Friday, April 30, 2010

Introducing....



**Hello...Lindsley here, guest blogging for my bestie Lindsay!*****


Camden Elliott Vinson arrived after a long day of waiting, at 2:59....weighing in at a healthy 9 lbs 4.9 oz, and 21 3/4 inches long. He's perfect! I had the chance to go visit Lindsay and baby Camden this afternoon, and man is he cute! Everyone thinks he looks just like Riley! I can't wait to see pictures of them side by side..but so far..I agree..the kid looks just like his big sister! Lindsay is doing great and looks wonderful, and baby Camden, Riley, and Matt are all doing really well too! Riley loves her baby brother and Linds said she's not too big on sharing him with other people!

Welcome to the world Baby Camden..you're blessed with a wonderful family!!!

Here are some pics of sweet baby Camden!








Thursday, April 29, 2010

Daddy's Cheerleader

Last night we went to TG's annual school basketball game. In the five years we've been here I think I've only missed it once and that was the year Riley was born. This time around we met up with our old friend Miss A from last year and welcomed a new buddy to our cheering squad.

It was amazing the difference a year makes because instead of chasing her all over the place trying to keep her off the court, I was able to watch the game while she cheered happily from the bleachers. There was a little bit of drama when she saw the Mountain Lion mascot for the first time. Actually, make that a lot of drama as she was positively terrified by him. (I blame that on the rat at Chuck E Cheese that snuck up on her). Overall, despite a few issues that were non-bball related, we had a great time and we can't wait for next year.

Hysterically crying because she spied the lion coming into the far side of the gym - like 100 yards away from her.


Watching the action.


Cheering for Daddy.


The complete toddler cheering section!


Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Today is the day!

Hopefully by the time this posts our son will be here. I can't say that I've enjoyed every single minute of this pregnancy because it was a little rough at the beginning. But I have loved every minute of knowing that at the end we would be welcoming a son, brother, nephew, and grandson to our family.

Please say a prayer for us today if you are thinking of it and check back for pictures and an update on the little man. In the meantime I'll leave you with the last photos of me, our beloved daughter, and our baby boy all together before his arrival.







Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Photo Lottery

I have a little point and shoot camera. Most of the pictures on my blog are from that camera and are taken by me - a complete amateur. You've probably noticed my photos are usually blurry, off centered, or in poor lighting. Yet, for the most part they do just fine capturing the memories I want.

But, sometimes the images on here are beautiful. Not just beautiful, but artistic. That's because I hit the photo lottery when I met my bestie. She's self taught, has an amazing eye, and very lucky for me she often snaps pictures of my girl that I wouldn't be able to have any other way.

Case in point. Last week we went to the state arboretum for a spring photo shoot. The weather was just right and the grounds were gorgeous. And this is just a small portion of what I got at the end of the day.















These pictures are priceless to me and I hope the photographer knows that I can't thank her enough for the memories she gives me. For your own memories you can visit the Appleseed Photography site here.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Swimming in April

Yes, you read that title right. After two crazy blizzards this winter Mother Nature decided to heat up the spring early for us. The first week in April we had temps soaring up into the high 80s and low 90s. This might be more normal for South Carolina and beyond, but we technically live in Yankee territory.

Anyway, we decided to forego the park on one of these hot days and broke out the swimming pool. After I set her up with 4 inches of water and some random toys I armed myself with a lounge chair, a diet coke and a magazine. It was a delightful way to spend an hour in the sun.

A little cold when she first sat down.


Her best "I'm poolside" pose.


No clue, but it's cute.


Happily playing.


She told me she was "hidin in my ducket".


Peek a boo!



Sunday, April 25, 2010

Egg Huntress

We tried Easter egg hunting last year. It didn't work so well. She could pick up the egg and put it in her basket, but she would take it right back out again and move on to the next doing the same thing over again.

To make up for last year we gave her two hunts this year. One was a practice run at Gigi and Papa's house and the other was on Easter day. Without any explaining other than telling her that while she napped the Easter Bunny came and hid some eggs she was ready to go. We gave her a basket and set her loose.

"Mama, the eats-er dunny hide eggs!" She's got her "hunt face" on.


She kept saying, "Dere's anutter one!".


That bunny had some sneaky hiding places, but they were no match for Riley.


Hugging her "friend" Mary after she found an egg on her.


Eating some of her stash.


She's very serious. Notice the chocolate snack in her right hand while reaching for her next egg with her left.


Showing me the goods.



Saturday, April 24, 2010

Riley at 2 years and 3 months

Riley, you are 27 months old! You are one busy little lady and still growing like a weed. You're about 37 lbs., over 3 ft tall, wearing 3T clothes and size 8 shoes.

Now that you're 2, you've become Miss Independent. You can still be persuaded to take help, but you mostly prefer to do things yourself. You love to help with just about anything, especially cooking, but even throwing trash into the trash can. You can climb into your carseat, brush your teeth, put on your shoes, and blow your nose among other things. You are also potty trained and have been wearing your "big girl unders" for about a month now.


