Our Own Kind of Family

New Digs

2010-07-05T16:56:00.001-07:00

I've been keeping two blogs for a while, one for me and one for Riley. I did this mostly because I figured there were a lot of people who would want to read Riley's blog and didn't really care to hear what was going on with me. It turns out, however, that almost everyone who reads this blog also reads mine, so I guess I was mistaken with that assumption.

Keeping one blog will make my life a bit simpler, plus being Riley's mom is such an integral part of my story that trying to tell it without her leaves a gaping hole. I'll be leaving this blog up so the archives are available, but from now on, you can find both Riley and me at Learning to Walk In Heels.

After all, the girl is almost three and wants to wear "yipstick" and perfume every day. Heels can't be far behind.

xoxo
Amy

Three Amigos

2010-06-27T18:14:00.001-07:00

Lexi and Hallee are not just Riley's cousins, but also her best friends, partners in crime, and hero's in training. She loves and adores them. I love and adore them.

It doesn't get much better than this.

Summer solstice shoot

2010-06-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Riley and I ventured around our neighborhood tonight, enjoying the perfect summer weather and the longest day of the year. She was in full show-off mode, so I took advantage with an impromptu photo shoot.

Man, I love this girl!

A few California photos

2010-06-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

Riley and I spent a week in California recently, visiting my sister, brother in law, and the twinners. Just a few photos of the good times we had there....
On the way out, rocking her mama's glasses.

Checking in for the night, at a hotel in Reno. Riley was chatting with Aunt Beck and making notes about their conversation.

Bubbles with Aunt Beck (there is a huge case of hero worship going on here).

More of Riley with her hero and namesake.

Flying across the lawn, for whatever reason. The girl doesn't ever walk when she can run!

Who she spends her days with

2010-06-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

Jean and Riley

Morgan and Riley
Please meet Jean and Morgan, Riley's teachers at her daycare. These are two incredible women! They maintain a classroom of 12 active 2-3 year olds in a creative, kind manner and still find time to get to know each child individually, noting their uniqueness and appreciating their quirks. They teach Riley so much! Often, when Riley says something new or particularly advanced for her age, she tells me that Jean taught her it, and when she learns a new skill (like skipping or jumping jacks) she tells me that Morgan taught her how to do it. She adores them both!

I am so grateful that Riley has such good teachers to care for her while I am at work. If I can't be there during her days, I am so glad that these women are! They have amazing amounts of patience and gentleness and truthfully, I think they deserve a medal after keeping up with all those toddlers and still remaining sane. They do their job beautifully!

May She (A Prayer for My Daughter)

2010-05-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

May she hold her dreams firmly.
May she let go of disappointments easily.
May she see the strength and commitment of those who care for her.
May she offer forgiveness to those who hurt her.
May she learn patience because it's been shown to her.
May she grow to understand what real happiness is.
May she give to others and receive more in return.
May she learn to be gentle with herself and with others.
May she know how much she is loved.

A big old Riley update

2010-05-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I updated Riley's blog. She's quite the little crazy these days. Growing every single day and getting more personality and more attitude (yes, it's scary) every single second. Right now, she:

Knows all her colors and shapes. Her favorite color is PINK, but she admits to liking purple too.

Has several favorite dolls that she carries around and creates stories about. You already have met 'Baby Nuggets', but there is also 'Larlo', 'Tuesday', and 'Carol' (pictured here).
Likes movies and popcorn.
Has the funniest little vocabulary, consisting of words like "polkanut" (polkadot), "ponynail" (nail polish) and "pinkerbell" (self-explanatory).
Loves to take baths and will happily play for an hour in the tub.
Sings the ABC's with vigor every time she sees letters, which means very loud singing every morning when I drop her off at her daycare, located at the YWCA.
Her favorite foods are chicken nuggets and fries and chocolate milk. She holds a special place in her heart for bacon, however, and recently ate more than half a pound while I wasn't looking.
Loves to help cook dinner and decorate cookies or cupcakes.
Loves makeup and perfume and all things girly, especially "yipstick". If mom is wearing a dress, Riley must also be wearing a dress. If mom is wearing heels, Riley must also be wearing heels. Yet she still plays like a rough-and-tumble boy at daycare.
Loves to put on the i-pod and DANCE! Her favorite song is "Don't stop the music" by Rhianna, with "Love Story" by Taylor Swift a close second. Usually, her tights go on OVER her pants for these parties. Check out the fashion statement in this pic.
Loves to sing "Happy Birthday" while in the car. Usually to Grandma Nita, but sometimes to Aunt Becky or her mommy.
Stages elaborate tea parties, complete with princess costumes and invited guests. Buzz Lightyear has been honored at these gatherings, as has Surfer Ken and Doctor Barbie.
Gives the best kisses and hugs and loves to "snuggle me" any chance she gets.
Is getting super long hair, which she hates having combed, but cries when I ask her if she wants to cut it. She loves getting her bangs trimmed, though.
Is a mama's girl and we love to spend time together. Her favorite activities right now are swimming and shopping. Yep, she's my girl.

Oh, how I love this girl.

Disgruntled Princess

2010-04-04T05:53:00.000-07:00

School Picture

2010-03-25T10:58:00.001-07:00

I can't help it...this picture makes me grin and laugh out loud every time I see it. She's the cutest little person on the planet. Don't you agree?

At the zoo....

2010-03-22T21:46:00.001-07:00

I know, I know...I'm a horrible blogging mom. It's just that living life with Riley is so full of, well...LIFE, that there isn't much time to blog about it. I promise a good RIley update later this week, but for now...our afternoon at the zoo yesterday. Weather was gorgeous, the girl was in her element and walked around like she owned the place.

Love that bugga.

Ever wonder...

2010-03-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

What happens when you dump an ENTIRE container of Elmo Color Tablets into the bathtub?

Well, apparently Riley did.

Her opinion of the color...."Eeeeewwwwww".

When did this happen?

2010-02-05T15:24:00.000-08:00

Looking at these pictures makes me realize, my baby girl has become a little girl. With good dental hygiene.

Content

2010-01-18T13:58:00.001-08:00

How she spends an hour every day

2010-01-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

A bucket + a tea set + blue bathtub tablets = an hour, easy

Introducing the newest member of our family!

2010-01-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

Like many little girls, Riley got a new doll from Santa Claus.

Like many little girls:

She kisses her.

Loves on her.

Watches TV with her.

Occasionally uses her as a weapon.

And gave her a name that is 'just perfect'.

Please meet 'Baby Nuggets'.

Yes, this IS the reason one of my New Year's Intentions was to increase the variety in our meals.

"Yeg Bellbo"

2010-01-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

First I heard the THUMP, then the unmistaken whimper that told me she had hurt herself. She never cries, just kind of whines a little, when she's hurt.

"Riley, are you ok?"

She limps into my room, holding her pant leg up above her knee.

"My yeg bellbo, my yeg bellbo." She was nodding at my question and still trying to hike up her pant leg to show me this undetermined injury.

"What? What hurts? Show me what hurts?" I can't see any major issue, but something is bothering her.

"My yeg bellbo, my yeg bellbo." I'm still confused.

"Show me, Riley. Show me what hurts."

"My yeg bellbo, my yeg bellbo." and then I noticed what she was pointing at.

"Yeg bellbo" = Leg Elbow = Knee.

Slowly, slowly...I'm becoming fluent in toddler-speak.

Christmas Images

2010-01-01T13:59:00.001-08:00

Halloween!

2009-12-30T15:28:00.001-08:00

Ok, so its almost New Years. I do my best. I had to put these up before I could put up her Christmas pics.

Wordless Wednesday...why she loves to go see Lexi and Hallee

2009-12-23T08:29:00.000-08:00

Just because...

2009-11-29T09:29:00.001-08:00

Riley's Birthday Pics - about two months late

2009-11-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I suck. :) But here are pics from our Birthday!

We started the day with a birthday themed meltdown.

Then a nap for the birthday girl after she spent some time with her Dad.

Then we had some friends over for pizza, cake, and lots of kidlet partying.

