While mommy is away...

Daddy and Ryder play!! I LOVE my boys...here is an adorable video Joe took of him and Ryder goofing around while I was sleeping after work the other day.

First snow

Only in Minnesota could Joe mow the lawn three days ago in shorts and a tshirt and then two days later, be freezing his butt off while shoveling the driveway. Even though it was pretty cold, we bundled Ryder up in his new snowsuit and hat and took him outside to watch dad shovel. I can tell it's going to be hard during the winter because Ryder LOVES being outside. He could be outside all day long if it were up to him...he just stares at everything and never makes a fuss about anything. But when we're inside, I swear he gets bored looking at the same toys and being in the same dumb living room all the time. We'll have to get creative I guess. Anyways, we snapped a picture of Ryder sitting in the snow for the first time. He loved it!

A little snuggle time with daddy...a great way to end the day :)

Something new every day

At seven months old (yes, SEVEN!!), Ryder learns or does something new almost every day, I swear! I will give a little update for you friends and family members who do not get to see Ryder regularly. Over the last month, he has started to shake toys. At first it was this slow up and down, up and down gross motor movement. Now he actually shakes toys fast when he knows that they make noise. It's really cute.

Also really cute?? When he turns toys over in his hands while examining them. He gets that big bottom lip that I call his "thinking lip" puckered out...stares hard at the toy and turns it over and over in his hands looking at all sides of it. :)

What else...oh, he basically sits up on his own now. The only time he takes a tumble is when he looks up at something. He doesnt quite get the concept of looking up with just his neck/head...he looks up using his whole body, which is why he tumbles backwards!

If he wasn't such a chub, my guess is he would be crawling really soon. He constantly wants to move and get things out of his reach, but since he can't move...he just gets mad and squirms a ton. It makes him sooo mad...I laugh because it's funny when he tries to throw his body in the direction of something, but at the same time kinda feel bad for him because he gets so frustrated!!

Something that happened just tonight finally that clicked for him is the concept of picking food up and feeding himself. I have tried every couple days over the last few weeks to get him to learn this skill, or at least get the idea of it down. I put these "melt away" yogurt bites that melt really quickly in the mouth on his tray. At first he just flung them all over and pushed them around the tray without putting them in his mouth. I thought this was really weird considering he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, but then when I put food infront of him...he didn't. So I waited. I tried a few other times, and he did the same thing...and when I would put a small piece in his mouth to show him it was food, he would push it immediately to the back of his throat without chewing and he would cough and choke. Okay, still not ready. Then yesterday I tried it again and he finally figured out how to pick up the small pieces in his hand, but he couldn't get the skill of transferring it from his hand to his mouth. I wanted to show Joe tonight what I was "working" on with him, and he actually put a bunch in his mouth...AND chewed too! It was really cute. I could tell he was kinda pumped about it.

Crazy how time flies huh??

Ryder's 6 month photos

I know many of you have seen Ryder's 6 month pictures on Facebook, but for those of my family members who have not...Auntie Anna/Grandparents....here are a few!

I am seriously insane....

.....over Christmas shopping! I know, I know...some might say, "it's freaking November 3rd--why are you Christmas shopping already??" My answer to them is that I absolutely love love love Christmas shopping for other people and I can never start too early. I get so excited thinking of a super great present for someone. And I seriously pride myself on finding and buying something that someone I care about will truly love to get. I can officially cross two people off of my Christmas "to do" list as of today: my father-in-law, Paul and my sister-in-law, Amy Grace! I also bought two other gifts as well!! Joe thinks I'm crazy and just shakes his head. He thinks we should get through Thanksgiving first. But for me, the second Halloween is over, it's fair game. And as for over-shadowing Thanksgiving, I dont see it as that. I think Thanksgiving just gets me even more excited for Christmas when you're with family and it's cozy warm inside the house while you're nice and fat from all the food....

Anyways, happy shopping everyone!!!

Jumperoo

A few months ago we bought Ryder a "Jumperoo". He fits in it much better than he did when we first got it, so we can actually use it a lot more now. Not only does Ryder love it, but we love it too. Especially now that it is getting colder outside and we can't spend as much time outdoors (which Ryder LOVES). It gives us something "new" to do when playing on the floor or sitting on the couch/in the bumbo or walking around the house gets old. Now he can sit in the Jumperoo and bounce, kick, play, scream, and of course: laugh at Daddy!

And please ignore my bad video recording skills. I'm working on them....

Nick was in town!

This past weekend the three of us headed up North to the Haskins' cabin. Joe's mom's cousin, Nick and his roommate Jon, came in from California to do some hunting with the Haskins boys. It was a perfect weekend with great weather. We bundled up Ryder and were able to take him outside a couple of times. As always, it was really great seeing Nick---and he will be back up to MN over Thanksgiving as well! Here are some pictures from the weekend below.

Mommy and Ryder gearing up to go outside and put up Christmas lights

Nick and Ryder finally get to meet!

Ryder in his snowman hat!! So cute.

Ryder in a coon-skin hat--it was Uncle Logan's from when he was a little kid.