Sunday, February 28, 2010

Grilled Cheese and Raviolis, Please!

Dear Riley,
You learned how to say please in sign language! (Sort of) You were wildly going after one of your pacifiers the other day, and I said to you "say please" and you responded by patting your leg- the sign for it is actually patting on the chest, but I was so excited that you had actually retained it, and I gave you a huge hug so I'm sure you are now under the impression that you are doing it right. You get so excited when I ask you to do it, and you do, it's hilarious! I was asking you for your Elmo the other day, and you wouldn't give him to me until you I said please. There are a few words I would use to describe you, but I fear that you may learn to read at a freakishly early age like I did so I will refrain.
We have also figured out that you are addicted to grilled cheese, and veggie dip crunchies from gerber. They are like little baby cheetos, and we cannot keep a can in the house for more than two or three days. Raviolis continue to top the list of favorites, but grilled cheese is definitely coming in as a very close second.
We took you swimming again today for the first time since December, and we were sorry we waited so long, as you were completely uncomfortable for most of the time. Eventually, you started splashing, and then you immediately seemed to be more comfortable. You crack me up kid, and you do on a daily basis, typically multiple times throughout the day.
The other thing you have learned how to do lately is "give loves", which includes you throwing your arms around the person holding you or the thing you are holding, and pressing your forehead down into their body. ADORABLE. Cuter than your little self walking all over the house.
You had watched Elmo before, but this week you have renewed your love affair with him, and added another member to the mix- Abby Cadabby. Abby wasn't a character when Daddy and I were little, but she is funny, and her and Elmo together causes you to not be able to turn away from the tv. After you were in bed last night, Daddy and I sat and watched the section of Sesame Street's website with the celebrity appearance videos....umm, I mean, we watched grown up movies and did grown up things. Yeah. That's what we did.

Love you, as much as you love your dirty old frog that Daddy and I are going to replace next time we order anything from amazon.com,

Momma

Sunday, February 21, 2010

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

Dear Riley,
This week you finally figured out that you had the ability to take more than two steps at a time, and you have freaking just taken off places. It's so funny to watch because when you start to take a step, there is a look on your face as if you are making the hardest decision in the world whether to try and take your baby steps over to the thing that you so desire, or to just give into the weight of your gargantuan head and just crawl there. So far, the walking is winning about 60% of the time. Yay! Everyone has commented on how early you are walking. We just smile and nod and say yeah, we know. Crazy freaking kid.
In other world news, you are outgrowing all of your nine month clothes, thanks to what I believe to have been a recent growth spurt. Thus, we had to go shopping and get you some 12 month outfits, etc, and I have to say, Daddy and I were extremely bummed to find out that we now have to pick out your pajamas from the back of the Carters store, instead of in the front where all the cute little pajamas are. It was a significant event to us, because, holy shit, you're not that little anymore. As soon as you start spitting out words, you will be living up to the "little person" name that we called you for eight and a half months. Your tricks seem to mulitply everyday, and you seriously have yet to stop amazing us. Last night, you were fully clothes while you were eating some teddy grahams, and somehow, one managed to wind up in your diaper. In the INSIDE of your diaper. When you talk, I would like an explanation, please.
Love you as big as the screams you had while we were putting you to bed tonight,
Momma

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

"Sensitive Skin"

Dear Riley,
If I had a nickle for everytime I've heard from a doctor since you were born that you "just have sensitive skin", your savings account would have more than sixty two dollars in it. Thanks to your sensitive skin, you have what has come to seem to be a semi permanent diaper rash, that no matter how hard we try and how much different stuff we put on it, doesn't go away. You have GLARED at us and flailed all four limbs in the last few days when we have changed your diaper. OH SO PLEASANT.
It contintues to amaze me how much you are able to learn now. Just today you started raising your hand over your head and I think that is your way of saying hi. It is HYSTERICAL. We are trying like hell to get you to say "mama" or "dada" but to no avail yet. You grin a huge smile at us when we say it to you, but have yet to repeat it.
Our most exciting consistent accomplishment as of late is walking. You took two steps for me a few weeks ago, and Daddy has been jealous ever since. Last night while we were talking to Grandma Sally and Grandpa Doug on Skype, you took two more steps. Tonight, Grandma Sharon stopped by to drop off some clean pajamas for you since our washer is on the fritz and she was cleaning some of our clothes for us. She was playing with you for a bit, and decided to see if you would take a few steps for her. You little twerp took off with three straight steps right to her. I finally got it on video. Everyone keeps saying that we are in real trouble once you start walking, but we agreed this morning that its not like walking will enable to you get anywhere you can't get right now, since you are an expert climber.
Tonight we are spending our first night alone in our condo. Daddy is in Denver taking the CCNA exam, which he last tried to take the morning of April 30th, but someone else has other plans for that day. Daddy is convinced you've had it out for him since before you were born.
Love you as big as the hole in my heart where you're not here,
Momma

Monday, February 8, 2010

Baby's 1st Super Bowl Sunday!

