First Haircut

I love this little boy's hair!  He was born platinum blond.  It never fell out.  It hasn't changed color.  However, even this Momma has to admit, the mullet look belongs to the 80's. 

 The matted-can't-be-combed-in-the-back look isn't the greatest either.

 So, on December 26, 2011.  Ryder received his first haircut from his daddy.  The before shot:

The during shot:

 The after shots:

(Someone thinks he is ready for the cover of GQ.)

Letter to My Baby: 15-18 months

March 20, 2012

Dear Ryder,

I keep wondering how the months slip by so quickly.  In our everyday busyness I sometimes have to remind myself to just stop for a minute and enjoy the time I have with you.  It isn’t always easy, but I am so grateful that we get to spend our days together. 

You had your 18 month check on March 6th.  You weigh 25.1 lbs (40%) and are 32.75 inches (75%).  You went in for this check a bit early because we wanted to check your ears to make sure the infection you had cleared up.  This is your second ear infection, and after a couple of sleepless nights, Momma is grateful for medicine and that you are overall a pretty healthy kid!  You don’t like the doctor’s office one bit and screamed through the whole examination, even though everyone was very gentle and tried to play with you.  You got one shot, and now you are done with vaccines until you are 4.  Momma is very happy about that!

You have added so many words to your little vocabulary.  You now have so many that I can’t even write them all down, but will share some of our favorites.  You say “down” - both for when you want us to pick you up and put you down.  Any vehicle that moves is still a “beep beep” - although you also say “woo-woo” for fire engines and ambulances.  You have started making animal sounds:  A snake says “hiss”, a wolf says “wooo”, a cow says “moo,” and a sheep says “ba.”  You will also stick your tongue out when asked what a lizard says.  You say “ki” for kitty.    You roar like a lion by whispering “ra.”

You have discovered the moon (“moo” while pointing up) and like to go outside at night to look at the moon and stars.  You like to watch the cars pass our window.  You get excited when you hear the key in the lock, knowing that it is Dada coming home from work.  You also ask for Dada when you get up in the morning or from your nap, or if you happen to find Momma’s phone.  Dad is your favorite person in the whole world, although Momma and ‘Ki’ (the cat) are close seconds.  

We actually got a new kitty after our two other kitties died.  Her name is Winky and you two are best of friends.  You love playing games together - the favorite being you run around the house with a piece of ribbon while she chases you.  Sometimes you try to get ‘Ki’ to play cars with you, and get upset when she isn’t interested!  You also like to try to make her cat food soup by dumping her food into her water.  I’m afraid that neither Winky nor Momma appreciate that very much.

You also like to play what momma calls the ‘out and dump’ game.  This is where you basically pull out or dump out anything you can find.  This includes pulling out all of momma and dada’s shoes from the closet every morning, emptying out all of the dirty clothes hampers onto the floor, and emptying out your basket of toys all over the floor.  You will put things back “in” but that isn’t as much fun, so you usually leave that job to momma.  

You love to mimic whatever momma and daddy do.  In the morning when we brush our teeth you will make a spitting sound (pah, pah) and insist on rinsing your toothbrush, putting it in the cup, closing the cupboard door, and turning off the light.  You help cook breakfast by breaking eggs and using the spatula to stir them.  You want to hold all of daddy’s tools and get very annoyed when we won’t let you have the sharp pointy ones.  

You now not only walk, you run!  You love to push your push-toys around on our back porch and go for walks with momma and dada.  You also like to go on bike rides, although you don’t like your helmet at all!  You are funny about walking on grass, but will do it with a little encouragement.  You are learning how to slide down the slide, and love the swing and climbing on the playground equipment.

 

You also like to play with friends.  If you are upset about having to get into the car, I can often say that we are going to see ________ and you will settle right down and repeat their name while I buckle you in.  The other day you were playing with Ju-Ba (nickname for Vander).  You two had pulled out cars and you started pushing yours and saying beep-beep.  Ju-Ba looked at you informed you that “it isn’t beep-beep, it’s vroom-vroom.”  Momma loves seeing these funny little interactions.  

