Leap day

I wanted to do something memorable on my leap day...so I did. And it is embarrassing to say, but I don't want to forget, so I'm writing it down!

I went to Cyndi's! No, Cyndi is not the name of a friend of mine, whose house I visited for a nice chat. I went to Cyndi's Lingerie and More. I wanted to get something special for our cruise- something nice, but sexy, to surprise Jesse. I always go to Victoria's Secrets and spend a lot of money on a little outfit I wear maybe twice a year. I wanted to try something different.

So, Ryleigh and I (yes, I had to take her! Don't worry, I shielded her eyes!) went on our adventure. I was blushing from the moment I walked in the door until the moment I walked out. However, I did it! And I bought new things- I wont go into details, because a lady never tells! I will say that I got a totally different kind of "lingerie" and I'm hoping Jesse likes it.

Anyway, I wont go into this anymore. I just wanted to write down that my Leap Day brought with it a sense of bravery, adventure, and lots of embarrassment. The things we do for love... :)

Ryleigh's 9-month checkup

Ryleigh had her 9-month checkup yesterday morning.

Honestly, I had forgotten about it, until I received the automated message on my phone. And I had an HP meeting at the same time!

This is the first time I have really run into a conflict, caring for Ryleigh and maintaining my job. Had the meeting been a normal meeting, or one that I had scheduled, I would have had no problem re-scheduling. But considering it was scheduled due to a problem, and involved a lot of the big-wigs at HP, rescheduling was not an option. So, I thought I would try and reschedule the appointment...her doctor was booked for well-baby exams until the end of March, and all the doctors were booked until at least March 12, which is when I will be gone on our cruise. So rescheduling the doctor's visit was not an option.

So, I called in Daddy duty. :)

Jesse met me up at the doctor's office, just as we had been called back. I was there to help weigh and measure Ryleigh and ask the nurse a few questions, then I had to go. So, Jesse got to meet with the doctor and experience the dreaded immunizations by himself.

When I got home, Ryleigh was asleep in her bed. Jesse said it was not fun having to hold her down for the shots, and she wailed pretty good. But afterwards they gave her a sticker, and she was happy. She held on to that sticker all day long! I think it was good for him to experience it, and know that he can calm her down when she gets worked up like that. Plus it was nice for him to have a chance to ask the doctor his own questions! All in all, it turned into a positive situation.

And by the way, she weighed 18 pounds 4 ounces (40th percentile) and was 28 and 1/2 inches long (70th percentile). So, she is back in the tall, skinny range. Go figure!

Videos!

I finally learned how to upload videos! Hooray! Hope you enjoy!

Yes, we LOVE swinging!

Weekend fun

The past few weekends Jesse and I have made a point to spend time together with Ryleigh, OUTSIDE. I have been so busy with work lately that we have literally been cooped-up in our house, only seeing the sunlight while getting in the car, or going back into the house. Depressing, actually.

So, two weekends ago we went to the park. We played on the swings and Daddy even took Ryleigh down one of the slides. As you can see, she had a BLAST!

You may recall when she was a smaller, we used to put her in her baby swing, and she would stay content for hours. So, it is no wonder she likes swinging so much! My friend Stacey got a swing for her daughter, and we tried Ryleigh in it, sitting in the swing on her own. She did really well, and seemed to have so much fun! This weekend I went and got one for her to have at the house. We put up some clips (no that is not the technical name) on the front porch so we can put the swing out front, if we want to hang out in the front yard, or when we have to mow the grass or whatever. We're going to get a second set of clips for the back patio for the same reasons.
We played outside all day on Sunday, trying to get some sun before our cruise in two weeks. Even Jersey got to come outside and play for a bit!

It is amazing how being out in the sun can make you feel happy and energized- certainly better than staying inside all day, every day. Now that we have a swing at home, I hope to spend my lunch hour outside with Ryleigh, either going on a walk or pushing her in her swing. We both need a little more sunshine in our lives. :)

Country bumpkin

Gotta love OshKosh overalls!

