A Peanut's Gallery

Baby Noah

2010-10-04T17:04:00.003-04:00

Noah Patrick Kaden was born October 2nd weighing in at 8 lbs 3 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long.

Labor Day Catch Up

2010-09-10T09:23:00.003-04:00

We've been busy the past couple of weeks between doctors' appointments and fitting in some much needed family time. We made a family pact to not go anywhere this last month before the new baby arrives and it has been so nice to not be travelling or have any other obligations.

Labor Day weekend was quiet for the first time in a long time. We ran some errands, strolled down Historic Apex, hit the parks and just plain hung out with each other. It's been great. While we explored old town Apex, we found two new favorite shops! Common Grounds is a fabulous little coffee shop located in a renovated, historic building just across the street from the local fire department. We enjoyed a quick coffee break while Riley tried to outsmart Daddy in a game of chess.

Our other new favorite was the Blue Tiger Gifts just next door to Common Grounds. They had an eclectic range of gifts including silver, mod decor, jewelry, kids toys/books/clothes and kitchen decor. The woman working there was such a treat. She entertained Riley by showing her all their wind up toys while Daddy and I got to stroll through the store. They had some really fantastic pieces. I think we'll be visiting again soon for some holiday shopping!

The weather has finally cooled down some and we've been enjoying time outside, which has been rare for us with this North Carolina summer! We made it out to Crowder Park to see the turtles and re-discovered Riley's fascination with slides. She had to go down EVERY slide we came across during our walk around the lake. We saw TONS to turtles and even spied two humongous snapping turtles in the water. Lots of fish to count, too!

We are looking forward to even cooler weather as fall approaches. Apple season is closing in on us and we just might make it out to Millstone Creek Orchards this weekend for some late summer apples. We'll be sure to bring the camera and get some good pictures if we do!

It's About Time!

2010-08-23T09:53:00.003-04:00

To get back to blogging that is! We've taken more than our fair share of breaks this summer and it is high time to get back to business.

With less than five weeks to go before baby boy Kaden arrives, we are busy preparing our home and family for the new addition. Riley has moved up to a big girl bed in the old guest room, leaving the smaller nursery for her baby brother to take over. She adjusted very well to the double size bed and seems to have taken over the new room with zeal. She has more room to play with her toys, a walk in closet where she can go in to pick out her own clothes each morning and is getting read to each night before bed - something she quite enjoys with Daddy.

The nursery is coming along nicely. We painted it a pale blue-grey color - a big change from the daffodil yellow it was before. The dark furniture looks beautiful against the cooler color. We've decided to do a Star Wars theme for the nursery. I managed to find some vintage bed sheets with a star wars print and am having a friend's mother sew them into crib sheets and basket liners. We found a series of prints in the Star Wars theme and are working on getting them framed. A selection of plush toys and figures to go on a shelf over the dresser to complete the look and we're almost there!

And just to tide you all over, here are some recent pictures! These were taken at the Durham Museum of Life & Sciences this weekend.

Barn Time

2010-03-18T18:39:00.002-04:00

We took a trip out to the barn today to say hello and goodbye to Kismet. She'll be leaving us to go live with some friends in the western part of the state this weekend. We had a great time playing, petting and brushing her, but it was still bittersweet.

Friends, Hannah and Bryson, came out to join us and Riley had a blast showing them around the place. All three of them went up and down the fence lines checking out all the different horses. There were big ones, little ones, brown ones, white ones.

It was nice to have some warmer weather. Finally!

Nine Weeks

2010-02-21T19:28:00.003-05:00

We had our first appointment with the obstetrician this past Thursday. It was very exciting to get our first look at our little bean in there. Everything looks perfect. The baby was measuring right on target and had a steady, healthy heart rate of 169 bpm.

I am doing pretty well. The nausea and fatigue have really been kicking my butt. It seems to be worse than the first pregnancy, but I'm trying hard to push through it. Really, it could be much worse and I know that strong symptoms usually mean a strong pregnancy.

Ian has been a wonderfully supportive husband, letting me sleep as much as I can during the weekends and taking charge with Riley. I couldn't ask for a better partner.

Speaking of the peanut, Riley is getting to be quite the big girl. She's talking in phrases now and repeats almost ANYTHING Ian or I say. She knows most of her body parts, animal sounds, some colors and has started counting. Currently, she can get to four on her own. She's become a climbing queen and loves to scale the chairs, tables, couches and best of all - mommy and daddy's bed where she can jump up and down to her little heart's delight.

Big News!

2010-01-25T12:36:00.003-05:00

Most of you probably have already heard by now, but I just want to make the news official. We're having a baby! That's right, #2 is on its way and due here around late September. We are very excited and are looking forward to introducing Riley to the fine art of being a Big Sister.

I am currently about 5 weeks along and feel great. I've had some very, very mild nausea, but nothing I would call Morning Sickness. Of course, the fatigue has really kicked my butt this time around and I am faithfully taking a nap in the afternoons with Riley. At least she's been giving me good 3 hour naps the past two weeks or so.

Our first appt. with the OB isn't for another few weeks, but we'll be sure to give everyone an update when we do with the official, doctor-given due date. My guess is about 9/25-27.

Ian and I both feel strongly that we're having another girl. It would help us out tremendously if we didn't have to buy everything again in blue. We still have a TON of clothes and toys left over from Riley. I'd love to be able to re-use them.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see. We won't be able to find out the sex until about 18-20 weeks, so there's some time to go yet.

We're on a new and exciting journey and I absolutely love the idea of being a mom again!

We're still here...

2010-01-11T07:18:00.002-05:00

We're just still trying to climb out from under all the laundry, cleaning and straightening our house needs after our holiday travels. It's been good to be home this last week and not living out of our suitcase.

Riley has enjoyed seeing all her family and friends and we're finding it hard being at home by ourselves at times. There are lots of pictures coming soon! And an update when I have more than five minutes to myself (a rarity these days).

Halloween

2009-11-02T11:32:00.004-05:00

We went "trick-or-treating" in downtown Fuquay on Friday. Here are some pictures a friend took for us.

Animal Sounds

2009-10-28T09:43:00.002-04:00

Last weekend we drove out to see the Tice's again. This time, to help put up some fencing.

Riley thoroughly enjoyed all of the animals on their little farm. She was once again mesmerized by the chickens. (I'm starting to see a brood of chicks in our future.) The cats, however, seem to be her favorite. She chased the kittens around all weekend trying to pet them. She was surprisingly gentle with them and would bend down to look in their face and just giggle. Too bad Ian's allergic and I don't like cats... Riley wasn't sure of the dogs; they're still too jumpy and fast for her to feel comfortable around. But mom's favorite part...? We finally got Riley on a horse and rode around the yard for a bit. She seemed to enjoy it and wasn't afraid - so long as mom was up there with her!

Our camera is broken, so we didn't get any pictures. Hopefully, we'll get the few we took with Rachel's camera soon to post. Until then...

Here's Riley practicing her animal sounds!

18 Months!

2009-10-27T11:10:00.002-04:00

Riley had her 18 month check up yesterday. She is 25 lbs. 3.2 oz. (65th%), 33 inches tall (85th%) and has a 47.5cm (75th%) head circumference.The doctor was impressed with her development milestones (how much she's talking, running/walking/climbing, understands direction, etc). Except for the flu shot booster we have to get next month, we won't need to go back again until she hits the 2 year mark. I can't believe we're already creeping up on that one!

State Fair

2009-10-20T19:03:00.003-04:00

Riley got to attend her very first state fair today. We went with our friend Tracy and her son Bryson to the North Carolina State Fair; we all had a blast.

It started at 9:30am and we didn't leave until well after 2pm. We visited every animal barn (cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry, geese/ducks); the only one we missed was the rabbit house.

We visited the Village of Yesteryear, where Riley made her own rag doll bunny. It was sewn on an antique sewing machine from c.1880.

She LOVED the poultry barn where we got to hold/pet baby chicks and was mesmerized by the ginormous cows in the Kids' Barn. She didn't seem too interested in the sheep or pigs, but wanted to touch every chicken we saw.

We ate our share of fair food, indulging in polish sausage piled with onions, french fries and (of course) funnel cake. It was a good thing I packed lunch for Riley. At least one of us ate rather healthily.

By 1:30pm, she was completely worn out and fell asleep in the stroller.

Word of the Day

2009-10-12T21:37:00.002-04:00

Our new word of the day is "Elmo." Now that she can articulate what it is she wants to watch, it is the ONLY thing she wants to see on t.v. We only have three different Elmo DVD's... someone save me!

Grandparents and corn mazes

2009-10-11T16:34:00.004-04:00

Last weekend (Oct 3rd/4th) Papa and Grandma Cotton came to visit. We went to the Duke game and watched the Hokies play sub par football but still win. Riley didn't come to the game but had a blast playing at Hannah's house (thanks again for watching her Liz!).

Here are some videos of Riley playing around the dinner table and having fun with her grandparents.

