fast and would turn around looking as if someone were going to take it away. He scarfs his food down. We feed him twice a day. He used to be on a diet. We haven't taken him to the vet in awhile so I don't know what they'd recommend for him now, probably a diet still (he's huge) but we feed him if he's hungry. Why not? I hate diets. Tater must too.
Tater (his full name is Tater Tot, by the way) never liked people - especially men. Any repair man of any sort scares the meow out of him. He's a wuss. I've found him hiding under the bed, couches and even in the bathtub before. He hisses. He growls. He swats and kicks. He attempts to bite. Being scared makes him do nasty things.
Tater is mean. People come over and want to pet him, so as they attempt to he'll immediately swat at them, or try to bite them or just run away hissing. We have to explain our cat every. single. time. someone comes over. It gets old. We have to explain that he's different and to just avoid him - ignore him.
Tater does not like Emillie, Hannah or Riley either. He tolerates them to the point he has to but he really doesn't care for them. And actually, the girls don't care for him much either anymore. They just tell him to shut up as he hisses. They are totally used to him and his ways. Riley, on the other hand...
Riley still loves Tater. She's too young to understand that he's mean. Actually, I take that back. Tater has growled and swatted at her - and she's pouted and started to cry before. She's had her feelings hurt several times by him already. Riley loves cats. "at" was her first word besides Dada, of course. She loves cats. Loves meowing. Loves Tater. She loves touching him, following him, etc. Tater will let Riley get close sometimes but eventually he gets annoyed and turns mean or just runs away. He's never bit Riley. If he ever does, Aaron will probably remove him from this house immediately (not that I could argue that).
Tater tolerates me and Aaron too. If it weren't for us feeding him, he'd have nothing to do with us. He's not affectionate. Not a lap cat. You can't hold him (only Aaron can) and he's nice only a small amount of time. Many times I start petting him thinking he's being nice and sweet and...nope! He goes to bite me and I yell at him. The end. Same story, different days.
Actually, my allergies are getting worse (probably because I'm off allergy shots currently) and I can't even pet Tater or hold him. His fur instantly bothers me. I vacuum like crazy. Lucky for me I'm a neat freak anyway so vacuuming doesn't bother me in the least. It's a chore I enjoy. (If any of you want to pay me to vacuum your house, please call!) Aaron has to brush Tater because I can't handle his fur flying in the air.
I love cats. I grew up with cats. I'm so sad that I'm really allergic to them. Aaron wants us to get a nice cat and for me to get my allergy shots again. Ha ha. Well, that may happen in our future. We'll see.
Seriously though, what do you do with a bad cat? We've had him 5 years already and he's about that old. While I don't like his behavior I do get sad when thinking of getting rid of him. He's our cat. I just feel weird even talking about getting rid of him. But truthfully, he's not enjoyable to be around. Our emotional ties to him are growing further apart - thanks to having Riley now, a "real" child. Ha ha. Oh, Tater. How I wish you'd snap out of it and be nice already!
Aaron and I would love for Riley to grow up with a sweet, affectionate cat. That's what we want. And it's not what we have. It's frustrating.
Tater does have one thing going for him though - he's a hunter. He catches nasty crickets and mice that we get in this old house of ours. He's good for something. One thing.
Anyway, if anyone wants a mean cat - let me know. We may be able to arrange something! He is declawed - so his swats are just that. He can't claw you...oh but he can with his back claws. Oops, forgot that part. Well, regardless, let me know if you want him. He is handsome!
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| aww, he's cute right? so innocent looking. |
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| don't you just want to cuddle with him?! |
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| look at that tub! someone's not on a diet... |
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| this is as close as i can get |
family photo
Here is a picture of my little family the last morning we were in NY on vaca:
Thank you, Mom F for sending these to me! <3
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| 7-18-11 |
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| I love this - Riley messing with Hannah's hair, so typical |
Thank you, Mom F for sending these to me! <3
Sunday, July 24, 2011
friends
I hope you all don't mind, but I am going to take this opportunity and use my blog as if it were my journal. It's not often I get too personal on this blog, but I really have had a lot on my mind and heart lately.
I find I'm still struggling to balance my life out in a way that makes me 100% happy. I absolutely love my husband, family and baby girl to pieces. So please don't think for a second I'm not happy with any of them - because I am. What I'm not happy about is feeling so tied down in this role as a wife and mother to the point where I don't really get enough "friend" time. To talk to a friend on the phone, or via e-mail. To visit old co-workers at lunch. To get on a plane and visit some old college friends. Ugh. I don't feel like I get enough of my friends. It's a part of my life that took a hit the day Riley was born. And, I miss it.
