Weekend Fun!

Friday morning Ryder had his pre-op physical at the Pediatrician’s office.  Everything looks good for him to get his Botox injections on Tuesday, so far anyway (you all know what happened last time he was supposed to get them).  Maisy got 2 shots while we were there, trying to get caught up on her vaccinations.

 

After getting the serious stuff out of the way, we were ready for lots of outdoor action and fun! 

Friday evening we had a surprise visit from Daniel, Ashley, and Bradley.  Ryder was excited to see his cousin and they wasted no time running around the yard, even getting their Daddy’s to join in on the fun.

Of course Maisy can never be left out of this type of fun, it’s totally her scene!

Ohhhh those booty shorts…can’t get enough of them.

Our best attempt at a group shot! 

Saturday we went to Owen’s Pirate Birthday party!  It was so fun, unfortunately I had not one but TWO children in and out of the bouncy houses, so I didn’t get to snap one single picture.  Ryder seriously amazed me at how well he was getting around and how fearless he was being.  Last year at this very party he took the safe route and stayed at the sand table the whole time.  This year, different story!  He was climbing, sliding, bouncing…and it didn’t take long for his baby sister to realize she was ready to join in on the fun.  Proof they had a blast:

Good thing they got a nice deep sleep on the ride home because we headed from one party to the next!  My friend/co-worker had us over to her house for a cookout and bonfire and to let the kids play.  All these girls:

And Ryder!  The kids had a blast and so did the adults.  Earlier in the day I got a text from a friend I haven’t talked to in way too long asking if me & the kids wanted to hang out, so I invited Madison & Lila to the cookout and I’m so glad they got to come! 

We kept the kids up way past their bedtimes, but they were troopers!  I’m sure the sugar high from the ice cream and s’mores helped with that!

We were all exhausted today from all of the excitement, but after Church the kids took a 3 hour nap, so that was nice.  I guess Maisy must have missed Ryder while she was sleeping, because when they woke up it was like attack of the baby sister!

 

This evening we rode back over to Sharon’s to get Alan’s work truck, so Ryder & Sophia decided to jump on the swings.  This is HUGE for Ryder because swings have always been such a huge fear of his (I hope you’re witnessing this Miss Abby!).

Tucking him in bed tonight and praying with him about the week ahead had me completely choked up.  I’m glad he had such a fun-filled weekend.  I wish all of his days could be this care-free. 

Randomness

I usually like to have some kind of common theme in my posts…but don’t expect that today.  Just a bunch of random pictures to show and things to say.  Thumbs up if you’re ready…

Maisy is so funny…she loves to give thumbs up, she actually points with her thumb.  I love that her little quirks are coming out.

What kid doesn’t like spaghettio’s?!  Had to get a picture of her first experience with them.   Even after she eats, she always sneaks over to see what Daddy has, they love sharing food together.

 

Ryder has been really surprising me lately with his independence and ability to over come some of his long time fears.  He is actually sliding down a slide by himself now!  He used to not have the trunk strength to do this so he stayed away.  But now not only is he sliding alone, he is climbing ladders and stairs to get up to the slide!  As you can see by his facial expressions, this is more like work to him, I don’t think he realizes he’s supposed to be enjoying it.  But he’s SO proud of himself and we are too!

 

Ryder’s botox procedure has been rescheduled for May 8th and his cast is supposed to be put on May 11th.  Praying that God will either allow it to happen this time or not allow it.  We can’t make the decision ourselves. 

Anyone want a cracker?

 

Or a nap??  I love bringing her bottle to her in the morning and looking at her sleepy little eyes.

I have to tell you, I am loving this new haircut!!  I love seeing his sweet face, looking all boyish all the time now, I can’t get enough of him.  And MAN does he look like his Daddy now! 

 

Maisy stayed with Yaya the night we got Ryder’s hair cut so she didn’t see him until the next day.  Her reaction was hilarious, she just stared at him, then she would half smile, then she’d get serious, little smile, serious, big smile, I could just see the wheels turning in her head “There’s my big brother…wait…is that him??  Yeah that’s him!  Isn’t it???”  I’m sure she’s bummed that now her biggest weapon has been destroyed, no more hair to pull!  But strangely enough, he seems to be enjoying her company these days as she takes it upon herself to climb in his chair, while he’s sitting in it.  I caught them watching tv together like this the other day:

 

It’s all fun and games…until someone decides they need attention.

