Ryan's First Haircut

Toady we enjoyed a fun day at the beach with Christian and Christina! We were a little late in meeting them because for some reason Ryan decided to wake up at 4:45. I stupidly went into his room and scooped him up ( I was still half asleep)and I brought him in bed with us....big big huge mistake. He rolled around decided to climb on us and kick us. No sleep for anyone not even Dylan who got fed up and left the bedroom. Finally around 6 AM Greg got up and took Ryan down stairs so I could get some sleep and they ate breakfast. Greg attempted to put him back to sleep in his crib and Ryan kept climbing out like a little monkey and each time Greg put him back in the crib and finally he ended up back in bed with us kicking and climbing. I thought no way. He was so overtired! So I tried to put him back in the crib. At this point he was so tired he was rubbing his eyes and attempted to climb out three times but I think he was so tired he actually stayed in the crib. Only problem now is we are held hostage in his room for naps and bedtime to ensure he stays in the crib! But I sat in the big chair and kept careful watch until he finally fell back asleep around 8 thank goodness. So we all went back to bed and I got him up at 9:30 so we could meet Christian and Christina at the beach.

The boys had so much fun they played and played. At first Ryan stayed on the blanket eating his snacks not wanting to get his feet dirty but he quickly was in the sand chasing the waves. What a perfect beach day not to hot and not a cloud in the sky! Here is a special trick to keep sand off your childs hands/feet try a little baby powder! Christina had some today for the boys and it really works! Thanks for such a fun day!

So since Ryan took a bit of a cat nap this morning we decided to head over to Snip Its after the beach (it is right on the way home) for a quick haircut. I had been trimming Ryan's hair myself and Greg commented that it was a bit uneven and we really ought to take him to a professional and I agreed. We had heard from a friend that one of the stylist there has a tendency to trim off a bit too much but we had a coupon and decided to take a chance anyways. Well the stylist we had did a fantastic job. They were very kid friendly and Ryan was such a good boy until the very end when she took out the clippers I think it may have been the sensation in combination with the buzzing noise that may have frightened him a bit but he started to cry and squirm a bit so I ended up giving him a pop and then he settle down. But I would go back again I think they did a great job a bit pricey at $18.95 plus tip but that is Fairfield for you!

I took a trip to Ikea yesterday and picked up Ryan a table and chairs set and a kiddie picnic table. We are still in search of new patio furniture for our deck if anyone has any suggestions for something inexpensive. I have actually been eyeing a teak set at Walmart. I just have to convince Greg it is the right set for us! Greg put together the picnic table last night and Ryan enjoyed his lunchie while sitting at it today. Hopefully we can assemble the table and chairs soon. Gotta love Ikea it is so inexpensive but you have to be an engineer to put their furniture together.

Also yesterday was Ryan's Great Gramma's birthday and we again wanted to wish her a very Happy Birthday! We love and miss you very much and hope you are doing well!

Take a look at some of Ryan's pictures below!



Ryan and Daddy at the Yankee Doodle Fair on the big slide!




Ryan with a bluberry mustache and beard while enjoying his "pop"



Ryan at Snip Its before





Ta Da! So handsome Ryan!

Ryan Loves Popsicles!

For the past few nights we have been giving Ryan a special treat after dinner...a popsicle and well he just Loves this! We have actually created a popsicle obsessed baby! He now knows exactly how to say "pop" "more pop" "more" when the popsicle is gone. We had been giving him regular popsicles from stop and shop you know the kind with all the sugar and high fructose corn syrup and artifical colors and preservatives...you know the really really bad stuff.( I don't even give him juice but I was giving him those popsicles) Well then I decided that I should be a better mom and give him a healthier alternative so I made him some homemade pops the other night using a kit I bought at Bed Bath and Beyond and I pureed a ripe peach, pear, banana and a little orange juice and voila! Fresh healthy popsicle and thankfully he liked this one just as much while they may not taste quite as good as the artificial ones I feel a lot better giving him these. I know I am a bit neurotic I will admit it. That and I try to fend him off at dinner time with fresh or frozen veggies instead of junk. But I have to confess while at a playdate yesterday he ate 2 cranberry orange muffins, pirate booty, and stole "Ine's" yogurt smoothy at lunch time! Yes he actually took it when we were not looking and sucked the entire drink down in a single gulp...must have been much better than his milk.