I've never been one to have loads of friends. Never. I was never popular. (I know, shocking!) I kept a handful of close friends everywhere I went. In HS, in college, at work, and now as a stay-at-home mom. While my handful of close friends has changed here and there - I am still friendly with everyone and try my hardest to keep in touch with all (near and far) but it's hard. I know I'm not the only one that is busy, so I'm sure most of you reading this will immediately forgive my absence in your life. I hope.
I just miss you all. I never knew how much being a mom would consume my whole being. It's everything. It's an important everything and should be top priority - but I need to work harder at balancing my life in a way that keeps me happy, in all realms. I need my girlfriends. Need them.
I don't feel like I call enough, e-mail enough, ask you over enough, hang out enough, etc. I have a million excuses why but I'm not sure you want to hear them. So, I'll tell you. Ha. I'm busy with Riley all day, when she naps I have a list of things I want to accomplish that nap and one phone call blows half that nap time, then after she goes to sleep at night there are dishes and cleaning up to do. If I dare go out for a walk or jog alone, it's then I do that. Then it's a shower, hang out with my husband briefly, a small amount of "me" time if possible and then bed. Same thing every day. Yes, even on weekends. They are no different.
All mom's - working or stay-at-home are BUSY. I never knew what busy could really be like until Riley came along.
Some of you want to do lunch. Let me tell you, unless you come to my house - that's hard too. Riley eats early. She's messy, she needs my constant attention, and when she's done eating she needs out of the highchair ASAP or we have an emergency. She then runs around and I no longer can eat and finish my lunch. Eating out is expensive. We gave up my income so I could raise Riley. Eating out - see, right there that's tough - if it involves me spending money, it's probably not a good idea. Shortly after lunch, Riley goes down for a nap - usually by 1 pm.
Oh, you want to do dinner? Yeah, same thing. If it's eating out - I can only do that once in a great while because of the money thing. I also need to make sure it's a night Aaron would be around to watch Riley while I went out. Going to someone else's house for dinner is nice too but we usually have to leave relatively early because of Riley's early bedtime. And again, Riley needs constant attention so if she's around - having an enjoyable meal is pretty much out of the question. It's all about her. Rightfully so!
Anyway, I could go on and on about why I can't see my friends but it doesn't take away the fact that I want to and that I miss you and that I wish I could just escape for a lunch or dinner out to see you. While I do get chances to break away - it doesn't happen often so I try my hardest to enjoy the moments I do get and the visits I do get with each of you.
What I'm asking is for your patience and understanding. Some of you absolutely know what I'm talking about and can relate, others of you can imagine it, and maybe some of you are just now getting it. Whatever the case, please know I haven't forgotten you. That I appreciate you. That I need you in my life, even if we rarely speak. Sounds so sad, I know.
Riley won't always be this needy. I won't always be a stay-at-home mom. We won't always be on a tight schedule. We may not always be in this state. Things change. I won't always be in this position, feeling this guilty about my lack of connection with each of you. I just needed to share with you how I am feeling because friendship is important to me and I know my actions haven't proved that lately.
If I say I can't do something, don't take it personally - understand it just doesn't fit in our schedule and our financial means right now. But if I ask you over or do have a free night, understand that it's an opportunity to get together and catch up - even if it is on my time. I hope you all can be understanding and forgiving.
I'll leave you with a quote by Emily Matthews - "Once in a while we meet someone who makes us feel so good, Who seems to understand us in a way few people could - Someone who's truly glad for us when things are going well, Who's always there to listen when we've something new to tell. Once in awhile we find someone on whom we can depend - That's why we're really lucky, for we've found ourselves a friend."
I'm grateful and blessed to have you, friends, in my life. Thank you for being there when I need you. I hope you can say the same about me. I hope that I too have been a good friend - even during this new phase of my life as a mother. I'm still learning how to balance it all out.
I find I'm still struggling to balance my life out in a way that makes me 100% happy. I absolutely love my husband, family and baby girl to pieces. So please don't think for a second I'm not happy with any of them - because I am. What I'm not happy about is feeling so tied down in this role as a wife and mother to the point where I don't really get enough "friend" time. To talk to a friend on the phone, or via e-mail. To visit old co-workers at lunch. To get on a plane and visit some old college friends. Ugh. I don't feel like I get enough of my friends. It's a part of my life that took a hit the day Riley was born. And, I miss it.
