Standing still a minute

November came and went. How did that happen? One minute we were celebrating Halloween with our little Chick-fil-a cow and then its' December 6th. I want, need, have to stand still for a minute. So here I am, checking in once again to the total of 19 people that follow this tiny little blog, and let you know what the Kingma clan has been up to.

Well, Halloween was a success. Ryleigh learned how to "Moo"  just in time to act the part of our cute little cow, and Jason creatively added the artwork around her neck. I love him, and his sense of humor. She does not yet know what candy is, all she wanted to do was go outside, play with rocks, and wave at the kids. All in all it was a successful night.

Hello November...I welcomed it. I love gearing up for Thanksgiving. It's my most favorite holiday. What could be better than mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, and everything pumpkin?!
While counting down the days until my most beloved holiday there were some fun things that have happened to our little family lately that we had to celebrate. Jason got a new job, and loves having the opportunity to work from home. I love it too because he loves to cook, and I come home to lots of yummy goodies many times a week. Spoiled are Ry and I. Ryleigh turned 14 months and has been cracking us up every step of the way. She has added some new words to her vocab, and I think our favorite was "cookah" for cookie, and without fail she asked for it every morning for a solid 2 weeks. She is her mother's daughter.

Later in the month we got to go to our annual Michigan game! Jason was like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning. Up at 5am making homemade cinnamon rolls, and ready to head to the Big House. We met up with friends, tailgated, and watched one heck of a game. Michigan beat Northwestern in Overtime. GO BLUE!

A week after the game my Dad made a little trip down to the Cleveland Clinic for a surgery to have a pacemaker put in to help with his heart. I am so thankful for the clinic, the doctors, and everyone that took care of him. His recovery has been a smooth one, and he looks and feels great! We all got a nice surprise when Davey came home to surprise Dad when he got a short leave from Fort Hood:) Those are the best surprises. Also, while they were down in Cleveland, Carley turned 19. This is crazy to me and made me feel very old! She now has her license and shiny new SUV to go with it. She started school a couple of weeks ago and is doing well and getting used to being away from home.

Lets see what else....oh I can't forget Carrie Underwood. Jason (the most awesome hubs ever) had purchased these tickets for me for Mother's day and and we had an amazing time! I have a total girl crush on her.

Then it was Thanksgiving. That time of year when you count your blessings, and stuff your belly. We spent the day relaxing, watching Papa and Ryleigh dance to gangam style, watched some football, ate , napped, ate more, and spent time with friends with a glass of wine and a very competitive game of Catch-phrase:) It was the perfect day.

December is already flying by. We've had friends visit from Chicago, watched the Lions lose to the Colts at Ford Field, put the lights on the tree, and had one White Elephant party already. In the upcoming weeks I'm SO excited to spend time with family, and friends, and I hope that we have the chance to stand still at each gathering to appreciate and give thanks to God for every blessing he has given us this year.

Fall is here, and I am happy.

I love fall. I love the crisp air in the morning. I love the color that explodes from the trees all over Grand Rapids. I love taking Ryleigh for rides in her red flyer wagon and listening to her say "bir" and pointing at all the geese flying overhead. I love cider. Chili. Football. Post season baseball (as long as the Tiger's are winning) and I love reflecting on the days that have passed and anticipating all the holiday fun ahead.

Ryleigh's first birthday party was a success. She loved all the boxes that her toys came in. She wasn't so sure about her cake at first, but within minutes dove in and was covered in sugar. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. She was definitely spoiled, and we're so thankful that everyone could help us celebrate our growing girl.

Jason's 31st birthday came and went shortly after. He's very excited for the Lions game in December! I am too! It'll be my very first NFL experience, so I hope they can pull out a W!

October arrived too quickly, but we've been busy having fun. We went to the Rascal Flatts concert, along with Little Big Town, Eden's Edge, and The Eli Young Band. It. Was.Amazing.
We had the best time, and who can complain when you get upgraded to 8th row:)

Next weekend we're heading up north with The Britten's to do some wine tasting, and having a little pre-anniversary celebration. I can't believe it's almost been 2 years since we got hitched. So much has happened. So many things are different, but we're still very happy. Very blessed. Very humbled for the provision that God has shown our family.

