Snuggle With Me

Everyone knows my Rylan sleeps with Robbie and I. She's been sleeping with us since she was around 16 months old. I know it's not conventional and my pediatrician would die but, it works for us. I judged parents like Robbie and I so harshly. I have learned since having my Rylan that you "parent" according to what works best for your child. I know Rylan should be sleeping alone but, truth be told I actually enjoy her sleeping with us. She is such a snuggler and I know someday she won't want to snuggle with me. Obviously I'd prefer her being in her own bed but, Rylan loves sleeping with us and I choose sleep.

Robbie and I are terrible at "tough love." Thank God my Rylan is sweet and good hearted. She is very sensitive and gets her feeling hurt quite easily. A simple "no" usually does the trick. With that said, Rylan is still in our bed. I know I've said I'm going to start getting her to nap in her own bed and gradually move onto nights-no such luck. Rylan loves her room and her bed. She plays in it most days and her pillows and blankets are usually all over the floor. If you walk by her room you'd never know she doesn't sleep in it unless you asked her!

Today, we have a tile guy finishing up the bathrooms. He's in the master bathroom-right at nap time. I figured today was the perfect opportunity to start Ry in her "big girl bed." Boy was I dreaming! When I told her we were going to sleep in her bed for nap time she was so excited-so was I (or so I thought). We both got into her bed, she laid there awhile, and then told me "I'm awake Mommy, lets get up." She then proceeded to tell me, "Mommy let's snuggle on the couch." How can you say no to that? To make a long story short my Rylan is soundly asleep on the family room couch all wrapped in a blanket surrounded by her stuffed animals! What can I say-I see Ry sleeping with us for a long time....

More Soda Please

As you know I'm a soda freak! I would have to say that not drinking my Diet Coke while pregnant for 9 months absolutely killed me. It honestly was the ONE thing I missed most while carrying my very precious cargo. I attribute my 65 lb weight loss after having Ry to the likes of Diet Coke. I missed my Diet Coke so much I would substitute that for a snack. I lost the weight pretty easily and have continued to drink way to much of it. I'm actually embarrassed to count how many Diet Cokes I consume in one day. But drinking that cold soda puts a smile on my face. Don't even get my started on fountain sodas!

Robbie and Scott have been on me for quite some time to quit drinking soda. I refused! I feel like it's my sanity-yep I've got a few issues. Over the years I've had my fair share of bladder infections from drinking too much soda and not enough water. I started getting them from teaching. You don't think about it but, as a teacher you can't leave a room full of second graders to use the bathroom. I'd get an infection, call the dr., get meds, and poof it was gone. One would think they'd drink a lot more water...

Well Sunday I could feel one coming on-pour on the water! I felt like it was going away until I woke up at 4:00 in the morning Monday with a wicked bladder infection. I drank so much water and cranberry juice to cure the infection-no such luck. At 10:00 last night I finally broke down and called the doctor. I have meds and am doing much better.

With all of this said I HAVE FINALLY DECIDED TO GIVE UP SODA!(well maybe one here or there) I just can't keep this up. I felt like the worst mom yesterday. I hardly played with Ry-I was either drinking water or peeing it out! That's when it occurred to me-drink more water and cut out the soda. Here goes...

So Lonely

Bare with me, I need to vent...

I have tried really hard to put on a brave face for My Robbie and My Rylan but, today I broke down and really cried. I miss Arizona! I miss the sun, the desert, my friends, the mountains, my life. I want to get back there so much it hurts!

Ry and I went grocery shopping today and we froze! It's so cold that the wind goes right through your clothes and my hands hurt. I also slipped on ice in the parking lot. I got in the car after loading all of my groceries in the freezing cold and just balled. I know that I'm from MO but, I miss AZ so much. Rylan and I are in playgroups, gymnastics, and various activities to keep social and busy but, it's just not the same. I'm so jealous of all my friends being in AZ-I want to be with them too. I'm so jealous that they get to enjoy the beautiful weather and Rylan and I are always stuck inside because it's too cold or raining. I hate the cold-I absolutely loved the West Coast.

I told Robbie how much I miss AZ. He does too. It's nice to have some family here and I do love my house but, we were just so happy in AZ. It was very hard for me to come back here. Arizona felt like home the minute we moved into Vistancia-I never wanted to leave. Rylan and I made so many great friends that felt like my family.

Believe it or not, we would love to get back to AZ. I know that sounds crazy but, we miss AZ so much. We both would love to be back in the sun. We are hopeful... Maybe a job transfer...I also know how life changes. His job could take him somewhere else or we could end up not wanting to move again. It just helps me breathe knowing that there is a huge chance we will get back to AZ. In my heart I know we will be back to Arizona some day-not sure how or when but, I don't see my Rylan growing up in STL!

Did I say that I missed Arizona?!

Pumpkin Anyone?

