ASU Football Game
Matt and I went to our first college football game since 2008 (last game was at Stanford). We went to the ASU vs. Utah game with Matt's parents. We had fantastic seats and free babysitting, thanks to Uncle Kevin. It was so fun to go to a game again and brought back such great memories of our days at UF. Its crazy to think that we have been a part of 3 different universities since we've been married. Nothing compares to University of Florida!! Go Gators. We definitely miss our time at the Swamp, but wouldn't trade our life for anything!

This Past Month
The weather has been getting cooler and we've been enjoying morning walks again. I love how both kiddos are barefoot and each have their own toys to bring along for the ride. :) On a side note, I was trying on Derek's pants and sneakers to see if they fit and he couldn't stop giggling. He kept saying "They feel funny Mommy." He hasn't worn a either in a long time.

We visited the Children's Museum a lot this summer. Derek LOVES to ride the tricycles through the car wash. His favorite one has a seat on the back. He always asks to pull Mommy and Rylie. He is really strong and can steer and glide so well because of his Strider bike.

 Love you sweet Rylie

 Rylie, your eyes are gorgeous and we can't get enough of them! (6 month well check)

Derek continues to nap so well. He is in his room either napping or playing from 1 - 4pm. His favorite spot for sleeping is in the corner. He still sleeps with his shirt.

Matt and Uncle Kevin finished the dotted line for Derek's road!

The minute Daddy comes home from work Derek says, "Daddy throw up Derek" and "Airplane Daddy. Airplane!"

 Playing outside!!!! 8 months of amazing weather is almost here!!

The Little Things
Its the little things that matter in life and while I am striving to remember and take note of them I feel like the pace of life is picking up. I want to slow things down...soak it all in. I LOVE my kids right where they are. I LOVE being able to be their mom and I LOVE our family of 4!! I want to take note of the little things where pictures cannot do justice. Thank you God for blessing me with my beautiful family! Here are few of the little things from today...

* Being able to hug, hold and cuddle Derek even though he was not feeling good. To have him fall asleep on my chest for an hour (like he used to do when he was a baby) and stroke his head telling him that everything was going to be ok.

* Hearing Derek tell Rylie (as she is fussing in the stroller) that we are almost home from our walk because he can see the cactus in our front yard.

* Singing at the dinner table as a family (Matt, Derek and I while Rylie watched us). Derek choosing his favorite songs (ABC's, Rainbow Song from Cat in the Hat, Twinkle Twinkle and Take Me Out to the Ball Game) and singing them over and over again.

* Holding Rylie on my hip, as I clean the kitchen after prepping crock pot meals for the month, knowing that she prefers me to hold her over anyone else. The minute I hold her she quiets down and smiles. Mommy has the touch and that makes me feel so loved.

* Watching Matt make Rylie laugh during bath time and seeing her look up at him.

* Time with just Derek, Matt and I cooking in the fort.

* Dancing the "Chicken Dance" and "Hokey Pokey" around the family room with Derek.

* Hearing Derek say, "Thank you Mommy for changing my diaper."

* Hearing Derek ask to read the story of Jesus' birth for his bedtime story.

* Feeding Rylie her bottle for the 10 pm dream feed and have her fall asleep with her head on my shoulder.

* Watching Derek sleep so peacefully and wondering what he is dreaming about.

Bath Time
Rylie LOVES taking a bath. She has always loved it from her very first bath. Now that she is sitting up on her own we put her in this bath ring so she can sit and play in the water. She splashes, laughs, and grabs toys. Rylie thinks its hilarious when we pour water over her head. I am so grateful that both our kids love taking baths. Its so fun to watch them play together in the tub. What great smiles!!

Rylie 6 months old (R has bottom 2 teeth)

 Derek 7 months old (D has top 2 and bottom 2teeth)

 Rylie laughing with Daddy after he poured water over her.

Night out with Derek

Matt and I took Derek out for a special date with just Mommy and Daddy. Derek was so excited to go out with us. He gave us a huge smile as we backed out of the driveway. We went to the park, rode bikes and got an ice cream. As we were eating our ice cream, Derek kept running back and forth between Matt and I giving us hugs. It was adorable. It was such a special night. The last time we took Derek out by himself Rylie was 1 week old and Auntie K was watching her. We could tell that Derek felt so special to be able to go alone with Mommy and Daddy. We are excited to do it again! We love you D-Man!

Things to Remember
Toys and sleeping: It is so funny to see what Derek brings to bed with him! He still sleeps with his shirt (my maternity shirt), but there are so many other things on his bed. Its amazing that there is any room for him. Gordon, Henry, James, Finn, Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, Bob the Builder toolbox, dump truck (filled with blocks) and digger, toy frying pan, and a stuffed turtle. There are many other toys that rotate to his room. Last week the fire truck and fireman slept on his bed instead of the dump truck and digger. It is quite funny to try and figure out where Derek is on his bed when we check him out on the webcam.