I've never been one to have loads of friends. Never. I was never popular. (I know, shocking!) I kept a handful of close friends everywhere I went. In HS, in college, at work, and now as a stay-at-home mom. While my handful of close friends has changed here and there - I am still friendly with everyone and try my hardest to keep in touch with all (near and far) but it's hard. I know I'm not the only one that is busy, so I'm sure most of you reading this will immediately forgive my absence in your life. I hope.
I just miss you all. I never knew how much being a mom would consume my whole being. It's everything. It's an important everything and should be top priority - but I need to work harder at balancing my life in a way that keeps me happy, in all realms. I need my girlfriends. Need them.
I don't feel like I call enough, e-mail enough, ask you over enough, hang out enough, etc. I have a million excuses why but I'm not sure you want to hear them. So, I'll tell you. Ha. I'm busy with Riley all day, when she naps I have a list of things I want to accomplish that nap and one phone call blows half that nap time, then after she goes to sleep at night there are dishes and cleaning up to do. If I dare go out for a walk or jog alone, it's then I do that. Then it's a shower, hang out with my husband briefly, a small amount of "me" time if possible and then bed. Same thing every day. Yes, even on weekends. They are no different.
All mom's - working or stay-at-home are BUSY. I never knew what busy could really be like until Riley came along.
Some of you want to do lunch. Let me tell you, unless you come to my house - that's hard too. Riley eats early. She's messy, she needs my constant attention, and when she's done eating she needs out of the highchair ASAP or we have an emergency. She then runs around and I no longer can eat and finish my lunch. Eating out is expensive. We gave up my income so I could raise Riley. Eating out - see, right there that's tough - if it involves me spending money, it's probably not a good idea. Shortly after lunch, Riley goes down for a nap - usually by 1 pm.
Oh, you want to do dinner? Yeah, same thing. If it's eating out - I can only do that once in a great while because of the money thing. I also need to make sure it's a night Aaron would be around to watch Riley while I went out. Going to someone else's house for dinner is nice too but we usually have to leave relatively early because of Riley's early bedtime. And again, Riley needs constant attention so if she's around - having an enjoyable meal is pretty much out of the question. It's all about her. Rightfully so!
Anyway, I could go on and on about why I can't see my friends but it doesn't take away the fact that I want to and that I miss you and that I wish I could just escape for a lunch or dinner out to see you. While I do get chances to break away - it doesn't happen often so I try my hardest to enjoy the moments I do get and the visits I do get with each of you.
What I'm asking is for your patience and understanding. Some of you absolutely know what I'm talking about and can relate, others of you can imagine it, and maybe some of you are just now getting it. Whatever the case, please know I haven't forgotten you. That I appreciate you. That I need you in my life, even if we rarely speak. Sounds so sad, I know.
Riley won't always be this needy. I won't always be a stay-at-home mom. We won't always be on a tight schedule. We may not always be in this state. Things change. I won't always be in this position, feeling this guilty about my lack of connection with each of you. I just needed to share with you how I am feeling because friendship is important to me and I know my actions haven't proved that lately.
If I say I can't do something, don't take it personally - understand it just doesn't fit in our schedule and our financial means right now. But if I ask you over or do have a free night, understand that it's an opportunity to get together and catch up - even if it is on my time. I hope you all can be understanding and forgiving.
I'll leave you with a quote by Emily Matthews - "Once in a while we meet someone who makes us feel so good, Who seems to understand us in a way few people could - Someone who's truly glad for us when things are going well, Who's always there to listen when we've something new to tell. Once in awhile we find someone on whom we can depend - That's why we're really lucky, for we've found ourselves a friend."
I'm grateful and blessed to have you, friends, in my life. Thank you for being there when I need you. I hope you can say the same about me. I hope that I too have been a good friend - even during this new phase of my life as a mother. I'm still learning how to balance it all out.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
vaca pics!
Pictures from our NY visit, as promised:
Pool fun...
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| Aaron and Riley |
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| Riley loved swimming with her Daddy |
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| Mommy even got in with Riley some! |
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| Riley in the baby pool |
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| Uncle Ethan decided to hop in! |
Indoor fun...