This weekend (Oct 10th/11th) we took a trip to pick out some pumpkins. We went to place called Green Acres in Cary. While we there, we introduced Riley to small version of a "moon bounce" as well as a corn maze. Riley really enjoyed blast chasing the other kids in the maze.

Playing in the Rain

2009-09-24T15:37:00.003-04:00

Yesterday evening it started to rain after dinner. Riley LOVES the rain. She loves to listen to it, to watch and most of all to play in it. When she knows it's raining outside, she'll sit by whatever window or door she can get to and watch the rain come down. Usually, she's asking to go outside by pulling me to the door and pointing at the rain.

Since it was relatively warm outside and we were headed for a bath anyway, we decided to let her play outside in the rain last night. She was quite entertaining!

Playdate Pictures

2009-09-21T21:30:00.002-04:00

We had fun this morning at a HUGE playdate. Here are a few pictures to share...

Pictures

2009-09-20T19:05:00.004-04:00

Our visit with G-man!

Such a poser!

Watching Finding Nemo after breakfast.

She crawled into Gregory's car seat all by herself and then asked for help to get the shoulder straps over her arms.

Getting ready for our morning walk!

What? I'm being nice to the kitty! Moments before this picture, we heard a loud screeching from the cat. Riley had her pinned down by her back. I certainly didn't blame the cat when she showed up with scratches on her hands.

Beach Pictures

This one's for you Glyn!

2009-09-18T16:44:00.003-04:00

I've been told that I was slacking on my blogging skills. And, truthfully, I have. But... (and there's always a but) there's a good reason! Labor Day Weekend was Ian's annual Geekend event. What is Geekend you ask? It's a three day marathon of Geekdom. That means role-playing games, video game tournaments and card games with all of his best friends. There are even trophies to be won. This fiesta of nerdery is about to celebrate it's tenth year next year!

But, I digress. This year Ian hosted the event at our house (it usually rotates between the 6-8 guys involved) and no women are allowed. This means that Riley and I had to vacate the premises. We're entirely okay with this. Who the heck wants to be in the same house with 8 guys drinking beer (and scotch) while eating as much junk food as they can in 72 hours? Not me.

So, we headed west to visit with our good friend RayRay and her little guy G-man (you may remember Gregory from earlier posts). We had a blast visiting from Friday through Monday. Rachel had just closed on owning her new veterinary practice and it was great to help her relieve some stress. There were only a couple times that she got called out (if you know the Tice's, you understand what an amazing feat that is!) and we actually had quite a bit of down time to enjoy catching up.

We managed to head over to Hendersonville, NC for the 63 Annual Apple Festival. It was crowded, and we only stayed about an hour and a half or so, but we enjoyed the sights, ate a delicious funnel cake (nothing like fried dough to make mama happy) and bought some of the best Macintosh apples I've had in a long time. Maggie and Lee, Matt's parents, were able to meet us down there, so we got some visiting in with them as well.

The weekend was rounded out by a nice morning walk with the kids, picking pears off a tree in the horse field and enjoying awesome home made dinners and wonderful conversation with the best girlfriend in all the world.

We were sad to leave on Monday, but knew we had to get back. Daddy was missing his little girl and there was more to come in our fun filled week ahead.

No sooner did we get home, but I had to wash clothes, re-pack our bags and get ready for another four hour trip. This time, in the opposite direction. That's right, folks. We got to go to the beach! For two and a half days, but what the heck! It's the beach!

Some friends of ours that have a little girl near Riley's age, Hannah, invited us out to the shore to spend some of their vacation time with them. There was supposed to be a bigger crowd, but Ian couldn't get the time off and other friends were forced to decline the offer. We certainly missed all of them, but had a blast hanging out with the Leuver clan!

We left late Wednesday night and got into Duck, NC around 10:45pm or so. Thursday was rainy and the surf was crazy strong. It was like a hurricane was coming or something with the wind blowing the sand around and the waves were almost up to the boardwalk. So, we wound up heading into Duck to the Scarborough Faire shopping center. Fortunately for us, it was a nice, leisurely walk from the house. We were perfectly situated between the beach and the shops.

It was amazing how little had changed since I was a little girl and my family used to vacation in Duck. Many of the same stores were still there in Scarborough Faire. There was the old bookstore, the Christmas Store and The Fudgery! Who could forget the Fudgery? It smelled and looked just like I remembered. I bought a pound of fudge (for the nostalgia of it all, of course) and relished in the memories it brought back.

The girls were hysterical all weekend with their antics. Both of them proved to have strong opinions and constantly battle for control of the best toys. Who knew that a little pink stroller sized for dolls would be the envy of them both? For being cooped up inside, they were both well behaved and entertained each other pretty well. Although, there were times when Hannah gave us this strange look that seemed to ask, "What kind of hell beast did you unleash on me?"

Friday found us some sunshine, but the water was still too rough. We got down to the beach for about an hour before the girls got tired of playing in the sand. They were both terrified of the water (I don't blame them, that surf was still crazy!) and we soon found ourselves back at the house and in the pool. Riley was a water lovin' machine! She wanted to jump into the water from the side. Constantly. I almost couldn't keep up with her and I swear Liz has some new gray hairs because of her daring displays. She would literally just walk right off the side. Whether or not you were watching. Finally, the girls went down for a nap and the adults were able to lounge by the pool and read for a bit.

We had a blast, and can't thank the Leuver's enough for letting us crash their family vacation!

Now that we're back home, it's been nice to relax and stay home for a change. The kiddos are growing up way too fast and it's hard sometimes to keep up with it all. Enjoy the pictures of our crazy week in the next post!

Another Busy Week

2009-09-03T17:02:00.002-04:00

We've been having a great time with all of our playdates this week. Tuesday we hit up the local Community Center for open gym time with some friends. They open the gym up to kids, throw out some balls and let 'em have at it! There were only about six of us there, but we had a blast!

Wednesday we attended an all-ages playdate at our friend Stacy's. She's so generous that she allows all of us (at least 15 moms and twice that many kids) to invade her home and run rampant through her backyard. It's always chaotic and always fun!

Today, we went to Java Divine for some more Stacy Clearman's Littleland. Here's just a little taste of what his show is like.

Riley is finally starting to enjoy herself at these shows (every Thursday @ 10am) and even got up out of my lap today to dance. In fact, halfway through the show, she made her way up to stand right beside Stacy. She was infatuated with the guitar. Uh-oh!

Tomorrow, we're headed out to visit with Rachel and little Gregory. We get to spend the next four days with them and can't wait to see how much Gregory has changed. Ian will be hosting his annual Geekend with the guys here at the house. We'll be glad to be out of their hair for a bit, but will miss Daddy lots!

Next week, we'll be headed out to the beach to spend some time with our friends Liz & Mark and their daughter Hannah. Can't wait to be on the sand!

Off to go finish packing and feed peanut some dinner!

Playdate & Pretty Dresses

2009-08-26T12:27:00.006-04:00

We went to a playdate on Monday with some friends and had a great time. It was the first time in over a week that we got outside the house to do something fun! The heat has been atrocious so we've steered clear of the parks and outdoor activities. Here are some pictures from the playdate and a few extra that we've taken in the past couple of weeks.

Riley and Wes

Paige trying out her model poses already!

A couple of couch potatoes.

Riley getting hugs from Meredith.

Grace and her mom, Shannon.

Littleland

2009-08-20T12:31:00.002-04:00

It's been quiet around here lately without much to post about. The past few weeks have been oppresively hot down here in NC and we've been holed up inside in the air conditioning. Today, however, we got out to see Stacy's Littleland, a live music show for kids put on every Thursday morning at a local coffee shop. We've been a few times in the past month and Riley really seems to enjoy the music. When it's over, she climbs out of my lap and dances all over the place.

Wait, after the music, you ask? That's right. AFTER the music ends. Because during the show, when all the other kids are squealing, jumping, twirling and singing along with the music, my darling little girl is curled up in my lap, face in my chest peeking out at the show. Her eyes are intent, taking it all in, watching, listening and (I hope) enjoying all the chaos, albeit silently. Occasionally, she brings her hands together and claps with a song, or sits up a little straighter to get a better look. All the while, she is quiet and watching.

Then, when it's all over and Stacy Clearman (the singer/performer) is putting away his equipment, my previously demure daughter slides out of my lap and carefully approaches the open floor (see, all the kids have now dispersed with their parents and gone home, leaving a nice, open space in which to dance). Here is when she lets out all that pent up energy. She cruises around the floor shaking, waving her arms, screeching with delight and excitement, enticing any one of the other patrons to chase her. Please, chase her.

It is hilarious to watch her let loose like this. To see how much she really does enjoy the music, dancing and singing.

Here are a few pictures taken by friends at an earlier Littleland concert.

Videos

2009-08-07T17:46:00.005-04:00

Promised Pictures

2009-08-02T22:29:00.003-04:00

The videos are taking a little longer to get uploaded. Specifically because we can't stop using the video camera long enough to download the files. I promise to have those up soon. To appease you all, here are some photos of the peanut!