Nap time fun: This afternoon during his nap (prior to falling asleep) I was watching him spin around while holding Lightning McQueen and Finn. He would spin so fast and get dizzy and fall down laughing. Oh the joys of being 2! I was cracking up laughing as I watched him.

Hugs: "I want a hug, Mommy." Derek has always been a hugger. Now, he asks me for a hug or tells me he wants a hug. It melts my heart!!! He is such a sweet boy with a BIG heart. Derek wraps his arms around my neck and squeezes. I can't get enough hugs from him. I will have to remind him of this when he is a teenager and doesn't want a hug from Mommy anymore.

Pretty in Pink
Had a great time taking some cute pictures of our pretty girl this afternoon!! Couldn't resist posting a few of them! I just love seeing her personality come out. :)

Solids and Dairy for Rylie
We started Rylie on solids the week before she turned 6 months old. Since she had a dairy intolerance starting at 1 month, the pediatrician wanted to wait until 6 months for solids to make sure that we gave her intestines every chance to mature. I am glad that we waited because I wanted to do everything we could to try to avoid having to continue being dairy free. At the same time as introducing solids to Rylie the pediatrician suggested slowly adding dairy back into my diet. Yippee!! Its been so wonderful to have ice cream again and milk in my cappuccino. Rylie seems to be tolerating dairy just fine. We pray that her intestines are completely healed!
I made all Rylie's baby food, like I did for Derek. It is so easy and fun to make the food and I love knowing what I am feeding Rylie. I LOVE seeing my frozen supply. Rylie is not really intersted in solids just yet. I still feed her at breakfast and dinner time, but she usually pushes the food right back out with her tongue. So far she has tried sweet potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. We will keep trying...

 "What are you feeding me Mommy?"

 

Ok, its not so bad...

 

This spoon is really fun to chew on!

 All smiles!!!

Derek (2 years, 3 months)
Derek continues to amaze us with his obedience, kind heart, confidence, athleticism and vocabulary. Derek is such a sweet boy. He is always concerned when Rylie cries and tells her "Rylie, its ok" over and over again. At church this past week a boy in his class was crying and the Sunday school worker told us that Derek stood next to the boy and told him over and over again "its ok." Derek is always looking out for Mommy. For example when we are playing trains (or shopping at the children's museum) he makes sure I have an engine to play with (or shopping cart to use) and if another child takes the train (or shopping cart) he gets very upset (often resulting in tears) and goes after the toy for me. It makes me feel so loved and also a great sharing opportunity. Derek is very good at verbalizing his feelings and needs. Its amazing to see how much progress he has made. Derek gives amazing hugs (lots of them)!! He is very interested in the big hand on the clock and regularly point it out to us. "Mommy, big hand on -- (a number)!" He has can count to 20 and often does before he jumps into the pool. Derek LOVES Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater and brings his Duplo McQueen and Tow Mater with him everywhere. He enjoys singing. Two new songs he has begun to sing himself this month have been Old MacDonald and Jesus Loves Me. We often make up verses of this song with Old MacDonald having George, the Man with the Yellow Hat, Thomas the Train or Lightning McQueen on the farm. Derek thinks its hilarious! After his bath Derek LOVES for Daddy to wrap him up in his towel and make a "Derek burrito." The minute Daddy sets Derek down he runs naked down the hallway, beginning his sprints. Derek LOVES when Matt and I run with him. "Derek run so fast!" This month Derek began using the word "I" in his sentences. He repeats most everything he hears us say (usually we will hear things come out later on). His favorite TV show is Curious George (specifically Sea Monkey and Rocket Monkey episodes). After Derek goes swimming he goes pee pee on the potty outside all on his own! Derek LOVES to read. He will sit for 15-20 minutes or more listening to books and reading some himself too! He favorite place to listen to stories is right in our laps! We are impressed with his attention span, comprehension and memory. Derek is learning lots at PJ's clubhouse (Bible story time at church). He tells us all the time that "God wants us to make right choices." It is the cutest thing...often he yells it out at the dinner table. Derek thinks its hilarious that when I joke around and call Rylie "Lady Jane" or "Missy."

 

Derek LOVES riding his bike. He is getting better and better every day. He still rides about an hour/day. He LOVES to go down the hills at the park.

playing with Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, and Finn (his FAVORITE cars).

Enjoying a snack with mom (GF and dairy free too) after his nap.

Derek LOVES to go swimming and is getting very confident. He LOVES dunking on our basketball hoop, jumping off the side, touching the bottom of the pool, swimming halfway across the pool, and getting rings.

stretching like Daddy in P90X yoga

Derek thinks its so fun to play with Rylie's toys, especially her car seat and bouncer. He gets himself in all by himself and then needs help getting out. 

