Ryland sharing

I caught Ryland sitting in the hall with Cooper and Doodle sharing his corn pops. He absolutely loves these dogs, and they love him. Maybe now we know why? I am happy to see that he understands the sharing concept, and he is applying it to dogs. I just hope he is doing the same thing at school. I am so proud.

A peaceful trip home

The drive home was so peaceful. I waited until it was nap time before hitting the road. We made a quick stop at the gas station, and we were off. Ryland didn't make it far before he was knocked out, and Reed wasn't far behind.

Since Reed is still facing the rear, I snapped a shot of him in the mirror.

The boys slept all the way to Dallas. Ryland woke up when we passed Hwy 75, and Reed woke up when I took him out of the truck at home. Perfect!

Outside fun at Nana's

Ride 'em cowboys! Ryland rode this horse to town and back and back again. He loves this old stallion. It was a bit funny to watch him slide around. He just wasn't dressed in his cowboy best. Nana knows who to call if the horse ever comes up missing.
Drinking from the sprinkler.

Loving every minute of playing in the water.

Visiting family

While in Texarkana, I wanted to take the boys out to see the Great Grandparents. They had never met Reed, and it had been awhile since they had seen Ryland. Grandmother Sue enjoyed holding and playing with Reed.
Ryland heard a few train whistles while we were visiting, and Poppy would take him outside to watch the trains go by. Poppy also knew where some new baby birds were. He showed Ryland the nest with the new babies, and Ryland thought they were cute.

Nana and Ryland "cheesing" for the camera.

We had a great visit, and I am glad my grandparents were able to see the boys. It was very difficult to get out of town with 2 little ones, but it was worth the ordeal. I now need to get both of them to Ruston to visit with their other great grandmother, GiGi.

House exploring - beautiful dead space

I know the pictures aren't special to anyone other than me and John Chris, but these are beautiful shots of the dead space above the ceiling in our wet bar. Our next major project will be turning the downstairs half bath into a full bath. We have been planning on adding a corner shower, but now we have decided to tear it all out. YAY! We actually will be combining the wet bar and the half bath to make one larger full bath. The ceilings are at different heights, so we were planning to leave the wall and door that separate them now. John Chris removed one of the can lights, so we could stick the camera in to get a shot of what was above. What do you know? We found dead space. Exactly what we were hoping for.

Demolition coming soon!

Rangers game

We spent the afternoon watching the Rangers at the Ballpark. It was pretty warm out, but we found seats in the shade. This was Reed's first baseball game and Ryland's second attempt. Uncle Clint and Aunt Kristi were in town visiting, so Aunt Kristi got to experience her first game as well. It was great for a little while, but then Ryland decided he had sat long enough. We decided to go to a lower level to experience the game close up. We moved down to where we normally sit, and we were up close and personal to the action. The game ended with a slide into home that beat the catcher's tag. Rangers win!

Safari Park party

We headed to Safari Park in Plano for a birthday party. Ryland loves the location by our house, so I had a feeling this would be a huge hit. I was happy that John Chris could see how crazy this place is and play with Ryland.

Ryland waits at the bottom of the slide for Daddy.
Who is the kid here? John Chris is having just as much fun as Ryland.

Oh no! Ryland and Daddy are in the lion's mouth.

Reed and I hung out by the trampoline and watched the boys jump. Reed will be right there with them soon enough.

Ryland is really into playing golf. John Chris spent some time coaching him how to putt.

He refused the ride the indoor train, so he could play with this pirate ship. Whatever floats your boat.

Before we headed home, Ryland had to pose for a photo with the Lego knight.

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.

Legoland

We headed to Legoland for play group today. It just opened, so this was our first visit. It took us about an hour to get in due to 6 buses of 3rd graders on a field trip. Crazy!

Once we finally were inside, we were amazed. Ryland thought this concrete truck was too neat. The tank on the back actually rotated like it was mixing. It was almost big enough for Ryland to ride inside.