Fall is my favorite. Cheer's to enjoying it until the last leaf falls.

Where did the summer go?

It's September. Seriously, where did the summer go? I feel like it was just a week ago that we were watching fireworks in celebration of the 4th of July. I will say that as much as I love fall and welcome it with open arms, this summer was a perfect one. Even with the record breaking temperatures we had in the mitten, we had a wonderful time watching Ryleigh grow and experience everything that summer has to offer...swimming, ice cream, fireworks, lake Michigan, barbeque's, and lots of sunshine. 

As the temp starts to drop, I get giddy just thinking of my favorite season approaching. I'm a sucker for all things fall. Jeans, hoodies, bonfires, chili, the smell of autumn, Michigan football, the leaves changing color, and that cozy feeling of snuggling up on the couch with some hot cider. 

We have a lot on the calendar already and I don't see it slowing down anytime soon. The next big thing is our little bug's first birthday party. Planning is in full swing and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that in just a few short weeks I will be the mother of a 1 year old. That. Is. Crazy. 

Ryleigh is quite the little rockstar if I do say so myself. She's walking everywhere and I think walking will soon be running if she has her way. She's jabbering all the time, and she loves a good dance party. She watched her first Michigan football game, and is sleeping soundly through the night. We're all done with formula, and she's wearing 18 month outfits already. She's a happy, healthy, growing bug and we couldn't not be happier! 

Cheers to fall and everything it will bring...

Steamboat Springs

Oh Colorado, how I love you.

Our family vacation was a success and boy what a whirlwind. 9 days sounds like a long time, but it flew by in a flash. I admit I was very anxious about the flight to CO, but our little bug was a great traveler...thanks to multi grain cheerios, books, mum mums, and her blankey.

In a nutshell the trip included, but were not limited to the following: Denver, Ale House, Upslope, Gelato, Steamboat Springs, Chocolate Chip Cupcakes, Morning side Villa's, key lime pie, Family Dinners, Family Breakfasts, a whole lot of Olympics, hiking, biking, tubing, horseback riding (from which I was oh so sore for 2 days after) Family pictures, more Gelato, Mountains, shopping, hot springs, more hiking, more eating, Ryleigh being silly and very sassy, naps, pool time, Freshies, Bluegrass music, Rodeo, and finally the trip home....

So blessed are we to have had this time to spend with family, and enjoy Gods creation.

being her mom

She's seriously the funniest little person I've ever met. When she smiles my heart melts. every.single.time.

...even when she's standing up in her crib, yelling for us to come and get her.

...even when she pouts b/c all she wants to do is snuggle when she wakes up.

...even when we tell her "no" and she still races away from us up the stairs.

...especially when she belly laughs, it's my most favorite sound in the world.  

She's the absolute best, and I am so lucky to be her mom. She reminds me daily how privileged I am...how special this journey is, and how being her mom makes me a better woman each day.

Kneeland Wedding

Well, our wedding season 2012 has officially come to an end!  I can’t believe it! The past 3 years have been non-stop wedding craziness…and I’m not joking when I say we attended about 20 weddings and planned and had our own in that time! We’re so incredibly blessed to have been a part of so many special days for our friends and family!

With that said, I need to share the play by play of my bestie’s wedding weekend! My little Lindsay married her main man, Greg, on June 30, 2012. The day was perfect, the bride was beautiful, and the groom was adorable with her.

Before I get ahead of myself I must start at the beginning…

Jason and I dropped our bug off with Grandma and Grandpa Kingma. We kissed her 100 times, thanked them a 100 times, and got in the car to head to Ohio. Oh Ohio, how you are not my husband’s favorite state, but we’ll leave that for another post come football seasonJ It was 103+ degrees the entire way down…the heat was just icky, sticky, and just plain nast. On a better note we made great time and were able to spend some time with friends before the weekend would be shoved into wedding mode.

