Day 242 / 365 - "Choo Choo"

We spent the day at the Children's Museum today and he was in awe of the train section. I kept hearing him say, "wow... this is awesome". So cute. Then as we were leaving he said, "mom take my pic'cha by the choo choos" then he walked over and gave me this pose.... turkey.

Day 241 / 365 - Animal Love

A quick stop at the zoo today lead to some goat loves. I think the two of us would love to have some land with some of these cute little animals on them. In fact this little goat stole Ryder's heart and his goodbye even ended in a kiss. :)) 

Day 240 / 365 - Never Know What's Around the Corner

When walking down the hallway you never quite know what is going to be around each corner. Tonight I found this happening. There were giggles coming out of the room and I found a naked baby jumping all around his room on Rody...

boys.

Day 239 / 365 - Ice Cream

It's official... we have an ice cream fanatic in this house. He seriously can't go 24 hours without having some sort of bowl of ice cream. Tonight he told us he wanted ice cream with toppings. Quite frankly he is so darn skinny I can't even say no to him! With his cotton candy ice cream covered in cherries in his lap, he kept looking through the window flirting at all of the girls working behind the counter.

Day 238 / 365 - Grandpa

Whenever I think of my grandpa I think of him in a fedora type hat. I love that my little man always goes to these hats, such a simple way of helping me remember my grandpa. <3

Day 237 / 365 - Puddle Adventures

Just the usual after the rain puddle search. <3

Day 236 / 365 - Gentle Love

The older Ryder gets the more he seems to understand that Berkley needs a calm and gentle kind of affection. Berkley is growing closer and closer to Ryder. Today Berkley was nervous so we told Ryder he was a bit scared, and Ryder said, "I will go sit with him". Melt my heart.

Day 235 / 365 - Bomb Squad

Well even though he has been sick we decided to run down to the Hands on Trucks festival for a few minutes to let him see everything close up. He wasn't too keen on climbing in the trucks but he enjoyed looking at them and even sat in a helicopter. He did however love driving this robot and picking up the "bomb". He thought it was just about the coolest thing ever. He giggled when he grabbed it. We have Aunt Amy to thank for this love of robots I think. 

Day 234 / 365 - Sick Day

Well we are two weeks in and this little man has a fever. One of the hardest parts of being a teacher to me is the fact that I can't just call in sick. He likes to sit up in "daddy's room" and watch tv. Tonight he had himself a nice little bed going on. :)

Day 233 / 365 - Dirty Fingers

Boys....

It doesn't matter if we just took a bath or if he is doing something that would seem like a fairly clean activity, he will find a way to get dirty. Tonight he was filthy from playing outside at daycare and we walked inside and I mentioned the idea of going to wash his hands. He took off running and yelled "not yet mom... wait". He then decided that playing a game was a bit more important than being clean.

Day 232 / 365 - Big Boy Bike

Here it is in all its glory, the big boy bike. He has come a long way in a few days but I have to be honest... he is not that crazy about it. Those of you that know our son know that this would be classified as pretty dangerous activity, and he is not too sure of it. So the verdict is still out.

Day 231 / 365 - Daddy's Truck

He loves to just hang out in the back of daddy's truck.

Day 230 / 365 - Something I Will Miss

The other night I was walking down the hallway and stopped at a canvas of my tiny newborn baby. I stared at it for a good two minutes and just examined it and thought how in the world did we come this far already? I then walked into his room and just watched him sleep and fill out his bed. I could not believe it. Where has my baby gone. The next morning I woke up to this at the windowsill. I will miss these animal trains randomly put up on a window. I will miss climbing into bed and finding a toy car at my toes. I will miss walking down the hallway and turning the corner to a dinosaur ready to scare me. Cleaning up is a mom's job that feels like it is never going to end, but unfortunately he will move out one day and it will end. So for now I will enjoy these random surprises he leaves for me.

Day 229 / 365 - :))

Ry and I went to the zoo today and this post is simply because it made me smile. :))

Day 228 / 365 - Hopscotch

Tonight I taught him how to play hopscotch. He was horrible. :)) He thought it was more fun to go backwards and run into me as I was doing it. He would giggle then fall down and yell, "mom you ran into me". He is such a turkey.

Day 227 / 365 - Why do I never see it coming?

Today I bought him a brand new bike. It's green and shiny and what I believed was a little boy's dream. We have been talking about it coming and he was super pumped. What I didn't see coming was the excitement over the packaging. I watched as the bike laid in the grass while the cardboard pieces were played with as a rocket, airplane, gun, robot, and a choo choo train. #whenwillilearn

Day 226 / 365 - Slippery

"Mom watch dis, my butt is slippery" as he sits on the sides and slides off and makes a giant splash...