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| Gracie and Riley wearing the same outfit that Grandma Kathy gave them! |
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| Riley loved Uncle Ethan's big recliner (who doesn't?!) |
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| Gracie warmed up to Uncle Aaron real fast, she loves him she even fell asleep in his arms! |
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| Riley playing |
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| even when Riley was inside playing, she loved playing with the pool toys! |
Visit with Great Grandpa...
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| Aaron, Riley, Grandpa Russel, Ethan and Gracie |
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| Riley's first visit to meet her Great Grandpa F |
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| Gracie and Ethan |
Lake fun...
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| Lake Ontario |
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| Emillie and Hannah |
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| skipping rocks! |
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| Mommy pushing Riley in swing |
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| Riley absolutely loves the swing |
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| super woman! |
Fun at the hardware store...
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| Riley loved all the kitties |
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| so did Hannah and Emillie |
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| Riley was a hoot carrying this basket around with knobs in it |
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| Me, Riley, Hannah, Aunt Marlene and Emillie |
While I'm happy with the photos we did get, I'm also very disappointed because there were many people we did not get photos of! We have none of the girls' Grandma and Grandpa F, Aunt Carrie, Aunt Jenn, Great Grandpa Gordy and Betty, Great Aunt Karen and Great Uncle John, Bill, Marge, Amy, Carol, cousin Matt and his family, etc etc. We saw so many people during our stay in NY but as always, we were busy dealing with Riley and just enjoying the visit, socializing and hanging out. Our pictures do not capture all that we saw and did but at least you all can get a glimpse into our visit.
Also, if any of our NY family has some pictures of our family from the morning we left (and any other good pics), I would love a copy! E-mail is fine. Hint hint...
:)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
MIA
Sorry I've been MIA. We just got back from a wonderful family vacation in upstate NY, visiting with Aaron's family. We were gone a good 10 days and now it's back to reality! We've actually been non-stop since getting home Monday night. (Not to mention, the heat here at home is unreal!!) I haven't had a chance to even upload our pictures yet. I have a few on my camera, but most of them are on Aaron's and I'm not even sure what all he took. It'll be fun going through them. I hope to get to that this week at some point.
Our vacation was a really nice break away and it was so good seeing Aaron's family. We did a lot of hanging out, eating great food (especially, desserts!), swimming in the pool and playing indoors and out. We visited the lake one day and played at the park, and skipped rocks in the water. We got to go to a carnival one night too! Emillie and Hannah had a blast. They had fun with their Grandma and Grandpa and aunts and uncles. They saw the movie Cars 2 and got manicures with their Aunt Carrie and were spoiled rotten at the carnival thanks to Uncle Ethan and Aunt Jenn! Grandma and Grandpa treated them to new outfits, and yummy breakfasts. We visited the hardware store that Aunt Marlene runs and played with all the kitties that live there (Riley was loving it). Gracie (our niece) is so stinkin' cute. Riley and her even played together a few times, well briefly. Mostly, Riley was wondering around (as usual) and keeping Mommy and everyone else busy. We witnessed Gracie crawling for the first time too! We had visits from many friends and family members during the course of the week and we appreciated all the goodies you all gave us and the girls. We had a great time catching up with you all and miss you already. Thank you for such a great time!
Stay tuned for pictures...
Our vacation was a really nice break away and it was so good seeing Aaron's family. We did a lot of hanging out, eating great food (especially, desserts!), swimming in the pool and playing indoors and out. We visited the lake one day and played at the park, and skipped rocks in the water. We got to go to a carnival one night too! Emillie and Hannah had a blast. They had fun with their Grandma and Grandpa and aunts and uncles. They saw the movie Cars 2 and got manicures with their Aunt Carrie and were spoiled rotten at the carnival thanks to Uncle Ethan and Aunt Jenn! Grandma and Grandpa treated them to new outfits, and yummy breakfasts. We visited the hardware store that Aunt Marlene runs and played with all the kitties that live there (Riley was loving it). Gracie (our niece) is so stinkin' cute. Riley and her even played together a few times, well briefly. Mostly, Riley was wondering around (as usual) and keeping Mommy and everyone else busy. We witnessed Gracie crawling for the first time too! We had visits from many friends and family members during the course of the week and we appreciated all the goodies you all gave us and the girls. We had a great time catching up with you all and miss you already. Thank you for such a great time!
Stay tuned for pictures...
animal crackers
I treated Riley to her very first box of Barnum's animal crackers.