There were several different areas to play with Legos. One fun area was the earthquake table. It had platforms for building the tallest skyscraper we could. After we finished building, we turned the dial to crank up the vibration. Our skyscraper didn't make it long before it crashed to the floor. We wondered around Legoland and found a Lego DFW. Obviously, the boys were impressed, because I couldn't get them to look at the camera.

DFW Airport

Rangers Ballpark

I noticed a 4D movie theater inside, and I thought Ryland might enjoy a short movie. I wanted to see if he could sit and pay attention. We have been talking about going to a movie, so this was the perfect opportunity.

The next show was only 3 minutes away, so I parked the stroller in line. Things got ugly fast. Reed decided he was hungry, so he started crying. I started feeding him, and Ryland fell out on the floor screaming. He didn't want to wait in line and wanted to go back in the DFW room. The line starts moving forward, and I am in all out nuts mode. I am begging Ryland to get up and walk while pushing the huge double stroller while feeding Reed while trying to grab the diaper bag and camera. We grabbed some glasses and two seats on the end of the row just in case Ryland wasn't up for the movie. We settled into our seats when I smelled the poop. I lifted the burp cloth I was using to feed Reed, and I saw the poop seeping through his outfit. OK, now what was I to do. I can't leave Ryland in the theater while I go change Reed, and I can't take both of them out after making such a huge deal about the movie. I decided to give it a shot since the movie was only 15 minutes long. Once again Reed was a trooper. He sat in my lap and contently finished his bottle while Ryland and I watched the movie. It was such a neat experience. Ryland would reach out to grab things that appeared to come out into the audience. He absolutely loved it!

It was over quickly, so we headed to the restroom to clean up Reed. Ryland just continued to chat about the movie and Legos. We headed home, and I promised him we would come back soon. It was a cool experience that was worth all the drama, but before we could call the morning a wrap we had to make it out to the truck. IN THE POURING RAIN!

Painting project

I started working on the entertainment center today, and I quickly had more help than I knew what to do with. I had removed all the decorative trinkets, so I could give the whole cabinet a fresh coat of paint. I have worked off and on caulking the outside of the cabinet, and I needed to finish up the interior shelves. My team stepped in to help out.

As soon as John Chris climbed up the ladder, Ryland had his ladder out. While I sanded and they caulked, Reed observed. He must have thought we were amusing, because he watched and smiled all afternoon. While we wait on the paint to dry, my sweet OCD Ryland, helped me dust and clean the trinkets. What a team!

Chilly hot tub

Ryland loves being in the water. I mean LOVES being in the water.
He is like a little penguin. The water is still pretty cold, but it doesn't seem to phase him.

I ask him if it is cold, and he puts his arms up to his side and shakes.

"Ooooo cold" he says, but don't even think about getting him out.

We can't wait until the water gets a little warmer, so we can start enjoying the pool. It is going to be so nice this summer when it is 100F.

8PM to 6:30AM

Reed must have been completely worn out after an afternoon of fun yesterday. He went down at 8 and didn't wake up until 6:30! WOW! Of course I was up all night with his brother, but I couldn't believe my little man slept so long. It is one more sign of him growing up, and it makes me sad. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled that he is sleeping. It just seems like the "baby" days are going quickly.

Hiding and sleeping

How in the world did he get under the sofa? It was all fun and games until he couldn't get out.

While one plays the other one sleeps.
Reed sleeping in his favorite nap spot, momma and daddy's bed.

Horses, goats, and chickens

We headed outdoors for play group this week. About 3 miles from our house, there is a ranch with horses, goats, and chickens. They specialize in horse riding lessons and summer camps.
Ryland was very unsure when we arrived and saw the horses. He stood over to the side and put his hands in his mouth. I didn't push him to approach the animals, because I knew he would warm up and get comfortable.
I am not a huge horse fan either, so I completely understood. They are big and scary. Since a horse just about killed me in Lake Tahoe years ago, I decided to keep my distance. I don't want Ryland to have my fears, so I told him how pretty and nice horses are. (My fingers were crossed.)

