Ryder and Santa

Well, believe or not, Ryder got to sit with Santa TWICE today! What a lucky little man! I was really wondering how he would handle it at his young age of 13 months but like Wayne says - He Manned up! The first one was this morning at our ward Christmas breakfast. He was so curious and even tugged on the beard! Luckily, it was fake so no harm there. The sad part was that the second beard on the second Santa was real at the South Towne Mall... but same curious reaction from Ryder. Luckily I got our camera the second time and got some photos... I am too tired right now to download so those will be added later...



More info on Ryder... He had his first birthday over a month ago and got very spoiled! He loved his cake even though he did NOT like his face being pushed into it... That really upset him. He is a really sweet little boy that loves to come up and lie his head on your leg or near your face. He will even come and give you hugs and sometimes kisses if you're lucky! He's about 26 lbs now and I think 32.75" tall (97th percentile!!). The pediatrician told us that if he stays on the same growth curve he will be between 6' 2" and 6' 3". Pretty tall child. He will overgrow both of us sometime in his life! He is walking now but is still really cautious with each step and doesn't have the confidence to just walk. He still crawls mostly, but is walking more and more everyday. He now can say eat in sign language and even though we try to teach him what "more", "sleep", and "bath" is in sign language, he still signs eat for each of them. It's funny but also fun to see him learning that. He loves to talk on the phone- especially with someone on the other end! But he does have 2 toy phones that he loves to play with too. He loves fruit loops, green beans, bananas, string cheese, and chicken nuggets. He pretty much loves all food but those seem to be his favorite. He got a cute toy tractor and four wheeler for his birthday and he loves to push those around. Hmmmm.... what else.... He has 8 teeth now (1 molar) and hates getting his teeth brushed. He sleeps from 8 to 8 now which is wonderful and has finally learned to go to sleep without his bottle. That has been a battle and if we are desperate, we will give it to him. Well, I guess that is the basics... Just a happy, normal one year old that keeps us laughing and on our toes! Love you baby boy!

It's Going TOO FAST!

So tonight I had a real wake up call... We went to our friends house tonight for their baby's first birthday party. Weston is only 1 month and 1 day older than Ryder. But all of a sudden it hit me that one month from tomorrow, Ryder will be having his first birthday. I've known this was coming, I've been planning it, but it hasn't hit me that hard yet. I started tearing up as I looked at him. It goes by so fast and it seems like each year goes by quicker as I get older so I know the rest of the birthdays are going to come all too quickly too! Anybody else experienced that little twinge of heartache or am I just nuts?

BUSY, BUSY AUGUST!

Well, I obviously haven't posted for awhile but we've been super busy! We took Ryder to the zoo for the first time and his favorites were the giraffes for sure! He also liked the elephants and the birds in the pond. Oh, and monkey too... He's such an animal boy! We also took him on his first camping trip last night... We weren't sure how that would go but it went okay. He got to eat his first s'more and LOVED it! He loved crawling (yes, he is now crawling) around in the tent with the sleeping bags. Our dog Sammie was being super hyper and wasn't listening well so Wayne drove her back home (45 minutes each way!) and got back after dark. Ryder FINALLY fell asleep around 10 but woke up at 4 am and wanted a bottle but of course it wasn't too warm and he did not like that at all! Wayne and I weren't sleeping well anyway so we decided to just pack up and come home. We got home around 5:15 this morning and we all slept until 11! So that is a couple of adventures we've been on this month. I just started nursing school yesterday and Wayne is starting graduate school in 2 weeks so we are trying to get in as much as we can!

Ryder now says Mama (even though I think he just figured out that is me =o) - and can say Dada but doesn't say it as often. He is eating basically everything he can get his hands on and is loving his freedom of crawling. He can pull himself up and walk around things and tonight at a neighborhood BBQ stood up by himself for about 5 seconds so he's progressing quickly! He loves trying to catch our two cats (one of them now has a 2" shorter tail by a closed door mishap) and loves our dog as well. He waves his arms when he gets excited and frustrated and just got his two top teeth a week ago. Time is flying and pretty soon we'll be celebrating his 1st birthday! It's not easy being a parent, but so worth it!

A FRIEND MAKING MY NIGHT & OUR LITTLE MAN UPDATE

Tonight has been a rough night for me. I won't go into exact detail but I'm tired of feeling crappy about myself just because I haven't lost all of my baby weight. Why on earth do I feel my whole existence is based on how I look? I try to be a good mom, wife, employee, church member, friend, etc... Isn't that enough? Why do I put so much pressure on myself to be something that I may never be and not be okay with that? Anyway- this is how my night has been going. Then here I am at 2 in the morning because I can't stop these dumb thoughts in my head and sleeping is obviously not going to happen. So I decided to look at my blog and then check out some friends' blogs. Well, one of these friends really made my night... I was reading her blog and she quoted me as a "dear friend". You know who you are. You have no idea how that has changed my whole attitude and outlook tonight. I want you to know that I feel the exact same way and I couldn't be happier for anyone else! I love that we can celebrate your joy together knowing what eachother has gone through to get where we are. I hope you know that I cherish your friendship and I feel we have something that bonds us together that not many people we know understand. Not to get all mushy, but you have no idea how much I needed that tonight so thank you. Even though it seems so simple, it makes me feel so much better!