You know the ones that come in the little red box with a string to carry?
We were out running errands and I gave Riley her snacks as usual.
I saw these in the store and had to get them for her to try!
OK, Mommy stole a few too - OK, a handful.
They were good, but not nearly as good as I had remembered - must be a kid thing.
Riley enjoyed them. She even roared like a lion before eating them.
Riley played with the box the whole day, carrying it around like it was her purse.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Riley is 15 mos!
I wanted to update everyone on Riley.
She just turned 15 months old yesterday. Her appointment is not until later this month, but I'm guessing she's around 22 lbs. We'll see if I'm way off! Ha ha. She's growing like a weed. She's so tall. Everyone we see in public thinks she's older than she is. I don't know if it's because she has a lot of hair, or is tall or what. She looks like a full on toddler now. No baby here!
Her teeth are growing in so much. She now has 16 teeth! We're only waiting on her last 4 molars to come in. She's still biting on things and curious about what stuff tastes like but in general puts less in her mouth. She drools less too, ha ha.
Riley's becoming more picky about foods. From 9 to 12 months old she'd put just about anything in her mouth that you gave her. She's slowly getting pickier. If I had to pick favorite foods right now - they'd all be fruit. She loves blueberries, strawberries, watermelon and grapes. She eats chicken and cheese well too. Macaroni and cheese is always a favorite, gee go figure! She loves avacado, sweet potato and winter squash. Carrots, peas and green beans, only sometimes. She loves beans...especially baked beans! She loves hot dogs. Ice cream. Cheerios. Puffs. All those snacks, sweets and foods that are "treats" she loves. Typical toddler. She loves her milk too.
Books are a favorite. She's loved books as long as I can remember. She will sit down and "read" through a book herself. Flipping pages, talking out loud, pointing, etc. She now will pick out a book and come over to us and turn around to sit in our lap - basically telling us, "read this to me, now!" It's really cute. She loves animals in her books.
Speaking of animals, she loves saying all their sounds. She knows what a horse, pig, dog, cat, cow, sheep, duck and lion say. If she doesn't know what an animal says, she'll just "roar." Dog is the newest one.
She's saying "mama" for a cat now. It was "at" for awhile, then she started to meow like a cat but it sounded like "ma" instead. Now she'll say "mama" to a cat. Maybe she's meowing twice? I don't know, but I don't like it. Ha! I'm trying to get her back to calling it a "at" or meow only once. I'm mama, not a cat!
She still doesn't say "mama" to me. Not really. She can say the word. I think she's said "mama" and "dada" to my mom when she's watched her and we're not around - but says it to my face rarely. And now when she says it I get excited, only to notice her looking at a picture of a cat, or talking to Tater or something. Weird. Anyway, she's got "dada" down.
Riley likes singing, dancing, and talking more. She's a little ball of energy and entertainment. She loves moving. Loves walking, running, twirling, jumping, swinging, etc. Any movement. She rarely sits still. She cracks up when Aaron throws her in the air. She loves getting so dizzy and then walking around stumbling. Aaron calls her a "drunken sailor" when she does that. It's funny.
She loves giving kisses, and blowing kisses. Waving "bye bye" or saying "hi" to people in the store. Sometimes I'll just see her randomly wave to people. It's really cute. Other times she'll shy away, turning her head. She's not always acting shy but still does at times.
She loves her "blankie." We use several of the same kind of blanket, but she loves cuddling with it and dragging it around. She sleeps holding on to it a lot now. She went through a phase of throwing everything out of her crib, but now she keeps stuff in - not everything, but some things. I give her books and toys to look at and play with - it gives me extra time when she wakes to sleep in or get things done during her nap time.
Riley has one long nap now, after lunch. She transitioned to one nap somewhere between 13 and 14 months. I continued offering her two naps for a good month before deciding she didn't need that second one anymore. We played limbo for awhile. One nap suits her now. She sleeps 2-3 hours in the afternoon and still is down for about 11-12 hours at night. Her bedtime is still early, 7-ish.
