I need to get better at this....

I guess it has been a really busy summer or playing with Riana has just been more fun than writing about it! It is hard to believe in just a couple of weeks she will be 18 months old, where has the time gone.  I started back to work a week and a half ago after being home with Riana all summer and it was NO fun.  I have to say it was harder than last year because she is more aware and interactive.  This Wednesday she will start her second year of daycare and staying with Ms. Alisa three days a week.  I will be going in to work late on Wednesday so I can take her and meet her teacher and am REALLY nervous because now she gets upset when I leave her with people she knows so I can only imagine leaving her with a stranger!!!! I may actually cry for the first time...guess we will see!

It is amazing at all of the things Riana can do now and how much she has changed.  She LOVES playing outside, which stinks for me because I kind of feel the opposite :) its a good thing we have Granna for that and Daddy! Riana LOVES music like her daddy and is constantly wanting to play the piano, his drums or his guitar, she sings when she watches tv and we play her music too.  I hope that she contiues to love these things because I really wish I was talented in that area!  It is so cute to see Riana play and interact with kids her age now that she can really play.  Play dates with Macy are actually play dates now instead of mommy dates!

Riana talks a lot now, I know most people probably can not understand as much as we can but she really does say lots of words, the best are Mommy, Dad, Mawmaw, Pawpaw and Daisy! It is really cute how she tells us she wants to go downstairs and well to me everything she says is cute.  I am really enjoying watching her learn and grow every day.  She is the best thing that EVER happened to our family! I can not express how much I miss her when I am away from her but I know its good for both of us to work and be exposed to other people and things.  It sure has been a wonderful year and a half!

Two big accomplishments we have had in the last month or so is some potty time! Riana peepeed in the potty on July 22nd and then poopooed on July 24th, she has not been going regularly but has gone a few times since then.  She actually poopooed on the big potty on August 22nd! I am proud of her!

Wow 4 months have gone by!

Hard to believe it has been over 4 months since Riana turned one! She is just growing and changing everyday and turning from a baby to a sweet little girl! It is amazing all of the things she can do and wants to do on her own! She says lots of words now, I think it is a lot anyway lol! Her favorites are bubbles and uh oh! She loves to run and play outside and she wants to climb on EVERYTHING! Shopping has turned into a little more difficult thing to do although she still enjoys it she just wants to be OUT of the buggy or stroller doing her thing so it is impossible to shop and watch her! Out is another word she uses frequently because she does not like to be confined in any type of seat or chair for any length of  time! I am so excited for summer break so we are able to spend all day together like we did last summer especially now that she is bigger and mobile and outspoken! I just love her little personality!

We have had a few playdates with Macy recently and they really are just too cute.  It is a lot of fun to see how they interact with each other! I will post some pictures when I have more time!

Riana is finally starting to get more hair since she lost it all, she even has a few curls in the back like I did when I was her age, although it is still light like her Uncle Trey's was when he was little! That gives me hope maybe it will be dark like mine one day because his is :) although of course I am fine with however she turns out she is my beautiful, sweet, precious baby girl!

We have a pool on the deck for Riana to play in when it is hot and she loves water!!! When we went to the beach in April the ocean was still cold but that did not matter to her she wanted to run right in and play, the waves did not scare her one bit just like the boat doesnt at the lake! The child needs a little fear in her before she gets hurt!!! Time for work now but I will post some pictures and more when I have time!

Riana is ONE!

Happy First Birthday to the best baby girl in the whole world!  Riana turned one on March 9th.  The week leading up to her birthday was interesting, she ended up having to go to the doctor on Monday because she had an ear infection.  She was put on antibiotics and we kept her home from daycare all week hoping that she would feel better in time for her birthday.  On Friday I had scheduled the day off so that we could spend it together. 

When we woke up Friday morning Riana was in the sweetest best mood! We had a good time hanging out and playing before we had to get ready and start our day.  The first thing we got to do was go to the hospital to visit our new friend Baby Addison who was born the day before!  Riana was really sweet to her at the hospital and we had a good time!

After we left the hospital we went to Sears to have Riana's picture taken for her 1st birthday.  They turned out super cute and it was really really hard not to spend lots of money buying them!!!  When we were finished taking pictures we went and had lunch with Josh at his work.  Poor Riana was walking around talking to everyone and got a little excited and started running down the hall and fell at busted her cheek on the wall, it got really swollen and I really thought she was going to have a bruise the next day but LUCKILY it went away.

After we left Josh's work we had to go to Lowell to get Riana's birthday cake at Splat.  While we waited she got to sit at a tiny table and play with Legos and color.  Then it was time to go home! We went to dinner with Granna, Uncle Trey and Aunt Liz that night and then it was time for bed so we could ger ready for the party!!!!

Saturday we got ready for Riana's party, I was so glad she was feeling better and was in a great mood! We had a lot of fun, so many of our friends and family came over to help us celebrate Riana's first birthday.  I really felt blessed to know so many people love our little girl! She is so special!

We went to the doctor today (Monday March 12th) for her 1 year check up, she had to get her finger pricked and three shots!!! It was sad! I was so proud of her when she got her finger pricked she did not even cry at all even when they squeezed it to get the blood onto the tests.  Of course she did cry when she got her shots but only for a minute or two.  The doctor said she was a very smart one year old and we were doing a good job! She weighs 20 lbs and is in the 45th percentile for weight and is 30 inches long and is the 80th percentile for height. So glad to have a healthy baby girl!