15 Month Check-up

2009-07-30T15:49:00.002-04:00

Riley had her 15 month check-up today. She is 23 lbs 9.6 oz, 31.5 inches tall and a head circumference of 46cm. All within 50-75 percentile. She took her vaccines like a big girl and only cried for about 30 seconds. The doctor commended her on her vocabulary and the fact that she seems to understand a lot of what's said to her. Guess we'll have to start watching what we're saying!

Busy, busy, busy!

2009-07-30T11:59:00.003-04:00

We have been crazy busy the last few weeks. Backing all the way up to June, we had Father's Day with PawPaw Cotton (also his birthday!), the Fourth of July with the Conlons, a weekend at the Tice's and Grandma Cotton's birthday. Phew! We're glad to be home for a little bit.

I'm playing catch up with the blog, so bear with me. This update will be a long one!

Peanut has been walking steady now for about three weeks. It's amazing how fast it all happens. First there were a few tentative steps and lots of wobbling, now she's running almost full tilt around the house. We've had to re-visit baby proofing the house. All the little stuff she used to ignore (like picture frams, electric sockets, drinks on the table, the DVD player) are all fair game now. As hard as we try to redirect her attention, Riley is fascinated (like all children are) by the electronics. Buttons, lights and any remote control draw her attention like a moth to flames. She at least tries to restrain herself as she walks up to the object pointing at it, shaking her head and saying, "N-n-n-no, no, no!"

And now that she knows how to walk, she refuses to be carried anywhere. In fact, she'll most likely dive out of your hands to get to the floor. Nevermind the drop. That just gets her there faster.

We've also discovered that Riley is IN LOVE with the water. We've always known that she liked the water, but it wasn't until we had her in the pool/lake that we saw just how much she LOVES playing in the water. And, she's completely fearless. She will literally just step off the edge of the pool into the water. You better be watching and ready to catch her because she's quick, too! She doesn't want to be restrained, despite the fact she can't swim (or hold her breath) yet. She dunks herself and comes up sputtering, choking and smiling the whole time. Ready for round two? I am!!

She's giving me gray hairs already.

As for our trips, we've had a great time visiting with friends and family. Father's Day was a special celebration for Daddy and PawPaw. The Cotton's hosted a fabulous cookout with many friends and all "the girls" with all the grandkids. Not only was it Father's Day weekend, but it was also PawPaw's 65th birthday. Retirement is just around the corner for the old man!

The Fourth of July was spent at home this year. We hosted a small cookout with the Conlon's (Carly, Kevin, Matthew's family-Carly's brother). It was small and relaxing. A perfect way to celebrate. There were a few fireworks from the driveway. Just enough to get a taste. There was an even better display later that night that we could see from our house over the tree line. Must have been the local show down at the park.

Two weeks ago, we spent the weekend with the Tice's. It was great seeing them and little Gregory. I can't believe Riley was ever that small and conversely how quickly the little man is growing. He's rolling, talking and sitting up on his own. The big boy is even started on solid foods. Seems he loves most anything. We got to catch up with Matt and Rachel, too. There was a bonfire, a day at the lake and lots of wine and laughs. The best part, however, was Rachel's special tequila soaked watermelon. So good and SO dangerous!! YUM!!

Last weekend we got to see Grandma and PawPaw Cotton again for Grandma's 58th birthday. It was low key with a simple get together with just the family. We saw Ashley Friday night and Lisa and Chris came over on Saturday with the Binhammer's for hamburgers on the grill. Weather was perfect, albeit a little overcast, but on Sunday we all went down to the Rivah! for a dip at the marina pool and to check in on the boat. Apparently, Aunt Lisa was kicking off her week long vacation and was getting away at the boat in Deltaville. We all had a blast soaking in a bit of sunshine. Riley and I stayed until Monday afternoon to have a little extra time with Grandma and PawPaw and really enjoyed all the relaxin' we got to do. Unfortunately, Daddy wasn't able to come down with us as he had to stay in NC to work over the weekend. We were very glad to see him on Monday. I believe there were a few squeals of joy when he walked through the door that night after work.

Now that we're home, we're playing catch up. Trying to get the house back in shape (Although, Daddy did an absolutely WONDERFUL job of cleaning up the house while we were gone. It didn't take us long to mess it up again.) and everyone back into their routines. Riley's been a bit of a fuss pot this past week, but I just found out she has two new teeth coming through that explains a lot of it. This brings her total up to 14 teeth.

Pictures to come just as soon as I get them all downloaded. You can expect a few videos as well.

Love to all!

New Author

2009-07-09T21:24:00.003-04:00

Ian has decided to join the blogging world and is going to be a regular author here on Peanut's blog. Help me welcome him!

P.S. You can see his first post just below this one.

Walk this way, talk this way

2009-07-09T20:23:00.004-04:00

We've really been enjoying our video camera to capture special moments with Riley. Here's some footage of her learning to walk:

And here we have a dramatic reading from a magazine insert:

First Steps

2009-06-25T18:48:00.002-04:00

Riley took her first steps on her own today. Daddy even got a repeat performance when he got home as she took off after him. We're both very proud of our little peanut. Little Miss Independent is on her way!

Peanut's on Video

2009-06-18T21:03:00.004-04:00

Guess who got a video camera...

More Pictures from Marbles

2009-06-16T18:57:00.004-04:00

Ashby and her Dad. Ashby's dad works with Ian. We went to Marbles Kids Museum with their family.

Enjoying the fish in the aquarium. She played with them for a good while.

Ashby and Brian travellin' the road together.

Ashby

Manuevering the fire truck was also another favorite.

Riley driving.

Giving the horsey head butts and snuggles.

Riley on stage!

Eating the pipe cleaners at the craft table.

Marbles & Butts

2009-06-11T17:04:00.003-04:00

I have more pictures to come, but here's a few as a teaser. The first few are from a trip to Marbles Kids Museum a couple of weeks ago. It was a lot of fun. And as you can see, the pigtails made another appearance.

Some pictures with Wes. Wes' mom and I are doing a babysitting exchange. I watch Wes for a couple of hours one day a week and in return, she watches Riley for a few hours. It's working out so far.

And just cause she's so stinkin' cute, we included a naked butt picture for you all to enjoy!

Pigtails!

2009-05-20T20:00:00.002-04:00

Visiting Friends

2009-05-19T16:20:00.005-04:00

We're starting a babystitting exchange with a couple of friends and this week is our first week. Yesterday, Riley went and stayed over with Hannah so I could get some free time - mostly just to run errands. Liz sent a few pictures over last night to show just how much fun they had.

Today, Wes came over to our house while his mom could run some errands. We had a great time, but I think Riley's screeching drove the poor kid a little crazy. Every time she made a loud noise he would cry. Hopefully, he'll get used to it and settle down a bit.

Graduation & Birthday Celebrations

2009-05-19T15:46:00.009-04:00

This past weekend, we travelled to visit my family in Richmond. My youngest sister graduated from VSU (Go Rams!) and Lexi (my niece) turned 5 years old. To top it all off, my Uncle Tracy and Aunt Pat made it down from Canada for a week long visit. First time in several years since I'd seen them, much less the rest of my family. We had a great time seeing everyone.

Saturday we went to Sonny's tee ball game and Saturday night was Ashley's graduation ceremony in downtown Richmond. Sunday, we had a big cookout with friends and family to celebrate. Too bad it was cold and drizzly for most of the day, but the food was still amazing and the company even better.

Riley was entranced by her older cousins, as always. We were grateful for the extra help from family members watching Riley. She was ALL OVER THE PLACE! All she wanted to do was walk, walk, walk. We're still having to hold onto her hands, but she wants to do it herself so bad!

Enjoy the pictures!

Crowder Park

2009-05-14T11:29:00.004-04:00

This morning we met up with some friends at Crowder Park for a playdate. It started off a little gray and rainy, but we were not deterred! After a few minutes it cleared up and we had lots of fun. There were bubbles, balls, sand and lots of space to run around. After an hour, Peanut was tuckered out. She slept the whole way home and didn't even blink when I transferred her from carseat to crib. Enjoy some pictures we took!

Vocab Explosion

2009-05-13T18:59:00.003-04:00

If any of you have been keeping tabs on our list of words Peanut can say, you'll notice that it's been growing every day. I've read that vocabulary can happen like a sudden explosion and that seems to be what's happening for us. Riley's current list of words she can say are:

Mama
Daddy
milk
meow
woof
uh-oh
up
no
boom
water
And her latest new word: Nite nite

That didn't last long...

2009-05-11T15:18:00.003-04:00

Sunshine, that is. Today has been gray and overcast for most of the morning/afternoon. Riley skipped her morning nap and by 10:30am, I knew we had to find something outside of this house to do. So, we decided to head over to Planet Child with some other TriangleMommies. It was great! Riley played for about 2 hours with some of her regular pals and even met up with some new ones. Afterwards, we had lunch at Chipotle with Michelle and her crew (Abby and Kristian).

The best part was the long nap after we got home!

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T15:11:00.003-04:00

We had an awesome Mother's Day at our house yesterday. Riley let us sleep in until 8:30am. Then, Daddy let me sleep in longer while he got up with Riley, fed her breakfast and played downstairs with her. I got to read a little in my book and then took a nice, LONG, hot shower. It was blissful!

