Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone!! Riley had such an exciting morning, he's taking a nap now!! Santa Claus came and left him a lot of presents!! He got lots of new toys, some new clothes, and a bunch of books too!! But his favorite (and Daddy's too) is the Jeep Walker!!

He hasn't quite figured out that he can move around in it, but we're sure he will soon, especially on the kitchen floor. Daddy got some neat gifts too, including some snowshoes and a off-road kit for the Jeep. Mommy got some scrapbooking stuff, clothes and a new cool tri-pod. But her favorite gift came last night, when Riley said his first word!!! It was MA-MA!!!! Yeah!!! (of course now he says it all the time non-stop!!) He is really becoming quite the talker!! We were very proud of him, last night he was a perfect angel during church, hardly a peep out of him!! but then again it helped that they turned down the lights and he slept during the sermon. (like father like son!!) Hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas!! We're sorry we couldn't spend it in Indy with everyone, but it's nice to have a Christmas in Colorado finally!! (which by the way is white - it's snowing pretty hard right now!!) Merry Christmas and God Bless!!

Boy!! Is it good to be home!! I missed my daddy so much!!! But I had a lot of fun in Indy with all of my other family too! Mommy was so proud of me for behaving on both flights, even with a delay on the one to Indy. It was a little scary at first, seeing all these people I don't remember all at once - but I soon realized that Mommy wasn't going to leave me, and these people are good, and fun to be with!! Here's me and Mommy with Aunt Anna:

And here's me and Grandma Louie practicing clapping (which I can do now!!)
And here's me playing with one of my new toys!!
I got lots of new toys!! This Christmas thing is pretty cool, I'll have to remember it for next year!! Mommy says the trip was exhausting (cuz Daddy didn't get to come), but she was glad that we took it! She also says that there's lots of people we didn't get to see, and she's very sorry! Next year, Mommy graduates, so everyone can come to our house for Christmas in one big celebration!! Be sure to look at the Kodak gallery of all the pictures from Indy!!

fruit!

I had my first taste of fruit this week. I had bananas!! It was quite an experience! The first bite I didn't know what to think - so I just let it sit in my mouth for a while. but then I decided it was ok and ate a whole bunch. Then towards the end, I think I realized that it wasn't what I was used to, and started making funny faces and spitting it out. Here's some pictures of my first bananas:

Going in

And it's in, is it going to stay?

thinking about it!Still thinking about it
hmmmm . . . I guess this is ok

Christmas Tree

So we went this weekend and got our Christmas Tree. But it wasn't as much fun as Mommy had said it would be! There was a big storm in the mountains. Everything started off fine, just a little cold and snowy, but after looking for a tree for about a half hour we heard some thunder. Then it started snowing REALLY hard, sleeting and the wind was blowing really hard!! So Mommy and Daddy picked me up off my sled and we hid in some thick trees for a little bit to get out of the wind. Here's me and Daddy hiding:

So we finally decided to go back to the car, look for something on the way out, and if we didn't find anything we would come back the next weekend. But we stopped one more time, and Daddy went out looking while Mommy and I waited in the shelter of the car. And he found the Perfect Tree!! So we went out, took a few quick pictures, Daddy cut it super quick, and ran back to the car!!
It's a pretty tree, and it fits perfectly in the living room. But it's still bigger than the amount of lights and tinsle that we had, so Mommy had to go buy some more!! Daddy measured it and it's about 10 feet tall!! It's a good thing we have vaulted ceilings!! Mommy had to get out the big ladder to decorate it!

Only one more week until we are in INDY!! Yeah!!!

busy time!

Guess what!! I got my sled!! Check me out - aren't I just the cutest thing!! Mommy and Daddy took me up to the mountains last weekend to get some pictures, and I got to play!! Daddy pulled me around in the Deeeeeeepppp snow!! It was so cold out, but I was nice and cozy in all the layers that Mommy made me wear!

Go Faster Daddy!!
WEEEEEEE!!!
I like to drag my hands in the snow, but Mommy doesn't like that - she thinks my hands will get too cold! I get to play in my sled again this weekend, cuz we are gonna go pick out our Christmas tree!!! Yeah!! I want a really really really big tree - like Daddy, but Mommy says no. She says she doesn't want the tree taking up half the living room, plus we don't have enough lights and tinsle for it if its too big. Mommy's glad that I'm not crawling yet so that she doesn't have to babyproof the tree. In fact, Mommy and Daddy don't think that I will crawl at all - they think I will just go straight into walking (because of how much I hate being on my tummy so I never get to practice). But I'll show them - HA!!