The next day the girls headed downtown C-bus to get our nails done, and have a cozy lunch at this great Italian place Linds had picked out. We had a wonderful time together, and had so much fun just hanging out! It’s not every day we’re all in the same place! After lunch we headed back to the hotel and hung out in Lindsay’s huge VIP suite! After some trouble she’d experienced with the hotel, I must say, they totally redeemed themselves with this fantastic upgrade for her! Way to go Sheraton!

So we’re all sitting in her room, chatting, laughing, and catching up when we notice that the sky is turning a very scary shade of gray, and within minutes a huge storm rips through Columbus. It went from quiet to crazy in a matter of seconds. I called Jason, and he was on the highway nervous b/c the car was being moved by the 80 mph winds he was hearing about on the radio. Street sings were flying around, and then the downpour hit.  I told him I’d meet him down in the lobby once he made it to the hotel, so I (like an idiot) headed towards the elevator. I got on the elevator (I know, I know) and hit the lobby button. Did I mention the suite was on the 20^th floor……the elevator makes it to floor 18 and then boom….the lights flicker and we drop to floor 16! A voice comes over the speakers “We are experiencing technical difficulties!” Umm yeah (as swear words are searing in my mind) I figured that one out, but thank you elevator fairy.  Seconds later the doors open and I jump out instantly.  I find a stairwell, and descend 15 floors with the lights flickering on and off. Then I notice that I’m alone and wonder where everyone else is…I end up in the basement. I see huge laundry machines, but no people. Here I am, just walking around, no idea where I am or who I’ll see. No cell service, and I admit, I was just a titch scared. Then I hear a coffee grinder. I open a door to find myself in the Starbucks kitchen! Hooray! I pop out a side door and head for the lobby. Ok, so I am exaggerating just a little, but basements are scary. Period.

Jason made it safe, and we headed to our room to get ready for the rehearsal! I’m terrible with directions, so of course with my poor navigating skills we got lost on the way to the venue, and actually passed the pub where we were going to be having our rehearsal dinner….the bad thing was…no lights. Completely black. Uh oh. We finally make it to the venue. No lights. No air....oh boy. This could get interesting.  

Apparently this storm had knocked out the power of more than 150,000 people in and around Columbus. The pub, venue, and the hotel where my parents were staying  were just a few of the casualties at this point.  So we made the best of the situation and practiced in the dark. Poor Linds, we all felt so bad that things weren’t going to plan, but things happen, and we just had to roll with it. The lights came on just as we were leaving for dinner (Praise the Lord), and you could hear just about everyone sigh with relief. Her uncle worked some magic and we were able to find a place that would seat our large group last minute, and we ended up having a wonderful dinner!

Then, wedding morning arrived! So excited was I for everything that was to come that day. Watching Linds get ready, seeing her in her dress, watching her walk down the aisle, and just having fun with everyone while celebrating one of the people I love most in the world, and the man she’s chosen to love forever. It was going to be a best day.

And it was.

She looked breathtaking.  I cried before I could even see her walking down the aisle, and cried again when she made her promises to Greg, and he made his to her. 

The rest of the night looked like this….sandals for comfort, bridal party introduction with a dip and a kiss from the bride and groom to start things off, incredibly appropriate, and very heartfelt speeches given by the MOH and best man, the tears were flowing when Lindsay's uncle spoke of her mother, Jill, and his prayer was perfect, good food, yummy champagne, I hope you dance, more cryingJ, Heaven, Yuengling, Thriller, pictures, some silly O-H-I-O whatever, cake, more pictures, soulja boy, little bit of after party, and finally saying goodnight to the newlyweds before heading back to the hotel for some much needed R&R and the removal of the 800 bobby pins that were holding my hair in place! haha 

We said our goodbyes in the morning, which are always so bittersweet. We hit the road, and headed back to good ol’Pure Michigan to get out bug! We sure missed her!!!  Like I said, it really was perfect, and I am so so happy that God has given my best friend, her best man. I know Greg will love her in the most perfect way he can. I know her mom would be so proud, and so in awe of them just as we all are.