After that, we headed out to Lake Benson Park for a family playdate with Michelle and her gang, Bryson's family and Hannah's family. The weather was gray and cool to start out with, but by the afternoon the sun had come out. We had a picnic lunch, played on the swings, jungle gym and with bubbles.

When it was clearly time to leave and let Peanut nap, we headed home. Daddy got some yardwork finished while I managed to get the last of the plants in the garden. (We have 15 tomato plants in the ground right now. Fifteen.)

As if that wasn't enough, I got to read more of my book and snooze the rest of the afternoon while Daddy and Riley had some time together. Daddy cooked dinner and then it was bath/bed time. It was such a wonderful day and we all had a great time.

I really am fortunate to have such a fabulous family.

TurtleFest 2009

2009-05-09T19:23:00.004-04:00

Today, we went to the Bass Lake TurtleFest Celebration. It was an exhibition about native turtle species in North Carolina. There were several conservation groups showing off their turtles, salamanders, frogs and snakes. We got to pet a few box turtles and yellow belly sliders. Riley was fascinated with them and despite the turtles' obvious discomfort tried to grab legs, heads, tails and whatever else she could reach.

We met up with Bryson's family and Carly & Kevin came along with us. We even ran into our friend Hannah and her mom.

It was a lot of fun, but SO crowded and HOT! We stayed about an hour and then had to leave. Peanut's good mood only lasts so long. As you can see from the last photos, there was a bit of a meltdown as we were leaving. That didn't stop us from getting some pictures of baby turtles!

After a short nap in the car, we grilled out with Carly & Kevin. It's so nice to have the sunshine back!

Birthday Pictures Pt. 1

2009-05-07T09:10:00.004-04:00

Riley's birthday party was AWESOME! We have the best group of friends and family. Ever. Our house was packed with people, babies and kids. And it was wonderful.

Riley checking out her shades.

Packed to the gills!

Gregory is a cool dude!

Anna & Asher enjoying some Papa time.

Aunt Ashley, Will, Grandma Cotton, Chris & Aunt Lisa.

The Grill Master!

The de la Torre Family and Papa

Everyone can almost fit under the shade.

Anna being a big help with Riley.

Paige and her Daddy enjoying the beautiful weather we had.

Birthday Cupcake

2009-05-06T15:18:00.005-04:00

On the day of Riley's birthday, we celebrated with a gourmet cupcak from The Cupcake Shoppe in downtown Raleigh. They were AMAZING! Riley ate the Plain Jane, Daddy had the Brown Betty and Mommy had the Peanut Butter cupcake. All were delicious. We also had the Carrot Cake, Pretty in Pink (strawberry) and Cookie Monster (vanilla w/oreo).

Peanut wasn't sure what to do at first. However, once she got a taste of the icing, she deemed it worthy of her royal tastebuds.

First Word

2009-05-06T09:49:00.003-04:00

Riley said her first real word last night (other than Mama and Daddeeeee!). While trying vainly to get some work done on the computer, my little peanut was tugging at my pants leg, waving her arms to get my attention. When I finally looked down at her, she smiled and said, "Up!"

She repeated it for Daddy when he got home and is using it constantly this morning. I imagine we'll be hearing it a lot as the week continues. Her need to be held has gotten to be a tale of legends. Seriously. I did laundry, read a book, tended the garden and watered plants all while carrying this 20lb child on my hip.

As a note, I KNOW that I'm way behind on my blogging. I promise pictures today and an synopsis of the very awesome birthday party we had for Riley a week and a half ago. I swear.

Happy Birthday, Riley!

2009-04-21T09:02:00.005-04:00

I can't believe it's already been a year since we brought home our precious little peanut. It seems impossible, really. I mean, just yesterday we were kids graduating from college. And now, we're parents to a 1 year old? Where did it all go?

We have been so grateful for all the happiness and joy Riley has brought us. Sure, there have been trials, frustrations and so many sleepless nights. But honestly, they're so small in comparison to all the wonderful little blessings she has brought us. The many smiles, laughs and ultimately the love that she's brought into our lives completely outweigh everything else.

I look back at all of the memories we've gained in past 12 months and marvel at how many firsts we've shared. That first look into her eyes. The first day home alone with her thinking OH MY GOD! What have we done? The first smile, the first laugh, the first snuggle. The first time she sat up or rolled over or said Mama. Our first Christmas. The first game of Peek-a-Boo, the first hug, the first time she slept through the night (mom and dad woke in a panic, but she was just fine), the first snow, first time in the pool, the first family portrait and, most recently, our first family vacation.

We'll be thinking about all those memories and singing Happy Birthday all day long.

Even more teeth.

2009-04-16T19:28:00.003-04:00

All that fussiness we experienced on our lovely family vacation can be attributed to Riley's new molars that have now popped through on both sides. One pediatrician's visit and a dose of Motrin later, all is well in our house again.

More pictures!

2009-04-16T19:20:00.000-04:00

A slideshow of Terry & Natasha's pictures.

We survived!

2009-04-14T16:56:00.006-04:00

Our first family vacation that is! I'm still drowning under all the laundry and unpacking, but we are still alive. For those that don't know, we took the Kaden family (Ian's parents, sister and brother, along with their families) to the Bahamas. We stayed at Taino Beach where my family has owned a timeshare for several years now.

At first, we were dreading the plane ride to get there, but things seemed to go okay. Fortunately, we took a direct flight from Charlotte, NC - only a 2 hour flight with no connections. Riley did so well, only a little fussiness at take off. I attribute that to her lack of a morning nap more than anything else. She enjoyed looking out the window and making friends with anyone that would smile at her. There was a family of four right next to us with two girls (10-12 years old) that were quite smitten with her. By the end of the flight, they were playing peek-a-boo across the aisle and had given Riley one of their toys. (A spongy, stretchy, spider like thing that Riley loved. We still don't know what it's called.)

As soon as we arrived at the resort, we made quick work of unpacking our suitcases and donning our bathing suits. Riley took to the water like a fish to the sea. It was awesome seeing her have so much fun in the pool. It was a little cold at first, but she soon settled in. Her favorite part? Scrambling, crawling and squealing on the pool beds (raised tile beds just an inch or so underwater - you can sunbathe on them and still stay cool in the water). It was hysterical and nerve-wracking all at the same time. It took 3-4 adults to manage one toddler on that thing.

Having all of the Kaden family together was the main theme for the week. All four grandchildren were together and boy did they have a blast. Anna and Asher (Kathleen's two kids) were awesome big cousins. They helped entertain the babies all week long and really seemed to enjoy it, too!

Riley and Sasha were best buds the whole week. With Sasha walking on her own now, it took some effort for Riley to keep up. You'd never know she was 2 months Riley's junior. A lot of people asked if they were twins while we were out and about.

As for activities, Kathleen's crew did the Dolphin Encounter and she and Ernie did some SCUBA diving. Ernie got in a shark dive - said it was pretty awesome. A group (Ian, Ernie, Natasha & Nicolai (Natasha's Dad)) went deep sea fishing. They caught two baracuda. They kept one baracuda had it fileted and Nic & Zoya cooked it up for dinner in the room. They had been warned about it being high in Mercury and not to eat it. It takes a lot to dissuade Nic & Zoya to waste food. They enjoyed it. Another group (Ernie, Nicolai, Anna, Asher & Kathleen) went reef fishing where the boat caught a Strawberry Grouper (Nicolai) and a Squirrel Fish (Kathleen). The grouper made it into a fish soup and the Squirrel Fish was made into chum as it is one of the few poisonous fish in the Bahamas. Thursday night, most of us (all except Terry, Natasha, Nic & Zoya - they watched the babies for us) went on the sunset catamaran cruise. It was spectacular as always! Carol & Rick rented mopeds for a couple of days and explored the other areas of the island. They hit the Lucayan National Forest, Garden of the Groves and a few high-end residential areas. In the end, they determined that Port Lucaya and Taino Beach were the prettiest and nicest parts of the island.

We hit up our usual spots for food: The Pub (Pusser's), Giovanni's and Pisces. Terry, Natasha & Kathleen were very impressed with Zorba's despite our warnings based on previous visits. There were some new favorties as well: Agava (a new latin infusion restaurant near Shenanigan's) and the Unexso Dive Shop (who knew that little bar had such amazing hamburgers!). We didn't get to our old favorite the Ferry House, but will try next time.

All in all, it was a very relaxing and enjoyable week. My only regret is that it only lasted 7 days. I could have done for a few more days. I want to vacation like the woman I met who had been there since October and wasn't heading out until June! What a life!

Slideshow on YouTube of pictures. Hopefully, it works!

Birthday Wish List

2009-03-25T20:35:00.003-04:00

With just a month to go before Riley's 1st birthday, we've been asked for a wish list. Well, here it is! (I've included links for most things in case you aren't as familiar as we are with the preschool/baby world these days.)