Now to the little man that is the topic of every conversation I have... Man I love my little Ryder! He's wanting to crawl so bad and is so close but isn't quite there. He's got his knee movement figured out but not his hand movements so he face plants a lot but I think within the next week he may just have it. I have mixed feelings about it but it's going to get here sooner or later so we might as well encourage him! He loves to clap and play the blowing bubbles game with Wayne. He sure loves his daddy! He gets super excited when he sees Wayne. It is so sweet! I love that they are so close! He found Elmo today on Sesame Street and is already hooked! It was on accident but once I realized how transfixed he was on it, I let it go and now he has something else to add to his watching list besides Baby Einstein. He sure does smile a lot and when he does it just melts your heart! He's a good eater (will eat ANYTHING and I mean ANYTHING!) and a great sleeper! He does have some attitude which is to be expected but he can be so sweet! He loves to give us kisses when we ask and the best is when he just does it on his own! I swear that is his little way of showing love. There really isn't anything more special than that! It makes you feel like you're doing something right as a parent... Well, what more could we ask for at this time! Wayne and I are both going to school this fall, I have a great job, and we have a wonderful, beautiful son! We are truly blessed!

OUR 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND

Well, we had a busy, interesting holiday weekend! Thursday, Ryder and I drove with my mom to Boise, Idaho in one day to meet my sister Stacy up there (she is from Oregon) so that my mom could take her son Stevie for a month to visit. Stacy had never met Ryder so I wanted to go up there, not to mention to see her and Chad. Wayne's sister Wendy let us borrow her portable DVD player so Ryder could be entertained with Baby Einstein. What a lifesaver!! I am investing in one of those one day! (Thanks Kamelle for the idea and thanks Wendy for letting us borrow it!). Ryder did great until 15 minutes from home and he lost it! Granted we had been pretty much driving from 6:15 am until 7:30 pm so he had had it... who can blame him? But you should have seen him with Wayne when we got home... He was so sweet and loving towards Wayne! He kept putting his head on his shoulder, smiling and touching his face... It was adorable! He was so happy to be home with his daddy! Then, Friday we got up at 6 am (remember, Ryder is NOT a morning person so 2 days in a row with 6 am wakenings was not cool in his mind!) to go to Eden to go boating with Wayne's family. We weren't sure what Ryder would think of the boat... He completely shut down! He would barely smile and just had a serious look on his face the whole time! He didn't cry though so I don't think he hated it... I just think he didn't really like it. It will be better when he's older. Then Wayne started feeling sick so we went back to the condo to hang out... Boy was Ryder a different boy there! He was super happy and back to himself. I started feeling sicker - (I had been battling a cold since Tuesday) and just wanted to sleep... So we did and then left there getting home at 8 pm. Well, Saturday -4th of July - we wanted to go for a bike ride and then to the Provo park possibly for the Freedom Festival but I woke up SOOOO sick! I think I had a sinus infection. I was miserable so what did we do all day? LAY AROUND! I was so bummed out! I felt really bad but what could I do? Luckily I am on antibiotics already fighting mastitis so I think that has helped. I woke up this morning (Sunday) feeling better although still not completely healthy. Anything is better than how I felt yesterday though! So, that was our long holiday weekend that I think has been too long and I'm ready to be healthy and back to a normal schedule. I usually hate when holiday weekends are over, but I'm worn out over it so I guess I'm just ready for normalcy! Well, like Wendy said, luckily we live in Utah and have the 24th to celebrate as well so I can somewhat make up for what we missed this weekend! Can't wait until then!

