Growing by two more feet

As I posted on facebook, we are expecting a little bundle of joy come January 2013.  Ryleigh is going to be a big sister!!  She's thrilled ; )

We had been trying for a while, so it was quite a relief when I finally got that positive test!  But it wasn't without a little confusion first....

I took this test while I was at work.  Is it positive?  Is it negetive?  You tell me.  I sure couldn't tell.  I figured I'd let it sit, absorb for a few hours then check back.  But even after hours of sitting there, all I could see was maybe a faint blue line...but then again, I could be imagining it.  I decided I would take another the next day.  Well that lasted about one hour.  As I was leaving work I coughed up the extra $5 a package for the digital test.  I had to know.

Boy was I glad that I did!  A clear (not really blue, more gray) PREGNANT!!  I couldn't believe it.  After months of trying and trying, the one month I didn't stress about it, it happens.  Isn't that how things always happen though?

Ryleigh was so excited to show her Daddy our good news! 

(don't worry, that test was sanitized before she was allowed to hold it)

This was taken a few days after we found out...probably about 4 weeks pregnant here.

Baby R2's first photo at 7 weeks. 

7 weeks pregnant. 

 They keep telling me you show earlier with your second, but this is a little ridiculous.

We're very excited to start this next chapter of our lives and to not only add another little personality to our family, but to also watch Ryleigh become a big sister!  I look forward to keeping everyone up-to-date on baby R2 and Ryleigh and we ask that you keep us in your prayers over the next 9 months.  Here's to a happy, healthy baby!

Action Packed April

Ryleigh at 18 months (April 15, 2012)

26 pounds, 34 3/4" (one tall baby...still)

I want to start off this blog by officially welcoming little baby Olivia to the family.  April 19, 2012 my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their little girl to the world.  Weighing in at 8 pounds 1 ounce and 20 1/4 inches, Olivia Payton made her grand entrance at 2:43 am.  We over here at Casa Richardson are so very excited to get all our hands on her and squeeze those chubby baby cheeks.  When Ryleigh sees her pictures she says "beebee"....we're still working on the Olivia part ; )

Jason, Bekah and baby Olivia

So...this past month has been a much calmer month over here.  With Mommy & Daddy back from their European vacation and Yaya back in California, we are finally getting back into our routine.  The weather is getting warmer and Ryleigh is really enjoying being outside and not having to worry about stuffy noses or congestion...Mommy is too : )  Ryleigh is also developing quite the little personality.  Can we say sassy?  I wonder where she gets that from?  Surely not Mommy.

I said last month that Ryleigh has turned into a "full blown toddler" and that has not changed since then!  We are having tantrums, and telling Mommy "no" and definitely pushing Daddy's limits (which isn't too hard, since he caves so easily).  But I wouldn't have it any other way.  This just means our little girl is growing up and trying to figure out her place in our family.  The one thing she can dominate....Lucy.  And boy has she learned that!  It's hilarious to watch her with one hand on her hip and shake her little finger at Lucy and say "no no no!"

She is learning so much at daycare and I am so glad she is getting that experience!  No matter how highly I think of myself as a Mother, I know that there is no way I could teach her all the things that she's learning there!  I got to watch her a little bit from the doorway the other day before picking her up and she was holding hands with a friend, spinning in a circle.  They'd fall to the floor and laugh, then get right back up and start spinning again.  They joy on their faces was infectious!  And just knowing that she is making little friends and having so much fun when she's spending time away from me is so heart-warming.

Her vocabulary is growing daily and she is becoming a little parrot.  She knows what to do when you sit her on the potty and if you ask "are you poopy?", she will say "poopy" if she is in fact, poopy, or "no" if she isn't.  I guess the next step will be getting her to tell us before it happens, haha.  We haven't started the transition from crib to bed yet, even though I was so adamant about starting it at 18 months.  Although, I was also adamant about no binkies after one year, yet she still uses one at bedtime : /  We'll see how it goes.  I find myself becoming more and more lenient on things that just seem so arbitrary now.  I can't seem to tell my little girl "no", especially when she comes to me with those big blue eyes and says "peeeeeeeees?"  I mean, it breaks my heart to see her sad...and if binkies make her happy, take one million!

Eventually I'll get stronger....right?  In the meantime, I'll enjoy spoiling her.  And you guys, as well.  Here are some pictures and videos from our last month.

Ryleigh playing with her friends at daycare...shes in the back right pushing the yellow bulldozer

singing and dancing with her baby

apparently she enjoyed her dinner

"what? is it not normal to lick your plate after eating?"

kisses for Mommy

"cheeeeeeeese!!!!"

such a ham

blue steel?

oh wait...the Fresh Beat Band is on...

a rare Lucy shot..

my baby's got some lovely blonde curls : )

The following pictures are from Easter Sunday.  This is Ryleigh's second Easter, but last year she was only 6 months old and while I did give her chocolate then, this year it was so much better.  Gammy was here to spend the weekend with us, so she helped us search for eggs and make an Easter feast.  We had lots of fun with her and as always, love it when she comes to visit us! 

