Sunday, April 29, 2012

Six Flags

 We made our first trip to Six Flags with Tessa in tow and had a great time!

Riley LOVES riding the swings!
 Tessa loved riding with Daddy...Jason would do anything for his girls!

 Me and Riley after she hit the splash pad!
 We had a great day and wore Miss Tessa out!  She took a few cat naps while we were there and when we got home she took a 3 hour nap!
 When we were leaving Riley was bucking for a toy...we saw these capes and the $5.00 price tag and got one for Riley and Jason...I just love this picture!

4 Months Old

Miss Tessa is already 4 months old!!!

She is weighing in at 11 lbs 2 oz...still a little bean!

As for sleeping she takes three 45 minute naps and one 2 hour nap most days...sometimes the long nap is in the morning and sometimes it's in the afternoon...depends on the day.  She also still takes her naps in different places...I put her in her bed swaddled whenever I can but still try to get one nap in the swing and then she sleeps in her carrier when we're on the go!  We tried moving her bedtime earlier and at first it was a flop and she would wake up like she was napping and then it was hard to get her back to sleep so we went back to her bedtime between 9-11 and she just does so much better.  After a few nights of major binky issues and having to put it in many many times I decided it was time for her to learn a little bit of self soothing.  I took it away at bedtime cold turkey and it took her about 12 minutes of fussing and crying to fall asleep.  She is still swaddled at night but I leave one arm out in case she wants to suck on her hand to soothe herself.  The first night she woke up 4 hours into her sleep and it took her about 7 minutes to get herself back to sleep and then she was consistently sleeping 8+ hours.  After a week or so of this it seemed like her bedtime was creeping up earlier so we just went with it.  She was going down between 7 and 8:30 and then I would dreamfeed her around 11:45 and she would sleep until 6 or 7.  We did that for about a week but it actually led to less sleep for me because I wasn't going to bed until after midnight each night.  So we are back to a later bedtime with a late 45 minute nap and we are all happier.  The last few nights she's only been going 6 hours before wanting to eat but then she goes right back to sleep.  Things are always changing but all in all she sleeps well and I'm so thankful to be done with being a slave to the binky.  She still loves it but during sleeptime if it falls out she has to get herself back to sleep and she seems to be figuring it out just fine!

She's still eating around 6 times a day and I'm going to start her on rice cereal SOON!

She loves baths and I got a new bath so she can take a bath with Riley...they loved that! 



Clothes/Diapers:  She's in 1-2 size diapers and fitting well in her 0-3 month clothes but starting to be able to get into some of her 3-6 month clothes.  She's still in size 1 shoes.  I'm just waiting for those little feet to grow...I have TONS of shoes for her!!

She's still such a happy girl and started giggling this month.  She is super ticklish and her little ribs are my favorite spot to tickle her in.  She started playing in the exersaucer and loves it.  I have to put a blanket behind her to keep her from bobbling around too much!  

I also started carrying her facing out in the Bjorn carrier and she loves that.  She's sitting like a big girl in the jogging strollers and doing great!  Sometimes it just wears her out!

She squeals at an octave that is sometimes ear piercing.  This girl like to talk and be heard!  She's a drooling mess and loves to try and get any or all parts of her hand in her mouth...maybe some teeth on the way? She loves to be standing up...it's her preferred position.  She tries to sit up and must have some great ab muscles with the way she pulls herself up all the time.

Riley has just this past month taken out some of her jealousy on Miss Tessa.  My neighbor who has 4 girls within 4 years (they are all adults now) shared with me that it was always at the 3 month mark when they older girls were ready to get rid of the new baby..haha!  Riley still adores her sister and loves singing to her and playing with her and carrying her around.  We have seen some pouting when Tessa is getting attention and some sweet pats that turn slightly aggressive every now and then.  She had an incident one night where she bit Tessa's finger...that was not good!

But the hard times are few and far between...most of the time it's lots of love with these two! 



Here's the comparison shot!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Mommy and Me Pics

 My sweet and oh so talented friend Sara did Mommy and Me photo shoots for Mother's Day and I couldn't pass it up!  It was at this cute little farm just outside of town and we had a blast!

Since Gaby and Desiree were in town visiting we were able to get some great group shots and they got some of their own shots as well!

As usual Sara didn't disappoint and gave me too many to choose from..I loved them all but these were a few of my favs!

We had just gotten our new cowboy boots the day before and I'm so glad we did...too cute!













Thursday, April 19, 2012

Gaby and DiDi Visit!

 Gaby and DiDi made took a girls trip out to Cali to visit us for a long weekend and it was so much fun!  Riley just adores Gaby and had a blast playing with her!

Gaby is not a girly girl but she totally played the part with Riley and that was so sweet of her! She is such a good aunt and I think she might kill me for posting these pics but I just want Riley to always remember just how much she is loved by Gaby!

Here's Cinderella and Gaby in a wedding dress and Rapunzel hair!
 Friday we just did our normal thing...I took them to FitMoms, the exercise class my friend Ashley teaches that we go to every Friday!  DiDi exercised with us and Gaby played at the park with Riley and a few of her friends!  She got some snuggling time with Tessa too!
 We picked up Subway before we headed to the park so we could have a picnic lunch!
 That afternoon we ran a few errands and got a nap in for Riley and then we grilled out that night!

Riley loves to eat outside and she loves to set the table...she does a great job and I just love how she uses her plates and finds random decor through the house to decorate with!

 Our beautiful centerpiece complete with a crown!


Tessa got to hang outside with us during dinner!
 My silly crazy girl!
Saturday Gaby and DiDi got to watch Riley play some soccer...Gaby is an awesome soccer player so I know she loved watching Riley!

After soccer we grabbed lunch and did some shopping...all of us girls (except for Tessa and Gaby) ended up getting new cowboy boots..it was fun!

We went straight to Miss Kylee's birthday party from there and had more fun!

It was at the community center on base and there is a great splash pad!

 The adorable birthday girl!
Gaby and DiDi had fun holding Tessa while we chatted with friends and kept Riley out of trouble!


 Someone decided it was time to lay out and get a little sun..ha!
 Waiting patiently for dinner and cupcakes!
Kylee's mom Jenni is the ultimate party planner so all of her kids' birthday parties are fabulous!  This one didn't disappoint either and it was a blast! She had this cute photo op set up outside and we all had fun taking pics!

After the party we QUICKLY got home and DiDi and Gaby babysat while Jason and I went to see The Vow and get coffee afterward!  It was a super busy but fun day!

Sunday we sent Jason off fishing for the day and us girls did a photoshoot with Sara for Mother's Day pics, ate a fun lunch with Nicki and Will in Dixon, and then had some down time at home!  

After Riley's nap she wanted to do makeovers...DiDi and Gaby couldn't wait!!! Hehe!





Oh my goodness Riley had so much fun!  Somehow I managed to escape without a makeover...you know how that goes!  When grandmas and aunts are in town mom is old news!!!

Thanks for coming to visit DiDi and Gaby!!!

BikeAThon

 Riley had her first Bike-A-Thon at school and it was so fun to watch!

I have such fond memories of all the bike rodeo's I had at school when I was younger so it was fun to watch her experience this!!!

The had a police officer, Officer Jason, come to talk about bike safety and all the kids were paying attention to everything he said.

Then they were all unleashed to ride around the cones!

 Riley did great!  She was very focused and payed attention to what she was doing!  There were a few close calls because a few kids were a little crazier than others but they all had a blast and the grins on their faces were priceless!
 Go Riley Go!
 After all the bike riding all the kids gathered up to have special snacks outside...popsicles!!
 Here's Riley saying prayers with her friends...such a sweet moment!