To: Mom

Make a Smilebox greeting

Dye-namic Duo

Today Mom and I gave each other early Mother's Day presents - we took turns dyeing each other's hair. Like everything we do together, it was fun (and hilarious!). Not the kind of funny that lends itself well to outside interpretation so you'll have to take our words for it...

The important thing is we look quite fabulous now. :)

So Big!

This isn't the best capture of So Big, but it is the funniest and it also includes bonus footage of her crawling. Note the devilish look she gives me right before she goes for the stereo equipment!

Sit, Rollover, Stay

Rylee has learned many new tricks lately to add to "high five". She can "clap" two objects together (just not her hands!). She can "wave". She can give you a "kiss" on the cheek, but I warn you she prefers the French variety. I'm still working on capturing "So Big!" on video. (I now realize why they use the verb capture -she breaks this routine out all the time, but I never get quite what I'm looking for when the camera is rolling.)

She's still perfecting her crawling. Like Rio, she's learned to play fetch with herself. She throws a toy and then crawls after it. When she gets tired, she likes to stop and lounge like this...


She's ready to start "standing" as well so she'll push and pull herself up on anything. I have a feeling she's going to be a little monkey climber when she gets older!


I mentioned a while ago that she can hold her own bottle now. She loves to kick back in her boppy and have a drink. (I think she's definitely going to be a dancer like Mommy!)

Tag - Ocho!

8 Things I'm Looking Forward to:
1. Rylee's tooth to pop up
2. Book Club on Thursday
3. My first Mother's Day
4. 2 baby showers
5. More firsts for Rylee
6. 6 weeks in MN!
7. Seeing my Dad, family, friends (including new baby!)
8. Rylee's baptism

8 Things I Did Yesterday (very little - Saturday was my busy day):
1. Watched TV
2. Read a magazine
3. 6 loads of laundry
4. Pool time with Rylee
5. Dinner with Jon
6. Took a shower
7. Fed & played with Rylee
8. Blogged

8 Things I Wish I Could Do/Want to Do:
1. Go on a date night with Jon
2. Play the piano
3. Be independently wealthy
4. Swim with the dolphins
5. Become a published author
6. Travel Bewitched style
7. Get a new computer
8. Be a good Mom

8 Shows I Watch:
1. How I Met Your Mother
2. Castle
3. Deadliest Catch
4. My Boys
5. Lost
6. The Office
7. Grey's Anatomy
8. Dollhouse

More Funny Faces

Rylee certainly has personality, there's no doubt about that. Her latest "thing" is making a scrunched up nose and mouth face. I used to have a student who made a similar face (along with sound effects) so we've named the face after him. It's pretty funny - I just hope she's still not making it when she gets to Kindergarten!

Making it while hanging out in the kiddie pool yesterday...


Making it again today while trying out her new walker.

I have about 10 other photos, but I think you get the "picture". :)

She really enjoys scooting around in the walker though she isn't a great driver. Here she is looking shocked after crashing into Jon's aquarium. (Note the step stool and flashlight, he's still tinkering with things.)


Here's another shot just to show the newly rearranged living room. This is like the 5th configuration since Rylee was born (though technically this last move didn't have to do with her or her stuff).

We had to bring the bar back. It just didn't seem right to have alcohol in the pantry - and there wasn't even any rum! I guess it can stay...for now...but who knows, it might not work in configuration #6...

So Much to Say...

...and yet still no time to say it!

We were busy beavers here today getting caught up on everything that has been piling up since Jon's aquarium move (we inherited/"bought dirt cheap" our neighbor Dave's 100 gallon aquarium) and my brief return to work.

- woke up at 6 and spent a couple of hours grading papers
- cleaned the house (the downstairs anyway - that was all Rylee's nap allowed)
- Jon went grocery shopping & mowed the lawn
- we gave Rio a haircut (bath day is tomorrow)
- did miscellaneous chores for Rylee (raised the straps on her high chair, elevated her exersaucer, dropped her crib, went to Buy Buy Baby for some baby gates, put together her new walker - a gift from Grandma)

Through all that we did manage to have about a half hour outside lounging in Rylee's kiddie pool (she played until she was pruny!).

There is so much I want to say about Rylee (she is getting "so big" - more on that tomorrow - crawling everywhere, getting into everything), but honestly I am exhausted. I have been running ragged for two weeks and the thought of sitting in front of the TV and just vegging out is too appealing to pass up.

Later gators!