We love you both! Congrats Kneelands!!!!

celebration accomplished

A couple of weekends ago a group of old friends celebrated one of their own, and what a day it was! Filled with old stories, new stories, family, friends, kiddos, pictures, laughter, cake, mimosas, chocolate covered strawberries, games,  happy tears, ribbons, Fandango's, spilt drinks, Island Fest, Monaco Bay, Sky Deck, dancing, the Radisson, and finally Sunday morning goodbyes until we'd all meet again on Greg and Linds' rehearsal day.

I am so happy for my best friend, and the journey ahead of her with her best friend, and soon to be husband. Great things are in store for these two...I just know it:)

Daddy Day

It was a crazy weekend with lots of girly celebrating for mommy’s friend Lindsay! But I was excited to see my daddy and celebrate his first Father’s day with him! I got to spend time with my Papa Neel, he is so silly and he loves to cuddle me. I also went to South Haven to see Grandpa Hall, and I think I’m going to like visiting there…I love watching the boats, and swinging under the big tree! Grandpa Hall sure does make me laugh!! Then we went to see Grandpy Kingma and Great Grandpa Kingma for a BBQ. Makes a girl feel good when they smile at me so muchJ I was tired, and being really goofy when daddy put his sunglasses on me…I love a good belly laugh. 

My most favorite part of the day was spending time with my daddy. He’s the best. He gives me the best cuddles, the biggest kisses, and he makes me feel like a princess. I felt it was time to spoil him a little since he spoils me all the time….so mommy and I gave him his Michigan helmet! I immediately face masked him and we had some good laughs. I’m pretty sure he’ll wear it around the house!

I love you daddy!

Love,
Bug

reunion

In just 3 (hopefully short) days I'll be reunited with the girls. It's not often we're all in the same place since we're pretty spread out in different cities, states, and even countries at times...so our gathering is a much anticipated and welcomed one. We'll all be in good ol'Kalamazoo for some bachelorette fun to celebrate Miss Lindsay and her upcoming nuptials. I'm sure we'll revisit many memories while traipsing around our old college stomping grounds....who knows what the night will bring...


I'm in desperate need for a new photo...I came across this one dated back to 2008...WAY too long ago...

To be continued....

happy weekending

May your weekend be filled with rest, reflection, and purpose. I'll be resting when Ryleigh is napping. I'll be reflecting while Jason attempts to help me garden. I'll be gaining knowledge in my purpose by being intentional in my walk with Christ as I read through the rest of James this weekend.

What will you be doing?!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

Bug

She’s mobile, very mobile. She’s into everything she isn’t supposed to be into. She is strong and pulling herself up on everything…and yells at us when she can’t figure out how to get down.  She giggles every time she sees a dog. He hair is starting to curl, and her eyelashes look longer to me every day.  She tells me all about her day on our ride home (babbles of course) and she flails her arms and kicks her legs in excitement whenever she sees Jason appear at the top of the stairs. She loves to look at old photo albums, and rip apart magazines. She has an obsession with glasses too…ripping them off of our faces and promptly inserting them into her mouth. Weird? Yes, I know!

She likes to play peek-a-boo with the curtains downstairs, and hates cucumbers.  She doesn’t trust grass, but loves to splish splash around in her baby pool.  She’s very sassy when she’s ready to eat, and isn’t afraid to let me know when she’s done…she does this by swatting at me, usually hitting whatever it is I’m trying to feed her, and food flies through the air landing on me, on her, or the wall, or the floor. She loves to turn the cable box off, and has a thing for the remote. She loves to look at herself in the mirror, and laughs at us when we tell her “No-No.” 

She sleeps on her knees and arms all cuddled up in the corner of her crib, and she still likes to play at 3am...but thankfully takes her bottle and goes right back to sleep (I know…this is probably creating a really bad habit, but it works for us right now…so we’re rolling with it!) I think we get her attention the most when sit down and look comfortable! She watches everything we do, and wants to be in the middle of it all.

Our bug is growing so big so fast, and we are just trying to take it all in.

I'm a stinker, but a cute one!