You have a LOT to say and when you are awake there is rarely a quiet moment. You love to comment on everything you see and you almost always demand a willing participant to listen and respond. If I'm on the phone you want to talk too. You've got a lot of thoughts and opinions already which will probably mean trouble for your Daddy and I in the future. You've become particularly good at telling us your feelings and you'll often tell us that "I sad" (complete with head down on arms) or "I mad" (with a grr voice and crossed arms). You even say "I happy" a lot too in a very high voice that we just love. You tell us "I yuv you" and "night night" and sometimes if I tell you that I love you, you'll give me a complete "I yuv you too, Mama". Your manners still rock and you use please, thank you, welcome, sorry, bless you, and excuse me almost everyday.


You're still an outdoors girl and you prefer to be outside if you can. But pretty much you're just an on the go girl. From almost the moment you wake up each day you ask me "Ready go Mama?". So we go, a lot, to the "liberry", Target, the park, open play areas, and the gym to "play with the kids". We go swimming too when we can and you love it. You've learned to float on your back, blow bubbles, and with a lifejacket on you can swim short distances by yourself. You read books now too and you love using my card to check out books from the library. You'll sit and read the parts you can remember by yourself. You're still big into coloring, but you also really enjoy painting and we use the paint set you got from your bestie for your birthday a lot. You're also starting to understand the concept of friends more and you get very excited when we get together with them.


Riley, you are full of life and definitely one of a kind. There is never a dull moment with you and all the world is your stage. You sing a lot, bits and parts of all the songs you know and even some you don't, quite loudly, quite off key, but also majorly adorably. Last week you were singing and dancing in the kitchen and all of a sudden you did a bow and said "Thank you, thanks everybuddy" and waited for our applause. I think you definitely have a flair for the arts, but at the same time you love playing sports, riding your bike and scootering around the neighborhood. I can't wait to see what the next few years bring in terms of your interests and skills.


You're just about to become a big sister and I can't wait to see you in that role! I know that you'll love your little brother and teach him everything you know. You are my most favorite girl in the world and we love you so much.


All photos courtesy of Appleseed Photography. For awesome photos of your own kids, click here.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Friends

I am very lucky to have some good friends here. I'm hoping that as Riley continues to grow she'll become good friends with their kids. I think it's already happening. :)




Thursday, April 22, 2010

Home, Sweet, Home

We've lived here for five years now and in five years we've lived in 5 different places. We knew a couple years ago that we'd like to settle down, but wanting to and being able to were different things. The area we live in is wonderful. It's very family friendly, the schools are excellent, and it's close to awesome educational and cultural activities. Not to mention we've made some great friends here. But the area we live in is also very expensive, almost prohibitively so for two teachers. Until last year when we discovered that with some extra paperwork we could afford a home here. And not just any home, a brand new home in our ideal neighborhood. So this January we signed some papers and let ourselves begin to believe that our dream of owning a home here might come true.

The foundation is poured. You can't tell from the photo, but when it's finished from the back of the house we'll have awesome, unobstructed views of the Blue Ridge mountains.


The frame is built.


Beginning to look like a house.


We're supposed to close in June so we've got a very exciting spring happening here with a new baby and a new house. We had to make some sacrifices this year, but it's turned out for the best and we are very thankful.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Stanislaw, Spencer, or, well...

We're getting down to the wire and I hate to say we still don't have a name for our son. A couple weeks ago while in PB kids I became so engrossed in a baby naming book that two people on the staff asked if I wanted to get comfortable in the rockers at the back. Sadly, I left no closer to a name than I started.

Some new suggestions have made their way in though, such as Stanislaw - a TG family name; and Spencer - don't ask me where my parents got that one from.

Nameless though he may be, he does already have one lovely little nickname that I've been fighting against since it was first mentioned. I'm fighting it because I hate the movie that it came from. However, I am being overruled and the name is being spread and I'm afraid that it's going to stick.

While I stilly fondly refer to him as Baby Boy, the rest of my household calls him McLovin. If you're in the dark you can google it and become enlightened.

Anyway, while the name search continues so does this baby's growth. I had my last ultrasound a week and a 1/2 ago. Good news is that he turned down in the last month! Extra good news is I'm having a c-section because this baby is a linebacker. The poor tech whom I just adore kept "hmming" as she took the standard measurements. Femur - 39 weeks 6 days. Head - 40 weeks 2 days. Crown-Rump Length - 39 weeks 7 days. All this adding up to an estimated weight of 7 lbs. 7 oz. at 36.5 weeks. Given that he will have had about 2.5 more weeks of growth before he's delivered I'm guessing a 9 lber.

Here's a pic of me and baby boy. Less than a week to go!




Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Daddy's Girl: Then and Now

Then: 6 months old, checking out tire sales.


Now: 2 years old, reading up on spring planting suggestions.