Cousins

I sure enjoy these cute little people.

Mariah (9), Richie (7), Ariel (5)

Ryder enjoys them also.

 

Their mom is pretty great, we enjoy her too.

Letter to My Baby: Week 13

Monday, December 20, 2010 11:45pm

Dear Ryder,

Your Momma is beginning to think she was a bit silly for deciding to write a letter to you every week.   Even though it is late, I wanted to spend some time tonight working on this week’s letter.  Today you are 3 months old.  In fact, at this time 3 months ago, you had just been born about 40 minutes ago.  You are so amazing my little boy.  It is like you read a manual, “how to be the perfect baby.”  You are hitting all your milestones right on time, you are pleasant and happy, and you bring more joy to my life than you will ever know.  Everyone says that it keeps getting better, and I’m sure it will, but I can’t imagine it being any more wonderful than it is right at this moment.

This week you learned how to roll from your tummy to your back.  You seemed really surprised at yourself, and even a little scared, but got a big grin on your face when we all started clapping and cheering for you.  I think that tummy time might be a bit more challenging now that you are learning how to get out of it! 

As you begin to interact more with the world, it is funny to see how you surprise and startle yourself.  The other day you were learning cause and effect by hitting your toy with your hand and then giving a slightly scared cry when it came swinging back at you.  You also get frightened by loud, unexpected noises.  It breaks my heart when I hear your scared cry, but you comfort easily and I can see you thinking and figuring stuff out.

Your Momma has hurt her back and it is a little bit hard to lift you, so your grandparents and daddy took extra shifts this week.  I miss being able to move freely with you, but it is fun to see you safely in their arms and be able to look at your little facial expressions when I talk to you. 

Today we went and visited my co-workers.  I can’t believe that I will be starting work in only 3 weeks!  However, I am trying to remember that I should “deal with it when I get there” and enjoy being in the moment with you in the meantime.  I am trying to get lots of baby snuggles and love when I can pause for a few moments to hold you while you sleep and kiss your soft chubby cheeks. 

It’s strange to realize that you aren’t a newborn anymore.  You will be a baby for a long time, but already you are taking steps towards becoming more independent.  These last three months have been difficult and challenging, but I wouldn’t give them up for anything.   It’s remarkable how things happen when they should in life.   You came at just the right time and your daddy and I couldn’t be more happy to have you as part of our family.

I love you with all my heart.

Momma

Letter to My Baby: Week 11 & 12

Monday, December 13, 10:00pm

Dear Ryder,

Today you are twelve weeks old.  I have had so much fun with you the last couple of weeks.  All of a sudden you are doing so many more things and want to play with me so much more.  You smile all the time now, and you have even giggled once or twice.  You follow me with your eyes or turn your head to look at me when you hear my voice, which melts my heart and makes me want to hug you all the time.  You also like to sing with me. When I sing you nursery rhymes you get really excited and start to make lots of little cooing sounds.  Another new thing you are doing is talking lots to your toys.  You have figured out how to make them swing wildly by kicking your legs and swinging your arms back and forth.   You have so much fun smiling and talking to them.

 

This week we flew to UT to visit your Granni and Poppa.  You were so good on your first plan ride, even though our flight was delayed.  Your daddy was a nervous wreck, but you just slept and ate and only got a little fussy.  Your got to meet your Grandpa Thomson.  You also got to meet your Poppa, Aunt Maren, Uncle Corban and Aunt Amanda.  Your cousins, Mariah, Richie, and Ariel, loved meeting you and holding you for the first time!  Mariah is staying with us this week and she is so good at holding you, feeding you and playing with you.

 

I’m looking forward to many more happy days with you!

Love, Momma

Christmas Wreath

 I love pulling out our Christmas wreath.  Each decoration represents something special from each year of our marriage. 

2000. Beauty and the Beast. Tyler had surprised me with tickets to go see the play at the Capitol Theater in Utah for my birthday. He planned a great date with dinner and the performance. Because we were poor college students in our first year of marriage, it was a very big deal to do something this 'expensive.' I love being reminded how far we have come and all the firsts that happened that year.
2001. Moose. He represents our trip to Yellowstone. Neither of us has ever been and it was the first chance we had to go camping together.
2002. Our house.  We were home owners for almost three years before moving to So Cal.  We now rent a two-bedroom house for several hundred more a month.  Not that I'm bitter or anything.
2003. Trolley car. We took a road trip to San Francisco. This may not sound that huge, but it was a very big deal for us because it was the first time we took a "big" vacation by ourselves. We stopped for a few days in Sacramento and saw Les Miserables, and then spent four more days in S.F. wandering around the piers, Alcatraz, and the natural history museum.
2004. The Utah Shakespeare Festival. We spend three days seeing plays and going to lectures. This has become an annual tradition for us.
2005. Spiderman. He is the reason we now call California home.  Spiderman was Tyler's dream job. We spent 8 months living in two different states, waiting to make sure this project would turn into a long-term career, and then working on selling our house and moving.  It was such a big change, but looking back has been such a positive one.
2006. USC. I started my MSW program, working towards a big life goal.
2007.  Nut Cart.  Nothing big happened this year.  We worked hard, played when we could, and survived being busy.  Hence, our "nutty" year.
2008.  AVATAR.  Tyler spent two grueling years on AVATAR.  He has lots of stories to tell.
2009.  Octopus.  We traveled to Hawaii.  Although I would like to say it was a fun trip, we all (us, and our relatives Zach and Alyse) ended up sick, so it was more like making the best of things.  Hopefully we will get a repeat someday sans the poor health.
2010. Baby Shoes.  When we found out we were having a boy we bought the shoes as a way to celebrate.  They sat next to Ryder's ultrasound picture, above his bed, and will now represent our journey from pregnancy to parenthood.