I thought the blurry photo nicely represented Miss Yaya's inability to sit still.

Paige and Riley opening presents.

Grandma Beckie demonstrating why she is one of Riley's FAVORITE people.

Geni is another one of Riley's favorite people. We both love this girl.

Blowing out our candles.

Madi made us Raspberry lemon cupcakes. They were TO DIE FOR! Yumm-City.

When Life Gives You Rainy Days....

2009-10-03T21:31:00.001-07:00

Why Not....

*Stomp*
*Jump*
*Run*
*Dance*

in the puddles?

That's my girl!

A sweet surprise

2009-09-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

As I was unloading and checking my camera this past week, i noticed one shot on what I thought was an empty CF card. I remembered Riley playing with my camera before I left for New Hampshire, and I knew she took a picture. I expected it to be a wall or the ceiling, some unimportant shot, but it looks like she captured her first self portrait.

This adorable picture warmed my heart through some cold New England nights.

Oh, how I love this child.

Birthday pictures

2009-09-12T23:15:00.001-07:00

Carrie took our birthday pictures again this year, and i am beyond thrilled with them. We took them at Bear Lake and I get choked up every time I see them. When Riley looks at these in years to come, I want her to see she is fully and completely loved. I think Carrie captured that with these pics.

"Picnik Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Thanks, Carrie. We love them, and you.

Busy, busy, busy

2009-09-07T23:44:00.001-07:00

I found Riley "helping" me out with some of my work the other day. She dragged in her step-stool that we use to brush her teeth and got down to business.

I asked her what she was writing (all over my meeting notes, by they way), she looked up at me with a patient expression and said "List, Mama."

Like mother, like daughter.

TWO! TWO! The Girl Is TWO!

2009-09-01T20:47:00.001-07:00

Riley turned two years old today. In a few days, when I process this wild and crazy day, full of fun and friends and laughter and silliness, I'll write more about it. But for now, for tonight, I'll just say how grateful I am for this girl, and for the love, the lessons, the challenges, the triumphs, and the wholehearted joy she brings into my life. Oh, how I love this child.

Three Amigos

2009-08-31T14:17:00.001-07:00

Three Amigos
Originally uploaded by amyanner

Have I mentioned before that Riley LOVES her cousins?

Well, I think this pic tells that story.

Cupcakes

2009-08-27T08:55:00.001-07:00

...make her smile.

And her smile makes me want to buy her more cupcakes.

It's a pretty sweet cycle, really.

It was quiet. A little too quiet...

2009-08-19T19:36:00.001-07:00

**Sigh**

at least she color-coordinated with her outfit.

All Dressed Up, Nowhere To Go!

2009-08-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

Here at our house, we dress for dinner. Some nights, we are a little more, um, creative in our approach. This was Riley's dinner outfit for last night. I couldn't resist snapping a few pics of this getup.

One accessory I missed getting on camera was my bike socks that say "ride like hell" and have flames on them. They really made the look. And the Oreo debris on her face...well, that's her trademark.

Cuteness overload

2009-07-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post some pictures of Riley and her first cast, but I couldn't narrow it down to just a few. So instead, i'm posting a bunch so you can all bask in her cuteness. What a DOLL!

Upon seeing this pic, my friends words were "Uh, recognize this look? That's entirely YOU right there." That's the Amy stare, all right.

Every time I tried to get a pic, she would put her legs up over her head. Cute little rolls on her legs, though, right?

Riley puts her dolls up to the fishtank to "observe" for a while everyday. This one is "pink baby".

Bugga loves her fishies. We named them Hansel and Gretel.

It's been a while...

2009-07-20T20:23:00.001-07:00

The summer, and all the accompanying parties, picnics, weekends away, races, family, friends, parades, and camp-outs, is in full swing. We've been having a great, albeit crazy, summer and the lack of posting here is one of the side effects. So, a few pics to get everyone their "Riley" fix. She's as cute as ever, smarter than any child I've ever met, and stubborn as all-get-out (and no, I can't imagine WHERE she gets that.)
Love my bug!

)
Riley is madly in love her with her Aunt Becky.

Wearing my practice swim cap and goggles. She always picks these goggles to wear because they are "piiiiinnnk".

She loves to model my "pretties" (earrings). She likes these a lot because they bob against her face when she shakes her head.

A fun day at Hogle Zoo.

Riley loves to wear one of my biking jerseys as a dress. I let her because, well, I adore this girl!

Just a few pics to keep you all satisfied! She's a wonderful girl with the sweetest, feistiest personality I can possibly imagine. She's not quite two, but well into the "terrible two's" anyway, and i wouldn't want her any other way!

Sugarhouse Park

2009-06-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Riley and I **heart** Sugarhouse Park, but it's even more fun when we get to spend time with our dear friends while feeding the ducks and playing on the playground.

Even more than Sugarhouse Park, we **heart** the one little one's family.

Riley and G - quite a pair.

Ducks + bread + little children + lots of giggles = Happy Amy

No fear. Never any fear with this one.

Bidding the ducks "Adieu" ... again.

Her own little Hidey-hole...for a minute at least.

To the men in our life...

2009-06-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

To Riley's Dad, to Papa Tony, to Steve, to Granpda George, to Grandpa Earl, to PawPaw, to Poppy, to Uncle Kale, to Uncle Nate, to Uncle Keith, to Uncle Nic, to Uncle Joey and to all our friends who are amazing examples of what "real" men and father's should be...

Happy Father's Day!

Riley-bug goes to Red Butte Concerts

2009-06-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

Let's just say, the Girl thought she was the entertainment for the evening, not Neko Case (who was fabulous, by the way.)

This is the face I get lately when I pull out the camera. I have no idea why.

What's a night out without a friendly game of peek-a-boo? Please note, this is a fabric bag. I only let her do this with plastic bags on special occasions.

She loved Brenna and was pretty intrigued by her 6 month pregnant stomach.

She REALLY loved Candace and was starting to warm up to Cody, too.

Yep, I definitely think Candace is on her list of favorite people.

Such a fun kid, even if she did make it rather difficult to enjoy on of my favorite artists.

Proof Positive there is a whole lotta Wuthrich in her....

2009-06-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Her "toy" of choice on a lazy Sunday morning....the level I was using to hang pictures.

As you can see, she abandoned her baby for the "bubble stick" (as she calls it).

Totally enthralled by the bubbles. How fun are they?

Plus, it's just big enough to swing at Harley.

Good times. I'm sure Papa Tony and all her Uncles are so proud.

Is there any doubt....

2009-05-27T10:00:00.001-07:00

This girl is used to being the center of attention?

At last, she sleeps...

2009-05-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

Riley has been struggling with sleep recently. I think she inherited her Dad's night owl tendencies and her mom's inability to shut off her mind, and it has contributed for some restless nights and difficult next days. These pics were taken during a late afternoon Sunday nap. This rest was badly needed, which makes these pics that much sweeter.

Side note to all you mamas out there...any sleeping tips are very welcome!

Like her mama

2009-05-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

I often tell people that, for me, having Riley is like watching my heart run around outside of my body. Almost every time we are out and about, someone will stop us and comment on how much we look alike. It's so fun to see her develop into her own little person, with opinions and attitudes and expressions that are very much hers, but also to see how much I influence those. Even my preferences for activities and music and food seem to show up somewhere in her personality. We are incredibly tight and I find that there is no better motivation to be a better mother, person, friend, and sister than to think that she is watching me and learning from my example. I can only hope that I measure up to the type of Mama she deserves to have.

A few pics to illustrate some of my influences...

She LOVES the computer and can negotiate my touchpad mouse pretty well on her own.

Active AND Stylist sporting Mom's helmet and Earth necklace.

She loves to wear my helmet, even though she has her own. But then, her's is a roadie helmet and I think she's a mountain biker at heart.

Not a fan of laundry and would rather play around than actually do it.

I've said it before, but there is no greater motivation for me to live a healthy, happy, love filled life than being a mom to my little one. She's all I could ever ask for wrapped up in a wonderful, beautiful, headstrong, feisty, smart, silly, sweet little girl.