8 months old

I probably say this in every post I write about Ryleigh, but I cannot believe how fast time flies. She’s 8 months old and on the go…well that’s an understatement…she’s speedy, very speedy, and as exciting as that is, it’s also a little terrifying! She started crawling on Mother’s day (what a wonderful surprise that was) and within a week she’s already started trying to pull herself up on pretty much anything. She has tried the coffee table, her jumper, our stools, her new train, the stairs, and last night she tried using the dust buster…but that’s obviously a weird and very unsafe choice so I had to distract her and force her attention elsewhere.

She’s also very sassy. When she doesn’t want to eat, she locks those lips tight, flails her arms, and does this really loud, whinny, and very unattractive cry that neither Jason or I are very fond of. She likes to kick me hard in the tummy and push back when I’m trying to change her diaper, and she refuses to let us take her hand to show her how to do things. Stubborn, strong-willed, and independent are all words that come to mind. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree does it?!

She likes to scream really loud in order to get our attention, and she’d rather play with a wooden spoon than any of the 100 toys she has laying on the ground. She’s developed a love for shoelaces, and she loves peach yogurt. She sleeps in a ball in the top left corner of her crib, and she really enjoys playing with tissue paper. She likes mint ice cream (I probably shouldn’t have given her that, oops) and she loves being outside. She says “ba ba” and “da da” and we’re working on “ma ma.” She loves when daddy reads to her from her little bible, and peek-a-boo is still her favorite game.

Ryleigh is a happy, healthy, and active baby! We are having so much fun watching her grow! Until next month…

a question why

I heard a very sad story today. A story of a girl, who was just 18, had recently gone to her senior prom, and seemingly had her whole life ahead of her. A girl who was popular, involved, and liked by many. A girl who sadly took her own life just this past Sunday. I don’t know this girl. I don’t know her family. I don’ t know anything about her, but after hearing this story I could not stop thinking about her all day long.

This tragedy begs the question…why? Why would she cut her life short? What was going on inside her that made her feel that there was no way out? Or course there will never be an answer.

I think back to my senior year of high school, being 18, and having a whole new chapter of life starring me in the face. I felt ready, anxious, and definitely scared (although I would never have admitted this to my parents.)  There were so many things that seemed SO important and therefore drama ensued.  I know (now) I over reacted majority of the time. From this perspective I can understand how a teenager might get so caught up in teen life that they forget to look at the bigger picture. The bigger picture being that…there is life beyond high school and it can be anything that you want it to be. You can meet anyone you want to meet. You really can do anything you want to do!

It’s my hope that Ryleigh will understand this fact, continue to be curious, and explore every opportunity God offers her.

My heart hurts for this girl. My heart is so heavy for her family. As sad as this story is, I hope something good can be born from it…with God’s love, and help I know this to be possible.

happy mommy day

My first Mother’s day was lovely! I slept in, Jason got bagels, Ryleigh gave me lots of cuddles, and this mama is going to see Carrie Underwood in concert this November! (My hubby is the best!)  
After all of our celebrating, I got to thinking…how crazy it is that I’m actually a mom! God has given me this beautiful miracle that I’m responsible for…day in and day out. To nurture, teach, love, and learn from. Ryleigh is the best thing I have ever done, and my heart has never been more full. I’m so thankful , humbled, and just in awe of how much this little girl has changed my life. I love being her mommy!!

On that note, I have to give a shout out to my mom…the woman who has always been there, nurturing me, teaching me, and unconditionally loving me. You are amazing, and I am so proud to be your daughter! I love you!!

I hope all you other mama’s out there had a terrific day! Until next yearJ

just thinkin'

His life within us changes everything. And if it doesn’t, then we need to re-think some things.

It’s amazing how reading once sentence can have my mind in a tailspin all morning. Do I need to re-think things, if so, what? Am I thinking about the right things, the wrong things, the big things, the small things…ok ok, I know I kind of sound like Dr. Suess, but in all seriousness…

I know that each day my growing relationship with God, impacts every part of my life whether it’s big or small. It’s shown through my actions, my reactions, my words, my ability to laugh, to listen, to love... to be a good wife, a good mom, a good everything that I want to be to everyone no matter what the role.

