Sunday, September 20, 2009

Fourth of July

Here are some photos from our 4th of July celebrations! First Riley, her cousin Gabi and friend Bostyn all rode together in our wagon for out neighborhoods parade, they were in their leotards dressed as the US Womens Gymnastics Team :)

The girls were so cute, they waved to all the neighbors and waved their flags in the air, and they beahved so well for the entire thing. The parade ended at a neighborhood park so all the girls got to play on the playground, eat ice cream and even check out the cop car that joined us in the parade.








A little catching up...

Yikes! Sorry I did it again! It's amazing how fast time flies!! I'll do my best over the next week to get ya'll caught up, it looks like I skipped the entire summer!

This summer has been a blast! Riley has gotten to do quite a few neat things and has grown SO much! She's definitely a monkey! Her favorite thing to do is climb, and of course explore EVERYTHING. A few weeks ago I put her to bed in her crib with a bottle and a binky then headed out to the living room where David was playing Wii, finally is quiet and calm. Three minutes later out walks miss Riley with her binky and bottle in hand. She must have actually planned this escape and thrown both her binky and her bottle out of the crib, then herself, picked up her items and headed out to Mommy and Daddy. I have to admit I was pretty proud :)

Riley has been in a baby gymnastics class this summer (parent & tot class), it has helped her motor skills extremely (which may be the cause for the crib escape....). Her instructor Mrs. Pam is awesome and Riley adores her, her favorite thing is the balance beam and has recently started to like the bars. She's actually strong enough to hold onto the bar and bring her feet up to touch it all on her own. They taught us a new song, a coocoo clock song, which has become a major favorite of Riley's - she LOVES to be thrown in the air so she gets so excited when you mention the song to her.

Ry's vocabulary has expanded tremendously! I taught her to say her own name on a Saturday and by the next day she already knew to say it when someone asks "what is your name?". For some reason she won't respond to "what's your name", it has to be "what is", goofy kid. She'll attempt to say any word you ask her to now but on her own her favorite is to ask for 'more' which she'll say and sign at the same time, she'll also sign please when she wants something. Aside from just words and sounds I've also had fun teaching her a few other things, if you ask her what 'Daddy says' she'll shake her finger at you like she's saying 'no no no' and (my favorite) when you ask her what Oma says she'll say "Raarrr" and bring her hand down like a claw. I know I know, evil. But fun!! :)

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Riley helped daddy mow the lawn!

Riley had a fun filled day outside today, she helped Daddy mow the lawn, played in the sprinklers and even played at the driving range while Mommy and Daddy attempted to hit some balls with Papa Reed.


Riley following Daddy with her mower:

Trying to catch up to Daddy, but his legs are longer!
Riley's first real experience with ants, she thought they wer SO cool! Look at those chunky little legs in her swim suit:





1st birthday photos

Riley's 1st car:
Riley eating her 1st birthday cupcake:
Her monkey birthday cake made by mommy:


Present Princess:



It's my party!





Friday, May 15, 2009

Riley is finally one!

A whole year already!

It has been an extremely long and trying year when it came to family and health but also the most amazing year of our lives with Miss Riley. It absolutely amazes me how much she grew and how advanced she is... I'm sure most parents say that but walking at 10 months, running at 12 and just her general understanding of the world around her - she's much farther along than the other one years olds we see.

She's SOOOO extremely tall (she must get that from me), the average tallest height for a baby her age is 30.5 inches; Riley was 32" at her one year check up and at the 100th percentile for height, 76th for weight (only 18th compared to height, but that's considering most kids her height are older and weigh more).

We had her birthday party on Sunday the 10th, Mothers Day, and she had such a fun time (photos will be posted soon!). She really didn't realize it was about her until it came time to eat the cake and everyone was staring at her. Her favorite present so far is the little car, she sits in it every night and pushes the horn over and over again.