Ryleigh's Easter basket

Ryleigh dives into her Easter basket

"whooooa"

Not sure who enjoys the toys more, Ryleigh or Daddy

 a face only a Mother could love : )

hunting for eggs

neatly putting everything back...she must be mine : )

Ryleigh's first "Easter egg hunt"

Daddy, Ryleigh & Mommy on Easter Sunday

enjoying some Easter chocolates

our little genius : )

Eighteen Months...I can't believe it.

This last year and a half has been so rewarding and we can't believe it's already been 18 months since our little angel graced us with her presence.  We have been trying desperately to make Ryleigh a big sister, but it has been a little difficult this time around.  We ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers and hopefully we can share good news soon.  In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy our time with Ryleigh alone and cherish every memory we all make together knowing that God has a plan for us : )



Seventeen Months

In honor of Ryleigh's seventeenth month on this Earth, I thought maybe I'd put up some pictures.  It's becoming increasingly difficult to actually get a picture of her since once she sees the camera she immediately thinks the camera is a toy for her to play with.  She then whines and cries if you don't give it to her, and if you do give it to her, she either drools on it or throws it.

I don't want to say that our little princess is turning into our little hellion because I'm sure she's not that bad compared to some.  But she is no longer "becoming" a toddler...she is a full blown toddler and she is getting very good at testing those boundaries and letting us know what she thinks about things (with high pitched squeals).  She is using sign language (more, butterfly, bird, random things), saying "please" & "thank you", using the potty when put on it, recognizing colors, shapes and animals.  So overall, we think she is a genius!

I don't know...you be the judge....

huggin' my Sing-A-Ma-Jig

playing in the pillows

the excitement in uncontrollable when Olivia comes on

"Excuse me, we're trying to work here!"

fascinated by the garbage truck

ready for summer!

when it's empty, if you turn it over, it becomes something to chew on

clearly this is the most comfortable way to watch TV

Mommy was getting in the way of watching Olivia

"What? Am I not supposed to be in here?"

Cooking: Easy yet impressive dinners

Since I've gone back to work I haven't been able to blog like I used to.  In fact, I haven't been able to do a lot of things like I used to...like try new recipes.  I was really determined to not let a 40 hour work week interfere with our family dinners.  Unfortunately because our little princess now has to wake up at 6:45 am for daycare, that means she no longer stays up until 8 pm.  In fact, we're lucky if she makes it past 6:20 pm. Needless to say Ryleigh dinner happens much earlier than Mommy & Daddy dinner.  And most of the time because Ryleigh dinner is different than Mommy & Daddy dinner, Mommy & Daddy dinner has been...lacking.  Well now that Ive been in my new position for a few months I've luckily been able to try some new recipes...some good, some bad.  Thought I'd share a couple of the good ones with y'all.

I took this using the food setting on my new camera...fancy, huh?

Chili braised pork with green beans & mashed sweet potatoes

1 1/2 lbs. boneless country style pork ribs
Salt & pepper
3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp. all purpose flour Chili powder
2 sweet potatoes (1 lbs.) peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp. sugar
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lbs. green beans, trimmed

Season pork with salt & pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp. oil over medium high heat. Add pork and cook until browned on both sides, about 7 minutes total. Whisk together broth, flour, and 1/2 tsp. chili powder and add to skillet. Bring liquid to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer, cover, and cook 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until pork is tender and sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes. In a medium pot, bring sweet potatoes to a boil in salted water over high. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot; mash until fluffy and almost smooth. Stir in sour cream and sugar, season with salt & pepper, and keep warm over low. In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp. oil over medium high. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add green beans & 1/4 cup water, cover & cook 3 minutes. Uncover & cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender & water is evaporated, 2 minutes. Season with salt & pepper and serve with pork, sauce, and sweet potatoes sprinkled with chili powder.

This next recipe took me literally 20 minutes. I had my chicken breasts that followed the recipe, then I had a packet of frozen Green Giant veggies that took 5 minutes to steam, then a box of rice that took 12 minutes in the microwave. I mean, this looks pretty impressive for only 20 minutes in the kitchen, right?

I had to take this picture with my phone...not as fancy : (

Sautéed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried tarragon

Sprinkle chicken breast with salt & pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken; sauté until cooked through, 10-12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to plate & keep warm. Pour wine into hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream, mustard, & tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour any accumulated chicken juices into sauce. Right before serving, drizzle cream over chicken.

I found both of these recipes from my Everyday Food magazine that I get monthly.