Just hanging....

This last weekend we just hung around the house, ran errands, and enjoyed being a family.  Rilyn had lots of fun talking on her phone, climbing a tree, playing outside, and just being 1!

 And we can't forget to say a very Happy Birthday to one very special person!  Happy Birthday Carly!  Rilyn can't wait to see you and give you a slobbery wet kiss on the lips!!

Really???

Be forewarned.  This is going to be a little bit on the mean side, but to be totally honest, I have to get this off my chest.

I'm not embaressed to admit that I enjoy American Idol.  Nothing puts me in a better mood than watching the hopes and dreams of young people around the country get crushed.

Seriously.

Anyway, you know that SNL skit "Really???"?  Like they will say something that really happened, but is so outrageous, and follow that up with a Really???

Here's an example of a real "Really???" skit.

"Really, Arnold Schwarzenegger? You had an affair with the maid in your house. You know, when powerful people have affairs they usually put a little effort into it. I mean, really. Secret rendezvous, high priced call girls. What did you do? Just sit in your recliner and point at your weiner whenever someone walked into the room?  Really???"


Well tonight, there was a heartbreaking story about this 8th grader or something from Wisconsin who had over-come some bi-polar issues.  At this point, I was totally in on her.

1)  Because she couldn't stop saying "eh" and "ya know" in that sweet Fargo accent.

2)  Because my mind immediately imagined her saying "What ya soh mad aboot eh"?  Or, "Hey, stop being a poser".

So yeah, I'm cool with her story, waiting to get to the singing, and then she says...

"I've been battling depression since 4th grade".

Honestly, I almost fell off the couch, because, REALLY?

If you are struggling with depression in the 4th grade, the John Elway's honest truth, is it's only going to get much, much, worse.

When I was in 4th grade, I was flying high.  I mean, by that time in my life I was pretty confident in my recital of the Pledge of Allegiance.  The constant worrying in years past about forgetting the words were long gone.

Also, I think I had finally gotten past that whole times table thing.  Eight times six?  No fracking problem.

My parents also had recently purchased me some sweet neon greenish yellow shorts and a stone washed jean jacket.  On back to back days, I could wear the neon greenish yellow shorts that were so short that I had to wear underwear under my boxers, and then one up my own darn self by going to school in stone washed jeans with a matching stone washed jean jacket.

 I really don't mean to make fun, or make light of a serious condition like depression, but in the 4th grade?

Really???

12 month check-up

Yesterday we went to Rilyn's 12 month check-up.  She is healthy and doing everything she is supposed to be doing.  Just as we figured!  Here is a little update of what Rilyn is doing at 1 years old....

Stats: 23 lbs (76%)
          30" (73%)
Head - 18" (66%)

Eating - Rilyn still loves food and we haven't found too much she doesn't like.  She still won't touch avocado and her favorite food right now is probably black beans, cheese, and any kind of fruit.  I'm glad we haven't gone on any eating strikes yet; although, I'm sure they are coming.  As far as milk, she is on cow's milk and seems to be tolerating it fine.  We are still giving her a bottle and honestly I have no desire to wean her from it yet.  I know it's bad for their teeth but we brush her teeth every morning and night (after her last bottle).  We will see I guess we need to start thinking about it.  She is still nursing 1 - 2 times in the morning and it's a nice way to wake up for the both of us.  I get to stay in bed a few minutes longer and she gets some good milk.  The weaning from nursing was super easy with her.  She just did it on her own and that made it really easy on me. 

Sleep - She is napping 1 - 2 times a day.  She takes a short morning nap and a longer afternoon nap.  Usually she sleeps for about 2 - 21/2 hours a day.  She still wakes up between 3 - 5 AM to nurse.  I have no idea how to break her of it and really don't care as long as she is sleeping through the night when the next one arrives.  So, we have a few months to figure it out.  Last nigth she didn't wake up until 5 AM, which really is great considering she goes to bed between 6 - 6:30 most nights.  We try to keep her up later but she gets super fussy and is just ready around that time.