So I went to the Doctor for my 6 month check up today!!! Hard to believe that I'm half a year old already huh!! I'm so big!! I weigh 16 lbs, and 4 1/2 oz. and I'm already 27 1/4 inches!!! I'm just Mommy's little Giraffe!! Dr. says that everythings good, and I can start regular meals and foods now!! That means Fruit!!!

Only one more week of missing Mommy!! She has so many projects that she's always working on. But they will all be done really soon!! and then we get to go to INDY!! Yeah!! I get to see Grandpa and Grandmas again!! (oh yeah, and everyone else too) :) What a busy time of year!!

Snow!!!

Yeah!! Snow!!! Guess what! We got about 3 inches of snow last night, so me and Mommy went out to play in it today!! Here's some pictures of me in the snow!

Hey- Mom - What did you do with my hands?!?!
Then the doggies came out to play with us!! They loved it, well, Mowgli did!! He ran so many circles and for such a long time!!
But Piper doesn't like the cold, or Mowgli running around, so she just sits by the door and waits to be let in. Party Pooper!
We had so much fun, until Mo-Mo got snow on me. Mommy said that she wants to get me a sled to pull me around in the snow when we go get our Christmas Tree. That sounds like fun!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hi Everyone!!! Things are going good here in "Riley Land"!! I am getting to be such a big boy!! You wouldn't believe it! Mommy says that 5 Months is my Magic Number - because everything has changed for me!! Here's just a few things that I do now:

Love My Paci!!! Mommy got me some new ones too!

Love my Baths!! I like to kick my legs and splash the water!! (Check out those ears!!)
Sit up all by my self!!! (but usually only when I have a toy in front of me)
I'm Such a Big Boy!! Turkey Day is coming - and some snow -Finally!! Daddy is sad though, because it probably won't be a lot of snow for us in town, but maybe in the mountains!! Mommy and Daddy have already made plans to take me up there for some pictures next weekend. Mommy got me a cute little Santa Suit to take some pictures for Christmas cards in, but the hat was too small for my big ol' head - so she just made me one!! Didn't she do a good job!! (Daddy wants one now too!) She got enough fabric to make a stocking for me that matches. I can't wait for Christmas!! In two weekends Mommy and Daddy are taking me to Red Feather Lakes to cut down my first Christmas tree!!! Yeah!!! I'm so excited!! It will be so much fun!!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! I'm thankful for My Mommy and Daddy, and those big, silly white things that bounce around the house - and keep me entertained!!

Hey everyone!!! Look at me!! I can roll over now!!! Look at me go!! Yesterday Mommy refused to help me, ;_( so I decided that I had better learn how to do this all by my self!! So I did!! Now if I can just figure out how to go the other way!?!? I had a fun weekend! I spent a lot of time with Daddy while Mommy worked on a big project for school. We had so much fun! We went shopping, and played, and Daddy let me take naps on him! (Mommy doesn't do that anymore). Last night we went to a Thanksgiving Dinner Party at Mommy's friend Leslie's House, and I was the center of attention!! But Mommy and Daddy wouldn't let me have any turkey. I can't wait until I'm done with all this cereal stuff and I can eat Mommy and Daddy food!! Thank goodness Mommy only has a couple more weeks of school for this semester - I miss her!! It seems like she's always busy!! But I like it when I get to go to school with her to work - there's lots of nice people there to play with!! Mommy calls them professors! Whoever they are, they are always happy to see me!! I still haven't cut a tooth yet, but the pain isn't so bad right now. It kinda comes and goes, but I still like my "popsicle" toy!! Mommy gives me an ice cube in it every morning - and it's yummy!!

First Real Food!!