Riley will also be starting swim classes on Sunday's at the end of this month and "Gymtastics" gymnastics classes on Mondays next month. Riley already knows when I say 'hands down' to set them on the ground, then we say 'head down' and she sets that on the ground so that I'll grab her feet and make her do a summersault. I think she'll fully enjoy gymnastics classes and all the tumbling she'll get to do. The swim classes should be a hoot too, Riley LOVES her bathtime and I can only imagine what a big pool and other kids will do for her. Hopefully all the kid interaction will be good for her!

Pictures will be posted over the weekend, thanks for checking out her blog!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Riley's 1st Birthday - almost!

Here are some photos taken today for Riley's 1st Birthday. She had a blast taking these today (timing between naps was perfect!!) and they turned out so adorable! I will post more after her birthday party next Sunday, that should be fun too!

Pointing to her piggies:Lookin' so pretty in her tutu


I love how she looks surprised, like we weren't really taking photos of her


Kabunk! Not the softest floor to land on...


Looking absolutely adorable in the dress Smoochie gave her




My most favorite photo of Riley's smile, it doesn't get any more innocent than this...






Sweet yet sporty, that's my girl! The photographer tried to give her a rose, I gave her the ball instead and I LOVE this photo! It might just be up on Auntie Di and Coach Jeff's wall already!


I hope you enjoyed the photos, check back next week for birthday party photos!




Wednesday, April 29, 2009

One more post for today :)

I just wanted to share with you all my other blog on Blogspot, www.jarrettcreations.blogspot.com. I started this blog for you all to have easy access to my etsy.com site, a site for all things hand made :)

I've been selling a few items which has brought in some extra cash to do some really fun things with Riley (right now I'm working on getting her into Little Gym, it will make for some great photos for you all!). My blog has links to all the items on my etsy.com site, so if you see any hair bows or know anyone that would need some custom wall letters painted for a kids room or a baby on the way, please check out my site! The direct link to my etsy.com store is www.jarrettcreations.etsy.com

Thanks for allowing me to highjack Riley's page!
Kimberly

So I lied to you...

I posted the other day about Riley's vocabulary but I apparently lied to you.

I think Riley has been holding out on us, since I posted last she has also said "Hi Bosco! Hi Peyton!", of course it didn't sound exactly as it should but it was close enough, and when I asked her where her ear was the other day she put her hand over it and said "it's right here!". When I asked her again she yelled at me "right here!" like I wasn't smart enough to know on my own! If she starts following her statements with "duh" I think I'm going to get my first gray hair!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Riley Swingin' Daddy and Riley after our April snow storm

Easter Sunday


Who ya' gonna call?



Anticipating the slide...





Riley Anne - 11 months and counting!


Again, sorry for taking so long to post! I think I need more reminders about this blog :)


As of today Riley will be a whopping ONE YEAR OLD in only TWO WEEKS! Can you believe how much time has flown? I have enjoyed every bit of this year with her, no matter how you feel she is sure to put a smile on your face! Right now her vocabulary consists of "MamaMama", "Dadeeee" "Do-eee" (Doggy, which if you ask her what they say she will say 'woof' and when you ask what they do she will pant for you), "Who's that?" "Whuz that?" and "Oh YEAH!". She's been walking for a couple months and pretty much given up on crawling too. Climbing over anything is so cool to her but her ultimate favorite right now is the swing set we got for her. She LOVES LOVES LOVES the swing! She even pumps her little legs to try and go higher, it's too cute! The swing set also has two slides, one of which is a little taller than the other, on the big slide today she sat at the top and leaned forward to make her way down all on her own (w/ me at the bottom to catch her of course!).


For her birthday I'm hoping to get her into a 'Little Gym' that does tumbling and games, I think she would love it (at least for the $ she better love it!). I'll be sure to post pictures if I'm able to get her in!


Anyway, here are some photos from Easter and on her swing set.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Riley - 10 months

Mommy & Me group at the zoo trip Riley & Cousin Gabi in the wagon, with Riley eating Gabi's leash thing

Morgan & Gabi and Riley & I

Riley chillin' in her wagon waiting for the rest of the group to show up

Cha cha baby!


So it's the middle of March and it looks like I've missed a month and a half of updates, sorry! I know some of you have been asking, so, here ya go!