I felt like saying to Maisy “You climbed in the chair HE was sitting in and now you’re mad that He’s touching You?!”  But you can’t exactly reason with a 10 month old. 

Don’t let them fool you, they really do love each other!

Back to the randomness.  There is nothing more random than turning the corner to see this!

  

Want to know what I’ve been enjoying lately?  The new Instagram app on my phone!  It helps that I have 2 cute little subjects who make snapping pictures then editing them so fun.

 

 

These next 2 pictures crack me up, taken only a few weeks apart and it doesn’t even look like the same child!

Daddy bought Ryder his very own fishing pole and tackle box.  We hid it in the front yard and sent him out to go find his surprise.  As soon as he saw it he yelled “A fishing pole??!!  I’ve been wanting one of those for THREE YEARS!!!”

Okay a few more Ryder funnies and I’ll stop rambling.

When he got his hair cut, he looked in the mirror and the first thing he said was “It looks like I have a crown on my head!  I’m the King of the Castle!!!”  sounds about right.

I had the heat on in the car the other day and Ryder says “Momma, turn that heat off, it’s HOTTIN me up in here!”

He wrote a song about me on our walk today.  It went like this “She pushes my stroller, she’s a rockin a roller”.  That’s pretty clever, right??!!  (maybe it’ll be available on iTunes someday!)

So we’ve been having the conversation about being saved, and how when you’re old enough to make that decision and you feel ready you can ask Jesus to come live in your heart.  A few days ago Ryder comes running out of his room as if he had just seen a ghost “YOU GUYSSSS…what was that funny noise in my heart????”  Me & Alan were a little puzzled, we asked him if he had burped or hiccupped or something…but no it was not that.  So we just said we didn’t know but let us know if it happened again.  A few nights later we were in the middle of praying at bedtime and Ryder interrupts with “And Momma can you PLEASE ask Jesus if that was him that made that funny noise in my heart the last other day??”

That’s all I’ve got…for now :)

It’s A Boy!!

Contrary to what the world may believe…I really did give birth to a baby BOY 3 years ago!  Yes I know everyone reading this already knows that. 

But the lady at the gas station who sees Ryder in a shirt that says “Big Brother” and snidely comments to the person she’s with “BROTHER?!?!  Pah!” did not know.

The kids at the playground the other day saying “Let the little girl go down the slide first”, they did not know.

The worker at the Great Wolf Lodge souvenir store who checked us out when we bought Ryder’s dump truck saying “Can she carry it or does she need a bag” as she handed his DUMP TRUCK to him…she did not know.

His Doctor who he sees on a fairly regular basis that walked into the room and said “Hey Ryder, how’s our girl doing??” He SHOULD have known, but nope.

And to every other person we come in contact with every.single.time we go out in public…even though he is dressed in all boy clothes, and talks about all boy things, they just didn’t know…that HE IS A BOY!!!!!

I guess it’s fair to say we’ve heard the “girl” comment one too many times and realized that it’s not fair to him, how confusing must that be for people to be constantly calling him a girl when he knows he’s a boy?!  And how annoying for us to always have to correct people.  His hair has always been his “thing” so this decision did not come easy for us (and all of our attachment issues).  But the time has come…

   

We saved his first pony tail we ever cut…so this time we’re donating to locks of love! 

Yup, he’s definitely all BOY now.  In fact, from this point on, I don’t think he’ll ever be referred to as a girl again!  I thought me & Daddy would both cry seeing it all get cut off…but look at him!  He looks SO handsome, we were both so happy with how it came out.  I can’t stop looking at all his features that were hiding under all that hair.  His ears, his eyes, his eyelashes, the shape of his head…it’s all so new! 

His cousins Angel & Alyssa came into Aunt Dee’s shop while we were there, so he had a blast pretending to be the worker after his haircut was done.  He washed Alyssa’s and Angel’s hair plus swept up for Aunt Dee!

 

Oh he looks so handsome, we’re going to miss his long hair…Now our motto can’t be “Long Hair Don’t Care” anymore, ha. 

If this post is traumatizing and you’re in tears right now because Ryder doesn’t have long hair anymore, you might not want to watch this clip. 

So Maisy was wearing a brown shirt the other day, we were in the grocery store and she was in the cart chewing on my keys.  The checkout lady says “Oh no, he’s driving already?  I better stay off the road if he’s going to be driving”.  REALLY??????  FOR REAL??????