Letter to my Baby: Week 10

Friday, December 03, 2010 12:56pm

Dear Ryder,

You are now 10 weeks old.  I have been getting lots of comments this week about how you are looking bigger and more like a baby (as opposed to a newborn) and it is so true!   You are so alert, you love looking around and taking everything in.  You are also getting much better at holding your head up.  So much better, in fact, that we have been able to sit you up in your little Bumbo chair and let you look at the world.  Your favorite place to be is in the middle of the table where you can see outside, and the kitchen and momma all at the same time.   You are the cutest centerpiece ever!

 We also have started experimenting with you facing outward in your sling.  You love it!  Yesterday at the park you were fussy and crying and nothing I was doing was making it better.  Then I put you in the sling and you were happy and smiley all the way until it was time to go home. 

 Our house is all decorated for Christmas.  You love looking at the twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling and listening to Christmas music with mom during the day.  You seem to really enjoy music and look happy when I or your dad sing songs or nursery rhymes to you. 

 Your cry has changed a little bit from your newborn cry.  It is much louder and you don’t give us a lot of warning before you get really upset.  It is cute, even if it is a bit more demanding.  Momma is also getting to where she can recognize your different cries, the ones that say I’m hungry, or I’m uncomfortable, or I’m mad, or pick me up and give me love.  You are also getting better at taking naps and sleeping longer at night, although I keep reminding myself that it probably won’t last.  We are trying to give you “tummy time” every day, even though you still hate it and scream your angry cry when you realize we have ‘tricked’ you into being on your stomach for a while.

 Your daddy and I joke that we should make the bathroom your permanent bedroom.  All of your favorite sounds are in there.  I’ve told you before how you love the sound of the shower, and you love to take showers too!   You also like the sound of the ceiling fan and if you are having a hard time sleeping I can swaddle you tightly and lay you in your cradle in there and you fall right asleep. 

 

I am so excited to share this Christmas season with you my sweet baby boy.  We are so blessed to have you.

Love, Momma

Thanksgiving Day

We had a loud, but lovely, Thanksgiving.

Much of the "loud" part of the day was due to these little people.

This one rejoiced in unlimited Thanksgiving Day DS time.

And all three of these little people enjoyed having their own table with entertaining crafts along with dinner.

These two little people definitely added to the holiday cheer.

 Of course the "lovely" included good food.  Tyler kindly agreed to be the first to sample the feast.

Lots of visiting.

Yummy leftovers in pretty containers.

 I'm so grateful for good friends to spend holiday time with.

Thanks Harvey's for traveling from Seattle!

Not Pictured:  Van Dyke clan.  Due to a mild injury and loud exclamations of woe at picture time.  Thanks for hosting!

Letter to my Baby: Week 9

Thanksgiving Day:  Thursday, November 25 10:45pm

Dear Ryder,

You are now two months old.  How did that happen so quickly?  I’m sure I will be asking myself that question a lot in the next weeks, months, and years.  Hopefully these letters and pictures will help me remember these precious moments with you. 

You had your two month check this week.  You are growing well and hitting all your milestones.  You now weigh 11 lbs 3 oz, and are also in the 50^th percentile (23 1/4") for height.  You are figuring out how to grab at your toys, and you are discovering how fun it is to chew on things, especially your hands.  You are able to hold your head up much better than a month ago, and are getting better about being okay with some daily tummy time.  You also started giving us smiles this week.  Your smiles start in your eyes and then travels down and lights up your whole face.  It is so cute!   A couple mornings ago you woke up and I walked over to your cradle to pick you up.  As soon as I said good morning you looked up at me and grinned.  It made my day so happy. 

Another special memory from this week happened when I was holding you while you were taking your morning nap.  You were sleeping soundly when all of a sudden you started giggling!  It was so amazing.  I wish I knew what the dream had been about!

 

We went to the park this week and had some family pictures taken.  I know I keep saying it, but you are such a beautiful baby!  You were a little bit tired when we got to the park, but we were able to keep you happy by holding you and talking to you.  You love looking up into the sky, and at the patterns made by the leaves on the trees.

We had more visitors this week.  Your Uncle Rhett and Aunt Jade came to visit.  You had fun playing with them and going places with them.   You are lucky to have so many family members that love you!

I am so grateful for you my little boy.  Thanksgiving this year means that much more because you are now here and a part of our lives.  I am humbled and awed that I get the privilege of being your mother.  Thank you for choosing me.

I love you.

Momma