Talking - Rilyn is talking quite a bit.  She babbles all day long and we have heard the words: grandma, grandpa, papa, dog, Zoe Zoe, book, all done, more, mama, dada, hi....her favorite thing to say is "hi dada" which is super cute because she says it in a very sweet voice and is usually the first thing she says every morning.  She is also mimiking a lot and today as I was reading her a story she was repeating pretty much everything I was saying.  I did realize that teaching her to sign/talk does have it's disadvantages.  We were shopping and I had just stuck her in the cart, she looks at me, signs all done, and then proceeds to meltdown because we weren't done.

Moving Around - Rilyn still prefers to crawl over walking.  She takes steps all the time and has taken 5 - 6 steps at a time, but really is happy crawling. I'm sure she will be walking any day now.  I'm really in no hurry for her to walk other than I feel like it will give us more time outside.  Especially right now when it's nice enough to be outside some days but the ground may be wet or cold. 

Rilyn is just doing great and we love spending time with her.  Every day she does something new and she amazes us!
Rilyn enjoying her new trike:

 Tonight at dinner Rilyn was in a less than favorable mood so after a little fit she got turned around to eat by herself...boom roasted Rilyn we are totally the bosses in this house!

It's Been 1 Year....

It's been 1 year since this little girl changed our lives....

This year has been full of joy, laughter, tears, hardships, learning, and love.  You can never grasp the love a mom has for her children until that moment when you first meet them.  I have been overwhelmed with the responsibility and love I have for this tiny little piece of the two of us.

It has been amazing to watch her grow, change, and get to know us as her parents, and I am excited for more!  Being a mom is way different than I ever imagined it in so many ways and that is all good.  I am a much more flexible, caring, tired, loving, busy, scared, satisfied person.

Rilyn makes me smile every day with her words, actions, and smiles. She is such a fun little girl with big personality. And I know she will do amazing things, but even if she doesn't I couldn't stop loving every inch of her.

Yesterday, we had a great party with a few friends and family and celebrated all she has brought to our lives.  Thank you everybody for joining us, and showing our little girl all the love in the world!

And on a side note...happy birthday grandma!  We were thinking of you a lot yesterday and wishing you could celebrate with us.  We miss you a lot and can't wait for you and Rilyn to celebrate your birthdays together someday.  It is so special that she gets to share that day with you!

And let the party continue...
 

11 Month Info:


Rilyn turned 11 months old on 12.21.11.  I can't believe our next months post will be 1 year!  Rilyn is turning more into a toddler everyday, and I see less and less of that chunky little baby.  Not much has changed since the 10 month post.  She is just getting better at everything and quicker.  She does seem to understand a lot more and is copying more signs and words but not consistently.  She has also just recently decided that she likes a story before bed every night.  Of course, I've been trying to get  her to let me read her books since she was 1 day old, but she's never been that interested and now she asks for them.
In other news, we were supposed to drive to Montana yesterday and got 3 hours north and had to turn around. We don't think we would have made it in under 12 hours or so and that is too long to be driving on pure ice.  I will probably try to take Rilyn and go up after Christmas, but of course I really don't want to get back in the car especially by myself so we will see.

Well, Rilyn is getting into everything she isn't supposed to so I better get moving.

Zoo Trip

Today Rilyn and I went to the zoo with Diana and Joaquin.  We got a membership for Christmas from my grandparents (THANK YOU GRANDMA AND GRANDPA) so we decided to take advantage of it before I went back to work and while we had some decent January weather.

The weather didn't turn out as nice as I hoped, but still was manageable for January.  There weren't many people at the zoo which is so nice when pushing a stroller, and the animals were amazing.

Rilyn really liked the animals and could spot them pretty well.  The first half of the zoo was great...the 2nd half we sort of had to rush through because she was bringing out the rager in her.   I'm still not sure what upset her, but she was cranky and wanted nothing to do with the stroller, animals, food, or even me holding her.

I'm excited to visit the zoo often this year.  It's really nice knowing you don't have to see it all in one day because I can go back whenever I want for free!  Plus, the zoo is really close to us and that makes the trip so much more doable.

Here are some pics from the trip!

I also thought I would throw in these pictures of Rilyn playing peek-a-boo.  I just love that toothy grin.  She does have 8 teeth now!

Peek

A

Boo

 

Oh and Carly...I so know you are commenting on the hat so let's hear it!

Cyrus's 5th B-Day Pics