My Little "Helper"

Riley LOVES to "help" me do whatever it is I am attempting to do around the house. She slings a bag around her neck (to put her sippy in, of course) and she gets a rag out of the drawer and "wipes" down things for me while I am cleaning up the kitchen. She helps me put away clean clothes, although usually that involves shoving them under the bed. And she got a little broom and dustpan for christmas, but it's in "time out" because she started chasing Harley with it.

The other day she was very "helpfully" re-arranging things in the refrigerator for me.

The milk was REALLY heavy, but she managed to get it moved clear across the kitchen!


She couldn't decide if the juice boxes should go on the shelf or in the door.


And now it's time to move the milk back across the kitchen.

(Note the "looking out of the corner of her eye" look means she's planning something she shouldn't be thinking about. and right after this, she kicked the milk instead of picking it up and it went EVERYWHERE...yep, I know my kiddo!)


And finally, BBQ potato chips for a job well done!

What a funny girl! She just entertains to to no end!

I'm choosing to believe this is the first time this has happened....

Riley has a little "song" she sings when she is doing something that she knows she shouldn't be. It's a little "lalala-dada-hahahaha" song that sounds so innocent but after some experience, sends me RUNNING for wherever she is when I hear it. I know that, whatever is happening, it can't be good.

Yesterday morning, during the frantic pack-everything-up-get-out-the-door-get-on-with-the-day rush, I heard her singing her song. I dropped everything and ran and found her in my bathroom. We've been working on brushing her teeth, and she has learned to carefully put the toothpaste on her toothbrush. I found her with my toothbrush and toothpaste in her hands, carefully, almost painstakingly placing my toothpaste on my toothbrush.

And then scrubbing the toilet with it.

I'm choosing to believe that this is the first time that has ever happened.

Dancing Queen!

It's been quite a while since I posted a video of Miss Ya-ya, so here we go...

Riley is a dancing fool any time music is playing. Her favorite seems to be anything with a heavy base beat, like rap, R&B and even middle eastern rap if she happens to be with Aunt Beck-Beck.

I caught her jamming out to Enchanted here. She LOVES to twirl lately, as evidenced in this video.

Sunday, Sunday...

We started the day off right by eating cinnamon toast and chocolate milk in bed, watching "The Incredibles".


After her meal, Riley kicked back to watch the rest of the movie. I love this pose. She hangs out like this a lot.


Really engrossed in the movie-she usually flashes some sort of smile when I have the camera out.


Riley rounded out the day by trying on a few of my 'delicates'. At least she had the good sense to pull out the cute, springy colors. What a goofball - she was seriously upset when I made her take these off.


I love Sundays because I get to hang out with Riley with no obligations or plans (other than church). We usually both take a nap and spend the rest of the day playing with toys, reading books, or dancing together. What a fun kid!

Christmas....wait, was that a few weeks ago?

Well, as usual, I am posting pics a couple of weeks out from the actual event. It's just how I roll. I'm done apologizing for it.

Anyway, Riley and I had an amazing Christmas in Caifornia with Becky and Joey and Joey's family. Becky is in the final weeks of a twinner pregnancy, and couldn't really travel, so the nomad girls went to them! It was SO nice to be away from the snow and cold for a week. Riley is madly in love with her Aunt Beck-Beck and Uncle Joey, and they spoiled her rotten with massive amounts of chocolate. She even spent a special afternoon testing Uncle Joey's child care abilities while Becky and I went to 'Twilight' (you better hold on tight, spidermonkey). Although we missed the rest of our family, I can't think of a better way to have spent this past Christmas. Next time we see Becky and Joey, they'll have two twin boys to add to the merriment!

Some pics from the big day!

Excited..Noticed the chocolate on her shirt!


Becky and Joey gave her this 'gumball machine' that dispenses little balls that make noise. She LOVES it!


I got the bright idea to give her this music set with cymbals, maracas, a tambourine, etc. I truly do not know what I was thinking. I think I 'll 'let' her take it to her Dad's.


Yep, it's definitely going to her Dad's.


'Santa' brought her this little green rocking chair (you can sorta see it). She kicks back in it every day after daycare with a sippee of milk and some crackers and watches a movie while I make dinner. We now call it her 'chill chair'.

It was definitely a GREAT christmas in California. Thanks, Becky and Joey, for letting us crash your party.