As you know we are still renovating our home. It's almost complete! The only things we have left to do are change a few lights, change the staircase, and tile the bathrooms. We have only lived here for 2 months and have gotten so much done so quickly. The main reason we are moving so fast is because Scott has donated so many evenings and weekends to help Robbie and I put the final touches on our home. He has put up back splash in the kitchen, changed our lights, and helped stain our staircase. I honestly don't know what we'd do without all of his help. So I thought I needed to show him how much we appreciate all of his help.

Scott's favorite bread is pumpkin bread. He and I would always sit, glob on the butter, and eat half of the loaf together. So I had this great idea that Ry and I would make him some delicious pumpkin bread. I must be living under a rock (Dora's rock I guess) because I was unaware that all of the stores here are out of pumpkin due to all the flooding! I wish I knew that before running to various stores in the freezing cold to buy the pumpkin. So I decided to go with Plan B-banana bread-Scott's second favorite bread. Once home I was short an ingredient so now what? I decided to go with Scott's favorite chocolate chip cookies. Of course Ry was excited-she loves to eat the chocolate chunks. While we were out looking for the pumpkin she kept telling me, "I don't like pumpkin bread Mommy. I want chocolate chips."

Now I know a batch of cookies doesn't equal all the time that Scott has put into our home, I just want to show him we love him and are truly grateful for all of his hard work!

One Proud Momma!

I would have to say that I am just like every other mom out there. I think my daughter is perfect!!! Yes, I know she isn't but, in my eyes I wouldn't change a thing about her.

Today Ms. Jennifer came over for Rylan's screening. Let me explain-the school districts here have Parents As Teachers. It's awesome! It's a free service through the public school system here and the one thing I really missed while being in AZ. Each family gets assigned to a teacher and she comes out regularly to work/test your child. I always have looked forward to these visits. Ms. Jennifer came out in October to see Rylan for the first time. My Rylan blew her away. She was very advanced for her age. Well today was our screening. It's not an IQ test they just test her according to how she scores with other 2 year olds. And let me say I am one proud Momma!

My Rylan scored with 3 and 4 year olds. I was really impressed. She scored really high with matching, identifying big/little, sorting shapes and colors, vocabulary/conversations, and fine/gross motor skills. Ms. Jennifer said she is very advanced! I know my Rylan is smart but, I was really impressed.

When Ms. Jennifer arrived Rylan was so excited. She took Ms. Jennifer into her toy room and showed her just about everything. Ms. Jennifer even went in Ry's playhouse! Rylan was first dressed up as Princess Aurora and then quickly changed into Belle. What can I say?

Before leaving, Ms. Jennifer told me she can tell that Rylan is very loved, what a sweet little girl she is, and how much I work with her. That was wonderful to hear. No matter what Ms. Jennifer would have told us-I would still be one proud Momma! I love my little Rylie Bug. As I said she's my perfect little princess.

If You Can't Beat Her, Join Her

Well, we are going on around a month 1/2 since Rylan decided she wanted to dress up like a princess every day! As I've said before this stage is making me crazy but, I'm going with it. I haven't bought Ry anymore outfits for winter-they are always covered up by these princess dresses! What's the point in wasting money on clothing she takes off as soon as we are at home?! Before we went back and forth between Snow White and her Cinderella costume. Since then we have purchased more dresses. She now goes back and forth between Belle and Princess Aurora. I know, we aren't helping this stage....

I'm kind of in a tough spot-the Snow White and Cinderella dresses were looking pretty rough! Bows had been pinned on, strings had been cut, and parts of the dress had paint stains and tairs. I felt like my little cutie looked poor and not well taken care of everywhere we went. So you're probably thinking-throw them out-end of story. How can I? She loves her dresses. She dances in them and always asks us, "Do you love it? Don't I look dootiful?" As much as it's driving me crazy I do think it's adorable. And I don't want to end this creative side of Rylan. When one dress is in the wash she is constantly obsessing over it being gone. When the dress comes out of the dryer she hugs it and tells me, "It's not dirty anymore, thank you Mommy." How cute and sweet is that? How can I get rid of these? So I figured I'm going to ride the princess ride with Rylan and at least buy her nicer ones.

Last weekend we got her Belle and she loved it. It's actually cute and Ry loves to wear it along with her princess necklace and princess purse. Last night Robbie ran up and got her the Sleeping Beauty dress. She was so excited and hasn't taken it off since. But this is the worst dress of all. I know I keep saying that but, Princess Aurora makes my Rylan look like she belongs at the Renaissance Fair! She loves it but, it's pretty bad.

We also got Ry the Sleeping Beauty play shoes-she wore them all day and resulted in a pretty bad blister! This princess stage is out of control. Like I said I'm going with it and I also feel this is my little 2 year olds way of showing her creativity. I never want to discourage her from being creative. When Ry puts these dresses on she thinks she looks like that princess. Good for her.

She loves jewelry, shoes, and making her hair "pretty." If you ask her she is "Princess Rylie." At the end of the day, my Rylan is happy and thinks she is a Disney Princess and of course I see her as the prettiest princess ever! I'm not sure how much longer this is going to last but, everyone keeps telling me I'm going to miss this someday.....