Sigh

2009-05-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

I am a healthy person. I have a Master's Degree in Community Health, for heaven's sake. I try to make good choices for myself and Riley, and I'm really trying to encourage healthy eating.

Riley is picky. And stubborn. And strong-willed ( I have NO idea where she gets it from). And something of a choco-holic. She loves her "numma-numma's" .

She loves potatoes and chicken, so I tried to make her a healthy dinner using these ingredients. It was a version of scalloped potatoes and roasted chicken, using healthy ingredients like greek yogurt to substitute for the sour cream and low fat cheese to lower the saturated fat content. I thought it tasted great.

She wouldn't touch it.

I knew she was hungry but she absolutely refused to touch her dinner. I tried to force it, and was rewarded with sobs, tears and a major drama episode.

She went to time out for spitting at me, and when she served her time, she brought me the Wasatch Pizza magnet off the fridge and said "pease" so sweetly. I caved and ordered a pizza.

She ate three pieces.

A neighborhood stroll

2009-04-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

Riley and I head out for a walk almost every night after dinner, provided the weather agrees with it. It's so much fun to see her explore the sidewalks, marvel at the flowers and collect little pebbles and carefully store them in her pocket. I took the camera along for one of these walks. Check it out:

And, as any parent of a 19 month old knows, no walk is complete without a minor meltdown.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Riley celebrated the day by sticking five mini-M&M's up her nose!

Can you say "chocolate snot?"

At the playground

2009-04-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

When the weather is nice, we often stop off at the park to let Miss Yaya burn some energy. On this particular day, Mama Nita and Shawnee were with us, which added some extra hands to catch Riley when she tried to walk off the ledges or run down the slide rather than sit and slide. No fear with the girl, I tell ya...

Afternoon at the zoo

2009-03-29T16:39:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Riley and I spent the first sunny weekend afternoon at the Hogle Zoo. We have a membership, so we go frequently, but this was, by far, the best trip yet. It could have been a combination of the great weather, happy mood, or Riley's rapidly developing independence, but she was a riot to watch.

She especially loved the spider-monkeys. We watched them for about 20 minutes.

She was very brave around the elephant sculpture, until it roared and she came running back to me.

Again, enthralled by the monkeys.

In this shot, i was trying to get a pic of the monkeys, but Miss Yaya's sweet little face was captured in the reflection.I think this is my favorite pic from the whole day! (Hint: look at the hole in the tree)

Proof of Riley-bug's independent nature. She wanted to be in front of me the entire time.

Bugga is loving the zoo! Good thing we just renewed our membership!

All tired out, but we stopped to watch the monkeys one more time.

Chuck E. Cheese

2009-03-16T14:04:00.001-07:00

Riley and I met up with our friends Candace and Cody, and Cody's little boy, Ryan for a fun night at Chuck E. Cheese. She had a ball! It had all the elements of a great time for her...pizza, games, a playmate (who is the cutest little boy on earth), lots of noise and lots of excitement.

Riley and Ryan driving together. Isn't he cute? he has the most expressive eyes.

My girl takes the wheel. I'm teaching her young to be in the driver's seat.

She really liked the car. She comes by it naturally, I guess.

She liked the carousel as long as I didn't move too far away from her.

The "Hickory-Dickory-Dock Clock" ride was, far and away, her favorite thing there!

Love my girl! I can see our resemblence clearly in this pic.

She did her fair share of showing off on the slide.

Fun times for all of us! Thanks, guys! Let's do it again SOON!

Photo credits belong to Candace on this post. Thanks, girl!

Tickle-Monster

2009-03-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

Every night....

Before baths

Before stories

Before prayers

Before bed....

the "tickle-monster" shows up.

But she produces laughs and giggles and cuddles and grins.

So we let her stay around.

A dress of her own making.

2009-03-05T09:21:00.001-08:00

I have a little fashionista on my hands. Riley's favorite thing to do while i am sorting, washing, and folding laundry is to design new outfits for herself from the various pieces and parts.

She started this look by donning two of mom's sports bras around her neck and a camisole over it all. A brave look for a brave girl.

She tried on several socks before deciding to keep it barefoot.

Mom's green tank top was part of the original idea, but it didn't work with the look she was creating.

Oh, yes. The black and white accessory is actually some of mom's underwear, slung fashionably over one shoulder. It's important for your clothing to work multiple ways in this lean economy.

Miss Yaya takes a bow in the chic ensemble she created for herself. The girl will definitely be on "Project Runway" in a few years.

TA-DA! Givenchy, Michael Kors, Versace, eat your heart out. This girl is the real deal.

"Wackadoo"

2009-02-28T20:39:00.001-08:00

Little Miss Riley has been a riot lately. She has always had her fair share of personality and attitude, but she is non-stop fun these days! A few things she's been up to:

Playing with her "bebe's" is a favorite pastime. This little purple one seems to be her favorite, but often I'll find three or four all tucked in somewhere together (usually wrapped in my dishtowels). She kisses, hugs, sings to them and puts them in time-out. So cute to see her imitate something I have done plenty of.

She put my hat on right after a bath, and refused to take it off. In fact, she wore it to bed.

For some reason, the "silky" has to be on her head when we read stories (reminiscent of her former life as a nun, perhaps? I don't know...)

Last weekend, she chose to accessorize her valentine pajamas with Harley's dog collar. Very fashion forward of the girl, I must say.

And, for your viewing pleasure, a few random videos I've been meaning to post.

This one was recorded at Christmas in California. She enjoyed playing my ipod through Papa Joe's earphones.

Next, Riley will dance for Oreos. M&Ms work, too.

Finally, Riley just learned to spit. It's charming. Just charming.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the socks she flushed down the toilet, the lotion covered laundry or the diet pepsi she fed Harley, but these pics and vids give you a few ideas of how Miss Yaya spends her days. And why I am exhausted.

Riley's first sentences

2009-02-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Riley busted out with a few sentences a couple of days ago.

"No, Harley! Stop!" (He was trying to get the crayon she was coloring with)

and

"Mooooommmmmm.....NOOOO!" (I was committing the unspeakable crime of WASHING HER HAIR! *gasp*)

She uses these words all the time, but the fact that she used them together, in a sentence, stopped me in my tracks. My sweet baby girl is getting big. My sweet baby girl is also getting an attitude.

Riley update

2009-02-10T21:29:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I gave a little update on Riley's latest achievements. I used to do this on her monthly birthdays, but I'm a slacker, or a busy working single mom. Take your pick.

So, these days:

~Riley says a lot of words, but her faves and most frequent include: Pease (please), Took-too (Thank you), up, yes, no, numma-numma (which can mean anything from treat, drink, dinner, or I want to sit on your bed, depending on the context), har (Harley), don't (usually in a shrieky, don't mess with me, voice) and bed (when she's tired).
~ Favorite people: Madi (mad-mad) tops her list right now, Grandma Beckie, Aunt Becky (Beck-Beck), Caroline (her preschool teacher), and the guy at Smith's who wears the funny hats. She loves everybody, but these people are pretty high on her list.
~Can pick out red, blue, green and sometimes yellow. Her school is teaching this and I try to go over and over it with her at home. She seems to get it.
~Has memorized the book "fuzzy, fuzzy, fuzzy" and recites it with me in her own little language. My favorite is the page that says "a little bit bumpy" and Riley says "bita bita bumpa ba" in the exact same cadence.
~Folds her arms when we say prayers and then signs "all done" when we say "Amen". Oh well, she gets the concept, right?
~Is the pickiest eater I have ever seen. When all else fails, I can get her to eat corn, rotisserie chicken (and yes, it has to be rotisserie) saltine crackers, and any type of potato.
~Dances any time music is on but her favorite songs right now are "Just Dance" and "Single Ladies-Put a ring on it". She brings me my ipod and shakes her booty, which indicates she wants a little dance party to happen right away!
~Hates her shoes and socks and tries to take them off immediately in the car. After I catch her and tell her no, I will often see her peeking at me out of the corner of her eyes, and trying to sneak them off, anyway.

