Swimming!

Mike and Jalyn let us use their pool yesterday while Mom was off work.  We spent a LONG time there.  Ryker has completely gotten over his fear of the water and is becoming quite the little fish.  He even took his puddle jumper off and swam in the shallow end!  He went under water several times and did such a great job!  I was so proud of him!  I was in a little bit of shock actually!  Aunt Karen and Grandpa Sheepie stopped by to see us and he decided to show off for them.  He said he wanted his floatie off so I obliged and got in the pool with him.  He walked down the steps and just jumped in!  I could hardly believe it!  We had a great time and are still recovering from our day of fun in the sun....this mama is TIRED!

He got right in when we got there and started swimming around.

Ryker really liked wearing Nana's visor.

He figured out he could walk on his tiptoes in the shallow end and thought that was pretty cool.

Pulling himself up on the side and pretty proud of it!

Walking on his tiptoes some more.

Lounging with Mama in the raft...he wanted to pretend to take a nap.

His brother kicked him in the head and he was like, "What was that?!?!"  LOL

Corn Harvest 2011

Wednesday evening we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Kennedy's to put up the corn.  Putting up corn to enjoy all winter long has been a tradition for us for years.  Grandma has probably been doing this for over 40 years.  It's definitely something I've enjoyed every year.  I have so many wonderful memories of times just like this growing up and I love that I get to share the experience with Robert and Ryker now.  The guys always pick and shuck the corn.  The ladies de-silk it, cook it, get it nice and cold, cut the kernels off, and then bag it.  We all enjoy eating some too! 

Ryker was pulling the ice out of the coolers and eating it.  At one point he found a group of 3 ice cubes that looked just like Mickey Mouse he was so proud to show off.  It was pretty funny!

Ryker was using one of the brushes as a sword...imagine that!  Grandma was hard at work cutting off the kernels.

The fruits (or vegetables in this case) of our labor...42 bags of delicious corn to enjoy all winter long!

Zoo Day

We met Aunt Chelle, Robert, and Nathan at the zoo today.  We had a great time!  We saw all the animals and got some fun play time in at the splash park before heading home for nap time.  We arrived just as they were opening and enjoyed some "cooler" weather before it got pretty hot again.  Let's just say, I wish I could have been in that splash park with the kids by the afternoon!

Checking out the penguins

Making Nathan give him high fives

Big boy is 6 months old now!

Robert and Ryker checking out the walrus

I've never seen it do this before, but it just sat there under the water forever!

Checking out a walrus skull and tusk.

The bear was easy to see today.

Michelle, Robert, and Nathan at the dolphin show.

The giraffes were my favorite of the day.  Look at this one resting on the other one.

Then a third one came along and thought it looked fun....so cute!

Aunt Chelle brought a fan that sprays water.  Ryker just liked spraying water in his mouth...goofball!

Swimming!

Ryker has developed a major fear of the water in the past year.  He would not leave the steps of any pool even with his floaties on.  We started swim lessons 4 days a week for the past 2 weeks.  He made an immense improvement!  He will swim completely on his own with no one near if he has his puddle jumper on.  He will go under water now and jump off the sides if someone is there to catch him.  The last day of lessons he even went in without his puddle jumper and was very brave!  I'm so proud of him!  Saturday we headed over to Mike and Jalyn's house to swim with Ashlyn, Carter, Garyn, and Gigi.  Ryker was excited to show off his new skills to Daddy too.  I misplaced my camera in the morning so I don't have any pictures from the fun at the pool, but it was a great time!

Cinderella

Friday was a big day for us.  We headed down to Indian Creek in the morning so I could watch the kids while the moms had bible study.  Afterwards we rushed home to meet Garyn and Gigi.  Their parents were heading out of town for a wedding and needed someone to watch the kids before their Mamaw and Papaw (my aunt and uncle) got off work.  Ryker was so excited to see them and they had such a great time playing.  They played so well together and were so good!  After a couple hours of play time, we laid down for naps.  Uncle Brian picked up G & G and took them home.  After Daddy got home from work we got ready for Ryker's first musical!  The small theater in Greenfield was showing Cinderella.  The tickets were only $6.  We met Aunt Diane, Uncle Brian, Garyn, Gianna, my cousin Mike, his wife Jalyn, their kids, Ashlyn, and Carter, my cousin Mark, and my parents at the show.  I was curious to see how Ryker would do, but he did GREAT!  He sat on Papaw's lap most of the time for a better view and was very still.  All the kids did really well.  Ashlyn and Gianna were predictably fascinated with it and LOVED it!  At one point, they came into the audience and tried the glass slipper on some of the little girls.  They didn't come up our way, but Ashlyn took her shoe off and ran down there anyway!  It was so cute!