A glimpse at the pond. It really was very serene and calm here. It felt like we were out in the country, but it was only 3 miles from home.

My brave boy decided he wanted to pet one of the horses. The guide tried to get Ryland to feed the horse, but he wasn't interested. He quickly told her no and went on his way to explore the chickens.

By the time we left, Ryland had decided he loved this place. I physically had to pick him up and take him to the truck. He did not want to leave. He is too young to attend their summer camp this year, but we will be back for next summer.

Jasper's birthday party

One of Ryland's play group friends, Jasper, had a train themed birthday party. When we first arrived at the party, Ryland was his usual timid self. Jasper's mom had a train ride picking up at the garage and taking the kids down the street. Ryland was pretty unsure at first, but he eventually warmed up and had fun.

Ryland has recently started putting his hands in his mouth when he is apprehensive. He stood in the garage observing everything from a safe distance.
He decided to try out the mini train first. It wasn't fun for long, because it just did a small circle.

The bigger train arrived to pick up, and I coaxed Ryland to ride with me. By the time we were at the end of the driveway, he decided that he was ready to party. He started chit chatting and saying "choo choo".

kids + bounce house = FUN!

Time for birthday cake. Ryland thoroughly enjoyed the icing.

Trenton, Harker, and Ryland sitting to enjoy birthday cake and ice cream.

What a fun party!

Watching TV

Apparently Yo Gabba Gabba is a big hit with babies too. I was sitting on the floor playing with the boys when I noticed Reed turning his head to watch TV. I jumped up to grab the camera quickly, so I wouldn't miss the moment. I could have taken my time, because he was completely intrigued. I swear the show is just a big trip.

But before we go, let's dance!

Ear infection

Reed woke whinny and clingy. I noticed that he was a little warm, so I checked his temperature. It was right at 100. We spent the morning cuddling and watching a little TV. He wasn't very hungry, and I noticed he was getting warmer. I checked his temperature again, and it had gone to 102.5. I packed the boys in the truck and headed to the doctor.

Unfortunately, his pediatrician's office closes at noon on Wednesdays, so we headed to Dr. Miller's office. After a thorough check, the doctor said Reed had a severe ear infection in his left ear. He prescribed an antibiotic for the next 10 days and Motrin for pain.

I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. I pray that I haven't passed my ear issues to him. An ear infection is very uncomfortable, and I spent the afternoon and evening keeping him comfortable.

Poop in the potty

We have been talking about a ton of poop and pee pee at home for the past few months. Ryland has started going in the bathroom to poop. Of course he goes in the room, shuts the door, flushes, and washes his hands. He hasn't been interested in actually using the potty, until today. I went to the bathroom with him today and asked if he wanted to sit on the potty. He agreed to give it a shot. To my amazement, he actually went poop in the potty. He was so proud of himself, and I was so proud of him as well! My baby is getting so big.

9 hours of sleep!

What? 9 hours of sleep? Is it a new sleep pattern? Of course I still woke up multiple times throughout the night, but it wasn't due to Reed waking. I would wake up and check to make sure he was still breathing, and he was peacefully sleeping. I hope this continues. Awesome!

Happy Mother's Day

Ryland woke up in a great mood today, and he was browsing the pantry with John Chris for something tasty for breakfast. He spots a package of cupcakes and immediately asks for them for breakfast. Since it was a special day, John Chris gave in to his request. What is so funny about this request is the fact that I woke up and saw the same delicious cupcakes. I just had to have one as well before anyone woke up. There is no question that Ryland is 100% my child.
We spent Mother's Day working in the backyard. We planted all the pots and put out new umbrellas around the pool. It was a fantastic hang around the house and get stuff done day. I feel so blessed and fortunate to be a mom, and I adore Ryland and Reed. This has been the BEST mother's day ever!