Trapped and tortured

Now that Ryleigh is so mobile, I had to invest in a gate. I put it up at the end of the hallway, so during the day she can still crawl from the office, to her room, and up and down the hallway. At night, she is stuck out in the living area where Jesse and I can keep an eye on her!

Naturally, this new barrier has been quite the annoyance for Ryleigh, as it inhibits her new-found freedom.

I guess to prove how bad she thought it was, she decided to stick her tongue out at me! The torture-part comes when Jersey is on one side of the gate and Ryleigh is on the other. These two love to "play" together-- Ryleigh climbing all over Jersey, and Jersey licking Ryleigh to death. So to have a wall between them is just plain frustrating.
Yet, they still find a way...

Hey, a mom's gotta do what a mom's got to do, right?

Cool dude-ette

Shopping "on the town," Ryleigh decided to model the sunglasses in Gap Kids.
I definitely see a future in this modeling business...

Finger foods

Ryleigh is getting much more coordinated picking up each piece of "food" and bringing it to her mouth. She chomps down using her gums and then swallows...with another bite ready to go!
So far, she really is not a picky eater! I'm watching to see if she has a wheat allergy- her chin breaks out in a rash when she eats Cheerios. I'll be anxious to hear what her pediatrician thinks we should change. Her 9-month appointment is at the end of this month, and I'm sure her doctor will have new rules and suggestions for adding new foods to her diet.

I still cannot believe my baby is almost 9-months-old. It seems like only yesterday I was pregnant, anxiously awaiting her arrival. Time really does go by too quickly.

Brainwashing

We took Ryleigh to an A&M basketball game a few weeks back with Jesse's boss and his wife (both also Aggies). It was colder than we expected, so we went to Academy, and they actually had an aTm sweatshirt for babies!! I couldnt believe it.
Having fun, rocking in her rocking chair! Whoa! (We were having a bad hair day, can you tell??) Haha!
Gig 'em baby girl!

Baby Einstein must have worn her out!

I had Ryleigh playing in her exersaucer watching Baby Einstein while I tried to finish up some work, and all of a sudden I noticed it was very quiet in there! (Normally she is banging on her exersaucer and playing all the songs and noises from the attachments.) I peeked my head in, and saw her sound asleep, standing in her exersaucer, using her teddy bear as a pillow. Oh my goodness. I felt so bad, not realizing she was so tired! At the same time, it was pretty cute, so of course, I had to take a picture of the moment!
What a sweet face; I just love a sleeping baby.
Clutching her teddy bear, dreaming of Baby Einstein...lol. Ahh the life of an 8-month-old is sweet indeed. :)

New round of pics

Not much to say, except my daughter is one cute girl!! :)


I think she is going to be a tech-genius, and will be one of those speed text-ers! She loves to play with phones, remotes, you name it. Funny girl.

Shirt says: "My heart belongs to Mommy" And I must say, it is true! Ryleigh is definitely a Mama's girl right now, and I'm just eating it up while it lasts.

I guess it was inevitable...

WARNING-- Might contain Too Much Information; information you do NOT want to know!

We have started to prepare for our cruise in March, and it seems like all the department stores have also prepared for the approaching Spring Break season. Swimsuits are everywhere!

Those of you who know me know that I am an extremely modest person. I have never liked skimpy clothes, I rarely even wear sleeveless shirts, and I HATE swimming simply because it requires a swimsuit. Most people take trips to the beach on their honeymoon, but not Jesse and I, because I told him straight-up I did NOT want to go anywhere I had to wear a swimsuit. So we went to the mountains instead. :)

Back to preparing for the cruise...so yeah, I knew I was going to need a few swimsuits. The last time I purchased one was when we went to Mexico. Last summer, after having Ryleigh, I did not put on a swimsuit. We even went up to the lakehouse with friends, and I would not do it. I kept shorts and a t-shirt on at all times.