Donations to Riley's 529 account (college savings)

Cloth Diapers (we are in need of the next size up)

Cotton Babies Fitteds sz Lg

bumGenius 3.0

Swaddlebees Diaper Covers sz Med & Lg

Planetwise Wet Bag sz Lg w/handle

Clothes (this is only what we need... but we always enjoy new clothes!)

Sleepers w/feet sz 12 month and up

Robeez shoes sz 12-18month or 18-24 month

Pediped shoes sz Med

Bathing suits sz 18 month

Toys

Wheely Bug

Melissa & Doug wooden toys

FP Sing-a-Long Stage

Wagon

Sandbox

Tide Pool

DVD's

Imagination Movers

Backyardigans

Blues Clues

Home again, Home again...

2009-03-09T11:20:00.003-04:00

We spent most of last week with Matt & Rachel helping out with little Gregory. It was awesome! Taking care of two babies was a little crazy, but we managed pretty well. It's hard to believe that everyone is growing up so fast. Where I once thought Riley still looked like a baby to me, I now realize that compared to Gregory, she's a giant!

It felt strange looking at my child and seeing the toddler in her when all I could ever imagine her as was a little, tiny baby that fit inside my tummy at one point. Parenthood is a strange and complicated thing with a mix of emotions.

Gregory is doing amazing and I have nothing but praise and admiration for the job Matt & Rachel are doing. With both of them working full time, I can't imagine the pressure they are under to perform so well as parents. Their life is far different from mine and yet the same. Weird, I know. Seeing them as parents is awesome. Matt is a wonderful, adoring father and Rachel is the fabulous mother I always knew she'd be.

Riley completely enjoyed the trip. I'm sure she imparted some fantastic knowledge to Gregory on how to confound and frustrate his parents. They talked non-stop the whole week to one another. Only they know the secrets that transpired. Riley was awed by all the animals. Between the dogs, cats, chickens, cows and fish (in the pond), she had lots to occupy her attention. More than a few hairs were pulled from the dogs and cats. Fortunately, she's not yet old enough to go after the chickens, but I can only imagine the fun she'd have in trying.

I should have some pictures up soon!

Here they are!

And she's off... !

2009-02-28T15:30:00.001-05:00

Crawling that is. It's still stop and go with more stopping and flopping than going, but we definitely now have forward motion. I find that it no one is watching her and she thinks she's all alone, she'll put more effort into it. It's when she realizes that there's someone there that could be helping her that she decides crawling isn't for her just yet.

First Word!

2009-02-25T18:07:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Peanut said, "Mama!" She's only saying it when she wants something from me or is mad. Is this a sign of things to come?

Blueberries and Cantaloupe

2009-02-23T13:04:00.003-05:00

On Sunday we found Riley sitting up in her crib after her nap. We still have no idea how she got there, but it happened twice that day. She's not shown any signs of trying it while Mommy and Daddy are watching since then, but it's exciting. Guess it's a good thing we adjusted the crib to its lowest setting a couple of weeks ago.

Riley's still not crawling. She gets up on her hands and knees and rocks, but still no forward motion. I swear she's going to walk before she crawls. Daddy disagrees.

We've started Peanut on some new foods this week. She loves her blueberries but isn't crazy about the cantaloupe. At least, not yet. I don't think it's ripe enough for her so swallowing it is tough for her. We started cottage cheese yesterday, but I think it may have been too soon. She loves it, but it seems to be causing her some intestinal discomfort. We'll be pushing that one off for a while longer. Hope Daddy likes to eat cottage cheese!

Recovering

2009-02-10T09:04:00.002-05:00

We're slowly recovering from a nasty cold bug. Riley started with it on Friday morning and I quickly followed suit. Runny nose, cough, congestion, sinus pain... the whole nine yards. Peanut seems to be dealing with it better than mom is, but that's to be expected. She's always been a happy baby. I'll be glad when I don't feel like ripping my head off my shoulders and replacing it!

Sunday night was miserable as Riley was awake and screaming from 6-10pm and would NOT go to sleep. We tried everything we had in our arsenal. I even pulled out the pacifier that night. She eventually drifted off after a fitful bottle. Mom collapsed into bed (wouldn't you know that it was also a night where only mom would do...) and tried to get some rest, but we were all up again around midnight with round #2.

Last night was much improved. Riley only woke up at 6:30pm and played until about 8pm then slept the remainder of the night. Mom finally took some cold medicine and slept beautifully until 5:45am when Peanut woke up for the day.

It also appears that Riley is starting to wean herself from nursing. I'm hoping that it's just the extra congestion making it difficult for her, but the lowering supply isn't helping matters either. Good thing she's always taken a bottle easily.

We're working our way through more and more finger foods. Yesterday, Peanut enjoyed a banana, hot dog, baked beans and macaroni salad for lunch. So far, so good!

Next week, we'll be attending a sign language class. It runs 2x/week for 2 weeks for a total of 4 classes. It's just an intro class, but I'm excited. We don't use the signs as consistently as I'd like to. I'm hoping that the class will renew our spirit and help us focus a bit more. Plus, we'll get to spend some more time with all our friends, like Bryson and Katie!

Pictures

2009-02-06T14:00:00.003-05:00

We're coming down with a little cold and I'm too tired to write a full blog. So, here's my cop out.... pictures. We had a great time in Williamsburg with the Karlgaard's (Lissa and Chris are always amazing hosts!) and the entire MuCrew clan. It was awesome seeing everyone. Kelly, your kids are growing way too fast!

Life & Science Museum

2009-01-26T15:42:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday, we went to the Museum of Life and Science with Carly, Kevin and Makayla. We had an awesome time looking at big, creepy bugs; building with blocks; playing with mini tornadoes; watching how sound and movement work and being surrounded by beautiful butterflies. There was a train, drums, a huge jungle gym and a farm (complete with donkey, pig, goats, sheep, turkey, duck and cows. And we didn't even make it to the 2nd floor of the main building!

Riley was so good for the whole day. We didn't get to the museum until 12:30. Peanut had already been up for a couple of hours at that point. (She did catnap on the way there after a 2 hour morning nap.) Still, we didn't leave the museum until 3:30, well past her usual afternoon nap time. She seemed to enjoy the exhibits and watched everything. Most of the time, she was more interested in the other kids than what the museum had to offer.

We'll definitely be going back this year!

Nine Months!

2009-01-24T10:00:00.003-05:00

No, I'm not pregnant! Riley turned 9 months old on Wednesday and we visited the doctor on Thursday for her wellness exam. She's 17 lbs, 14 oz and 27.5 inches. At her last visit in October, Peanut was 15 lbs, 1.5 oz and 26 inches long. She's growing at a steady pound per month. She' has started to get up on her knees and rock back and forth. Not yet crawling but she's trying hard. Peanut's gotten really good at scooting backwards.

We've been really busy the past couple of weeks. Seems like that's the story of our life since Christmas! A couple of weeks ago, mom and dad joined a new gym as part of their New Year's resolution (sort of). Mom's been making a big effort to go 3-4 days per week. She's even teamed up with another mom for motivation. There's an awesome child center for Peanut to stay in and she hardly knows when Mom leaves her alone there.

We spent a week at Grandma & PawPaw Cotton's two weeks ago. Daddy was in Atlanta for work and Mom felt she needed an extra hand or two. It was wonderful seeing everyone. Sonny and Lexi were very excited to see their cousin again and spent lots of time playing with her. All three of them took a bath together most every night we were there. Grandma just loved all the time she got to spend holding little miss Riley and mom enjoyed the help!

This past week we've been busy with the gym and two playdates. We haven't been to a playdate in over a month so it was good to get out again and see some old friends. Yesterday was an awesome day over at Brandi's house. She hosted a playdate with Tracy, Liz and Mom. It was good to see Katie, Bryson and Hannah.

Bryson hiding under the coffee table.

Bryson's already cruising around!

Liz and Hannah w/Bryson.

(Pictures of playdate snagged from Brandi's and Tracy's blogs.)

A few more pictures...

2009-01-05T13:22:00.003-05:00

Happy baby!

Enjoying pancakes for the first time.

Who doesn't love naked baby pictures?

Flying naked baby!

Oh, by the way, Peanut is starting to get up on her knees. She's scooting backwards every now and then, but no forward motion just yet. Guess it's time to start looking into finally baby proofing the house.

Christmas Wrap Up

2009-01-03T17:31:00.006-05:00

It has taken me an entire week to recover from the month of December. Between cleaning the house of all wrapping paper tidbits, the six loads of laundry that needed to be done and simply catching up on sleep, we've been slow to get anything else done! So here's an update on our holiday festivities.

We had a wonderful visit from Mamie and Papa Kaden. They were so gracious to make the trip to our house this year, it was a treat having them even if the visit was short. They acted as Santa's helpers shuffling presents between all the Kaden households and we were very appreciative. Peanut started off the Christmas holiday with a bang learning how to tear open her gifts. Too bad all her excitement came in the form of eating the wrapping paper rather than enjoying the actual presents. Still, she got some great gifts, including her very own electronic PDA from Mamie and Papa. She'll be a tech savvy kid in NO time! Uncle Terry and Natasha had the best present of all though, a book of nursery rhymes. Mom and Dad spent an hour going through all the old nursery rhymes. After peanut went to sleep!