Although he may look like a health nut on paper...but our child also ate a lean cuisine dinner earlier in the week rice and beans to be exact smothered with extra cheese and sour cream to combat any adult spice. My lack of cooking and nausea have come to me giving my child lean cuisine frozen meals for dinner..sad I know but he actually loved every bite. Does anyone have a yummy super easy recipe for some good rice and beans? I am really trying to do better in the nutrition department now that I am feeling a tad bit less nauseous.

Two nights ago he ran over to the neighbors after dinner (we were eating out on the deck and we left the gate open and he got away) and decided to sit at their picnic table and inhale an entire bowl of chips veggie chips but still. The child just finished eating dinner followed by a "pop" and then my neighbor went in to fill the bowl again and he inhaled that one too. I think Ryan is secretly becoming a closet junk food junkie! They thought it was so cute I kept thinking what a little piggy stealing junk food like that oh and this is not the first time. Oh well I guess we should be thankful that he actually eats I know some children will not even eat much at all.

Also to add to my neurosis I kept Ryan away from all pupblic play areas this week b/c coxsackie virus is going around...that ment no trips to the library, playtime village, or the mall play area. Just to be safe I would like to try and avoid this nasty virus at all costs. Some of the s/s include mouth, hand, and food sores, and a high fever. Self limiting but still if we can avoid it I would like too. So we stayed low at home and playdates with friends outside.

I cannot wait to go home tonight to see the finished product of our kitchen renovations so far it looks so fantastic! I will post some updated pictures soon! Happy Father's Day to all the Dads! Have a great weekend.

Kitchen Preview!

Take a look! Here is a preview of our kitchen renovations. New countertops and tile installed. Tomorrow they are going to grout and sand the walls. Friday they are painting and then they should be done. We love the renovations so far! The first 2 pics are of the old kitchen before and the following pictures show the new countertops and ceramic tile backsplash. Take a look and let us know what you think!

Thanks Auntie Jen and Uncle Paddy!

Wanted to shout out a special thanks to Auntie Jen and Uncle Paddy for staying Saturday night to watch Ryan so Greg and I could go out to dinner to celebrate his Birthday! I know Ryan really enjoyed spending time with his Auntie and Uncle! Thanks so much! We went to Ibiza in New Haven it is a spanish restaurant in New Haven that got great reviews on Zagat. The food was great but maybe not worth going all the way to New Haven for. Plenty of restaurants that are just as good or even better right here in Fairfield but we wanted to try something new. After our dinner the romantic evening continued at Lowe's! Where we were on a mission to pick out a color for our kitchen. Sadly our Sat nights sans baby have come to this. But there are many perks to a visit to Lowes at 9 PM on a Sat. No crowds and more than enough help if you have questions, no long lines at the check out, and prime parking spaces. But the good news is that the work finally starts on our kitchen tomorrow, new counter tops, tumbled marble tile backsplash, and a fresh coat of Martha Stewart signature paint in Sugar Cane. Decisions decisions who knew how difficult picking a paint color can be?

Whew what a scorcher today was. Ryan enjoyed some time splashing around in a kiddie pool and running through the sprinkler with our neighbor Sophia. We enjoyed a visit from Grampy and Grammy they came to pick up our puppy for the week. Thought it might be too stressful for him with the contractors here. I know we baby him but we call him our first born. He truly is spoiled!

Yesterday we hit the Stratford Day street fair. It was so much fun and Ryan had a blast. We brought our wagon and he was so excited to be pulled around in style. It is so magical to imagine the world through a 19 month old's eyes. Everything was so exciting to him. He jumped around in a huge bouncer, played on the slide and climber, walked around trying to push/pull the wagon, tried freshly squeezed lemonade for the first time he loved that(hey it had a ton of sugar but it was hot out!)