My Little "Helper"

2009-01-29T23:17:00.000-08:00

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....

2009-01-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-14T10:25:00.001-08:00

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...

2009-01-11T18:57:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-01-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

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.

A year of Riley

2008-12-31T19:24:00.000-08:00

I thought, in honor of a whole year with Riley, I'd post some of my favorite pics from this year. They go backwards chronologically, because I'm too lazy to cut and paste em all into the right order. Oh well, you don't care.

Beck-beck gave Riley a crazy mohawk. She loved it. And she is also a fan of my toothbrush.

Kisses from the crazy one. Love the onesie hanging out of her jeans!

She loved Beck-beck's belly and was so soft with the babies.

Not such a huge fan of Santa.

I caught her coloring on my door.

Smarty girl can twist off lids.

Strainer and Riley= lots of good times!

Just a cutie!

Rock Star Hair - This was taken on the night Obama was elected.

Loves her Aunt Jame.

Loves her mama.

Blue eyes!

On our birthday.

Lil' Chocoholic

Her first major league baseball game!

First concert (Tim McGraw)

Loves the washer

In San Diego- She loved the ocean!

Such a dolly!

Tram at San Diego zoo.

First time at the beach.

Gorgeous girl - pic courtesy of Joey.

Sick baby- i took this right after she came home from a night in the hospital.

Easter Sunday

Lazy days

Shades!

Loves the bathtub (takes after her mama on this one!)

First time swimming with Aunt Jame, Uncle Keith, Hallee and Lexi!

Pretty girl, adorable smile!

She loved the exersaucer (until she figured out how to climb out!)

Girl's weekend with Aunt Beck-beck.

On a flight to see Becky and Joey- she slept like an angel.

Found her feet, got her sock off, apparently pissed herself off!

After she weened herself off the binky, she still wanted one in her hand to sleep.

Trying peas for the first time. Still not a fan!

Love my bug!

2008-12-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Riley fell in love with one of her christmas presents, so I let her open it early. (I know, I know...mother of the year, right here!) She played with her train for over an hour!

Then she moved on to playing with my shoes. She will go into my closet, carefully select the pair she wants to play with, and take them to this exact spot. Every single time. She's so funny!

This little smirk just melts me. I can see me in this expression.

Another goofy Riley face that I'm seeing a lot these days.

Kissing on my bug. She is super-cuddly in the morning, so I take advantage!

I just adore this kid, and am so grateful to be her mama.

That weirdo kid of mine!

2008-11-30T22:45:00.000-08:00

Riley has a TON of personality lately. She never fails to do something to amuse me, make me laugh, and amaze me at the creativity she has already.

Today, her toy of choice was a strainer. I have no idea what attracted her to it, but she played with it for about an hour.

She also LOVES my make-up, and has now mastered the art of getting the top off the lipgloss. Oh well... another Riley distraction bites the dust!

Look at the coordination...she's too little to be able to do this!

Finished look....She was NOT happy when I wiped the final results off. But it was a good color for her, no? We'll have to remember that in, oh, 16 years.

Rock-star hair!

Rock -star kid and mom.

Man, I love that crazy, adorable, super-sweet, mischevious, attitude-laden weirdo kid of mine!

A Bug's Life

2008-11-15T18:28:00.000-08:00

Just a few things Riley has been into lately....

eating mom's makeup brushes

hanging out at Gramma Nita's

"Washing" hands and playing in Harley's water bowl

"Washing" dishes in the water bowl (she does this when I'm doing dishes)

Playing in "her" drawer in the kitchen (I keep the bottom drawer full of stuff she can play with).

Free: To a Good Home

2008-11-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

One 14 month old female.
Blond hair/ blue eyes/Caucasian.
30 inches tall, 26 pounds
Answers to the following: Bug, Bugga, Miss Ya-ya, Monkey, Ba-ba, and occasionally, Riley.
Very sweet but has demonstrated lack of decorum necessary for church setting.
Has all her shots.
Available immediately.

**Her mama reserves the right to take her back when her sanity returns.

"Tickle-Tree!"

2008-11-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

First, I should explain the title. Riley has been able to say "tickle-tickle" for a while, so when it was time to teach her "trick or treat" she got stuck on "tickle" instead of "trick". We worked on it for quite a while, but only got to "Tickle-Tree". Oh, well...It's really cute and close enough!

Riley's costume was made by my very talented friend, Jane, and it was a custom job. She was one of a kind, and it was the most adorable thing ever. Riley loved the red velvet lining and kept rubbing it on her cheek. So cute! Thanks Jane!

We went to Idaho to celebrate the holiday with my family....a few pics from the evening!

In the "ha-hoe" (Tahoe in lexi-speak) ready to go to the "trunk-or-treat".

Ready for trick-or-treating with Hallee, Lexi, Aunt Jamie and Uncle Keith

Me and Bug at my mom's. No, I'm not in a Halloween Costume. That's my real face. I was tired and sick but really enjoyed seeing Riley get into the spirit of Halloween.

Super-cute Girls! Emma, Riley, Hallee and Lexi.

Riley and Grandma Nita. She LOVES Grandma Nita but was a little weirded out by her costume at first. She got over it, as you can tell by the smile!

Helping Aunt Jamie hand out candy at the "trunk or treat".

Riley *hearts* her Uncle Keith and I think the feeling is pretty mutual.

Kale and his Grandson (yes, I said Grandson) Cooper. Coop is the CUTEST little boy! Just adorable!

Miss Ambrie actually decided she liked me. Oh man, is this one sweet little girl!

This wasn't Riley's first Halloween, but she was only 8 months old last year, so it doesn't really count. Still, i thought it would be fun to post a pic of her from Halloween 2007. She gets cuter every day!

Happy Halloween!

under the weather

2008-10-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

For all those who have inquired about the bugs whereabouts in blog-world...

Both Riley and I have been sick for several days. We've been living in a world of snotty noses, fevers, tylenol, tissues, sick days, Disney channel and gatorade.

Hopefully we'll emerge soon, but in the meantime, Bug and I appreciate your well-wishes, thoughts, prayers and good vibes.

XOXO

Lots of new Riley Pics!

2008-10-11T17:43:00.001-07:00

Not much time to blog tonight, but I wanted to get a few new pics of Riley up for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

Looks like i gotta "lefty" on my hands. I was trying to teach Riley to draw on paper, and no matter how many times I put the pen in her right hand, she switched it to her left. I'm not really surprised, my Dad and Grandma are both "Lefties", too.

Riley's newest obsession- digging through my purse. I will fill it up with random stuff and she'll play in it for quite a while. It's a good way to keep her entertained.

Ummm, yeah....she snuck over and got into my soda. This is the downside of her newly developed walking ability - I need to do a better job at babyproofing! She does seem to be enjoying it, though.

Another simple pleasure for Riley - sitting in a rubbermaid container with an armload of toys. She thought it was a BALL!

When I'm gettting ready for work, Riley likes to sit right by me and play in my makeup bag. I had to put together a special "riley-safe" bag she can dig in.

Bettie (our neighbor) brought over a chocolate cupcake for Riley. She certainly enjoyed it.

Riley loves to hang out in her crib and read books. This was taken after a nap...she woke up and started looking at her books. What a great kid!

Nothing special was happening in this picture, but look at her eyes! So beautiful!

Ask and ye shall receive or When you wish upon a blog or I have the best sister ever!

2008-09-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

A while back, Becky posted a Blog-wish asking for Riley to come and visit her. Beck is in the middle of a pregnancy with twin boys (!!) and can't travel to see us, so we have to go there. Now, a visit to California to see two of my favorite people is never a hardship, but it can be difficult to make it happen. Apparently the blog-fairy granted her wish, because Riley is indeed going to spend a few days in California in a couple of weeks.

Here's how it happened:

I am currently participating in a year-long Health Leadership Institute that is meeting in Lake Tahoe in early October. This institute is a very good experience for me, both personally and professionally, and I am really enjoying the challenges and learning that have come from my work with it. I had made arrangements for Riley to be cared for during this week by one of her other family members, but these plans fell through and I was not aware of it until this week.