As you get bigger and more independent, you sometimes struggle with the idea that you can’t do everything.  You are very stubborn and don’t often allow yourself to be distracted away from something once you have set your mind on it.  You understand and use the word “no” for many things.  Sometimes momma has to let you be upset about something for a while before you decide it is okay to be happy again.  Momma and Daddy have to try not to laugh sometimes when you have a tantrum because your frown and crocodile tears are just so expressive and cute.

Our days our full, but our little family is happy and we enjoy our moments together.  At night, we always sing songs together before you lay down for sleep.  We sing Twinkle, Twinkle, The Angel Song, Baby Mine, You are My Sunshine, and others.  I love feeling your head resting on my shoulder as you hold your blankie.  

I love you.

Momma

Letter to My Baby: 12-15 months

December 23, 2011 

Dear Ryder,

You turned 15 months this week and in a few days we will get to celebrate your second Christmas.  As always, these last couple of months have been filled with so much joy as your daddy and I have watched you grow.

You are talking more and more every day.  At first, your babbles just became more detailed and complex.  Now you have several words that you say, and even more words you understand.  Your words include daddy (“dada”), banana (“nana”), beep beep when driving your cars (“bee, bee”), ball (“ba”), swing (“swee”), Sesame Street (“see”), teeth (“tee”), bath (“ba”) and kitty (“kee”).  You also mimic a lot of words that daddy and I say, but don’t yet say them on your own.  You know “hungry” and when you are hungry you go over to your high chair or to the pantry to show us that you want to eat.  You   give us such big smiles and happy giggles when you are able to communicate and we respond to what you say!  You also get really sad (or mad) when we have to tell you “no” to something you want.

Because you don’t have many words, you have become very good at communicating in other ways.  You point to things you want.  You also like to have Momma or Daddy pick you up to take you places.  You throw open your hand in the directions you want to go.  We call it “the royal take me there.”  You love it when Daddy comes home because he holds you all evening and takes you on all kinds of adventures around the house.

You are also starting to master using spoons.  You love it when I hand you a spoon and let you practice feeding yourself.  You also love mixing a spoon around in a bowl, or taking food in and out of the bowl.  You love to pull the mixing bowls out of the cupboard, and experiment with how to put them away again.  You put bowls on your head and get frustrated when it doesn’t stay!  

I mentioned that one of your words was bath.  One day I was in the living room and you crawled up to me and grabbed my hand, obviously asking me to follow you.  You led me down the hall and into the bathroom.  You then toddled over to the bath, pointed and said “ba.”  Of course I had to give you a bath right then!  Now you get really excited whenever you hear us turn on the shower or bath water, and when I tell you it is time to take a bath you head straight towards the bathroom.

You are always exploring the world around you.  You can now stack blocks on top of each other.  You understand that keys open the door, that you talk on the phone, and that toy cars move across the floor (with the appropriate sound effects of course).  You dance to music and recently, with Dad’s help, have started to conduct music when it comes on.  You like to brush your teeth (i.e. chew on your toothbrush) and ‘help’ momma brush hers every morning. 

 

You still are a cuddly little guy who doesn’t like to be away from momma and daddy.  You cry when you think I am leaving you and don’t like being left alone in a room too long.  You love hugs and snuggles with soft comforts, like the cat, a pillow, and your blankie.  

For Halloween you were “Puff the Magic Dragon.”  It was very cute to see you crawling around with your dragon suit and little green tail.

You also finally decided to try standing and walking just shy of your 16 month birthday on November 15.  Like crawling, once you committed to walking, you took off and never looked back.  I am happy to see you walk but will also miss your little scurries around the house.  

At your fifteen month check you were right around 23 lbs (50%) and 32.5 inches (75%).  You are hitting all your milestones.  Right where you should be.

I love you.

Momma