learning something new

"You learn something new everyday". So true. Here's what I learned today

1. Before you buy a counting book read it. Sitting in B+N I was reading a John Deere counting book (yes John Deere). On the page that stated there were 5 horses there were in fact only 4. Seriously?! Does no one bother checking these things?

2. David' Bridal carries flower girl dresses as small as 12 months! Call me crazy but I just don't see why you'd want a 12 month old flower girl. I could picture it now- a little girl, unsteady on her feet, walking down an aisle, and then falling and crying her little eyes out because she fell. Not pretty.

3. No offense Frank, but Walmart employees suck! Today I asked someone to help me locate a veggie/dip tray. She said, "sure, let me just check a couple of aisles". So I stood there and waited.... and waited... and waited... and she never came back! How rude!
Of course, it wasn't nearly as rude as the employee that told me she hates me for being thin!

And there you have it... the things I've learned today. Enjoy.

One big annoyance

Today I was at the post office mailing out a package. I decided to just buy one of their bubble wrap package thingys since I didn't have anything at home to put my package in.

So, with Ryleigh in one arm, and the package in another I get the counter and ask for a sticker to write the address on. All annoyed the postal worker says, "We don't have stickers like that. Here's a marker to just write on the package"

I know they do have the stickers, I've used them before.
Also, she handed me a huge marker, with a huge tip.... my package was not very big, so I very carefully had to write as tiny as possible, with a squirmy baby in my arms.

As I am writing the lady very rudely asked me to give her my money.... as if it couldn't wait for me to finish writing!

So I start digging out my debit card out of the diaper bag... I eventually realized I would just have to put Ry on the floor. So I set her down, meanwhile spilling half the contents of the diaper bag :-(

I finally found my debit card, and paid, and wrote the address, and got the package sent out, while illiciting about 5 more glares from the cashier lady.

Geez... why can't people give moms with babies in tow a break?!

And as a footnote I would like to add that I used to just keep my debit card in my pockets to make life easier.... but then I would forget to take it out, and would have to search through all my jackets and pants till I found it, or it would get washed in the washer..... so Ryan pretty much forbade me from doing that again..... so now I have to get frustrated trying to find the stupid thing in the stores. Ahhh!

Girly girl vs. Tomboy

As Ryleigh's personality is showing more and more I can't help but wonder if she will grow up to be a girly girl like her momma, or a tomboy like her daddy wants her to be.

On one hand she loves being outside, playing soccer, playing with dogs, and getting into all kinds of mischief. She hates having her hair up all nice and pretty, and getting it brushed.

On the other hand, she hates getting her hands dirty, she loves shoes (well, she loves looking at them, but she does not like having them on her feet!), and she absolutely loves wearing tu-tus.

So the jury's still out, but it's fun to see what type of person she is going to become!

Jealous much?

It is clear to anyone who knows Ryleigh that she loves her dad. All day long she asks for him. She gets very excited when he gets home. She is his little princess. And the love is definitely mutual on both parts.

However, there is one time when she is not a daddy fan. When he's kissing me. :-) Ryleigh gets so jealous! She'll try pushing her way in between us. She cuddles up on me, and does everything she can to get all my attention focused on her.

It's adorable. Plus, it gets Ryan to give me more kisses since she reacts in such a funny way.

Some people ask if it hurts my feelings that she's always asking for daddy, and hardly ever says "mom".... but when I see how jealous she gets, I know she loves me just as much :-)

Poor Hera

My poor cat. I kinda feel bad for her. Her whole life was turned upside down when Ryleigh was born. Now she gets chased around all day long. She also has to jump over all the baby gates just to get anywhere. Although, she likes the dining room a lot since it's fenced off and Ryleigh can't get to her.... unless I open the gate, and let Ryleigh in so I can video tape it, kinda like what I did here...

And she's off

I officially declare this day as Ryleigh's first real day of walking! Although she could walk before today she never really walked to anything besides me and Ryan. Today she walked to her toys, the cat, the tv, etc.

It made us so proud to watch her today! She's been working so hard for this day. She's taken many falls, bumps, bruises, but never gave up. It's amazing how brave little babies could be! If only I had half her courage!

Next step: running.... and then of course will come soccer!

If you want to lose weight...

... do not take my husband grocery shopping with you.

I don't know about other husbands but mine loves to go grocery shopping. And I NEED him to go with me since we live on the 2nd floor and I can't carry the groceries and baby all at the same time.
However, he is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle.

I have been trying to work out and eat healthy. I want to model healthy eating for Ryleigh, plus all my hard work at the gym is pretty much pointless if I pig out the rest of the time.

But today Ryan went with me to the store and magically somehow a bag of truffles (my favorite!) just "happened" to jump into our cart. I didn't even notice them until we were unpacking the groceries in the kitchen. Now they're going to be calling to me until I eat them.

Plus, the truffles joined the pre-made cookie dough log that I had already allowed to be in the cart. Not to mention the ice cream that's already in the freezer, and the pound of fudge that I bought at the shore. Ahhh!!

