St. Louis Vacation

We had a great week last week on our family vacation. We left on Saturday and drove to Columbia, MO to stay with Sarah (Matthew's sister), Bismark, Hannah & Carson. We stayed there almost 24 hours and thought breaking up the drive would be better for myself and for Ryane. We had a good visit with them and headed onto St. Louis on Father's Day.

After arriving in St. Louis we checked into the hotel and thought we'd drive around to find out where Matthew's conference would be and exactly where others things would be. I can say it wasn't much fun driving around streets we didn't know and getting detoured a bit by flooded streets down by the river. One turn took up down the MOST ROUGH cobblestone street there is!! While it would be great if I was actually trying to into labor, it was just really rough and seemed to last forever! :) We finally found somewhere to eat and our way back to our hotel for the night. Monday, Matthew was off to a conference class for the day and Ryane & I were on our own. We enjoyed swimming at the hotel and taking a trip to Union Station to feed the fish, which Ryane loved, and we walked around the mall.

Tuesday, we had most of the day to spend as a family, so we visited the Magic House and had lots of fun and imaginative play there. There was lots of things for Ryane to do there and there was also many things for kids that are older than her. Overall, I highly recommend going! This could be one of my favorite pictures of the trip.....



That night Ryane and I joined Matthew at his Conference's welcome fair that many family's attended. They had lots of stuff for Ryane to enjoy and it was fun to be able to see the many other families that came along for the conference. Later that night, Matthew snuck away with some friends from college for drinks and gambling. He tells me they all walked away winners, so that always makes it more fun for everyone.

Wednesday, Matthew was back at his conference and Ryane and I mainly hung out spending quality time together. Seems like forever ago that I got to spend that many days in a row with Ryane and it was so great. That night, we attended the cardinals game. They were playing the Royals, so we had plenty of opportunties to cheer and watch the Royals win!! It was Ryane's first official baseball game and well, it may be a bit longer before she's really into it. :) Ryane told us she was "Done!" maybe as late as the 4th inning. ha!



Thursday, our last day in St. Louis, after Matthew was done attending conference stuff in the morning, we managed to find the zoo after much looking. I've been the zoo there before, but I can say it was absolutely amazing this time having Ryane and Matthew there. Ryane was so cute to watch and made me feel like a kid again as well experiencing the animals for the first time (as she doesn't remember going to Wichita zoo last year).





I do have lots more pictures from the trip (surprise, surprise!!), but the internet is not being my friend to upload them to a different link. overall, the trip was great. We did have some moments of frustration though with potty-training on vacation - yikes! While at the hotel, everything was good, but when we went out and about (especially the Magic House), it didn't bother Ryane one bit not to tell us anything and just go...then, still not say anything about it. I swear there was a moment I was ready to go buy diapers! But, we all made it through the trip - hee hee - and back home to concentrate on it again.

Summertime, summertime

Matthew got Ryane's pool set up for her a couple weekends ago. I tried putting her in it a couple hours after the water was filled and she wasn't having it. Matthew took her out a couple nights later for another try. At first, she prefered standing on the outside until her daddy got her in there and taught her to splash.

Our Little Ar-TIST!

Ryane loves to "cu-lr" and asks to do it often. We recently bought her some bath time crayolas and she went right to town with her artist skills. Ryane's signature artist skills are making lines - most commonly drawing 3 lines with a crayon or sidewalk chalk, then switching colors.

This second picture I was messing around with my camera with depth of focus (focusing on crayons while blurring the rest). I decided to include it as it was one of the few times I got to see Ryane's face and you can see the crayon marks on her chin - those babies mark easily!

20 Months Old

Ryane will be 20 months old on Wednesday and not only am I amazed at how she's growing up in actions, but I think she is really changing in looks as well. Her hair keeps growing and growing and likes to curl up on humid days such as today. I set up the photography studio tonight to get some maternity photos with Matthew in them using a new backdrop I ordered. I go downstairs and Matthew has her all setting still (RARITY for her), so I couldn't resist snapping a picture before she was on the move again. Even though she doesn't have her big heart warming smile on, I love the picture for a couple reasons. I love that you can see how she is looking more like a big girl and I love that you can see her beauty mark that came about shortly after she turned 18months. So, here's my pretty girl...


Beautiful beauty mark!!


Also, I always wonder who is actually reading the blog and if it's really worth my time to update. PLEASE leave a comment if not just to say hello, so I know you are out there. You shouldn't have to have an account to do so.

Picture Time

Ryane loves to ride on her daddy's back. We are working with her more on the "shirt-hold-setting-up" riding style, instead of her usual "strangle-you-laying down" riding style.


Ryane is very independent. Here's an example of her NOT letting us help her get dressed. I'd be embarrassed too that I only used one leg-hole of my pajama bottoms. Also, she did have her shirt on, but couldn't get the second arm through, so she just took it all off. Wonder where she gets that attitude from? ...probably her mom!!


Ryane is really into watching for and chasing after birdies; therefore, this is one of her favorites spots to set in the house.


Who didn't love the weather this weekend?!! We were trying to think of everything to do to be outside with Ryane. We finally got some use out of a bubble-toy the Easter bunny brought Ryane. She enjoyed "blowing" the bubbles as well as pretending to eat them. Odd girl! :) She gets that from Dad!!

Mother's Day 2008

I had an awesome Mother's Day on Sunday. I am so so blessed to have a wonderful daughter and loving husband to give me a special day. We had a nice relaxing day and Ryane was entertaining as ever. It's hard for me to think that I wasn't even a mom not to long ago and very soon I am going to be a mom of 2! Scary and exciting at the same time. There are many times where I have the feeling that I have no idea of what I'm doing, but I look at how great Ryane and think 'she's not turning out so bad'. Being a mom is so fulfilling! Motherhood can be challenging, but makes me feel so special in a way I never knew possible. Of course to memorialize the day, Matthew took a few pictures of Ryane and I together (the baby made his appearance in a couple as well!).


Just for a trip down memory lane, I'm including last year's collage. What a difference a year makes! Ryane actually has wrists now. :)

Recent Pictures

It's been kindly mentioned to me that it has been awhile since I have posted any pictures of Ryane (thanks Aunt Sherry), so here are some recent ones.

What does a girl look like that only had one potty-training accident all weekend and stayed dry all day at day care for the first time?
TA-DAAA!


What does a girl look like right before she gets carried into the house kicking and screaming because it's dinner time?


One of Ryane's many expressions. :)


This was actually a kiss, but Ryane usually gives her baby brother a zerbert 90% of the time.