Cutie Pie

Crap, I mean YIPEE!! I got an award!

My closest and dearest friend Heather Broad has bestowed upon me the prestigious "Stylish Blogger Award". I am flattered by the award, and more flattered by the wonderful things my BFF says about me - and she even does so in public! I am blessed in many ways - but truly I am blessed in the friend department. Heather is dear and true, she is my touchstone. When I think I'm crazy for thinking something I can call her and low and behold she is on the same page. Thank God for Heather - we are birds of a feather and forever we will stick together! Thank you for the award Heather; although I think it may have simply been a ploy to get me to make a new post.

So now there are some rules that I must follow apparently:

1. Thank the person who gave me the award

2. Share 7 things about myself (oh aren't you lucky)

3. Pass the award to other bloggers who have inspired me

4. Copy the award from Heather's blog and display it on mine

5. Notify my selected recipients



So I thanked Heather, now I will share a few things about myself (which may or may not include my baby). I have taken a hint from Heather on some so Thanks again Heather!

1. I have a birthmark - a cafe au lait spot on my left forearm. Apparently my mother thought this was some kind of permanent dirt when I was little. My Ryan also has a cafe au lait spot on the top of her left ankle. People are really going to think that she is dirty because of the placement of this.

2. I also have a butt chin. Yep. It's mine and I like it. I really enjoyed the fact that my eldest nephew pointed this out to me mere moments before walking down the aisle to marry my true love. Thanks Jon! Well little Ry has a butt chin too. This and the birthmark are virtually the only signs of her mother. Well those two and her genius.

3. I have vertigo. It's super awesome.

4. My porn name would be Pokey Valley. Mom and Dad don't freak out - it's just a fun little game where you take your first pet's name and combine it with the street you grew up on. Although I am not in porn, it is a pretty good porn name.

5. I was born in Jersey. I'm a closet guidette. GTL!!! ( Well, out of the GTL you can tell the only thing I do is laundry). TSHIRT TIME!
6. Ryan and I cuddle for at least 15 minutes before we get out of bed in the morning. My favorite time of day. When Mike gets home from work is my next favorite...

7. I don't have a passport. While my parents travel the world, I have yet to procure the document that would even allow me to visit our upstairs neighbors. One day I will get it. Then it will probably be many many many days before I would actually be able to use it.



Phew. That was tough!



Now I am supposed to pass the award on, but the only blogs that I read are Heather and Sarah's, and they already have the award... So I guess it ends here. That's not too stylish of me, but you can't take the award back IT'S MINE!!


And now I will leave you with a video of our little monkey and the day she discovered her shadow.

Ryan's First Birthday

So here are some pics from Ryan's first birthday... more than 6 months ago. I started to make this post back in July, but got frustrated with blogger and the time it takes to upload pics. Just a few of the millions we took, I think they are pretty self explanatory. I really cannot believe how big she has gotten since then (and how much blonder!).

Random Pics

It's been a tough couple of months. We thought Mike's surgery was going to be the hard part, but that turned out to be just the beginning. The radioactive iodine therapy is doing it's work now and thankfully Mike is back on his thyroid meds. We hope his energy will be back soon and he will be feeling better. The challenge ahead is to get him on the right dose of meds to replicate what his thyroid was doing. I am so blessed to have an amazingly strong husband. Through it all he has still been the greatest Dad to our little girl, and still so wonderful to me. Thanks to everyone for you love and support - we have needed it. I count my blessings everyday.

These pics are in reverse chronological order, but I'm too lazy and tired to fix it.

Enjoy! Me and my girl on Mother's Day, also my 36th birthday. Did I say that out loud?

Ry baby in bed helping me open my cards. Mike should have bought stock in Hallmark.

Ryan on my shoulders. She thought it would be a good place to rest her head I guess.

Look at these cuties. Oh man I love these two. How could you not?

Ryan at the zoo laughing away. Look at those toofers!!!

Avah and Ryan as otters in the children's zoo.

We were checking out the alpacas - she wanted to jump out of my arms and attack them!

Checking out a goat.

Again, looking at a goat - she was pretty excited.

The whole gang (from L to R): Ryan, Heather, Shaina, Elle, Jeremy, Caleb, Jeremy,Avah, Hunter, Jonas, Michelle, Donna. We had a fabulous time at the zoo!

Avah and Hunter sharing a ride.

Look at this gorgeous girl.

I really can't believe how big she is getting! I can't believe she'll be a year old in a month. Stop the clock! It's going by way too fast!

Kiss and hug your loved ones a little extra today.

Easter, Clothes, Cardinals

We took some cute pics of our beautiful girl on Easter in the yard... the weather was perfect!!

`

Big thanks to Aunt Karie for putting together some hand-me-downs for Ryan... she likes new clothes!!

Oh these are FABulous!

And delicious!

Someone is soooo excited for the Cardinal's Home Opener!!

I mean super excited!!

Now she's getting ready for the 7th inning stretch.

Praying for a Pujols home run!!

Seriously, enough with the pictures Mom!!

You Should See the Other Baby...

So our beautiful baby girl took her first serious fall the other day, and now we look like child abusers when we go out in public.
It was one of those moments where you see it coming, and yet you fail to stop it. She pulled herself up on a magazine rack, lost her balance and took it right in the cheek. The impact was severe - she had a huge line bruise immediately and it was great enough that it has caused her to also get a black eye. I don't know who was more traumatized - me or her.
The bruising is getting prettier and prettier day by day. I hope today it is the worst. I feel terrible about the whole thing, but I guess it's just going to be one of many accidents she has. I think we are going to tell strangers that she got into a vicious baby brawl and she stole the other baby's sandwich. VICTORY!!!

Lint Rollers are hilarious