Update...poor Greggie! Friday was his birthday and I was so nauseous I took Ryan and we went right upstairs and I locked us in my bedroom too sick to move until Greg came home at 7. He literally amazingly amused himself for nearly an hour in our room. Played with some toys then lost interest but then I asked him to keep looking out the window for Daddy and he would look and call out "Daddy Dadda" Hope the neighbors were not wondering what he was doing near the window shouting.... then he amused himself playing with Greg's golf books and alarm clock and then turned the tv on/off eight hundred times as I layed motion less holding my breath so I did not get sick until Greg finally came home. All the while it was Greg's birthday and I had plans to make cupcakes for Daddy with Ryan. Unfortunately that did not happen. My only saving grace was that Greg came home, fed, bathed, and put Ryan to bed. Then he made me some chicken soup and we watched Juno and I was feeling much better! What a good Daddy/husband and on his birthday too! I have found that jolly ranchers actually curb my nausea for at least a short period of time yay! My rash is much much improved and I felt pretty okay Sat and Sun thankfully. Hoping now that I am almost 13 weeks to be feeling better soon.

Stay cool! I will update pics of our kitchen soon!

Ryan uses the potty for the very first time! Hooray!

I know I have been slacking majorly with updates but I have been feeling Terrible with a capital T:( Anyways I just had to let you all know that Ryan has for weeks now been telling us poo poo when he has a poopy diaper mostly he does but sometimes not. But yes he has been telling me after his bath last night and tonight that he had to go poo poo. Last night I said okay lets get on the potty and he sat on the potty and farted. Tonight again he told me after his bath that he had to go poo poo I said again lets get on the potty and he squatted over the potty (did not actually sit) and actually pooped in the potty! Hooray! He was so proud I quickly ran and got the camera and took a picture of him standing next to his first poop (like Jon and Kate plus 8) But we were both so proud and I made a big enough deal that I hope he will do it again but I don't want to push it only if he mentions it again. I do have a few friends who's kids are in pull ups if he continues I may look into it again I will let him tell me when he is ready but this is huge!

Okay I know I have been slacking in the updates. We had our 12 week u/s yesterday and all is well the baby is growing and healthy with a very strong heartbeat! Such great news we will still have to wait another 6-8 weeks to find out the sex. My rash is improving I went back to the dermatologist and we both agreed it was better. The nausea is not getting any better but hopefully we will see an end soon. The extreme fatigue is actually much better but I still find myself nodding off watching Martha while Ryan is napping. I am so thankful that Ryan is such a great napper I hope it continues it is like he knows I do not feel well and I need the rest. Such a good baby! (yeah except Tues when he threw my newly potted Gerber daisy over the side of the deck...yes both of them...nice!) But yes he is a good boy most of the time no one is perfect!

Some of Ryan's new words this week:
"Bampa" grampa
"Dad Dad" Granddad
"Pia" Polina
Bubbles
"Ine" for Caroline
"Beeya" for Buya a thing he does with Daddy
"Yeyyo" for yellow
"boo" for blue
"durty" for dirty

Oh I also wanted to let you all know that Greg is going to be on the cover of the 2008 Vineyard Vines Catalog with some of his friends. I have not seen the cover yet but I heard from a friend. Look for him he will be with 3 other boys wearing khaki's, blue blazers and pink cape cod VV ties. Hey if genpact does not work out maybe there is modeling in his future!

Pregnancy #2 not so much fun!

So pregnancy #2 is not so much fun thus far.....will there be an end to the nausea and now this mysterious rash out of no where? I have been to 3 Drs. now including a specialist and no one can really help me. So I continue to take my aveeno baths at night drug my self into a coma with Benadryl and slather harsh steriod cream all over. I really hate to complain but this pregnancy is soooo different from the first and I feel like there will never be an end to this feeling lousy.....all the while chasing after a highly energetic toddler. Morning sickness...ha who nicknamed it that? For me it is more like afternoon/night sickness....hits about 3PM and sometimes I am so nauseous I can't even stomach dinner! Let's just say there has been a lot of take out going on here lately. Sorry to vent but I feel better already and actually today was a pretty good day compared to yesterday!

Thankfully Ryan had so much fun over the weekend he has been completley pooped at night and falls fast asleep and has been sleeping in later than usual and taking longer naps so I am able to rest. Today I was just so darn tired after Ryan woke from his afternoon nap that I threw a bunch of toys his push buggy, cozy coupe and his digger and we sat out on the deck. Mostly I just wanted to confine him so I could sit down and put my feet up without having to chase him all over the house. The deck is pretty indestructable (I think) But at one point I ran in to get my watering can to water the flowers and he had pushed a chair to the edge of the rail and appeared to be trying to escape. Luckily I got there in the nick of time or it would have been really ugly. But for the most part Ryan and Dylan were both pretty content outside confined to the deck.