With only a couple of weeks before this trip, I was a little panicked about what to do with Riley. I felt like these meetings were important for me to attend, but I was not seeing a workable solution. I mentioned this to Beck and she immediately volunteered to keep Riley while I went, if I could bring Riley there. After she made that suggestion, everything fell into place. I was able to get my flights changed so I can take Riley to Cali, drive to Tahoe, drive back to Cali, and fly home with Riley. Riley gets to see Aunt Beck and Uncle Joey, I get to see my sister and bro-in-law, I get to go to my meetings, and Aunt Beck gets her blog-wish fulfilled.

The things I've learned from this: I truly have a wonderful sister who is thoughtful and generous and my best friend, I have a great brother in law who is willing to help out wherever her can, my daughter has a fabulous aunt and uncle who love her and are so excited to see her, and Finally...Blog wishes do come true.

Thanks, Becky and Joey. You guys ROCK!

Finally- Pics from our birthday party

2008-09-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

Riley in her birthday hat - it lasted about 4 minutes on her head.

Our shared birthday cake

Riley and I share the same birthday, Sept. 1st. It was her first birthday day, my *ahem* ahem* birthday, so I thought it appropriate to celebrate with a family party. I also wanted the chance to thank my family for being such amazing support to me and Riley over the past year. They have, without a doubt, gone above and beyond for us many times over.

Well, it's taken me a few weeks to sort out some technical problems from my new camera, but I finally got the pics from Riley's (and my) birthday party off the memory card.

Originally, we planned a backyard barbecue, but it SNOWED in Idaho on Sept. first, so we had to move it indoors. Still, it was a lot of fun, and great to see everyone who showed up to celebrate with us.

Hallee and me....love that kid.

As per tradition, Riley got her own first birthday cake - chocolate, of course.

Busted, Uncle Keith. Sara is gonna kill you now.

Nita thought it was her job to help me enjoy my birthday cake. Thanks, Mom.

Ambrie, Nic, and Grandpa Lane - isn't she so cute?

Grandma Lane and Grandma Clark - Grandma Clark's birthday was just a few days later!

Papa Tony, Uncle Fry (kale) and Lexi - I think Lex is going for the cake!

Don't these guys look excited?

Ambrie actually gave me a hug and a kiss - special birthday treat for me!

One Year Photos

2008-08-24T13:57:00.001-07:00

To mark Riley's first birthday, I had our amazingly talented friend, Carrie, take some pictures of Riley and of the two of us together. She did SUCH a great job...Riley loved her, the shots were unique and fun, and she really worked to make sure the personalities came through in the photos.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Check out carries photoblog here

to see some of the collages she put together for us.

Also, I'll post some of my favorites of Riley and I together on my blog here so check that one out, too.

Thanks Carrie!! You did an amazing job!

...And she won't shut up...

2008-08-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I can talk. A lot. Ok, more than a lot.

It looks like Miss Ya-ya has inherited this tendency.

Besides the constant babble and baby talk, she currently is using 4 words in perfect context: "Hi", "Mama", "Buh-bye" and "Ouch!".

Today when i went in to pick her up from her daycare, she looked up at me, smiled, and said "Hi, Mama!"

It was one of those moments that melts my heart....

11 Months Old!

2008-08-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Riley is 11 months old today, and I am blown away by how fast the time has gone by. It's amazing to me how much she grows each day and how much she has learned in such a short amount of time.

At 11 months, Riley:

Weighs 26 pounds and is XX inches long (will fill in tomorrow, when I wrestle her down to measure her).
Has a TON of reddish blond hair - I swear it thickens each and every night.
Crawls everywhere - nothing gets in her way...she goes over, under or around all the obstacles.
Can stand alone for short periods of time and has taken 2 steps by herself.
Pulls herself up to everything.
Still loves to play in water - baths, swimming pools, the ocean...you name it..is it's H20, she's good to go!
Loves music and will "sing" along whenever she hears it - especially in church, to the amusement of everyone who sits near us!
Is OBSESSED with the electrical outlets - she figured out how to remove the normal covers and how to work the twisting ones, but I stumped her with lamb and elephant shaped covers. She can't figure out how to get her chubby little fingers into the grooves to pull them off (ha ha - score one for mama!)
Loves to read books - her favorites right now are "Tails" and "Fuzzy, Fuzzy, Fuzzy". We read these at least 3 times a day.
Likes to watch TV first thing in the morning, especially "bunnytown".
Shakes her finger and gives little "lectures" if she isn't happy with something.
Oreo cookies are her favorite special treat (note the above pictures).

Riley is truly the brightest, best thing in my life and I get very emotional when i think how much love and joy she has brought to my life and the lives of our friends and family in the past 11 months. I love her so much! She is such an awesome kid and I am so lucky to be her mama.

We heart Becky and Joey

2008-07-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

Riley and I spent the long holiday weekend in California, visiting Aunt Beck and Uncle Joey.

It was so much fun! We spent most of the time just hanging out with Becky and Joey, but we did go to the Giant's Vs. Diamondback's game on Saturday night. Riley's first MLB game, and mine, too!

Practicing our cheering before we went into the game.

Baby Bug sitting in a giant baseball glove...how cute is she?

Me and my sis...Love her!

Uncle Joey teaching Riley the rules of the game!

She's just a cutie, and Riley is pretty adorable, too!

What a fun weekend, and what wonderful family we have!

Playing with our new Mac

2008-07-12T19:33:00.001-07:00

Riley and I spent some time playing with the photobooth application on my new computer today. The results were kind of fun...

Standing up!

2008-07-09T19:02:00.001-07:00

Riley's Wordle

2008-07-08T21:29:00.001-07:00

Busy, Busy, BUSY!!

2008-07-06T20:27:00.001-07:00

Riley is so much fun! She is so busy...She wants to hold everything, try everything, touch everything, go everywhere. She's into everything. I keep thinking that my house is as babyproof as I can make it, and she still manages to get into something I didn't anticipate. It's a lot of work just keeping up with her. I don't even try to get anything done when she is up and around anymore. I just try to be present in the moments with her, hold on tight, and enjoy the ride that comes as part of being her mom.

A few pictures to illustrate what I mean...

She got this balloon from the grocery store clerk. She thought it was the funnest thing on the planet! She figured out that she could rub her fingers on it and get a funny noise in return, so she did that for about half an hour, cracking herself up every single time.

A quick side note...don't you love her shirt? A gift from a friend of mine...always nice to know someone thinks "I rock"!

One of Ri's favorite things to do lately is dump the toys out of her basket, and play with the basket instead.

I caught Riley on her hands and knees, drinking out of Harley's water bowl the other day. I made her stop lapping up the water, but still grabbed the camera to document the action. What am I supposed to do about this one? I can't NOT give Harley water, and Miss Ya-ya can get anywhere so quickly.... I'm afraid she's going to be sharing water with Harley a few more times. Oh, well. It's good for her immune system.

Finally, I made this sugar-free pumpkin frozen mousse the other day, and I decided to let Bug go to town on the spoon I used to mix it up. She was all over it! This picture doesn't even due justice to the HUGE mess she made. I had to throw her in the tub afterwards. Oh, well. I want her to embrace all things in life...including pumpkin mousse!

10 Months Old!!

2008-07-01T21:44:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe that Riley is 10 Months old today! The past 10 months have flown by so quickly, yet so much has happened. Riley has learned so much and grown so much....every day she picks up something new or does something to delight me and make me laugh.