INTERESTING WEEK

What a crazy and interesting week it has been! First of all, Ryder fell off of the kitchen island and landed face first on our tile in his bouncy chair... Talk about feeling like a horrible mother! I underestimated his abilities to do this apparently. Needless to say he isn't allowed up there anymore... He's okay though. Just some bruises thankfully! Then Wayne and I got to give Ryder to his grandma while we went and stayed at a bed and breakfast in Sandy. It was awesome! So much fun! The breakfast was divine! If you ever get a chance go to the Hansen House in Sandy and stay in the "Blue Lagoon" themed room. The bed was round and comfy and there was a huge, deep jetted tub. So fun! We loved it. It was hard for me to leave Ryder overnight for the first time but I knew we needed some time together and it worked out just fine. Then we got to take Ryder to sevenpeaks for the first time. He wasn't really sure what to think but we bought season passes last September so he better get used to it! Hopefully I can take him on Saturday. And I found out today that I got accepted in IHC's nursing program to start this August. I was really excited because their program will be easier to manage than the one I was going to start in January. It will be easier to work full time still... I finally get to get my degree. It's taken me long enough that is for sure! What's fun too is that Wayne will graduate earlier that year with his MBA and I will graduate the end of that summer so we will graduate together basically. Hopefully Wayne will have a job so we can take a big celebration cruise or something! Then tonight I cut my finger super bad making dinner which kind of ruined my night but then I got a piece of chocolate cake which made it all better!! (Well, maybe not but it helped =o). Crazy, busy week but all is well and we are thriving!

TIME FLIES!

WOW! I cannot believe my baby will be 7 months next week and we've already been married for 6 years today! Everyone tells you how fast time goes by with babies but you just don't see or believe it until you experience it yourself! I look back at his newborn pictures and I honestly only vaguely remember that... I'm sure that being sleep deprived and on Percocet from the C-section didn't help but it kind of makes me feel bad.. Like I missed out on his newborn days. I know for sure I will treasure the newborn time even more with my next one (hopefully there is a next one...). I don't remember what Wayne and I used to do before Ryder was born. Life pretty much evolves around him- and that is okay with us. It's so much more fun! I was just telling Wayne tonight that I could never go back to being without Ryder.... Not that Wayne and I didn't have any fun- It's just that now that I've experienced motherhood and how much closer Wayne and I are - I would never give that up or change it. Life is so much more worth living once you have a little one. I hope that one day he'll know how much he is loved by us and how much he is wanted. I really believe the best thing you can give a child besides love is self-confidence which coincides with love. Of course you don't want them to be cocky, but just happy and confident. Oh the responsibility that brings in such a tough world. But one thing is for sure, the love I have for Ryder is something I've never experienced and the love I have for Wayne is expounded when I see what a good dad he is. OK- It's 12:30 in the morning and I keep rambling... Just a lot on my mind and a lot of love in my heart. Happy Anniversary tomorrow honey! 6 years!

WAYNE & SHARON'S TRADITION BECOMES A FAMILY TRADITION...

On Saturday, April 25th, we packed Ryder up in a Kids Trek back pack and went to Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City for the Supercross. We have gone together for years and even to the Las Vegas supercross last May. Now that we have Ryder, we have our first family tradition. It was rainy and I was tempted to call Wayne's mom to come and get Ryder once a cold breeze hit but it warmed up enough and we really enjoyed ourselves. It was a blast! Wayne really enjoyed sharing this passion with his son and hopes one day he will carry this on... We are so thrilled to have Ryder in our lives. This is the happiest we have ever been! He is such a happy little guy and keeps cracking us up over and over again! Love you Ryder!

SWEET SPIRIT

So, I had a really nice experience a few nights ago. Ryder was really struggling to go to bed and it was like 11:30 pm. He likes to lie in our bed with us so I took him in there until he fell asleep- around midnight or so. Well, once I got him in his room he woke up - OF COURSE... So I sat in my glider and held him really tight and he was just looking up at me. So I started to softly whisper how much I love him and how much Daddy loves him and how much his grandparents love him. Then I started to whisper more saying to remember how special he is and to always do what is right and be happy. He was staring at me intently this whole time! I went on whispering how much Jesus and Heavenly Father loves him and that he has blessed our lives by coming to us and on and on and on... WOW! What a great spiritual experience! He got so relaxed that he slowly drifted off to sleep. I just realized after this that if I EVER feel like I'm lacking the spirit of the Holy Ghost that all I have to do is look at and talk to this angel! It seemed so simple but the spirit was so strong in that dimly lit room that I will never forget it. He must have felt it to because he was so calm and serene. He really looked at me like he understood and maybe his little spirit did! How could you not love a moment like that?

My Little Family

I'm finally giving in and learning how to create a blog... It's much more fun now that Ryder is here though... It's makes it more interesting! We've been so busy since he came along that I'm lucky I've even got this far tonight! But he is down for the night and I can't sleep so here I am.

Today was a great day! Ryder was so happy (like he usually is) and brings so much joy into our lives. He reminds us how to be happy and smile about the smallest things... He has brought me so much perspective on what is important that my whole thinking process about life has changed. Tonight Wayne asked me if it would be hard to go back to life without Ryder and it made me realize how empty it was without him. Sure, I'm busier and the only schedule I work around is his, but life without that smile, those dimples... would be UTTERLY AND COMPLETELY EMPTY!!! He is such a wonderful little boy and for some crazy reason, he was okay to let me be his mom... I've never felt so complete and been so happy in my life! I finally have started to complete my little family! We're a family.... How much more could you ask for in this life?