After Mamie and Papa left, we all piled into the car (and I mean piled! There wasn't one iota of space left in our car as we headed out the driveway.) and headed up to Richmond for a visit with Grandma and PawPaw Cotton. It was a beautiful six day vacation being at their house. Ian was thoroughly welcoming the break from his long hours at work. There was a lot of football to watch, great food to eat and so many people to visit. On Tuesday night (12/23) we had dinner with the Walker clan (Grandma's family) of whom almost none had yet met our little Peanut. She was on center stage and had everyone's attention. It was touch and go for the first couple of hours as we fought to get her to sleep. It was, afterall, hours past her usual bedtime.

Finally, we gave up and brought her into the crowd to stay. Lo and behold, Riley just wanted to be at the party. She perked right up and babbled and smiled her way into everyone's heart. All the girls were completely enthralled.

Christmas Eve Pappy came for a visit and brought his gifts over. It had been several months since he'd seen Peanut last, so it came as a little shock just how much she'd grown!

Christmas morning Sonny and Lexi were all too eager to see what Santa brought everyone. When we told them they had to wait for Aunt Ashely, I thought there might actually be a coup. If they'd had it their way, there would have been a free for all with all those beautifully wrapped presents. As it was, we settled them into a rushed and hectic round robin of opening gifts.

Riley ran out of energy about an hour into it and had to break for a nap while everyone else enjoyed Mom McMuffins and cinnamon bread for breakfast. Sonny and Lexi were thrilled to have their cousin Riley and Uncle Ian visiting. At one point, Lexi crawled up into Ian's lap as he read her a book she'd received for Christmas. Sonny had Ian outside later on setting up targets with which to practice his new NERF gun. There were lots of kisses and hugs from Sonny to Riley. They really are great buddies. He watches out for her and she just lights up whenever he comes into the room. You'd almost think they spent every day together rather than the once a month visits.

The day after Christmas we went to visit Pappy at his house and enjoyed a table full of King crab legs with Pappy and cousin Evan. It was a nice visit, but was cut short by Riley's need for a nap. And we all know how important her naps are. Seriously, you don't want to miss one of those!

Riley came away from the whole week with a ton of presents. But none match the "My First Christmas" rattle that Sonny and Lexi made sure to give Riley. It belonged to each them first and they both wanted it to be a special gift to their cousin. Apparently, this was weeks in the planning. They are too sweet.

Riley has really enjoyed all of her gifts and we have thoroughly appreciated all of the warm wishes and time spent with family this year. Had we not received anything, it still would have been an amazing Christmas. We cherish the moments we got to spend with everyone and have come to realize how very important our family is to us. Having Riley in our lives drives home to us the value of a loving home and the support of our wonderful family and friends. It is because of them that we find ourselves so blessed and rich in love. Nothing at all compares to it.

To everyone we wish you a wonderful new year. We hope to see you all soon in 2009!

P.S. Instead of posting several pictures here, I have made an album of pictures from the holiday season. You can find it by clicking below:

Christmas 2008

Update

2008-12-16T17:41:00.003-05:00

Just a quick update on peanut... Yesterday, she learned how to make a kissing sound. I would have totally missed it if someone else hadn't pointed it out to me. She's so adorable and what makes it so funny is that there's no association with it at all. She just plays with her toys sucking on her lips like there's no tomorrow. I've been trying to show her how to "blow" kisses, but she's not that interested in it yet.

Riley has been feeding herself like a champ recently. This past couple of weeks, we've been introducing finger foods like bananas, green beans, graham crackers (which she's been eating for months now really) and corn puffs. The corn puffs are gerber graduates snacks and they come in a ton of different flavors and shapes. Her favorite right now is a gerber snack that has a ranch flavor to it. It's called dipped veggies and even mom likes it!

Peanut's getting better at sitting on her own. I can now set her down on the floor with some toys and she's happy playing by herself for a few minutes. I do have to make sure she's isn't in a position where she could fall and land on something. She's already smacked her head on the foot of her jumper. That went over real well!

She isn't crawling yet, but she is getting better at pushing up off the floor. Earlier today I could have sworn she was so far off the ground that her weight was actually on her knees, but it was hard to tell and lasted a split second. Mostly, she waves her arms around like she's swimming and lifts her chest up high. It has to be the best work out the child has ever gotten. I can't imagine putting my body into that position for any amount of time!

Christmas is around the corner and we can't wait to be with our families. The Kaden's are coming for a short visit next Sunday/Monday. After that, we're off to Richmond next Tuesday for the rest of the week. It will be a whirlwind holiday, but we are so excited to share it with Peanut! In the spirit of the holidays, I leave you with this:

Twas the Night Before Christmas...Mom Style
© By Catherine Cornell

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the abode,
Only one creature was stirring, she was cleaning the commode.
The children were sleeping, all snug in their beds,
While visions of X-box 360 and IPODS flipped through their heads.

Dad was snoring in front of the family TV
With a half-constructed bike propped up on his knee.
So only Mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter,
Which made her sigh, 'Now what's the matter?'

With toilet brush still clutched in her hand,
She descended the stairs and saw an old man
All covered with soot, which fell with a shrug

'Oh great,' muttered Mom, 'now I have to clean up the rug.'

'Ho! Ho! Ho!' cried Santa, 'I'm glad you're awake---
My gift to you was especially difficult to make.'
'Thanks Santa, but all I want is time alone.'
'Exactly!' he chuckled, 'so I've made you a clone.'

'A clone?' she muttered. 'What good is that?'
Now run along Santa, I've no time to chat.'
Then out walked the clone, the dear mother's twin,
Same hair and same eyes, the same double chin.

'She'll cook and she'll dust, she'll mop every mess,
You'll relax, take it easy, watch the Young and Restless.'
'Fantastic!' mom cheered, 'My dream has come true!'
'I'll shop and I'll read and I'll sleep the night through!'

From the room up above, the youngest did fret.
'Mommy come quickly----I'm scared and I'm wet!'
The clone replied, 'I'm coming sweetheart.'
'WOW!' the mom smiled. 'She sure knows her part.'

The clone changed the small one and sung him a tune
As she bundled him up in a blanket cocoon.
'You're the best mommy ever---I really love you!'
The clone smiled and said, 'I love you too!'

The real mom frowned and said 'Santa , no deal!
That's my baby's love that she's trying to steal.'
Smiling wisely Santa said, 'To me it's so clear,
Only one loving mother is needed right here.'

The mom kissed her child and tucked him in bed,
'Thank you so much, dear Santa, for clearing my head',
Knowing time goes too fast ,and it won't be too long,
That her children will no longer need her cradle nor song,

The clock on the mantle then began to chime;
Santa whispered to the clone, 'It works every time.'
And with the clone at his side, Santa said,' Goodnight
Merry Christmas, dear mom, you will be all right!'

Sneak Peek

2008-12-13T15:52:00.002-05:00

Here's what we did this morning!

The Mom Song

2008-12-12T18:11:00.000-05:00

Everyone should have a listen, especially all you moms!

The Mom Song

Christmas Lists

2008-12-11T09:52:00.002-05:00

Many of you have been asking what's on Riley's christmas wish list. So, here it is!

Johnny Jump Up - or an equivalent doorway jumper

Books, books, books! - Ian loves to read to Riley on the weekends and they go through at least 4-5 books at a time.

Stackables - blocks, cups, boxes

Clothes - 12+ months, please!

Baby Einstein DVDs - currently we have Mozart, Bach, Signs, First Moves, Animals

Baby sign language - books, dvd's, etc (anything to help teach mom and dad how to teach Riley)

Bath Toys

Fisher Price Laugh n Learn Play House

Leap Frog toys - 12+ months

Movies - we would like to start collecting a movie library for Riley. Disney and christmas dvds are always winners. We currently have the Lion King, Wizard of Oz, Emperor's New Groove, Polar Express

This isn't a demand list, just some ideas in case you were looking. The best thing we can ask for is the love, support and time spent with our family and wish we could spend Christmas with everyone instead of just a few. May everyone be blesssed with a wonderfully warm and happy holiday season!

Santa Baby

2008-11-25T20:44:00.002-05:00

Guess who got to see Santa today!

Gregory David Tice

2008-11-20T17:59:00.001-05:00

Riley's future husband was born on Saturday, November 15th at 10:02 pm. He weighed 7lbs., 3oz. and was 20" long. Go see his pictures at: www.gregorydavidtice.com

Go see!

Planet Child

2008-11-19T09:27:00.003-05:00

We went to Planet Child yesterday with a group of moms from Triangle Mommies. We had such a blast! We hung out with Bryson and his mom, Tracy in the infant room. You can see they had a lot of fun!