Riley is 10 months now and has taken her first steps, she's actually up to 4.5 before she chickens out and returns to crawling. For as scary as walking is to her she sure is a dare devil everywhere else! She LOVES to ride in her wagon, stroller or a grocery cart and she'll climb over anything that will sit still long enough (usually it's one of our dogs, Bosco). Her new favorite game is pulling everything off a shelf in one of our desks, climbing up onto a box and then onto the shelf; she climbs out of it just as well and then does it about 5 more times before she gets bored.

She saw two big kids on bikes yesterday and screamed at me when she couldn't see them anymore (with David wrapped around her finger I'm surprised he didn't go buy her a bike! lol), I think once Riley is really mobile it's going to be hard to keep her still!
She's wearing size 12-18 month clothes even though she's not a chunky baby! She definitly got David's height.... I wish I could say it was mine! Her vocabulary now is "Momma", "Daddy", "HEY!". "yeah" and almost 'doggy'.

We took her to the zoo yesterday and she was more interested in her wagon than the animals.... exept the monkeys. She liked the noises monkeys made (or maybe the noise that mommy thought they made?). Speaking of monkeys, I've started planning her birthday party and just ordered some invitations with cute monkeys on them! I know it's early but I wanted to make sure the invitations got here on time :) I also found a really cute monkey cake pan that I'm going to make an attempt at for her birthday cake.... we'll see how that goes! Her birthday this year is on Mothers Day and we're having her party and a little BBQ that day, it should be fun! I can't believe my little stinker is going to be a year old in almost a month and a half!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The end of January already?!

Riley in her Steelers clippies I made for Super Bowl Sunday!

Riley modeling the Cardinals clippies I made for her cousin Gabi


I don't know why it is I can never remember to update this site, I'm going to have to tie a knot around my finger as a reminder (but then I'll be spending all my time trying to remember what I needed to remember!!).

Can you believe Riley is already eight and a half months old? She is developing so much, it seems like each week she masters something new! Currently she crawls SUPER FAST! One moment she's there and the next you hear this excited giggle from 10 feet away when she realizes she's succeeded in making a break for it (I don't think she realizes yet that she gives herself away with that excited giggle!). Crusing the furniture is an absolute breeze for her too, she's starting to circle the living room. Her memory seems to be developing quite well, she knows where the dog food is in every house she goes to, she loves the water bulb in the plant at her Smoochie's house (by the way, Sharice had a CATscan done today and everything looks GREAT! Just 3 more days of chemo and she's done!), and for some reason the coin jar in our bedroom is absolutely fascinating to her.

She's standing up by herself now, once she gets to about 30 seconds she freaks herself out and sits down really fast. Oh! And she also loves somersaults! I hold her at her hips and say "hands down", both hands hit the floor and then I say "head down" and she gently lats her head on the floor just waiting for me to flip her feet over and have her land on her back. She really seems to be a dare devil, she loves riding in her wagon, being thrown in the air, crawling over our dog Bosco (not Peyton, JUST Bosco) and she's getting quite the hang of climbing.... The other night she got herself onto a box but couldn't quite figure out how to get off and she also got caught climbing her baby gate - her little fingers were in the holes as well as her toes, just stuck on the gate with nowhere to go! I love the personality she's developing, it's so much fun!

I always swore that if I had a girl she wouldn't be all 'girly' with dresses and bows, I think my 16 year old self would be highly dissapointed in me now. I have become ADDICTED to making hair bows for Riley, it's turning into my 'relaxation time'. In fact I've made so many (and starting to realize that my first bows looked AWEFUL!), and given away more than I think the receivers wanted, that I have started selling on my own website. It's on a community website called Etsy where folks sell all things handmade or vintage and my new sites address is www.jarrettcreations.etsy.com. I'll be working on getting better photos taken this week so it looks a bit sharper but I'm sooper excited and hope to be able to sell some of this stuff to pay for my new addiction :) On that note, be prepared to see more photos of Riley with my silly bows in the weeks to come!