The Adorable Roo

I'm sorry, but when you have a baby girl as cute as mine, you just have to take a million pictures.  She is very patient with my impromptu photo sessions.  Ryker doesn't put up with them anymore.  Here is my adorable Ruby Roo. 

St. Patricks Day.  She's never worn this outfit before because it's for summer, but I just put a long-sleeved onesie under it and it looked so cute! 

Lovin' her toes

Seriously...so cute.

One of my all-time favorite pictures of her!

Cutest kids on the planet.  I think this is the best picture of the two of them that I've ever gotten!

I just bought these baby legs.  They are so cute!  Just had to take more pictures of course...

Showin' off the chunk.

Ryker's Birthday!

Ryker's birthday party was last Saturday.  Both of my kids were a bit overwhelmed with all the action.  Overall I think I would have had a better time if my kids weren't there, but since it was Ryker's party I guess it's good we invited him.  I hope he had a good time!

Ryker and Aunt Sarah at Jungle Jim's on the day of his actual birthday.  He had never been there before and loved it!

Driving the jeep.  He was so serious about it.  He just knew he had to concentrate or he would crash.

Ryker's one smiling picture at his party.  This was of course before anyone got there.

The kids table!  I think I have the cutest nieces and nephews ever!

Ryker did pretty well until present opening time.  He opened the first gift, and then just wanted to play with it.  He got more and more mad that he would open a present and get something cool, but couldn't play with it.  This is right before he lost it.

And the tantrum began.

And continued...

I ended up opening several of his presents for him.

He was happy again once he got his cake.  And....drum roll...he blew out his candles himself!  I'd been working with him on his fear of fire for weeks practicing blowing out matches.  I'm so proud of him!!

Who has the bigger mouth? 

Ryker loves the sunglasses he got.

The next morning he woke up super early and played with his new toys.  He really did love them dispite his tantrum while opening them.  He fell asleep reading his "Ah-pets!" (Wonder Pets) book for the 35th time.

Two!

March 12th.  Wow!  Another year has passed already.  Today is Ryker's 2nd birthday!  What a busy year he's had.  Last year he was a baby.  Now he's a little boy.  He went from playing peek-a-boo to playing games on an iPhone.  He went from toddling to running and jumping.  He went from only knowing a few words, to chattering non-stop.  He went from being an only child to being a big brother.  He went from wearing diapers to...well...wearing diapers.  We'll tackle that one next year I guess.

Ryker is such an amazing kid.  Right now he loves Lightning McQueen and all things Cars, Wall-E, and Wonder Pets.  His favorite color is green, and he knows all his colors.  He loves making big crashes down his slide with his cars.  Much to his daddy's dismay, his most recent accomplishment is learning how to walk down stairs like a big boy.  He loves playing with his cousins, and a-pong (ping pong) with his aunts.  He recently got a booster-chair and he is so proud to sit at the table like a big boy. 

I love my Ryker boy!!

Growing up before your eyes...

1 week old

6 months old

1 year old

18 months old

2 years old!

Little Man Ryker

Our little man Ryker turns two in less than a month!  He is growing up so fast.  He has become an extremely busy little boy.  He loves his toys, loves playing with other kids, and loves it when we let him play with the iPhone.  He is talking so much.  I love toddler-talk.  He comes up with the funniest and most random things.  He is a master climber, and I'm running out of "up high" places where I can put things out of his reach.  He is such a happy boy.  I love my Ryker boy! 

Here are a few pictures of what we've been up to:

Christmas morning

From Santa.  Ryker is still very concerned about Santa coming down into the fireplace.  He points to the fireplace all the time and says "Santa....hot....man...green!", which means of course Santa came in the fireplace and brought him his green garbage truck.

Loves his toys.

Ryker is very loved by his Aunt Shel.

A few weeks ago we rode Trax to go to the childrens museum.  Ryker thought the train was just as cool as the childrens museum.

Driving the car with Madi at the museum

Ryker is obsessed with being tall.  He loves to climb up on things and then yell "tall!" again and again until you acknowlege how tall he is.  He calls ladders "talls" and loved climbing the tall with Daddy to change lightbulbs.

Ryker's new obsession.  The iPhone.  Now if he would only tell me where he hid it today.  I can't find it anywhere.  Last I saw he was watching a YouTube video of a garbage man.

Ryker and his cute cousin Hanna at the zoo yesterday.

Ruby Roo

Miss Ruby Roo turned four months old on January 29th.  At her four month appointment she weighed 15 lb 6 oz, and was 26.5 inches long.  That's about 75% for weight and off the charts for height.   She is seriously the happiest baby ever - as long as Mommy is around.  Today was a big day of  firsts for her.  Today she rolled over for the first time, she ate rice cereal for the first time, and she learned to grab her toes!  I am so lucky to be mommy to such a sweet little girl.  Here are some recent pictures:

Here is Miss Ruby at 2 months old. 

Sweetest smile...

Roo and her Daddy

Three months old

She loves hanging out on the changing table.  Just like her brother did.

Just look at those cheeks!!

Finding her toes...

.

Pretty baby

Not sure if food is all that great.

Yum yum.

At the zoo.  Ruby Roo and Sofia in their Moby Wraps.  Little Sofia is the little brown hat you can see poking out!

My new job

I started a new job this week.  My new boss (well, bosses - I have two) are extremely demanding and difficult to please.  At my old job I was paid well, I worked minimum overtime, and I had paid vacations.  This new job has terrible pay.  It requires a ton of overtime, including being on call 24/7.  I am not allowed vacations let alone paid vacations.  I'm not allowed to be sick...ever.  But, I couldn't be happier with the change.  Here are my new employers:

Yes!  I quit my job to be a stay at home mom.  I never thought I would want to stay at home with my kids...until they were born.  Once I saw them I knew I never wanted to be away from them. I am thrilled to be able to stay home with them for the next few years.  My last day of "work" was last Thursday, but I have to admit - I don't think I've ever worked harder! 

Cousins

One of the main reasons we decided to move back to Utah was so that our kids could grow up knowing their cousins.  What a great move!  Ryker and Ruby have awesome cousins and I'm sure they'll grow up being great friends.

Sofia Elise Partridge was born last Tuesday, December 9th.  She and Ruby are only 2 months apart in age.  I'm so happy that Ruby will have a cousin so close in age to go through life with.  You'd never guess by looking at them that they are so close in age.  As Josh put it, "Ruby looks like a monster who wants to eat little Sofia!".  Yes...my girl does enjoy her food. :)

Sofia Elise

Three happy cousins eating lunch together on a play date.

One of the best things about having cousins is having access to their toys.  Ryker found this "baby" at Hanna's house and he immediately became very attached to it.  This is a picture of me trying to take his baby away so he can get in the bath.

Madi is a great helper.  She loves to entertain Ryker for me.  Here they are doing pudding finger painting a few weeks back.

 

Seriously...how often do you get a picture this good?!  All three looking at the camera and smiling?  It's a small miracle.  Ryker loved going to the zoo with Madi and Carter.