RIANA IS ALMOST 1!!!!

Last Saturday we had Riana's pictures taken for her 1 year birthday! Becky Walters took them for us and she did an AMAZING job!!! Here are a few to share....

11 Months Old!!!

We are getting closer and closer to Riana's first birthday and I CAN NOT believe it!!!! This is the last month she will not be any years old :(

I have been taking monthly pictures of her since she was born and here she is at 11 months!

Riana is always on the move she walks constantly its like she is just so glad she can she doesnt want to stop, it is really cute! She gets in a hurry and goes really fast and its like shes running.  She likes to be chased and when she runs she will fall down on purpose and laugh.  She likes to read books with us and she will read by herself too, I really hope she continues to like books like me!  She still really enjoys playing with her kitchen and dishes and will fix us food and pretend to eat it with us! She is still a very good eater and we really havent found anything that she doesnt like!  I am getting really excited about her birthday, I have the day scheduled off of work so we can spend time together and celebrate her day!!! Then we will be having her party the next day! I think the thing I am looking forward to the most is her being able to conversate and talk more.  Right now she babbles and says somethings that we think we can understand but I am ready for it to be more :)

Planning Riana's Party....

Who would have thought planning Riana's 1st birthday party would have came around so quickly! If I had lots of money it would be a lot easier to plan, even though I do not want to go all out and do anything crazy!

The first thing I had to decide was whether to do a "Minnie Mouse" party or a "Purple" party surprised lol! Since she will only be 1 but LOVES Minnie and Mickey I just couldnt decide because I know as she gets older she will have a lot more of an opinion and I am not really that into characters BUT I decided to combine the two so it would be the best of both just incase she hates Minnie and purple by the time she has a say!

This is the cake I think I am going to go with but instead of pink I am going to go with light purple and we will have a smaller smash cake for Riana of course!

I also want to have 1 year portraits taken, probably at sears because I have some great coupons but have not decided exactly what I want to do yet, I am do two different sessions, this is where the having money part would really be helpful lol!

Now to decide who we need to invite!

Winter

It has really started to feel like winter here lately and we do not like it!!! Riana has her first cold of the year, boo! She is pretty pitiful and HATES having her nose wiped BUT she is still full of smiles and laughs and is playing like normal for the most part.  Her new thing as of lately is clapping for herself when she does things and saying "hot" to everything! I dont know why she wants to say hot all the time other than when shes near the heater or my flat iron we tell her it is hot!  I still can not believe she will be 1 in less than 2 months!!!

10 Months Old WOW!

I can't believe my baby girl is 10 months old already! I am working to plan her birthday party now! Riana is getting so big and so independent.  She still loves to eat but has now started wanting to eat on her own, she wants to feed herself so I try to find things that she cna eat on her own.  Some of her favorites are grilled cheese, waffles, mini vanilla wafers, animal crackers, ham and pretty much anything else she tries.  I am glad she likes to eat, lately she has tried a few new things, spinach, zucchini and broccoli (I probably didnt spell those right). Time is just flying by and Riana is not going to be a baby any more.  She is still walking a few steps at a time on her own, tonight she took 5! I wish she would figure out that she needs to slow down and then I really think she would be walking all over the place! Today when I got home from work she was sticking out her tounge, not really sure where that came from!

Shopping Day!!!

Today we went shopping! Riana was a trooper she stuck it out the whole time and was sooo good! She is so funny because she actually goes through the clothes like she knows what she is doing and how to shop! They were having some pretty good sales so I got to spend some of my Christmas money! I took some pictures of Riana and will post them soon!

I am in the process of planning her birthday party...trying to decide if I want to do a Minnie Mouse theme or just colors. Suggestions?

CHRISTMAS!!!

Lots of catching up to do, it has been a very busy few weeks! Riana had her first Christmas, her top two teeth have come through and she took her first steps on her own the day after Christmas and now of course it is 2012 and she will be one VERY soon I can't believe it!

 Beautiful Christmas Dress from Grannie and Cric

 I was very proud of how Riana handled Christmas, each celebration or gathering with friends and family we had she did such a good job opening presents and really appreciated and enjoyed her toys! She got a car from pawpaw Ray and she LOVES sitting in it and blowing the horn, soon she can reach the peddle! Granna got her a play kitchen and picnic basket and Nana and Teddy got her some ride on and walking toys! Grannie, Cric, Tom and Dennis got her some pretty cool toys (and adorable outfits) too she loved playing with the stacking ring and sorting blocks the best. Mimi got her a rocking horse she will be able to use when she gets bigger too!

Santa came to our house and left her some pretty cool things too, she got a toy box, a bike she can use now and as she grows, a stroller to push her Minnie Mouse from Amanda around in and some other pretty cool things too!

She had a lot of fun spending time with Macy when we went to visit for Christmas, the girls had a picnic and opened presents, no one got into a fight this time!!! Amber and Macy got her some great books and fun toys she has been using in the bathtub, she has had a good time!  Riana got some cute new outfits for Christmas from some of moms friends (Amanda, Laura and Lauren)!

I am sure I missed lots of things but with so much happening and being so busy it is hard to get it all down at once! Last night we celebrated New Years Eve with a fire at our house, Riana joined in but only lasted until 9:30!