It was that time of the year again. The Dallas bridal show kicks off my spring and summer wedding season, and I geared up for a busy time while carrying some extra baby weight. The show went very well, but it was difficult to stand for so long. I completely changed the set up for the show and introduced yellow as the accent color, and I had a great deal of positive feedback. 
The play set that Gran Pop bought Ryland for Christmas came in this week, and we were thrilled to see that the weather was going to be beautiful this weekend. John Chris and Uncle Brad took advantage of the 75 degree day and worked on the assembly. Lizzie came to town to help out, and Ryland had a blast visiting and helping.
Are we done yet? 
Taking a break to enjoy a yogurt snack.
Aunt Chanda was told to climb on up to check out the view from Ryland's penthouse. He is so excited, and I look forward to spring so we can really enjoy playing outside.
The moment the mixer came out of the cabinet, my little kitchen helper was intrigued. He loves to help these days, and I was pleased to have the assistance. We mixed all of our ingredients for the banana nut bread and made a huge mess during the process. He was a little disappointed that cookies didn't come out of the oven, but it was a great night.
Ryland requested that I take a nap with him today. When I tucked him in, he patted on the bed and said momma. I couldn't refuse, so I cuddled up beside my bubby. He drifted off super fast, and I caught myself just watching him sleep. He looked like a peaceful little old man in his button up shirt that he refused to change out of.
Many thoughts of how quickly time has flown by since he was born started coming to mind. I enjoy seeing him grow and learn new things every day, and I just can't imagine my life without him. I feel so blessed and lucky to be his mom, and I look forward to every moment in the future. It is so funny how these special moments sneak up on me.
John Chris and I were getting in bed tonight when we took a look at the baby monitor. We both laughed at Ryland's sleeping position. He was straight as a board with one arm sticking up. He was really still, and his pajamas made me think of a straight jacket. 
Ryland made the first of many beer runs for his Daddy tonight. We were all playing in the family room when John Chris asked Ryland to go get him a beer. Ryland went to the kitchen, got the beer, and brought it back to John Chris. They both smiled with pride in their father son moment.
I was having an afternoon snack of radishes and carrots when Ryland became curious. I gave him some to sample while I was cutting and washing the vegetables, but he gave them right back. He gave them a second try with a little bit of ranch dressing and loved the radishes. He sat down with me and had a delicious and healthy snack.
After our snack, we measured the back of the house where we are replacing the tile. Ryland was really interested in holding the tape measure for me and helping me take accurate measurements. It is cute how helpful he wants to be.
After a few pictures, he just got silly. He started saying cheese and being a total goof ball. This was my favorite shot, because I caught his sweet face instead of a silly expression. 
After a few failed attempts to grab a leaf, Ryland figured out how to grab the branch then pull the leaves. I don't understand the fatuation with the leaves, but he loves to throw the leaves on Cooper. Oh, the simple life! 
Ryland and I headed to Safari Park for a MOPS playgroup. It is definitely one of our favorite places to play when it is cold outside. Ryland is all about the train these days. He absolutely loves it, and now he rides without me. He is still pretty leery of the mechanical animals, but he is getting a lot braver lately. He had a blast and wasn't ready to go home even after 2.5 hours.
I was a little behind on folding and ironing laundry, so I devoted this evening to catching up. Ryland is in a possession claiming stage, and he helped make stacks for Momma, Dadda, and Ry Ry. Anything that is in question belongs to him. When I ask, he just grabs whatever it is and says MINE.
We spent the day caulking the nursery. The crown moulding, door casing, and baseboard is all complete and just needed some MAJOR caulking. Ryland had to get in on the fun, so John Chris gave him some caulk to help. Ryland had been watching intently and had a pretty good idea of what to do. The caulk got a little messy, but it was fun.
The snow came down all day, and it was so beautiful. The ground was too warm, so it never accumulated. We couldn't go outside and play in it, but we did go out for a bit to talk about snow flakes with Ryland. Even though there wasn't enough to play in, it was nice to stay indoors with warm food and a cozy fire. 
We headed over to the Owens' house to catch up and visit. Since we have been over last, Jackson has become the owner of a huge battery operated Jeep. Ryland thought it was the coolest thing. He jumped right in and took it for a spin. Jackson was kind enough to let him drive while he soaked up the fun. Us parents started talking about the future when it is a real Jeep, and how we will look back on the pictures and laugh. Oh the fun and trouble these boys will get into...
We are expecting some cold and wet weather over the next few days, so John Chris decided to take advantage of the pretty afternoon to reseal some pipes and vents on the roof. 
This was one project that we were not excited to do due to the high climbing. The roof pitch over the family room is steep, and there is one pipe on that side that had to be sealed. 
Ryland helped himself to Dad's drink this evening. Just what every toddler needs before bed, a little coke. Needless to say the kiddo loves it. He now asks for it by name.
Busted! Oh no, momma caught the boys sharing a Coke.
It was all good in the beginning. Ryland ate his lunch without confrontation, and then we went to play. He was climbing and laughing when he fell. He knocked his head right on the bottom trim of the glass wall. It was a terrible thud followed by screaming and blood.
After I wiped the blood off, I could see the gash and the knot. Poor little man. I sat in the backseat with him for a while debating if I needed to take him to the doctor or not. After talking to my mom and John Chris, I decided to take him home. I was sure to keep him awake for a few hours before nap. Dr. Momma put some ointment and a Spongebob bandage on the ouchy to help make it all better. 
Who needs toys when you have a diaper box to play with? After a nap and a snack, Ryland is in a much better mood. I think the Spongebob bandage helped him forget about his head injury.
Cooper is never far from the fun. Ryland tried to talk him into getting in the box, but Cooper wasn't interested.
We moved Ryland to a big boy bed a few weeks ago, and he is doing really fantastic. He has been sleeping in the big boy bed every night, and we haven't had any issues or problems. We are so proud of our little man! 