So, we decided we would go to Target and try on a few, to see which style/sizes looked the best. Jesse is always super sweet and sensitive when it comes to evenings like this, cause he knows what a big deal they can turn in to. We picked out a few styles and headed back to the dressing room. Let me say, there were definitely a few that received a full and hearty "no" right away, but fortunately, we did find one we both really liked. So, I quickly took it off, put it in the basket and we were on our way.

Later, back at home, Jesse asked me to try it on again (since he only got a 2-second peak), and so I willingly obliged. And I truly liked it! I was feeling okay about it, so Jesse gently suggested pulling out the old bag of swimsuits I have hiding in the closet...it all went downhill from there. One by one, I put on each and every swimsuit in the bag, and my heart broke a little bit more.

I know that I have had a baby. I know that my body has changed. I have seen changes. I know it will never be what it once was. I know this. And yet, it never really dawned on me how much until this moment.

Throughout the pregnancy, I thought I was doing well. I did not gan much weight, and have managed to lose most of it since then. I also worked very hard to avoid stretch marks (using shea butter several times a day), and for the most part was successful. Looking back, it all could have been much worse. And dressed safetly in my clothes, no one would notice any difference.

But in those swimsuits-- I noticed. And I noticed right away. It was incredibly obvious. My boobs are no more. I'm not exerragerting in the slightest. There is nothing behind my boobs. What was once a solid B/C cup has become a negative A. I used to wear normal, string bikinis. Nothing incredibly revealing, but just a normal bikini. Now, there is nothing there. My chest looks like my back. It made me want to throw up. And what is worse, my stomach looks funny. No, I did not get stretch marks. No, I do not have cellulite on my stomach. But the skin looks different. There is no elasticity. It looks old. And ragged. And gross. I feel like I will be essentially walking around the cruise ship, with husband in hand, and a big sign across my non-existent chest that reads, "yes- I have had a baby." To think I was already self-conscious pre-baby...now I'm going to hide behind t-shirts for the rest of my life.

Please, please do not misunderstand me. I LOVE my daughter with all my heart. I would do it all again in a heartbeat for her. And I'm sure one day, God-willing, I will do it all again to give her a sibling.

It is just strange to me that I have seen my body every day for the past 8 months, and though I knew it was different, I didnt see the difference until I put on those old swimsuits. And it is depressing to think there really is nothing I can do at this point. It doesnt matter how much bench press or push-ups I do- I can tone the muscle underneith, but the tissue on top is damaged and cannot be repaired, without surgery. We laugh and joke about getting them "fixed" one day after babies are done, who knows. And Jesse is such a sweet boy, he just grins and says, "I have always been more of a butt-man, myself." Thanks, honey. I am definitely packing plenty in this trunk. :)

It was inevitable. Ryleigh has changed me in every possible way. She has physically left her mark on my body. Her needs occupy my mind and time. Her sweet giggle wraps me around her finger, and her cuddles melt my heart. I am a different person than I was 8 months ago-- inside and out. It might take some time to adjust to these changes, as it took time to adjust to the others, but at the end of the day, she is 110% worth every change.

Ba-ba babbling!

Ryleigh has started babbling...specifically, repeating "ba-ba-ba-ba" over and over. It is the cutest little sound! And when you watch her say it, she moves her mouth so cute- open mouth, close mouth, pursing her lips together with each sound. It truly sounds like she is saying "bye, bye" in a very thick, Southern accent. I love it!

Now if we could just get her to change the "b" with an "m" we might get closer to "ma-ma!"

Here's to wishfull thinking, anyway. :)

Blogging "friends"

I love the Internet! Seriously, I love it! Up until recently, I have appreciated it, when it worked well for me or helped me research or find something I needed. But I never realized what a cool tool it is in reaching people, "meeting" people, and praying for people all over the country and the world.

There are several people whose blogs I am addicted to.

