Ryder Videos!

This child has never ceased to amaze me, but since he’s been in school he has been soaking in every bit of information they are willing to teach him.  I love when he brings things home and can’t wait to show them to me, like this book he made for his “One True Valentine” (lucky me!!!):

 

He obviously memorized the whole book but I think it’s so cute how he’s starting to move his finger along like he’s reading!  Reading is definitely something that he’s interested in, so I don’t think it’s too far off for him.  After therapy the other day when I brought him to school his teacher was doing letter, number, and shape testing with each kid, so I got to sit in on Ryder’s.

 

They have been working hard at school on recognizing letters in uppercase & lowercase form, and what sounds they make.  It’s obviously working because he completely surprised me the other day when he could recognize every single letter on his Spider Man couch!  He read them each to me and then said “what did that spell Mommy??”  I had to get the camera and make him do it again!

Love watching this child learn and grow!!

Church Performance

At Church today the Children sang 3 songs they had been practicing.  On the way there Ryder told us he was going to be the loudest singer…well…he was!

Haha – He’s such a little performer! 

Birthday Celebration – Part III

Okay yes I realize this is getting a little excessive!  But today was Ryder’s actual Birthday so we couldn’t just let it go by with no celebrating!  We told Ryder he could have anything he wanted for his Birthday dinner and he picked Hotdogs & Corn…so that’s what we had.  After dinner he got one last Birthday surprise:

It’s an Octonauts Octopod Playset!!  Can you believe it??!!  You really won’t believe it once I tell you the back story.  The Octonauts is a new show that just recently started airing in the United States.  Ryder saw it on TV at Nana’s one day and came home asking over and over to watch it (he thinks I instantly have every show he could ever want to watch recorded).  Luckily I checked YouTube and there were plenty of episodes on there he could watch, only problem is those shows were the ones from the UK, where the show originated, which meant Ryder started seeing commercials for the toys that went along with the show.  When this was his #1 request on his Birthday list, I checked everywhere online only to find that they don’t sell this stuff in the stores in the United States!  Greeeeaaaattt.  So obviously, I made my first ever International purchase.  And paid International shipping.  Needless to say, when they start selling this in the US stores for $29.99…it might burn just a little.  But it was worth the price to make his Birthday wish come true.

Now this officially ends the Birthday posts…until next year! :) 

Birthday Celebrations – Part II

When I asked Ryder what kind of Birthday party he wanted to have this year, he said he wanted a “Blast Off Birthday!”  So blast off it was!  Poppy’s garage was covered in rockets and spaceships and planets…and people who wanted to come celebrate with Ryder! 

  

 

 

  

Ryder singing Happy Birthday to himself, haha.

 

He got a drumset!!!  Thanks Gary & Angel!…(thanks a lot.)

OH Maisy, we are so blessed that she’s so low maintenance!  She stayed content through the whole party, being passed around, letting her Mommy completely ignore her and focus on her older brother.

She hung on as long as she could!

 

Poppy had an extra special present to give Ryder…

His very own “Big Green Tractor!”

 

After all the party fun was over, the big kids got to play with the Birthday toys too!  Here they are blasting off a real rocket that Ryan got for Ryder!

 

 

Ryder was a little overwhelmed at his party so he had moments of not wanting to share and having his little attitude when people would try to talk to him.  As soon as everyone left he said “I love everyone that came to my party!”  Funny how that happens.  He really did have a great time and got a lot of awesome presents!  Thanks to everyone who celebrated with us!!

Birthday Celebrations – Part I

Ryder had quite the Birthday weekend!  It all started on Saturday when Nana hosted his very own Chuck E Cheese Birthday Party.  Ryder has been to several parties there in his short little life and has always wanted to be the Birthday boy, so Nana wanted to make that dream come true for him.  The best part about this party was that there were only 2 kids!  Ryder and his friend Christian had a great time playing and getting to participate in all of the Birthday fun that Chuck E Cheese has to offer!  Get ready for picture overload!

 

Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is more into the games…the adults or the kids!  Haha (hey, someone had to win tickets to get him the biggest Chuck E Cheese doll they sell!)

  

Oh he has wanted to wear this crown for so long!  Finally the Birthday boy, you can tell he felt so special and important!

Thanks to Nana & Christian for tag teaming the ticket booth, you know there was no way Ryder was getting inside that thing.  He loved cheering them on though!

Maisy wasn’t quite sure what to think about this place.  Lucky for her there were plenty of adults around to keep her company, away from the madness!

Oh…and to feed her her very first cupcake!  Celebrating big brother’s birthday the right way!

  

Ryder enjoyed his yummy Mickey Mouse cake, and some special presents he got that he really wanted!  Pop the Pig game and Mickey Mouse Space Adventure Rocket Ship.  Mark those off the birthday wish list (that is a mile long, thank you commercials).  (ha…guess he gets that from his mama).

Thanks so much to Nana for planning this very special Birthday celebration, as you can see Ryder had a blast!

An extra special shout out to the REAL birthday girl on this day who we went to visit after Chuck E Cheese – we love you Sydney!!

A Letter To My Son On His 3rd Birthday!

Ryder ~

Mommy’s not quite sure how another year has flown by so quickly, but I checked the year on the calendar and you really are turning THREE whole years old today!

This year you have really found your independence and will to do things on your own.  This has been a hard transition for Mommy because I’m so used to always being right there to assist you and help you succeed.  To see you doing things all by yourself, even when it’s not the easiest for you, it makes me really proud.  You have learned a very important life lesson this year that you really can do anything you put your mind to if you’re willing to try hard!

You’ve taught Mommy & Daddy a lot this year!  Mainly that we don’t have this parenting thing figured out yet!  You like to throw us for a loop now and then to keep us on our toes.  We have so much fun with you though, you can make us laugh harder than ever.  You have quite the personality.  We love to hear you sing and play your air-guitar, of course we are always amazed at your ability to memorize any and everything you hear!

This year you became a big brother!  I loved seeing you in action when we brought Maisy home from the hospital.  From day one you have always been very concerned with her.  These days your concern is more geared towards whether she’s touching your toys or not…but we know how much you love her and that you’re just taking your big brother role seriously, making her tough and all!

I love you so much Ryder.  I can’t imagine a life that was not consumed with you!  You were my first child, the one who made me a Mommy, you have such a special place in my heart.  I hope this 3rd year of your life brings happiness, love, and lots of FUN!  (and a little less attitude!)

Mommy

A Man & His Motorcycle

There’s something that men around here take very seriously.  That would be their motorcycles.

They’re always wiping them down…

 

Tweaking things…

and adding customizations.

After a few riding lessons…

Ryder was off on his very first REAL motorcycle ride!

Well it’s as real as it gets for a kid!  We’ve gotten some pretty useful hand-me-downs before, but when we got the phone call that Ryder’s cousin Cameron wanted to give Ryder his motorcycle, we couldn’t get there fast enough!  To say he was excited is an understatement!  He really can’t believe that he has his own motorcycle.  This child lives so true to his name, he is a natural on anything he can ride.  He has a hard time getting on and off of things in general because it requires two hands, two legs, and a lot of balancing…but in just 1 day he has learned how to hop on and off of this thing like a PRO! 

We got it lastnight, but he couldn’t ride it since it hadn’t been charged.  He spent the whole night just admiring it.  Today though, when Daddy got home from work it was on!  He was a little hesitant at first, but in no time he was turning the “strottle” to make it go.  We’re going to have to get a new battery for it so he can do some long cross-country riding, hence the blanket and saddle bags (I knew those old black purses would come in handy for something!) and we should probably invest in a real motorcycle helmet, but the construction hat will do for now.