Time to move the mattress down!! (Imagine how surprised we were to walk in and see that this morning!)
And a lock on the cabinet probably wouldn’t hurt either!
I guess this is why he’s considered a “toddler” now! Can’t wait for the adventure’s this toddler has in store for us…I see they have already begun :-)
We have been taking so many videos of Ryder lately because it seems like he’s always doing something new or cute. Here’s a few I thought I’d share:
He’s getting so strong, he can pull up and play at his toybox now!
Here he is having his first bite of deer meat, and doing the sign language for “more” and “eat”!
Rise & Shine Baby it’s Easter morning!
Ryder got his very first Easter basket on Saturday from his Nanny (Aunt Vicky)…and boy does she know him well, his basket was a dump truck filled with balls, yogurt melts, banana cookies, etc…all his favorites!
He got another Easter basket this morning from Mommy & Daddy delivered to his crib! (I can’t take credit for the cute basket, his birthday present from Aunti Ressa came in it, Mommy recycled!)
We got dressed and headed to Church (he had the cutest Easter outfit on, but we had to take the vest off because it was too hot, and Mommy didn’t get a picture of his adorable self before hand!) Then it was off to Me-mew’s where he enjoyed the swing:
Had A very special tea party with Kamrie (might I add that he pulled himself up onto this stool and stood there the whole time, while being manly and drinking tea!)
And, he got two more Easter baskets from Aunt Dana & Uncle Danny!
Next stop was Yaya’s where he went on his very first Easter egg hunt!! She set it up like a scavenger hunt so you had a list to find a certain amount of each colored egg and whoever got done first got an extra prize in their Easter basket! Sydney was the winner, Ryder (with Mommy & Daddy’s help) came in a close second! 
He got his final Easter basket, from Yaya!
And just like last year, we are now exhausted and ready to go to sleep!
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!”
Luke 24: 5-6
Can you imagine what today was like all those years ago? For Jesus to have been crucified on the cross, and then find that three days later he is gone from the tomb! He had told them of His death and resurrection, but then to see it actually happen…I can’t even imagine how that must have felt. What a wonderful story of hope, faith, trust, and mainly LOVE! What love God must have for us if He was willing to sacrifice his only Son to save us. I’ve heard this story year after year, but this year, it sinks a little deeper into my heart. I have now experienced the deep love of a parent to a child, so this ultimate sacrifice that He made for us has suddenly been put into a different perspective.
Having the discussion with Alan about what it must have been like to live in that day to witness the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ, he assured me that I would have been running around, from town to town, spreading the news…cause, ya know, I like having news! Ha! So I’m here to tell you, in case you didn’t know, that He Is Risen!
Happy Easter! I hope everyone has a wonderful day celebrating the fact that we serve a living God! :)
Today, Me & Ryder went on a double date with Nicki & Mikayla! We had lunch at Logan’s (yumm!) and then went to our make-up appointments with a Smashbox Consultant. We took turns pushing Ryder & Mikayla in a double stroller around the store, getting lots of compliments from everyone assuming they were brother and sister. One person even asked if they were twins! They were very well behaved all day and got along great. Each time they are around eachother they get more and more affectionate!
Ryder – pointing and whining because he wants the princess.
Mikayla - "Here you go Ry-rer”
Ryder - “vrrooooom vrroooooom”
It doesn’t matter what it is, he makes it drive! After our double date, we headed home to celebrate Easter at Poppy & Nana’s house with the family. The only pictures I took were of Ryder on the golf cart (I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned his newest obsession on the blog yet!). I wish I had taken a video because he actually was saying GOLF CART! I swear, I have witnesses! It was coming out more like “Gaa Caaa” but it was obvious what he was saying over and over.
One year ago today, the Dr’s told us “This is the day!!” we could finally bring Ryder home from the hospital! First thought: Is this an April Fool’s Day joke?? Second thought: No way, that would be too cruel! Final thought: This is one of the happiest days of my life!!! Finally, I was going to get to hold my baby without wires attached to him and be his caretaker instead of watching the Nurses fulfill his needs…I was ready for it…ALL of it…the diapers, the feedings, staying up all night, holding him, the closeness, the bond. I so desperately wanted to bond with my son!
We got to dress him for the very first time:
And carry him, and cuddle him, and watch him sleep…
It was the best feeling ever to have our baby home, one that we had only daydreamed about as we would watch him over the Webcam above his bed in the NICU.
Now, a year later, things are quite a bit different around here! Today, Daddy informed me that it’s time to get rid of this “baby looking” room and turn it into a “little boy” room. ALREADY?!?!
And instead of cuddling and bonding in this house that we couldn’t wait to get him home to…he was on a mission to escape!
Why?? Because he wanted to go Bird Watching!!
There is never a dull moment with him! He has filled this home with wonderful memories from each day of this year he has been in it. And that is no joke! :-)
Happy April Fool’s Brought Ryder Home Day!