Ashlyn and Gigi excited for the play to start

Ryker and Gigi like to make silly faces!

Sitting on Papaw's lap

Gigi and Ashlyn meeting Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother

Garyn with the Fairy Godmother.  Ryker did not want to get near her...he got so shy all of a sudden!

All the kiddos after the show...this was the best one I got...at least they were all looking!

It was a late night for Ryker.  Papaw spoiled him and carried him to the car.

33 Week Appointment

Blood Pressure: 118/64
Fundal Height: 33 cm
Weight Gain So Far: 22.2 lbs
Baby's Heartrate:  142 bpm

Everything looked great once again and little man is still measuring right on target which is great.  I had a jump in weight this time but hadn't gained anything last time so I guess I was making up for lost time!  I go back again in 2 weeks, then it's every week until he arrives!  I can hardly believe we're getting so close!  I'm starting to get a little antsy to hold this precious miracle in my arms.... :-)

Never the Bride

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel loved in a HUGE way!  What a great summer read!  This was one of those books that really surprised me.  It was so funny and yet touching.  When Jessica Stone complains about God never helping her out with her love life that last thing she expected was for him to show up- in the flesh!  When God asks her to let him write her love story, Jessica goes through a hilarious roller coaster ride.  If you finish this book without feeling God's love for you in a whole new way, you need to re-read it!  The twist at the end was unexpected and a fantastic finish to Jessica's story. 

I received this complimentary book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books program.

The Frog Saga Continues

Our friend, the frog (Carbot), LOVES us!  Every night we find him just like this:

That is the ledge of our sliding glass door!

The other night he was in the middle of the ledge when I let Tucker out.  Tucker leaped right over him and returned to the door and was barking for a while before I let him back in.  The frog NEVER moved!  Lately, we haven't seen the frog until Ryker was already in bed, but we saw him tonight early.

He was SO excited!

Of course he wanted to catch him.  Too bad he would touch him and immediately retreat!

I refused to do it for him, but Daddy is a bit of a softie and gave in.  I'm sure we'll release him again in the morning, only to catch him again in a few days!

3 Year Check-Up

Ryker's 3 year check-up was Wednesday.  His stats were:

Weight: 37.4 lbs. 90th percentile
Height: 40 inches. 95th percentile

Dr. Anderson said he is a very tall boy for 3 years old, but is very proportional.  She said he looked very healthy and was impressed with his vocabulary.  (He was yacking her ear off!  Surprise, surprise!)  He didn't have to have any shots and he got a new book for being such a good patient!

Recent Phone Pics

Ryker and his cousin, Nathan.  So sweet!

Crashed out in the car.

Feeding the giraffes on a recent trip to the zoo

"Driving" the car while we waited for the library to open.  He buckled the seat belt and everything.

Checking out his new barn on his birthday!  He was one happy 3 year old!

30 weeks (7/2/11)

Eating peaches and ice cream out of his new bowl that Aunt Kate and Uncle Dave got him for his birthday

Wild Man!

This is what Little Man does for at least an hour every night.  He is just plain WILD!

And, just for fun this a belly pic from 31 wks 2 dys.  I take them at random times.  This one was at a client's house while I was cleaning the mirror!  LOL!

Sheep Day at the Fair

Tuesday we headed out to the Hancock County Fair after swim lessons.  My cousins were showing their sheep and we wanted to watch.  Ryker had a great time!  Collin let him feed some of his lambs and he sat and watched some of the shows with Grant.  He cracked me up explaining the process to Grant.  He said, "Now they going to walk them around and line them up again.  Then he (the judge) picks a winner and they get a ribbon."  Grant's only done this for 8 years now, but Ryker apparently thought he needed to inform him on what was going on.  Pretty funny!  After a while, Jalyn, Ashlyn, and Carter joined us.  We watched the last few shows that Collin and Grant were in.  We saw Collin win twice!  We grabbed a bite to eat and then saw the rest of the animals before having an ice cream snack before heading home.  It was a hot day, but wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined it could have been.

Petting the sheep

Colling showing Ryker how to feed the sheep

Doing it all on his own

Me and my boy taking in the action

Ashlyn and Carter watching the shows

After the boys finished lunch they played under one of the other tables and pretended to be sheep. 

Ashlyn had to get in on the action too.  Then she told us we had to show them.  At first we asked, "Show you what?"  Then we finally understood that she wanted us to lead them around like the 4-Hers do.  LOL!

This goat was sleeping in the funniest position!

This little goat was adorable and Ryker loved him.

So did Carter!

This cow was so sweet and held so still and let the kids pet her.  None of the other ones were interested in being touched!

Ryker and Ashlyn love being together.  They held hands all the time.  Carter just followed right along.  So cute!