Sounds of the Wild

2008-11-19T09:15:00.002-05:00

Riley's been practicing with new sounds since she could make a peep. It's always fun and entertaining when she figures out something new. Recently, she's been playing with consonants. At any given point in the day, you can hear her stringing along Ma-ma-ma-ma's or Puh-puh-puh's or even d-d-d-d-d's. This morning Ian called her Riley "Machine Gun" Kaden because of the stuttering sounds she was making.

Well, this week, her new thing is O-sounds. She's moved on to Whoa-whoa-whooOOoOOOoooOoo's with an almost wailing like quality to them. It's a haunting sound, especially when she does it in almost a whisper. We went walking at the mall with some other girls (By the way, it snowed for about 5 minutes while we there!), and she whoa-ed practically the whole time. It was funny. This morning, she's started with go-go-go's.

What a funny kid!

Pictures!

2008-11-12T21:50:00.003-05:00

We got a new, big-girl stroller. Here are some pictures from a trip to the park on Sunday. We had a great day, as you can see!

Teeth!

2008-11-11T13:37:00.004-05:00

Peanut now has two (very sharp) teeth. Her front two bottom teeth finally popped through! They've been bothering her for about two weeks and now they are finally here! She's back to sleeping through the night again, but the drool is NONSTOP. And breastfeeding is becoming a challenge. She wants to chew and rub her gums because they're sore. Mom's chest is NOT an appropriate place for this exercise. And when I yelp in pain and tell her no, she just smiles and laughs. Fun times, I tell you!

Developmental Update

2008-11-04T14:06:00.002-05:00

Since my last post was so picture laden, I decided to update you all on some of the things Peanut's been accomplishing lately.

She's getting a lot better hand control. Things on the table in front of her are now fair game. This means that we have to be really careful when she's in our lap at the table. We experienced this on Sunday when we met some friends out for a bite. Riley simply couldn't resist trying to pull my plate into our laps. We finally had to clear a section of the table about a foot deep to keep her out of trouble.

Not only is her grip getting better, but she's starting to pass things from hand to hand. The pediatrician tells us it's a milestone to watch for. Honestly, its not all that exciting.

Peanut is starting to like being on her tummy. It used to only last about 5 minutes before she'd get bored and mad. Lately, though, she's been happier. She's starting to push up on her arms and really reach out for her toys. I think being able to push up allows her to actually play with the toys rather than face-planting into them. And lo and behold! Riley rolled over from her stomach to her back today!

Many of you know that she's been rolling from her back to her stomach for about 6 weeks now. It shouldn't be a surprise for her to roll the other way. I mean, really. She did that move when she was almost 8 weeks old! Somehow, though, she'd forgotten. Seems that's all over. Now I'm just waiting for her to realize that she can be mobile with the rolling. Let's hope she's a little slow on figuring that out. For my sanity's sake!

Riley is eating like a champ these days. I've been making most of her food on my own and its been really easy. We've been doing plain vanilla yogurt, sweet potatoes, apples, pears, bananas, squash, green beans and peas. She loves graham crackers, but she only gets those on special occasions. We have to watch her closely because she still doesn't chew/gum the pieces very well and likes to swallow the cracker whole.

She's taken a liking to anything that rattles or makes noise. Right now, one of her favorites is a plastic container I've filled with dried beans. At least she's easy to entertain! She's figuring out that it will make even more noise when she shakes it or throws it on the floor.

All in all, things are going really well. We are moving along at the exactly right pace and this is keeping mom and dad happy! Every day is a new adventure and we are loving every minute of it!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T18:09:00.003-04:00

We had an awesome Halloween day. Through Triangle Mommies, we hosted a playdate at our house and had a total of 6 moms and 6 babies (ages ranged from 6 months to almost 9 months) attend. Everyone wore their halloween colors and we even had one in costume! It was a great time. We made hand and footprint crafts that looked like pumpkins and ghosts to celebrate the holiday. It was so nice to have all the babies together and meet some new moms in the area!

In the spirit of trick-or-treating, we are treating you with some new pictures!

We also took some new "naked butt" pictures before Riley's bath tonight!

Peanut's gettin' big!

2008-10-22T12:58:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe that its been SIX months since we brought Riley home. Seems like it was just yesterday and forever ago, all at the same time! We went for her six month well visit at the pediatrician's office today. She weighed 15 lbs. 1.5 oz. and was 26 inches long. Compare this to her four month visit when she was 13 lbs. 7 oz and 24 inches long.

Peanut's gettin' big!

Great Giveaway!

2008-10-14T08:48:00.001-04:00

Visit the Little Window Shoppe for a great giveaway idea! It benefits a hospital that is dear to one of our family members. Her preemie son spent a lot of time here when he was first born.

Pumpkins!

2008-10-13T14:50:00.004-04:00

Sunday we drove up to Youngsville (north east side of Raleigh) and spend the afternoon at Hillridge Farms. We had such a blast! There were goats, ducks, geese, swans, pony rides, giant slides, a train, hayrides and, best of all, pumpkins. Riley picked out her first pumpkin all by herself. The sun was out and the temperature was beautiful. We couldn't have asked for a prettier day!

Visit at Grandma Cotton's

2008-10-13T14:29:00.005-04:00

We spent almost a week at Grandma Cotton's. We were there Thursday through Tuesday week before last. It was so great seeing everyone. As you can see from the pictures below, our little peanut had quite the time!

Grandma's tub was a little too big for bathing a peanut, so we resorted to taking baths in the kitchen sink. It was the perfect size!

Grandma introduced Riley to her first bite of apple. She really liked sucking on it and even managed to get off a bite or two.

Lexi and Sonny "read" the Itsy Bitsy Spider to Riley with a little help from Aunt Ashley!

Here, Sonny and Lexi are digging a hole in which to bury their peach pits and grow a giant peach tree.

Only, no one told them they would find a few friends along the way! Of course, Lexi was the brave one to pick up all the worms to show us!!

Sonny was her best pal. We walked to the bus stop in the morning and again in the afternoon for the school bus. He would give her a hug and a kiss right away as soon as he saw her. They spent hours blowing raspberries at each other and he loves to make her squeal. Here they are during a heated squealing match at dinner time!

Family Time

2008-09-25T09:18:00.004-04:00

Whew it has been a crazy week! We've had a lot of family visiting this past week and little peanut is completely worn out. However, it has been wonderful seeing everyone.

Last weekend Grandma Cotton and Aunt Lisa stayed with us. It was fabulous! We walked around the farmer's market on Saturday. Had a big family dinner cookout including Aunt Carly, Uncle Kevin and Makayla. There were tons of kisses and hugs shared with Riley. It was sad to see everyone leave on Sunday.

Then, on Tuesday, Mamie and Papa showed up! It had been a long time since they had seen the peanut. She's changed so much! Again, it was wonderful to have family around. It was like having an extra set of hands and eyes to keep watch over the baby. I didn't know what to do with myself with all that free time! We even got to go out for a baby-free dinner.

There was so much excitement the past few days that we are all completely worn out. This weekend will be one for resting up and snuggling inside a warm house!

We did it!

2008-09-18T15:36:00.008-04:00

Peanut rolled over from her back to her tummy this morning. She's been practicing for the past 3 weeks or so by rolling onto her side. Well, I put her down this morning on her activity mat and went into the kitchen to help get Ian off to work. A few minutes later, Ian went in to check on her and called back to me, "Are we doing tummy time this morning?"

"Huh? No..."

Sure enough, she'd flipped herself onto her tummy and was struggling a little to get one arm out from under her. Ian put her on her back again while I went to get his bagel out of the toaster. Don't you know it, she rolled over again while I was in the kitchen!

She's done it since then for me, but Ian got to witness it first. I'm so glad he went into work a little late this morning!

I promised pictures!

2008-09-18T15:36:00.004-04:00

Off to the city!

2008-09-11T15:26:00.004-04:00

I've been a little remiss about posting updates these past two weeks. That's because we travelled over Labor Day weekend (Pictures are coming, I promise.) and are just now getting back to our normal rhythm. Just in time to head out again this weekend. (sigh!)

Riley will finally get to meet her cousin Sasha. We'll be heading up to DC this weekend to visit with Uncle Terry and his family. We are very excited to meet Sasha, but make no promises on our sleep schedule as it has been erratic all week. It can make for some long days, but smiles and laughter are what keep us going.

More to come soon!

Bass Lake Park

2008-08-26T12:15:00.005-04:00

We enjoyed an afternoon at Bass Lake Park this weekend and took some really good pictures! We had planned to sit out on a blanket and feed the geese, but it was still a little too warm. So, instead, we hung out on the clubhouse porch overlooking the lake. Riley was so good! She watched the light reflecting off the water and enjoyed the cuddling with Dad. It was a super awesome day.

We also managed to get some shots of Riley enjoying a taste of bananas!

Quick Update

2008-08-22T20:52:00.002-04:00

We seem to be over our collective colds these days. The funk was passed from Riley to Mom and then to Dad, but everyone seems to have recovered quickly.

We've taken on cloth diapers full time and officially "switched" last week. It really is a lot easier than imagined. Aside from the extra loads of laundry its no different than using the disposables. Even Dad's caught on!

