Garyn's Favorites

Had a little chat with Garyn asking him what his favorites are.....

me: "Garyn, what is your favorite thing to eat?"
Garyn: "Watermelon"

me: "Favorite toy to play with?"
 G: "monster truck and Cars 2 cars"

me: "What is your favorite color?"
G: "blue"

me: "What is your favorite thing to do?"
G: "Play wii games"

me: "What is your favorite thing to wear?"
G: "A cool Mario shirt"

me: "Where is your favorite place to go?"
G: "Game shop" (a.k.a. GameStop)

me: "What is your favorite book to read?"
G: "That cool Mario racing book"

me: "Garyn we have no Mario book..."
G: "But, but I want one"

me: "What is your favorite movie?"
G: "Cars2"

Garyn interjects and says "tell me my favorite character" (a.k.a. "ask me")

me: "Garyn, who is your favorite character?"
G: "Mario!"

You can probably tell what his Christmas list consists of.....
Love my little guy!

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving was pretty great this year if I say so myself! I love hanging out with everyone eating good food without it being quite as hectic as Christmas day. (Don't get me wrong, though, I love Christmas, too!)

Plus, I didn't have to work Thanksgiving this year which makes it more relaxing.

We started the festivities, actually, on Tuesday when my cousins and two aunts came to our house. As I said in my goals, I have been trying to have them up for a sleep over. Last year, at Thanksgiving we went out to eat and to a movie. So now it looks like we have a tradition to get together at Thanksgiving! Eight of us ate at Red Lobster then came to my house and watched Crazy, Stupid, Love down in our den on the big screen. Everybody stayed the night (minus one) talking about girly stuff into the wee hours! (well, wee hours by my standards) Tyler made us a big breakfast and some of us went shopping on Wednesday.

Then we had more family time by staying at my brothers Wednesday night. Garyn and Ansley love spending the nights with their cousins!

Thursday, we had Thanksgiving with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

My sweetie and I...

More playing with cousins...

.

And there's always some singing going on in my family, Ansley was learning all about that....

Then after all the food and playing, daddy and Ansley needed a nap....

One part I love about holidays is that it brings us all together. Even when it isn't your blood family, friends and family are always spending time together that time normally doesn't allow. I have a lot of family that aren't my blood relatives in my life that have always treated me as such. My sister n' laws family has always done just that. My brother and sister n' law have been together since I was 6 or 7 so her family have watched me grow up. Whenever I was younger, I went to their holiday gatherings. Now, when I can, I still try to go stop by. Tyler has always felt welcomed, as well , in fact he looks forward to going because of all the yummy food! We went there Thursday evening for a bit. Most of them hadn't met Ansley yet so that was fun to show her off. I will have to get some pictures, though, next time!

I was also bad and didn't get pictures at Tyler's family Thanksgiving dinner. I attempted to get pictures from my mother n' law and actually had this post ready before Christmas. However, I was unable and will need to add them later! We celebrated on Saturday after Thanksgiving. I enjoy doing that, too,  so we can spend a lot of time with both of our families. One of my favorite parts was Garyn sitting in his grand grandmothers lap playing Rummy.

We enjoy our family time in the Rich household!

7 months and mobile

Well, here we are at 7 months already! She has been moving since about 5 months but is now crawling on all fours and pulling up on things. Phase One of destruction has begun! By that I mean, she is into any basket/ tub/ cabinet that catches her eye. I have walked away a few times to come back to her eating paper, spilling Garyn's drink or even pulling at electrical cords!

She will hardly be still, too. These pictures were hard to get this time. Back to being destructive, she hasn't left the room I put her down in yet. She will be in a totally different spot when I return but she isn't booking it down the hall into the bathroom or anything when I am not looking. 

She has found Garyn's toys to be more intriguing than her own. In fact, she hardly plays with her baby safe toys! Cars, trains, books, blocks, Wii remotes and/or dvds are her normal chew toys.

And, like I said, she is pulling up. Started the same day she turned 7 months. She quickly became vertical and now doesn't like to be sitting much and especially not laying! I have got to get some corner guards for the coffee table. She is still a little wobbly especially when she lets go while holding a toy or something! Daddy has been calling her prairie dog because she pops up on the other side of the table, down and then back up smiling all the while! When she wakes up at night (still getting up 1-2 times), she quickly comes to the stand at the end of the bed closest to the door.

