Nope not really, Riley Grace, with your sticky orange face! Where in the world did this past year go? You turn 12 months next Wednesday and it all happened so fast. At least we will always have the blog!
Today this almost toddler (sniff) decided to help with some chores by taking one of Jackson's reusable sandwich bags upstairs (I leave stuff on the stairs until I climb up--lazy)...and to the laundry room she went...dropping it in the laundry basket...all without any direction from me. My little Mini Merry Maid!!! I'll keep her! ;)
Riley loves to give hugs to her dolls, Mama, and Dada. Recently she started to include her hug giving to Mommy Nannette and Big Bro.
Jackson meanwhile is just days away from his 4th birthday! Feels like he just turned one! Four seems so much older than three! Like, an almost kindergartner! What?! It has been a lot of fun planning their birthdays. I've been crafting while they sleep as there isn't too much time during the day to squeeze that in since J gave up his naps when Riley was four months old--same time my hand injury happened. How fun for us! Anyhow, we have birthday parties back-to-back weekends for these two loves so we are BUSY!
Silverware Captain reporting for duty!
Organizing kazoos for Ri's musical birthday.
We are so proud of our Big Boy as he is learning to be more responsible. He makes his bed daily, feeds Abby the cat, and puts the silverware away. We call him the Silverware Captain. As far as bed making, it does not look an adult made it and being Type A myself, I was remaking it for him. But then I saw a Pin that reminded me of teaching strategies--why was I redoing his work? Over time he will get better and so now I just leave his made up bed as is and just deal with the wrinkles.
Putting J's jacket away!
Even Riley enjoys her chores. She puts things "back" by helping to clean up. She says, "back, back" and proceeds to put away jackets, shoes, toys, and books. It is adorable. I caught her putting Jackson's jacket "back, back" the other day. She even put Abby's bowl "back, back" from the dishwasher. I love this baby stage--where suddenly your routines click and they begin to follow directions.
We took advantage of the 75 degrees in January and spent a few lovely hours at La Jolla Shores this morning--best beach for kids as the waves are usually low. The water was freezing which didn't bother Jackson one bit. He would love to live at the beach and we will be thrilled once he buys our retirement home for us. ;) Riley did mind the water temperature so she spent most of her time trying to not eat the tempting sand (a new favorite). And we met some real Angry Birds--the sea gulls were so daring--at one point they flew down by our heads and tried to take Riley's sandwich from her hand! The girls screamed and the boys laughed. We love living in SD!
My Shutterfly project this weekend. I think I cried over each page! And I finally used an expired Living Social credit. Now to start documenting her first year in a book...
that's baby Charlie upside down making her first appearance
monthly sticker picture hardly shows up: 11
I'm over these pictures!
So fresh and so clean!
...sigh. I held Riley a little longer before bed last night knowing that these moments of her cuddled in my arms fast asleep are going to be less and less as she quickly approaches toddlerhood. I still need to write her birth story...it only took me three years to write Jackson's. I have time. Here are some recaps over Riley's tenth month:
Food and Milkfest
Eats everything we will allow. LOVES broccoli, green beans, avocado, and pears. Coincidence they are all green?
Tried peanut butter and jelly this month--wasn't thrilled but she ate it anyways.
Happy New Year!
Nursing every 2.5 to 3 hours. Still. I tried four hours and she was pretty upset for an hour...then made up by nursing an hour after she just nursed. I'm going to check at her one year appointment about introducing whole milk and trying to wean. I'm tired. I would prefer three times a day.
Really into her dolls! It's adorable. Cousin Eleanor gave her a dolly stroller/walker for Christmas and she loves pushing her "babies" around. She also gives them hugs and we added tucking them in at night to her bedtime routine. Another favorite are balls. She enjoys throwing and rolling them as well as walking around with them just in case someone wants to play.
Also loving her new kitchen that we gave the kids for Christmas. They spend 30-60 minutes in the morning making things for me. Love it.
First time at Disneyland!
Animal
Cats. Riley says "cat" for almost any furry animal and goes nuts when we are in the cat aisle at the pet store. There are cat pictures everywhere. Ha!
Personality
Santa Baby
We call her Riley Smiley and Shy Ri for a reason. She is shy at first but then gives huge smiles once she feels comfortable with you and realizes Mama isn't leaving.
Firsts
Added another tooth (top) after WEEKS of pain. Riley has been pretty grumpy after 3 p.m. over the last two weeks and only wants to be held. That makes dinner making interesting.
We went to D-land over Christmas and she loved the music, colors, and people watching. I think we went on two rides together.
Went to Julian and Riley had her first bites of apple berry pie!
Riley increased her steps to full on walking and met her goal by Christmas. I wasn't a big fan of shoes because it was just another thing to put on both kids...but now she really needed real ones (not the soft soles she owns). So we went to Stride Rite last night to pick up her first pair of walkers. She loves shoes. She could play in my closet or her own looking at the shoes for an hour and be perfectly happy. So being at the shoe store was a dream come true...and so it begins! I had promised her pink sparkle Toms once she started walking but they don't come in her size (Toms run big). I ordered them anyways for when her foot grows. Nordstrom Notes put to good use!
Can slide down her slide by herself--and begs to go outside so she can slide and swing.
Sat in the car cart with Jackson for the first time while grocery shopping.
Plays pat-a-cake
Loves her new pal, Violet, who sings to her during diaper changes and helps us keep this squirmy baby still for a few seconds!
New words: shoes, yes, this, bath, night.
Sliding Fun!
We went to the doctor on Christmas Eve morning because I had to verify her ears were good. She had a fever of 101 and was so unhappy...just teething. But we did get a weigh in...20 pounds!
Oh Riley we love you so much and just can't believe how fast you have grown. Feels like you were just in my belly and we were asking you to hold on until after Jackson's birthday to come...and you did...four days later! Love you baby girl. xoxo
Measuring her foot...size 3 1/2
Thanks Grandpa and Gram for this bench for our yard!
Reading about the different faces babies make
and making one of her own...
Grocery shopping in the car cart
Day trip to Julian (food poisoning the next day-yuck)
Happy 2013! We rang in the new year with good friends at Tom and Jen's amazing dinner party. Seriously everything looked like a magazine. Jen is so detailed and probably inspires many Pinners I am sure. Too bad I am lame and only took two pictures -- actually Sierra took them. Using Ali's from Instagram as well so you can see what I mean about a magazine!
Mommy Nannette watched the kiddos and Ri woke up as we came home around 2 am -- I think our recent food poisoning (36 hours of misery) and dehydration caused my milk to drop and of course she wanted mama and not her bottle for more milk. Anyhow all is good now...ended the first day of 2013 with a cool walk in our neighborhood.