Guess what I got!! I got to eat real food this week - well, kinda real! I had some Rice Cereal. It was yummy!! I didn't eat a lot the first day, because Mommy had just fed me and I wasn't really hungry, but yesterday I was hungry - and I ate a lot!! There's a new video of it, and here's my first bite:

It took me a while to get the hang of it!!!
Daddy fed me some too. I like this whole real food thing. The spoon was fun to chew on!
But I think I liked the bib best!!
Also, I'm cutting my first tooth! It is very painful, and I scream a lot!! Mommy doesn't like that. Thanks to Auntie Adrianne for all the help!! I love my new "Popsicle" treat!! I suck on three or four ice cubes a day in it!! I also like it because it's nice and messy - just like me!! hehehe. Well, things are getting busy again. Mommy has a lot of work to do at school for the next few weeks, so she says I get to play with Daddy and Katy a lot for a while!! Yeah!!! But as soon as she's all done, we are taking another trip to Indy to visit!! My Grandmas and Grandpas will be so surprised at how big I am!!

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween is so much fun!! I can't wait until next year when I can go Trick-or-Treating!! Here's our pumpkins that Mommy and Daddy carved. Mommy's is on top (it's the girlie pumpkin), mine is in the middle, and of course Daddy's is the Jeep pumpkin!! Mommy also tried to toast some seeds in the oven, but I think she burned them, cuz it smelled really bad!

We got lots of trick-or-treaters tonight, more than Mommy and Daddy have ever had. But it helps when you live in a neighborhood with a lot of kids, and not in a third floor condo! Here's me in my pumpkin suit. It was really warm, and a tad small, so I didn't wear it for very long. Eventually Mommy let me out and I just wore my pumpkin hat.

Mommy dressed up like a kitty cat. And the doggies like to nip at her tail!! heheheMommy also made a white tiger mask for Daddy, so he wouldn't feel left out!! I liked it when Daddy played peek-a-boo with me in the mask. The trick-or-treaters thought the mask was neat!! Daddy even scared one of them!
Next year Daddy wants me to be Yoda. I don't know!! I just hope I can eat some of that yummy candy!! Maybe next year we'll get to go to Old Town Fort Collins for trick-or-treating.

Happy Halloween everyone!!

Moab!!

Wow - what a trip!! Everyone had a good time!! Unfortunately we only got to spend 2 full days in Moab, so we spent one in Arches, hiking and sightseeing, and the other in Canyonlands (Needles District). Friday was a beautiful day!! Sunny and warm, but not sweltering!! Saturday was pretty overcast, so it was a bit cooler. Riley did really good on the drive out (about 7 hours), but through the rest of the weekend he got really sick of being in the car. By the drive home, he was screaming almost the entire time!! Mommy and Daddy took turns sitting in the back with him to entertain him. We also took Riley on his first Off-road adventures!! Mommy was a little nervous, but Daddy reassured her that the trails were very easy ones. But she still took Riley out of the car during the tougher parts. We stayed in a camping cabin, (because they have heat) and found out that for Moab - that's the way to go!! The cabins have AC too for the summer, and after a long day in the desert elements, it's nice to have a mattress to sleep on and lights to turn on (rather than using flashlights and lanterns). It is a beautiful part of the country, and being there in October made it perfect!! (no more mid-July tips!!) We added a Kodak Photo album to the mix - because there were a TON of pictures, and even a couple of videos of Daddy Wheelin'. Enjoy - next up Halloween!! We are carving our pumpkins tonight!! (yes I know - cutting it a little close!)

More new friends - and a new Look!

Well, It was another exciting day in the life of Riley!! Today we finally got to go to Mommy and Daddy's childbirthing class reunion. Here's the whole group with all my new baby friends: I got along best with Issac, he was very playful!
He was a little insecure about his baldness, so I told him I was getting a haircut, and he could have some of mine!! ;)
So here I am getting my first haircut!
Mommy was a little nervous because she's only cut Daddy's hair (and he holds still better than I do!!) But I think she did a good enough job - At least I didn't come out with a Mo-hawk!!
So more exciting news to come!! On Thursday we are taking a trip to Moab, Utah!! I get to see lots of arches and canyons, and go hiking!! And Then comes HALLOWEEN!!! We went and picked out our pumpkins today. Mine is the smallest, and Daddy's is the biggest. We are going to carve them this week, and take lots more Pictures!! Talk to ya all later!!

New Friend!!

Riley got to meet his newest friend today, Greg. Greg lives across the street from us and is only a week old. He can't wait until Greg gets bigger so that they can play together. This weekend has been pretty cold, and we had to break out the long sleeve onsies, and warm crib blankets. We are glad that Daddy's home now, and it looks like there will be no more traveling for the rest of the year!! Yeah!!

