skillz

ready to swim!

I realized I didn't mention in her update the things Riley is starting to do. Riley is learning to wave. She loves waving at her daddy most of all. I'm going to say she "can" do all these things. Doesn't mean she ALWAYS will do it.. but she's working on it. She can wave when you say "hi riley" or "bye bye." She can clap when asked to. She can climb the stairs. Gotta be right there because she often likes to take a break and sit down and want to go back down the stairs. Silly Riley. She can pull up and stand against things. Anything. She is starting to cruise things. A few times she's stood up and let go and stood for a few seconds. Nothing big though. She had a blast at the pool yesterday. Third time to the pool this summer and she got in and crawled ALL around. She especially enjoyed splashing with Avery. I was joking that Avery goes to the pool to get in the water, but Riley goes to snack. I think she managed to snack her entire way through the last trip to the pool. =) Ok, I'm sure there's lots more things Riley can do, but I've run out of them right now.

We're excited for the summer. Hoping it's full of lots of days at the pool. In years past, we've always frequented the park mostly. I'm stumped this year though.. any tips on what to do with an 11 month old at the park?! It's too dangerous to let her crawl on the equipment since she would seriously crawl right off it. I can't set her down on the mulch because she'd try to eat it. She's not into the swings for more than a few minutes. And I can't carry her around the whole time while Avery plays! Maybe I'm missing something totally obvious because I know I'm not the first person to have a baby and a toddler at the park. =) Help, please!

Riley's 11 months old

Here's the latest and greatest from the last month in the life of Riley:

• you have mastered crawling
• you started pulling up on things this past week.. you even stood for a good 5 minutes today while watching Avery play
• you spent much of the last few weeks sick and pretty miserable. Poor girly. it's no fun to have your ear infections come back... ALTHOUGH you've been sleeping SO GOOD at night the past week. **knock on wood** We've finally had about 2 or 3 good days in a row. I think the meds have kicked in and you're feeling better. And the doc said you're teething, too. When is a baby NOT teething? =) You're working on #6 now. If you picked up the pace a little, I'd be okay with that!
• you moved into the convertible car seat. finally. even napped once in it. you've gone where your sis never went before... napping in the car past 7 months old.
• you still love tubby time... in the baby tub
• your eating habits are quite amusing. shredded cheese is awesome in your book. you'll eat puffs and cheerios (as long as you aren't in your highchair). you like little bits of cheese quesadilla. you enjoy drinking water. juice? no thank you. not yet. you'll eat oatmeal and pureed fruit if you feel like it. YOu like guacamole, too. Hmm.. yeah that's about it! I think being sick + teething for like 2 months has made your appetite weird. You always eat good at grandma's house though!
• You're up to just over 22 pounds. You've gained about a half pound in 2 months. 
• You're still SUPER shy and bashful. As long as strangers don't get up in your face, you're okay =) But hey, who does like that?
• You still do your 30 min naps, but you also do 40 min ones and hour and 15 min ones. you're kinda all over the map. But we're thankful you can nap longer these days if you want to. I'm guessing the crawling and standing up is helping wear you out.
• you're mostly in 12-18mo clothes and still a size 5 diap. love those chunky legs!

11 months old

silly girl

what's cookin'??

they hatched!

If you read my blog, you may remember a week or so ago I posted some pictures of the blue eggs I found in this nest right outside our house in the front yard. The eggs have hatched! And quite recently it looks like.

Riley helped me take pictures

Avery's first 'do

The "BEFORE"

Brent was a brave soul on Saturday and volunteered to take Avery to get her hair cut for the first time ever. I had done a few trims here and there, but her very fine, yet curly hair is SO hard to cut (in my very unprofessional opinion). Plus I never did anything drastic in fear that I might cut too much off, or make it look really funky. And her hair grows SO SLOW. As you can see because this is how long it's gotten in almost 3 years. Not much length got cut off. The ends got cleaned up and a little layering was done. AND she got some super cute bangs. Her once insanely crazy mane of hair looks more tamed and under control now. Thanks to Brent for taking her! He said she kept saying "I don't wanna take a hair cut" over and over while the lady was cutting her hair. Poor girly! Hopefully next time won't be so tough.

The "AFTER"

Ahhh.. Much better Miss Bee ;)

bubbles are the best

getting ready for some bubble fun

I think it's safe to say Avery enjoyed the bubbles =)

stay tuned for a post about Avery's first haircut!