Thursday, March 10, 2011
Friday, July 2, 2010
Giggles
Riley laughed for the first time today and I was able to quickly set up the Flip Camera to capture the moment. She has such a beautiful smile... you would think that her smile would shine through as she laughs... but instead, it is kind of a grunt/fake laugh with her mouth gaping open. It was hiliarious. If I had to describe the look on her face as she was laughing, it was almost as if she was surprised that she could laugh. I think she'll get it and that smile will shine through soon enough. It totally made my day, hope it makes yours!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Time flies when you're having fun
I know that I am super behind with the blog, as my sister and Melissa continuously remind me, so I am going to treat this as a catch up post.
Riley is now three months old and continues to let her personality shine. I will have to blog again today or tomorrow to talk about what she is getting into these days at three months and how Grant and I are doing, but this posting is meant to back up and mention details that I noticed about Riley while adoring her over the first few weeks that she was born and to catch you up on our travels over the last month.
I often ask my sister, Tiffany, "did Harding [her first born] do that as well?", "did Harding have that too?"... and she has said, "Chris, I just don't remember, I didn't write it all down like I have been doing with Shelby"... so bare with me as I don't want to loose these thoughts...
*Her tiny right earlobe has three small indentions in the shape of a pawprint that accentuate just how tiny and adorable those ears are...
*She has dark peach fuzz hair on her legs and lower back (definitely passed down from her Daddy)
*Riley's eyelashes doubled in length from the first to second week of being home
*The toe next to her big toe is just right under the size/length of the big toe, just the perfect size
*She pulls her lower lip into her upper lip as most newborns do... but started only pulling one side of her lower lip in. This has led to a little sideways smile that melts your heart.
Things I will miss about Riley Dearing that she is already starting to outgrow...
*Her squeaks and stretches when she wakes up
*The birthmark "strawberry" on the back of her head/upper neck is already starting to fade away
Even as Riley outgrows her infancy stage, I am loving the discovery stage, where every day her personality shows a bit more as she grows more in control developmentally. I attribute part of this to what I call the "break through month" - we have had a very busy last month, with two big trips, both including a beach, and lots and lots of family and friends!
For Memorial Day, when Riley was just 2 months and 1 week old, we took a trip up to Colonial Williamsburg, VA for one of my best friend's (JD) wedding. From there, we drove over to my Aunt Dearing's bay house in Gwynn's Island, Chesapeake Bay, VA. "Curious Riley" (as Aunt Dede dubbed her) was able to meet her Uncle Stephen and Aunt Cambridge for the first time, as well as Cousins Kate and Jake... and spent some great time with Aunt Dede + Bebe, Papa and Mommy at Aunt Dede's awesome bay house. We ended the week back in Asheville for cousin Shelby Frances' first birthday party - in the pool. Much fun was had by all and lots of time was spent in a bathing suit all week.
Riley with Uncle Stephen:
Riley with Aunt Dede:
Happy 1st Birthday Shelby Frances!
Riley is now three months old and continues to let her personality shine. I will have to blog again today or tomorrow to talk about what she is getting into these days at three months and how Grant and I are doing, but this posting is meant to back up and mention details that I noticed about Riley while adoring her over the first few weeks that she was born and to catch you up on our travels over the last month.
I often ask my sister, Tiffany, "did Harding [her first born] do that as well?", "did Harding have that too?"... and she has said, "Chris, I just don't remember, I didn't write it all down like I have been doing with Shelby"... so bare with me as I don't want to loose these thoughts...
*Her tiny right earlobe has three small indentions in the shape of a pawprint that accentuate just how tiny and adorable those ears are...
*She has dark peach fuzz hair on her legs and lower back (definitely passed down from her Daddy)
*Riley's eyelashes doubled in length from the first to second week of being home
*The toe next to her big toe is just right under the size/length of the big toe, just the perfect size
*She pulls her lower lip into her upper lip as most newborns do... but started only pulling one side of her lower lip in. This has led to a little sideways smile that melts your heart.
Things I will miss about Riley Dearing that she is already starting to outgrow...
*Her squeaks and stretches when she wakes up
*The birthmark "strawberry" on the back of her head/upper neck is already starting to fade away
Even as Riley outgrows her infancy stage, I am loving the discovery stage, where every day her personality shows a bit more as she grows more in control developmentally. I attribute part of this to what I call the "break through month" - we have had a very busy last month, with two big trips, both including a beach, and lots and lots of family and friends!
For Memorial Day, when Riley was just 2 months and 1 week old, we took a trip up to Colonial Williamsburg, VA for one of my best friend's (JD) wedding. From there, we drove over to my Aunt Dearing's bay house in Gwynn's Island, Chesapeake Bay, VA. "Curious Riley" (as Aunt Dede dubbed her) was able to meet her Uncle Stephen and Aunt Cambridge for the first time, as well as Cousins Kate and Jake... and spent some great time with Aunt Dede + Bebe, Papa and Mommy at Aunt Dede's awesome bay house. We ended the week back in Asheville for cousin Shelby Frances' first birthday party - in the pool. Much fun was had by all and lots of time was spent in a bathing suit all week.
Riley with Uncle Stephen:
Riley with Aunt Dede:
Happy 1st Birthday Shelby Frances!