Sometimes he asks me to carry him in Rylie's car seat.

finally got a video of him singing the ABC's (He LOVES his Bob the Builder tool box)

 making play dough pancakes

Derek LOVES taking bubble baths.

Watching baseball with Daddy before bedtime has become a regular routine.

"Bye bye Mommy. Derek go to work!" (notice the keys in his hand)
Derek LOVES to pretend to be Daddy and go to work with his lunchbox, work bag, cellphone and keys. He even climbs into the car puts his seat belt on and "drives"

Derek is a tough boy...notice the 3 bruises on his forehead. For the most part he shakes things off really quickly and is back at it again! We are grateful. (He looks like he is in pain, but he just didn't want me to take a picture of him at that moment.)

painting the rocket ship at the Children's Museum with his good friend Bella. He got paint all over himself. I was able to wipe some of it off and then he looked like a character in the movie Braveheart.

Derek still sucks his thumb from time to time and sleeps with his shirt (one of my maternity shirts)

A Fun Morning (9-12-12)
Today was just one of those days where I LOVE being a mom. I am overjoyed and so thankful that I get to stay home with Derek and Rylie. I am thankful that I have a supportive and hard working husband who values my role! I want to remember this day (as they are passing so quickly). We started out the day by going to Tot Town. I got to observe Derek as he played...watched him ride the car down the track over and over again, watched him fly a toy airplane (while making flying noises), watched him play trains and reflected how much he has grown and changed this last year. I LOVE taking a step back to watch Derek. Halfway through Tot Town Rylie woke up from her nap in the Ergo and she played with some toys (for the first time). There she was sitting all by herself playing. Where has the time gone that I have 2 kiddos- 2 years 3 months and 6 months old!! After Tot Time we went to the park with our friends Christina, Bella and Caden. I watched as Derek climbed up the play structure by himself and go down the slid, remembering to last year where I would follow behind him. Then I sat on the grass and watched Derek yell "splish, splash, splosh!" (reenacting a Thomas the Train episode) as he ran back and forth through a giant muddy puddle. When we came home I watched Derek play with Rylie (making a tower with blocks that she knocked over). He got such joy making it and she loved that he was playing with her. A precious glimpse into the future as brother and sister that just melted my heart. We had a quick snack and I put Rylie down for a nap. Once Rylie was down, Derek and I jumped in the pool. As we were swimming I kept thinking is this really my life?! I get to go swimming in the middle of the day with my son? After swimming we dried off and Derek asked to climb in my lap and be warmed up by my towel (yes even in Phoenix in the summer you can get cold). My heart melted as I hugged my sweet boy. Then we made a fort and enjoyed a picnic lunch in the fort. Before eating we prayed together thanking God for our food and for Daddy who has a job that allows Mommy to stay home. My heart is overjoyed!!!! Thank you God for such a fantastic day with intentional one-on-one time with my boy!

Rylie 6 month update

I can't believe our baby girl is already half a year old!! Where has the time gone??
STATS: 14 lbs (9%) and 26" (52%). Rylie is such a happy baby. We love her so much. It is such a joy to watch her smile and play with Derek. She smiles all the time and is so much fun! This month Rylie got her first tooth (a bottom one, with a second bottom one not far behind). Derek had 4 teeth by 6 months. Rylie consistently sleeps from 10 pm - 7 am and naps 3 times a day (usually one long 2-2.5 hour nap and 2 short ones). She grabs everything and is discovering so much. She likes sitting up to play with her toys. I can tell she prefers this view! She rolls both ways and often goes from seated position onto her belly. Rylie holds the bottle all by herself and puts it in her mouth. She loves sitting at the table with us for meals in her own seat. This month we started her on solids. I made a ton of baby food and the freezer is stocked! So far Rylie has tried sweet potatoes and zucchini. She is getting the hang of eating, but only eats about 1 frozen cube per day. Rylie has discovered the bows that I have been putting on her head and pulls them off. She loves blowing raspberries, chewing on her toes and inspecting her hand. Rylie sucks her right thumb and left index finger.  It is the cutest thing to see her suck her thumb. Ironically, Derek sucks his left thumb. Sometimes she sucks her tongue (as in this picture).

Rylie is doing a great job sitting up.

Rylie likes sleeping on her side

Rylie LOVES her jumper!! Derek likes to help her bounce!  

She still has her beautiful big blue eyes! Her eyes are the most common feature that people comment on when they first see her.

 playtime after going in the pool

 pushing up on her arms

 A visit from Grandma and Uncle Kevin

I LOVE her smile.

I LOVE the time with Rylie right before we put her in the tub. She lays on her back and looks up at me laughing and smiling, squealing with joy. Derek likes to get in on the action sometimes and lays next to her too!

Giggling with Daddy

 

Playing with Derek

 We LOVE you sweet baby girl!!

 LOVE those cute feet! (pruney toes after swimming)