Day 225 / 365 - Crushing Obsession

We have a serious golfing obsession in this house. "Mom I go an crush it?" He looks at me and just smiles. Tonight he lined three golf balls up and crushed them "way high" then he sets them up again and goes for it. Tonight I taught him what a golf tee was and he was pretty amazed.

Day 224 / 365 - It's Rough

Gaming is stressful in a two year old's life I guess. He was just playing a game of moving the different animals up to the screen to make his farm the way he wanted it. Cracks me up. He kept going, "oh no".

Day 223 / 365 - School Days

Today I am so very thankful that this little dude loves going to my school so much. I can work in there for hours and he will just do his own thing. I caught this happening tonight before I left and just sat and watched him.

Day 222 / 365 - Tears

Today we mourned the loss of a nephew who was taken from us way to soon. Today I watched my brother stand up in front of friends and family at the funeral home and pour his heart and soul out in front of us all. I was filled with many different emotions, I am honored to have this man as my brother. He was raw, he laid it all out there and the love he felt for his son was overwhelming. We all felt it in that room, we cried and we had goosebumps. I was heartbroken... to sit there and see someone of my own blood standing up there hurting so badly. That is a horrible feeling knowing that the hurt they are feeling is so strong and you can't do one thing to help them. I was so sad to be mourning Jarred and knowing that he had so much life ahead of him. I was angry... why did this happen this way? Why should this family have to be feeling this pain?

I was proud... this is my family. We may not be perfect and yes we need to do an even better job at staying in touch but I love this group of people and they are wonderful. They make me who I am and make me strive to be a better person. My family is my soul. Prayers for my brother and his family during this impossibly difficult time. I love you guys.

Day 221 / 365 - Home

I think we all wish we were home for another circumstance, but know that tomorrow will be a day filled with lots of tears. So for now we are enjoying a few smiles at the park and remembering not to take for grated the time I am given with him.

Day 221 / 365 - So Much Fun

A weekend of almost all about him. Today we went to Lego Land, Rain Forest Cafe and enjoyed a little more hotel time.  He loved Lego Land and enjoyed riding the rides and building his own fast car to slide down the ramp.

Aunt Amy swears she wanted to go Rainforest Cafe for this little guy, but I am still questioning if it wasnt for her. Either way, he loved it. He was growling at tigers and hugging the frog who walked around. I told him he could pick anything in the gift shop at the Rainforest Cafe, his pick... a giant frog cup.

Enjoying the last few minutes in Aunt Amy's luggage. Not to sure if he thought we were going to leave him or what.

Day 220 / 365 - Hotel Magic

What is more fun than jumping on the bed, eating in bed, playing in windows, running down the hall and sleeping with mom. This little dude was in heaven. He loves hotels and I apologize to the people staying next to us for the random outbursts of excitement.

Day 219 / 365 - Zoo Day

Headed home this weekend for some focus on family time as we mourn the loss of our nephew Jarred. In order to get home a little early while the hubs was on business I met my two gorgeous sisters in Chicago and they are going to take me home. Today we met at the Brookfield Zoo and had a wonderful time. Ryder is in heaven with his two wonderful aunts and even talked them into buying him two stuffed animals and letting him eat all their dip 'n dots. #easytargets There were lots of giggles. It was a perfect day.

Day 218 / 365 - Hiking

Just enjoying an evening in the woods.

Day 217 / 365 - Little Hand Love

These little hands love sidewalk chalk, trucks, playing in sand, throwing rocks, digging in dirt, playing in dog food, splashing in water, throwing balls, trying to crush ants under his fingers, and resting on his hips when he is waiting for something. This mama loves holding these little hands that are growing so quickly.

Day 216 / 365 - Putt Putt

"Hey Ryder, where are we going?" "PUTT PUTT MOM!!" He has always been a golf lover, and grandma introduced him to the world of putt putt while he stayed with her. He loves it, and I have to say I was pretty darn proud of my two year old. He is pretty good! He got a two on a couple holes. He was a little confused as to why we really shouldn't grab our golf ball and throw it into the water, after all then you got to use the giant net.

Day 215 / 365 - Pancakes

Anyone else's house obsessed with pancakes. They are a staple in this house and we do not go a day without eating one pancake. I thought for the sake of this blog, that I am probably going to want to remember this phase. 

Day 214 / 365 - Boys

Lunch and park day with these crazies. Before we left I asked them to make their craziest face............. you been working long on that one Ryder???