Some are my friends, in every sense of the word, who hang out, talk on a normal basis, knew each other in school, or have some other physical, easily-traceable connection. I know about you and your family and your life, and you know the same for me. Blogging, for us, is just one other way to keep in touch and share pieces of our life journey.

Some are acquaintances, whose blogs I found through a friend of a friend. People who I know of, and have likely come into contact with in passing, though never exchanging a word. These are the blogs that I read, simply out of curiosity and find enjoyable.

Then there are the blogs that I have no idea how I came to find them. I'm not one who searches on blogger for blogs containing a certain content or anything. Every blog I read, I read because it was mentioned on another blog I read, or the author left a touching comment or something on another blog that caught my attention. I'm truly not a blog stalker, for those who might be concerned. I often feel strange commenting on "stranger's" blogs, and yet sometimes I cannot help myself.

As a writer myself, I get completely wrapped up in the stories of people's lives. I think sometimes you read so much about a person or a family, that you genuinely feel as though you are friends, despite the fact you may never have spoken to them before. You feel genuine joy when life's blessings are poured out on them. You cry real tears as you read of their heartache and pain. You pray for them as though they are your own friends and family. Sometimes, you yearn for distance to no longer be an issue, because you *know* if you lived close to this person, you could truly be good friends! And yet...you never speak to them.

I love the Internet because it allows for people all over the come together, share circumstances, share burdens and prayer requests, and feel a connection with someone whose face you will probably only see in pictures.

I added a link on the side of my blog, labeled "visitors." If you click the link, it shows how many people visit this site a day. (Not many- haha!) But the cool part, is that you can also see where people who do visit are visiting from. There have been a few from different states-- which is so cool! (Again, let me reiterate in case any of the people reading this are concerned...if you opt to also check your blog visits and see several visits a day from me, please do not think I'm a stalker! I have a list of my favorite blogs, probably over 20, that I regularly scroll through daily to see updates. I promise I am not stalking you and your family!) I for one think it is cool that someone I don't even "know" would take the slightest interest in my life.

So, in closing, if anyone out there reads this blog, please always feel free to let me know you are reading. You certainly do not have to, but don't feel afraid to leave a comment, thinking "she doesn't know me." I have finally gotten over that fear myself, and I have left several comments this week on those blogs I read who might not know me. You too, should feel free. Maybe, just maybe, we really could be friends. :)

The month in pictures

For those of you who actually check this blog regularly, you have probably noticed my lack of writing lately. I assure you it has nothing to do with "nothing happening." Quite the opposite, actually! Life has been so incredibly busy, it is all I can do to keep up with everything on my checklist, which unfortunately does not include updating this blog.

There have been plenty of crazy stories, about work, family, and life in general. But let's not get into all that today. The coolest part of this month has been watching Ryleigh grow and learn. I'm not kidding, what started out as "a week of 'firsts'" has turned into an entire month of firsts! And yet, I am realizing that this behavior is not going to change. Ryleigh is only going to continue to grow, learn, and have more "firsts" every single day. It is SO COOL watching her. Really, I love it. So, though I have been late in sharing all her special "firsts" with all of you, let me catch you up now!

First, Ryleigh popped her first tooth on January 1st! How cool is that? (Thank you, Ryleigh for picking an easy date for Mom to remember!) Then, two days later on the 3rd, tooth #2 decided to show itself as well. She has both her middle, bottom teeth, and I'm sure it is only a matter of time before those top two decide to poke through. I have not been able to get a clear, good picture of the little teeth, but I'll keep trying.

Next, we decided that Ryleigh was out-growing her baby bath tub. Sure, we could have gotten away with using it for a few more months, but she was not able to stretch her legs, kept kicking her heels on the side of it, and just seemed to ready to crawl out and explore more every single night. So, we went ahead and graduated her to the bath tub. I found the tub bumper at One Step Ahead and ordered it online. She was apprehensive for about 2 minutes when we initially put her in there, but as soon as I turned the water off, she was happy...and splashing, and reaching for toys...bath time has been super fun ever since!

