Sunday, October 30, 2011

Ryan -- 13 Months

Dear Ryan,

It's been a year and a month since you came into this world and delighted us with your presence. We have loved learning who you are and loving you. Last fall the 2 of us mostly stayed inside being together, staying warm. This fall we are outside more, enjoying the changing of the leaves, the colder weather, Halloween. There are lots of new things to engage and delight you.
This month you finally learned to sign Daddy, and you actually switch between using your forefinger and your thumb to sign it. However you do it, you sign Daddy many times a day; he seems to be your favorite person around. (He's just the right height to comfortably hold your hand as you nearly constantly walk around the house.) You started wobbly walking mid-month on your own, but then you had a bad fall where you landed on the back of your head and decided to hold off on that for awhile. Instead you hold our hands when walking, although you do practice standing sometimes. When you are not walking, sleeping, or playing, you can sometimes be found lying with your whole body and head on the floor, either to fully feel the surface that is under you or to take a little rest or both. Either way it's pretty cute.
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Your personality is definitely playful. You want to explore everything, but you are more interested in things (like the inside of the refrigerator, pots/pans, laundry) than toys, although you will play with those as well. What you are not interested in yet are books, which to me is a surprise -- Jake loved books early on. I do hope you will let me start reading to you soon, before you outgrow all the cute baby books!
No to books but yes to technology... you try so hard to leap off our laps to bang on the computer keyboards and you know how to push the 'home' button on the iPhones so that the picture comes up. You haven't figured out the slide yet, though.
13 months old and still only 2 teeth! Regardless, you love to eat, especially if you can feed yourself. You are already showing proficiency with a spoon which I'm grateful for since you are able to make full-scale self-feeding messes that often require a complete change of clothing despite the bib. In other ways you are tidy -- when you are finished with the mama milk, you will often then pull down my shirt for me. So cute.
And you know how to get our attention, whether it is for more food or something else. You already know how to bang on tables and other surfaces. You make us laugh with your smiles and funny faces.
Here's to more fun times head, little love.
Love, Mama

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Date Lunch!

Mike and I got to go out for a much-needed and much-appreciated date lunch. Yes, lunch because it is just easier on the boys right now. The boys had a great time with my parents!

We went to Blossoming Lotus. We shared this Fruit and 'Cheese' board which was divine! We also had salad, soup, and dessert. So good.
 And we took pictures of each other. Sorry for the bad lighting on this one!


Friday, October 28, 2011

An October in the Life of Two Brothers

Waiting for cookies.
 Starting to stand and take a few steps!
















One night I noticed on the baby monitor that Ryan had crawled over to Jake and fallen asleep on him. So I snuck upstairs with my camera...
Jake moved his foot right when the camera flashed, it was actually not on Ryan's face. They kept sleeping like that even after I took the picture.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Pumpkin Patch with Kindergarten

Jake's class took a field trip to the pumpkin patch. Ryan and I joined them. We got a beautiful, sunny day for it!
 Listening to a lecture on the different varieties of pumpkins.
 The 3 of us on the hayride.
 Ryan watching the classmates play.

 Duck race with a hand pump!

 Lunchtime.




Jake loved it and had a great time. However, when I picked him up from school he said "but I did no work [at school] today!" I explained that some days you get to just have fun :)

Sunday, October 16, 2011

The Day that Ryan Discovered Chocolate in the Drawer

He managed to get a bite before I found him.
 So sorry, baby!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Grandma Vee

Grandma Vee came to stay with us for a week to help with the boys while I worked. I increased my work hours from 24 to 32 per week, and it's been an adjustment. Very grateful to my mother-in-law for coming down and helping with the boys and the housework. And Jake and Ryan had a great time!


Sunday, October 2, 2011

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

The 6 of us got together to celebrate 3 birthdays. We played, had a fabulous dinner, chatted, yummy desserts, presents... and then serenaded a suddenly overtired baby quickly out the door.

This guy REALLY liked his salmon.
And this one thought it was all yummy, but most especially the desserts.
Three birthday people!
Jake demonstrates Gramma's new slippers.
Ryan wanted to spend almost the entire time walking around. We took turns but it is Daddy whom he most favors right now :)
Mama got a new umbrella (necessary for the new school drop-off, with the parking, multiple block-walking, staying outside with no cover until the school bell rings...) and some yummy wine aptly named 'Libra.' Thank you wonderful parents!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Happy Birthday to Me

Another year around the sun.

I had a fantastic day saying at home and making really yummy things to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And I also made myself this marionberry pie. I had been saving those berries we picked just for this pie. And it was yummy.
I am so lucky to be a mama to these 2 beautiful boys!

In the afternoon Mike took both boys to OMSI and I stayed alone in the house for two hours. I spent that time blogging and listening to music/knitting. It was wonderful. The boys had a great time. Just what a mama of 2 little ones needed.