It’s been said that in order to take care of others, we need to take care of ourselves first, and I know I’m taken care of because God takes care of me. God blesses me every morning when I open my eyes and see the most perfect person for me laying by my side.  When I plant my feet on the floor, and walk into the next room to see the other love in my life sleeping soundly cuddled up in her favorite purple blankey. These are the moments that change everything for me every single morning. I don’t take them for granted. These are the things I never re-think and that is because it all circles back to Him.
 
This is the day HE has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let Him in. Let Him change your life like he’s changed mine.

busy baby

Miss Ryleigh is growing so fast, and she is changing constantly…I figured I’d write some things down so I can look back and remember these precious moments later in life. She is as proud as a peacock when she is sitting on the floor like a big girl, and it’s hilarious to watch her maneuver her way around right now. She pivots on her tummy, rolls to her side and with a quick motion sits up straight and tall. She smiles a slobbery smile, and waves her arms in excitement. She loves to play peek-a-boo, even if she’s sitting alone on the floor (maybe she already has an imaginary friend?) She still isn’t quite so sure about juice or fruits in general…she doesn’t seem to like anything sweet just yet, which is beyond me, but just fine for now! She loves to bounce, rough house with her daddy, and listen to mommy read to her. She’s fascinated by everything she isn’t supposed to have.  She loves Larry’s silly songs on Veggie Tales. She pulls Mommy's hair, gives kisses, and her screams are a lot louder now when she isn’t receiving the attention she believes she deserves. She’s 7 months old and almost too long for all of her 9 month outfits, and she still loves bath time!  She’s still a little stinker and getting up in the middle of the night for a feeding. Jason and I take turns as we’re both working, and are very blessed that she goes right back down after she’s done.  We’re inching closer to 8 months now…where do the days go?!

I miss her terribly during the day, but daycare is going really well! Knock on wood, but we haven’t had any health issues in the last 4 weeks!!! Picking her up after work has always been my favorite part of the day, but it’s even better now because of that huge, gummy smile, her rapidly waving arms, and this cute excited little sound that she makes!

We had our first Easter, our first park visit, our first swing experience, and our very first overnight at Nana & Papa Neel’s house all in the last month. Ryleigh has been one busy baby!

We can’t wait to see what her next first will be…

stuff i like

Just a little board of things I'm loving at the moment! A splash of color might be just what our love nest needs!

1. circa bowls - Crate & Barrel 

2. chicago wall art - lampsplus.com 

3. mini tapas pans - Bed Bath & Beyond 

4. colorful pitcher - farfetch.com 

5. wine bottle holder - bloomingdales. com 

 6. 3 pc. topiary candle set - Crate & Barrel 

7. storage boxes 2 pc. set - monsoon.co.uk.com 

8. chole chair - Crate & Barrel

Easter 2012

A day so worthy of celebration. A day to reflect on the most amazing gift we can ever be given.

Our Easter was filled with voices raised high in worship, baptisms, and a message with the beautiful reminder of what Easter Sunday is really celebrating.

Ryleigh looked cute as a button in her Easter dress, and she was so excited about her Easter basket filled with treats that she fell asleep. Silly bug!

I hope all of you had an amazing day!

"I am the resurrection and the life.

He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

John 11:25-26

happy

I love watching the sun rise as I'm driving to work in the morning...this is aided by the coffee I'm drinking that has me awake enough to really feel the endless amount of possibilities that the day could bring me. 

I love Ryleigh's slobbery smile when she first sees me when I pick her up from daycare. She knows her mommy is there, and that smile melts my heart constantly.

I love maintaining our home. Dishes and laundry don't get me down...even when the sink is piled high and the hampers are overflowing. I'm thankful for the man and the baby that dirty them:)

I love this chapter of life, and I realize that with one day bleeding into the next that I need to slow down a bit and enjoy everything. Appreciate everything.  After all, we can't get tomorrow back.

I love the family and friends that surround, support, understand, and encourage the three of us. Without each of you, a piece of our happiness would be missing. With all my heart, thank you.