She had her first public tantrum last week, in Target. I was in an aisle, still shopping, and going to give her some snacks - her Cheerios. I thought of giving her the little container but changed my mind, I pulled it away from her (not even saying "no" or anything) and was going to hand her some instead - yeah, she didn't like that. Started crying, screaming and was so mad! I couldn't do anything during that tantrum. I literally stood there in the aisle and watched her. It felt like it lasted forever, but really it was maybe a minute or so. Finally, she calmed down and I gave her the Cheerios. I can't hold Riley or comfort her during a tantrum, she just has to have her mad episode and then calm down before we can move on from it. It was very embarassing for me. I think I heard someone in the next aisle complaining about her crying. That typical "shut that baby up!" comment. Let me tell you. You can not shut a baby up when they are having a tantrum. It cannot be done. Be patient with people in the stores and know that most times the parents are doing the best they can! I know this isn't always the case. But I'm a good mother, and my daughter still acts terrible at times.
Riley is so much fun at this age (tantrums aside), but let me tell you she exhausts us too. I still have to say "no" a lot, but it's getting better all the time. At least in our house. She's learning finally that some stuff is a no touch zone. Aaron just installed more cabinet locks today actually. She kept getting into too much and we were over using the word "no" for no reason. It should be better now.
If I forgot anything or you are curious about what she may or may not be doing, by all means - ask me! I think I hit the main points that I wanted.
Happy 15 months, Riley!
She just turned 15 months old yesterday. Her appointment is not until later this month, but I'm guessing she's around 22 lbs. We'll see if I'm way off! Ha ha. She's growing like a weed. She's so tall. Everyone we see in public thinks she's older than she is. I don't know if it's because she has a lot of hair, or is tall or what. She looks like a full on toddler now. No baby here!
Her teeth are growing in so much. She now has 16 teeth! We're only waiting on her last 4 molars to come in. She's still biting on things and curious about what stuff tastes like but in general puts less in her mouth. She drools less too, ha ha.
Riley's becoming more picky about foods. From 9 to 12 months old she'd put just about anything in her mouth that you gave her. She's slowly getting pickier. If I had to pick favorite foods right now - they'd all be fruit. She loves blueberries, strawberries, watermelon and grapes. She eats chicken and cheese well too. Macaroni and cheese is always a favorite, gee go figure! She loves avacado, sweet potato and winter squash. Carrots, peas and green beans, only sometimes. She loves beans...especially baked beans! She loves hot dogs. Ice cream. Cheerios. Puffs. All those snacks, sweets and foods that are "treats" she loves. Typical toddler. She loves her milk too.
Books are a favorite. She's loved books as long as I can remember. She will sit down and "read" through a book herself. Flipping pages, talking out loud, pointing, etc. She now will pick out a book and come over to us and turn around to sit in our lap - basically telling us, "read this to me, now!" It's really cute. She loves animals in her books.
Speaking of animals, she loves saying all their sounds. She knows what a horse, pig, dog, cat, cow, sheep, duck and lion say. If she doesn't know what an animal says, she'll just "roar." Dog is the newest one.
She's saying "mama" for a cat now. It was "at" for awhile, then she started to meow like a cat but it sounded like "ma" instead. Now she'll say "mama" to a cat. Maybe she's meowing twice? I don't know, but I don't like it. Ha! I'm trying to get her back to calling it a "at" or meow only once. I'm mama, not a cat!
She still doesn't say "mama" to me. Not really. She can say the word. I think she's said "mama" and "dada" to my mom when she's watched her and we're not around - but says it to my face rarely. And now when she says it I get excited, only to notice her looking at a picture of a cat, or talking to Tater or something. Weird. Anyway, she's got "dada" down.
Riley likes singing, dancing, and talking more. She's a little ball of energy and entertainment. She loves moving. Loves walking, running, twirling, jumping, swinging, etc. Any movement. She rarely sits still. She cracks up when Aaron throws her in the air. She loves getting so dizzy and then walking around stumbling. Aaron calls her a "drunken sailor" when she does that. It's funny.
She loves giving kisses, and blowing kisses. Waving "bye bye" or saying "hi" to people in the store. Sometimes I'll just see her randomly wave to people. It's really cute. Other times she'll shy away, turning her head. She's not always acting shy but still does at times.
She loves her "blankie." We use several of the same kind of blanket, but she loves cuddling with it and dragging it around. She sleeps holding on to it a lot now. She went through a phase of throwing everything out of her crib, but now she keeps stuff in - not everything, but some things. I give her books and toys to look at and play with - it gives me extra time when she wakes to sleep in or get things done during her nap time.
