Happy New Year!

It's 2009. A new year. 2008 was a great year. I hope, and plan to make, 2009 even better.

To kick off the New Year I'm taking the lead of a fellow blogger, 2 Moms, and choosing "One Little Word" for the year instead of a long list of New Years resolutions. I've searched and searched for my word for 2008 and keep coming back to the word she is using. This single word embodies everything I want to achieve and build my life around in 2009. That word is "Choose".

In 2009 I will continue to live life with choices.

• I choose to be present when I'm with Riley.
• I choose to continue to teach Riley about choices and consequences.
• I choose to be nurture a strong work ethic in an effort to be a positive role model for my daughter.
• I choose to focus on my health.
• I choose to incorporate exercise and activity into my families life.
• I choose to focus on our families finances and financial future.
• I choose to be a more caring and thoughtful wife.
• I choose to keep a journal of our lives "Raising Riley" (aka as blogging).

To kick this off, me the person who hasn't blogged for three months (which I'll write about why later) is vowing to blog every day in January to get me back in the swing of things. I may not have enough time to post comments on my blog friends blogs, which I still read every day, but I will blog about our life, even if it's brief. Here's to a wonderful 2009!

I didn't want to leave without posting pictures BUT for some reason I can't get anything to upload. I'll try again tomorrow.

Naked ET

Riley has added a new element to her bedtime bath routine. When we get her out of the tub she likes to strut around the house in nothing but her hooded towel. The first time she did this we were laughing hysterically because she reminded us of ET running around with a sheet on. Here's a few pics and a video of our little ET.

My First Hut!

Aunt Sarah came out to play with me on Saturday, 8/16, and she built me my first hut! And, it was in my crib, which is my favorite place in the world! Thanks Aunt Sarah! I love it when you come to play with me.

Tate's Birthday Party

On August 12 Tate turned 4! I can't even believe she is 4! It seems just yesterday we were babysitting this tiny little being and falling in love with her more and more every day. And because of our love for her we realized we needed to start a family ourselves. So thanks to Tate, and of course her Mommies, we're blessed with our miracle baby Riley.

We had Tate's birthday bash at our clubhouse so the kids could swim, play games, watch movies, and play on the playground. Of course the big day was a hit. Here's a few pics commemorating her big day.

The Birthday Girl

The Birthday Girl's Little Sis, Talor

Friends...

The boys from http://lovemytwins.blogspot.com/

We can't forget party crasher Sawyer who had SO much fun!

Finally, Miss Riley enjoying the day and doing what she loves MOST...SWIMMING!

Little Miss LOVES her Sunglasses!

Playing with ribbon is so fun Mom!

Mmmmm....sucker

Crete paper banners are so much fun!

Mmmmm...ice cream and cake!

All smiles on a very fun day!

Finally...Updates & 15 Month Pics

I'm totally a blog slacker. The worst part about me being a slacker is not that I'm not updating our friends and family enough, or keeping up to date on my blog friends and family, it's that I'm not keeping a good record of Riley as she grows up. I've got to do better. This is important for her.

I'm getting ready to start a new job next week, same company, new exciting opportunity, that is sure to make my work life even busier. Which is good. I love a good challenge. But I've got to figure out a better way of keeping Riley's blog updated.

It's time for a massive update. There's so much I haven't posted about his summer and I'm ready to let loose. Be prepared. They're just going to keep coming.

Let's start with Riley's 15 Months pictures.

We decided she was long over due for pictures. We honestly thought we'd leave KK without any pictures because Riley wouldn't sit still long enough, or give a big enough smile. But to our pleasant surprise we left there with a few great shots of our beautiful 15 months old. Enjoy!

Happy 15 Months Baby Girl!

At 15 months you:

• Are walking like a pro! It's so cute to see this little person walking around the house.


• Are still a picky eater but are willing to try some new things. You still LOVE fruit. Doesn't matter what kind, you'll eat it!


• Love when your Momma comes home from work. It's like a drug, you go crazy with energy for the next hour and won't let me out of your sight.


• Have called for your Mommy when you're having a bad night's sleep.


• Show your stubborn side more and more frequently.


• Are incredibly smart and are already showing your critical thinking skills. You like to figure things out. And if we show you how to do something once then you've got it, like putting toy coins in the toy piggy bank this weekend.


• LOVE TO READ!!! Books, books, and more books. You bring books to us constantly to read to you. You can't get enough. And that makes your Momma's very happy.


• LOVE TO SWIM! Anything with the water you love.


• Get frustrated sometimes and through tantrums. We're not quite sure how to handle this yet but we've got to help you manage that temper.


• LOVE everyone to sing Itsy Bitsy Spider ALL THE TIME!


• Have several words you use consistently: hi, bye, bye bye, hat, Morgie, Mommy, Momma, doggie, read, bath, eat. There are also a long list of words that you've used a couple of times but not daily.


• Understand when we tell you to do things such as, go get in your high chair, fold your arms, go to your room so we can change your bum, go get in the bath.


• Have another new top tooth. Making a total of 7 that have broken through. But you've been pretty grumpy the past few days so we think you might be getting a molar or two.


• Go nuts for Uncle Steve. You'll even stand at the top of the stairs and yell for him.


• Whine back at the dogs. When they're being whiny you chime right in trying to whine back at them.


• Know who Elmo is and point to him on your bath mat every time you bath.


• Won't give us kisses but will give Eskimo kisses.

You are the sunshine in your lives. You're our miracle. We love you more and more every day.

Happy day baby girl!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

You're #1

Remember a while back I posted about Riley being a picky eater. At the time she mostly liked fruit, fruit, more fruit, and Yo Baby Yogurt (I call this Baby Crack because she goes nuts for it.). She had not yet developed an affinity for Mac-n-Cheese. Well now she's making up for lost time. She loves the stuff!! Thank goodness we can at least get her to eat something besides fruit and Baby Crack.

But, I think more than anything she loves making a mess with it. Why is it that kids think their food makes wonderful hair accessories? Because of this we've gone from giving her a bath every other night to almost every night simply because she makes such a MESS at dinner. For you're viewing pleasure I give you...Mac-n-Cheese Face.

Notice the ONE BIG top front tooth. Well since this pic was snapped the other has finally made it's appearance. She lived with one giant front top tooth for many weeks.

In preparation for Riley's first birthday we tried for weeks to get her to give us the #1 with her finger. You know, the old, "How old is Riley?" and the kid responds with one finger. Well, unbelievably, Shelly tried it again yesterday and Riley got it just like that. Now every time you ask her, "How old is Riley?" you get a legitimate #1. It's pretty cute so I caught it on video. Enjoy!

Here's another video of our "toddler". I guess the phone in her playroom was for me. Notice when she gets to me she says "Haa". That's how she says "Hi".

Finally, a few weeks ago Holly, at Two Mommies and a Meatball, gave us a snapshot of her daily life. I decided I wanted to do the same. Here is where I spend my days.

Notice the upper panels. Which one of them is not like other? Drives me CRAZY that they don't match.

And below, the 4x4 (unpadded) cell where I really spend most of my time. Everything is within arms reach. Except a Porta Potty. I do have to get up for that every now and then. And sometimes I even sneak out for lunch! And notice my new pink planner!!! I LOVE it! I feel MUCH more organized just having it in my possession.