At Ten months, Riley:

Can crawl with the best of them. She just took off one day and now, there's no stopping her.
Shakes her head "yes" and "no", but does the "no" headshake much more often than "yes". The stubbornness seems to be there already with her.
Claps, laughs and hollers along with any crowd, or along with the canned laughter on TV.
Loves "So you think you can dance". We watch it together and she really enjoys the music, especially Rap and Hip-Hop (she loves them bass beats).
Has attended a Democratic rally here is SLC - of course, we are supporting Obama in the upcoming elections. Her Obama T-shirt will be here soon.
Went to her first "big" concert last week.
Loves to chase Harley around the house in her walker.
Eats a lot of things, but LOVES chicken and star soup and popsicles.
Is crazy about the park near our home and loves to swing on the baby swings.
Is a favorite at the child-care at the gym where I work out. They know her and are very excited when I come in with her, which makes me feel better about leaving her while I work out.
Sings in her sleep, sometimes really loud, sometimes very quietly.
Loves to go see Grandma Beckie and help her water the flowers.
Is the love of her Mama's life and a joy to so many people.
Has many nicknames: Riley-bug, of course, but also, Bug, Buggie, Miss Ya-ya, Ri-Ri, Miss Monkey, Boo-bah, Bug-a-boo, Rock On Ri, Ba-ba, Pretty, pretty princess and Mini-mom.

I can't believe I've been a mom for 10 months, but it's been the best 10 months of my life. Every day with Riley is a gift and I cherish the time I get to spend with her.

Love you, Bug.

Riley Loves Tim McGraw!

2008-06-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess technically Riley just loves anything that involves new places, people and music. And the Tim McGraw concert had all of the above.

Last night, Riley and I, along with Aunt Jamie (my sister in law), met up with some good friends of ours to see Halfway to Hazard, Jason Aldean and Tim McGraw at the USANA amphitheater. We had a ball!

Riley knew exactly what to do at a concert. She clapped when everyone clapped, danced in time with the music, and would scream out loud whenever Tim talked to the audience. It was really funny and she captured a lot of attention from those around us.

It was such a success, Jamie and I are planning on repeating the adventure with her girls (and hubs) in tow for the upcoming Toby Keith concert.

Riley and the washing machine

2008-06-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

One major renovation I recently made to my condo was to install a washer and dryer. This was a pretty major project. New plumbing had to be installed, the whole electrical system had to be updated and I had to knock out a closet and remodel part of my hallway. Well, i didn't do it. My incredibly talented family took care of me, but you know what I mean. It was a big project but it has been a huge lifesaver for me. Carting a baby and laundry up and down the stairs to my building's laundry room was a huge pain when Riley was first born, so I'm extra appreciative of this convenience.

Someone else in my house loves the washer and dryer, too, although for entirely different reasons. Who knew that Riley would regard watching the washer spin as her own personal action movie? She will sit in her walker and watch it was for quite a while. When the bubbles splash up on the front, she'll shriek and giggle. She claps when it starts to spin. It plays a little tune when it's completed the cycle, and she bobs her head in time with the music. It it's not running when she wants to watch, she'll bang on the washer and point. It's really pretty adorable. I'm definitely staying caught up on my laundry with her encouragement.

Riley started crawling today

2008-06-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

I got a text message and a video message from Madi today telling me that Riley was finally crawling! She has done it once or twice before, but today she put it all together and figured otu that it's a way for her to get what she wants and go where she wants to go.

Take a look! What a doll!

YAY! YAY! YAY!

2008-06-12T08:09:00.001-07:00

For the first time in 9 and a half months, Riley slept ALL NIGHT LONG!!! From 9 until 6:30!!!

I don't think I have EVER been this happy about a 9 and a half hour block of time. I know it probably doesn't seem like that big of a deal to anyone else, but now it seems like a solid night of sleep might actually happen for me in the near future, and I couldn't be more ecstatic.

Way to go, Riley!

New Riley Videos

2008-06-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

First, I have to say that I DEFINITELY have a little drama queen in the making. I put Riley to bed last night, and although she was so tired she whined and complained and thrashed around for almost 30 minutes before she fell asleep. I walked in and filmed a minute of her "complaining" and you'll notice that although she keeps putting her blanket up over her head and then taking it down and putting it up again, she never notices that I'm in the room or filming her. Seriously, folks, I am SO in for it with her!

Ok, so now that I watch that on Youtube, I realize you can't really see anything. But you can hear the complaining that goes on whenever she has to go to bed. She never actually cries, but the whining is pretty funny.

Next up, we have a video of Riley in her "illegal" walker that Jade let us borrow. Apparently, these walkers are no longer available because kids have taken more than a few spills down the stairs with them. My condo, however, is just one level and the hardwood floors make it pretty easy for her to get around. She loves being able to get around under her own steam, and she'll spend a lot of time (an hour is her record, so far) following me around. Then, if she gets bored, she'll follow Harley around and try to catch his tail. It's really cute, and it's been a great way for her to burn off extra energy. Check it out.

Nine Months Old!!

2008-06-01T21:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Riley-bug:

Today you are nine-months old. It boggles my mind to think that you have now been with me for the same amount of time that I carried you inside of me. My pregnancy seemed so long, but the time has flown by since you arrived. I think that you have always been a part of me, so having you here feels like things are just right. Everything is in the right place. All is exactly how it should be, so time flows very naturally when we are together.

I can't believe how much you have grown and what a big girl you are. At nine months, you don't yet crawl, but I think it's because you don't see the need, not because you physically can't. In spite of the lack of crawling, you seem to be able to get what you need. You scoot around on your bum, you drag yourself around in a weird soldier crawl, and you roll around to get where you want to go. You aren't afraid of anything, either. I have yet to see you be intimidated around something I thought might scare you, like the big dog who lives down the street or the strong pull of the ocean waves. Instead, you just hold on tight to me, and stare down whatever is in your way. That's the best way to meet challenges, little one. Hold on tight to the ones you love, and meet whatever is in your way head-on. A good lesson to learn early, baby girl.

You are kind of a picky eater at this stage of the game. You eat pretty well at times, and at others you don't want anything but your bottle. Since you are clearly not starving (as indicated by the rolls on your arms and legs) I'm not too worried about it. Today I let you have your first popsicle. You LOVED it! You can see from the picture below, you really went to town on it. I found it everywhere when I gave you your bath, even in your ears and between your toes. Oh well, I want you to live each day to the fullest and truly enjoy life, even if it gets messy sometimes. Popsicles are a good way to start.

At nine months, you are so loving and affectionate. You have started to sling your little arm around my neck when I hold you on my hip. It is so cute and casual, like we are just buddies hanging out. Which, of course, we are. You are so cuddly first thing in the morning. I am always so excited to get you up in the morning, because we usually spend the first fifteen minutes or so snuggling in the rocking chair in your room. You have started arranging your silky on my shoulder- just so- before you put your head down on it. This just melts my heart. I try to take time while we are snuggling to read to you. You like reading. I hope I can pass on my love of books and words and stories to you. You have your favorite books already..."Where is baby's belly button" and "Pajama Time" seem to top your list. You help turn the pages and laugh when we find the baby's belly button "underneath her shirt".

When we are out, you grin and smile and wave at people. I have seen you smile at someone in the store like you know them, and 9 times out of 10, they will come over and tell me how cute you are and much we look alike. To me, you are the most adorable child I have ever seen, so I am happyt to agree with their good taste. It's fun to have such a smiley, happy, silly, goofball baby to share with the world. And I love that we look so much alike. It's another fun thing we have in common (along with our shared birthday) and I think it's a little reminder from God that you were absolutely, positively, 100% supposed to come to me. That you were always supposed to be my child and that we have something special to provide to the world that we couldn't be or do alone. I'm not sure what that is yet, but I think we'll figure it out together.

Riley, so many people love and adore you. Besides me, you have so many family members and friends who just cherish you and would do anything for you. In nine months, you have wormed your way deep into the hearts of so many people and I couldn't be more thankful for this. It's a tough world, Ba-ba, and you need lots of people to stand behind you. You have an army of really amazing, wonderful, and kind people who are keeping an eye out for you. What a lucky girl you are!

It's so much fun to be your mom, Riley, and I hope you know how much I love you. I feel like we have a really solid bond, a very special connection, and I know we always will be very close. I am so grateful to have you in my life and to have the chance to raise you and see you grow into the person you choose to become. Sometimes I feel so inadequate for the job, and I wonder how a person so imperfect as I am could be expected to raise such a special kid. But I know that we are supposed to be a family and that we have a lot to do together and a lot to learn from each other. We are truly on a "good journey" (know where that comes from?) and I am so blessed to have you as my daughter.