Riley has one long nap now, after lunch. She transitioned to one nap somewhere between 13 and 14 months. I continued offering her two naps for a good month before deciding she didn't need that second one anymore. We played limbo for awhile. One nap suits her now. She sleeps 2-3 hours in the afternoon and still is down for about 11-12 hours at night. Her bedtime is still early, 7-ish.
She had her first public tantrum last week, in Target. I was in an aisle, still shopping, and going to give her some snacks - her Cheerios. I thought of giving her the little container but changed my mind, I pulled it away from her (not even saying "no" or anything) and was going to hand her some instead - yeah, she didn't like that. Started crying, screaming and was so mad! I couldn't do anything during that tantrum. I literally stood there in the aisle and watched her. It felt like it lasted forever, but really it was maybe a minute or so. Finally, she calmed down and I gave her the Cheerios. I can't hold Riley or comfort her during a tantrum, she just has to have her mad episode and then calm down before we can move on from it. It was very embarassing for me. I think I heard someone in the next aisle complaining about her crying. That typical "shut that baby up!" comment. Let me tell you. You can not shut a baby up when they are having a tantrum. It cannot be done. Be patient with people in the stores and know that most times the parents are doing the best they can! I know this isn't always the case. But I'm a good mother, and my daughter still acts terrible at times.
Riley is so much fun at this age (tantrums aside), but let me tell you she exhausts us too. I still have to say "no" a lot, but it's getting better all the time. At least in our house. She's learning finally that some stuff is a no touch zone. Aaron just installed more cabinet locks today actually. She kept getting into too much and we were over using the word "no" for no reason. It should be better now.
If I forgot anything or you are curious about what she may or may not be doing, by all means - ask me! I think I hit the main points that I wanted.
Happy 15 months, Riley!
Happy 4th!
Riley is napping right now.
I am busy blogging away.
Aaron is doing math homework.
We all are just doing our own thing this 4th of July!
We're enjoying the quiet day.
It's very hot and humid outside today.
We played inside some earlier.
This morning Riley and I went for a walk and then I stopped at the playground on our way home so she could play some.
Riley had so much fun swinging! She didn't want to get out.
Riley's dress was a gift from our (old) neighbors. It was too big for Cailyn to wear this 4th of July but fits Riley perfectly! Thanks again, Beth.
I am busy blogging away.
Aaron is doing math homework.
We all are just doing our own thing this 4th of July!
We're enjoying the quiet day.
It's very hot and humid outside today.
We played inside some earlier.
This morning Riley and I went for a walk and then I stopped at the playground on our way home so she could play some.
Riley had so much fun swinging! She didn't want to get out.
Riley's dress was a gift from our (old) neighbors. It was too big for Cailyn to wear this 4th of July but fits Riley perfectly! Thanks again, Beth.
cousin Jackson
Riley got to visit with her cousin, Jackson, on Saturday! Ian, Julie and Jackson were down visiting my parents for the holiday weekend. We couldn't miss out on the opportunity to visit with them all. So, we headed down for a day of relaxation and fun in MD. Lucky for us, we had Emillie and Hannah that day too - so it was added fun.
We all hung out at the house. We didn't arrive until close to noon. By the time we ate lunch, visited some and played, Riley had to go down for a nap. She didn't wake until 4-ish. Then we played outside some, took some pictures, had dinner and hung out more. We left around 8 pm to head home to NJ. The day flew by, as it always does, but we had such a nice visit all together. I can't wait for the next visit already!
We all hung out at the house. We didn't arrive until close to noon. By the time we ate lunch, visited some and played, Riley had to go down for a nap. She didn't wake until 4-ish. Then we played outside some, took some pictures, had dinner and hung out more. We left around 8 pm to head home to NJ. The day flew by, as it always does, but we had such a nice visit all together. I can't wait for the next visit already!
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| Uncle Aaron and Jackson |
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| neighbor horses and Mom (did you know horses love peppermints?!) |
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| Aunt Abby and Jackson |
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| I loved tickling him!! |
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| Jackson looks good in this yellow chair! |
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| so sweet (Jackson is 8 months old, by the way) |
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| Julie, Jackson and Ian |
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| Riley and Jackson |
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| Emillie, Aaron, Riley, Abby (aka me) and Hannah |
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| Emillie, Riley and Hannah with their Daddy |
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| Aaron throwing Riley in the air |
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| Aaron swinging Riley around |
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| dizzy Riley |
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| Grandma and Jackson |
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| Grandma and Granddad with their grand kids |
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