Developmentally, Peanut is working on her hand control. She's starting to bring things towards her mouth and grip items with both hands. She's holding her head up better each day and can sit up with assistance. Every day she finds new sounds to make and tests them out. Recently, it's been a very high pitch squeal that varies in volume.

We tried our first solid food on Wednesday - bananas. The spoon is a new feeling and she doesn't care for it being too cold. Oh the faces she makes! It's still early and she mostly pushes the food around in her mouth. But, today she managed to swallow most of it and even started opening her mouth when the spoon came near. I don't think we're too far off.

Sniffles

2008-08-15T20:35:00.002-04:00

Peanut's been coughing some in the mornings and we thought it was just a case of dry throat from the fan we have running in her room. Unfortunately, such is not the case. We are officially battling our very first cold. This morning, she woke up coughing and sniffling back a very runny nose. She had a slight fever (100.1) this morning and so received a dose of Tylenol.

Overall, she's handling it all very well. She's tired and a little uncomfortable, as can be expected, but in relatively good spirits. This evening her temperature was up a little bit again (100.5), so we'll see how she's doing tomorrow.

Pictures

2008-08-12T11:44:00.002-04:00

Grandma & Grandpa Cotton sent some pictures they had of Riley and 3 generations of Aunts. Here they are to share:

Great-great-aunt Nellie

Great aunt Jane

Aunt Ashley

2008-08-11T11:07:00.002-04:00

We had dinner with the families from our Labor & Delivery class. It was so much fun seeing all of the babies and reminiscing with everyone! We determined that Riley was the oldest of the group and Alexis is the youngest.

From Left to Right: Matthew, Riley, Austin, Bryson, Alexis

Going Green!

2008-08-07T16:07:00.002-04:00

Today, we are wearing our very first cloth diaper! After some soul searching and the realization that disposable diapers are far more expensive, we've decided to give cloth a try. Not only are they cheaper in the long run ($400 vs. $2400 over 2 years time), but they are so much better for the environment.

And, just as easy to use!

There are so many options out there not only in brands of diapers but also in styles (AIOs, fitteds, prefolds, pockets, AI2s, fleece, wool, microfiber, microterry, hemp, cotton - the list goes on), colors and patterns. We've chosen our first six diapers as a trial run. Three BumGenius 3.0 diapers and three Happy Heineys. If they work out and everyone can use them without trouble, we'll hopefully be ordering more soon!

It's sad how excited I can get about diapers these days.

Elusive

2008-08-07T00:02:00.003-04:00

We finally caught that beautiful smile on camera! See:

College Bound

2008-08-02T16:55:00.002-04:00

In a few years, at least. Until then, we've gone ahead and set up a 529c account for our little peanut. That means lots of saving and scrimping so we can send our little girl to the college of her choice. (Who are we kidding? We know there's really only one choice out there for her. Go Hokies!)

But seriously, looking at what college is going to cost us twenty years from now... It's mind boggling. A staggering estimated amount of $200k put me in sticker shock. Let's hope there's a good return on this investment.

So, anyone who would like to contribute to Peanut's college fund is more than welcome. We accept checks, money orders, cash and Paypal! ;)

Our 1st Tooth

2008-07-25T11:08:00.002-04:00

Yep, that's right. Riley is getting her very first tooth already. Looking back, I realize that she's been working on it for some time. She's been drooling and chewing on her fist for the past several weeks. But, it wasn't until this past Tuesday when she started running a low-grade fever (99.5) and was really cranky that I put two and two together. Now, she's chewing on anything she can get into her mouth. If you look closely at her gumline, she has the very tip of the tooth showing. It's tee-tiny, but it's there. She's still cranky and the fever is off and on, but seems to be getting better.

I have no idea how long this will take, but I really miss my sweet, laughing, smiling baby. I hope it doesn't take much longer!

Some new pictures.

2008-07-21T14:35:00.003-04:00

I felt it was time to share with everyone some recent photos of our little peanut. Enjoy!

Learning how to use our hands.

Posing for Dad.

Lifting of the head is hard work!

Not so sure what's going on.

She's already learned how to watch television.

We Survived

2008-07-16T18:13:00.003-04:00

It happens to the best of us and when it's least expected. We think we're doing great, smooth sailing and then it happens. We become horrible mothers.

For me, that moment came this morning. I was nursing Riley when I noticed her nails were getting a little long. Usually, I just bite them off because she isn't still enough to do it any other way, but lately she's been rejecting that and pulls and cries. So, I decided to just tear them off, like the pediatrician instructed us to do. We did this when she was much smaller, but I'd gotten lazy and the biting thing worked so much better. Besides, they're paper-thin as it is and easy enough to do. Right?

So, nail in hand, baby nursing and quiet, pull nail edge and tear. Nothing to it. Except that the ENTIRE nail came with it!! Well, almost the entire nail, anyway. It's there, hanging on by an edge.

Gasp! Gulp! Oh my GOD! I just tore my daughter's nail off her finger. The WHOLE nail! She's screaming now, I'm freaking out and I'm starting to feel sick to my stomach.

A quick trip to the doctor's office for him to tell me that everything is fine. The nail will eventually fall off and a new one will grow back in a few months. Heart attack averted, but still sweating and nauseous.

Playing Catch-up

2008-07-16T16:26:00.003-04:00

Our computer has been on the fritz for the past few days. So, we haven't been able to update like we wanted. Still, we would like to share some pictures from the grandparents' visit last week.

Mamie and Papa swung by for just a night after staying with Terry & Natasha in DC. They brought with them some gifts from Russia by way of Natasha's parents. Riley LOVED the little red doll, as you can see. She was simply transfixed by the color and sound (it had a musical rattle inside). They also sent some russian chocolate and a beautiful pink dress. It was very generous of them.

Gifts aside, it was wonderful to have Carol and Rick in our home. They adore Riley and watching her light up in their arms is magical. We enjoyed a lovely evening catching up on Baby Sasha (Terry & Natasha's little girl). We were sad to see them go in the morning, but we'll see them soon enough again!

July 4th

2008-07-07T20:14:00.005-04:00

Fourth of July was quite the adventure for our little peanut. We travelled west to visit Matt & Rachel (and soon-to-be little Gregory) for the weekend. Somehow, we made it out to Rutherfordton in under 4 hours. The most amazing (and wonderful) part was that not only did Riley sleep the entire way, but she also did not cry one bit when put in her carseat. Those who have not yet witnessed her screams of rage should know that a carseat is apparently a peanut's worst nemesis. Still, we all survived the trip.

Matt & Rachel were wonderfully gracious hosts. Their home was beautiful and their hospitality amazing (as always)! We enjoyed a cookout shared with Matt, Rachel and Matt's parents on Friday. We caught glimpses of the local county fireworks display from the front porch. Matt even dared to set off his own display in spite of the risk of burning down his farm. It was a good thing he thought enough to have a bucket of water nearby to douse the few flames that we did manage to catch.

Saturday found us enjoying the color and culture of Asheville! The art galleries alone were amazing. Not to mention all the cute little niche shops and super nice people. I'm still working on getting Ian to move out there. Maybe one day...

We ate at the Laughing Seed, an all vegetarian restaurant after we discovered that everything closed by 2pm only to reopen for dinner at 5pm. We should have planned better. Who knew that 3pm is an odd time for lunch. It was delicious anyway and we walked away completely stuffed.

Riley was awesome the entire day. When she wasn't sleeping, she was taking in all the sights and sounds around her. It was like her little head was on a swivel. All the bright colors in the art galleries had her mesmerized. It was awesome to see her so enraptured. By the end of the day, she was completely worn out!

We were sad to see Sunday come so quickly. It was a sleepy, gray day. I suppose that was better than having to be in the car on a bright sunny day. We were glad to be able to visit and share Fourth of July with great friends and only wish we could do it more often!

P.S. Riley is already counting down the days until she gets to meet her future husband little Gregory David Tice!

Bath time

2008-07-01T22:54:00.005-04:00

We've been working on a better night time sleep schedule for Riley these past two weeks. One thing we've been told to try is setting up a routine. For us, it has been giving Riley a bath at 8pm, rubbing in some lotion, putting her into pajamas and then rocking her to sleep. She has surprised us by really liking her baths. Although, she's not so sure about putting her feet in the water. She insists on holding them up.

So far, the routine is working. Bath time makes her happy and a happy Riley means everyone wins!

Playdate with a Goose!

2008-07-01T22:28:00.003-04:00

Carly and Micaela came over for a playdate today. It was awesome to have some company. Micaela was a little shy at first, but she was eager to hold the baby. And she wasn't playing either! This kid had a grip like a vice. Riley wasn't so sure about the bear hug. Luckily, Micaela's got tough skin so when the baby started crying, she just handed her back to the adults. Smart kid!
The day was gorgeous and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend some time outside. We headed out to Bass Lake to soak in some sunshine and found a few friends. A couple of Canadian Geese and their brood were out and about. Luckily, we remembered to bring some bread crumbs to share. Or rather, Micaela did. Riley slept through most of it and was much more concerned about eating than any geese that might be wandering by.