Happy Nine Month Birthday!

Love you, Bug.

Mama

One more restless baby picture

2008-05-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

I just went into Riley's room to check on her and make sure she was tucked in for the night.

This is how I found her:

What a funny girl! Man, I just love my kiddo.

Restless Sleepy Baby

2008-05-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

I can already see that Riley takes after me in many ways, but one way we are a lot alike is that we are both very restless sleepers.

I had to move Riley out of her bassinet and into her crib in another room when she was just five weeks old because we kept waking each other up. First she'd move around, which would wake me up. I would get up and check on her, which would wake her up. Then she'd eat and want to hang out for a while. About an hour later, she'd fall asleep. I'd fall asleep thirty minutes after that, then I'd hear her start to move around and the whole cycle started all over again. This is one of many reasons that the first 8 weeks of her life are still hard for me to think about. Severe sleep deprivation is not a pretty thing.

Anyway, Riley still gets up a few times a night, but the cycle has broken to a certain extent. She is still a very restless sleeper and now she is able to move around her crib quite a bit. A couple of nights ago, I was up late working on a writing project and I kept hearing her move around in her sleep. It was very hot in our condo, so that may have been contributing to the restlessness. I decided to try to document her restlessness in photos, hopefully without waking her up.

The first time I went in she was in this position:

Five minutes later (Aunt Beck calls this her "chill pose"):

And five minutes after that:

After this picture, I got a little worried that she would wake up, so i quit taking photos, but she was on her belly the next time I came in and later that night, she had her legs up the wall, lying sideways in her crib.

Maybe all moms feel this way, but even just watching her move around her crib makes me stop and feel the wonder and amazement that she is mine. And how, after only nine months, has she grown so much. So weird. And so incredibly wonderful.

Question: How does one do laundry with a 9 month old ?

2008-05-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

Answer: Complete the following steps:
1. Remove contents of laundry basket.
2. Place said nine month old into laundry basket.
3. Place favorite toys and car keys into laundry basket with nine month old child.
4. Quickly fold clean clothing and remove child from laundry basket.
5. Carry child with you to place folded clean clothing into appropriate receptacles (necessary step since child's mobility has resulted in her pulling increasingly scary stunts.)
6. Replace child and repeat as necessary until laundry is finished.

Please note that a bottle can be provided to child, assuming silky blanket and glow-worm are also present. Position child with back on bottom of basket and legs hanging over sides to administer nutritional formulation.

Seriously, Riley thought this was the most fun she could ever have. And yes, I am aware that Riley looked like an dirty orphan child in these pictures. She and her clothes were both bathed shortly after these pics were taken.

But what a great way to get laundry done!

More San Diego Pictures

2008-05-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

Not much time to post tonight, but I wanted to put a few more pictures of our trip to San Diego on Bug's blog. I have had several requests and I have TONS, so few more won't make much of a difference. I promise a better post and trip details this weekend. Until then, Enjoy!

This was the first day we were there. It was a little chilly, but I wanted Riley to see the ocean. She LOVED it! This kiddo LOVES the water!

Riley and I on Mission Beach.

Letting her play for a while in the water. Good thing we were only a few steps away from our house. We were soaked!

La Jolla Cove - This is a beautiful beach, amazing blue water, awesome rocks, fun tide pools. Probably my favorite beach in San Diego. I love this picture for three reason, 1) you can see how much we look alike, 2) Riley looks so content in my arms, which is how I always want her to feel, and 3)I look happy and peaceful, which is how I am feeling a lot these days; San Diego definitely intensified the feeling. I might have to move there...

Riley zonked in the car on the way home. This is how I found her when I pulled into the driveway, and yes, NR, I did fix her shoulder straps so she was properly secured in a moving vehicle. Sheesh, such a know-it-all :)

I promise a LOT more pictures this weekend, but that should tide you over for now. Happy Wednesday!

"Night Night"

2008-05-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Becky taught Riley to lay her head down when she said "Night Night". Cute little kid trick, shown here:

Somehow, though, Riley got confused on what to do when she hears "night night" . Here are the results.

Isn't she the cutest thing ever!

Riley was tagged

2008-05-08T22:09:00.000-07:00

by Cam's little guy, Gooch (Frankie). So, five unique things about Riley.

1. Riley was born on her mom's 31st birthday. She is definitely the best birthday present ever.

2. Riley's full name is Riley Rebecca Reggio. Her uncles call her the pirate baby (RRR...get it?) She was named after her aunt Becky. There were two other Riley's in the nursery when she was born, but they were both boys.

3. Riley sings, laughs, talks and blows raspberries in her sleep.

4. We cannot go anywhere without people commenting on Riley's eyes, her adorable smile, or how much she looks like her mom. Even yesterday, we were on the beach in San Diego and an Australian surfer guy called over all his friends to "check out how much this baby and her mom look like each other. It's bloody weird, mate". She grinned at them all and they took her picture. I'm sure she'll be famous down under.

5. Riley's favorite movie is "Under the Tuscan Sun". Really. I am not kidding. She LOVES this movie. I have no idea why.

Riley tags:
Marli Bischoff
Bella Israelson
Paige Griffin

Nothing better...

2008-05-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

...than kisses from your baby.

Riley and I are still in San Diego, enjoying the beach, our little mission bay cottage and some time together. My mom and sister are joining us today. More pictures on the way!

Coming to you live from Sunny San Diego

2008-05-04T21:30:00.001-07:00

Well, San Diego anyway....the sunny part remains to be seen. But then, it's only the first day of our week-long stay in San Diego, so we can wait for the sun. But in the meantime, I am taking some time to hang out with Riley and a few other loved ones in a little cottage on mission bay. No commitments, no obligations, and no demands. Just what she and I need. Hopefully I'll be posting a few pics this week, but if not, you can expect a bunch next week.

Update on Riley's hospitalization

2008-04-25T21:13:00.001-07:00

So many of you have called, sent text messages, and emailed me to see how my Riley is doing. Thank you all for your love, concern, and help. It means a lot to me and to Riley.

A quick update: Riley spent about 30 hours in Primary Children's Medical Center, under observation for a kidney infection. She hadn't been feeling well for a couple of days, but her fever got much worse in the middle of the night on Wednesday night. When she woke up sobbing and her fever was 104.5, I decided it was time to go in to the ER. It was about 4:00 am.

The ER staff was amazing, but it's always hard to see your baby getting poked, prodded, etc. They had to try 5 times before they got an IV started :( and these were the experts from the IVteam! Finally, around 10 am, they determined that she had a UTI and they wanted to keep her in the observation unit (RTU) for a while, possibly overnight. So we moved over there.

They did an ultrasound, kept her hydrated through an IV and tried to keep her fever under control. Around 8 pm last night her fever peaked and then came down to an acceptable 101.2 where it's hung out since. After not sleeping much for about 36 hours, she CRASHED last night at 11 pm and was fast asleep until 6;30 this morning. She didn't wake up when they came in for vital signs, to change her IV, or when I redressed her in new PJs because she had soaked her old ones. She was SO tired.

We came home this morning around 10 and Riley was SO HAPPY to be home. She looked around immediately for her puppy and Harley must know something was wrong because he hasn't left her side since we got home. He is sleeping by her crib right now. She slept a lot today and was excited to go to sleep tonight, which is quite unusual for her. She is sound asleep and I am sure that is the best thing for her.

Thanks again, everyone, for your love and support, and all the thoughts, prayers and good vibes that you sent our way and still continue to send to us. They are much appreciated. I will keep everyone up to date on how she is doing, but it's looking good right now.

Madi took some pics of Riley in the hospital and I'll post them when I catch up with her. That's all for now. I need to go listen to my baby sleep and be grateful that she seems to be doing better.

More Riley Pictures

2008-04-21T15:37:00.001-07:00

Most of these pictures were taken by my brother-in-law with my camera. He captures so much expression. But hey, he had a great subject to work with, right?

