Well Checks

We did some double duty today and had both boys' annual well check.  I can't believe how fast the years are flying by.  The boys had to wear paper gowns, and they refused because they are printed with teddy bears. I "out mommed" them by turning them inside out.  Ha!  Oh, my sweet little boys.

Ryland weighed 55.8 lbs - 69.85% and was 4'1" tall - 64%. 

Reed weighed 47 lbs - 82.38% and was 3'8" tall - 74.86%.

Ryland Turns 6

It was all about Ryland today in honor of his 6th birthday.  We started celebrating with lunch from Chick-Fil-A at school. 

After lunch, the Kinders go out for recess.  Ryland requested donuts for his birthday treat to share with his class.  Just what Ms. Hill needed, an afternoon of trying to teach a bunch of of children full of sugar.

For dinner, Ryland wanted sushi.  He cracks us up with his refined palate.

To wrap up his big day, he enjoyed a yummy cupcake.  He remains the sweet eater he was at his first birthday.  Happy Birthday, RyRy!

Pulling Up

Our sweet Ridley is officially pulling up!  She has been really close for the past few weeks but just hasn't quite been able to stand all the way up.  She is growing up way too fast.

8 month photos

Our sweetheart, Ridley, is growing so quickly.  She has four teeth now that her top two came in on the same day.  Even though she is teething, she remains happy and sweet.  She loves to be held, and she has started "talking".  Her brothers absolutely adore her and love to play and entertain her.

7 month photos

Precious pictures!  I love to look back at these and see how much Ridley has grown.  She continues to be a total sweetheart. All the boys are totally smitten, and I can tell she will be spoiled rotten.

6 month photos

Ridley was mostly smiles today for her monthly photos.  She was an absolute ham and wanted to show off her clapping skills. She is such a happy, delightful baby girl! 

Faces

Somebody is getting pretty expressive.  I caught a few cute faces, including a bit of a smile.

2 months

Such a doll!  Ridley is the perfect addition to our family.  She is laid back and happy most all the time, and we are loving how her personality is starting to show.  We all have really enjoyed the past two months, and look forward to lots more fun times.

Ryland is 5

Ryland is 5!  How did this happen so quickly?

He woke up in a great mood and excited to be five years old.  When asked what he wanted for breakfast, I got the answer I expected - a cupcake!  My sweet tooth boy!  And wouldn't you know, I had some cupcakes on hand.

Ryland continues to be our sensitive, sweet boy who loves to be right there with us.  He enjoys to work on house projects, play baseball and soccer, and loves anything camo or hunting related.  He is easy to talk to and has a super memory.  I love him so much!

Reed turns 3

Our sweet baby boy is 3!  Reed is always on the move and is always into something.  He keeps us on our toes and laughing hysterically.  Reed's birthday breakfast request was cinnamon rolls with candles.  Funny, because he is not a sweet eater.

John Chris and I were really excited for the boys to see their birthday gift.  When John Chris came home from work, we gave the boys a box to open.  They unwrapped their gifts and were thrilled about the "motorcycle" helmets.  Then they found the key.  
We all headed outside to take the new four wheeler for a ride. Reed didn't want anything to do with it.  He refused to ride or even sit on it.  Ryland immediately jumped right on and took it for a ride.
 Not exactly the reaction we were expecting from either boy.

One Month Photos

It is hard to believe that my sweet baby, Ridley, is already a month old.  She is a total sweetheart and loves to cuddle and be in the middle of the chaos.  She enjoys taking baths, listening to music, and watching her brothers.  She is sleeping about 5 hours at night and her gas and digestive issues are improving.  We are starting to see her beautiful blue eyes, and little blonde hair is starting to grown in around her face.  

Puzzler

Reed has become very interested in puzzles over the past few weeks.  As I cooked dinner tonight, I noticed that once again he was completely entranced.  He spreads the puzzles out by the fireplace and will sit quietly until each one is assembled.

 

Hideout

Ryland's imagination has taken off, and I love watching and listening to him play.  He builds forts and hideouts and likes to put lots of toys inside.  He can play for hours while his toys have extensive conversations. He is growing up so fast.

 

Reed's new haircut

Who is this little boy?  Reed was such a big boy today, and now he really looks big too.  I am really pleased with the cut, and he is so proud.  I can't believe he is growing up so fast.

 

Chia Pets

Nanna and Papaw sent the boys Chia Pets for Easter.  Ryland and Reed were a little confused when I opened the boxes, because they expected the pet to look like the picture on the box.  Instead, the pets were "naked". 

The prep process for the pets was a little different than expected.  I had the boys all pumped up and ready to plant, and then I read the instructions.  The pet bodies had to soak for an hour, and the seed mixture had to gel for an hour.  Needless to say, the boys were pretty anxious.

Reed scooped the seed mixture right up without caring about how messy and slimy it was.  Ryland was a little grossed out at first, but he got over it.  After the seed mixture was smeared all over, we created a greenhouse out of plastic bags. 

 We hope there is sun tomorrow, so they will start growing.  We can't wait to see their plush, green coats.

 

Look what I "grew"

The Easter bunny brought the boys some radish seeds several months ago.  We talked about planting the seeds, watering them, and enjoying the home grown radishes in a few weeks.  We read the instructions on the packet, and we followed them precisely.  We have deligently watered the plants, but we have been more than a little disappointed with what we have grown.  That is, until today.  Ryland found about 6 nice size radishes.  It was almost as if it was exactly a bunch were nestled in the plants' foliage.  He didn't even have to dig them up!  He was very happy and proud of what he had grown.  

And look what Reed found, the hose nosle.  These boys are just full of luck and skill today.  Great job!

Fat boy

Baby Reed is growing by the second it seems. I think it is pretty obvious he doesn't miss a meal. He is happy and easy going but lets us know when it is time for him to eat.

Growing Reed

My little man is growing so quickly. He is looking more and more like a baby now and less like an infant. He continues to be laid back and chill. He loves to cuddle and be held.

New nap mat

Just one more sign that our little boy is growing up. Ryland will start napping on a mat at "school" in June. I have no idea how Ms. Nan will pull this off, but I am anxious to see.

I was going to attempt to make one myself, but I know that I would turn the task into a huge deal, shop for fabric for hours, and over analyze the design. I found this adorable mat on etsy.com. It arrived today, and I am very pleased.
We laid it out on the floor and tried to get Ryland to test it out, but it didn't work. He did enjoy carrying it around. Good luck!

Transitioning to 1 nap?

I think my little boy is at another minor milestone. He is wanting to nap later in the day now, and he is not interested in a second afternoon nap. Previously he would nap twice a day for about an hour to an hour and a half each time. Now he wants to take one nap that is about two hours long. He is growing up too darn fast!