Reminds me......sleeping wise, she is about the same as she has been the last few months. Still waking around 4 to eat and sometimes before that just long enough to get her pacifier. Although, she is now just taking 2 naps. If we are out late, she might cat nap after dinner but tends to want to stay up longer so I try to not let her go to sleep in the early evening for a nap. And another change is that she will let you rock her! This was not something we were striving for either. When she was sick with an ear infection, (Yep, had first one about a month ago)  we slept in her rocking chair a lot together and it started a habit. She was just so miserable and wouldn't let me lay her down. I have slowly gotten her back into the habit of not being held or rocked to sleep but it took some time.

Other than being more mobile, she has been saying "da da" and has said "ma ma" a hand full of times. She still doesn't use them to ask for us. However, she is reaching for us and has that object permanence memory going on. When she is tired or hungry, she fusses as soon as we are out of sight but then gets excited when we come back.

Speaking of hungry.....she still isn't chowing down on baby food like Garyn did, but does get excited about eating when she sees the spoon coming. She has just started the meats and seems to like them ok. I have been making several different types of baby food and freezing them. Honestly, she eats it better! I hadn't really noticed but Tyler mentioned it one day. I don't have time to make it all, though. And she still eats the jar food just fine. I am trying to push her to eat three times a day now. She will, but two of the meals she eats more. Of course, she is still nursing, too. She is growing steadily just not as fast as Garyn.

 Size at 7 months: 16 lbs 3 oz at her Dr visit for her ear infection.  And not sure on length. She is wearing 6-9 months but some 3-6 months still fit. Her waist and chest are small but the length is long enough for the 9 months.

She still loves her big brother! It is amazing really how the two them already play together. He has started picking her up under the arms and carrying her to another spot. I have cautiously been monitoring this and trying to instruct him because I realized he was going to do it anyway. He also gave her some cookie the other day! I came in and saw her moving something around in her mouth then gagging. I peeled it out him eventually. She survived so I wasn't harsh on him!

Again, couldn't get her to be still in this chair and gave her this bird thing trying to bribe her. I have to do this a lot especially when changing her diaper. It doesn't always work though.

Here is her "boo" face as daddy says. When something doesn't go her way, she pulls this out and quickly turns it off when she gets what she wants! Once, Tyler pretended to spank her and she started sobbing as if he beat her. Oh...... it was funny! I thought she fell or something and came running. He is swiftly becoming wrapped around her finger!

Garyn was happy to smile for the camera!

We recently went to Nashville (another post) and she loved looking at the cute baby in the closet mirrors! I love watching the discoveries through their eyes. You can see her hair has gotten thicker and some longer. I can put bows in it more now. She is pulling them out some and I have already been losing them. Ugh! I foresee us going through many of those bows!

She still loves her bath time. I have got to get a bath sit for her since she doesn't want to stay still. I took these pics of her in this towel because I have one of Garyn in the same towel.

She is always so happy!

'

Here is Garyn. He was almost 6 months old. You can tell they are siblings! Their nose, mouth and cheeks/chin are the same. The eyes even are except for the color. But she looks a little different somehow in the eyes to me.

Well Christmas day is almost here and she will be 8 months. It is flying by too fast! :(

'

Football Season 2011

I have been wanting to post on the event that takes up most of our time during the late summer/ early fall......which you can guess from the title is highschool football!

Tyler became the defensive coordinator for this year and was therefore busier than he normally is already with football. He loves it, though, even as time consuming as it can be for him. Garyn and I love going to the games on Fridays, but wish we could see him more during the week. But its just part of our life! Ansley seemed to enjoy it, too!

loved this outfit K.mac made!

she made the cute bow too

We didn't miss a game! The one cold rainy night of the season, I was planning to skip, but then Garyn insisted we go! So we went but didn't stay that whole game.

Garyn's favorite part is still getting to play on the field afterwards, here he is dancing

Don't remember what he was doing but he is wearing his RB jacket monogrammed by K.mac

The team finished 7-4 going into the first round of playoffs. Tyler survived his first year as a coordinator. I was stressed much more than he every thought about being most of the time! However, I was also proud and thought he handled it all well.

another outfit by K.mac

Daddy and his baby girl

I have always loved going to the games. However, I don't see as much now that I have Garyn to keep up with. Next year, I imagine I'll be chasing down Ansley, too. I actually had to this year really. She was passed around a lot between player's moms and teachers. Since Tyler and I went to Red Bank, we see a lot of people we know.

