Not Sure Why...

Not sure why there is a Radio Flier wagon in my living room but it kept him busy for an hour so I'll go with it!

Funny Boy

Fuzzy Slippers the Second Time Around!

I bought Jacob his first pair of fuzzy slippers, Riley was just about the same age when she got her first pair except I brought Riley to pick out her first pair and Riley and I picked out Jacob's for him after our haircuts!  Jacob loved them and kept them on most of the evening, he even tried putting them on himself, which was quite humorous!  They are both just over 19 months in these pictures.  I can't believe how much bigger Jacob is than Riley was!!!  Riley also got a new pair of slippers but she wasn't interested in cheesing it up for me. 

Our Future's So Bright...

we've got to wear shades!  These kids are way into their shades!!!

Goofballs!

Finally, his own pair of shades!  (I bought him a pair of 0-24 month shades a while back and they were too small!  So we had to exchange them for a pair of 2-6 year old shades!)

Ride Em Horsey

A few weeks ago, Riley's day care had pony rides, I actually had to sign my very first permission slip for this event.  It had quite the impact on Riley, she's still talking about it and keeps telling me that I need to come and watch her ride the pony.  She had asked me that day to come and watch, it was a Tuesday so I was working at home but I got wrapped up in work and never made it over there, I was also worried that if I showed up to watch that I would never be able to leave.  I feel really bad because she keeps saying "Next time you come watch me?"  I love that she wants to share all of these exciting experiences with me because soon enough she's going to want me to get lost so next time, no matter what, I am going to watch her ride the pony, even if that means the rest of my day involves trying to work with Riley around!

I was fully prepared to overpay for some pictures of her in a cowboy outfit sitting on a pony but there were no pictures of Riley, I was so bummed!!!  I didn't even see a class photo but luckily Riley's friend Mitchell's mom found a class photo of the kids and the ponies and was nice enough to buy one for Riley.  It's one of her most prized possessions right now and she walks around the house with it.

Busy Weekend!

We had a super busy weekend which made it fly by, boo for that, but it was packed with fun.  We started Saturday off with our weekly walk with Ryan and Shari and then we headed over to Marc's friend, John's, house for the first summer BBQ of the year.  There was a huge inflatable water slide which of course Riley had to get involved with and she just adored John's 7 year old daughter, Allie.  Both of John's kids doted on Riley.  There was one boy there that was probably 14 or 15 and Riley totally had a crush on him.  She kept walking over to him and just stared at him, it was adorable.  After the BBQ we headed to Walnut Creek for some shopping and then we got to meet up with the Goines'.  Riley and Jake had a great time chasing each other around!

First Pool of the Season

Tuesday is my work from home day and it happened to be in the 90s!  Our first real heat of the season!  So I grabbed Riley from day care a bit early and bribed her to leave with me with the prospect of going swimming.  So I dusted off her little pool and got to work blowing it up.  Riley was pretty funny, every time she saw it inflate, she would say: "Good job Mommy!  Way to go!  You did it Mommy!  Woohoo!"  It was pretty cute, my little cheerleader.  So we finally got the pool semi-inflated, unfortunately, I don't have any "big dolphins" for Riley to swim with but she managed to have a good time!

Getting toes wet for the first time

Water!

Wetting her face, she looked like she was in a hair care or facial care commercial, it was so refreshing! :)

So refreshed!  When did my baby girl get to be so big!?!

This girl knows how to have fun!

"I wetted my hair!"

Our Little Dare Devil

I came downstairs the other day and Riley had this set up going on, she was coaxing Elmo into jumping with her.

Seems our little dare devil has mastered the art of jumping!

GOOOOOALLLLLL!!!!

Yesterday at soccer they were practicing goals and Riley did great!  As awful as she was last week at soccer she was that great yesterday.  I wish I had kept filming because she started to run down the field with her hands up cheering for herself.  I almost expected to her to rip off her shirt like Brandi Chastain did!  Do we have the next Mia Hamm  (who also had clubfeet) on our hands?