Riley has been a Cranky-Butt this week. It has been difficult to get him to take naps, and then he is just cranky all the time!! But I think this weekend we got it figured out. We have crossed into the "scheduled nap time", instead of the usual "falling asleep when I'm tired time." So we have been putting him down for naps, not just letting him sleep whenever and whereever, and it has become a much more pleasant household!! We knew this time would come eventually!! Also, he seems very intrigued with Mommy and Daddy's food at dinner, and is becoming less patient during his meals, so I think we are going to start some solids next weekend. And Mommy is getting anxious to give Riley a haircut!! His hair is very long in front, and very short in back where he has rubbed it all off!! So we will probably try to even it out pretty soon - Look for lots of pictures!!

What a Day!!!

Riley had a VERY busy day today!!! We woke up early (well, earlier than usual), and went to CSU's Homecoming Parade. It was a lot of fun, for Mommy and Daddy. But it was a bit noisy for Riley. He really didn't like the trumpets in the marching bands, and the firetruck sirens. But he did enjoy watching all the people and all the movement!! By the time it was about 3/4 the way through it was well past his morning nap time, so we left early. Then we went to the Denver zoo (and he slept the whole way there!!) He really liked that!! We saw a ton of animals - almost all of them were out! And he even got to ride the Carousel!! It was a long day for everyone, and he slept the whole way home too! Then he went to bed almost 2 hours early!! Poor thing - he was exhausted!! Anyways we added a Photo album of our day to the Kodak Gallery, and a video from the parade (of CSU's Fight Song, and Riley scared of it!!). Enjoy them, we'll add some more videos after we get some sleep!!

Fun Times!

Hi Everyone!! Guess What!! My Daddy's Home!!! (but just for a couple of days before he goes out again.) I missed him so much!! There is a whole lot of things going on in my life right now!! I got a new toy!! Katy calls it an Exer-Saucer, I just call it FUN!!! Here I am in it, sucking my thumb - Oh yeah - I figured out how to do that too!!
Also, Mommy says I'm "teething", whatever that is. All I know is that I love to chew on stuff, my bibs, mommy's fingers, my rings, but my favorite is this blue shapes thingy - especially when mommy puts it in the Fridge!!
I would even chew on my little piggies, if I could get them in my mouth easier!! This morning Mommy caught me chewing on the toes of my pj's - 'cuz they stretch really well!!
Tomorrow is the Homecoming at Mommy's school, so I get to go to my First Parade!! It will be so exciting!! Then Mommy and Daddy are taking me to the ZOO!!! I get to see all kinds of animals - the real ones, not the fake ones like in my room. I am having so much fun!! And I think I heard something about a mini-vacation to Moab. I can't wait to find out what that is!!! Talk to you all later!!

Four Months!!

Well everyone, I’m four months old now!! And I am loving life!! Mommy says I’m a happy baby, and my babysitter Katy thinks so too! I spend most of my time playing with Mommy, and my toys. My favorites are Jingles my giraffe, and my rings (because I can chew on them the best!!) I can entertain myself for a little bit now, which makes Mommy happy! I also like to talk, a lot!! And sometimes in the car, I sing along with the radio! My newest trick is I can blow raspberries!! It’s fun – especially when I get slobber on Mommy or Daddy!! Daddy says I sound like the Tazmanian Devil - brrrrllllaaaa, bbbbbrrraaaa!! I am also getting better at holding my own bottle, but sometimes my arms get tired and I drop it, (or I’m just kinda lazy and I let Mommy, Daddy or Katy hold it for me!) I like watching the doggies – they are funny, and always walking around. Sometimes the kitty is entertaining too – mostly in the mornings when he’s awake! I don’t like it when I get put on my tummy. I think my Mommy and Daddy want me to roll over, but I just can’t figure out how to do it!! I kick my legs like crazy, but it just doesn’t happen! Mommy says I’m going to be spending a lot of time with her and Katy for the next 2 weeks, because Daddy has to go away for work. I’m going to miss him. Well, it’s almost time for my nap. Here’s some new pictures of me!!

Holding my Bottle
Yummy rattle!!
blowing raspberries!!
Hi everyone!!