Speaking of Red Bank being our Alma mater, Tyler was crowned the Homecoming Queen from the male teacher homecoming court. Yes, that is him there in a lovely pink dress and red wig.....

It was truly hilarious, the whole gym was laughing except for Garyn who was terrified of his daddy and the others dressed up. We made the mistake of walking into the room they were waiting in before it started and he was not prepared to see all of them dressed in drag behind the door. So he stood in a corner crying and shaking. Poor thing! Any who...I couldn't stop laughing and frequently left his side to see and take pics. (There was a football parent with him) The pic below was a "cat fight" with another candidate.

I wish I had gotten a photo of the back...the dress wouldn't zip all the way but did clasp at the top so it looked like an oval shaped view of his beautiful and hairy back!

\

Good times, I tell ya! The season always keeps us busy but doing fun things. After a short break, work outs have already begun for next year! It will be here before we know it.

November Ends; December Begins

Its that time again. Goal time that is!

November went well, I feel.............

Fun:
We had a good birthday dinner at Provino's for the first time. It will definitely be a new birthday meal for us.
I also went to the pottery day on my birthday.....fun thing to do!
Then Thanksgiving was great and started off with a family girl's night here at my house.

DIY/Craft:
not much got done....
We did paint the hallway and Tyler was able to put crown molding in Ansley's room
And he also got to work in the back yard....I on the other hand did no crafty things

Cleaning:
All of this got done except for the laundry room

Cooking:
About the same on eating out...maybe a little better since football is over

Teaching:
Garyn is counting well, he counted to 50 for a prize at school. He can do some addition, need to work on it more though...
Bible time is sweet, I love hearing what he remembers or feels is important with each story

Other:
Coupons are mostly cut for the month of November
I have done ok with my own devotional time, just finished Revelation study by Beth Moore which was wonderful. Need to always improve though.

December is a busy crazy month so my only goals are basic......

Fun:
-SS Christmas Party
-Red Bank Parade
-Nashville trip

DIY/Craft:
-Decorating for Christmas
-Tyler to work on house projects

Cleaning:
-Keeping floor clean since Ansley is everywhere!
-Clean up laundry room more
-keep car clean

Cooking:
-you know the goal!

Teaching:
-Bible time daily amongst craziness still
-Keep Christmas focus on birth of Christ!

Other:
-bathe dogs

Halloween 2011

Halloween was so much fun this year! Garyn was a lot more excited about trunk or treat and getting candy. That excitement over shadowed his fears. We had very few "scared" moments actually. I was so proud and glad he could enjoy the fun!

It was fun, as well, that he chose his and Ansley's costume. We went back and forth a little between Yoshi and Mario but he was set on Ansley being Baby Peach from the start. I had to look hard for something she could wear that resembled Baby Peach's basic pink dress. Her costume was a fairy or something but Garyn approved.

Happy Baby Peach

Getting into brother's candy

Good choice sister!

As you can see, she was a ham smiling constantly looking at all the other kids costumes. Garyn looked so cute as Mario and was excited to wear his outfit more than once which you know is the first year I haven't had to fight him to wear it. I found the overalls at a thrift store the week of Halloween and quickly made the hat. However, it came together great and he even let me paint the moustache.

Getting into his candy pile after Trunk or Treat

Beginning with his preschool party to Trunk or Treat then the Halloween night on our street, Halloween  seemed to go on forever. He was excited each day to be Mario wearing it for about 4 days in a row! The candy excited him more though. We laughed because he wanted to take his candy bucket full each time not understanding that he needed the room for more candy. Plus, he thought our candy bowl for giving out was for him, too. He caught on and wanted to go all down our street to trick or treat. Our street was crowded since we have the haunted house 2 doors down. We had about 100 kids come to our door! Ansley, Garyn and I walked while Daddy stayed at home to pass out candy.

Garyn and most of his preschool class

Sugar anyone?

Love how Ansley is looking at him like, "What is wrong with you?"

Garyn even thought for a minute that he wanted to go to the haunted house, but when we would stand outside it, he would change his mind! Of course, Tyler wouldn't go with me so I didn't go this year. Oh well, I enjoyed trick or treating though!

Can't wait til next year! Well, I can actually because that means they will both be one year older, but you know what I mean!

Raise the Roof

The title was the first thought I had when thinking about writing this post. I remember raisin' the roof in high school at dances when the rap song was popular.