Anyone want to come over and eat junk food so then it will all be out of my house?!

I'm learning fast

One thing I am learning about being a parent is that it gets tougher as time goes on. It's probably quite obvious, but it's a whole new ball game when you're going through it.

Last night was rough. Ryleigh did not want her dinner. So Ryan and I sat there trying to figure out what to do. We thought about offering her other foods besides the ones I cooked for dinner. But, we realized we don't want to start her on the habit. I refuse to cook dinner for me and Ryan, and then cook a separate dinner for Ryleigh. And why start her on a habit we'll just have to break later?

We thought about just waiting until later to feed her. But, it was close to her bedtime. And despite the fact that she is 13 mo. we still give her a night time bottle (I'm scared for what will happen if we don't give it to her. A 3 a.m. wake up comes to mind). So, if she didn't eat her dinner then she would just depend on the bottle, which we're trying to correct.

We sat there debating all the options for about half an hour. And in the end I took her out of her high chair and we played on the floor.... and then I started feeding her while she was playing, and she ate everything without a problem. So apparently she just doesn't like sitting at the table. So I found a solution to the eating problem, but I refuse to let her eat on the living room floor every night. I expect her to sit at the table and eat our dinner with us.

Is that too high of an expectation? I don't want to cave and give her what she wants just so she'll eat. I don't want dinner time to become a fight to get her to eat. I want Ryan and I to agree on a strategy but right now we just don't know what's best.

It wouldn't be so stressful if she didn't have weight problems! Then I wouldn't have to worry about Ryleigh + food 24/7!

I survived

I survived my weekend away from Ryleigh. And so did she, despite being miserable due to teething.

Of course, it wasn't too hard for me to survive as I relaxed in the hot tub, got dinner catered to me, got a hair cut, spent time hanging out with friends, went shopping, and took a walk along the beach and sat and watched the ocean waves. Haha.

The guest speaker for the retreat was great. She spoke about topics that I am currently going through, so I pretty much felt like she was talking directly at me the whole time. We learned to be happy and content with the things God gave us, whether it's a talent, or beauty, or brains. We also learned not to judge others, and to take time getting to really know the people around you, and learning their life stories.

The speaker is also an author, and as I checked out the books she was selling I couldn't help myself, I had to buy 4 of them. All the titles caught my eye, and all the topics were applicable to me. Plus, I love books :-) So I am looking forward to spending the next couple of days reading them.

I did miss my Rys. But, I was thankful for the chance to be my own person for a weekend, and spend time with friends! I can't wait for next year's retreat!

Caution: This blog contains some venting

I honestly try not to be a whiner and complainer (TRY being the important word here). But the one thing I absolutely can't help but complain about is our apartment. It is such a disappointment because we really thought it was going to be an improvement over our last apartment.

It wouldn't be so bad if there were only one or two problems, but seriously, everything is bad.

-The toilet is perpetually clogged, no matter what
-The sink/garbage disposal has broken 3 times
-The heat doesn't actually heat all of the rooms
-The amenities, such as the "playground, which only consists of a jungle gym, suck!
-Our downstairs neighbors are loud, obnoxious people who are extremely inconsiderate, and their dogs never stop barking, and they're always pooping on the sidewalk right where I have to walk (the dogs, not the people)
-The carpet is coming up and we find gross things like cigarette butts and random tiny little balls of metal (huge choking hazard!) underneath it
-The road is one giant pot hole
-There is no insulation in our outer walls, so when we open our living room closet it is just as cold as if we had opened the front door in the middle of a snow storm


Sorry. I just had to vent. I get so mad.

After this, I'm pretty sure anywhere we move to will seem like the Ritz!

This is gonna be tough...

I am getting ready to go on a ladies retreat with a bunch of ladies from my church this weekend. I am really looking forward to getting to spend time with friends, learning how to better my relationship with God, getting away for a couple days, and maybe doing some shopping. The one thing I am not looking forward to? Leaving Ryleigh!!

I will be away from her for Friday night, all day Saturday, and half of Sunday! When I think about it I start panicking!

I had the option of bringing her with me, but really, what fun would a "retreat" be if I had to try to entertain an extremely antsy/squirmy 13 month old? So I have opted to leave her at home.

I'm very scared of her either a) crying for me all weekend and feeling confused about why I'm not there (The very idea of it brings tears to my eyes).... or there's the other extreme b) she won't care that I'm gone and won't miss me at all.

The one thing I am looking forward to is the alone time with Daddy she'll be getting. Aka, an opportunity for daddy to experience everything that I go through every day. Like trying to go to the bathroom with a baby crying at the door b/c she can't be away from you for a second. Or the fun Sunday mornings of trying to get you, and the baby dressed, fed, packed up for the day at Granny's, get the laundry together, and make it on time for Sunday school. :-)

Anyway, for those of you who think about it, pray that I somehow manage to live without my little precious angel this weekend!