I love that in spite of my faults, sins, and shortcomings, God loves me, and His provision is and will always be perfect.

6 Months

I'm a little behind on this post...but just 2 short weeks ago we took Ryleigh's 6 month pictures!! I can't believe how fast that went! She's changed so much in such a short time, and everyday it seems she's learning something new and becoming more curious by the minute. Lately it's been high pitched screams to get our attention, sitting up all by her big girl self, putting everything and anything into her mouth, and scootin' around on her tummy...I think crawling is just a week or two away! Exciting and terrifying at the same time!


She loves sweet potatoes, hates peas and green beans, and will suck on a strawberry any chance she gets. She's been giving us a little trouble at 4am with wanting a bottle, but other than that she's a pretty good sleeper which Jason and I are SO thankful for. She loves playing peek-a-boo, playing in the bathtub, and pulling on my hair (she has quite the death grip) 


She's 29 inches long and almost too tall for her car seat, so crazy! I purchased baby gates this afternoon, and we'll have to start baby proofing everything in the next day or so...we're a little behind on that...


Daycare has been both a blessing and a curse...the facility is wonderful, and we love the ladies that take care of her, but she's been sick a few times already...which is so hard to watch. I have heard that most kids are sick a lot the first year at daycare, but with time their immune system grows stronger! We've already been through RSV. Thank goodness that is over. Her cough made me cringe. We have 4 days left with the meds she's been taking for pink eye that she's had all week. Goopy eyes are pretty gross. She is a trooper though, always smiling through it all, and still eating and sleeping like a champ. We're very blessed, and I definitely don't take that for granted. 


She's awesome, and we're more in love with her than ever!! 

E is for Easton

Yesterday we spent the morning celebrating baby Easton! What a wonderful morning it was...filled with cupcakes, boogie wipes, baby stories, and many well wishes for baby E! I'm so excited for Jenn and Bo, and everything that is to come with the birth of their first child. 


Being a mommy is the most challenging, yet rewarding thing I have ever done, and I can't wait to be able to share this with mama Jenn! 


We can't wait to meet you Easton!!! 

all things green

St. Patty's day is tomorrow, and Jason and I will be dressed in green ready for all the fun Chicago will bring! Hooray for time spent catching up with old friends, green adult beverages, and the all inevitable dance party (Renegades are you ready?!) :)

So, I wish I had a closet full of everything I love and find on Polyvore...it'd be so much easier to dress the way I want on a daily basis. My wish collage will have to do for now...

I hope you all have a magically delicious Saturday!
Cheers!

Florida 2012

We just got back from visiting Nana & Papa Neel in Fort Myers, FL and what a wonderful mini-vacay it was! Mini because it was a long weekend, but absolutely not long enough!

I admit, I had anxiety about Ryleigh's first plane ride. I've flown enough to know that sometimes babies don't handle traveling that well. So I said a prayer, or ten, and just hoped for the best. I guess I was worried for nothing because she handled both plane rides beautifully. I think the baby benadryl had something to do with it though:) We were upgraded to first class on our way down thanks to a call in from Grandma Hall, and made it with no hassle. I will say that trying to change a wiggly Ryleigh in that very tiny lavatory on the plane made for a very interesting experience, but we worked it out!

We arrived Thursday evening, and Papa & Nana were very excited to see Miss Ryleigh. They were excited to see us too of course, but I think Ry stole the show:)
The weather was perfect the whole time we were down there, and it was so nice to be able to take Ryleigh outside as  much as we were able to. Until now she's always been inside because of how cold it's been and she loved just hanging out in her diaper most the time. We took her swimming for the first time, and she seemed unsure at first, but I think she liked it. She loved all the attention she got from her grandparents, and they proudly showed her off to all of their friends! She endured her first shopping experience, and loved going on golf cart rides with Papa. Jason and I were able to lay by the pool a bit (not too much, as our skin hadn't seen the sun in about a year! haha) and just spending time together as a family was so nice, and much needed since they have been gone since Christmas.