New Riley Videos

2008-04-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

I finally got pictures off the camera and videos off the flip. Here they are for your viewing enjoyment...

First, Riley has been blowing raspberries for a while. She loves to make this noise, and occasionally I'll hear her blow raspberries in her sleep.

Next, Riley ADORES her babysitter, Madi. For some reason, everything Madi does and says just cracks Riley up. Here, Madi is calling her an "emo baby", which is cause for hilarity according to Miss Riley-bug.

Beckie (or Grandma Beckie to Riley) is Madi's mom. Riley LOVES Grandma Beckie and I LOVE her too. This video was shot in the dark, but it's really all about Riley's laughter, anyway.

Aunt Becky was spraying Riley with moisture spray and Riley thought it was HILARIOUS!! Now, if I am spraying anything nearby her, Riley hits herself on the head, indicating she wants me to spray her with it. So Cute!

Please note, no Riley-bug was harmed in the making of this video. It's just a really light moisturizer spray. Yes, NR, I am sure.

Finally, Uncle Joey is a favorite with Riley.

That's all for now...more pics up this afternoon.

Amazing bug pics from my brother-in-law

2008-04-11T21:44:00.001-07:00

My very talented brother-in-law took these pictures of my bug. I was DYING when I saw them. She is SO INCREDIBLY CUTE!

Easter Pictures

2008-04-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

I'm a little (okay, a lot) late getting these posted, but I wanted to get Riley's first easter pics up. Since I'm somewhat of a traditionalist, she got a new easter dress. But unlike the itchy, frilly, lacey dresses of my childhood, hers was made of t-shirt material. It was adorable, though, and she looks so cute in blue! Perfect for her eyes.

She also got an easter basket, full of toys. Since she is obsessed with my cell phone and remote control, her easter basket had toy versions of these. Did she like them better than the real thing? Of course not. She's no dummy. It also had a jiggly elephant toy, which makes her laugh and squeal with delight, and some hair bands, socks, etc.

It was a fun, but rather low key, easter. We were going to see my family but Hallee had the chickenpox so we steered clear of that plan. Instead, we went to church, hung out for a while with Becky and Madi, went for walk and took a nap together. But any time we get to spend together is precious, so we really enjoyed Easter Sunday.

Just Hangin' Out...

2008-03-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Riley has had a rough week. 6 month immunizations, plus a cold, plus teething, plus an ear infection have made her slightly cranky and VERY lazy. These pics are a pretty good representation of what she has been doing the past few days...

First Band-Aid

2008-03-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

Riley had a little sore on her thumb that she kept picking at. Plus, she sucks her thumb and that was just making it more irritated and I was worried about it getting infected. To keep it covered, I put a "Hello, Kitty" band-aid on it. Of course, then she was interested in the Band-Aid and wanted to put it in her mouth. Since it was preferable that she have a sore on her thumb versus choking on a Band Aid, I had to remove said Band-Aid. Still, she's awfully cute when she's engrossed in something.

Pretty cute, huh?

I never want to forget...

2008-03-17T00:16:00.001-07:00

I never want to forget...

How her weight shifts, becomes denser somehow, as she slides into sleep in my arms.

The way she shakes her head back and forth when she is beginning to wake up, as if she can delay the entry back into reality by throwing this stubborn, grumpy gesture at it.

The way she curls into me when I am holding her; cuddling down into my shoulder and exhaling, her body relaxed, her expression one of pure trust, of utter contentment.

The way the top of her head smells like lavender and baby girl, a perfect bouquet.

How she rubs her hand on my back when I am holding her, as if she is the one providing me with comfort and love. She can't know, of course, that she absolutely is.

The way she has started to blow raspberries on my arm... a mimic of a game we play when I try to make her laugh.

Hearing her laugh out loud in her sleep. Loud, silly, belly laughs. Precious giggles. I know her dreams are sweet if they provide this kind of amusement. Each time I hear her, I say a little prayer that her dreams will always be this sweet.

How she interrupts her morning diatribe with a big grin when I walk in to get her up, her eyes lighting up, her hands waving madly to signal that she is ready to start the day.

How she talks out loud when she is playing by herself. Her speech has a specific rhythm and cadence. I have no doubt she knows what she is saying, even though no one else understands her.

How she sits on my lap calmly when I am working on the computer, watching me type, her little fingers moving in an imitation of my hands.

How I usually find her blankets up over her head when I check on her before I go to bed. I pull them down and tuck them around her, but they are covering her head when I peek in again.

How she rubs her eyes and blinks in quick succession when she is tired.

How she must have her binky in order to sleep, however, it has to be in her hand, not her mouth.

How she sucks her thumb, but moves it to the side to smile or talk.

I never want to forget...

How it feels to love a child this much.

The wonder that consumes me when I recognize the series of miracles that brought her to me.

How full she makes my life.

How bright she makes my world.

How rich she makes my existence.

I never want to forget how it feels to be her mother.

Love you, Bug.

Stubborn Girl

2008-03-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Riley has decided that she needs to feed herself. Alone. With no help from me. The problem that we kept running into is that she hasn't quite figured out which end of the bottle will work the right way. Take a look.

What a Goofball!

2008-03-07T14:13:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Uncle Keith!

2008-03-02T21:22:00.000-08:00

Dear Uncle Keith:

Happy Birthday! You are one of my favorite people! Thank you for being such a good uncle and a good role model for me. Thank you for taking good care of me and my mom when I was so little, and for checking in on us every few days even now that we are doing okay on our own. Thanks for letting me stay at your house and play with your girls. Thanks for giving me my name and blessing. That really meant a lot to my mom and to me. Thanks for making me smile and laugh for the first times ever. You are pretty silly when you are with me, but I love it. Thanks for being there for my mom and me. We both love you and I am so glad you are my uncle. I know Mom is glad you are her brother. We both hope you have a good birthday!

Love,
Riley-bug

Cute little Riley video and bath pics!

2008-03-02T15:01:00.000-08:00

Riley and I were just playing around today and I had a chance to get some of her silly little laugh on camera.

I mentioned before that Riley LOVES the water. I caught a few cute shots of her in the tub last night. What a little doll!

Our Own Kind of Family

New Digs

Three Amigos

Summer solstice shoot

A few California photos

Who she spends her days with

May She (A Prayer for My Daughter)

A big old Riley update

Disgruntled Princess

School Picture

At the zoo....

Ever wonder...

When did this happen?

Content

How she spends an hour every day

Introducing the newest member of our family!

"Yeg Bellbo"

Christmas Images

Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday...why she loves to go see Lexi and Hallee

Just because...

Riley's Birthday Pics - about two months late

When Life Gives You Rainy Days....

A sweet surprise

Birthday pictures

Busy, busy, busy

TWO! TWO! The Girl Is TWO!

Three Amigos

Cupcakes

It was quiet. A little too quiet...

All Dressed Up, Nowhere To Go!

Cuteness overload

It's been a while...

Sugarhouse Park

To the men in our life...

Riley-bug goes to Red Butte Concerts

Proof Positive there is a whole lotta Wuthrich in her....

Is there any doubt....

At last, she sleeps...

Like her mama

***Sigh***

A neighborhood stroll

Happy Easter!

At the playground

Afternoon at the zoo

Chuck E. Cheese

Tickle-Monster

A dress of her own making.

"Wackadoo"

Riley's first sentences

Riley update

My Little "Helper"

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

Dancing Queen!

Sunday, Sunday...

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

A year of Riley

Love my bug!

That weirdo kid of mine!

A Bug's Life

Free: To a Good Home

"Tickle-Tree!"

under the weather

Lots of new Riley Pics!

Ask and ye shall receive or When you wish upon a blog or I have the best sister ever!

Finally- Pics from our birthday party

One Year Photos

...And she won't shut up...

11 Months Old!

We *heart* Becky and Joey

Playing with our new Mac

Standing up!

Riley's Wordle

Busy, Busy, BUSY!!

10 Months Old!!

Riley Loves Tim McGraw!

Riley and the washing machine

Riley started crawling today

YAY! YAY! YAY!

New Riley Videos

Sigh

We heart Becky and Joey