Fun Rain Day!

We really need the rain here, but even more Ryker just needed to get outside! The rain let up enough that the big guy could sport his rain jacket and new boots and splash around in puddles!

Wonderful Day for a Baptism

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. Kendyll was very low key throughout the whole ceremony, even when water was being washed over her head. There were 4 other babies being baptized today - 3 boys and 1 other girl. The other babies looked tiny compared to her, but I'm guessing they had to be younger. This ceremony was different from Ryker's in that it was just a baptism, not a full service. It lasted just as long as a service, but it was more interactive and entertaining.

Although Ryker did well, he was not feeling well today. He ended up going to the urgent care doc this evening only to find out that he has a double ear infection and pink eye. Poor guy, he is just miserable.

Words

Ryker is making an effort to talk more. On the official list of words he can say aside of the usual mama, dada, baba are "oot" (out - he's aparently part Canadian), "dow" (down), and "ello" (hello) - the last of which I heard moments ago as he was putting a phone up to his ear. This is all in the last few days. I wonder how much this can be attributed to his starting daycare recently. I know one girl in his class talks a lot and says, "Hi Ryker" when he comes in the classroom.

Jump-jump-jumperoo!

Kendyll is figuring out how to jump. I'm surprised at how long she can sit in there without fussing. She turns in the seat to look around the room - specifically at the bright windows. She bounces a little, but hasn't figured out how fun it can be to really jump in there. I used to think Ryker was going to scramble his brains the way he jumped in there! (Or get launched across the room!)

The second photo shows Ryker presenting the finer points of the Jumperoo to Kendyll. He doesn't want her to miss out on any of the fun. (Then he patted her on the head and poked her nose.)

Monkey Boy

Houston, we have a climber. Nothing is off limits. I've noticed that since he started daycare, he likes to sit at the table and play (1st pic). He loves being on the kitchen table and the couches. He can spot a stepstool a mile away (3rd pic).

Trifecta

New teeth, shots, & a cold = misery. As if it wasn't bad enough, the shots he got at the doc today gave him a low fever. After his nap he was really crabby and yawning. Then I found him laying on the floor moaning (first pic). I put him on the couch hoping it would be more comfortable for him. Ryker didn't get off of the couch for hours. When he finally let me give him some Tylenol, he felt a ton better within 15 minutes!

Goofball

Sometimes videos need no explanation...because there is none. Ryker has recently started this new thing where he shakes his head back and forth and quietly screams. It's hilarious.

You are my Miracle

I only wish I started this sooner. I thought about keeping a journal to record my thoughts, but the truth is that I've gotten to hate writing in this keyboard-driven world. Even a simple thank you note can be painstaking. :^) I want to write to you because I know the effects of losing a parent too early and if that should happen to you, I want you to have something tangible from me to go along with your memories. I want you to have so much more than I did; along with that is the knowledge that you can make the best out of any situation.

You're already 3.5 months old! It seems like yesterday I was pregnant with you, feeling your kicks, seeing you move under my skin, and feeling your hiccups every day (which you still do). It has not been easy getting to finally meet you, but it's all been worth it. The first time I got to see you, it was 12 weeks into the pregnancy. Your heartbeat...it must be the same sound as an angel's beating wings; it was heaven.

We found out you were a boy at 20 weeks along - halfway through the pregnancy. I always knew you were a boy right from the beginning, though...motherly instinct, I guess. But it's nice to have that confirmation from the doctor so we can start planning for your arrival with all that is blue!

Naming you - that was a struggle. We bought this thick book with 50,000+ names and their meanings to get us started. We had some personal favorites and your dad really wanted you to have Lawrence as a middle name to follow the tradition of his middle name as well as his father's. We each had our lists of names that we kept separately until we had finished gathering, then we showed them to each other. Not one single name was the same, but several were similar like I had Ethan and your dad had Nathan. From there we still couldn't agree on one from either list, although for one day you were going to be called Jacob because I like the name Jake a lot. What I didn't like was that name was #1 on the boys name list. It's hard to feel unique and special when you have the same name as 10 other boys in your class. So back to the drawing board we went! Several weeks had passed; I had hoped that distancing myself from the list would help me re-focus and possibly come up with some new ideas.

It was your dad that found your name in the book. He was sitting next to me in the office and randomly mentioning names; some were just funny with no intention of ever giving it to you and others just didn't seem right. He was nearing the end of the "R" names when he said Ryker aloud. I can't recall if he said it any differently, but it just rang like a bell in the air and I knew - we both knew - that the name just felt right. The name means "Wealthy" and although most would read that as having a lot of money, I would like it to mean rich with love, respect, and admiration for life. I also liked that it was not a very popular name - somewhere around 300+ on the list of names from the Social Security Administration. (Since then I've heard of a couple other Ryker's, so who knows! My mom named me Molly because she thought it was unique and it ends up there were 5 in my graduating class.)

Unfortunately for your dad, Ryker Lawrence just didn't feel right - a bit of a mouthful we thought. I suggested Ryker James to honor my father and that motion passed without hesitation. Now we just had to pass the time until you arrived.