On the night of January 2nd, I sleepily woke up in the middle of the night to hear Ryleigh crying through the monitor. So, I got up as usual, to go in and check on her, give her a pacifier, and go back to sleep. When I opened the door to her room, she was standing up in her crib!! And we had not lowered the mattress yet, so it was on the highest setting!! Let me just say that I was wide awake at that point!! I laid her back down, thinking maybe it was a fluke thing. Then stood there and watched as she again pulled herself right back up. I knew that sleeping arrangement was not going to work, so I brought her to bed with me. The day, I tried to lower the mattress, but struggled. So, until Jesse could get home and do it, Ryleigh got to sleep on her mattress...on the floor in her room! Haha, good stuff.
Have I mentioned yet that Ryleigh is crawling everywhere? Yes. At the beginning of the month she was pushing up to all fours, but would get frustrated that she could not go anywhere. About two weeks ago she started to slowly pick up an arm and pull the rest of her, or 'scootch' kicking her feet. Jesse commented that she would have crawling down within the week...two days later, she got it. Though it was slow at first, now she has it down, ad boy is she quick! Combine her quickness with her curiosity, and you are starting to understand why I have been so busy...chasing an 8-month old is tough work! But man, is she cute when she is on a mission. :)

After some convincing from some wise relatives, I decided I would let Ryleigh try a few finger foods. I initially tried the Gerber puffs, that are supposed to melt in their mouth, so no choking. I just grabbed the first ones I saw "banana" flavored, and man, was that a mistake. As much as she loves bananas, she did NOT like those puffs! Talk about dramatic...squishing up the face, puckering the lips, and literally spitting them across the room. Then I tried some plain 'ole, Cheerios. Success! She loves those things, and it is awesome watching her carefully finger each piece in between her thumb and forefinger before bringing it decidedly to her mouth. I love it!
Oh yeah, along with crawling came pulling up...on EVERYTHING. She seems to get great joy out of making her dad and I nervous. Pulling up on the fireplace, hanging mirrors, toys that topple over, furniture with hard edges...you name it. Ryleigh has definitely found her independence, and seems happy as a clam.

Here is her signature pose... she can hear when I turn on the camera, and immediately turns around to pose for me. :)


And the last major accomplishment, is that Ryleigh has finally (just this week!) learned how to hold her own bottle. I know it seems so silly, but every bit of independence is fully encouraged by Mom- even if it seems as insignificant as holding her own bottle. Not only is it cute, but she eats better and finishes the whole bottle whereas before she would want to stop and play with Mommy, but also she is learning that holding something a certain way produces results. I'm hoping this will help her learn how to use her sippy cup in the near future.
Okay. I think we pretty much covered all new developmental milestones. Here are just a few of the stinkin' cute pictures from throughout the month.

Ryleigh loves her drum! A musician is in the making.

Waiting patiently for breakfast.
All ready for church! (How cute is she??)
"Mom, how many pictures are you going to take? Go get ready- let's go!"
Nothing like a Sunday afternoon nap with Daddy and your teddy bear.

(On a side note, she loves her teddy bear. She cuddles with it to sleep, drags it with her out of bed, and snuggles with it when she is upset. Like Mother, like daughter!)
Guess that is all for now. Which is probably a good thing, considering how long this post is! Please excuse my tardiness with sharing all her special moments with you, and continue to check-in with us over the next weeks and months to come, as I'm sure the fun is just beginning. :)

Marathon 2008

Yes, folks. My husband is officially C.R.A.Z.Y.!
(And yet, I am so proud of him!)

Jesse ran yet another Houston Marathon last Sunday. I forget how many years he has been running it now, but this year was more impressive than ever. Not necessarily because he ran his absolute best, but simply because he still ran it! With everything that has happened in the past year, there was technically no time for Jesse to train properly. Between having two jobs, a new baby at home, difficult weather conditions, and more, it is a wonder he was able to "train" at all.