Did I mention Ryan has become so much more independant. Will actually play quietly some mornings while Greg and I run around like lunatics trying to shower and get ready for work... He has become quite chummy with Mr. Dylan and will take toys and play with him and chase him....unfortunately for Ryan Dylan is not all that into Ryan at all! He is more scared and runs like mad. But some days he is too tired and just puts up with the abuse. What a good puppy!

Welcome battle highchair...yeah Ryan actually refuses to sit in his highchair and has now for the past week! Last week Greg (still in his work clothes) attempted to put Ryan in the highchair for dinner kicking and screaming. He put his plate of food in front of Ryan and wouldn't you know Ryan decided to hurl his plate at Greg and squash landed all over his dress shirt...nice! So Greg then picked screaming kicking Ryan out of the chair and Ryan then decided to grab Greg by the ears and yank them....yeah can you believe it? So Greg was so upset that he had just been completely acosted by a 19 month old. Needless to say that night Ryan got to sit in the regular chair and he happily ate some of his dinner minus the sqaush that Greg was wearing. Sometimes you just have to give in....

This week I have just avoided the highchair altogether. Everytime I even went near it with him he cried. Luckily I have managed to distract him while securing him in the booster seat for mealtimes lately but there are some mornings where I just don't have the energy to fight him and he happily sits in the regular chair eating his toast and oatmeal. And my mom even witnesed a lower scale version of Ryan refusing the booster seat and she gave me a stern look and replied "Now who is boss here"? I know I should be more stern but there are some days I am and some I just give in. What is a tired mom to do?

Tonight at bedtime I only had to ready Baby Elmo once (I read really slow and made sure he copied everything Elmo did in the story to kill time anything not to have to read it eighty times over that alone can make a non-pregnant person nauseous)!through before Ryan quickly handed me I had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew followed by Cat in the Hat. Then it was a quick movement into the crib just a hint of protest but by the time we were downstairs it was done. And I was able to enjoy my Aveeno bath and have a little time to relax before bed.

Ryan Loves Elmo!

He's gone Elmo crazy! We have started this bedtime ritual of dinner and bath followed by storytime. Ryan's favorite story of all time is Baby Elmo. I think Greg and I have pretty much memorized the entire book cover to cover. As soon as we are finished reading he immediatley replies more and hands the book to us again. We usually end up reading Baby Elmo at least 10 times before convincing him we need to move on to another book. Then we usually turn to Dr. Seuss I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew (one of Uncle Freddie's childhood favorites) which by the way sadly Greg and I have started memorizing by default as well. But this story is much longer so 2 times and we are pretty good and tired by then. Baby Elmos still remains his all time favorite....we have even used Elmo to bribe him at night...

We tell him...
"Baby Elmo is going night night now and he wants Ryan to go night night too"
Ryan's response to this is "No"!
When asked the question "Ryan who is your favorite Sesame Street character"?
He responds "Eaymo"
He even has an Elmo bathmat, Elmo phone, Elmo silverware, Elmo T-shirt, Elmo placemats (a special treat when we eat out), and Elmo stuffed toy. He just adores Baby Elmo.

We also seem to think his favorite color is yellow. He actually was reading a book of colors during one diaper change this week and he called out "Yeayyow" I quickly looked to see what page he was on and he was indeed on the yellow page with a duck and a piece of cheese titled Yellow! I thought wow does he really know what yellow really is? I thought for a brief moment maybe he knows how to read but no I don't think so. He loves to say "yeayyow" when asked what is your favorite color. But sadly he thinks cookie monster eats crackers and that he is yellow too....

Anyways we are headed to Ma for the long weekend to celebrate our anniversary! I can't believe 4 years has passed by so quickly! I know poor mom and dad have to watch Ryan again for us while we spend the day in the Berkshires at the Cranwell resort and spa on Sunday (an anniversary tradition) but somehow I don't think they will mind too much. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.