We're excited visit next year, and in a couple of years we hope to plan a trip to Disney! We can't wait to take Ryleigh!!!

Thank you Nana & Papa for everything! We love you so much:)

I can't believe tomorrow is the first day of March! I probably say this in every post, but time absolutely flies and all the days sometimes seem to blend together. There's been so much that's happened since January, and we've been busy, busy, busy!

I am back to work, and loving it! I'm working for a company called Choice School Associates, and they manage 11 charter schools in and around the Grand Rapids area. It's a growing company with so much potential, and I'm learning a lot everyday. Being back at work has been that much more enjoyable because of how great Ryleigh has been doing at daycare. I drop her off at 730am and pick her up at 430pm...that makes for a long day, but she's snoozin' when I drop her off, and smiles so big when she sees me when I pick her up. It's the best part of my day!! She's in an infant room with 8 babies, and the ladies that watch her have been amazing. We were so blessed to find a daycare so close to home, and conveniently 5 minutes from where I work. It all came together pretty perfectly I must say. The one thing that's the most challenging is keeping her healthy. She's been sick twice now. We know it's inevitable that she'll get something from someone, but with both of us working it's definitely difficult to take time from work...but we're figuring it out as we go!

Jason is still busy at work, and has recently taken on more responsibility as one of his colleagues is now on maternity leave. He's also learning a lot, and very happy with where he's at. They are lucky to have him!

We've been busy running around, visiting friends and family, attending birthday parties, bowling in our league night (I finally got my ball...it's purple, aqua, and silver and perfect for me!) and now we're counting down the days till we go visit my parents in Florida! It'll be our first big travel experience with Ryleigh and I admit I'm a little nervous. I just hope it goes well, and I'm not "that mom" on the place that has the screaming baby....she's such a good girl, and I know I shouldn't worry. We'll just have to see how she does.

After our visit to Florida we'll hit the ground running again with all the baby showers, birthdays, bridal showers, bachelorette and bachelor parties we have planned....and our big trip to Colorado come July! It's going to be a very fun spring/summer!

Our big girl!!! She's almost 6 months old!!! 

stopping to smell the roses

I can't believe it's almost February?! 2012 has been a great year thus far filled with blessings, laughter, firsts, and so much love. Yesterday we celebrated Ryleigh as we took part in her dedication at church. Jason and I both stood before our church community and promised to raise her in a home where God is ever present, and help her to know him as she grows. It was a very humbling experience, and one that marks the many of firsts to come in the year ahead.

As we were driving home I became a little disappointed in myself. Instead of reflecting on what had just happened, I was already looking ahead to the next thing...planning, and anticipating what the week ahead would bring. I pride myself on being organized, and involved...but I think often times I plan, and plan, and plan and then after what I've planned is over....I feel I've missed something. I believe I need to stop and smell the roses as some would say. So I've made a promise to myself and my family that I will try to slow down and just enjoy what's happening as it happens.

Ryleigh is already 4 months old already, and that is just crazy to me! She's growing so beautifully and we're enjoying every new discovery and taking the good with the bad. (The wonderful 9+ hours of sleep we're getting...but also her sassy attitude when she's fighting sleep to begin with) She's going to be very strong-willed and stubborn...but she wouldn't be ours if she wasn't! She's full of smiles, and loves to scream as loud as she can if you aren't paying attention to her. She has started giggling and it makes my heart melt every time! I think Jason and I would do just about anything to make her giggle....to that point we latch on to a sound or a face for a good 20 min just begging for her to giggle again and if anyone were here to see it, I'm certain you'd think we look like complete idiots!

With February right around the corner there are some new things on the horizon....the most challenging will be returning to work. I'm very excited about the new opportunity I have in front of me, but I know it will be hard being away from Ryleigh. We're hunting for a new daycare and I'm crossing my fingers that we are able to find the perfect fit for her, our family, and our schedule. I've been so fortunate to have been able to stay home with her these past few months, and even though I know it'll be tough, I know there are a lot of positives that will be born from this new chapter in our lives.
Say a little prayer (or two) for me please!

Ryleigh Anne 4 Months