Here are some photos from the exciting morning. :)

Chilling out in the car, around 6:30 am. We had already dropped Jesse off to begin the race, and headed to our 1st mileage marker (mile 12). Luckily, there was a Starbucks right there! So I had my morning caffiene rush while Ryleigh enjoyed her bottle.
Watching all the runners go by at mile 12, watching anxiously for Jesse.
Here he comes! (He is on the left, in navy shorts and a white shirt...few people back.) Jesse looked great at mile 12! He was actually ahead of his intended pace, and still looked strong, hydrated, and motivated. Very encouraging!

I did not post a picture from our next meeting, at mile 21. Our friend David joined Jesse at mile 13, and finished the 2nd half of the marathon with him, hoping to keep him on pace. Luckily, David runs with his cell phone, so he called me before they reached me at 21, and told me to make sure and have drinks ready! Jesse looked pretty tired by that point. I had Gatorades, water, and an energy drink ready. It seems funny at mile 21 to say, "you're almost done!" when in reality there are still 5 and 1/2 miles left...which can last another entire hour, depending on your pace! By this point, Jesse had actually dropped below his pace goal, and was frustrated. David and I kept encouraging, and after a few minutes of rest, they were off again.

So, Ryleigh and I headed to the finish line. In the previous locations, it was easy for me to put her in her stroller, and find a spot along the race line. In case you have never seen the finish line at the Houston Marathon (or any marathon for that matter), it is packed! People are everywhere, there are stands with people, and people lining the streets throughout downtown as far as you can see. Needless to say, the stroller was not going to work so well, moving in and out of all the people, so Ryleigh went in the Baby B'Jorn. I dont think she minded being "held" by mommy one bit!

After we had been at the finish line for awhile, watching anxiously for Jesse, I got nervous. Luckily, David's girlfriend Sara had found me, and David called her with an update. Apparently, at mile 23 Jesse pretty much cramped up completely and collapsed. Luckily, David was able to help rub his legs and stretch him out real good right then and there. Unfortunately, Jesse's parents and brother & sis-in-law were right there, and that was the first they saw of him. Talk about scary! Anyway, he got up, walked it off a bit, and proceeded to the finish line...just a little slower than before.

David had to drop off a few blocks before the finish line, as no "non-registered" runners can cross the finish line, so he quickly called to tell us Jesse was closing in on the finish. Here he is! (on the left, in navy shorts and white shirt) Right about this time, I started screaming real loud, jumping up and down (yes, Ryleigh was still in the Baby B'Jorn, jumping along with me), and Jesse looked to his left and saw us in the crowd.

Half smiling as he passed us by, and went on to finish in 4 hours and 20 minutes. Pretty dang good!
Can I just say, as I saw Jesse coming up the road, what an overwhelmingly proud feeling came over me? I'm not joking, and I truly cannot explain it. My heart beats so fast, and I know I'm smiling uncontrollably, so proud of him and his accomplishment, but also so proud that he is mine. What a lucky girl I am. I can only imagine the pride that will come as we watch our kids succeed and excel...it truly is an amazing feeling. Like part of you is with them, and you are just bursting with pride!! I know I'm repeating myself, I just wish I could explain it justly. Let me just say, it is awesome.

Afterwards, we all met up inside the convention center. Jesse was tired, but luckily he was not cramping like before. He was incredibly dehydrated, with salt all over his face and neck, and we think that had something to do with the muscles cramping up. Overall, he actually recovered much quicker this year than he has in the past.

Here is a picture of David & Jesse- crazy running buddies!
Jesse was very excited about his meal after the marathon...lol. He had planned on it for about a month leading up to the day. So, sure enough, after the race Jesse, David, Sara, Ryleigh, and I went to Fuddruckers and totally pigged out. Haha, good stuff. He probably need to replenish the calories lost...me, not so much, but who can refuse a cheeseburger?

Another year, another marathon. And most important, another proud moment of my husband. :) Way to go, babe. You never cease to amaze me.