We then went to Foley Beach right at Riley's three month birthday for a "bachelorette week" for a good friend, Ashlee Proctor. Both trips were such break throughs for Riley, our girl is learning how to roll with the punches!
Babes and babies:
In the two weeks between Chesapeake Bay and Foley Beach, Riley really gained control of her head and decided that she would tolerate the Baby Bjorn and Moby Wrap, as long as she is facing OUTWARD so that she can check out the world.
Chris and Riley in the Baby Bjorn at Foley Beach:
And at the end of our month of trips, just a few days after her official three month birthday, Riley decides to roll over from her back to her tummy. And although she is not a huge fan of tummy time lasting more than five minutes or so, we suppose she just got bored with always hanging out on her back.
We are so fortunate that I have been able to stay home with Riley and see all of her milestones over the last three months. From her first smiles, to learning how to hold her links and toys, to rolling over - I would not trade the past 100 days for anything in the world.
Babes and babies:
In the two weeks between Chesapeake Bay and Foley Beach, Riley really gained control of her head and decided that she would tolerate the Baby Bjorn and Moby Wrap, as long as she is facing OUTWARD so that she can check out the world.
Chris and Riley in the Baby Bjorn at Foley Beach:
And at the end of our month of trips, just a few days after her official three month birthday, Riley decides to roll over from her back to her tummy. And although she is not a huge fan of tummy time lasting more than five minutes or so, we suppose she just got bored with always hanging out on her back.
We are so fortunate that I have been able to stay home with Riley and see all of her milestones over the last three months. From her first smiles, to learning how to hold her links and toys, to rolling over - I would not trade the past 100 days for anything in the world.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Road-trip!
We took our first road-trip with Miss Riley Dearing this past weekend -burning up the road to see the family in Asheville, NC!
This was a much needed trip... I have been super stir-crazy trying to stick to the "no public access" with Riley for 8-weeks (which means no going out to restaurants, shopping, or other places with lots of people)... and Grant has been wanting to relax and cut loose with a golf club for months now.
I was pretty nervous about the car ride. Riley has shown that she has a bit of an aversion to her car seat in the past couple of weeks. She has had several screaming "conniptions" during short car rides to the pediatrician or to the park. I call these conniptions because she works herself up so much to the point of holding her scream until she makes no noise, turning plum red and gasping for breath. On the car ride up, she slept until we were about an hour outside of Asheville. The "plan" was to gas up, grab food for us and nurse Riley all in one stop as soon as she woke up. Riley woke up and immediately went into one of her fits, and once Grant actually heard her, the plan went right out the window. We pulled over immediately and stopped for about an hour. All-in-all, not too bad. (Bebe and Papa also witnessed one of Riley's "conniptions" on the way home from walking at the Arboretum on Sunday and Bebe - one who does not let babies cry - laughed at Riley as she is so dramatic!)
We had several special treats in Asheville - 1) Riley's Great-uncle Hay and cousins Bea and Bob came to meet her and see Harding and Shelby...
2) Great-grandmothers Burney and Nana spent the afternoon with Riley (Riley met Nana for the first time and thought she was especially funny)...
3) Great-uncle Mark also stopped by Sunday morning to meet Riley...
and 4) last but definitely not least.... Tiffany, Trip, Harding and Shelby Frances spent the night at Bebe and Papa's BOTH Friday and Saturday night so that they could get plenty of Riley time!! This was so special and meant so much to me. (I know it is hard to not sleep in your own bed when you only live 15 minutes away.) We loved seeing them and I definitely got my much needed Harding and Shelby Frances fix!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
She smiles!
We had a really rough day yesterday (Riley 24 days old) - there was not a "wake time" during the day when Riley was not crying, a day that started at 4am, a day where when she would nap, she would somehow wake herself up 15-30 mins later and start crying again. I felt so defeated as a mother. Grant left night class about an hour early to come home because he was worried about both of us. Riley was asleep when he came home, until the dogs barked, so she lay crying in her crib waiting for daddy to come save her. I heard him say "Oh my lord that smile is the cutest ever" and thought, NO WAY. But, he brought her into our bedroom to show me and sure enough, she had a goofy little grin on her face. I could not believe it...after the day of screaming we went through... she smiles!! (saving it for Grant of course, such a daddy's girl already)
Well I got my share's worth of smiles today, although just one smile would have been enough to make up for yesterday. And today Riley had such a great day. Hopefully yesterday was just a fluke. We can all be in a mood every once in a while...
Well I got my share's worth of smiles today, although just one smile would have been enough to make up for yesterday. And today Riley had such a great day. Hopefully yesterday was just a fluke. We can all be in a mood every once in a while...
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious -- It's something to say when you don't know what to say!" (Mary Poppins).
A word that perfectly sums up this first blog post... a blog created to serve as a family journal of my family's life, The Moss Life. We plan to use this blog as a means to share thoughts, stories, photos and videos with family and friends, and to hopefully capture and document "The Moss Life" as we live it...
A word that perfectly sums up this first blog post... a blog created to serve as a family journal of my family's life, The Moss Life. We plan to use this blog as a means to share thoughts, stories, photos and videos with family and friends, and to hopefully capture and document "The Moss Life" as we live it...
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