Dear Riley,
Because you are so fortunate as to being growing up as the child of football obsessed parents, your first Super Bowl Sunday is a momentous occasion for you. This one more so because Momma's favorite football player since she was 14 was playing in it, and the level of the excitement I was experiencing was second only to if my beloved Browns were playing in it. So, we trucked down to Denver to hit up a few "city things" as Daddy likes to call them, then headed over to John and Hilary's house to take the game with a bunch of Colts fans. Momma silently cheered for the Saints the ENTIRE game, amidst a room full blue and white jersey-ed Colts fans. You lost interest in hanging out by the game when people wouldn't let you have their beers and spent the rest of the evening tearing around John's hardwood floors and playing with Sam. Daddy, because he is the most selfless person I have ever met and knew how much this game meant to me, just hung out with you while Momma got to watch the game. He is the BEST.
Last week at your nine month well check, Dr. Morano informed us that you were just getting up three and four times in the night out of habit and that it was time to just let you cry it out and you'd learn. So last Monday, we tried it, and you cried for 20 minutes and then stopped and went to sleep. The last few nights have been fantastic- you haven't cried for more than five minutes, and wake up about 11-12 hours later in a great mood and all of a sudden things seem so much better during the day for everyone involved!! It's amazing.
Love you as much as you love cheese ravolis,
Momma

Friday, February 5, 2010

Nine Months

Dear Riley,

The last time I wrote here I had proudly proclaimed to Daddy that my new goal was to write to you twice a week. So far that has been a miserable failure, so here goes a second attempt, with gusto!
Since my absence, you have officially turned nine months old. That means, little girl, that you have been wreaking havoc on our lives for the last year and a half, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Your 9 month check up was on Monday, and Dr. Morano commented on how cute you are and how healthy you are and how strong you are. There was a moment right after we got there that I sat in the waiting room reflecting on the reasons we'd been there in the last 9 months- your 48 hour check up, 2 week check up, 2 month, 6 month check up, ear infection, thrush, and then your 9 month check up. You don't seem to mind going there, this time, you only got one shot and didn't actually cry much at all. Your weight and height are right in the 50th percentile and your head has made a fantastic jump from the 50th percentile to the 95th! Yes! I was so proud- they were a little alarmed but I assured them that large heads run in our family.
You are full of adventure these days- climbing onto the couch from the floor- which you have mastered, escaping from the barricade we set for you to keep you in the living room and racing into the kitchen to open the cupboard doors, not to get anything out of them, but just to open and close them repeatedly. Daddy threw you for a loop when last weekend he started baby proofing them- however, he got the one that you ALWAYS go to, but not the one next to it, and as soon as you realized that, you didn't skip a beat and just went to the one next to it and proceeded to open and close that door. There's something to be said for your uncanny stubbornness and resilience- you get that from me. You're welcome.
Perfect example of your stubbornness- I got a "snack catcher" at Target the other day designed to prevent you from spilling cheerios all over the floor. The package it came in said that it was meant for 12 months and up. I put some cheerios in it and put it on the floor with you- about 3 minutes later you had it figured out. So much for the manufacturer's recommendation of 12 months and up.
One of my friends was commenting to me this week about how it just pours out of you how much you are loved. It touched me more than she will ever realize, because I don't know that I even comprehend how much you are loved. There are more days than not that Daddy and I will look at you and say to each other "we made her....how did we do that....she's the most amazing little thing." And you respond to by looking at him and then looking at me and then beaming at us with the most beautiful smile I've ever seen and your eyes seem to say that you have won the mom and dad lottery, no matter what anybody else thinks, you in fact have the best parents in the world. The adventures you have taken us on in the last year and a half are amazing, so amazing, in fact that I cannot imagine what the next years will hold.
Love you as big as the mess you made with markers all over yourself tonight,
Momma