A Day In the City

My good friend from college was in town over the weekend from New Jersey with her husband and their daughter Madison.  Madison is about 12 hours older than Riley and Jenn and I were sorority sisters.  We always see them when we are in New Jersey so we were excited to have them on this side of the country.  We braved BART and met them in Union Square for lunch.  It took the girls a few minutes to warm up to each other but once they did, it was like they see each other every day and not once a year.  They were so cute together, they sat next to each other and copied each other and even sang a few songs together for us.

This was probably the only time that they were sitting still :)

Classic toddler "cheese" face



Friends hug!



First Soccer Practice

It's hard to be believe that almost exactly 2 years ago we were embarking on Riley's brace wear.  We we suffered through the stares of strangers passing by as people noticed her brace, we dealt with a cranky infant trying to figure out why she could no longer move her legs independently but Saturday she had her very first soccer practice.  As I watched her running on the field and kicking the soccer ball, just like all of the other kids on the field, I got a little choked up, what a proud moment to see a happy, healthy, and perfect little girl running around having the time of her life on that field.  I was pretty impressed with how well she did, aside from having to work on her listening skills (which tonight I cracked down on), Riley did so well.  She picked up on kicking the ball and running and kicked the ball several times consecutively.  It was a great afternoon for us!

Excited for her first soccer practice

Her field - They just built a gorgeous sport park facility up the street from us

Checking out the older kids's game

Running "drills" with Daddy

Her soccer class - her buddy Ryan is in her class

We're #1!

Learning how to dribble

Getting the coordination down

My cool chick

I LOVE this picture, how cute are these two!?!

Peeps

Riley is obsessed with marshmallows.  When she has to go potty she tells us "Riley go potty on toilet.  Riley 2 marshmallow."  She makes it very clear on her expectations of marshmallows.  So we were in Target the other day and I saw some peeps and I was like "ooo, yum and I bet Ri would like them too since they are marshmallows."  I forgot how utterly sugar coated they are but the damage had been done, they were on our counter and they had been spotted, so I gave her a 1/4 of a Peep, yes 1/4 of a Peep.  Apparently this is what happens when Riley has a 1/4 of a Peep and we turn on her CDs of her music from school!   (Oh and for the record, in the second video Riley is saying "stand up" to Marc, not "shut up," it took us a while to decipher that phrase of hers.) 



Bieber Fever

Riley has been singing Justin Bieber for a few days now, she must have picked it up from my Glee CD.  She sang it the whole way home from day care, getting out of the bath, and coming down the stairs.  I caught her on video twice, before and during dinner and then she proceeded to sing it as we put her to bed.  When we try to sing with her, she tells us "No stop!!!"

Riley's a Bieliber!

I Chase You Me!

Riley loves to play chase between our kitchen and family room and around our dining room table.  Last night she recruited Marc for the job of chaser.

Have You Ever Seen Such a Happy Girl?

Jumping

Riley LOVES to jump, that is pretty much her favorite mode of  transportation lately.  After finally figuring out the 2 footed jump, she's now working on jumping off of things; the curb, the balance beam at Gymnastics, and her chair.

Party Like a Rock Star

Riley got invited to her little friend Trevor's birthday party yesterday.  It was up in Brentwood at Chuck E Cheese's.  Yes!  Another Chuck E Cheese birthday party and Riley was super excited!  Her friends Jimmy and Mitchell were also there from school.  Coincidentally, Chuck E Cheese was right next door to the store where we bought all of Riley's bedroom furniture and her UppaBaby stroller so we stopped in to check it out after the party.  They recognized us and couldn't believe that Riley was 2 years old already!  Riley enjoyed the store and sat at a little kids table looking through the catalog of bedding and furniture.  We were also happy to see that they are doing well and expanding into the space next door, it's a family run business and they are super nice so in this economy I am really happy that they are doing well.  If you are ever in need of baby or kids furniture, we highly recommend Kids n Cribs in Brentwood!

Riley had a great time celebrating with Trevor and playing with her friend Jimmy!  (Friday on the way to school Riley informed me that "Jimmy Riley friend in classroom."  It was very cute!)

Riley loved this ride, she insisted on going on this ride 3 times!

With Daddy and Chuck E Cheese

Dancing with Jimmy

Jimmy and Riley riding in the car together

Riding the horsey

The birthday boy

Saying good bye to Chuck E Cheese