During fall break, we literally raised a roof or more like laid a roof. If you remember back in April during the storm we only had roof damage from the tornado. It was really small damage, too, just some missing shingles and hail damage. There were no leaks. After getting multiple estimates, Tyler couldn't stomach the thought of paying the outrageous prices when he is so handy.

Tyler, Garrett and Philip tearing the old roof off

I was having a hard time stomaching the monstrosity of a job it would entail! But it was an amazing week, God was definitely in the works bringing together all the details. From the weather to the extra help to the safety......He had it all in his hands and it worked out beautifully.

Carter and Jack repairing a weak spot Jack's foot found :)

We had a couple experienced helpers that we had not originally planned on helping. Their help, though, made us both feel that the work was just as good as a professional. Tyler also got several football players, a lot of family and friends from church to help. We were blessed at how many showed up working for food only! It was also a great fellowship time for everyone.

Tyler, Jack and Myles laying shingles

More help laying shingles

I spent a lot of time running and getting water, powerades and food! Tyler had to worry about all the supplies, a dumpster and keeping everyone safe. It was a busy few days for sure juggling all the details.

Dinner at Tyler's parents one of the nights

Dinner with most of the help the night after they finished

It was worth it all though! They finished after 3 days of work and just hours before a rain storm hit!
Like I said, God was truly involved in the details! Now, we have a beautiful new roof!

Ansley at 6 mos.

That little cutie above is 6 months old......
Geez......it flies by!

I am behind 12 days on getting this posted, so she is already almost 7 months...which just makes me cringe! I love to watch her evolve into her own self but hate to know she won't be a baby for long!

Speaking of evolving:

-Ansley was 15 lbs and 13 oz at her appt.. She was 27 in long. That puts her in the 50th % for weight and the 90th % for length. ( Must mention that Garyn was 21 lbs & 27 in at 6 months!) She is thin but long basically.

-She still is toothless (automatically think of How to Train a Dragon when saying that) although she is constantly drooling and gnawing on things.

-Eating wise- she is taking baby food better, about twice a day but sometimes eats only a few bites then starts spitting it out. I have a feeling she may be a picky eater. She just isn't all that interested most of the time in eating but she loves to nurse about every 4 hours. Annndd she is still waking up at night to eat. I am trying to resist and let her fuss/cry back to sleep, but sometimes it's just easier honestly.

-Speaking of sleeping: She sleeps from 9ish to anywhere from 1 to 4 am sometimes if she wakes up early in the night she is up again around 5 or 6am. It is really just random. Naps are still pretty much in the morning around 10:30 and afternoon around 2 then a little cat nap sometimes around 6 or 7. (cat nap meaning 20 minutes or so)

-She is still resists being rocked. She literally pushes away when you try to snuggle her while cradle holding her unless you are tickling and kissing her :) At church she sleeps best in the swing and at home, she lays down and fusses for a bit. Most of the time it takes me going in & giving her the paci a couple times. She sleeps on her side mostly and loves to hold a blanket near her face.

-Her new tricks are sitting up and army crawling! She sits well and plays with her toys. Then she will pull herself over on her belly to get to a toy she wants. She looks like a inch worm doing a wave like motion crawling to something she wants. I have a video I'll have to post. She doesn't do it constantly, only when she can see things within her realm that she wants to move to.

-On the subject of moving: She is a wiggle worm! Holding her is a feat because she constantly reaches for anything around you: drinks, paper, phones, sunglasses, etc. She wants to put it all in her mouth of course. She still likes to stand and bounce on your lap, too. And changing her is a job now.

-I love her little laugh! She laughs and smiles a lot......Smiling like a ham for anybody that looks her way. (Can't you tell from these pictures!) She laughs at Garyn most of the time when he is running, dancing, or laughing himself. Really anything Garyn does is entertaining to her.

-As you may have noticed, her hair is getting longer/thicker.....? In the back it's still short from rubbing on the bed and such but on top its longer I think. Bows are staying better in it and she doesn't seem to mind them.

-She is wearing 6-9 months mainly. Her shoulder width and belly could still fit 3-6 month but the length of her legs and arms make them too small.

-She is still a mix of us both in the looks category. Some days I hear and think she looks a lot like Tyler. Then others she favors me more. Garyn's baby pictures still look a lot like her.

Whoever she looks like, I think she is a beautiful gift from God and couldn't love her anymore!